NAVAL CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 73, 19 December 1935, Page 16

NAVAL CONFERENCE

Japan Questions Role Of Dominions’ Delegates SOME ILL-FEELING London, December 17. It is reported that the Japanese objection to the presence of Dominions’ representatives created ill-feeling at the Naval Conference, Lord Monsell having to intervene to • prevent a scene between Admiral Nagano and Mr. Te Water (South Africa). The Associated Press Agency is authoritatively informed that the position is that the Japanese tentatively raised the question of the precise role of the Dominions’ representatives at the conference, in view of the fact that the Empire, for the purposes of negotiation, is regarded as one unit. Mr. Norman Davis (U.S.A.) pointed out that it was outside the scope of the conference to examine the constitutional relationships between Britain and the Dominions, whereupon the question dissolved in an atmosphere of hilarity. It is understood that the Japanese do not intend to raise it again. There may, however, be an occasional reversion to the 1030 system of one Dominion representative attending on behalf of all certain meetings at which it is desired, to reduce the numbers in order to expedite the business. s LIMITING CONSTRUCTION (British Official Wireless.) Kugby, December 17. At a full meeting of the First Committee of the Naval Conference held this afternoon the United Kingdom delegation made a statement setting out their proposals for quantitative limitation of naval construction over a period of years by means of unilateral declarations ’on the part of naval Powers. Preliminary discussion ensued, in the course of which various delegations requested clarification of the United Kingdom proposal.