MANDATES IN PACIFIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17263, 12 September 1919, Page 7

MANDATES IN PACIFIC.

RIGHTS OF AUSTRALIA. MONROE DOCTRINE ANALOGY.

I 'A. and N.Z. MELBOURNE. Sept. 11. In the House of Representatives, Mr. W. M. Hughes, speaking !on the mandate for Germany's 'former possessions in the Pacific, said: "We thought possession of the Pacific Islands was I essential for Australia, and we i sought to obtain direct control over them, although Mr. Wilson's FourI teen Points forbade it, and after a j lot of fighting the principle of the 'mandate was accented. The manI date now is embodied in a covenant, the actual terms of which are not yet ratified, but the mandate is bestowed upon us definitely." J After referring to the attitude of I Japan at the ccr/erence, and the j fight he (Mr. Hughes) put up against \ her claims, the Premier said : '' We hope that Japan, and not only Japan, but all nations, will remain on terms lof most perfect friendship with us, j but we claim the right to say with I regard to Australia who shall come land who shall not come in. We had [this right before, and wo Haim this I right now." I Dealing with the exemption of the : Monroe Doctrine from the provisions i of the covenant, Mr. Hughes pointed ' ! out that it lays down that no Euro- . ' pean Power car, meddle in any mati ter in the two American continents, ■ but it' does not say that America. 1 must not meddle in the affairs of -'Europe. It rested on no foundation of international law: it rested

merely on 'lie declaration of the I President of the InitPii States, and therefore it v.as proper that a like rloftriiiP should hr. promulgated on behalf of Australia as far as the [Pacific was concerned.