Manawatu Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 21st MAY, 1875.] SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1921. THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLII, Issue 1737, 12 February 1921, Page 4

Manawatu Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 21st MAY, 1875.] SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1921. THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

For strategical purposes, no doubt, an air of mystery is being imparted to the visit of the Prime Minister to the forthcoming Imperial Conference, but it will probably be found that the special invitation to Mr Massey is based on nothing’ but, a desire on the part of the Imperial Government to bring a number of matters at present up in the air down to a business basis. A well-informed Wellington correspondent says that the governments of the Empire will be asked to consider questions of defence. They will have placed before them the recommendation of the committee of naval' defence in Great Britain, and they will receive also the reports of experts concerning the land forces of the Empire. Britain, is not building warships at the present time, the pause in construction being due partly to the possession of the big fleet of modern ships created during the war and partly to the need for time to adapt the constructional policy to the lessons of the war. The pause cannot be of very long duration, and it is no secret that the British Government wishes to know what the Dominion Governments intend to do in the matter of naval defence. The creation of a Pacific fleet has got to be faced by the Governments concerned. The necessity for the establishment of a strong Empire fleet in the Pacific was recognised by the Imperial Conference of 1909, and the battle-cruiser New Zealand, it will be remembered, was intended originally to be a' unit of this fleet. Mr Asquith stated in the House of Commons in 1909 that the remodelling of the squadrons in Far Eastern waters was being considered on the basis of establishing a Pacific fleet. The concentration of British naval strength in home waters consequent upon the growing German menace prevented the scheme being realised, but the naval' experts of the Empire appear to be unanimous now in believing that with the German fleet out of the way the British Empire must have adequate naval strength in the Pacific. Lord Jelllcoe’s naval mission to Australia and New Zealand in 1910 was connected directly with this matter. Lord Jelllcoe recommended the .establishment of a Par Eastern fleet! costing nineteen millions annually, the cost to be distributed on tfie following basis: Britain 75 per cent., Australia 20 per cent.. New Zealand 5 per cent. New Zealand’s division of this fleet was to include three light cruisers, six submarines, eight destroyers and some aircraft costing annually about four millions. The Dominion has partially acquired one light cruiser, to cost annually about £250,000. Exports will have something to say to the conference about the armies of the Empire. They do hot think that the Imperial organisation created during the war should be allowed to disappear or become useless through neglect. They wish to secure an understanding among the Governments of the Empire as to duties and responsibilities in the event of another war. The conference cannot make law's for any State of, the Empire, but it can discuss the problems of military cooperation and create a basis upon w'hich the military experts can lay their plans. It has been stated in London that the Dominion Prime Ministers are to be consulted about the renewal of the xVnglo-Japanese alliance. New Zealand and Australia are very deeply interested in this matter. The alliance has to bo reviewed or renewed shortly and there have been reports that the Japanese are going to raise the question of immigration into British territories. The British Government proposes to make it clear that the alliance does not involve Britain in any obligation to assist Japan in a war against the United States. It is obvious that the weakening of the alliance has a direct bearing upon the. extent of the defensive preparations, naval and military, required by the British Empire in the Pacific. Another matter that is to come before the conference is the migration of population within the Empire. The British Government appears to be willing to continue its schemes of assisted emigration to British countries overseas, and it wishes to know how far the Dominion Governments are prepared to co-operate. A frank exchange of view's by the heads of the Empire’s Governments is considered to be desirable.