Co-Ordination Of British Defence

Measures In South Pacific

Conference of Experts Held in New Zealand

decisions and recommendations A of the Pacific Defence Confer ence, which met in Wellington, N.Z., on April 14, will not be disclosed. They will be submitted to the three Govern ments represented—namely, Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

It is unlikely that any public state ment will be made. The work of such a conference necessarily will be kept secret.

The co-ordination of British de fence measures in the South Pacific

(all that part of the Pacific south of the Equator) made it necessary to consider also co-ordination of ad ministrative activities, as between the Australian Pacific territories (New Guinea, Papua and Norfolk Island), the British Pacific territories (Solo mons, Gilbert and Ellice, Nauru, New Hebrides Condominium), and the N.Z. Pacific territories (Samoa and Cook Islands). This, as explained in the April “P.1.M.”, probably will af fect the future administration of the Solomons, New Hebrides and Western Samoa.

Western Samoa

In this connection, it is noted that an interesting visitor to Western Samoa this month is Dr. R. M. Camp bell, economic adviser in London to the High Commissioner for New Zea land, who has the unenviable task of presenting the Western Samoa report each year to the Mandates Commis sion at Geneva.

If New Zealand is prepared to transfer the embarrassing mandate to Britain, Dr. Campbell is one expert who would be consulted. No mach inery exists for the transfer of a man date.

Network Of Naval And Air

Bases

It is reported that the following were among the actual defence matters considered by the confer ence:— 1. —Development of triangle of naval bases, with Sydney as the apex, and Suva (Fiji) and Port Moresby as the ends of the two legs. 2. Hastening development of Syd ney as major naval base by providing dock for capital ships and increased stores of munitions. 3. Fortification of Suva and estab lishment of other defence facilities with fuel dumps to give it the status of a defended port. 4. Preparation of Air Force bases at

C. Thomas (10 yards) was the winner of the 220 yards Park Handicap for Europeans. Time, 23 1/5 secs. (See opposite page.)

Fiji and other islands, and defensive development of British possessions in a circle of islands extending eastward from Papua and embracing the Solo mons, New Hebrides, and Cook Islands. 5. —Strengthening local defence forces at certain points, notably at Fiji, completion of hydrographic sur veys, caching of fuel supplies. 6. —Organisation of a highly-effl cient intelligence service throughout the islands which would report on movements of shipping, and other activities.

Tentative estimates of costs of these measures were prepared.