CONTROL OF MANDATES

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 10 March 1927, Page 5

CONTROL OF MANDATES

COAIAILSSION FIGHTING HARD. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. GENEVA, March 8. The Alandates Commission’s persistency in seeking to obtain recognitionas the organisation in control of the mandated territories is dying hard. Already the question of petitions has been disposed of, and there appears every likelihood of the questionnaire being, scrapped. _ The latest question to be raised by the commission is that of the sovereignty of South Africa and Portugal, and the recently signed agreements concerning the boundary between mandated territory of South-West Africa and Angola. In the preamble to this agreement appeared the words. “Possesses sovereignty.” The commission seized on and commented on the use of this phrase as follows: “Having regard to the terms of the covenant the commission doubts whether such an expression oould be held to define correctly the relations existing between a mandatory Power and the territory embraced under the mandate.” When discussed by the Council to-day this body refrained from expressing an opinion as to where the sovereignty resides, and the comment of the Mandates Commission has simply been noted.

This decision is important to Australia.