PACIFIC AFFAIRS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17146, 31 December 1929, Page 11

PACIFIC AFFAIRS

HONOLULU CONFERENCE N.Z. DELEGATES RETURN / (Per Preßs Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. Professor Belshaw, the New Zealand representative at tho conference of the Institute of Pacific Relations, returned by the Maunganui to-day. He states that the international research committee approved of a project for research into the economic position of land utilisation in New Zealand, and made a grant of approximately £4OO a year for two years to assist the work that would be undertaken.

Professor Belshaw will be in charge of the fund. He has not,yet formulated a definite plan in regard to the expenditure. Probably the studies will concern the influences of soil, climatic conditions, land tenure, and finances on land utilisation and laud settlement. There were 24Q delegates at the conference, including a strong delegation from Britain, headed by Lord Halshain, Mr. Malcolm MacDonald, a son of the Prime Minister, and Mr. Lionel Curtis. China and Japan were strongly represented. The principal .topics of discussion wore .the position in Mancjunia and extraterritoriality in China, in addition, attention was given to diplomatic rotations in the Pacific, the machine age and modern culture, food supplies, and the population of the world.

The Samonn position was not touched upon, but Professor Belshaw was on ii sub-committee appointed to bring down a programme on Pacili: dependencies embracing that troubled country. Tins action was decided upon as it was felt that not sufficient was known about the subject for immediate and profitable discussions, it was intended lo promote continuous and progressive investigations into social and economic conditions of the Pacific so that the position might be reviewed biennially.