THE CANBERRA PACT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25458, 12 February 1944, Page 5

THE CANBERRA PACT

PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL NOT REQUIRED CANBERRA, Feb. 9. Replying to criticism in the House of Representatives that Parliament was not being given an opportunity to ratify the agreement between Australia and New Zealand, the Attorneygeneral (Dr H. V. Evatt) said that the agreement did not require formal approval by Parliament. Dr Evatt said that, broadly speaking, parliamentary action was required for any treaty which laid a pecuniary charge upon the people, or which altered the law. The agreement with New Zealand was in an entirely different category. It was really an arrangement between two Governments as to how an important part of their foreign and external relationships should be conducted. No private rights of Australian citizens were affected, and the law of the land required no alteration, nor was any charge upon the people involved. Dr Evatt said that he had arranged for the agreement to be fully discussed by Parliament. In one or two quarters there had been some disposition to suggest that the two Governments had attempted to exclude other Powers with territorial interests from all participation in the -affairs of the South and South-west Pacific. This was not so. Indeed, on several occasions any such intention was disavowed explicitly.