LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Otago Witness, Issue 3886, 4 September 1928, Page 37

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

THE DRUG TRAFFIC. APPOINTMENT OF COMMISSION. ..... . RUGBY, August 31. At tins morning’s open session of the League of Nations Council a report on the traffic in opium and other noxious drugs was considered. Mr Mackenzie King (Canadian Prime Minister), as rapporteur on this question, made his debut at the council table. Lord Cushendun urged that the most effective way to combat th e drug evil was the despatch of a League Commission to the bar East to examine conditions directly. Britain would willingly give ev £U help to such a commission. The matter was referred to the Assembly, which will be -asked to appoint a commission. WEST SAMOA. GENEVA, September 1. The League of Nations Council has received the report of the Mandates Commission upon West Samoa. The Dutch delegate (Mr Van Blokland), reporting on the matter, said the commission had examined all the documents, the most important of which was the report of the New Zealand Government’s Royal Commission. New Zealand, in thus laying the complete documentation before the council, and also allowing it to hear General Richardson, showed the fullest comprehension of the Mandates Commission’s duties and its own responsibilities. Mr Van Blokland added that the commission had considered the suggestion that certain natural unrest would continue until the league had taken action. It should be clearly understood that the mandatory alone was responsible for maintaining law and order in conformity with the mandate. The speaker said : “ In my opinion the Mandates Commission’s conclusions are so important that they should be given the widest publicity in New Zealand and Samoa.” The council adopted the Mandates Commission’s observations, and instructed the Secretary-general to forward them to the New Zealand Government. As Sir James Parr had not arrived, owing to railway delay, Lord Cushendun said he believed that Mr Parr would have expressed satisfaction with the commission’s report, and thanked Mr Van Blokland for his remarks. He did not doubt that the New Zealand Government would give the report the widest publicity.