NAURU

Evening Star, Issue 18044, 11 August 1922, Page 4

NAURU

HINTS m INSINUATIONS. SIR J. ALLEN INDIGNANT. Press Association—-By Telegraph—Copyrigah. LONDON, August 9. Sir James Allen, interviewed, said that the first knowledge he had of the Mandatory Commission’s report was when it was read at a public session of the conference. He was glad he was able to pay a tribute to Sir Joseph' Cook’s splendidly vigorous defence. Ho completely refuted the Commission’s unfounded hints and insinuations, which were all the more _ offensive because they were expressed in the ■dorm of innuendo instead of being stated frankly as specific charges. Ho was able to back up Sir Joseph Cook more effectively because New Zealand, while interested in Nauru, was not responsible for its administration. He resented the suggestion that the Nauru natives’ welfare was being prejudiced and the island exploited. for profit by Australia. Such allegations wore indefensible without definite evidence, which tho authors of the report did not produce. They did not even suggest that evidence existed. Neither the Australian nor the New Zealand Government would dream of attempting such exploitation as the report insinuated. Even if tho Governments did, the Parliaments would not. He deeply regretted Air W. G. A. Ormsby-Gore’s attitude. _ He was the sole representative of the British Empire, and as such represented not only Britain, but Australia and New Zealand. Tho allegations were against Australia, which was Britain’s mandatory over Nauru.

Sir Jpscph Cook prefers to say nothing regarding the Nauru agreement at present beyond calling attention to the fact that Mr Ormsby-Goro opposed the Mandatory Bill in the’.House of Commons on June 16, 1920, yet now he represents the_ British Empire on the Mandatory Commission.—■ A. and N.Z. Cable.

[Tho Hon. William George Arthur Ormsby-Gore, Unionist M.P. for Denbigh, is the'eldest eon of the third Baron .Harlech. Ho is the British official representative on tho Permanent Mandates Commission of tho League of Nations. He is married to a daughter of the late Lord Salisbury.]