WHAT COMMITMENTS?

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 60, 11 March 1944, Page 7

WHAT COMMITMENTS?

AUSTRALIA-N.Z. PACT

OPPOSITION CRITICISM (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The possibility that the AustraliaNew Zealand agreement may have adversely affected the Dominion s influence with the native races of the Pacific was one among several points of criticism aimed at the agreement by Mr. Aderman (Nat., New Plymouth) in his Speech in the Address-in-Reply debate yesterday. After referring to the White Australia policy, and pointing out that New Zealand, because of its link between the Maori and pakeha, had enjoyed a powerful position in dealing with native races in the Pacific and other countries, Mr. Aderman said that possibly the linking of New Zealand and Australia in a single union of thought might mean that New Zealand would lose some of that influence with the Pacific peoples. That was a vital question. When making the agreement New Zealand had probably lost sight of the great part she could have taken in the final solution of native problems. , , - * Mr. Aderman also contended that the representatives of the people should have been consulted before such an agreement was reached, and he submitted that certain impressions had been created abroad which could have been avoided. Great Britain, added Mr. Aderman, was in harmony with the view that the Dominions should have a complete share in determining foreign policy, but had also hinted that New Zealand must share in the financial commitments involved in such a policy. The agreement between New Zealand and Australia referred to the policing of the Islands, and to a great humanitarian programme for the natives of the Pacific. The people of New Zealand should know what were the commitments involved as a consequence of such an agreement. Mr. Macfarlane (Govt., Christchurch South) pointed out that agreements of utmost importance to the world, such as the Atlantic Charter and the Teheran pact, had been drawn up by world leaders as the exigencies of war demanded, without reference to Parliaments or Governments. He submitted that the Australia-New Zealand agreement did something in the interests of the war effort as a whole.