THIRD SESSION BEGUN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27079, 13 May 1949, Page 8

THIRD SESSION BEGUN

soum PACIFIC COMMISSION OUTLINE OF OBJECTIVES PA WELLINGTON, May 12. The third session of the South Pacific Commission opened in Noumea, New Caledonia, on May 7 at the recentlyestablished permanent headquarters of the commission, with delegates in attendance from the six member nations —Australia, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, says a statement issued by the commission. The New Zealand representatives at the session were Mr C. G. R. McKay, former secretary of the Department of Island Territories (senior commissioner). Lieu-tenant-colonel F. W. Voelcker, former Administrator of Western Samoa (commissioner), and Mr R. Hunter Ware, assisting official secretary of the office of the New Zealand High Commissioner in Australia (adviser). Mr J B. D. Pennink, Netherlands Minister in New Zealand and senior commissioner for the Netherlands, was chairman of the session. Mr Pennink said that all the delegates were working for a common purpose—international co-operation in furthering the welfare of the non-self-governing peoples of the South Pacific "We have agreed that these people need advice, and we offer them our help and give them the, benefit of our knowledge and experience.” he stated “We realise what an enormous field of activities this opens to member States. A great deal of investigation and research will have been undertaken in several branches of science and the commission will also have to build up its organisation which is to form the basis of fruitful work and success in the future.”