LONDON CONFERENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18310, 29 July 1921, Page 5

LONDON CONFERENCE

AIR COMMUNICATIONS

THE COMMITTEE’S REPORT.

A MISLEADING SUMMARY.

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright,

LONDON, July 27. The Imperial Conference mot this morning to discuss the Pacific Question. All yesterday’s delegates were present. Later the Prime Ministers met privately and alone, the strictest secrecy being onserved. The Conference will resume to-morrow. It is expected to end on Friday. The Australian Press learns that the Daily Chronicle’s summary of the Aviation Committee’s report is misleading. It is believed that the report does not make any recommendations whatever, but that it merely sets out the cost of commissioning and operating the existing fleet of airships for the purpose of jnperial communications between England, India, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, as compared with alternative services by aeroplanes. The committee dealt with various schemes, involving Government expenditure by Great Britain and the dominions; also with Mr Ashbolt’s and other civil pro- - posa's; but the members did not commit themselves to any scheme. It is understood that the immediate purpose will be to obviate scrapping the Imperial aiiship depot, which the British Government contemplated doing in the middle of August, and leaving the Imperial and dominion Governments an opportunity of considering the committee’s report,' cither during or subsequent to the Conference. A special meeting of the Conference will consider the report on airships.—A. and N.Z. Cable. INDIA’S AIMS. EQUAL PARTNERS IN THE EMPIRE. LONDON, July 27. Mr Sastri (Indian delegate), speaking at the Lord Mayor’s luncheon, said and the Maharajah of Cutch had come to England to ask that “ our status as equal partners in the Empire be recognised, not merely in the United Kingdom but with equal warmth; and readiness throughout the Empire. We are under no delusions respecting the difficulties which will be encountered before this can be accomplished. We are fully aware of the peculiar in parts of the Empire where the meaning, of Empire is not fully understood, where more education is necessary before electorates understand the significance of the lofty ideals of equality and brotherhood on which the Fhnpire is based. We have learned the lesson of patience which conquers difficulties, and we hope the citizens of the Kingdom will help us in seeking perfect and undiminishod equality with the rest of the Empire.”—A. and N.Z. Cable.

NAVAL' DEFENCE. SATISFACTORY RESULT ATTAINED. CONSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS. DOMINIONS AND THE MOTHERLAND. LONDON, July 27. (Received July 28, at 5.5 p.m.) The Conference devoted the morning session to naval defence. The discussion is now practically completed. The Prime Minister is reticent regarding tho details, but he is confident the decision will prove acceptable to all the dominions concerned. The afternoon session was applied to formulating a scheme for constitutional relations between the dominions and the Motherland Mr Massey stated that he believed the final arrangementfv-in this regard were the best that had ever existed in the history of the Empire.—A. and N.Z. Cable.