FOR WORLD PEACE

Southland Times, Issue 22188, 2 December 1933, Page 6

FOR WORLD PEACE

LEAGUE OF NATIONS NEW ZEALAND CONTRIBUTION CHALLENGED MR POLSON’S COMPLAINT (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, December 1. A complaint that New Zealand’s contribution towards the expenses of the of Nations was greater than the Dominion could afford was made in the House of Representatives this afternoon by Mr W. J. Polson, but his remarks were quickly challenged by Mr P. Fraser. Mr Polson said that under the Estimates the New Zealand contribution to the Secretariat expenses of the League for the current year was £lB,OOO, while the expenses of the delegate to the Disarmament Conference had amounted to £6OO, and expenses of the delegate to Geneva totalled £750. These sums were far too high for a country the size of New Zealand. The amounts would probably not be grudged if Geneva was achieving material results, but as far as one could learn from the Press reports, the results of the Geneva Conference had been most disappointing. The League of Nations had been established for a number of years, but it seemed to be no nearer achieving anything of great value to civilization, and it was hoped that the Government would make an effort to see whether the New Zealand contributions towards the expenses of the League could not be reduced Mr Fraser said he was surprised that anyone should grudge the expenditure in connection with the League of Nations. At the present time Geneva was the only hope of the world. Mr Polson: A mighty poor one. Mr Fraser: If that is right God help the hon. gentleman and me, too.

He said he believed that New Zealand should follow a policy of national development economically, but the Dominion should work in the closest co-operation with the other countries of the world in efforts towards world peace. Unless the spirit of Geneva was observed there was the gravest danger that there would be a wholesale war and massacre in spite of the fact that some individuals were cavilling about the expenditure of a few thousands on the League. If disarmament could not be achieved the Dominion would be involved in a far greater expenditure for defence. Furthermore, if another war broke out, the noneombatants would be in as great a danger as the soldiers. Those who were too old to fight would no longer be able to cheer the young man away, and at the same time remain in safety at home. It would be better to spend £500.000 in helping to bring about disarmament instead of risking another bath of blobd. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes) said that the principles of the League of Nations were endorsed by the countries of the world generally and it was hoped that the would pave the way for the preservation of world peace. It was New Zealand's duty to take part in one of the greatest works that could be undertaken. It was unfortunate that some of the contributors towards the upkeep of the League had defaulted in their payments, but they had to realize that the members of the British Empire always paid the full amount. The arrears at the present time amounted to £970,000 While he was in London he had discussed with the other representatives of the Empire and Ministers of the British Government the question of the League’s expenses and the overhaul of the expenditure had been urged. New Zealand's annual contribution had grown from £BOOO to £lB,OOO, and while they realized the great work being done by the League, at the same time there was need for the closest scrutiny of the expenditure. The new secretary of the League had told him that he would make every effort to curtail the expenses of the Secretariat