U.S. Representatives Pass Grants for Navy

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 530, 6 December 1928, Page 9

U.S. Representatives Pass Grants for Navy

BILLS SENT TO SENATE MODERNISING WARSHIPS (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) Reed. Noon. WASHINGTON, Wed-. The House of Representatives j passed the Bill authorising the uioder- j nisation, including elevation of tpe I guns, of the battleships Pennsylvania and Arizona, at a cost not to exceed £2,960,000. The Bill now goes to the Senate. The House also passed and sent to the Senate the £1,800,000 omnibus naval-housing Bill. The largest item authorised was £340,000 for Pearl Harbour, Hawaii, of which £240,000 is for waterfront development, I £IOO,OOO for improving the channel and for harbour authorisations, designed to enable housing facilities to keep pace with aviation and other expenses of the service. With the Naval House Committee on record favouring extending the 5-5-3 ratio beyond major battle craft. Mr. F. H. Britten, chairman of the committee, told the United Press Association’s correspondent that he, hopes to gather legislatoi-s from the United States, Britain, France, Italy and Japan, in conjunction with the inter-Parliamentary Union Session at Geneva next August. He said he desires to see such a conference of union delegates,, in the event of the Powers themselves not moving for another arms reduction session In the meantime, Mr. Britten is manifestly cheered by Mr. Baldwin’s response to his suggestion, which indicated the British Prime Minister’s appreciation of the spirit promoting Mr. Britten’s cablegram. Mr. Britten said he would not agitate the proposal for a British-Ameri-can conference at present. ‘‘lt is now up to the other fellow,” he said. He feels that the House Naval Committee, by the adoption of the motion concerning the ratio, signified its complete approval of his hope for a conference, although the committee did not agree with the method of 'approaching Mr. Baldwin outside of diplomatic channels