British Sign Clause

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 773, 20 September 1929, Page 9

British Sign Clause

STEP TOWARD WORLD PEACE Ceremony at Geneva SIR JAMES PARR REPRESENTS N.Z. (United P.A. —By Telegraph — Copyright) CAustralian and *V.Z. Press AssociationJ « (United Service)

Received 10 a.m. BRITAIN, New Zealand. So the optional clause of the In the absence of instruc the delegates from Australia £ The clause was signed in the large glass hall in which the League Council meets. At the last moment Sir Granville Ryrie, High Commissioner for Australia, and Senator Raone iCanada) were unable to join. Mr. Arthur Henderson, British Foreign Secretary, Sir James Parr, New Zealand High Commissioner, Sir Mahummad Habib-Ul-Lah (India) and Mr. Eric Louw (South African High Commissioner), signed in that order. Sir Granville Ryrie declared that, owing to the political crisis in Australia, he had not received definite instructions from the Government. Therefore he was unable to sign today. Senator Dandurand announced that he was still waiting authorisation from the Canadian Government. Mr. Henderson, before signing, claimed that this was another important contribution toward world peace. He referred to the exclusion of inter-Empire disputes. Sir James Parr merely repeated Mr.

GENEVA, Thursday, uth Africa and India signed League of Nations Covenant, tions from their Governments, md Canada did not sign.

Henderson's declaration is identical terms. Then the signing took place. France. Czecho-Slovakia and Peru also signed. The ceremony was photographed. NEW ZEALAND SIGNS TWO RESERVATIONS UNITED EMPIRE ACTION Press Association PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Today. The signing of the optional clause of the Permanent Court of International Justice by New Zealand and the reservations attached were announced in the House of Representatives today by the Prime Minister. Sir Joseph Ward asked for an adjournment of the House in committee, saying he wished to make a statement. He said he had today received from the High Commissioner a communication from Geneva stating that with Great Britain, South Africa and India, New Zealand had signed the optional clause for the term of 10 years, subject to the following reservations: (1) Disputes relating to domestic jurisdiction and inter-Dominion disputes are excluded. (2) The right is reserved to suspend court proceedings in any dispute for a period not exceeding 12 months while the matter is being considered by the Council of the League of Nations.

Sir Joseph Ward said it was understood that Australia and Canada would sign very shortly on the same terms. The Irish Free State had already signed without, reservation, and France and other countries signed at the same time, but he had no advice as to the exact terms of their signatures.

He added that the desire for united Empire action had been achieved.