§ 60. Viscount CURZONasked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been drawn to a speech made by the Federal Prime Minister of Australia last Friday, wherein he stated that he believed that a European naval defence scheme was imperative, and that a common understanding on foreign polity and naval defence could not be reached until representatives of Great Britain and the Dominions met, and that the Australian Government was convinced that it is imperative that an Imperial Conference should be held as early as possible; and whether, in view of this fact, he proposes to take steps to convene an Imperial Conference at an early date to discuss the matter?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have seen the Press reports of the speech by the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia to which my Noble Friend refers. As regards the latter part of his question, I am in communication with the Governments of the Dominions and of India, and I hope that it may be possible to hold a meeting of the Imperial Conference later in the year.