AUSTRALIA AND TREATY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17269, 19 September 1919, Page 7

AUSTRALIA AND TREATY

RATIFICATION DEBATE. THE NEW TERRITORIES. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 1 a.m.) MELBOURNE, Sept. 18. The ratification of the Versailles Treaty was debated to-day in the House of Representatives. After Sir Joseph Cook, Minister for the Navy, had reviewed at length the terms of the treaty and its probable effects in Australia, Mr. Catts moved an amendment that owing to the limited amount of information regarding the commitments and responsibilities, the treaty be placed before the House, and the whole matter be referred to a committee for inquiry and report. Sir Joseph Cook expressed the opinion that the Pacific islands which Australia would administer ; very shortly would prove a source of proj fit, i He hoped that a definite movement ; would be made soon to develop these new territories. The debate was not finished. During the debate, Mr. W. M. Hughes corrected his former figures with reference to the claim for indemnity, stating that it should have been war expenditure £564,000,000 and capitalised value of pensions, damage to civilian property and similar war costs £100,000,000.