IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 306, 26 December 1924, Page 5

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

3 THE REASONS FOR IT. FULL, FRANK DISCUSSION. THE GENEVA PROTOCOL,. (By Cable.—Press Association.— Copyright.) ) (Received 10 a.m.) LONDON, December 25. j The British Government has telegraphed - to the Governments of the Dominions 3 and India with a view to ascertaining 3 whether it is possible to arrange 11 , special meeting of the Imperial Conference early in March to discuss questions 1 arising out of the Geneva protocol. The object is a full and frank discust sion of the nature and extent of the - responsibilities which will he involved » for the whole of the Empire by the ; ratification of the protocol. There is no question of any special ; lines having been already laid down by , the British Government, hut everything ! will be left for a complete, free discus--1 sion on the part of the Dominions. ' EXCHANGE OF OPINIONS. 1 MAY BE DONE BY CABLE. I (Received 11 a.m.) OTTAWA, December 25. It is probable that Canada's reply to the British invitation to the Imperial t Conference will suggest that every means of exchanging opinions by cable be exhausted prior to calling a conference, ; in view of the fact that the Premier will be unable to attend without the adjourn- ■ ment of Parliament.— (A. and N.Z.) INVITTION TO PREMIERS. THE OFFICIAL EXPLANAION. LONDON, December 25. With regard to the invitations to the Prime Ministers of the Dominions to attend a conference in London in May, the Colonial Office explains that while the Government is eagerly desirous of a ; conference, it doee not desire to unduly influence, the Dominions, who remain perfectly free to exercise preference of . consultation by cablegrnm instead of , coming to London. [ The Colonial Office view is that this is one of those caaee where personal s consultation is supremely important. Furthermore, it marks a iong stride of progress towards intimate inter-Imperial j relations concerning the Empire's foreign t policy, being the first time in British . history an ad hoc conference has been I proposed by Britain upon a specific subject. If it is held it will establish a prece- , dent, and succeeding Governments cannot ignore it. The reason March is snggested is that the Council of the League of Nations meets in the middle of March t to receive international decisions for the : ( acceptance or rejection of the protocol. , An Ottawa message states that while : ' there has been no official comment, the ■fact that the Dominion Parliament will ' \ be in full session during March makes [ the suggested time for the proposed Im- ( perial Conference in London inconvenient I for Canada.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.)