THE PEACE TREATY

Waikato Times, Volume 90, Issue 14052, 3 May 1919, Page 5

THE PEACE TREATY

SOME OF THE MAIN PROVISIONS. (United Service.) Received May 2. 5.5 p.m. PARIS, April 30. Mr Murdoch says that tiie Peace Treaty to be represented to the Germans will provide that all Government property in the former German territories shall pass to the new Governments exercising authority therein. The decisions of the local courts will be final. The new Governments may repatriate resident Germans and formulate conditions under which Germans' may reside, hold property, trade or work in the former colonies. The Kiel Canal will be placet! on a similar footing to the Panama Canal, and its approaches will be maintained free and open to vessels of commerce or war of all nations at peace with Germany on terms of entire equality. The treaty will provide for the appointment by each country of a subCommission, on which Germany will be represented, to control the return of prisoners, Germany undertaking the cost of repatriation. She will also undertake to accept all repatriated prisoners, but the Allied countries may send German internees or prisoners to a neutral country or permit them to remain in Allied territories. Germany is to undertake to facilitate enquiries for missing soldiers, restore property taken from them, furnish a list of dead prisoners and their graves, and maintain such graves.

The general effect of the economic clauses in the Treaty will be to give the Allies most favoured nation treatment for five years. Another provision will be that the Allied and associaiad Governments shall preserve the right to retain and liquidate all property rights and interests of German nationals or companies controlled by them in their territories, compensation to be given according to local laws. Contracts with enemy s'ubjects shall be regarded as dissolved from the date of the war, except in respect of money owing on patents and copyrights. Rights in industrial literary and artistic property are restored both in Allied countries and in Germany, but action taken in Allied countries during the war with respect to patents and copyrights is upheld and will remain in force.