5

" Mr. McKay: This Committee heard our chief representative say the other day that the wishes of the people concerned are immediate self-government, and if these words were put in there, we might find ourselves inviting immediately some very extreme constitutional changes, changes to which we are not opposed at the right time ; but the proper place in which to discuss constitutional changes perhaps. is not in this Committee but in the Trusteeship Council."* " He (Mr. McKay) hoped that the aspirations of the people of Western Samoa for self-government would come before the Trusteeship Council in the near future, much earlier than any date fixed in the Trusteeship Agreement."! The petition, which was submitted to the Trusteeship Council on 26 February, 1947 (document T/Pet. 1/1), came up for consideration during the twenty-first meeting of the first session of the Council, on 22 April, 1947. The representative of New Zealand, Sir Carl Berendsen, while commenting on the urgent and unique nature of the petition and pointing to the fundamental issue involved, asked the Council to inquire into the matter on the spot. His proposal was unanimously accepted, and the Council adopted the following resolution : "The Trusteeship Council " Resolves that a committee composed of representatives of France, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States of America be authorized to formulate recommendations for the consideration of the Trusteeship Council with regard to the proposed visit to Western Samoa to be made, if agreeable to the New Zealand Government, the Administering Authority, during the period June to August 1947. The representative of the New Zealand Government is invited to join in the deliberations of the Committee. " The Committee shall further recommend to the Trusteeship Council the terms of reference of the visiting mission and the instructions to be issued. " The President is hereby authorized to confer with the SecretaryGeneral with regard to the financial implications of such a visit, to obtain from him an estimate of the cost involved in the specific proposal and to make final arrangements for such a visit in the light of the Council's decision and the Secretary-General's report. " The President is further authorized to confer, through the Secretary-General, with the New Zealand Government, as Administering Authority, to designate a suitable time and to make such other arrangements with the New Zealand Government as may be mutually agreeable."

* Verbatim record of the eighth meeting of Sub-committee 1 of the Fourth Committee of the first session of the General Assembly, 25 November, 1946, page 42. t Summary record of the thirteenth meeting of Sub-committee 1 of the Fourth ■Committee of the General Assembly, 30 November, 1946, document A/C, 4/Sub. 1/76, pages 7-8.