AIR OF CONFIDENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27388, 13 May 1950, Page 7

AIR OF CONFIDENCE

Commonwealth Aid For South-east Asia SYDNEY CONFERENCE SYDNEY, May 12. In Sydney next week delegates of the Commonwealth countries will discuss economic counter-measures der signed to halt the rapid spread of Communism in Eastern countries. Delegates are arriving hourly, mostly by air, and correspondents are impressed by the fact that, notwithstanding pessimistic reports from London and New York, all seem confident that the conference will succeed. It was thought that Canada would stand aloof from the discussions, but Canada’s delegate, Mr Robert W. Mayhew, Minister of Fisheries in the Canadian Cabinet, was the first to announce in Sydney that his country would offer practical help by supplying. food and giving technical aid. Although Lord Macdonald, leader of the United Kingdom delegation, appeared perturbed at the barrage of criticism against his Government because a senior Minister was not sent, he discussed his task in a realistic and optimistic manner. He said: “I have some of the best brains in the Treasury here to help and advise me, and I see no reason why the conference should not be a dramatic success.” The Ceylon delegate,! Mr J. R. Jayawardene, Minister of Finance, also spoke confidently. He told pressmen that the standing or rank of delegates should make no difference if the Governments concerned were really determined to devise a sound scheme and make it work. He created surprise when he referred with apparent bitterness to the hundreds of years of foreign domination suffered by some South-east Asian countries, without any attempt by the Western Powers to implement plans of organised development of industry, agriculture, and education. A note of urgency was sounded by the Commissioner-general for Southeast Asia, Mr Malcolm MacDonald. He said that there was no doubt that the military situation in Malaya had deteriorated in recent months. It had been improving, but Communist successes elsewhere had encouraged the bandits and had raised their morale. A question which will probably be decided at the. same time as the conference, but which will not necessarily be discussed by delegates in open session, is whether Australian troops should be sent to Malaya.