BRITAIN ACTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 26, 31 January 1934, Page 8

BRITAIN ACTS.

ARMS MEMORANDUM.

Hitler's Broadcast An.-wer Eagerly Awaited. "

GENEVA CONFERENCE'S FATE.

(British Official Wireless.) (Received 1 p.m.) RUGBY, January 30. The terms of the new British memorandum on disarmament will probably be published not later than Thursday next.

Meanwhile, the British statement has been communicated to the German Government by the British Ambassador to Berlin, Sir Eric Phippe". About the same time it was delivered at the Quai D'Orsay by Lord Tyrrell, Ambassador to France. A copy was handed to the Italian Foreign Ministry. Copies of tho memorandum are also in the hands of representatives of the United States, Japan, Belgium and Poland.

Satisfaction is felt in London that M. Daladier has undertaken to form a new Cabinet ill France. Though he is resolutely opposed to Germany's rearmament on a large scale, he is an advocate of direct talks between l'aris and Berlin.

The Paris correspondent of the British United Press reports that Sir John Simon's ".memorandum outlining the British Government's views on the dis-, armament issue has arrived. It definitely favours immediately granting Germany defensive armaments to a limited extent. It also states that Britain wishes to abolish the test period. . It is unofficially reported that Britain suggests that tlie strength of the Reichswelir be 2J0,000, thus compromising between the German and French demands. When Herr Hitler speaks this afternoon he will have had ample time to consider the British statement, and that part of his speech dealing with the disarmament question is awaited here with special interest.

Mr. Arthur Henderson was present in the House of Commons yesterday when the Foreign Secretary, Sir John Simon, made a statement in reference to the British memorandum. Mr. Henderson is expected to remain in London some days, and officers of the Geneva Disarmament Conference bureau, of which he is chairman, are to report to him on February 10 regarding the latest developments.

The question of calling the Disarmament Conference together again will depend largely on the reception given to the British memorandum'.