LIMITS TO SCOPE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22242, 30 January 1947, Page 5

LIMITS TO SCOPE

DEFENCE AND SECURITY AMERICAN CONCURRENCE AUSTRALIA-N.Z. VIEWS CANBERRA, Jan. 29. The United States Ambassador to Australia, Mr. Robert Butler, said that the United States concurred with the Australian and New Zealand Governments that the proposed South Seas Commission should not be empowered to deal with matters of defence and security. This was the first time administrators in the South Pacific had met to share their experiences and work out a basis for future co-oneralion. This would express the obligations assumed under the United Nations Charter to co-oper-ate and promote the welfare of non-self-governing territories. The conference, together with the recent action of the General Assembly in approving the trusteeship agreements for the mandated territories of New Guinea and Western Samoa, must demonstrate to the South Pacific peoples that ever-increasing attention would be given io their needs and aspirations. The island peoples must be brought into the programme and made to feel part of it. The French Minister. M. Pierre Alice, saiii his Government endorsed the limited objects of the commission, which excluded matters of ideology, politics and defence. The United Kingdom High Commissioner said that while, the commission's goal must be high, it must not try to reach it in one leap. To try to do so would be to overload the local Governments. The Netherlands Minister, Baron Van Aerasson, said his delegation would be pleased to exchange views on all matters concerned, guided by democratic ideals and respect for constitutional authority.