LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 September 1922, Page 2

LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.E. CABLE ASSOCIATION. THE MANDATES GENEVA, Sept 5, The Council of the Leiigiie of Nations has circulated the reports from the permanent Mandates Commission, lupon which the. League Secretariat has based its report, which latter was adopted yesterday.

The Mandates Commission reiterates the conviction that the employment in the mendnted territories of Chinese labourers who are not accompanied by wives, constitutes a grave social danger to the native populations.

The report points out that these Chinese coolies under a three years’ contract who are thousands of miles from their country demand the greatest administrative! care by the mandatories.

The Mandates Commission is also challenging the validity of the present Australian administration of the island of Nauru under a mandate, because the British mandates of this class were conferred on the King of England; but in all cases, except that of Nauru, it was expressly stated that the King acted on behalf of the Australian, South African, or New Zealand Governments, There was no such reservation in the ease of Nauru. The Commission states it feels therefore bound to consider Nauru as being under the mandate of the British Empire as a whole, and not of a particular government Within the Em-

pire: . Tilt 1 Commission poilits but that while Mr Hughes (Australian Premier) telegraphed on July 28th the appointment of Sir Joseph Cook as. the Commonwealth representative to the League in reference to Nauru, yet the British Secretary of the Imperial Cabinet notified the League of Nations on July 31st that Sir Joseph Cook has been accredited as the representative of the British Empire! The Commission emphasises the. point that, although Australia has not been designated as the Mandatory Power for Nauru, yet the administration of the island is exercised, de facto, by the Australian Government.

NAURU MANDATE. (Received this day at 10.15 ft.m.) LONDON, Sept. ti. The Mandates Commission report draws attention to the fact that the commission learnt at the August meeting in Geneva, that certain agreements had been made assigning mandatory powers over Nauru to Australia, but these agreements were not notified to the League of Nations, The “Daily Express” states a group of powerful hankers had agreed to offer Austria, subject tO the Approval of the Reparations Commission, between twenty and thirty millions sterling, secured on Austria’s import revenues, subject to a moratorium for a quinquienium and indemnity.