S. Pacific

to defend the

Conference in Wellington, N.Z.

, mHE Pacific Defence Conference opened 1 in Wellington, New Zealand, on April 14. Its purpose is to arrange a proper co-ordination of the defence organisations of Australia, New Zealand and the various British Territories in the Pacific.

Isolated announcements recently have shown what is going on. Australia has placed a new garrison at Port Darwin, a nd another new garrison at Port Moresby. Six-inch guns have been mounted at Port Moresby, and a military aviation station laid out near the town, Certain steps have been taken to im prove the defences of Suva and other important -points in Fiji. Landing places for seaplanes and aeroplanes have been laid out in Western Samoa. And a great deal of other work has been done.

All of these things represent work done by the defence officials of Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand, operating independently. It was urgently felt that there should be consultation and co-or dination of effort.

Representatives of the navies, the mili tary establishments and the air forces of Great Britain, Australia and New Zea land, and of the Pacific Territories under the jurisdiction of the British Colonial Office, are attending the conference. Sir Harry Luke, as Governor of Fiji and High Commissioner of the Western Pacific, is the most important man there represent ing Pacific Territories.