THE VENEZUELAN DISPUTE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 308, 29 December 1902, Page 5

THE VENEZUELAN DISPUTE.

REFERRED TO THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL.

NEW YORK, December 26. It bas been agreed to refer the Venezuelan dispute to the arbitration of Tbe Hague Tribunal.

LONDON, December 27

Britain, Germany and Italy, while expressing preference for President Roosevelt's arbitration, assented to his suggestion to refer the dispute to Tbe Hague Tribunal.

The New York correspondent of the "Times" sa3's Colonel Hay, tbe U.S. Secretary of State, has secured a victory of goodwill. Tbe agreement of the Bowers is atti'ibutable to his adroitness in presenting bis standpoints to the other Governments. President Roosevelt in a sense bas been the arbitrator, because he was allowed to indicate the arbitral tribunal which tbe Powers did not prefer, and also to suggest certain terms witb reference to the Monroe Doctrine being excluded from The Hague Tribunal's deliberations.

The "Times" says the reluctance of tbe Powers was due to their fear of tbe inability of The Hague Tribunal to exert adequate pressure upon President Castro to secure the observance of tbe award.

[The Hague Court of Arbitration was set up in 1901, as the result of the Peace Conference of 189S and 1899. The hnal Act embodying the results of the Conference contained the following conventions: (1) A convention for the pacific settlement of international disputes (arbitration). (2) A convention concerning the laws and customs of war on land. (3) A convention for the adaptation to naval warfare of the principles of the Geneva Convention of ISU4.' The British members of the Court of Arbitration, as appointed in 1901, were Lord Paunccfote (since dead), Sir E. B. Malet, Sir E. Fry, and Professor Westlake. There is an international bureau at The Hague; each signatory power may nominate not more than four members of the court; Powers desiring arbitration may choose any number of arbitrators out of this list.l