A.—7.

properly balanced and laid out so as best to enable the New Zealand forces to act in the most efficient way possible not only in the local defence of their country, but also in Commonwealth defence in co-operation with the forces of other countries of the Commonwealth. In this connection great importance was attached to the Singapore base. With regard to the Union of South Africa, it was recalled that matters of principle had been discussed and agreed between the Union Minister for Defence, Mr. Pirow, and United Kingdom Ministers during the visit of Mr. Pirow to London in 1936. South African expenditure on defence had recently been greatly increased, being in the last year nearly three times as much as in 1932-33. An important feature of South African defence organization was the preparation in peace-time of the industrial resources of the Union to meet possible military requirements in the event of war. The Conference was informed that the Defence Forces of India are designed primarily to meet a possible attack 011 the North-West Frontier and to cope with the ever-present problem of dealing with the tribesmen in that region, in addition to maintaining internal law and order. It was recognized that the Army in India is fully equipped for these purposes and constitutes a force which is as well prepared as any other to take the field if the occasion arises. The Conference took note of the measures, recently adopted by the various countries represented at the Conference, often at a heavy cost, and recognized that the increased programmes of armaments were no more than sufficient for the defence of their territories and trade and the fulfilment of such obligations as each might have assumed. The Conference recognized the vital importance of measures to safeguard maritime communications, including routes and waterways essential to defence and trade, and to provide naval bases and facilities for repairs and fuelling of ships. The Conference accordingly was glad to be informed that steps have vbeen taken with these ends in view and, in particular, that substantial progress has been made towards the completion of the naval base at Singapore and its defences, with the aid of the generous financial assistance received from various parts of the Empire. With regard to land forces, the Conference observed the various duties which the Regular Forces of the United Kingdom and India have performed in protecting British interests and the frequency of the occasions on which it has been necessary to despatch reinforcements to several parts of the world. The Conference heard with satisfaction of the important steps taken by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom for the maintenance of a Home Defence Air Force of sufficient strength to afford adequate protection against attack by the strongest air force which may be at any time within striking distance of the shores of the United Kingdom. In this connection the Conference took note of the extensive preparations that are being made by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom in the spheres of both active and passive defence against air invasion. The Conference'also recorded the progress made by the several Governments in creating and maintaining an adequate chain of air bases and refuelling stations along the lines of communications between the different parts of the Empire. The Conference noted with satisfaction that, in accordance with recommendations of previous Conferences, a common system of organization and training and the use of uniform manuals, patterns of arms, equipment, and stores had been adopted, as far as practicable, for the naval, military, and air forces of their several countries. Each of them would thus be enabled to ensure more effectively its own security and, if it so desired, to co-operate with countries of the Commonwealth with the least possible delay. The interchange of individual officers of the naval, military, and air forces of the countries was recognized as conducing to the dissemination of the experience acquired by the officers concerned under the

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