NAURU ISLAND

Southland Times, Issue 18935, 23 September 1920, Page 6

NAURU ISLAND

WHERE BRITAIN GOT THE TITLE. FROM THE ALLIES, NOT THE LEAGUE. When the Nauru Island accouV was bring considered in Iho House of Representatives early on Salurday morning, the Dominion reports, Mr H. E. Holland (Boiler I read a letter containing a statement that Britain. Australia, and New Zealand had got*a proper mandate from the League of Nation.-: to use Nauru Island. The letter suggested that the States of the Empire were not entitled to make the use they proposed to make of Nauru Island. Mr Massey replied that the writer of the letter was either very biased or entirely ignorant of the facts. "It is absolute nonsense to say that we should holu our title from the League of Nations, ’ he said. "The League has no title to give. We get our title from the Allied Powers, which is quite another thing. If the League of Nations went out of existence to-morrow it would make no dilfereuce to us. The understanding was that the conditions on which we hold the island were to be drawn up by the League. But the League has never done this. It drew up a draft mandate, which was telegraphed to us, but it has not produced the formal document. Some wi iters seem to think that the League of 'Nations is a sort of superior Power, which could turn us out of Nauru Island or other ex-Gennan possessions at anv time. That is not the position. We hold our title from the Allied Power.-. The League counts for very little. The member for Buller seems to think that Nauru Island belongs u> the League of Nations. That is not so.” Mr Holland: You aie responsible to the League as far us the natives of the island are concerned. Mr Massey: Vos. that is so. We arc supposed to treat the natives to the satisfaction of the League of Nations. Wc are supposed to treat them well, and we certainlv are net going to place them m any kind of slavery. • -, ■ 1110 s that Germanv renounced in favour of tlie Allied and Associated Rowers all her rights over oversees possessions.