As regards China, our country has made it her guiding principle to maintain and consolidate relations of good neighbourhood with that country, and at the Washington Conference a suitable arrangement in conformity with—this principle is now in course of being reached with the interested Powers on various questions pertaining to China. About the Shantung question in particular, the Government are impelled by the desire for a speedy and satisfactory settlement and are carrying on pourparlers with China in a spirit of frankness and magnanimity.
As for Siberia, it is the earnest desire of the Government that political stability and order should be restored in fiat region as soon as possible, thus enabling us to withdraw all our troops now state ioned there. Further, the Government, in' compliance with the wishes of the Chita Government, are conducting negotiations with them at Tairen in regard to questions of commerce and otherwise.
As a result of reduction of armaments to be agreed upon at the Washington Conference, iti is expected' there will be a certain surplus in the finances of the State, and it is incumbent upon us to consider carefully in advance as to the means of disposing of such surplus. The Government are contemplating to employ it in such manner as to increase the amount of the subsidy to be given towards primary school funds and of the expenses for the improvement of waterways.
Gentlemen, as a principal member of the League of Nations as well as of the Washington Conference, the influence of our country in the Councils of World is ever
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.