FINISHING TOUCHES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 270, 13 November 1926, Page 9

FINISHING TOUCHES.

CONFERENCE COMMITTEES. BUSINESS PROGRESSING. DISSONANCE DISAPPEARS. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, November 12. .With the desire that the Imperial Conference should be concluded by November 25, all the committees have been summoned to-morrow to give the finishing touches to their reports. The Inter-Imperial Relations Committee can be regarded as out of the wood as far as "malcontents" are concerned, the earlier suggestions of dissonance shown by some of the delegates having completely disappeared. The committee is now busy finding language wherein to clothe the entirely amicable decision which has been reached.

It is understood the present difficulty is to adapt wording which will suit one of the Dominion delegate's insis tence on plain unambiguous terms, the meaning of which Would be unmistakable by the man in the street, but in any event, this stickler for plain, in contradistinction to "lawyers' language,'' admits an entirely satisfactory formula is practically within sight. There is every indication that the committee will very soon report to the plenary conference.

Chief interest to-day centred in the Prime Ministers' presence at a meeting of the Imperial Defence Committee, where it was made clear there was no intention to change the committee's advisory consultative character, several Prime Ministers paying tribute to its immense value for those purposes. SINGAPORE NOT DISCUSSED. Though both naval and military matters cropped up to-day, the Australian Press Association understands the Singapore scheme was not discussed. Considerable progress was made in the question of the Dominions' acceptance of an increased share in the burden of the Empire's naval defence. Both the extent and nature of the Dominions' increased naval co-operation - were practically decided upon. It is learned that though details of finance are still unsettled, Mr. Coates is satisfied that New Zealand will have no cause to complain of the additional responsibilities she will be called upon to shoulder.

It will likely be some days before the Empire Communications Committee is able to issue its report on the speedingup of steamship services, because the Imperial Shipping Committee has been asked to bring the 1023 report there up-to-date for joint consideration with Sir James Connolly's other schemes THE TREATY PUZZLE. TWO INCHES GAINED. (Received 2 p.m.) LONDON, November 12. Much of the spade work at the Imperial Conference has been completed as the result of an unbroken week of committee consideration and the plenary session on Monday is expected to begin registering decisions or issuing statements.

Virtually the only remaining brake on the conference work is the treaty puzzle. To-day's communique was: "Some progress was made by the subcommittee on treaty procedure." One lawyer member later qualified this with the remark: "Perhaps we did gain about two inches, but that's something." Otherwise the discussions are going with the utmost smoothness. EMPIRE MIGRATION. Mr. Bruce told a public meeting on migration this afternoon that it was the most practical conference in the Empire's history, and would produce the most effective solution of Empire migration yet conceived. The Australian Press Association gathers that the chief achievement regarding migration is the intimate committee discussions which have created a better understanding of the Dominions' difficulties of more rapidly absorbing newcomers. It is admitted that as far

as Australia is concerned it will be necessary for the Commonwealth to seek afresh to enlist and co-ordinate its States' activities so that a reduction of fares for "specialised classes may be taken up with the Imperial authorities.

The discussion of Imperial Defence at Monday's plenary session is likely to centre around the Dominioir ■contributions to naval defence.

While Mr. Coates is favourably inclined as regards the share thereof which New Zealand may have to bear. the Australian Press understands Mr. Bruce is not finding the position so easy since Australia has committed herself to building two cruisers and two submarines, also a floating dock.