GRAVITY STRESSED

Chronicle (Levin), 5 March 1946, Page 8

GRAVITY STRESSED

-Press Association

WORLD FOOD SITUATION mr. fraser's review

By Telegraph-

AUCKLAND, March ~4." _ The heliof that the proposed Amei'i•an loan to Britain wouJd be granted vas expressed bv the Prinie Miuister (■Rt. Iiou. P. Fraser) on his return tolay after attending the first meeting of Hie General Assenibl.v qf ' United Nat •ons in London. Mr. Fraser alsq brought news of the throat of famine :n Tndia and South Afiica and of ihe "ood position in Britain, and expressed lie view that, wliatever could be done by New Zeaiand to assist the people Vf Britain and thus also the people in 'he famine-threatencd areas, should be rlone. "The question of the work of TJnrra •arne up at the conference and the

n-agie position of millions in India and South Afriea was explained by Mr. Bevin and by reprcsentatives of those ■ountiies, " Alr. Fraser said. "The • ragic fact that millions are in danger tf dying of starvation came like a boiulishell at the conference. Everv iation plpdged itself to help in faeing Giis tlireat of famine. What is required 'n Tndia is wheat and riee, and in South Afriea wheat and maize, the lat- ' ier being the staple food of millions of nativcs. The t ragic failure of the crops :n both countries has created an unorecedented threat to the lives of mil'ions.

"Tlie people in Britain have a very t lying time, particularlv the women, ■viio have to queue up for supplies, but 'here is 110 apparent widespread dis'outent, exce])t in tlie columns of cer- ! •ain nowspapors hostile to the T.abour j Government," he continued. "Wliatever can be done by New Zeaiand to j H.ssist- -the people of Britain should be done and it woula be possible indirectlv I to m-cist the people or countries I have | mentioned by assisting Britain, thus | ■•eleasing certain foods for distribution ; ;n these countries." Loan to Britain. ! Diseussing tlie proposed American oan to Britain Mr. Fraser said that, if ■t were not granted, it would bring lardship to tlie people of Britain and esult in a shortage of certain commod1 ties, particularlv tobacco and short jtaple cotton, as vvell as other items. ''his would involve hardship and mean he tightening of'an already very tight ■elt. "But i feel that, even in the 'ace of ;-uch a very difticu.lt and in .onie respects tragic situatiou, the neople of Britain would rise snperior t..o the disadvantages. " Mr. Fraser said tlie granting of the Vmerican loan was just as important io some American prodncers, particularlv tiiose of tobacco aiui cotton, as it was to tlie consuxner in Ihe United Fingdom, and lie believed the commonsense and goodwill of both Houses of ('ongress would ensure granting of the loan. The Prime Minister was asked to '•omment upon a statement mad.e in the House of Commons during the debate on the loan tei-ms that acc.eptanee was equivalent to selling tlie British Empirc or a packet oi cigarcttes. He said he was eonvineed that the position of tlie Dominions liad been safeguarded in revard to the proposed loan and commercial agreement. "Mv over-all impression was good, " Vlr. Maser said wlieu asked his general reaction to United Nations' Conference. • I would say it was an advance upon oiii Franc-iseo. " Trusteeship System. Uew Zeaiand was tlie first to an•lounce her intention of deelaring her willingness to submit the mandated "erritory of Sanioa to the authority of Hie international trusteeship system, and Australia followed soon after with «-n aniiounceinent concerning New Guinea. Great Brifain had also made an announcemet in connection with rogoland, Tanganyika and tlie Cameroons. Bclgiuni stated her intention of nla' ing mamlated territory under tlie I'rnsteeslup Council, and France with'Ti'eip lier' qualilicatitms and accepted. Boufh Af rica also, in a second aunouncenieiit, stated her willingness to iicknowledge the authority of the v ssihr.bly in regard to mandated territory. Mr. Fraser said New Zeaiand might j Hxpect to be called uxion to talce an in- j .■reasing measure of participation in ! Miecial fields of the work of the United | Nations in the near future The Do- j iiiinion would continue to play its full J r»art in tlie regular sessions of the Gen- j eral Asseniblv, wliich was to be brought ! togetlier again in New York in September and would meet thereafter each Beptember, and more often if circuni stances made this desirable. At the 'orthcoiiiing meeting further elections would be lield to fill vacancies which would then be pending upon two of the orincipal conncils of United Nations, and there were good prospects of New Zeaiand then sec.uring a seat joi\ the Bconomie and Social C^ncil, which was entrusted with the study of a wide range of international economic and social problems. The Trusteeship Council might rea■onalilj^be e.spected to come into being within a year, he continued. If, as he •xpected would be the case, New Zea'and continued to be entru».ted with the idministration of Western Sanioa under tlie new system, this would automati-call-y qualifv the Doniinion as a per manent member of the Trusteeship "ouncil.