LEAGUE Of NATIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 September 1922, Page 2

LEAGUE Of NATIONS.

eUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABI.B ASSOCIATION

SLAVERY IN AFRICA. GENEVA, September I '-. At a meeting of the League’s SubCommission on Slavery. Sir Aitnur Steel-Maitland (X.Z. delegate) roll-vied to alleged slavery in Abyssinia. He said lie considered an enquiry necersnry. He proposed two resolutions one inviting the Council to enquire in o.der to report to the next assembly; and tlie other, that the whole question o’ slavery in Africa he investigated, with Hie assistance of the most comvetent admin istrators. One British delegate pointed out that a difficulty was likely to arise in the case of Abyssinia, which was not a member of the League of Nations, and which refused to nllow such investigation.

It was eventually decided to coll Co information on tlie subject and to settle a precise method of dealing with it at next meeting of the sub-committee.

LEAGUE PROPOSALS. (Roceived this day at 8 a.m.) GENEVA, Sept. 17

Sheldon conducted a persistent and ultimately successful opposition to a well-organized attempt on the part of the Social Committee of the League, to dump Russian refugees in tens of thousands in the Overseas Dominions. The proposal chine*up in the form of four resolutions by the representative 0? Czoeho-Slovakia. (1) Requesting al Governments who are members of the League to accord support to Dr Nansen who lias been officiating as High Commissioner oni behalf of the League in succouring half a million Russians; (2) reuesqting Governments to place Labour exchanges at the disposal of Russian refugee's for the purpose of employment with full liberty to travel within their torrifories; (•’!) To provide refugees with identity certificates to enable' them to dispense' with passports; (4) Urging Governments to come to the relief of over- t crowded European Laliour markets liy relaxing the immigration restrictions' in favour of Russians, and making concrete offers of employment. Dr Nansen supported the proposals in a strong speech, in which he pointad emt that fifteen hundred thousand Russian refugees, mostly belonging to the richest and host educated classes were now penniless and workless, scattered .throughout Europe. In some countries they and their women and children were foodless and destitute, and were becoming a menace to the public health of Europe. Their only hope lay in transport to healthier conditions in neiw countries. He appealed to international charitable orgauisations for the help for hundreds of thousands registered in Constantinople, Warsaw, Sofia, Belgrade, Paris and Berlin. The committee; were on the point of adopting the resolutions when Air Sheldon intervened. While not attempting to dictate to the other countries he said it was impossible for him as Australia’s representative to agree to resolution two and four ,thc former being contrary to Australia’s laws and the fourth impracticable. owing to Australia’s distance from Europe. Australia was arranging for one hundred thousand British emigrants yearly, thereby relieving the British Labour market to that extent. Furthermore refugees were unlikely to become readily assimilated with the Australian people. They 'were hotter fitted by language and racial characteristics to be assimilated in Europe. Mr Sheldon urged that the report be referred hack and ultimately the sub-committee redrafted tlie recommendation omitting the second and fourth resolutions. Dr Nansen. frankly acknowledged that the original proposals were not applicable in the Dominions, and agreed that Mr Sheldon was perfectly justified in his opposition,