LIMITING ARMAMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18173, 19 August 1922, Page 10

LIMITING ARMAMENTS.

WASHINGTON CONFERENCE. DEBATE IN THE HOUSE. NEW ZEALAND'S POSITION. [by telegraph.—press association.] WELLINGTON. Friday. When the House resumed this evening tho Prime Minister intimated that he proposed to take the debate On Sir John Salmond's report on the Washington Conference. He paid a tribute to the manner in which New Zealand was represented at the conference. To give effect to the treaties, it was necessary they should be ratified by Parliament and he proposed to move in that direction. He regarded with satisfaction the improved relations which resulted from the meeting of the conference. . Dealing with the constitutional position of the Dominions at Washington, where they had no separate representation, he said he was rather pleased at what had taken place there, because where the Dominions had separate votes they might have differences of opinion and vote against each other, which was not in the interests of the Empire. He entirely approved of the fact that at the Washington Conference the Dominions were there as units of the British Empire, and not as separate countries. , Continuing, he read the recommendations of the Admiralty as to what was expected of New Zealand in naval defence, and if those recommendations were carried out, he said, we would hava nothing to fear for the future. New Zealand could do her share in the defence of the Empire. We were committed to that in principle, though the details were not yet settled. That would have to be done m the near future. h - He had no wish to disparage the League of Nations, but it had no power behind it and it mitrht lead to a sense of false security. What he would like to see was a combination, led by Britain and America, which would be powerful enough to enforce peace upon the world. He moved "That the House of Bepresentative 8 of New Zealand in Parliament assembled assents to the ratification by His Majesty of the Washington Treaties, as negotiated by the plenipotentiary at the recent Washington Conference." Mr. T. M. Wilford, Leader of the Opposition, in seconding the motion, said the Liberal side of the House yielded to no one when it came to supporting tho British Empire. In his opinion the first great results of the Washington Conference were that the perils of Anglo-American antagonism had been averted by frank discussion, secondly, that different parts of the British Empire had responsibilities, thirdly, that it revealed the sincere and spontaneous identity of purpose by four great Powers. Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Labour Party, aaid that at all times the Labour Party favoured restrictions on war and was prepared to support every movement favourable to world peace. He traversed Sir John Salmond's report, commenting upon the findings arrived at. He regretted the decision with regard to submarines. After the supper adjournment tHe debate was continued by several members. The motion moved by Mr. Massey was then agreed to on the voices.