REFORM PLAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 207, 2 September 1936, Page 8

REFORM PLAN.

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

NEW ZEALAND'S VIEW.

STRENGTHENING COVENANT. CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTIONS. (By Telegraph. —Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Prime Minister, the Right Hon, M. J. Savage, stated to-day that the New Zealand Government had forwarded to the Secretary-General of the League of Nations a memorandum setting out the Government's views on the reform of tlie League, in compliance with a resolution of the League Assembly inviting members of the League to make proposals with the object of strengthening the authority of the League. The Government, in forwarding its reply, indicated that if New Zealand's proposals were not considered immediately practicable, it would not demur to the consideration of progress by stages or of alternative proposals. The New Zealand Government's memorandum follows: — "In accordance with the resolution of the Assembly of the League of July 4, 1930, and anticipating a formal request from the Council (as is necessary in the circumstances of New Zealand if the proposals of the New* Zealand Government are to be received by the SecretaryGeneral before September 1 next), I have tire honour to forward herewith an expression of the views of the New Zealand Government on the Covenant of tlie League of Nations:

."(1) We believe in the first place that there is 110 material fault in the existing provisions of the Covenant, and that the difficulties that have arisen and may arise in the future are due to the method and extent of its operation. "(2) We believe that the Covenant has never yet been fully applied, and that it cannot be characterised as an ineffective instrument imtil it has been so applied. "(3) We are prepared to reaffirm with the utmost solemnity our continued acceptance of the Covenant as it stands. "(4) We believe, nevertheless, that the Covenant is capable of amendment which should take the form of strengthening rather tlian weakening its provisions. "(5) We are prepared to accept in principle the provisions proposed for this Geneva Protocol of 1924 as one method of strengthening the Covenant as it exists.