OTTAWA PACTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22741, 29 May 1937, Page 13

OTTAWA PACTS

REVISION PEOBLEM BILATERAL PARLEYS DECISION OF CONFERENCE By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON, May 27 It was decided by the Imperial Conference to-day that all matters arising from the Ottawa agreements will not be discussed at the conference but will be the subject of bilateral conversations. The political correspondent of the Australian Associated Press says he learns that it was also decided that there will be no immediate discussions between Britain and Australia concerning a revision of the Ottawa Pact. Talks between New Zealand and Britain were commenced months ago by Mr. Nash and are being continued, while British-South African conversations to revise their Ottawa agreement will commence in a few days. A new agreement between Britain and Canada was recently concluded. Thus Ottawa virtually disappears from the Imperial Conference. The decision regarding Ottawa was reached when the heads of the delegations held their first meeting in connection with economic questions. Mr. Baldwin presided for the last time and will be automatically succeeded by Mr Neville Chamberlain when ho assumes the office of Prime Minister to-morrow.

The conference decided to include representatives of Southern Rhodesia and Burma in Sir Thomas Inskip's war materials supply committee, and then commenced a general review of Empire trade. Mr. Walter Runciman, President of the Board of Trade, in a very comprehensive statement, traced developments of inter-Imperial trade since the Ottawa agreement, and dealt .with Britain's various foreign trade treaties. The Minister also outlined America's desire that the Dominions should make sacrifices uncltr Ottawa. It is understood, however, that the British and Dominion discussions on this matter will not immediately be initiated within the conference, but will be the subject of informal talks between Britain and each of the Dominions.

DELEGATES' TASK BUSINESS OF COMMITTEES . ECONOMIC DISCUSSIONS British Wireless RUGBY. May 27 At to-day's meeting of the principal delegates at the Imperial Conference Mr. Walter Runciman was followed by Mr. Charles Dunning (Canada), Mr, J. A. Lyons (Australia), Mr. Walter Nash (New Zealand), Mr. N. 0. Havenga (South Africa) and Sir Safrullah Khan (India). The principal delegates will meet again on Monday morning, when the Colonial Secretary, Mr. W. OrmsbyGore, will open a discussion on colonial questions and mandates. The Committee on Economic Questions this afternoon approved the report of the Imperial Economic Committee and went on to consider other possibilities of inter-Imperial cooperation in the economic sphere.