NAVAL CONFERENCE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17143, 27 December 1929, Page 5

NAVAL CONFERENCE

KING'S OPENING SPEECH BROADCAST ARRANGED LONDON, Dec. 24. The King's speech, at the opening of the Disarmament Conference, on January 21, will be broadcast. This will be the first occasion since his illness that any speech by the King will have been broadcast. It is hoped to include in the broadcast the introductory speeches of the delegates, including tnat of Mr. MacDonald, who takes the chair immediately alter the King vacates it. In the House of Commons Mr. MacDonald informed Commander A. R. Southby that ho had not contemplated drawing up any specific terms ot reference to the naval conference beyond what was in the Mote of October 17. Major R. Ross: Will it 'be possible for the British representative to entertain the proposal for the use of the British fleet in other people's war? Mr. MacDonald: Certainly not. He added: "The question of naval policy, apart from naval strength, will not bo considered at the conference. Commander H. C. Bellairs asked if Cabinet intended' that the agreement should be subject to the approval of Parliament; also, would it be submitted to the Imperial Conference. Mr. W. Graham replied in the negative to the second part of the question. Any general agreement would be laid before the House for ratification. The Daily Telegraph's diplomatic correspondent says that the most important French naval proposal to Britain suggests international guarantees for France in the Mediterranean; in other words, a Mediterranean Locarno, in return for which' France would reduce her largo programme. Alternatively, France suggests placing, the Mediterranean under international status. The former proposal would be highly dangerous, because it would involve Britain and the Dominions in fresh and unprecedented war commitments implying intervention in the Franco Italian conflict. '•", j, The latter proposal is impracticable, as it would restrict Britain's freedom to concentrate on the Mediterranean whatever- force might be necessary to safeguard inter-Eriipire communications.