THE LANDS OVERSEA.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 64, 22 April 1914, Page 7

THE LANDS OVERSEA.

AND HOME GOVERNMENT.

ARE RELATIONS STRAINED? Tty Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright. LONDON, April 21. The "Standard" has been informed on high authority that divergencies of opinion have arisen between the Home Government and Australia and New Zealand, the latter insisting that there is no necessity for their being represented on the Committee of Imperial Defence unless there is full co-operation between themselves and the Mother Country in the Pacific.

It is understood that Mr Asquitli •will shortly make a full statement on tfte matter in the House of Commons. Australia and New Zealand take the view that Imperialism is above party politics, and cannot be controlled exclusively by the British Cabinet. The position is so strained that the whole conception of Imperialism may be modified.

The discussion is being carried on through Mr Harcourt, Secretary of State for the Colonies, and the Gover-nor-General of Australia and the Governor of New Zealand.

Australia and New Zealand do not accept the Government's interpretation of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance.

'' NOTHING FRESH.''

(Received April 22, 8.35 a.m.) LONDON, April 21

Mr Will Crooks, M.P., referring to the "Standard's" statement regarding the defence of the Pacific, says that there are no divergencies other than those already made pufclic, anjJ he knew of no fresh view' having been expressed by New Zealand or Australia. There was nothing fresh in the whole situation beyond Mr Churchill's speech the other day. CONFERENCE NEGOTIATIONS. CORRESPONDENCE PUBLISHED. (Received April 22, noon.) LONDON, April 21. A Blue Book publishes the correspondence between* the Right Hon. Lewis Harcourt, Secretary of State for the Colonies and the Australasian Governments, up to April. The Commonwealth, in August, enquired' regarding the non-provisiori of the China and East Indies units in pursuance of the 1909 arrangement, and asked whether circumstances had arisen to necessitate any alteration. The Commonwealth. Minister also offered, if it was necessary, to attend a conference.

Mr Harcourt forwarded the Admiralty 's' reply, concerning the carrying out of the 1909 arrangement, and intimated that if the Commonwealth desired to confer, the Imperial Government would welcome its representatives in 1914. He also invited New Zealand to consider the question of participation.

The Commonwealth replied, in March, that owing to the early meeting of Parliament' it would be impossible to send a Minister to London in 1914, but suggested a full conference, including representatives of all the* self-governing Dominions.

Mr Hareourt replied that in the circumstances the question of a defence conference must be postponed.

JAPAN'S OBLIGATION. *

QUESTION IN THE COMMONS,

(Received April 22, 10 a.m.)

Mr F. Hall, Unionist member fo/ Dulv/ich, asked whether Japan's obligation to protect British interests in the Pacific had undergone any. alterations since the last agreertient with the Australasian Governments regarding the naval strength to be maintained by Britain in. Australasian waters.

The Hon. F. Dyke Acland, UnderSecretary for Foreign Affairs, replied tha~ there, had been no alterac'von.

STANDING SIDE BY SIDE

A POLICY ABANDONED

(Received April 22, 10.15 a.m.) SYDNEY, April 22. The " Herald " in a leader on the

defence question says it is satisfactory to Australians to find that New Zealand now stands side by side with them in regard to the whole problem. The recent statements of Mr Massey and Mi Allen make it abundantly clear that the " pro-found wisdom " to which Mr Churchill referred in his speech has been replaced by a profound distrust of the efficacy of the policy previously favoured by Australia and New Zealand, ami which has now been abandoned equally definitely by both countries.