NAVAL AGREEMENT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17233, 12 April 1930, Page 7

NAVAL AGREEMENT

PREPARATION OF TREATY SIGNATURE NEXT WEEK THE CONCLUDING SESSION. (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Asc’u.) (Received April 12. noon.) LONDON, April 11. Following a meeting of heads of delegations, a communique was issued stating that Die meeting appointed a committee of jurists to draft a treaty, assisted )>v experts. Sir Maurice Ilankey was appointed chairman of ibis committee.

A plenary session will he held on Thursday, when the treaty will lie signed if possible. The heads of the delegations recognise that the drafting of a treaty is a eornplicaleil business, and may not bo finished by Thursday. If it is not, the signing will take place as soon after Easter as possible, and for this purpose tlie heads will presumably remain.

Mr. Kamsay MacDonald issued a statement concerning the Parliamentary Conference to journalists m tho name of Britain. “We are very well satisfied,” he said. “I think the agreement is a substantial step in the direction towards which we have been striving in (lie face of difficulties whirh at times appeared to lie almost insurmountable. We are most grateful to the press for the, way it has helped us, not only for what it has said, but also for what if, lias left unsaid.” President Hoover said to-day that lie had communicated to the American naval-delegation his approval of the results achieved. He commended members of the delegation for their courageous actions and most constructive accomplishment in the abolition of competition in the construct ion of naval arms. COMMENT BY AMERICA OPPOSITION VOICED SMALL VESSELS USELESS (Received April 12, noon.) WASHINGTON, April 11. The curtailment of the big cruiser programme already approved bv Congress is foreseen as the . principal source of any opposition to the London naval agreement that might arise in the Senate.

The accord is interpreted as meaning that of 23 vessels of this type authorised, five will not be built. The ’“big navy” group has insisted that all are essential to adequate national defen re.

In general, the agreement is regarded as effecting a great saving of expenditure on capital ships and big cruisers, but it necessitates a large outlay oil small cruisers, if parity with Britain is to be obtained. The chairman of the House Naval Affairs Committee, Mr. Britten, estimated this expenditure at £22,000,000. Oil this ground lie vigorously objected to the agreement, asserting that the small cruiser was not needed by the United States, and would not he built. The British Admiralty, he said lie was aware, had taken this chance to assure British predominance of the sea for all time.