COURT OF JUSTICE

Hokitika Guardian, 16 September 1920, Page 3

COURT OF JUSTICE

league of nations scheme

(Reuter’s Telegram.)

(Received this day at 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 14. The financial conference to * draft a scheme‘ for’’''the institution of a perJUgont c ourf of international justice has been published by thg League of Nations." The scheme consists of fifty articles prepaed by an international committee of jurists. It was submitted io 'tbp Council of Lgagup aj. San which cjpcided to ask M. Bourgeois t» Prepare a report for submission to the Councils session at Brussels jp October. The Council will then take , a define deci#!} which will he submitted fo thp first meeting of the Assembly at Geneva in November. A jurist on the Council at the League emphasises that all members of committee signed thp report, The emmqi ly urges ratification, declaring a failure fq do this wi]l bp an irreparable inter: national misfortune. The scheme provides that judges of the Court shall be elected by the Assembly of the League, independently from the* list of candidates, which will bo prepared from forty four national groups of the permanent court of arbitration instituted at the Hague -by the convention if 1899 and 1907 each group consisting of two candidates. The Court will be composed of fifteen members elected for nine years. A concession is, however, made to national susceptibility by 'an article the right id fiave among- the judges of his own nationality. The Court must hold a session each year and the President is empowered to call ordinary sessions if required. On the delicate question of the Court’s competence, the project says when a . dispute has arisen between States that it has been found impossible to settle |>y diplomatic means and no agrjjpmeqjl &\s hperj made to choose another jurisdiction, the party ppmplainipg may bring the ease before |he Cptlrt. Hague' is proposed as the, gent of the enurtj