EMPIRE DEFENCE CONFERENCE

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22656, 10 March 1939, Page 10

EMPIRE DEFENCE CONFERENCE

Britain, Australia, And N.Z. / CONFIRMATION BY MR SAVAGE f Response to Desire Of Government 9 (press association telkgp.au.) WELLINGTON, March 9. Confirmation of the cable message from Canberra that a conference on defence was to be held among New Zealand, Australia, and Britain was given by the Prime Minister (the Rt.. Hon. M. J. Savage), who indicated that the conference had been called at New Zealand’s instigation. “I see by the cable that I am charged with holding things up,” he said. “As a matter of fact New Zealand has been pressing for this conference for some time, to discuss defence matters, and that has been agreed to. I am not holding anything up. I am simply asking that the three countries should make a joint statement at a time to be agreed upon among them.”

EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT PREDICTED

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (Received March 9, 9.30 p.m.) LONDON, March 9. An early announcement may be expected concerning an Imperial Pacific conference, to which the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand are to be parties, for a discussion on the defence of air communication, trade, and economics. It is believed that the talks will begin without delay among representatives of three countries who will already be in Australia when the announcement is made. NO AUSTRALIAN MINISTER TO ATTEND (Received March 10, 2 a.m.) CANBERRA, March 9. The Prime Minister (Mr Lyons) stated that no Minister from Australia would attend a defence conference in Ne;w Zealand.