THE PACIFIC MANDATES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 79, 29 December 1919, Page 5

THE PACIFIC MANDATES

JAPAN'S EMBARRASSING ATTITUDE (Rec. December 28, 5.5 p.m.) London, December 25. The Japanese attitude over tho Pacific mandates astonishes and has embarrassed tlic .British Foreign Office. Mr. Matsui (Japanese Ambassador at. Paris), on behalf of Japan, strongly objects lo the Australian regime, in the islands south of the Equator, on the ground that it bars Japanese immigration, placing the Japanese in a worse, position than under the German occupation. Tho Japanese attitude is especially 'disappointing because Lord Milncr persuaded the Dominion delegates to agree to Japan receiving an identical mandate for the islands north of the Equator as Australia and Now Zealand received for the islands south of the Equator. Mr. Matsui states that ho cannot agree to the of mandates nntjl he has .referred the matter to Tokio, but it is well known that his uncompromising attitude is due to instructions already received from Tokio.—United Service.

COMMISSION'S SUGGESTIONS. (Rec. December 27, 5.5 p.m.)

Paris, December 2G. The 'Supreme Council has considered suggesl/ous prepared by a Commission which recently sat in London regarding the mandates over the ex-German colonies. The first two, concerned with the East African territories, ceded partly to Britain and partly to Belgium, were approved. Other projects concenrng territories in the Pacific were approved by three' delegations, only the Japanese reserving their approbation. With reference to the British mandate in the Pacific Islands, Mr. Matsui objected that if the Australian regime were applied to the islands Japanese immigration would bo barred as-it was in Australia. Japan's position thus would be worse than before, the war, when b.v agreements with Germany she. had full freedom of immigration to the various German possessions. Such ,a state of things, he said, would be paradoxical after Janan's naval effort, which, especially at the outset of tbe war, had assured the .policing of the Pacific.—Renter.

DEMAND FOR DOCK MATERIALS ALLIED REPRESENTATIVES TO MAKE INVESTIGATIONS. (Rec. December 28, 11.5 p.m.) Paris, December 25. The Supreme Council lias received reports of interviews with Herr von Lersncr. It appears that the only German naval experts who camo to discuss the Scapa I'low scuttlings returned to Berlin, whci'o they received new instructions in view of tho Allies refusing to modify their demands for dock materials. M. Marcel llutin states that the Allied representatives aro proceeding to Dantzig mid other ports to investigate the amount of material at Germany's disposal. The Supreme _ Council has adopted a convention dividing tho mandates over German South-west Africa between Britain and Belgium. The convention relating to the Pacific colonies has been deferred owing to the Japanese requesting time to receive instructions from their Government before Mio mandates are definitely settled.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. Anglo-japanese" alliance INFLUENCE OP THE LEAGUE. Tokio, December 20. Count Okuma states that he is strongly in favour of the renewal of the AngloJapanese Alliance, with such alterations a-; tho formation of the League of Nations renders necessary. If the United States awl Britain act in mutual consideration, lie says, the League of Nations may ho influential, but if tho countries run counter to each other tho results cannot lie predicted. Tho collapse of Russia is insufficient to make the Anglo-Japaneso Alliance unnecessary. Tho League of Nations will he unable to secure the abolition of armament's, and all nations are now striv'nrr to perfect their defences.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.