Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1949. NEW ZEALAND’S DECISION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 77, 11 January 1949, Page 2

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1949. NEW ZEALAND’S DECISION

In its decision on the invitation to the Asian Conference on Indonesia the New Zealand Government has acted according to the British genius for compromise. By sending only an observer the Dominion will not ignore the conference altogether which would give offence to its promoters, while at the same time she will keep aloof from active participation in their move. In the first place New Zealand and Australia, the only two white” countries invited, would be unwise to join in any possible uncompromising condemnation of the Dutch, at a gathering at which the latter are not represented. For another thing, as Mr Nash said recently, the dispute in Indonesia is in the jurisdiction of the Security Council of United Nations. Already the Council has given preliminary consideration to the situation, said the Acting-Prime Minister, and it is important to resolve the dispute in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter. While the dispute is in the jurisdiction of the Security Council there can be no occasion for consideration of it on a regional basis unless the Council itself refers it to a regional conference. The assembly called by Mr Nehru will have neither status nor authority. Indonesia is a test case and it is wrong that it should be tried simultaneously by two different judges. To bring in a second judge in this case infers distrust' of the first, an attitude that will tend to weaken an organisation that is already facing difficulties. At the same time, the Asian countries having decided to hold a conference, it is desirable that New Zealand should have first-hand information on a matter vital to an area comparatively close to her.