OUTLOOK MORE GLOOMY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18520, 18 March 1930, Page 9

OUTLOOK MORE GLOOMY.

Is Naval Conference Dead? FRANCE NOT DISAPPOINTED. (United Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, March 16. The Paris correspondent of the “Sunday Times” in a despatch says that France was never greatly enamoured with the Disarmament Conference, preferring tire Preparatory Commission at Geneva. Therefore she is not keenly disappointed at the present crisis. Unless M. Tardieu's visit to London, or Signor Grandi’s telephone talks to Rome produce a miracle. French opinion is that the Conference is practically dead, which fact will occasion little surprise and few tears. MIDDLE COURSE DESIRED. CONVERSATIONS PROCEEDING. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 15. Hopes are entertained that the difficulties with which the London Naval Conference has been faced since the examination of the French tonnage figures began, may be eased, as a result of the week-end exchanges. The French objections to the Italian insistence on parity still remain the immediate obstacle to progress, but efforts are continuing with the purpose of finding a middle course between France’s refusal to reduce the tonnage figures in the absence of a Mediterranean treaty, and Italy’s refusal to produce concrete figures of her requirements. Conversations to this end have been proceeding almost continuously sincsc. Thursday, when the Prime Minister saw first M. Briand and later Signor Grandi.

The meeting of M. Briand and Signor Grandi yesterday was a long one, but part from a brief Italian statement recording the meeting, and M. Briand’s comment that the political stage of the discussion was not yet over, no public indication was given of what took place.

Chief inteiest now centres in tomorrow’s conference between the French and British Prime Ministers at The Chequers.

SITUATION EXAMINED. BRITAIN AND FRANCE CONFER. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 16. The French Prime Minister, M. Tardieu, arrived in London last night and was welcomed at the station by the First Lord of the Admiralty and representatives of the Prime Minister and Forgeign Secretary. The leading mem* bers of the French delegation to the London Naval Conference were present. M. Tardieu preceeded at ogee to his hotel. This morning he went to Chequers, where he was the guest of the British Prime Minister at luncheon. A communique issued after the meeting was in the following terms: “In the course of conversations lasting from 11 a.m. to 1.30 p.m., and from 3 p.m., to 4.30 p.m., the two delegations examined the general situation with particular reference to the present state of the discussions on questions of special concern to both parties. They considered fully the means best adapted to ensure the success of the negotiations.”

“EXCLUDE UNWISE HASTE.” OPINION OF M. TARDIEU. (United Pres* Association—By Ksotrls Ts>4ffraph—Copyright.) LONDON, March 16. M. Tardieu when he returned to London from Chequers, said that Mr MacDonald and he had examined the whole situation together, particularly the points interesting to Britain and France. “On the one hand we specified the questions about which an agreement was either certain or easy, and on the other hand examined those concerning which an agreement hitherto had appeared difficult to reach,” said Mr Tardieu. “I am convinced that we shall reach a satisfactory result if we exclude unwise haste." LATEST AMERICAN PROPOSAL. EVIDENCE OF ACCORD. (United Press Association—By Electrio Tel egraph—Copyright.) (Received March 18, 12.15 a.m.), TOKYO, March 17. Citizens rejoicingly acclaim the latest American proposal as evidence that accord is assured, but naval circles are reported to be dissatisfied, reiterating Japan’s necessity for seventy per cent, of large cruisers as an absolute mini-

mum. Meanwhile civil authorities are re ticcnt and non-committal.