DELHI CONFERENCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 24 October 1940, Page 5

DELHI CONFERENCE

GREAT INTEREST AROUSED EMPIRE’S WAR EFFORT [British Official Wireless) RUGBY, 22nd October. Of importance as an event in itself and as an indication of the inexhaustible resources of the British Commonwealth, the conference which will open in New Delhi on Friday excites great interest. Charged with the duty of ensuring the best possible use of the resources existing and potential for the purposes of war of all the lands under the British flag in the eastern hemisphere, the Dominions of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa join hands with Asia. Not only is two-thirds of the total area of the British Empire represent-, ed, but Palestine, as a mandated territory, is included in this gathering, which is representative of a recorded population of 365,00,000 in Asia alone. The great sub-continent of India, which before the war ranged tenth of the main industrial countries of the world, is already making vast contributions to the war effort. For some time India has been meeting not only all the steel requirements of the Middle East. Uganda and Iraq, but also supply a considerable quantity to the United Kingdom. With this as what might be described as the core of the supply organisation, one main object of the conference is to arrange to equip and supply the Allied forces in the Middle East from “east of Suez.” The deliberations of the conference will be greatly assisted by the presence of the Roger Mission.