EMPIRE IN PEACE AND WAR.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 190, 29 July 1911, Page 1

EMPIRE IN PEACE AND WAR.

SOME PERTINENT QUESTIONS.

TOO DELIC ATE TO BE ANS-

WEP.ED

[PRES9 ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT].

(Received 29. 8.5 a.m.) London, July 28

In the House of Commons, Mr. Pike-Pease questioned Mr. Asquith as to whether he had noted: Sir W. Laurier’s declaration that Canada did not think she was bound to take part in every war ; and that her fleet might not be; called upon in all cases. He asked : whether its converse also applied and whether Mr. Asquith would; obtain from the Canadian Govern-' ment some definition of wars in the ' eases referred to, and whether wars originating under articletwo of the Japaanese Alliance \ were included. ! Mr Asquith replied that the mat- 1 ters were too grave and delicate} to be dealt with by question and answer. “Nor,” said he. “‘can I, } without a breach of confidence disclose the discussions and decisions' of secret sessions of the Imperial Conference.

Mr. Wolmer questioned Mr MacKinnon Wood as to whether arti-■ cle five of the Anglo-Japanese, ■ treaty permitted the Japanese Government to inquire concerning the availability of the Australian fleet even in war and whether such inquiry had been made ; also; whether the Government intended to reply that action will be. taken by a Dominion in the event of war. which was not a subject of discussion and whether the reply would be in accordance with the full, free consolation stipulated in the article.

Mr. MacKinnon Wood answered that he cannot reply to a hypothetical question. The terms of the treaty are public. STATUS OF DOMINION NAVIES

(Received 29. 12.50 a.m.) Ottawa. July 28.

A memorandum of the conference between Canada. Australia, and the British Admiralty on the status of the Dominion Forces, was tabled this morning. The Dominion navies are to he exclusively under tlie control of the respective Governments, and the training uniform with that of the Imperial jlavy. Canada’s naval stations will be the North Pacific and the North Atlantic : Australia’s, the South Pacific and the Antarctic.