HAGUE CONFERENCE.

Grey River Argus, 17 June 1922, Page 5

HAGUE CONFERENCE.

— — THE PRELIMINARIES. INTERNATIONAL COURT OPENS. (Received June 16 .‘it 5.5 p.m.) THE HAGUE, June 15. The Hague Conference has opened here. Without ceremonial, except that the judges t.vere wearing black robes and velvet collars, the Internationa]. Court of Justice has also opened for its first business session. Pollock, British attorney-general, addressed the Court rs a preliminary to England's appearance in the Court to state her views of Labour eases. The Dominions and British delegates discussed the Empire’s policy at a conference of the Dominion’s representatives and emphasised the point that they must refer to their Governments the question of their representation on the Final Commission, which the Russians will attend. Sir Francis Bell declared that New Zealand will not be represented direct!v. z Mr Kernsbeek (Belgium) will preside over the Allied meetings until the Russians arrive. The British Empire delegates conferred ;is to procedure. The Dominions’ delegates (made it clear they would have to consult their Governments as to whether they expected representation on the Commission of experts. It is reported that the Russian coinmissioti numbers 16 and is headed by Krassin Litvinoff and Rakavsky, FRANCO-BELGIAN ATTITUDE UNCHANGED. FRENCH DELEGATES YET ARRIVED. (Received June 16 at 5.5 n.ui.) PARIS, JunC 15The French delegates to The t' a ß" e Conference have not yet departed, newspapers report that conversation-” between Premier Poincare and the Belgijni Foreign Minister have resulted in Belgium intimating her intention adhering to her Genoa attitude regarding Russian private property. This attitinie caused a most serious crisis at Genoa Conferenee. The newspaper "Echo de Paris’’ as- - ~ l'i, ~i.lent Poincare and M. Jasper I' u Foreign Minister) have eon-C-rr i in regard to The Hague Conference. jiinl have agreed that the France Belgian views in respect to private ;•. .. >.-; rv ill Russia remain unehanged sine? the Get aa meeting ’ ■ paper ‘‘Le Matin ' Hague eora.lent declrres th:- .e British - -me to an agree: . iii with the s before hand. The policy of It. .-.in is to create an outlet for the i German goods in Russia, because t! German goods are competing with the British good- , South Africa and the Far E- 11,.. correspondent adds that atr .’ vith Germany will now be dra\- ■ by Lord d’ Abortion (British An-i.-aseador at Berlin). This treaty will keep Germany quiet in certain markets, in return for British help in getting markets in Russia. WILL FRANCE GO? ‘‘Le Matin” says that therefore it will be better for France to abstain from attending The Hague Conference, rather than to go there without a programme.