LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 September 1922, Page 1

LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION LEAGUE ASSEMBLY DEBATE. GENEVA, Sept. 20. The mandates debate was continued in the League of Nations Assembly. INDIAN DELEGATE LOGIC. Sir Sivaswamy Aiyar (India) said that Sir F. Bell’s explanation re Samoa was not quite assuring. It was true that Chinese women were unwilling to recruit, unless they received the same pay as the men; but he pointed out that was a reasonable demand. It had been said that three years’ indenture was insufficient to enable the Chinese to learn the language and become associated with the natives, hut Sir A. Aiyar -maintained that this was not a sufficient guarantee against the danger of importing males exclusively. Doubtless the New Zealand Government, which had displayed much solicitude for the welfare of its people, would realise the importance of a due proportion ol the sexes among the recruited labour-

er A. Aiyar commended the Mandates Commission for insisting on safeguarding natives’ land tenure. When Sir F. Bell spoke on the previous day, Sir A. Aiyar said he wondered wliat. in the Commission’s report, had offended Sir F. Bell’s susceptibilities. He had since searched the report, mainly to find a justification of the Mandates’ Commission. It had extolled, he said, and had not censured. New Zealand’s administration of Samoa. Mr Bellegavde (Hay.ti) condemned those Dominions which wanted to deprive the natives in the mandated territories of the right to petition direct, to the Mandates Commission.

THE N.Z. REPLY. Sir Jas. Allen, replying to Sir A. Aiyar, declared that New Zealand was anxious for the welfare of both the natives and the indentured labourers who came to Samoa under a tlir.ee years’ contract. He wished they could have transported the League to New Zealand when the mandates were under discussion by Parliament. The League would have realised that the New Zealand members were readier to criticise the Government for any supposed laxity of administration than even the Mandates Commission was. Referring to indentured labour, Sir Jas Allen said that before the war the Chinese, arrived in Samoa unaccompanied by their wives. A New Zealand Parliamentary party had visited Samoa, after the war. to investigate not only the contract, labour, but the moral issue, and as n result, it was determined that the Chinese should bring their wives, if possible. The result was that the Chinese brought women, hut not their wives, so the attenmt failed.

Sir J. Allen defended the introduction of the Chinese to Samoa on the grounds that the Samoans were a proud race. They owned their lands communally. They were able to supply their limited needs easily. They were not prepared to accept pay ns clay labourers. The heavy work of cultivation would have had to he anndoned, unless labour was imported. Referring to the procedure of the Mandates Commission. Sir J. Allen said lie regretted the disclosure of the report at a public meeting. lie urged that all jxjtitioiis should come through the mandatory Powers and warned the Assembly of the grave danger of allowing petitions to go direct to the Mandates Commission without lieiiig seen by the Powers concerned. The natives if left alone, would probably petition for what they honestly wanted, but if the natives were not left alone, he said, they were influenced by agitators for ulterior purposes. Mr Walton regretted that the Indian delegates had reflected upon South Africa’s administration of the mandate. Lord Robert Cecil also defended General Smuts from Indian criticism. Referring to the right of petition, he said lie thought a duplicate should he sent to the mandatory Powers.

NAURU ISLAND. GENEVA, Sept. 20. Lord Robert Cecil considered the report of the Mandates Commission as highly fluttering to the mandate administration of Australia and New Zealand. Regarding Nauru, he point-, ed out that the monopoly over the phosphates was nqcuired by a voluntary sale from the Pacific Phosphate Company, which, prior to the war, milployed Chinese miners. Nevertheless, he hoped the employment of Chinese labour should soon be discontinued. Sir ,1. Cook said he would like to say he had no complaint whatever against the Mandates Commission. Tt was true the Commission had made some preliminary criticism, which he thought severe, but that was because the Commission did not know all the facts. The Alaudatory Powers invited a full investigation. He said their trouble came from people who did not understand the difficult conditions under which the mandates were administered. He pointed out there had been scarcely any adverse criticism regarding New Guinea. On the contrary, Australia received warm commendation from the Mandates Commission regarding the excellent system there of medical hygenie. As regards Nauru, lie said, the Commission was naturally anxious to know why Chinese were introduced there. The explanation was that they were only introduced because native labour was unobtainable. The natives “knew a thing or two better than' to do the hard work of phosphate mining.” The natives lived in comparative affluence and comfort. Sir «T. Cook said lie agreed with Lord Cecil’s views regarding the right of petition, and assured the Assembly that Australia administered its mandate in a true spirit of trusteeship and primarily in the interest of the indigenous population.

AUSTRIA’S FUTURE. GENEVA, Sept. 29

T)r Seipcl was at tlie League Oon r ferenee, in order to roocivo the following proposals bv tlio T.oag ll o of Nations,, for Austria’s restoration — HI The Powers agree to ensure, and respeet, Austria’s territorial integrity. (2) Austria agrees not to sign any foreign treaties contradieting any understanding with her creditors. fill The Powers will guarantee Austria a two years’ loan of !>20,000,0f)0 gold crowns, which will he floated in foreign markets, in order to re-estab-lish Austria’s finances. . (4) Important financial and administrative reforms will be imposed on Austria-

Tlie League will establish, in Vienna, a. Commission.'of Control, to ensure the home reforms being executed, and to watch the securities given by Austria.) for a loan. France, Italy and Czecho-Slovakia have already announced their intention to guarantee the loan for Austria, by giving the necessary securities to private banks , .that are negotiating same.