THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22907, 15 June 1936, Page 9

THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

COUNCIL CONVENED

MANY IMPORTANT SUBJECTS

(United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

GENEVA, June 12,

The League Council has been convened for June 2(i to discuss Abyssinia, Locarno, Assyrians in Iraq, and slavery.

RECENT WORK REVIEWED (British Official Wlreleiis) RUGBY, June 12. News from the League of Nations, issued by the Prime Minister's Department, slates that the second session of the mixed committee on nutrition appointed by the League Council adopted several recommendations supporting the endeavours to secure for populations a suitable supply of necessary foodstuffs, especially protective foodstuffs. The committee asks the Assembly to recommend Government's to encourage and support in every possible way the scientific study of nutrition problems with a view to ascertaining the optimum nutrition of each country, giving due consideration to differences in national and economic structure, climate and sources of supply, and to give full support to health organisations in inquiries into the widespread malnutrition existing in the tropics and certain Far Eastern countries. A diplomatic conference for examining the draft convention on the suppression of illicit traffic in drugs opened on June 8. The president was M. Limburg, of the Netherlands, and delegates of 42 States were present. The conference proposes to conclude o convention coordinating on an international basis the efforts of individual countries to suppress illicit traffic, the main features of the draft convention are as follows: — Acceptance by Governments of an international undertaking to provide severe penalties for serious offences of illicit traffic; the possibilities of extradition from one country to another of persons who have committed serious drug offences; the creation in'each country of a central office for supervision and co-ordination of measures taken for the suppression of illicit traffic; provisions for close collaboration between the central offices of the various countries. The draft convention is now being considered in detail. • The Mandates Commission finished consideration of a report by the French Government on Syria and Lebanon, and also studied the United Kingdom's annual report for 1935 on Palestine. The main subjects discussed were immigration, land tenure, education, autonomous administration, administration of; justice, public health, finance, statistics, and social questions. The commission examined the annual report for 103.5 of the mandatory of South-west Africa, which mentions increased revenue, improved railway receipts, and growth of production. The Rumanian Government has signed a renewal for five years of the declaration of acceptance of compulsory jurisdiction of the Permanent Court of International Justice in conformity with Article 30 of the Court Statute.

PLAN FOR LEAGUE REFORM GENEVA, June 13. (Received June 14. at 10 p.m.) Senor Madariaga, chairman of the League's Committee of Thirteen, has prepared a memorandum containing a plan for League reform, including two novel features. The first provides that members of the League might make a reservation not to apply Article I<> of the Covenant until the League is universal and disarmament has been achieved. The second is that " a second Covenant," without Articles 10 and lb" and oth;r controversial points, might be devised for countries, like the United States, which are unwilling to assume full League obligations.