VITAL DISCUSSION ON EMPIRE'S SAFETY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 45, 23 February 1937, Page 7

VITAL DISCUSSION ON EMPIRE'S SAFETY.

AGENDA SETTLED.

Scheme Implies Dominion

Self-Defence.

JiBXT IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, February 22. The Australian Associated Press understands that the agenda for the defence discussions, which will overshadow all else at the Imperial Conference, has now been settled. There will be two main heads: Firstly, political and strategical aspects, and. secondly, the examination of the position with a view to further cooperation. The main task will be devising a workable scheme of co-operation in readiness should a challenge again confront the Empire. It would involve the Dominions undertaking a defence programme and providing a maximum of local defence whereby each Dominion would defend itself" at least until assistance was available from Britain. The effect of the scheme would be that each Dominion would undertake certain armaments in accordance with an agreed programme, accepting responsibility for placing orders and paying the bill."

WILDEST GAMBLES.

Unprecedented Scene on Metal

Market.

"PACE TOO HOT TO LAST."

(Received 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, February 22. The London metal market presented a scene of one of the wildest gambles since the Great War. The business was the largest in memory of present members, the turnover amounting to the unprecedented total of 32,950 tons. The pace, however, was too hot to be sustained. Substantial profit-taking set in during the afternoon. The hulk of the business appears to have been done by speculators, many 'of whom must have made big money. It ie impossible to say how far the trade demand was connected with armaments.

NO NEW POLICY.

DOMINION CO-OPERATION.

British Official Wlrdeaa, (Received 1.30 p.m.) ' RUGBY, February 22. The Prime Minister, Mr. Baldwin, was questioned in the House of Commons on Sir Samuel Hoare's Bradford speech on February 5 regarding Dominion cooperation in Imperial defence. Mr. Baldwin said: "The First Lord of the Admiralty made no new statement of policy. While explaining that the chief burdens of the defence expenditure fall on Britain, the First Lord once again declared, it would be a great mistake to impose some rigid plan on other members of the Empire. "Similarly as to economic questions, he made it clear that any agreement that had been or might be reached must result from a common outlook and spontaneous desire for co-operation."