AIRSHIP DISASTER ENQUIRY.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20083, 12 November 1930, Page 11

AIRSHIP DISASTER ENQUIRY.

DECISION TO DEPART. INFLUENCE OP IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. (VKITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—B * BLECTSTC TEU.OEi.PII—COPYRIO3T.) (Received November 11th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, November 10. Squadron-Leader R. S. Booth, Commander of RIOO, giving evidence at the enquiry, in answer to a question by Sir John Simon (chairman) stated that if the Imperial Conference had not been sitting when the ship set out he was confident the officers would have demanded more trials before attempting the voyage. Hie added: "I feel that their agreement to leave waa biased by the fact that the Conference was sitting. It was the psychological moment for the airship to carry the Secretary of State for r* *° .^ n< M a ar id back again." Continuing, he said that when RlOl was over Hendon an abnormal loss of gas occurred and tho ship had to be pulled from a steep dive, breaking a wire. As the RlOl was flying then, she could not have reached India. Squadron-Leader Nixon, in evidence, said that Wing-Commander Colmore stated that Lord Thomson decided on his own initiative that the ship must make the voyage. He was not insistent. The enquiry was adjourned to December 3rd, Sir John Simon requesting the experts to consider the possible causes of tue disaster, mentioning foolish navigation, the breaking of a wire, or meeting a meteor. the Imperial Conference, require that If any change is desired in the existing requirements of common status, reciprocal action will be neeessary to attain this, and that no mejnber of the Commonwealth should, o»- would, contemplate seeking to confer on any person a status to be operative throughout the Commonwealth save in the pursuance of legislation based upon the common agreement. Nationality of Married Women. In regard to the nationality of married women, the heads of delegations have examined Sections 8 to 10 of The Hague Conference report, and it is believed that they are prepared to recommend that the Governments within the Commonwealth should carry out these recommendations; but there appears to be a disinclination to proceed beyond this in view of the recommendations of last year's conferencse. It seems probable that the present Imperial Conference will be recommended by the heads of delegations to approve the proposals regarding the right of the Crown to disallow and reserve Dominion legislation, and that the Government of the United Kingdom will aslc Parliament to pass the neeessary legislation to effect this, and repeal the Colonial Laws Validity Act. MR MACDONALD ON INDIA. WORK OP THE CONFERENCE. (Boceived November 11th, 5.S p.m.) ' LONDON, November 10. In a speech at the Lord Mayor's I banquet, at which Mr R. B. Bennett (Canada), Mr G. W. Forbes (New Zealand), and Indian delegates were present, Mr Ramsay Mac Donald said the Imperial Conference representatives bad been planning stability in mutual confidence and trust, and strengthening the bonds by removing from them the decaying fabric of coercion and overlordship. Much time had been taken up in devising ways of mutual helpfulness in the sphere of industry and markets, a thing which eould not be settled by propaganda and phrases. The Indian Conference delegates, continued Mr Mac Donald, would be engaged with the task of broadening liberty, so that Britons and Indians might live under the same Crown, the Indians enjoying Dominion self-govern-ment, which was essential to national self-reapoct and contentment. It was most regrettable that an attempt should be made to gain that end by a disintegration of order. Befejring to unemployment, Mr MacDonald said Britain had been in many tight corners, «.nd had been rescued and reinvigorated by men believing in her. Ho was sure that history would repeat itself, and that Britain's Dominions and the Empire would resume the upward road. Great Interest in Parley. A British Official Wireless message says that great interest, not only in Great Britain and India, but throughout the Empire, is being taken in the Indian Bound-Table Conference, the purpose of which is to seek "the greatest possible measure of agreement for the final proposals, which 'it will later be the duty of the Government to submit to Parliament." To attend the Conference there are present in London 57 representatives of British India and 16 representatives of the Indian States, while representatives of the British Parliament, drawn from the Labour, Conservative, and Liberal ranks, number 15. Several high officials including the Governors of two of the Indian provinces, Sir Malcolm Hailey and Sir Charles Innes, are attending in a consultative capacity. Use of Simon Export, The conference will be, in the words of the Viceroy of India (Lord Irwin), '' free to approach its task greatly assisted indeed, but with its liberty unimpaired, by tho report of the Simon Statutory Commission, or by any other document which will be before it. Among these other documents will be a long dispatch giving the views of the Government of India on the Statutory Commission's report, and this, as announced in the House of Commons, will be made public after the opening ceremony of the conference, which will beein its sittings next Monday in St. James's Palace. Meanwhile informal and preparatory meetings of the Indian States delegations and the British Indian delegation and the various committees, are being held. Mr W Wedgwood Benn (Secretary of State for India) informed the House of Commons that the Government of India's dispatch on constitutional questions will be made available to the members of the Round-Table Conference and members of Parliament next Thursday. It would be published.