DISARMAMENT ISSUE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21698, 13 January 1934, Page 11

DISARMAMENT ISSUE

DIPLOMATIC PARLEYS CONTINUATION -APPROVED British "Wireless RUGBY, Jan. 11 It is understood that the view taken by the Cabinet's committee on disarmament at its meeting yesterday was that the method of advancing thfe cause of disarmament by means of parallel and supplementary efforts through diplomatic channels should be continued for the present.

Although the British Government is understood to be quite ready to te represented at the meeting of the bureau of the conference on the date originally fixed —January 22 —it is felt that'with a view to promoting the progress of diplomatic . negotiations it might be advisable to arrange for a short postponement of that meeting. The Foreign Secretary, Sir John Simon, accompanied by Mr. Strang, of the Foreign Office, saw the president of the conference, Mr. Arthur Henderson, to-day and informed him of the present position arising out of "parallel and supplementary efforts" now in progress through diplomatic channels. M. Thanassis Aghnides (Greece), director of the disarmament' section of the League of Nations, was present. Mr. Henderson informed Sir John of the nature of the communications he had received on the question of adequate guarantees for the loyal execution of the convention on which he had to report to the conference. Mr. Henderson hopes to hold a meeting of the officers of the bureau on Friday in order to make a decision as to the date of the meeting of the bureau. ■

The programme of work adopted by the bureau on November 22 provides for the resumption to take place during or after the January meeting of the League of Nations Council, the date to be fixed by the president in consultation with the officers of the bureau.

These are the vice-chairman, M. Politis (Greece); the rapporteur, Dr. Edouard Benes (Czecho-Slovakia); and the Secretary-General of the League, M. Joseph Avenol (France)..

FRANCE AND GERMANY

HERR HITLER CONCILIATORY British "Wireless RUGBY, Jan. 11 It is learned that Herr Hitler's reply to the recent French memorandum is likely to. be despatched before the end of the week, also that its tone is as conciliatory as was the French document, but that further exchanges will be inevitable before a preliminary basis of agreement can be found.