PACIFIC DEFENCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 97, 27 April 1939, Page 9

PACIFIC DEFENCE

CONFERENCE CONCLUDES SATISFACTORY TO NEW ZEALAND. [ Pai Vies Association.] WELLINGTON, April 26. The Pacific Defence Conference held its final meeting at 3 p.m. today and approved its report, which will now be presented to the Governments of the United Kingdom, /astralia and New Zealand for their consideration. It was agreed to recommend, to the three Governments that it was desirable that similar conferences be arranged periodically in the southwest Pacific area. A farewell address was delivered by . the Prime Minister, Hon. M. J. Savage, and replied to by Sir Harry Batterbee on behalf of the United Kingdom delegation, and. Vice-Ad-miral Sir Ragnar Colvin on behalf of the Australian delegation. Mr. Savage then declared the conference closed. “The proceedings of the conference were, from the very nature of its agenda, confidential and cannot be divulged,” said Mr, Savage. “Their conclusions are in the nature of recommendations to the Governments concerned and it follows therefore that nothing can in any case be said about them until they have been considered by the Governments. But this can be said at once: the recommendations are regarded as entirely Satisfactory to the New Zealand delegation and there is reason to believe to the other two delegations also. Not only are the recommendations, In the opinion of the New Zealand delegation, valuable in themselves, but equally valuable is the opportunity that has been afforded for a full and frank interchange of views and the spirit of mutual goodwill and understanding engendered by the discussions. The dominating note of all the concluding speeches was the determination of the three countries to cooperate in all defence measures to the utmost of their power and stand together in support of the principles on which the British Commonwealth of Nations is founded. It is interesting to observe that the report of the conference is dated Anzac Day.”