ADMINISTRATION OF NAURU

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18189, 7 September 1922, Page 7

ADMINISTRATION OF NAURU

AUSTRALIA'S STATUS. LEAGUE RAISES QUESTIONS. AN IMPERIAL MANDATE. By Telesraph-Preaa Asnociation-Copyright. (Received 5.3 p.m.) A> Bnd X - Z ' GENEVA. Sept. 6. The Council of the League of Nations has circulated reports from the Permanent Mandates Commission on which the Marquis Imperial; based the report adopted by the council yesterday- The commission reiterates it<s conviction that Chinese labourers unaccompanied constitute a grave social danger to the native population. The Chinese coolie under a three years' contract thousands of miles from home, it states, demands the greatest administrative care. The commission also challenges the validity of the Australian administration of Nauru because British mandates of this c ass were conferred on the King, but in all cases, except Nauru, it was expressly stated that the Kin* acted on behalf of the Australian. South African, or New Zealand Governments. No such reservation waa made in the case of Nauru. The commission, therefore, is bound to '° n f. ,d , er 1 ?" aUru nnder * mandate to the British fcmpire as a whole, not to a particular Government within the Empire. Ihe commission points out that while the Australian Prime Minister. Mr. W. M. Huehes, telegraphed on July 28 Sir Joseph Cook's appointment as the Commonwealth Government's representative with reference to Nauru, the secretary of the ImpenrJ Cabinet notified the League of nations on July 31 that Sir Joseph Cook had been accredited as representative of the British Empire. The commission emphasises, that although Australia ,s not designated the mandatory Power for Nauru, the administration of the island is exercised de facto by the Australian Government.