NEW ZEALAND & LEAGUE

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11657, 23 October 1923, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND & LEAGUE

OUR MANDATE OVER SAMOA

ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORTS AND THE LEAGUE.

IVHAT IS THE POSITION? With regard to the reports of the Administrator on the affairs of the mandated territory of Samoa, an important question lias recently arisen as to the relations between the Government of New Zealand and the League of Nations. ALLEGED ‘‘LACK OF RESPECT.” Some time ago. under the heading, ‘‘Lack of Respect for the League,” the Permanent Mandates Committee, in its report to the Council of the League, pointed out that in some cases Great Britain, the Union of South Africa, and New Zealand did! not comply with the terms of tlie Covenant that reports should be issued by the mandatory Powers themselves and should be addressed to the Council of the League of Nations. The hope was expressed .hat future reports would be submitted in such a form as to make it clear the mandatory Power took full responsibility. Tlie Commission was of opinion that the Administrator of Samoa should have submitted his report to the. Council of the League by way of the New Zealand 'Government, and not to the Dominion Government first. The opinion was put forward that if the Administrator did not address his report to the Council the Government of the mandatory P'ower might take it upon themselves to alteb the report. Although Sir James Allen thought it quite likely that the Government would pursue such a course, he agreed that in future the report should be addressed to the Council of the League, a duplicate being sent at the same time to the Government of New Zealand. OUR PRESENT PRACTICE. The third report of the Government of N.ew Zealand on the administration of the mandated territory of Western Samoa was presented to both Houses ot Parliament last session. The report was compiled from information and data furnished by the permanent heads of tho several departments concerned with the administration of the territory, and l it embodied a short statement of the impressions the new Administrator, Major-General G. 8. Richardson, had formed since assuming the duties of his office.

In forwarding the report to the Prime Minister under date May 31st, 1923, the Hon. Sir Francis Bell, on behalf of the Minister for External Affairs, intimated that the report had been prepared by his direction, pursuant to Article 6 of the Mandate for that Territory. On the front of the report was a copy of the following letter to the Secretary-General, League of Nations, Geneva, dated June 26th and signed by Sir Francis Bell ‘‘for the Prime Minister”:—

‘‘l have the honour to forward herewith the third annual report of the Government of New Zealand on the administration of the Mandated Territory of W'estem Samoa. Copies of the Orders-in-Council and Ordinances referred to in tho report have been forwarded to you under separate cover. A copy of this report has also been forwarded direct to each member of the Permanent, Mandates Commission.” TO WHOM RESPONSIBLE? Up to the present it lias not been made clear publicly whether the Mandates Commission considers that a report should be drawn up by the Administrator and forwarded direct to the League, or whether he should furnish the Government, as the mandated authority, with the material to draw up a report, or whether the Government of New Zealand should merely be supplied with a copy of the report which he may be required to send direct to the secretariat of the League. If, as might be inferred from the report, expression of opinion of the Mandates Commission, the Administrator is to be required to forward a report direct to the Council of tlie League it raises the question of his status as a servant ol the New Zealand Government. The point is: To whom should the Administrator be responsible—the Government who appointed him to Samoa, or to the League of Nations?

STATEMENT BY ACTING-PRE-MIER.

Sir Francis Bell (acting-Prime Minister and Minister for External Affairs), on this question being put to liim yesterday, stated that the point, which was one of very considerable importance, would not bo dealt with until the Government had had an opportunity of conferring with Mr Ma&sev on his return from tho Imperial Conference.