UNITED NATIONS CHARTER

Southland Times, Issue 25746, 9 August 1945, Page 7

UNITED NATIONS CHARTER

MR FRASER REPLIES TO DEBATE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, August 8. After apologizing for the delay caused by a cold he suffered last week, the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, m the House of Representatives brought the debate on the United . Nations Charter for World Organization to a close by replying to the points raised. . . The debate had shown evidence ot close study of the subject by members on both sides of the House, Mr Fraser said, and, therefore, evidence of an earnest desire to foster peace and goodwill. When he had opened the debate he bad not attempted to make the charter appear better than it was, but had pointed out the faults and endeavoured to give a true picture of what it really was and what it might be expected to do. He had not endeavoured to “sell” the Charter to the House, and the member for Remuera was unreasonable if he expected him to attempt to do so after he had pointed out the faults he had mentioned. He had never attempted to sell anything to the people. He believed in stating the facts and allowing the people to judge for fbemselves. The academic objection to tlie use of the term charter could not stand. The term had been used widely. One of its meanings was a “document given by a sovereign granting rights,” and as there were 50 sovereign nations at San Francisco surely they could issue a charter. In view'of the fact that some of the world’s greatest jurists had been present at the conference, any criticism of the term could not be taken seriously. Referring to the suggestion that the Opposition should have been represented at the conference, Mr Fraser said that he did not think that claim could bold. Certainly the Opposition in Britain and Canada had been represented, but that was because elections were pending in both countries, and after Mr Mackenzie King was returned in Canada the Opposition representative did not return to San Francisco.