LEAGUE MANDATES.

Wairarapa Age, 9 March 1927, Page 6

LEAGUE MANDATES.

TREATMENT OP PETITIONS. AUSTRALIAN VIEW. GENEVA, March 7. In c@inect.ion with petitions of residents in mandated territories, the Commonwealth Government sent a lengthy memorandum, to the Leigue Council to th effect that Australia was not awtrro that, the system of forwarding .petitions with the mandatory's observations was in any way ineffective or obstructed, the petitioners in fully and frankly presenting M their case, nor ' would the proposal bring up material 1 i'acts which could not be freely communicated in writing. Furthermore, even if the petitioners attended personally, the Commission could not come to a decision without the attendance of tbo mandatory’s representative, which would involve heavy expense and no corresponding advantage. Other mandatories replied similarly, emphasising that to open the way bo controversy would* convert the Commission into a Court of Law, inconsistent with and weakening the very natiire of the mandatory system, and that it hvould encourage intrigues on the part o± those more desirous of promoting disorder than of remedying defects.— (A. and N.Z.) COUNCIL’S DECISION. PROCEDURE TO STAND. GENEVA, March 7. The League Council decided that there was no occasion to change the mandate procedure hitherto followed regarding the hearing of petitioners, which satisfied all the mandatory powers.—(A’, and N.Z.)