CABINET VIEW.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 10, 12 January 1934, Page 7

CABINET VIEW.

ARMS CONFERENCE. Postponement of Meeting of Geneva Bureau. DIPLOMATS AT WORK. (British Official Wlreleee.) deceived 1 p.m.) RUGBY, January 11. It is understood that the view taken by the Cabinet committee on disarmament at the meeting yesterday Avas that the method of advancing the cause of disarmament by means of parallel and supplementary efforts of diplomatic channels should for the present be continued. Although the British Government is understood! to be quite ready to attend the meeting of the bureau of the conference on the date originally fixed— January 22 —it is felt that in view of promoting the progress of diplomatic negotiations it might be advijabls to arrange for .a short postponement of the bureau meeting. The Foreign Secretary, Sir John Simon, accompanied T)y Mr. Strang, of the Foreign Office, saw the president of the conference, Mr. Arthur Henderson, to-day and informed him of the present position arising out of "parallel and supplementary efforts" now in progress through diplomatic channels. M. Thanassis Aghnidtes (Greece), director of the disarmament section of the League of Nations, was also present during the conversation. Mr. Henderson informed Sir John Simon of the nature of the communications he had received on, the question of adequate guarantees for the loyal execution of the convention, on which he had to report to the conference. Mr. Henderson' hopes to hold a meeting of the officers of the bureau on Friday in order to take a decision as to the date of the meeting of the bureau. The programme of work adopted by the bureau on .November 22 provides for such a resumption to take place during or after the January meeting of the League of Nations Council, the date to be fixed by the president in consultation with the officers of the bureau. Theee are the vice-chairman, M. Politis (Greece); the rapporteur, Dr. Edouard Benes (Czecho-Slovakia); and the Secretary-General of the League, M. Joseph Avenol (France).

ATTITUDE TO FRANCE

Reported to be Conciliatory In £one. BRITISH DISARMAMENT HOPE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 9.30 a.m.) RUGBY, January 11. It is learned that Herr Hitler's reply to the recent French memorandum is likely to be dispatched before the end of the week, also that its tone is as conciliatory as was the French document, but that further exchanges are inevitable before a preliminary basis of agreement is found.