ARMAMENTS

Grey River Argus, 16 October 1936, Page 8

ARMAMENTS

SUB'MARINE CONVENTION. (Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.) LONDON. October 14. Negotiations are completed for the protocol which will shortly be signed by England, France, United States, Italy and Japan, under the Naval Treaty, undertaking that submarines will not sink disabled merchantmen unless they persistently refuse fo submit to a search. lu addition, they must first conduct the passengers to a place of safety. i French and Italian acceptance will (now clear the way to approach other ■ Naval Powers with a view to the emi bodinient of a clause in international ■ law. I Britain’s million pound white ele,'phant. the 2,780 tons Submarine X 1. built in 1922. capable of submerging ■for two and a-half days, will bo scrapped. It has been out of commission fo r years, and is probably tke Admitialtv’s worst investment. BRITISH ARMY RECRUITS. (British Official Wireless). RUGBY, October 13. The latest returns show that dur’ng September 1,556 army recruits 'were taken on in the territorial army compared with 765 in August and 656 in September, 1935. During Septem- ' bcr, the number of recruits was 21,638, compared with 13,282 during I the same period last year. ANGLICAN VIEWS. AUCKLAND. October 15. At several stages in his address at the opening of the Auckland ’Diocesan Synod, to-d|»y, Archbishop i Averill made reference to peace ami 'war. and the place of the Church in 'international affairs. At one point, he suggested that possibly a state of i preparedness was the only answer in 'the present moral state of the world, 'to the challenge of “self-intoxicated ’madmen.” He said that the question of the defence of the people could not 'be neglected. The principles of the League of Nations had not failed, 'but the League had been shamefully Jet down by some of its supposed friends. It- had stood for a definite i principle. and that principle, the ! Church believed, was sk'.n to the ! mind of Christ.

N.Z. DEFENCE LEAGUE.

WELLINGTON. October 15

With a view to establishing the New Zea’and Defence League on a uational basis, a provisional meeting of delegates of various branches already formed, was held to-day, the Hon. W. Parry presiding. He said the mission of the League was to educate publi<opinion which, despite the serl ? a ‘ situation, would be a long and difficult task. The object of the meeting was to lay -the foundations of the League, and establish an organisation on a thoroughly democratic and national basis throughout the Dominion. The meeting decided that the headquarters be at Wellington. Mr Parry -as appointed provisional Dom nion President. The branches in each of the four main centres are to elect a Vce-President. The provisional executive is Messrs Parry, W. H. Bar nard. E. E. Muir and A. E. Gorton 'he latter of whom 's hon. secretary. RUGBY. October 12.

The German Charge’ D'Affaires, Prince Bismarck, called at. the Foreign Office to deliver the obserzit.ons ot the German Government, upon tae rojrts reeo'.Hr submitted by the. other naval Pow-rs, arising out of tne Anglo-Rus'is n naval conversations. These eorap,ised agreed a-iiembneuis to the standard form of th- proposed bi-lateral treaties between Britain and the variiis naval Power-, not parties to the London Treaty, with a view •0 the wider ’XU.nsion of its provisions. for 'be exchange of information regarding building p.jg.-amr.ies, and for qualitative definitions. In the me-antime tho Italian adherence to Part Four of the London Naval Treaty, of 1930, advances another stage, the efforts to reduce submarine warfare. Britain, the United States, Japan and France all previously adhered to this part of the Treaty, which submits submarines to the same rules of international law as surface vessels, and provides against the sinking of merchant vessels,- unless the safety of passengers, crews and ships’ papers have been first secured.