CABLE NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 8 September 1922, Page 3

CABLE NEWS

Nauru Mandate.

SIR J. COOK’S REPLY.

AUBTIIAMAN AND N.Z. CAHI,E ASSOCIATION. -’‘"(Received this day at 9.5 u a.in.) GENEVA, September 7. Sir J. Cook replying'to the Permanent Mandates Commission report, which the Council is distributing among the

League of Nations, denied Australia was merely a dc facto administrator of Nauru. He detailed tlie circumstances whereunder the Nauru Island Agreement was reached in July 1919, and pointed out that Australia is now acting ns ngent for the British Empire, which is the mandatory authority. Regarding phosphates Cook says the Coni, mission's observations on article thirteen of Nauru agreement is based on an assumption which does not exist. The Nauru Commissioners are indepen-

dent of Government control in working selling and shipping phosphates, but not otherwise. The- Commissioners position is analogous to that of the Directors of a Company who is responsible to the shareholders. Similarly the Commissioners are responsible to the Governments concerned, and are not independent of control in regard to conditions of labour. There is no reason, therefore, for perturbations that the Commissioners are independent of administrative control. Referring to the

Mnudates Commission doubts whether there is a monopoly of phosphates “fully in keeping with the disinterested spirit which should characterise the mission of a mandatory state”. Sir J. Cook says the governments concerned have created no monopoly, but have acquired. a hetter opportunity of looking after the interests of the natives. No profit remains to the Government’s. The principal benefit to Australia nnd New Zealand is from assured supplies at prices not liable to be raised by a

world monopoly. Concerning Chinese labour, Sir ,X. Cook, confines himself to the following brief statement “prior to the war, the Pacific Phosphate Company employed about five hundred Chinese a Nauru, but dining the war, owing to a diminished output, the number of Chinese was reduced, while in 1920 between three and four hundred were introduced from China.”

Marquis Theodoli (Chairman of the Permanent Mandates Commission) stated at Geneva meeting in August that the deepest concern was felt whether the well-being and development of the inhabitants of the Island were in danger of being compromised. To this Sir J. Cook replied that there is not the slightest justification for this concern. Whatever wealth is contained in the Island is used, first for better treatment for natives, and secondly for the benefit, of the peoples of the world.

since no profit is made. There is no move for suhordinaing the interests of the people to the exploitation of the wealth as suggested. Their policy is surely in the interests of ehe people nnd there is no motive to do otherwise.