A MEETING IN LONDON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17843, 26 July 1921, Page 5

A MEETING IN LONDON.

MR. HUGHES' INSISTENCE.

PACIFIC QUESTION FIRST. A. and N.Z. NEW YOxtJi., July 24.

The London correspondent of the United Press of America interviewed Mr. W. M. Hughes for an amplification of his views on the Washington conference. Mr. Hughes said :—" There can be no disarmament until the need for armaments no longer exists. It follows from this that until the vital problems of the Pacific are settled by agreement among the three great naval Powers, disarmament or limitation of armaments is impossible. Therefore, it is vital that a conference be held to deal with these problems as soon as possible. London is the most convenient location, and I believe the conference should be held there within three weeks. I believe London is the best place for the Pacific Conference, although I believe the conference on armaments would, perhaps, be more conveniently held at Washington.

" There must be giving as weli as taking if the conference on the Pacific question or any other conference is to be successful. It must be realised that there are problems vital to Japan, just as-there are questions vital to the United States and Australia. We must go to the conference prepared to give way as far as we can consistently with our own vital interests. We are confronted by a certain basis of facts. Among others one may be stated. Japan needs room for expansion; inexorable circumstance© compel her expansion; we therefore-must consider how far we can satisfy Japan without sacrificing our own interests. That is one of the questions for the conference to settle —it must be settled if humanly possible.

" You cannot expect Australia to give up the safeguards of the British Fleet and the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, which served us so well for twenty years, until peace is -assured and secured from all danger. The continent of Australia cannot effectively assure its own safety, but we can protect ourselves in two ways— either we must have at our disposal a great navy, such as the British and the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, or there must be such a settlement of Pacific problems as will remove all danger of war. Ido not say that a solution will be easy to find, but if Pacific questions are settled the adoption of a practical basis for limitation of armaments is possible, but unless the Pacific question is settled first it is idle to expect that the Washington conference will be successful." DEPENDENCE ON THE NAVY. LIFE OR DEATH FOR DOMINIONS. A and N.Z. LONDON. July 24. Replying to the speeches at the presentation of the Freedom of Bath. Mr. Massey said the opening of the Panama Canal had made a tremendous difference to the countries of the Pacific. The strength of the navy meant life or death to the nations of the South Pacific. He wanted the Empire representatives to speak with one voice and as one man.

Mr. Massey added that he was not afraid to trust native races with selfgovernment.