INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 28, 1 August 1929, Page 7

INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION

Xhe Prmie Minister (the Eight Hon. bir Joseph. Ward) informed the House of Keprescutatives yesterday afternoon that the trovernments in the United Kingdom and, in the Dominions were at present considering the question of' signing the optioual clause of the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice in regard to arbitration on international questions. , . :. .

3 r- H;. ?• Holland (Buller) asked the lnme Minister whether the Government proposed' to sign the optional clause of the btatute. of the Permanent Court of International Justice, which clause reterred to arbitration on international questions, and read as^ follows: "The members of the League of Nations and the Mates mentioned in the Annex to the Covenant may, either when signing or ratifying the protocol to which the present statute is adjoined or at a later moment, declare that they recognise as compulsory (ipso facto), and without special agreement, m relation to any other member or State accepting the same obligation, the jurisdiction of the Court in all °'!"/. pf ,* e -passes of legal disputes ?°" t c v n ßv (3) •tho lnt^Pretation of a law- y('J\l any- ? uestlon °f international f '/ • b" existence of any fact which, it established, would constitute a breach oi an international obligation; (d) the nature or extent of the reparation to be oblfA«™ a Ti bI"T h > Of an international obligation. The declaration referred to above may be made unconditionally or on conditon of reciprocity on the part of several or certain members or States, or fo a certain time. Tn the event of a dispute as to whether the Court has jurisdiction, the matter shall be settled by the decision of the Court." . Sir Joseph Ward replied: "The matter IRp it- 3"* 'receiving the consideration °J .-"'* Majesty s Governments in the United Kingdom and in the Dominions TiLZnv- yet *a position t0 ffiake