ALIEN REFUGEES

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 27 September 1924, Page 7

ALIEN REFUGEES

r EXTRA edition.

A SERIOUS PROBLEM

BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT (Received 'Sept.■ 27. 12.10 p.m) ' . GENEVA, Sept. 26. ine concluding days of the Assembly were marked by an intensification of the struggle the various parties regarding legal and moral obligations sanctions. air Jas. Allen was the first to insist that the Council only was empowered to recomme.nd sanctions. His lead was quickly followed -by Italy. Sir Jas., Allen, interviewed, said New Zealand could not accept the theory that the League was legally entitled to call up all the forces at a country’s disposal. His view was •that it was a moral and not a legal obligation. He would be obliged, on behalf of. New .Zealand, to make reservations. The Assembly of the League adopted a report regarding the League’s scheme for the settlement of refugees with a. reservation from South African and New Zealand delegates, who were unable to pledge their Governments to continue financial support beyond the present. The scheme involves an outlay of 200,000 francs for the settlement of refugees in 1925. ;V Both. Hofmeyer and Sir Jas. Allen jlagreed that humanitarian ■ principles |were involved, but they thought that the character of work was not strictly within the scope of the 7 League’s activities. Sir Jas. Allen, addressing the assembly regarding the settlement of Armenian and Russian refugees, said that New Zealand had subscribed voluntarily probably ; more than any other country for European refugees, and if the League ; resorted to the taxpayers’ pockets as suggested he was afraid voluntary effort would be stemmed completely. He could not pledge New Zealand to make a contribution in 1925. The Dominion had paid its full contribution for 1924, but he could not guarantee its continuation. He was sorry it was necessary to make this reservation, because he was fully in sympathy with the work that was being carried out.