THE IMPERIAL WAR CONFERENCE.

Clutha Leader, Volume XLIII, Issue 92, 29 May 1917, Page 6

THE IMPERIAL WAR CONFERENCE.

EMPIRE PROBLEMS. GERMAN TRADE PREPARATIONS. LONDON, May 25. A Blue Book detailing the Imperial War Conference minutes shows that Rt. Hon. W. H. Long (Secretary of State for the Colonies) in his opening address said he was satisfied that Germany was making the most complete preparations for competition after the war. In battle (said the Minister) we were found unprepared, but he hoped that we would not again be caught unprepared in the peaceful conflict which would come after the war, iu which we ought to do something more than hold our own. Therefore he believed that the Conference must be helpful. Lieutenant-General J. C. Smuts (South African Minister for Defence and the conqueror of German East Africa) said he thought that matters of war should be settled by this Conference. Sir Joseph Ward (Minister for Finance for New Zealand) disagreed with the previous speaker. He thought the Conference should discuss matters that would affect the Empire after the war. If (he said) we began 12 months after the war we would begin 12 months too late. Ho hoped to see proposals to circumvent the enemy's insidious attacks concerning our vital trade interests. There should be discussion concerning the value of the Pacific to the Empire, and also subventions for British shipping should be discussed. 'The Conference should deal with tho naturalisation of aliens after the war and make action uniform.