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1949 . NEW ZEALAND

DEPARTMENT of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH, 1949

Presented to Both Houses of the General Assembly bj Leave

By Authority: R. E. Owen, Government Printer, Wellington.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION— Page 1. General ... ... ... ... ... ... 7 2. Organization of the Department ... ... 7 3. Information and Publicity ... ... ... 8 4. Treaty LIST ... ... ... ...• ... 9 5. External Affairs Committee ... ... ... 9 THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH—1. General ... ... ... ... ... ... 9 2. Ireland (EIRE) ... ... ... ... ... 11 3. Australian - New Zealand Relations ... ... 12 THE PACIFIC—1. South Pacific Commission... ... ... ... 13 2. Relations with South Pacific Administrations ... 15 THE FAR EAST AND SOUTH-EAST ASIA— 39 1. General ... ... ... ... ... ... 16 2. Japanese Peace Settlement ... ... ... 17 3. Far Eastern Commission ... ... ... ... 17 4. Allied Council for Japan ... ... ... 18 5. Japanese Affairs Generally—(a) International Military Tribunal for the Far East... 19 (b) New Zealand Government Trade Representative in Japan ... ... ... ... 19 6. Korea ... ... ... ... ... ... 19' 7. Indonesia ... ... ... ... ... 21 8. Regional Co-operation in Asia ... ... ... 22 EUROPE—1. General ... ... ... ... ... ... 22 2. Germany and Austria ... ... ... ... 23 3. Western Union and the Atlantic Pact ... ... 24 4. Peace Settlements with Italy, Roumania, Bulgaria and Hungary—{a) Trieste ... ... ... ... ... 26 (b) Human Rights Clauses of the Treaties ... ... 26 (c) The Ex-Italian Colonies ... ... ... 27 5. Greece ... ... ... ... ... ... 27 6. Spain ... ... ... ... ... ... 29

THE MIDDLE EAST— Page 1. Palestine... ... ... ... ... ... 29 2. The Ex-Italian Colonies ... ... ... ... 33 THE UNITED NATIONS—1. General ... ... ... ... ... ... 35 2. Organization—(a) General Assembly ... ... ... ... 36 (b) Security Council ... ... ... ... 37 (/) Economic and Social Council ... ... 37 (d) Trusteeship Council ... ... ... ... 39 (e) International Court of Justice ... ... ... 39 (/) Secretariat ... ... ... ... ... 39 3. Maintenance of Peace and Security ... ... 30 (a) Atomic Energy ... ... ... ... 40 ('b) Disarmament ... ... ... ... 41 . (/) Appeal to the Great Powers ... ... ... 42 (d) Interim Committee ... ... ... ... 42 (e) Admission of New Members ... ... ... 43 (f) Voting in the Security Council ... ... 43 (g) International Co-operation in the Political Field ... 44 4. Economic and Social Questions — . (a) General Assembly ... ... ... ... 45 (b) Economic and Social Council ... ... 45 (/) Functional Commissions of the Economic and Social Council—(i) Social Commission ... ... ... 51 (ii) Fiscal Commission ... ... ... 53 (iii) Human Rights Commission ... 53 (iv) Transport and Communications Commission... ... ... ... 54 (v) Economic and Employment Commission 55 (vi) Commission on the Status of Women ... 55 (vii) Population Commission ... ... 56 (viii) Statistical Commission ... ... 56 (ix) Narcotic Drugs Commission ... ... 57 (d) Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East 57 (e) United Nations Appeal for Children ... ... 60 (J) The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) ... ... 61

THE UNITED NATlONS—continued Page 5. Trusteeship and Non-self-governing Territories—(a) Trusteeship ... ... ... ... 62 (i) Examination of Annual Reports on Trust Territories ... ... ... 63 (ii) Administrative Unions ... ... 63 (iii) Special and Visiting Missions ... 64 (iv) Political, Economic, and ■ Educational Advancement of Trust Territories... 65 (v) Petitions ... ... ... ... 65 (vi) South-west Africa ... ... ... 66 (b) Non-self-governing Territories ... ... 66 6. Administration and Finance — (a) Budget ... ... ... ... ... 67 (b) Secretariat. ... ... ... ... 68 (c) Postal and Telecommunications Services ... 68 (<d) Working Languages of the General Assembly ... 68 (e) Training in Public Administration ... ... 68 (J) Budgetary Co - ordination of the Specialized Agencies ... ... ... ... 68 7. Legal Questions — (a) Violation by the Soviet Union of Human Rights and Diplomatic Practices ... ~. ... 69 (b) Genocide ... ... ... ... ... 69 (c) Reparation for Injuries Suffered in the Service of the United Nations ... ... ... 71 (J) Permanent Missions ... ... ... ... 71 (e) Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations 71 MISCELLANEOUS INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS—1. The International Trade Organization (ITO) ... 72 2. The International Labour Organization (ILO) ... 73 3. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) ... ... 75 4. The World Health Organization (WHO) ... 77 5. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) 78 6. The International Emergency Food Committee (lEFC) 80 7. The International Wheat Council ... ... 80 8. The United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) ... ... ... 81 9. The International Refugee Organization (1R0)... 81 10. International Civil Aviation ... ... ... 83 11. The Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) ... ... ... 85 12. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) 85

NEW ZEALAND'S REPRESENTATION OVERSEAS— Page 1. General ... ... ... ... ... ... 86 2. Office of the High Commissioner for New Zealand, United Kingdom ... ... ... ... 87 3. Office of the High Commissioner for New Zerland, Canada ... ... ... ... ... 91 4. Office of the High Commissioner for New Zealand, Australia ... ... ... • ... ... 92 5. New Zealand Embassy, United States of America... 94 6. New Zealand Legation, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ... ... ... ... ... 96 7. Permanent Delegation of New Zealand to the United Nations, New York ... ... ... 97 8. Consulate-General of New Zealand, New York ... 97 9. Consulate-General of New Zealand, San Francisco 98 OVERSEAS REPRESENTATION IN NEW ZEALAND... 98 APPENDICES—1. Agreements Concluded Between New Zealand and Other Countries, 1 April, 1948, to 31 March, 1949 100 2. New Zealand Representatives Overseas ... ... 102 3. International Conferences at which New Zealand was Represented, 1 April, 1948, to 31 March, 1949 103 4. Publications of the Department of External Affairs 109

DEPARTMENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT FOR YEAR, ENDED 31 MARCH, 1949 INTRODUCTION 1. General As in previous years, the character and scope of this report are determined largely by the necessity of presenting a concise record of Government and departmental activity in the field of external affairs during the period under review. The report does not purport to give a survey or commentary upon the international situation; such background and general information as is given has the primary purpose of enabling New Zealand's activity in this connection to be seen in its proper perspective. Certain topics which have been or are scheduled to be the subject of separate reports to Parliament are dealt with summarily in the present instance and rather more attention is given to matters not separately reported. The space allotted to the various subjects, therefore, is not to be regarded as an indication of their relative importance. 2. Organization of the Department The year under review has seen no substantial alteration in the basic organization of the Department, which has also continued to function in its special relationship with the Prime Minister's Department. Although it has become possible in recent months to achieve, in so far as the staff are concerned, a greater measure of differentiation between duties of an external affairs nature and those coming more properly within the scope of the Prime Minister's Department, a small number of officers are engaged on work touching on both Departments. This has been found convenient not only from the viewpoint of administrative economy, but also as ensuring co-ordination of policy generally and its extension into the international field. Some progress has been made during the year in strengthening the staff of the Department in order to meet the increasing demands of participation in international activities, but the staff resources continue to be spread thinly over a wide field. In particular, the necessity of maintaining New Zealand's overseas posts at a level which enables such offices to attend to conference as well as representational work has presented a difficult staffing problem and a heavy burden has been placed on existing personnel. The worldwide tendency towards a greater degree of international co-operation has resulted in an increase in the number of international conferences

and organizations, a tendency which is difficult to discourage without incurring the risk of misinterpretation or of prejudicing the advance of international co-operation and good will. New Zealand has of necessity, however, been obliged to confine her participation in such activity to a level commensurate with her resources and compatible with an effective contribution to international progress and with the promotion of her own essential interests. Appendix 2 contains a list of New Zealand's overseas posts coming under the Department's jurisdiction, and Appendix '3 a list of international conferences at which New Zealand was represented during the year. The activities of the several posts are dealt with briefly under the heading " New Zealand's Representation Overseas " (pages 86 to 98). 3. Information and Publicity An ever-increasing demand for information about New Zealand is being met by this country's representatives overseas. In order that the numerous and diverse inquiries may be answered satisfactorily, the Department ensures that the overseas posts are well informed on matters of importance to this Dominion. To this end a weekly newsletter and newspaper clippings are despatched, providing a regular and factual record of events and opinions. During the year the distribution of the newsletter has been extended to all Government agents and associations of New Zealanders in foreign countries. In addition, the Department anticipates the needs of tourists, potential immigrants, students, and other interested people by providing the Information Officer at each post with material on all aspects of New Zealand life. In this respect the Prime Minister's Information Section, which includes the National Film Unit and the National Publicity Studios, gives valuable assistance. Films, film strips, photographs, displays, maps, posters, background articles, and pamphlets are being sent overseas in steadily increasing quantities. In addition to booklets covering a wide variety of topics, such as agriculture, social services, the Maori people, and scenic attractions, which are supplied in liberal quantities for distribution to the general public, the libraries of the overseas posts are continually furnished with the most useful of New Zealand publications for both reference and lending purposes. For the information of Parliament and the public the Department publishes regularly reports of New Zealand delegations to international conferences, treaties to which New Zealand is a party, and the text of important international documents affecting New Zealand,

4. Treaty List Shortly after the commencement of the period under review the New Zealand Treaty List was completed and published.* Appendix 1 of the present report lists the treaties and agreements which the New Zealand Government have signed or ratified during the year and should be regarded as being supplementary to the Treaty List itself. 5. External Affairs Committee The Department of External Affairs again assisted the Select Committee of the House of Representatives, appointed 7 July, 1948, to consider matters relating to external and Commonwealth affairs which might be referred to it by the House or the Government. The members of the Committee were the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, Messrs. R. M. Algie, P. G. Connolly, F. W. Doidge, J. Mathison, M. Moohan, Right Hon. W. Nash, and Mr T. C. Webb. During the previous session of Parliament the Committee had found it convenient to draw its secretariat from the Department of External Affairs, and this practice was continued in 1948. The Department provided documents bearing on current developments in the international situation during the year, and maintained the practice of selecting and distributing to the Committee a large amount of informative material of a general nature which it was thought would be of interest and assistance to members. This included current events summaries from New Zealand Missions overseas, progress reports from delegations at various international conferences, copies or summaries of selected documents received from United Nations sources, and summaries of other miscellaneous material of various origins. The Department was at the disposition of the Committee with respect to requests for information on particular questions addressed to it by individual members or by the Committee as a whole. THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH 1. General Since the end of the war there have been several important developments capable of influencing and even of transforming the traditional Commonwealth relationship. On two occasions, for instance, disputes between India and South Africa, and between India and Pakistan, have been referred outside the limits of the " family " to the United Nations. Britain's entry into close political

* External Affairs Publication No. 63.

and economic union with her neighbours in Western Europe and her participation in the European recovery programme have raised the question of the compatibility of these new associations with her Commonwealth ties and especially with a system of Imperial preference. Though the settlement with India does not belong to the period under review, the impending rejection by India of allegiance to the Crown naturally affected what had been hitherto the common basis of Commonwealth membership and the guarantee that a member would participate in and respect the intimate forms of consultation and co-operation employed within the Commonwealth. With the entry of India, Pakistan, and Ceylon the Commonwealth is now no longer predominantly white, Christian, and Western European in character, and the basis has been laid for a new partnership embracing differing races, religions, and cultures. Such developments and the need for consultation on many other post-war problems of wider international significance were among the factors leading to a meeting of the heads of Commonwealth Governments, which began in London on 11 October, 1948. As is usual with such gatherings, the activities of the conference were primarily directed not to the attainment of formal decisions, but to a free and frank exchange of views. The identity of Commonwealth opinion on certain issues was, however, made clear in the final communique issued on 21 October. All Commonwealth Governments, the communique stated, shared a common approach to the present world problems based upon their support of the principles and purposes of the United Nations and their determination to make its work more effective. All agreed that as a constructive contribution to the preservation of world peace it was necessary not only to build up their own economic strength and to take all means to deter and resist aggression, but also to encourage the attainment of a just standard of living throughout the world. All pledged themselves to consult with one another on economic problems and approved the participation of the United Kingdom in arrangements for the economic rehabilitation of Europe. A general desire was shown to maintain and extend methods of consultation between all Governments of the Commonwealth. The communique recorded the conference's support for Ceylon's application for membership of the United Nations, and concluded with a reference to the responsible part played in deliberations by the representatives of the new members of the Commonwealth—-Ceylon, Pakistan, and India. [During and after the conference,' representatives of New Zealand, Australia, and Canada (Commonwealth countries with substantial Irish populations) participated with representatives of the United Kingdom and Eire in discussions on the future relationship of Eire with the Commonwealth.]

2. Ireland (Eire) Mr Costello, Prime Minister of Eire, took advantage of a visit he made to Canada in September, 1948, to announce that, his Government intended to revoke the Executive Authority (External Relations) Act, 1936. Soon after Mr Costello's return to his country the Republic of Ireland Bill was introduced in the Dail with this object in view. The question as to Eire's future relations with the British Commonwealth of Nations immediately arose, since the External Relations Act constituted the only remaining link—and a tenuous one at that—of Eire with the Crown. Informal discussions on the implications of the new Bill were held in London at the time of the meeting of Prime Ministers in October, 1948. Irish Ministers and representatives of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand took part in these talks, which were later continued in Paris while the Third General Assembly of the United Nations was in session. All the Commonwealth Ministers concerned were ready to recognize the desire of the Irish Ministers that the Republic of Ireland should no longer be regarded as a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations, and the discussions revolved round the issues of the Republic's future relations with members of the Commonwealth. The final decisions reached became the subject of separate statements in each of the Parliaments of the members of the Commonwealth. The New Zealand position was set out by the Right Hon. the Acting Minister of External Affairs at Wellington on 27 November, 1948 During the recent meeting of Commonwealth Prime Ministers in London, opportunity was taken for preliminary discussions with Irish Ministers, at which our Prime Minister attended, to explore the consequences which would flow from the decision by the Government of Ireland to repeal the Eire Executive Authority (External Relations) Act, 1936. This measure authorized His Majesty the King to act on behalf of Ireland in certain matters within the field of external affairs as and when advised by the Irish Executive Council to do so. This Act will be repealed by a Bill which has been introduced to the Dail entitled the Republic of Ireland Bill. The position that will obtain following the enactment of the Republic of Ireland Bill was further considered at a meeting at Paris on 16 November, 1948, attended by representatives of the Government of Ireland and by the Lord Chancellor, Viscount Jowitt, and the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, Mr Philip Noel-Baker, on behalf of the Government of the United Kingdom, Mr L. Pearson, Secretary of State for External Affairs, on behalf of the Government of Canada, Dr H. V. Evatt, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of External Affairs,' on behalf of Australia, and the Prime Minister, Right Hon. P. Fraser, on behalf of New Zealand. The legal effect of the repeal Bill is clear and Ireland will, when it becomes law, cease to be a member of the Commonwealth, though New Zealand will not regard Ireland as a foreign country. It will be

a matter of the utmost satisfaction throughout the Commonwealth however, that the Government of Ireland confirms and is anxious to maintain the existence of a specially close relationship between Ireland and the Commonwealth countries. Not only are their relations based on kinship and community of interest between countries of the Commonwealth and Ireland, but a further step is to be taken by the Irish Government to amend its law relating to nationality so as to ensure, on the basis of reciprocity, that citizens of the countries of the Commonwealth will not be treated as foreigners in Ireland. Our position in New Zealand is established already. Irish citizens here will enjoy the same status as previously —a status which is defined and protected by the Nationality and Citizenship legislation passed during the current session of Parliament. It is the firm desire of the New Zealand Government that the close and friendly relations between New Zealand and Ireland, whose people have made such an outstanding contribution to the development not only of New Zealand but of other countries of the Commonwealth, should be maintained and strengthened in every possible way. From the statement made by the Governments of the United Kingdom and other parts of the Commonwealth, it will be noted that their policy is similar to our own. 3. Australian - New Zealand Relations The Australian - New Zealand Agreement of 1944 is the basis of the relationship which exists between the two countries. It was a practical measure designed to achieve practical results in cooperation, consultation, and exchange of information on matters of mutual concern to the Governments of both countries. The march of events in the last two or three years has demonstrated the necessity for and the value of the agreement. Australia and New Zealand have very many strategic, political, and economic interests in common. With the increasing growth of national sentiment among the countries of South-east Asia and the emergence of new and independent States, there rests a responsibility on New Zealand and Australia to understand their nearest neighbours and to endeavour to assist them in the rebuilding of their own countries. An attempt to assess the future problems of Australia and 'New Zealand in dealings with the South-east Asian countries is, however, beyond the scope of this report. In the field of Native administration our common interests are nearer home. Both Governments are pledged to support the activities of the South Pacific Commission and indeed have, through their initiative, made of the Commission a working reality. New Zealand, with Australia and the United Kingdom, is named as the administering authority of the trust territory of Nauru, although the actual administration has been delegated to Australia.

The industrial development of both Australia and New Zealand that has taken place as a result of the second world war has brought a realization of the need for a closer examination of the economic policies of both countries. Preliminary discussions have already been held on Ministerial and specialist levels to examine the possibility of more integrated economic programmes and a rationalization of their industrial projects to the mutual satisfaction of both countries. The current of world events, and particularly of Pacific events, clearly provides every justification for the maintenance of the closest ties between Australia and New Zealand. THE PACIFIC 1. South Pacific Commission The South Pacific Commission is a working model of co-operation between the six Powers administering Native peoples in the South Pacific area. Its aims and purposes have been outlined and the steps taken by the sponsoring Governments on its establishment have been dealt with in the last two annual reports. Two sessions of the Commission have now been held. The Commission is now established in Noumea and has already begun its work. The first session was held in Sydney in May, 1948, although two of the participating Governments, France and the Netherlands, had not then ratified the agreement establishing the South Pacific Commission. New Zealand was represented by Mr C. G. R. McKay, formerly Secretary of the Department of Island Territories, and Brigadier F. L. Hunt, formerly Quartermaster-General of the New Zealand Army. This session was concerned solely with the internal organization of the Commission. Rules of procedure were adopted; the establishment of the Secretariat and of the Research Council were decided upon; and the participating Governments were invited to submit nominations for the posts of SecretaryGeneral, Deputy Secretary-General, and Deputy Chairman of the Research Council. Further, a Working Committee was appointed to carry on the work of the Commission between sessions, one of its most important tasks being to visit Suva, Fiji, and Noumea, New Caledonia, in August and September, 1948, to report on the relative suitability of these towns as a permanent seat for the Commission. Mr R. H. Wade, Assistant Official Secretary, Office of the High Commissioner for New Zealand, Canberra, was New Zealand's representative on the Working Committee. Mr W. D. Forsyth,

an Australian, and Mr H. E. Maude, an Englishman, were selected for the appointments of Secretary-General and Deputy SecretaryGeneral respectively, and notification of their acceptance of these positions was received prior to the second session. The second session was held in Sydney in October-November, 1948, the agreement having been ratified on 29 July, 1948. The Commissioner's first decision, made on the recommendation of the Working Committee, was that Noumea should be the permanent seat of the Commission. The appointments of the Secretary-General and the Deputy Secretary-General were confirmed. Dr L. G. M. Baas-Becking (Netherlands) was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Research Council, and two of the three full-time members of the Research Council were appointed. The New Zealand nominee for the Member for Social Development, Dr J. W. Davidson, was offered the third appointment, but was unable to accept the position. Mr Maude then became Acting Member for Social Development, and in early March, 1949, one of the New Zealand Commissioners, Brigadier Hunt, was seconded to the Commission to assist the Secretary-General in administrative matters. Among the thirteen part-time members of the Research Council also appointed at this time were two New Zealanders, Sir Peter Buck, K.C.M.G., and Dr J. C. Lopdell, Chief Medical Officer, Western Samoa. The Commissioners suggested a very comprehensive work programme which they commended to the early attention of the Research Council. Preliminary arrangements were made for the first meeting of the South Pacific Conference to be held at Suva in the last week of April, 1950. This Conference will be the first occasion on which representatives of the Native peoples of the South Pacific have assembled to discuss common problems with which the Commission is concerned. Since November the full-time members of the Research Council have commenced their duties. Acting upon resolutions of the second session, they attended the Seventh Pacific Science Congress in New Zealand in order to make as many contacts as possible with scientists already working in the area. They then set out on a tour of the administrative centres of the South Pacific region in order to meet the people with whom they would have to co-operate in the future and to get an over-all picture of the area so that they would be able correctly to assess the relative urgency of the various projects suggested to them. At the beginning of March, 1949, the Secretariat officially moved into its new quarters in the Pentagon Building, Noumea. The first meeting of the Research Council will be held there in late April, and the third session of the Commission in early May. It is planned

that these two meetings will decide on the work programme for the next year and make arrangements for its execution by the Research Council. 2. Relations with South Pacific Administrations With the movement towards regional co-operation in the South Pacific that is fostered by the South Pacific Commission there is a growing awareness of the similarity of the problems which face the Administrations in the area and a willingness to pool their information so that these problems may be tackled without duplication of money and research. Air travel has reduced the great distances and is bringing the whole area into closer association. Apart from the activities of the South Pacific Commission which are dealt with in another section of this report, correspondence is frequently exchanged between the New Zealand Government and the Government of Fiji, the Western Pacific High Commission, the Kingdom of Tonga, and the British Consuls in Tahiti and New Caledonia on matters of trade and commerce, civil aviation, strategic and defence issues, immigration, health, and finance. New Zealand is a partner with the United Kingdom and the Government of Fiji in the South Pacific Health Service, which is concerned with the training of Native medical practitioners and nurses and the administration of public health in the islands. Negotiations have been proceeding for some time with the Government of French Oceania for the settlement of the advances made during the war to the French authorities in the South Pacific. The outbreak of poliomyelitis in New Zealand gave rise to the imposition of quarantine restrictions in many South Pacific islands, and the ensuing difficulties of travel to and from New Zealand and the South Pacific area have been the subject of several communications with the authorities concerned. Requests for technical advice and the secondment of trained personnel are received from British Administrations in the South Pacific and every endeavour is made to assist these Administrations. Our relations with the officials of these Administrations continue to be most cordial. The New Zealand Government is a partner with the Australian and the United Kingdom Governments in the British Phosphate Commission, which is concerned with the working and supply of phosphates from Nauru and Ocean Islands on a non-profit-making basis. The activities of the British Phosphate Commission have largely contributed to the rehabilitation of the islanders after the devastation and depopulation caused by Japanese occupation of Nauru and Ocean Islands during the recent war.

THE FAR EAST AND SOUTH-EAST ASIA 1. General In 1946 the Far Eastern work of the Department was concerned primarily with Japan. It was, however, already apparent last year that, with the post-war emergence of many Asian countries from conditions of dependence, New Zealand would be brought into contact with a growing range and variety of Far Eastern questions. This trend has continued. During the year the Indonesian, Korean, and India-Pakistan questions have been actively before the United Nations, while there has also been a steady flow of Commonwealth exchanges on the insurrection in Malaya, the civil strife in Burma, and the changes taking place in China. The Department has also been kept informed through Commonwealth channels of the more important developments in the Philippines, Siam, and French Indo-China. There have also been more direct contacts with the Far East than in preceding years and an increase in the number of conferences held in the area. Delegates who attended ECAFE conferences* in India in June, 1948, and in Siam in March, 1949, were able to furnish the Department with useful information on conditions in those countries. Departmental officers who have passed through Singapore during the course of the year have had discussions with officers of the organization of the Commissioner-General in South-east Asia. Reports were also received from the New Zealand Government Trade Representatives in Tokyo and Bombay, who attended respectively the ECAFE Study Group in Shanghai August-September, 1948, and the New Delhi Conference on Indonesia 20-23 January, 1949. These reports of New Zealand representatives have been supplemented by interviews with Far Eastern visitors to New Zealand, included among whom have been this year Dr Usman Sastroamidjoyo (Representative of the Republic of Indonesia in Australia), Sir Ramaswami Aiyer (former Premier of Travancore), Mr B. R. Devarajan (Assistant Secretary, Ceylonese* Ministry of Commerce and Trade), Major-General Mrigendra Rana (leader of the Nepalese Delegation to the ECAFE Conference at Lapstone), Mr G. P. Pillai (Indian Government Trade Commissioner for Australia and New Zealand), and Mr K. H. Rahman (Pakistan Trade Commissioner in Australia). The Department has also sought the views of informed unofficial visitors who have returned from China or Japan. Because New Zealand has a voice in the Far Eastern Commission and in the General Assembly of the United Nations, special attention has necessarily been given in the work of the Far Eastern

* The Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East is discussed more fully in the section dealing with the Economic and Social Council.

Section of the Department to the Japanese, the Korean, and the Indonesian problems. In addition, questions of international status have been raised by applications from Nepal, the Mongolian People's Republic, and the Republic of Vietnam for admission to various international agencies of which New Zealand is a member. New Zealand has actively supported the candidature of Ceylon for membership of the United Nations, and of Pakistan and Burma for membership of the Far Eastern Commission. It has also been found desirable to keep under review, particularly in view of their Commonwealth significance, the proceedings of the Security Council on the Hyderabad situation, the explosive possibilities of which were reduced when the Nizam formally withdrew his appeal to the United Nations, and on the Kashmir dispute, which showed an apparent improvement with Pakistan and Indian acceptance in principle of United Nations cease-fire and truce proposals towards the end of 1948. The Prime Ministers' Conference on the constitutional status of India within the Commonwealth, which was pending at the end of the year, was the occasion for a more general review of contemporary conditions in that country. After consultation with the Government of Burma, representatives of the United Kingdom, Australia, India, and Ceylon met in New Delhi on 28 February, 1949, for preliminary talks arising from Burmese requests for financial assistance. It was decided that the quickest way of restoring prosperity in Burma was to end the communal strife through conciliation. Although the conference was held at too short notice to permit New Zealand representation, the New Zealand Government was consulted and expressed willingness to attend further discussion if, as seemed probable, these should be necessary. The offer of conciliation has so far proved ineffective. There has been a slight increase in routine work and in official requests from Far Eastern countries for information on New Zealand. Correspondence has been maintained with the United Kingdom authorities on matters such as the protection of New Zealand citizens in China. 2. Japanese Peace Settlement In the New Zealand view a peace conference is long overdue, but no progress has so far been made in overcoming the procedural deadlock described in the annual report for 1947-48. 3. Far Eastern Commission Because of the delay in the peace settlement, the Far Eastern Commission maintains its importance for New Zealand as the international organ charged with defining Allied policy towards Japan during the interim period. New Zealand representation on FEC

has continued to be drawn from the New Zealand Embassy, Washington, wi'th some change in committee representation occasioned by the departure of Mr G. R. Powles towards the end of 1948. It is, however, necessary to record that, largely because of the general deterioration in the international situation, the Commission now yields only diminishing returns from its exhaustive and protracted discussions. The more significant developments in Japan have been sponsored by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAP) operating within the wide framework of earlier FEC policy decisions, while the United States Government has retained its' freedom to issue interim directives on matters of urgency. Although about ten policy decisions have been adopted by the Commission in the period under review, a number of these have dealt with purely technical problems, such as patent rights and access to scientific information. Of broader significance are the policy decisions on attendance at inter-governmental conferences, travel outside Japan of commercial representatives, conduct of trade with Japan, and principles for Japanese farmers' organizations. At the end of the year the most important outstanding question before the Commission (and one with security implications for New Zealand) was the problem of reparations and the level of economic life, on which a declaration of United States views was still awaited. Other questions under discussion were the review of the Japanese constitution, labour policy in Japan, the dissolution of the great industrial combines, civil aviation, and the policy to be adopted towards Japanese aquatic industries. The New Zealand delegates have, continued to concentrate particularly on the encouragement of democratic tendencies and the security aspects of current Allied policy towards Japan. 4. Allied Council for Japan The Allied Council, which it was intended should advise SCAP on implementation of policy, has virtually ceased to fulfil a useful function and, on the infrequent occasions when its meetings are other than purely formal, discussion generally consists of a series of sharp exchanges between . the United States and Soviet representatives. Mr Patrick Shaw continues to be the joint representative of the United Kingdom, Australia, India, and New Zealand. In April, 1948, and in January, 1949, respectively there were discussions on the security aspects of the maritime Safety Authorities Bill and the size of the Japanese Police Force. In August the National Public Service Law was considered. The Commonwealth member stressed the need for caution in curtailing employees' rights by long-term legislation, and the importance of drawing a clear distinction between Government servants proper and employees in Government enterprises, and of establishing an equitable arbitration system.

5. Japanese Affairs Generally (a) International Military Tribunal for the Far East The International Military Tribunal for the Far East, set up in accordance with an order issued in January, 1946, by General Mac Arthur in pursuance of authority vested in him as Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, delivered its judgment from 4—12 November, 1948. Of the twenty-eight Japanese leaders indicted, three died and one went insane during the proceedings. The twenty-four others were found guilty on various counts, and of these, seven, including Tojo Hideki, were sentenced to death. The primary significance of the trial, which was conducted in a scrupulous manner, is that it brought within the reach of law Japanese offenders who, as organizers or accomplices, were deemed to have participated in the formation and execution of a common plan and a conspiracy to secure domination of Asia and the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and were found guilty of waging a war of aggression in violation of international law, treaties, and agreements. The records of the Tribunal have been received by the Department and valuable reports have been submitted to the Minister of External Affairs by Mr Justice (now Sir Erima) Northcroft, who represented New Zealand on the Bench of eleven Judges, and by Mr R. H. Quilliam, Associate Prosecutor for New Zealand. (b) New Zealand Government Trade Representative in Japan In addition to extensive duties in trade matters, particularly those connected with the conclusion of the Sterling Area Trade Agreement with Japan on 9 November, 1948, and the subsequent working group arrangements, the New Zealand Government Trade Representative has continued to represent New Zealand on the Reparations Technical Advisory Committee established by SCAP General Headquarters. Although the major share of the work on trade, reparation, and property rights has fallen within the province of .other Departments, there has also been a steady flow of general information from Japan, and the Department has endeavoured to make some contribution to the " democratization " programme by responding with informational material, films, and records for use by SCAP and Japanese libraries. The United Kingdom and Australian Missions in Japan have furnished further political and economic intelligence on the internal situation. 6. Korea In Korea the year has brought change, but no progress towards unification of the country. In February, 1948, the United Nations Temporary Commission for Korea, established by the General

Assembly in November, 1947, but denied access to North Korea by the Soviet Union, had appealed to the United Nations Interim Committee and been advised to proceed with the programme required by the General Assembly in such parts of Korea as were accessible to it. Accordingly, on 10 May, the Temporary Commission duly observed elections in South Korea, which it reported to be a valid expression of the free will of the Southern electorate. A." National Assembly " was thus brought into being which the Interim Committee intended should be a stage in the formation of a Korean Government." On 15 August, 1948, the Government chosen by this Assembly proclaimed the Republic of Korea, claiming jurisdiction over the whole country; shortly afterwards elections in North Korea, which were held in the communist style and without international supervision, set the stage for the proclamation there of a " Korean People's Democratic Republic" claiming similar jurisdiction. The Soviet Union then announced its intention to withdraw its troops from North Korea by 1 January, 1949, leaving behind it the relatively powerful North Korean Army. When the General Assembly came to discuss the Temporary Commission's report in November, 1948, it was thus confronted with an unenviable task. One objective of its 1947 resolution had been that representatives of the whole Korean people, elected under United Nations supervision, should participate in further consideration of the Korean question. There was a clear case for hearing the South Korean delegate, and only a small minority dissented. However, in response to the proposal now made by the East European countries that a delegation from the " Korean People's Democratic Republic " should be allowed to join in the discussions, it was pointed out by the New Zealand representative (Mr Fraser) that the Northern Government was disqualified so long as it flouted United Nations decisions and no satisfactory evidence could be produced that it was truly representative. The Political Committee shared this view and rejected the proposal by a large majority, while, by an even larger majority it rejected a Soviet resolution which condemned the southern regime and demanded the abolition of the United Nations Temporary Commission. The resolution on Korea finally adopted by the General Assembly and carried by 48 votes to 6 declares that there has been established a lawful Government (the Government of the Republic of Korea) having effective control and jurisdiction over that part of Korea where the Temporary Commission was able to observe and consult, and calls upon member States to take this fact into consideration in establishing their relations with this Government. Occupying Powers are recommended to withdraw their troops as soon as it is

practicable, and a Commission on Korea (rather smaller than the Temporary Commission) is charged with continuing good offices to bring about unification of the country. Discussions have now begun on withdrawal of United States troops from Korea. The major non-communist countries have now recognized the southern Government, but its application for United Nations membership has so far been unsuccessful. East European countries have recognized the northern regime, which has so far made no response to repeated overtures from the Commission. 7. Indonesia Owing to the rapid deterioration in the Indonesian situation in December, 1948, the Department has become increasingly concerned with this problem, which has been before the Security Council since 31 July, 1947. In the earlier part of the year negotiations were carried on between the Netherlands and the Republican Governments under the auspices of the United Nations Committee of Good Offices, as provided for in the " Renville" Agreement of 17 January, 1948. Gradually these talks came to a standstill, largely because of fundamental disagreement over the control of armed forces, until on 19 December the Netherlands commenced military operations against the Republic, rapidly overran the main towns, and arrested its leaders. The Good Offices Committee reported violation of the Truce Agreement, and the Security Council called for the immediate cessation of hostilities and the release of political prisoners. The Acting Prime Minister expressed the regret felt in New Zealand over these developments, stressed the importance of compliance with United Nations authority, and issued a reminder that the dispute affected all members of the United Nations and particularly member States in the Pacific. The situation caused particular concern in Asia, and, expressing his desire to strengthen the hand of the Security Council, Pandit Nehru called a conference in New Delhi of Far and Middle East countries, to which Australia and New Zealand were also invited. To this conference, held between 20 and 23 January, 1949, New Zealand sent as observer Mr R. J. Inglis, New Zealand Trade Representative in Bombay. The conference passed three resolutions, of which the first recommended to the Security Council the immediate return of the Republican capital to the Republic, the progressive withdrawal of Netherlands troops from Republican territory, and a United Nations procedure for transference of power to the proposed United States of Indonesia. The second resolution called for continued consultation on Indonesia among the countries represented, and the third (considered more fully in the following section) raised the possibility of co-operation on a wider range of subjects.

On 29 January the Security Council adopted an important resolution somewhat similar to the New Delhi recommendations, but more favourable to the Netherlands point of view. The Netherlands then proposed a round-table conference at the Hague to accelerate the transfer of sovereignty, to which Indonesian Republican and Federalist leaders were invited. As the Republican Government had still not been reinstated; the Security Council thereupon instructed its Commission on Indonesia (formerly the Committee of Good Offices) to call a preliminary conference at Batavia to work out the time and conditions for holding the Hague Conference. At the end of the period under review Australia and India had both requested that the Indonesian question should be placed on the agenda of the second part .of the Third General Assembly (and this was subsequently done), but there were hopes that the situation would improve as a result of the Batavia conference. 8. Regional Co-operation in Asia Asian regionalism, which found unofficial expression during March-April, 1947, in the First Asian Relations Conference held at New. Delhi, and which has since manifested itself in the formation of an Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East, has progressed a little further as a result of the New Delhi Conference on Indonesia. At that conference some delegates expressed the view that there would be value in discussion on a regional basis not only of the Indonesian problem, but also of all matters of common concern. This feeling resulted in the adoption of a third resolution " that participating Governments should consult among themselves in order to explore ways and means of establishing suitable machinery, having regard to the areas concerned, for promoting consultation and co-operation within the framework of the United Nations." As an observer at the New Delhi conference, New Zealand has since been kept informed of the preliminary suggestions which have been made as to the implementation of this resolution. While little progress has apparently so far been made, the movement is both interesting in itself and of potential significance in New Zealand's relations with the Far East. EUROPE 1. General During the past year two significant and momentous developments have taken place in the political life of Europe—the deepening of the cleavage between the States of Eastern and Western Europe, and the establishment of arrangements designed to organize the political, military, and economic strength of Western Europe against

possible future aggression. Since both these developments have direct, and possibly serious, implications for New Zealand, they have been followed with the closest interest, and the position of the New Zealand Government in relation to them has, on several occasions, been expressed by the Prime Minister. 2. Germany and Austria The most spectacular and potentially dangerous manifestation of the rift between European countries within the period under review was the Berlin crisis, which, after passing through the successive stages of discussion by the Allied Military Governors in Berlin, discussion on the diplomatic level in Moscow, reference to the Security Council, and examination by a Committee of Financial Experts of the United Nations, appeared to be no nearer solution than when it first began following the introduction by the Western occupying Powers of a new currency into the Western • Zones of Germany. The positions adopted by the Powers concerned were clear cut and, apparently, irreconcilable. The Soviet Government contended that the restrictions which they had placed on movement by the Western Allies to and from Berlin -should be lifted only after new currency arrangements for the city had been agreed and an undertaking had been given by the Western Powers to discuss the problem of Germany. The Western Powers, although expressing their willingness to discuss the German problem in all its aspects, demanded that the prelude to a conference for this purpose must be the lifting of the restrictions imposed by the Soviet Government. As the result of this fundamental difference between the Great Powers it was necessary to administer Berlin as two virtually x separate entities, the western sectors of the city being maintained only with great difficulty and at great expense by means of an air lift sustained for the most part by the Air Forces of the United States and the United Kingdom. In the first days of-the crisis the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) made it clear that the New Zealand Government supported the stand of the three Western Powers and, as a tangible demonstration of New Zealand's attitude, air crews sent for the purpose from New Zealand have participated in the air lift from its earliest stages. The situation in Berlin presents, in its most concentrated form, the basic conflict of ideas held by the four Great Powers concerning the future of Germany. The crisis might indeed at any time have been resolved at once if the Western Powers had been prepared to agree to four-Power control of the Ruhr and to accept the Soviet conception of a highly centralized German Government which would be bound to pay heavy reparations to the Soviet Union.

The three Western Powers have, however, in the past year continued to apply to the zones of Western Germany plans which they hoped would ultimately extend to the whole country. In recent months most of the arrangements which will govern the future life of Western Germany have been brought near to completion. It has been agreed that, until the German people themselves have decided whether the final form of ownership should be public or private, custody of the assets of the Ruhr coal and steel industries should be transferred to German trustees. Agreement has been reached upon a statute outlining the authority and responsibilities of the international Board which is ultimately to control the Ruhr in the interests of the Allies. It has been agreed also that a Military Security Board will be formed to prevent the revival of Germany's military strength. Moreover, representatives of the eleven States of Western Germany have been engaged for several months in drafting a basic law (or constitution) which will provide the legal framework' for a Federal Western German State. (Since the termination of the period under review the constitution has been approved by the three Western Military Commanders, who have also agreed upon an Occupation Statute delimiting the powers they will retain in the future.) In the present state of tension in Germany it appears rather unlikely that, in the near future, countries other than the Great Powers will have the opportunity of participating directly in an examination of the German problem. The possibilities cannot be dismissed, however, either that, following the successful establishment of a Western German State, an attempt may be made to conclude a settlement with that Government, or that the Soviet Government may be induced to seek a Big Four settlement applicable to the whole of Germany which would ultimately be submitted for consideration at a full-scale Peace Conference. The Department has therefore continued to give special attention to the conditions which, it is in the interests of the New Zealand Government to ensure, should be incorporated in a final treaty with Germany. Interest has also been maintained in the renewed, and as yet unsuccessful, efforts of the Deputies of the Council of Foreign Ministers to reach agreement on the clauses of the treaty with Austria relating to Yugoslavia's territorial claims against Carinthia, and the Soviet demands for German assets in Austria. 3. Western Union and the Atlantic Pact Partly as an outcome of the failure of the Big Four to find a common basis for agreement on Germany and of the ensuing deterioration in relations among them, the Western Powers have recognized, with particular urgency, their need to organize effectively

against possible aggression. From the starting-point provided by the Brussels Treaty, consolidation of the power of Western Europe has in the past year been advanced by the negotiations for a Council of Europe and by the conclusion of the Atlantic Pact. The Western Union Powers announced on 17 April, 1948, arrangements for the formation of a Consultative Council according to the provisions of the Brussels Treaty. The Consultative Council proper consists of the Foreign Ministers of the five participating countries ; subsidiary bodies are a Permanent Commission (composed of the diplomatic representatives in London of France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, and a representative of the United Kingdom) and a Permanent Military Committee. By the end of March, 1949, a conference among representatives of the United Kingdom, France, the Benelux countries, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Italy, and Eire had reached general agreement with a draft constitution drawn up by the Brussels Treaty Permanent Commission for a proposed Council of Europe. It was anticipated that the submissions of the conference would be approved by the Foreign Ministers of the Powers concerned shortly after Easter. The Council was to consist of a Committee of Ministers and a Consultative Assembly meeting at Strasbourg, both organs to have wide powers* of discussion and recommendation, except on matters relating to national defence.* Out of Western Union and the encouragement given to the Brussels Treaty negotiations by the United States and Canada grew the North Atlantic Pact. Its terms, published on 18 March, 1949, and proposed for signature on 4 April, provide that the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland will co-operate in meeting their common economic and security problems. The New Zealand Government has been fully in touch with the progress of negotiations through the agency of the United Kingdom Government and the office of the New Zealand High Commissioner in London. The New Zealand Minister of External Affairs, in welcoming the terms of the treaty, said on 19 March This treaty, which not only binds its signatories to common action against aggression, but will give them the means of making this action effective, signifies at last that the strength of Western Europe and of the two great democracies of North America has been effectively organized for peace. The New Zealand Government warmly welcome the conclusion of the Atlantic Pact and fully support the purposes it is destined to serve.

* The Foreign Ministers of the Powers concerned signed on 5 May the Statute of the Council of Europe and an agreement concerning the establishment of a Preparatory Commission. It was proposed that Greece and Turkey and possibly other European countries be invited to accede.

4. Peace Settlements with Italy, Roumania, Bulgaria, and Hungary (a) Trieste The Soviet Government maintained their refusal to co-operate in the drafting of a protocol to the Italian Peace Treaty to provide for the return of Trieste to Italy, and further notes on this question, which were transmitted by the United Kingdom, United States, and French Governments to the Soviet Government in April and June, 1948, were not answered by -the latter. In August there was a lengthy debate in the Security Council on the Trieste question, and the Council once more failed to agree on the choice of a Governor for the Free Territory. In February, 1949, this question was again raised by the Soviet representative on the Council, who proposed the appointment of Colonel Flueckiger, former Swiss Minister to Moscow, to the post of Governor. It was pointed out by the United Kingdom representative, who was supported by his United States and French colleagues, that the joint Western proposal for the return of the Free Territory to Italy, which "Would make the appointment unnecessary, had still received no definite answer from the Soviet Government. The United Kingdom representative recalled that the unsatisfactory conditions in the Yugoslav Zone of the Free Territory, and the virtual incorporation of that zone into Yugoslavia, had forced the Governments of France, the United Kingdom, and the United States to the conclusion that the Trieste settlement envisaged by the peace treaty had become unworkable. In the result the Soviet proposal lapsed without vote. Reintroduced on 28 March by the representative of the U.S.S.R., the proposal again lapsed, the Soviet representative reserving the right to reintroduce the item at a later meeting. (b) Human Rights Clauses of the Treaties On 27 December, 1948, the Government of Hungary announced the arrest of the Hungarian Primate, Cardinal Mindszenty, and other religious personalities on charges of treason, espionage, and illegal currency transactions. In the light of all available information, it appeared that the arrest of the Cardinal was a political act motivated by his opposition to the domestic policy of the Hungarian Government, rather than a result of the alleged, offences with which he was charged. It was also apparent that the arrest might have as its object an attack on religious freedom in Hungary. In all the circumtances the New Zealand Government were unable to avoid the conclusion that the case constituted a prima facie violation of the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and of the Treaty of Peace with Hungary, to which the New Zealand Government is a

party. (Article 2 of the treaty binds the Hungarian Government to secure to all persons under its jurisdiction, without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion, the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of religious worship and of political opinion.) On 11 February, 1949, the Bulgarian press published details of the arrest and indictment of fifteen Protestant pastors, all members of the Supreme Council of the United Evangelical' Churches of Bulgaria, on charges of espionage, black-market operations, and " other anti-State activities." In the same way, and for similar reasons as in the Mindszenty case, the New Zealand Government came to the conclusion that the arrest of the pastors appeared to constitute a violation of human rights and, therefore, of the relevant articles in the Bulgarian Peace Treaty, to which the New Zealand Government is a party. The Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, made a statement dealing with the Hungarian case on 8 February, 1949, and a further statement on the Bulgarian case on 4 March, 1949. In both these statements Mr Fraser referred to violations of human rights and of the relevant articles of the peace treaties, and announced that the New Zealand Government had arranged for the delivery of notes of protest to the Governments concerned. These were delivered, to the Hungarian Government on 10 February, 1949, and to the Bulgarian Government on 28 February, 1949. The New Zealand delegation to the second part of the third regular session of the United Nations General Assembly was instructed to support the inclusion in the Assembly's agenda of the question of human rights in Hungary and Bulgaria, and to support measures which might be taken by the Assembly both to ascertain the facts concerning repressive action against religious freedom in these States and to remedy the situation.* (c) The Ex-Italian Colonies Developments in this subject are dealt with in the section of this report entitled " The Middle East" (page 33). 5. Greece The United Nations Special Committee on the Balkans (UNSCOB), set up by a resolution of the General Assembly on 21 October, 1947, has continued to observe the progress of the civil war between the

* When the second part of the third regular session commenced on 5 April, 1949, this question was included in the agenda on the proposal of the Australian delegation.

guerrilla forces of the " Provisional Democratic Greek Government " in the north and the established Government at Athens. UNSCOB reported its findings to the General Assembly in October, 1948. The Governments of Albania, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia had refused to co-operate with the Special Committee, or even to recognize it as a duly constituted United Nations body. The Committee had therefore been unable to assist in achieving good neighbourly relations between those States and Greece. UNSCOB had, however, carried out its functions of observation as far as it had been permitted, and had concluded that the Greek guerrillas were receiving direct assistance from Albania, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia in the form of supplies, medical attention, and permission to use the territories of the three northern States for tactical purposes. The Committee was convinced that this state of affairs constituted a threat not only to the political independence and territorial integrity of Greece, but also to international peace and security in the Balkans. During discussion of this report in the First Committee of the General Assembly, the New Zealand delegate, Mr James Thorn, stressed the importance of the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of Greece or of any other State. He stated the belief of his delegation that the activity of Special Committee observers on the Greek frontier had limited the extent of acts of interference, and that therefore it was the duty of the Assembly to maintain the apparatus of observation in being. China, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States proposed a joint resolution, whose main purpose was to continue UNSCOB in being, and which called upon the Governments of Albania Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia to cease forthwith from rendering any assistance to the guerrillas, to co-operate with Greece in the peaceful settlement of their disputes, and to co-operate with the Special Committee in enabling it to carry out its functions. The resolution was carried by a large majority both in the First Committee and in the Plenary Assembly. The First Committee, by a resolution of 11 November, 1948, set up a conciliatory body, consisting of the President of the Assembly, the Secretary-General, and the Chairman and the Rapporteur of the First Committee. This body convened a meeting of representatives of the Governments of Albania, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia, and of Greece, in an attempt to resolve the difficulties between them. Dr Evatt stated on 13 December, 1948, that, though substantial agreement had been reached, the talks had broken down on the question of the Greco-Albanian boundary. The work of the Committee of Conciliation would, however, be resumed at the next meeting of the General Assembly.

6. Spain The Spanish question came before the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1948 on the motion of the representative of Poland, who proposed that the Assembly should consider at its third regular session the implementation of the resolutions on Franco Spain which it had adopted in 1946 and 1947.* This item was included in the Assembly's agenda and allotted to the First Committee (Political and Security), but it was deferred to the second part of the session, which was to open in New York on 1 April, 1949. In coming to a decision as to the policy to be adopted on this item by their "delegation to the Assembly, the New Zealand Government had regard to the action which was taken by the Security Council in June, 1948, when it considered the resolution adopted by the Assembly in 1947. (In this resolution the Assembly expressed its confidence that the Security Council would exercise its responsibilities under the Charter as soon as it considered that the situation in Spain required it to do so.) In the discussion which ensued in the Security Council the majority of members expressed the opinion that the present situation in Spain did not constitute a threat to international peace and security, and that therefore no action by the Council was required at the present time. Following this discussion, the Council decided not to include the question of Franco Spain in its agenda. In the light of this decision, the Government concluded that consideration by the Assembly of further action in the Spanish case was not required, and that the resolutions of 1946 and 1947 represented the maximum practical action which could be taken by the Assembly in present circumstances. At the same time, the Government did not desire in any way to undermine the " moral embargo " against the Franco regime which had been imposed by the resolution of 1946. The New Zealand delegation to the third regular session of the Assembly was therefore instructed to oppose equally any proposal which recommended further United Nations action on the question, or which would revoke the clauses of the 1946 resolution relating to the recall of Ambassadors and the exclusion of Spain from the specialized agencies of the United Nations. THE MIDDLE EAST 1. Palestine In Palestine there were many important developments during the twelve months under survey. Within this period the United Kingdom Government relinquished the mandate which it had held since

* See annual report of Department of External Affairs for 1947-48 at page 35.

1922; an independent Jewish State was thereupon proclaimed, and received immediate recognition from two of the great Powers ; the open warfare which broke out between Jewish and Arab Forces was slowed down, and finally halted by a chain of actions in which the United Nations played the major role; at the end of the period the State of Israel had emerged as a new political entity in the Middle East, and had been accorded recognition by forty-six States, including the five permanent members of the Security • Council (the United Kingdom, the United States, France, China, and the U.S.S.R.). At the special session* of the General Assembly held at New York from 16 April to 14 May, 1948, to consider the question of Palestine, proposals for a temporary United Nations trusteeship for the area (which had been put forward on 19 March by the United States representative in the Security Council) failed to receive support. In the result, the Assembly adopted a resolution authorizing the appointment of a United Nations Mediator, whose principal task was to be "to use his good offices ... to promote a peaceful adjustment of the future situation in Palestine." The resolution did not refer to the Assembly's previous resolution of November, 1947, which recommended the partition of Palestine into Arab and Jewish States, with specified territorial limits, and its effect was therefore to give the newly appointed Mediator (Count Folke Bernadotte of Sweden) a fairly free hand in his efforts to promote an adjustment of the situation. The United Kingdom mandate terminated on the night of 14—15 May, and the Jewish National Council in Tel Aviv proclaimed the establishment of a Jewish State in Palestine, to be called the State of Israel. The new State was immediately recognized by the Government of the United States, and shortly afterwards by the U.S.S.R. and a number of other Governments. At the same time, on the termination of the mandate, Arab Forces entered Palestine territory from Egypt, Transjordan, Syria, and Iraq, and the Egyptian Air Force attacked Tel Aviv. With great courage and tenacity, Count Bernadotte immediately bent his efforts towards securing a cessation of hostilities, and his mediation, combined with increasingly firm and determined action on the part of the Security Council, succeeded in effecting firstly a short truce of some four weeks' duration, and subsequently a more general truce which commenced on 18 July. On 17 September the Mediator was assassinated in Jerusalem. On the previous day he had transmitted a progress report to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, with the request that the

* See report of New Zealand delegation to the second special session of the General Assembly, External Affairs Publication No. 61 (A—2a, 1948).

Palestine question should be placed on the agenda of the third regular session of the General Assembly, which was to commence in Paris on 21 September. In his report the Mediator arrived at certain conclusions involving considerable revisions in the disposition of territory which had been recommended in the Assembly's partition resolution of November, 1947, one of the most significant being the suggestion that the Negev area should be included in Arab territory. When discussion commenced ,on the question at the third regular session of the General Assembly,* it became apparent that the conclusions which the Mediator had arrived at were opposed by both Arabs and Jews, and that they were not acceptable in all their particulars to a number of other delegations. Thus, while the United Kingdom delegation fully endorsed the Mediator's proposals, the United. States representative expressed only general agreement with them, and they were strongly opposed by the representative of the Soviet Union and. other Eastern European States. A draft resolution incorporating the proposals was placed before the First Committee, but it was subjected to heavy amendment, and even so it seemed unlikely to receive the necessary two-thirds majority in plenary session. In these circumstances, the New Zealand, Australian, and Canadian delegations joined with those of certain other States, including France, in proposing amendments which would overcome the objection of those delegations who had opposed the amended United Kingdom proposal in Committee I, and the resolution as thus amended was finally adopted by the Assembly on 11 December by 35 votes (including New Zealand) in favour, with 15 against and 8 abstentions. The resolution established a Conciliation Commission to carry on the work of mediation in Palestine, and called upon the parties to the dispute to seek agreement by negotiation with a view to reaching a final settlement of all outstanding questions. It did not specifically refer to the partition resolution of November, 1947, or to the conclusions of the Mediator's report, but it provided for a permanent international regime for the Jerusalem area and for the repatriation of refugees. In speaking to the resolution in the Assembly, the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, described the task of the Conciliation Commission as being to endeavour to reach a settlement between the parties, and to achieve peace in Palestine. He appealed to Arabs and Jews to accept the existing situation, and to negotiate in an impartial spirit uninfluenced by past animosities, the alternative to which, he said, could lead only to the destruction of both peoples. Mr Fraser asked

* See report of New Zealand delegation to the first part of the third regular session of the General Assembly, External Affairs Publication No. 75.

all members of the United Nations to do their utmost to assist the re-establishment of the Arab refugees who had been displaced by the fighting in Palestine, and urged that everything possible be done through the appropriate United Nations agencies to assist the economic development of the Middle East, which, when fully developed, would be capable of supporting a greater population. Meanwhile, during the Assembly's session, the Security Council was occupied with the question of further .hostilities which had broken out in the Negev on 12 October, in violation of the existing truce. This situation was brought under control later in the month, and on 16 November the Council adopted a resolution requiring the establishment of an armistice in all sectors of Palestine, which was accepted in principle by the parties to the dispute. Following this action by the Security Council, negotiations were conducted between the parties on the Island of Rhodes by Dr Bunche of the United Nations Secretariat, who had assumed the task of ActingMediator after the death of Count Bernadotte, and as a result a general armistice agreement between Egypt and Israel was signed on 24 February, 1949. By the end of March, further agreements had been entered into with the Hashemite Jordan Kingdom (Transjordan) and with the Lebanon, and negotiations between Israeli and Syrian representatives appeared to be approaching a successful conclusion. In the report which he had transmitted to the United Nations on the day before his death Count Bernadotte had referred to the new Jewish State as a living and solidly entrenched reality which was exercising all the attributes of full sovereignty, and in accord with this fact an increasing number of States extended diplomatic recognition to Israel during the final quarter of 1948 and the early months of 1949. This step was taken by the Australian Government on 28 January, 1949, and by the Governments of the United Kingdom and New Zealand on 29 January. The New Zealand Government stated that they had decided to accord de facto recognition to the Government of Israel, and recorded that it was their understanding that the settlement of boundaries and other outstanding questions would be effected in accordance with the General Assembly's resolution of 11 December, 1948. In announcing the decision to accord recognition, Mr Fraser recalled that, in addition to the settlement of boundaries, the questions outstanding included such important matters as the establishment of an international regime for the Jerusalem area, the protection of the Holy Places, and the resettlement of refugees, and he expressed the hope that an early and final settlement of these questions would be achieved. Mr Fraser said that the grant of

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recognition by the New Zealand Government was a logical development of New Zealand's support for the General Assembly's resolution of November, 1947, recommending the establishment of a Jewish State in Palestine, and he referred to the which had been submitted by Israel for admission to the United Nations, which he felt would be favourably received both by the Security Council and the General Assembly.* In concluding his statement, Mr Fraser expressed his confidence that the Government and people of Israel would make a special contribution not only to the development of the Middle East, but also in the broader field of international relations. belief for Vales tine Refugees In November, 1948, the General Assembly authorized the appointment of a Director of United Nations Relief for Palestine Refugees to organize aid for those people, numbering about 800,000, who had been displaced by the fighting in Palestine. Other international organizations were asked to assist, and supplies and services were made available by the International Refugee Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Health Organization, and the International Children's Emergency Fund. Contributions were also requested from member Governments, and, recognizing the urgency of the problem, the New Zealand Government has shipped goods to the value of £37,238 to be distributed to those affected. 2. The Ex-Italian Colonies In last year's report dissatisfaction was expressed with the procedure agreed upon by the Deputies of the Council of Foreign Ministers whereby interested Governments were likely to be called upon to express their views on disposal of the colonies without having had the opportunity to examine the reports compiled by the Four-Power Commission of Investigation. This Commission had been despatched to examine conditions in the areas concerned, in accordance with the terms of the peace treaty with Italy. Two statements were finally submitted to the Deputies on behalf of the New Zealand Government. The first, delivered on 14 June, before the Four-Power Conference reports had been received, emphasized that the opinions .expressed, since they were based on inadequate evidence, were necessarily preliminary and tentative. The New Zealand Government's interest in the Italian colonial question, it was explained, stemmed not only from the fact that

* Following approval of the application by the Security Council on 4 March, Israel was admitted to the United Nations by the General Assembly on 11 May, 1949.

New Zealand Forces had made a material contribution to the liberation of certain of the territories, but also from their concern that the disposition of the territories should contribute to the stability, peace, and progress of the Mediterranean and North African areas. Concern on this score, the New Zealand Government considered, would be resolved if the future of the colonies was determined in such a way as to ensure respect for the opinions of the local inhabitants and close and objective examination of their best interests. The New Zealand Government felt also that it was incumbent on the treaty Powers to give recognition to the wartime pledge of the United Kingdom Government that the Senussi of Cyrenaica should not again be subjected to Italian rule and to ensure that in the choice of trustees for the territories attention is paid not only to the present statements of intention of the Powers upon whom trusteeships might be conferred, but also to their past records of colonial settlement and treatment of peoples of different race and culture. The New Zealand Government further stated that, on the evidence available to them, it appeared that the local population of Libya would be opposed to the restoration of Italian rule. They considered, accordingly, that the desire of the Libyan people for self-government could best be satisfied and the progress already made towards that goal could best be completed if the United Kingdom Government were invited to assume trusteeship over the territory. For Eritrea and Somaliland, the New Zealand Government recommended that the Deputies should examine carefully the suitability of a system of international trusteeship with the United Nations itself as the administering authority, and should make known the results of their study. In their second statement, submitted on 7 August after examination of the relevant reports, the New Zealand Government expressed the opinion that no significant proportion of the local population of Libya desired Italian trusteeship and that such a regime would be so widely opposed that the internal stability essential to the country's recovery and advancement would be disturbed. They therefore reaffirmed their former opinion that the United Kingdom should be invited to assume trusteeship over all Libya for the purpose of guiding its people to self-government. The New Zealand Government pointed out that they had received no reply to their request for information concerning studies made by the Deputies on the implications of international trusteeship. They had perceived, moreover, that no attempt had been made by the Four-Power Commission to explain the concept to the populations of the colonies and to obtain their reactions to it. In order to afford the Deputies and the Foreign Ministers an adequate opportunity of examining the suitability of the system for the government of the

territories concerned, the New Zealand Government therefore specifically recommended that Eritrea and Italian Somaliland be placed under the trusteeship of the United Nations Organization. Despite their examination of the opinions of interested Governments, and despite the advantage of the up-to-date information provided in the Investigation Commission's reports, no agreement on disposal of the colonies could be reached either by the Deputies or by fhe four Foreign Ministers themselves in their final meeting on the problem held at Paris in September, 1948". Accordingly, in conformity with the terms of the peace treaty with Italy, the problem was referred for decision to the General Assembly of the United Nations. No discussion was possible at the first part of the third regular session of the General-Assembly held at Paris, and the question was to be examined at the second part of the same session, to be held in New York in April of this year. THE UNITED NATIONS 1. General During the period reviewed in this report, New Zealand continued to participate as fully in the work of the United Nations as was compatible with its geographical isolation and the limited staff resources of the Government Departments concerned. The difficulty of representation was aggravated by an increase in the number and length of United Nations meetings. For instance, the length of Assembly sessions, measured in days, increased by 20 per cent, over the previous twelve months ; the corresponding figure for the Economic and Social Council was likewise 20 per cent., and for the Trusteeship Council 43 per cent. There was an even greater increase in the number of meetings held during sessions (44 per cent, in the case of the Assembly). The establishment of the Interim Committee, which met between Assembly sessions, and the holding of meetings away from headquarters (in particular the seventh session of the Economic and Social Council in Geneva and the first part of the third regular session of the Assembly in Paris) imposed an added strain upon the resources of the Department and its overseas posts. Some increase in the number and length of meetings was to be expected as the organization entered into the full performance of its functions. The disproportionate length of meetings, such as the third session of the Assembly, was, however, largely caused by the tactics of the Eastern European delegations, which manoeuvred tirelessly to prevent proposals with which they disagreed from being brought to a decisive vote. New Zealand delegations, while upholding the principle of full and free discussion which is the mainspring of democratic procedure, have consistently endeavoured to

expedite the business of United Nations organs, in the belief that unnecessary procrastination must inevitably bring discredit upon the organization. A comprehensive account of the activities of the United Nations during the year is not possible within the compass of this report. It is proposed instead to give, first, a key to the organization of the United Nations, followed by a summary, under broad subject divisions, of the main questions of which it has been seized .during the year and of New Zealand policy towards' each. 2. Organization (a) General Assembly * The General Assembly, on which all members of the United Nations are represented, may consider and make recommendations on any matter not for the time being under the consideration of the Security Council. It meets regularly once a year, and in special session when required. In addition to a General (Steering) Committee, the Assembly has six main Committees of the whole which meet during sessions. They are— Committee 1 (Political and Security). Committee 2 (Economic and Financial). Committee 3 (Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural). Committee 4 (Trusteeship and Non-self-governing Territories). Committee 5 (Administrative and Budgetary). Committee 6 (Legal). During the third session the work of the First Committee was shared with an ad hoc Political Committee. The following subsidiary bodies met between sessions : Advisor) 7 Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (permanent). Committee on Contributions (permanent). Interim Committee* (established on a yearly basis). Special Committee on Non-self-governing Territories* (established on a yearly basis). At its third session the Assembly elected for the first time the fifteen members of an International Law Commission, who will serve a three-year term. The following ad hoc subsidiary organs were re-established for a year : Special Committee on the Balkans. Commission for Korea (previously Temporary Commission for Korea).

* New Zealand a member.

The existence of the Palestine Commission, established by the Assembly in November, 1947, was terminated in June, 1948, following the appointment of a Mediator. The Conciliation Commission for Palestine was established in December 1948. (b) Security Council The Security Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and is in continuous session. It has five permanent members—China, France, Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and United States —the remaining. six members being elected for two-year terms. At its third session the Assembly elected Cuba, Norway, and Egypt to replace Colombia, Belgium, and Syria from the beginning of 1949. Argentina, Canada, and Ukraine will retire at the end of 1949. The Council has two standing Committees of the whole, one on rules of procedure and the other on the admission of new members. The Military Staff Committee consists of the Chiefs of Staff (or their representatives) of the permanent members. The Atomic Energy Commission was established by the General Assembly, but reports to and is directed by the Council. Its membership is the same as that of the Council, except that Canada is a permanent member. The Commission for Conventional Armaments is a subsidiary organ of the Council with the same membership. The following ad hoc subsidiary organs of the Council functioned during the period reviewed : Committee of Good Offices (Indonesia). Commission of Mediation (India-Pakistan Dispute). Truce Commission (Palestine). (c) Economic and Social Council * Under the direction of the Assembly, the Economic and Social Council has the responsibility for implementing the Charter provisions relating to economic and social progress, cultural and educational co-operation, and human rights. The eighteen members of the Council are elected for three-year terms. Byelorussia, Lebanon, New Zealand, Turkey, United States, and Venezuela are due to retire at the end of 1949; Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Poland, Soviet Union, and United Kingdom at the end of 1950. At the third session of the Assembly, Chile, China, France, and Peru were re-elected for a further term (ending 31 December, 1951), and Belgium and India were elected in place of Canada and the Netherlands. The Council normally meets twice a year, and may hold special sessions.

* New Zealand a member.

The Council has the following functional Commissions : Economic and Employment Commission (with Sub-commissions on Employment and Economic Stability, and on Economic Development). Transport and Communications Commission. Statistical Commission (Sub-commission on Statistical Sampling). Population Commission. Commission on Human Rights (Sub-commissions on Freedom of Information and the Press, and on Prevention of Discrimination- and Protection of Minorities). Commission on the Status of Women. Social Commission.* Fiscal Commission.* Commission on Narcotic Drugs. There are three Regional Economic Commissions : Economic Commission for Europe. Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East.* Economic Commission for Latin America. Other subsidiary bodies are— Permanent Central Opium Board. Narcotic Drugs Supervisory Body. International Children's Emergency Fund.* Much of the work for which the Council has broad responsibility under the Charter is performed on the technical level by organically separate bodies, known as specialized agencies. The co-ordination of such work is a function of the Council. The specialized agencies are— Universal Postal Union.* International Labour Organization.* International Telecommunications Union.* Food and Agriculture Organization.* International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. International Monetary Fund. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. * International Civil Aviation Organization.* World Health Organization.* International Refugee Organization.* An International Trade Organization, a World Meteorological Organization, and an International Maritime Consultative Organization are in process of formation.

* New Zealand a member.

(d) Trusteeship Council* The Trusteeship Council, which is responsible to the General Assembly for the supervision of the trusteeship system, consists of those member States which administer trust territories, together with an equal number of non-administering members. The latter category includes those permanent members of the Security Council not included in the former category, the remainder being elected for three-year terms. At present the administering members are Australia, Belgium, France, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and United States. The non-administering members are China and Soviet Union (permanent), Iraq and Mexico (retiring at end of 1949), Costa Rica and Philippines (retiring at end of 1950). The Council normally meets twice a year and may hold special sessions. (<?) International Court of Justice The Court is the principal legal organ of the United Nations. Its 15 Judges serve for nine-year terms and may be re-elected. Five Judges were so re-elected by the Security Council and the General Assembly in 1948. {/) Secretariat The Secretariat (which ranks as a principal organ of the organization) is headed by a Secretary-General appointed for a five-year term by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council. The total number of staff on 28 February, 1949, was 3,858, of whom 13 were New Zealanders. 3. Maintenance of Peace and Security While a number of important problems came before the Security Council during the year, it became increasingly clear that the frequent use of the veto by the Soviet Union in that body was reducing its usefulness to a point where other means of securing international peace must be sought. As a result a number of questions which might have been considered to be within the province of the Council were brought instead before the General Assembly. Another consequence of the comparative ineffectiveness of the Council was the conclusion of a regional defence agreement by five Western European States, and negotiations for a wider agreement which would also include the United States and Canada. Regional arrangements have their place in the security system established by

* New Zealand a member.

the Charter, and it is clear that the parties to these agreements do not intend to abandon that system; equally clearly, however, these agreements indicate that the United Nations cannot, in present, circumstances, be regarded as fully effective in the field of international peace and security. Most of the major questions dealt with by the Security Council, and a number of those dealt with by the Assembly pertain to particular areas, and are considered in so far as they affect New Zealand in the wider context of the geographical sections of this report. The following subjects fall into this category : Appointment of a Governor of the Free Territory of Trieste (Security Council). Indonesia (Security Council). Palestine (Security Council and General Assembly). India-Pakistan Dispute (Security Council). Czechoslovakia (Security Council). Hyderabad (Security Council). Berlin (Security Council). Greece (General Assembly). Korea (General Assembly). There remain the more general political questions considered by the Security Council and the Assembly. A full report of the Assembly discussions on these matters will be found in the report of the New Zealand delegation to the first part of the third regular session.* In the summary account which follows, the progress of each question is traced through the various organs which have been seized of it during the year. (a) A.tomic Energy In June, 1948, the Security Council resolved to refer to the General Assembly three reports of the Atomic Energy Commission, giving details of a plan for the international control of atomic energy. This plan, which was based on proposals submitted by the United States,, had received majority approval in the Commission. It provided that all raw material and manufacturing plant should be under international ownership, and that after the establishment of the control system the manufacture of bombs should cease and stocks be disposed of. The attitude of the Soviet Union, which insisted on the outlawing of the bomb as a first step, had caused a deadlock and forced the Atomic Energy Commission to suspend its work. After protracted debate, the Assembly rejected a Soviet proposal for the simultaneous prohibition of the atomic bomb and establishment of a system of international control. The resolution that was

* External Affairs Publication No. 75.

adopted approved the majority proposals, requested the permanent members of the Atomic Energy Commission to consult together to determine whether a basis of agreement existed, and meanwhile directed the Atomic Energy Commission to resume its work. The proposal for Great Power consultation was included in this resolution as the result of a New Zealand amendment. The New Zealand representative, in expressing approval of the majority proposals, pointed out that the Commission had wisely avoided too close definition of the division of authority between the proposed control organ and the Security Council. While measures of " technical" enforcement should be within the competence of the •control organ, the Security Council was the proper body to apply sanctions. Whether this task could, in fact, be reserved to the Council depended, however, on whether it could be formally agreed that decisions of the Council on this subject should not be subject to the veto. (b) Disarmament Following an Assembly resolution of December, 1946, the Security -Council established in February, 1947, a Conventional Armaments •Commission to draft concrete proposals for the regulation and reduction of conventional armaments. This Commission had not its work when, in September, 1948, the question was again brought before the Assembly by the Soviet delegation in the form of a proposal for the prohibition of the atomic weapon and the reduction by one third within a year of the armaments and armed forces of the permanent members of the Security Council. In the Political Committee of the Assembly the New Zealand representative, voicing a general criticism of this proposal, referred to the need for security as a prior condition of disarmament. The •one thing more grievous than the production of armaments, he said, was war due to unpreparedness. This view was reflected in .the resolution eventually adopted by the Assembly in which the following previous conditions for a general reduction of armaments were laid down : —- (1) The publication of exact and authentic information on the armaments and armed forces of all States ; (2) The conclusion of a convention defining the types of military forces to which reduction would apply; (3) The establishment of a control organ ; and (4) The attainment of an atmosphere of real and lasting improvement in international relations, which implied <(5) Control of atomic energy and the prohibition of the atomic weapon.

The resolution went on to recommend that the Commission for Conventional Armaments should continue its work, giving priority to plans for the publication by an international control organ " within the framework of the Security Council" of information to be received from member States with regard to their effectives and conventional armaments. This resolution received a substantial majority of votes, and the Soviet proposal was as decisively rejected. The Assembly's recommendations were considered in the Security Council, where the Soviet representative reintroduced his proposal and repeated his arguments. The Council, however, rejected the Soviet plan by 2 votes in favour with 9 abstentions, and referred the Assembly resolution to the Conventional Armaments Commission for action. The Commission will report before the fourth Assembly session. (c) A.ppedl to the Great Powers During, the first part of its third session the Assembly adopted' unanimously a Mexican proposal for an appeal to the Great Powers to compose their differences and establish a lasting peace. The resolution called on the Great Powers to redouble their efforts to conclude the peace treaties with the assistance of the signatories, to the Washington Declaration of 1'942. (d) Interim 'Committee The origin and functions of this Committee are described in the annual report for 1947-48, pages 54 to 55.* During 1948 the Committee considered and reported to the Assembly on the questions of voting in the Security Council and methods for the promotion of international co-operation in the political field. The Committee was consulted by, and gave advice to, the Temporary Commission for Korea in accordance with the terms of reference of the latter. It also reported to the Assembly on the advisability of establishing a permanent committee of the Assembly. The Slav delegations, which had refused to take their seats on the Committee, contended that it was both illegal and ineffective and should be abolished. Most delegations, however, including the New Zealand delegation, considered that the Committee had made a sound if unspectacular beginning, and voted for a resolution, re-establishing it for another year.

* External Affairs Publication No. 65.

(e) Admission of New Members At the second special session of the General Assembly, Burma was admitted to membership of the United Nations. During April, 1948, the Security Council reconsidered the applications of Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Mongolian People's Republic, Portugal, Roumania, and Transjordan. The application of Italy was vetoed by the Soviet Union, and consequently no vote was taken on the other applications. In accordance with an Assembly resolution of November, 1947, the International Court of Justice submitted to the third session of the Assembly an advisory opinion on the question whether a member is juridically entitled to make its consent to the admission of a State dependent on conditions not expressly provided by the Charter, and in particular on the condition that other States be simultaneously admitted. A majority of the Judges returned a negative answer. Over Soviet opposition the Assembly decided to recommend that each member of the Security Council and the General Assembly should act in accordance with this opinion in voting on membership applications. Noting "the general sentiment in favour of the universality of the United Nations," the General Assembly called on the Security Council to reconsider all applications so far received. The applications of Austria, Ceylon, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and Transjordan were mentioned individually as fulfilling, in the Assembly's opinion, the conditions of admission laid down by the Charter. The New Zealand delegation, which supported all the resolutions adopted, took a particular interest in the application of the new Commonwealth member, Ceylon. Criticizing the obstructive attitude of the Soviet Union, allegedly based on doubt of Ceylon's independence, the New Zealand representative quoted the recent declaration of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers that Ceylon enjoyed the same independent status as the Commonwealth members of the United Nations. It was permissible, he said, to ask questions to resolve those doubts, but not to pay no attention to the answers. However, in spite of strenuous efforts to obtain a compromise, the Soviet delegation remained adamant, and in December, 1948, again vetoed the application of Ceylon in the Security Council. In March, 1949, the Security Council decided to recommend to the General Assembly that Israel be admitted to membership of the United Nations. Cf) Voting in_ the Security Council This question was among those referred by the second session of the Assembly to the Interim Committee for study. In its report to the third session of the Assembly the Committee made four practical recommendations : firstly, that thirty-six possible decisions

of the Security Council be regarded as procedural; secondly, that a further twenty-one possible decisions be adopted by majority vote, whether they are considered to be procedural or non-procedural; thirdly, that the permanent members should consult among themselves before a vote is taken, in order to minimize the use of the veto ; and fourthly, that in agreements conferring functions on the Council provision should be made for the exclusion of the unanimity rule. In addition, the Assembly was asked to consider whether or not the time had come to call a general conference to revise the Charter. During the discussion in the Interim Committee, Sir Carl Berendsen took the opportunity of restating New Zealand's position on the veto question. While the proposals were good in themselves, he said, they did not touch the fundamental problem. If peace was to be obtained through a system of collective security, the Great Powers must be prepared to accept third-party judgment and surrender the complete freedom of action they now enjoyed. In the ad hoc Political Committee of the Assembly the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, said he would support any proposal which offered hope of progress in solving the veto problem, including the proposal for a conference to revise the Charter. An Argentinian resolution, calling for such a conference, was, however, defeated, and a resolution incorporating the substance of the Interim Committee's recommendations was adopted by the Committee with only the Soviet bloc dissenting. Consideration of this resolution in plenary assembly was deferred until the second part of the third session, to be held in April, 1949. (g) International Co-operation in the Political Field One of the tasks given to the Interim Committee in 1948 was to study and report on possible methods of giving e,ffect to the articles in the Charter which deal with the general principles of co-operation in the maintenance of international peace and security. The Committee put before the Assembly in September a series of proposals, including the revival of the General Act of 26 September, 1928, for the pacific settlement of international disputes, the appointment of rapporteur-conciliators by the Security Council and the Assembly to attempt to settle disputes " out of court," and the establishment of a panel of highly qualified persons from which members of commissions of inquiry and conciliation might be selected. The New Zealand representative in the ad hoc Political Committee of the Assembly, while paying tribute to the work of the Interim Committee, doubted the wisdom of adopting its proposals forth,with. They were" not of an urgent nature and more time should be given for Governments to consider them. Although his suggestion

for postponement of all the proposed resolutions was not accepted, pressure of business did in fact result in their being held over for final consideration at the second part of the third session. 4. Economic and Social Questions (a) General Assembly While the principal responsibility for implementing the Charter provisions relating to economic and social questions rests with the Economic and Social Council, the General Assembly exercises a general supervisory function, and, of course, may also consider any problems in this field which may be brought directly before it. After reviewing the Council's report, the third session of the Assembly made a number of recommendations which, for convenience, are considered below in relation to the action taken on them by the Council. In the economic field the Assembly considered two new items brought forward by Poland relating respectively to trade discrimination and the wasting of food by certain countries. The Assembly decided to take no action on the first item, and on the second adopted a resolution which asked member States to attempt to avoid wastage and speculation, and called on the Economic and Social Council, in conjunction with FAO and other specialized agencies, to give consideration to all means of increasing the world food-supply. The only new item of importance in the social field which came before the Assembly was the question of relief for the Arab refugees in Palestine, which is considered under the relevant geographical section of this report. The most important act of the Assembly under this heading in 1948 was, however, the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is discussed in more detail below in connection with the work of the Human Rights Commission. (b) Economic and Social Council At the eighth session of the Economic and Social Council the New Zealand delegate (Mr James Thorn) was unanimously elected President of the Council for 1949. This may be taken to reflect a measure of the regard in which the New Zealand representative is held by members of the United Nations as well as recognition of New Zealand's record of achievement in economic and social affairs. At the end of 1949 New Zealand's three-year term on the Council expires. The Council held two sessions during the period under review, the seventh session being in Geneva in July-August, 1948, and the eighth session in New York in February-March, 1949.

In discharging its responsibility (under the authority of the General Assembly) for promoting conditions of economic and social development, the Economic and Social Council has assumed as one of its principal functions the supervision and co-ordination of the substantive work done by its own advisory commissions, the specialized agencies, and the Regional Economic Commissions (in Europe, Asia and the Far East, and Latin America), taking into account the work of other inter-governmental- and non-governmental organizations. In co-ordinating the work of all these organizations, the Council has made further advances in avoiding duplication and dispersion of effort. The Council has also broached the broader problem of simplifying the structure of international organization (in the field of economic and social activity) by integrating or establishing liaison between previously established inter-governmental organizations (probably amounting to several hundred in number) and the United Nations or the specialized agencies. The Council's discussions on this subject have stimulated the process of integration and closer co-ordination in the light of practical needs, and further progress along these lines may be anticipated. While the Economic and Social Council could not hope to escape the effects of the East-West split that has frustrated so much of the work of the United Nations in other fields, and while the U.S.S.R. is not a member of any of the specialized agencies except the Universal Postal Union and the International Telecommunications Union, the Council has nevertheless succeeded in promoting effective collaboration in many fields (no doubt rallying a measure of creative enthusiasm behind the work of the United Nations as a whole), and in a few cases, most notably in the Economic Commission for Europe, has helped to bridge political barriers between East and West. The Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), established by the Economic and Social Council in March, 1947, has been eclipsed in importance by ERP, but has nevertheless succeeded in solving certain basic technical problems. Through its complex substructure of committees and working parties the Commission has grappled with the details of economic organization, seeking ways to rationalize and standardize farm machinery; studied obstacles to intraEuropean trade to a point where the Secretariat is bringing about direct negotiations between some Eastern and Western European countries for barter agreements; allocated pit-props; allocated coal separately for each quality; encouraged (through detailed investigation of potential sites and markets) international collaboration in electric-power development, a field in which collaboration is essential to overcome the heavy capital and material expenditure

involved in dam-construction and generator installation; reached agreement to standardize freight wagons, overcoming a problem of forty years' standing; brought about agreements which simplify and liberalize Customs formalities; facilitated (in collaboration with ILO) the greater mobility of labour and encouraged improved organizational techniques in industry in order to raise productivity standards ; helped substantially in raising steel output to a point where all European steel-producing countries outside Germany were, by the end of 1948, producing steel at a rate never attained in the past; taken steps (in collaboration with FAO) to maximize the use of timber by publicising technological advances and by getting countries to agree on 'fixed buying limits to avoid inflated prices ; and so on. Besides including Eastern as well as Western Europe within its scope, the Commission collaborates with ten countries not members of the United Nations (Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Roumania, and Switzerland). As explained more fully in a separate note, the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE) has developed more slowly than ECE and along somewhat different lines, the success of the European Commission having been inherent in the greater interdependence and maturity of the European economy. The establishment of ECE and ECAFE to deal with emergency problems of post-war reconstruction focused attention on the value of the regional approach to other international problems. During the past year FAO, ILO, WHO, and other specialized agencies have given increasing attention to regional activities, while the Economic Commission for Latin America has held its first meeting and an Economic Commission for the Middle East has been discussed by the Economic and Social Council, though it has not yet been established. This trend towards regional activity (enabling a more intimate approach towards problems shared by a group of countries in common) has developed side by side with a growing concern to raise standards of living in under-developed countries, and the importance of this problem has been underlined by the recognition that political instability breeds on economic instability. The economic development of under-developed areas is one of the major concerns of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, but it has also been promoted by the other specialized agencies and the United Nations, particularly through the provision of technical assistance, a field in which the ILO operated for many years before the war. The idea of providing technical assistance to promote economic development has in recent years been progressively extended by the specialized agencies as well as by the United Nations

itself, and the concept received added momentum over the past year. In December, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly set aside $288,000 for an extended programme on technical assistance during 1949 ; this included provision for sixty fellowships to enable technical experts in under-developed countries to broaden their experience by studying overseas and also provided for field missions to visit selected under-developed countries and make a comprehensive survey of the economy. In January, 1949, President Truman declared in his inaugural address : "We must embark on a bold new programme for making the benefits of our scientific advances and industrial progress available for the improvement and growth of under-developed areas." This " bold new programme " was to be developed on a co-operative basis with other countries willing to participate. The United States representative at the eighth session of the Economic and Social Council elaborated President Truman's plan, saying that the work of the United Nations and specialized agencies in the field of technical assistance should be increased and that finance should be in addition to the regular United Nations budget. The Council requested the .Secretary-General, in conjunction with the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination, to prepare a comprehensive programme for undertaking these activities, as well as to report on methods of stimulating the international flow of capital for financing economic development. These two reports were to be considered at the next session of the Council (July-August, 1949). For the second year in succession the Economic and Social Council (at its eighth session) placed the consideration of its problems against a broad review of the world economic situation, basing discussion on a survey of salient features prepared by the United Nations Secretariat. It was generally agreed that the world economy, especially in the production of foodstuffs, had achieved substantial if uneven progress in 1948. It was also noted that, side by side with 'previous and current inflationary pressures, deflationary tendencies were beginning to appear in certain sectors. This raised the question ■of whether falling prices of some commodities such as foodstuffs might not lead to the old problem of surpluses existing in some -countries if export prices were artificially sustained, while the need to import goods remained in other countries without adequate means of payment. While most of the statements by members of the .Council called for further efforts to expand production, a note of warning was sounded regarding the need to ensure markets and stable prices giving a fair return to primary producers and, at the ■same time, making it possible for importing countries to purchase goods.

The Council devoted particular attention to measures designed to increase food production and decrease food wastage, the present loss of stored grains and legumes throughout the world being estimated at 30 million tons a year, or 10 per cent, of the total world crop, a quantity sufficient to feed 150 million people. These losses, caused by insects, rodents, and fungi, could be greatly reduced by known methods of controlling infestation and by the provision of more and better storage, especially in tropical and subtropical areas. The Council recommended that these and other problems associated with the distribution of foodstuffs should be given urgent attention by member Governments and that the FAO should intensify its efforts in this field, in consultation with other specialized agencies. The Council also considered the effects of malaria on food production. It has been estimated that malaria affects 300 million persons a year, accounts for 3 million deaths, and is responsibile for a work loss of 20 to 40 days per person per year. The highest incidence rate is in agricultural countries, especially in those producing and dependent on rice as the primary staple. Fertile areas have been neglected because increasing irrigation and other use of water invites increased numbers of malaria-carrying mosquitoes. By a unanimous vote the Council requested the Secretary-General to report to the next session on the production, distribution, and availability of insecticides such as DDT and BHC, which are valuable in the control of malaria. At its eighth session the Council discussed a proposal put forward by the American Federation of Labour that the ILO should undertake a comprehensive survey of forced labour in all member States of the United Nations. The Federation submitted information on which were based charges that widespread forced labour existed in the U.S.S.R. These charges were supported by the United States representative, who declared that from information available it could be estimated that there were between 8 million and 14 million persons subjected to forced labour in the Soviet Union. The Soviet representative in his reply alleged that real freedom of labour was impossible in capitalist countries, especially in the United States, where workers were at the mercy of owners of mines and factories, where 3 million workers were unemployed and 14 million negroes were virtually deprived of the opportunity to engage in any but the most menial labour. After rejecting a Soviet proposal for a very large Commission composed entirely of trade-union representatives, the Council adopted a United States resolution requesting the ILO to make a comprehensive survey of the problem of forced labour, together with an Australian amendment requesting the Secretary-General to approach Governments to inquire whether they would be prepared to co-operate in an impartial inquiry.

The Council also considered a memorandum submitted by the World Federation of Trade Unions alleging infringement of tradeunion rights in Argentine, Burma, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, Spain, Greece, India, Iran, Portugal, and the Union of South Africa. Counter charges were levelled at the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries by the American Federation of Labour, which contended that trade unionists in these countries had no rights as such but were merely an administrative arm of the Government. After a long and at times bitter debate the Council finally adopted a New Zealand, resolution drawing attention to the importance of ensuring the full exercise of trade-union rights and transmitting the record of discussion to the ILO and the Commission on Human Rights. A related item on the Council's agenda concerned the enforcement of trade-union rights, and it was decided that the question should be studied by the Secretary-General in consultation with ILO. This resolution was opposed by the Eastern European countries on the grounds that the ILO did not represent the views of workers. At its sixth session the Council affirmed the principle of equal pay for equal work. At its seventh session the Council adopted a resolution in more general terms inviting member States to ensure that women were granted the same rights as men in employment, remuneration, social insurance, leisure, and training. This question is being further studied by the Commission on the Status of Women and by the ILO. Other questions discussed by the Economic and Social Council at its seventh and eighth sessions included arrangements for the United Nations Scientific Conference on the Conservation and Utilization of Resources, now scheduled to take place in the United States from 17 August to 6 September, 1949 ; a proposal to establish United Nations research laboratories, a question that is to be studied by a small committee of experts in conjunction with UNESCO a proposal to draft a Declaration of Old Age Rights, a question which the Council referred to the Social Commission and the Commission on Human Rights ; and a proposal to draft an international convention that would introduce uniformity in declarations of death of missing persons, a subject which the Council referred to. an ad hoc committee. The Council also decided to extend until 1952 the life of the SubCommission on Freedom of Information and of the Press, originally established to prepare documentation for an international conference on freedom of information. This conference was held in MarchApril, 1948, and was described in the Department's annual report for 1948. During the year, the Council made various improvements in its own working arrangements and also devoted attention to the consolidation of work that it had already done, by introducing a procedure

•of annual stocktaking, to see in what measure its previous recommendations had been effective, including the degree to which recommendations had been implemented by member Governments. Following on this process of consolidation, the Council co-operated with UNESCO in promoting more widespread publicity (in schools and universities as well as among the general public) for the purposes, principles, structure, and actual achievements of the United Nations and specialized agencies. (c) functional Commissions of the Hconomic and. Social Council {i) Social Commission The Third session of the Social Commission was held at Lake Success from sto 23 April, 1948. The New Zealand representative was elected Chairman of the Commission by a unanimous vote. The United Nations programme of social welfare advisory services, which includes the provision of international fellowships in social ■studies and of visiting consultants in the organization of social services in less-advanced countries, was reviewed at some length. In 1947, 102 fellowships and 24 expert consultants were financed under this programme ; the corresponding numbers for 1948 were 122 and 21. In both years technical literature and demonstration equipment was provided in addition. The conclusion was reached that this programme had made a valuable contribution to international understanding, and the Commission recommended that it should be continued on the same scale in 1949. The SecretaryGeneral was, however, requested to take steps to ensure that a larger share of the cost of the scheme should in future be borne by recipient countries and less, by the United Nations. These recommendations were adopted by ECOSOC and subsequently approved by the General Assembly. The Commission considered a request from ECOSOC that it should propose a division of responsibility between the various organs of the United Nations in the field of migration. The Commission suggested that the programme of the United Nations on migration should aim at providing information and technical advice and finding formulas, taking into full account the rights of States to regulate the departure and admission of migrants ; within this programme it recommended that its own responsibility should be to arrange for studies and advise the Council on the social aspects of migration with a view, particularly, to ensure to migrants equal social and economic rights with those of local populations.

The French Government had intimated that it wished to renounce certain functions which it had previously exercised under the agreements of 1904 and 1910 concerning the suppression of the whiteslave traffic and of obscene publications. The Commission recommended that the United Nations should assume these functions, and further requested the Secretary-General to proceed with the preparation of a comprehensive Convention on Suppression of the Traffic in Women and Children, to include the provisions of the projected convention of 1937 regarding the exploitation of the prostitution of others, and any improvements therein which might have been made desirable by developments since 1937. These recommendations were endorsed by ECOSOC, and protocols concerning the transfer of functions from the French Government were adopted by the General Assembly during the first part of the third session. Work on the comprehensive new convention is also proceeding rapidly. The Commission also considered reports by the Secretariat on the work being undertaken by various agencies, including the United Nations, in the field of town and country planning, and on the programme of the division of social activities in the field of standards of living. In connection with the problem of crime and treatment of offenders, it recommended that a small meeting of experts should be convened once a year to advise the Secretary-General and the Commission in devising programmes for international study and action in this field. The. position of the International Penal and Penitentiary Commission (IPPC) in relation to the United Nations was also discussed. Relations with this body had been suspended in view of the fact that Franco Spain was a member. Spain, however, withdrew from membership in September, 1947, and in August, 1948, the Commission amended its constitution so as to control its membership. The way was therefore open for full consultation between the IPPC and the United Nations. A meeting of all the appropriate international organizations, including the IPPC, interested in the problem of the prevention of crime and treatment of offenders was held under the auspices of the United Nations in October, 1948, and agreement reached for co-operation in the light of their particular fields of competence. The Commission adopted a work programme for 1948-49 covering projects in six major areas—namely, social welfare, including family, youth, and child welfare; the prevention of crime and treatment of offenders ; the suppression of prostitution and traffic in women and children ; migration ; housing and town and country planning ; and standards of living.

(ii) Fiscal Co?n?nission At its second session in January, 1949, the Fiscal Commission examined the work done by the Secretariat since the first session. It noted that the main progress had been in the provision of a fiscal information service based on surveys of fiscal developments and administrative methods by member Governments; in rendering of technical assistance to Governments by members of its staff; in the publication of surveys on public debt and international tax agreements and the collection of material for further surveys, some of them continuing valuable work commenced by the League of Nations with the object of helping to eliminate fiscal barriers to trade and commerce. The value of the Commission's work was shown by the number of problems brought forward by member Governments and other international agencies for study by the Secretariat in the future. Limitations of staff and facilities meant that priorities had to be determined between these projects. The extension of the functions outlined above was deemed of first importance and the Secretariat was directed to pay attention, if possible, to the drafting of model tax conventions, to problems of double taxation of companies and estates, reciprocal administrative assistance between tax revenue officials, and the economic influence of taxation, including fiscal measures to prevent depressions. The Commission has been of particular value to those countries whose fiscal systems and procedures are still in the course of development, and as this work is highly technical it has been able to help without becoming involved in political issues. ft (iii) Human Rights Commission The Commission of Human Rights, meeting at New York in May and June, 1948, continued its work on the International Bill of Human Rights. Most of the session was devoted to the preparation of the draft Declaration of Human Rights and it was not possible to complete work on the remaining two parts of the Bill, the Covenant of Human Rights and measures of implementation. When the report of the Commission came before the seventh session of the Economic and Social Council the decision was taken to pass it on, without comment, to the third session of the General Assembly. The New Zealand representative, however, expressed the view that the Declaration was an integral part of the International Bill of Human Rights and ought not to be adopted separately from the Covenant and the proposals for implementation. The report of the Commission of Human Rights was considered by the Third Committee of the Assembly, where the New Zealand delegate expressed the same views as to the future of the Declaration

as had her colleague on the Economic and Social Council. When it appeared that the consensus of opinion in the Committee was that the Declaration should be adopted at that session of the Assembly, she reserved New Zealand's position and later voted for the adoption of the Declaration. Throughout the lengthy article-by-article examination of the Commission draft, the New Zealand delegate on the Third Committee took an active part in the discussion, in general basing her interventions on the view that the Declaration should be a concise statement of principles ; that it should set out only those human rights and fundamental freedoms which were internationally recognized, and that any spelling out of the details of these rights and freedoms should be left to the Covenant. It was emphasized that the Declaration was intended to have moral force only, and was to be contrasted with the more formal Covenant, which would be an international treaty imposing legal obligations on signatory States. The General Assembly ultimately adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by 48 votes to nil with 9 abstentions. The preamble to the Declaration states its main purpose. It is " a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms . . . ."It follows that the Declaration is but the first step in the direction of the international protection of human rights; and this the General Assembly recognized by : the adoption of a New Zealand resolution calling upon the Commission of Human Rights to give priority to its work on the Covenant |nd measures of implementation. (iv) Transport and Communications Commission The second session of the Transport and Communications Com mission was held from 12 to 20 April, 1948, devoting much of its attention to organizational arrangements for improving regional inland transport. Such arrangements already exist in Europe, mainly under the asgis of the Economic Commission for Europe, but elsewhere the Commission agreed that regional arrangements needed to be greatly developed. It decided that short-range aspects of inland transport should be handled by the regional economic commissions where such commissions exist, and that long-range matters and general co-ordination should be left to the Commission itself. The Commission also decided that an international conference of highway transport experts should be convened to revise the 1926 Highway Transport Conventions and subsequent amendments. The Commission adopted a resolution encouraging member Governments to reduce, simplify, and unify passport and frontier formalities, but

recommended that no international conference on the subject need be called in the meantime. These recommendations were approved by the Economic and Social Council at its seventh session. At its third session, held from 21 to 30 March, 1949, the Commission devoted attention to the unification of maritime tonnage measurement and the effect of Customs and other formalities on the international transport of goods. The Commission also considered, various problems involving the co-ordination of work undertaken by other international bodies and the specialized" agencies in the field of transport and communications. (v) Economic and Employment Commission The Economic and Employment Commission, which was established in 1946 to furnish advice to the Economic and Social Council and assist it to discharge its responsibilities in the economic field, held its third session at Lake Success from 19 April to 6 May, 1948. Most of the Commission's time was devoted to consideration of the reports of its Sub-Commissions on Economic Development and Employment and Economic Stability. The Commission drew attention to the expert assistance which might be made available to member Governments in connection with their economic development programmes by the Secretary-General and specialized agencies and, while emphasizing that the finances required for economic development have to come predominantly from the efforts of the people concerned, urged members to seek means of increasing international credits and loans and foreign private investments in this field. In its discussions on employment and stability the Commission devoted most of its attention to the inflationary conditions prevalent at the time, but directed the Secretariat and Sub-Commission to give priority to studies of action to maintain full employment and stability and prevent depression and of methods of recognizing incipient down turns, in preference to studies of counter-cyclical action to be taken in the event of a depression. The Commission has not so far produced many worth-while recommendations on the important subjects with which it is entrusted, and during its third session the Commission set up a Committee on Organization to review its existing terms of reference and organizational structure. It is hoped that suggestions for improvement will result from these deliberations. (vi) Commission on the Status of Women The third session of the Commission on the Status of Women (21 March to 4 April, 1949) considered the right of women to vote and to hold public office ; the participation of women in the work

of the United Nations, both in the Secretariat and in delegations ; educational opportunities for women; the application of penal law, police statutes, and prisons administration as they affect women; and the property rights of women. The Commission requested the Secretariat to gather further information and prepare reports on all these topics, as well as draft an international convention governing the nationality of married women. As a means of influencing public opinion, the Commission agreed that more widespread publicity be given to the achievements of notable women as well as to the law and practice of Governments in granting rights to women. (vii) •Population Commission The Population Commission held its third session from 10 to 25 May, 1948, and approved final plans for a United Nations Demographic Year Book, to include information for as many countries as possible on population distribution, birth and death rates, migration, and unemployment. The Commission took further steps to co-ordinate plans for national censuses to be taken in or about 1950 in order to promote comparability in the types of information obtained as well as in subsequent classification. The Commission also adopted a comprehensive programme of work on certain aspects of migration, recommending that the United Nations Statistical Office, in collaboration with the ILO, should explore ways of improving migration statistics; analyse the size and structure of the population in countries of origin and destination ; study the subsequent effects of migration and the economic and social factors stimulating migration, including the spread of national income, the level of employment, and systems of land tenure; and analyse the effect on migration of such factors as legislation, including restrictions on various types of migration and the civil and social rights of immigrants. This programme of work was approved at the seventh session of the Economic and Social Council, which also defined in more precise terms the Commission's interest in various aspects of migration, taking into account the interest of other international organizations in this question. (viii) Statistical Commission The Statistical Commission held its third session from 26 April to 6 May, 1948, making marked progress in its work of promoting standard practices in the collection and compilation of statistics, a highly important field of activity since reliable and comparable statistics provide an essential foundation for all national and international work in the economic and social field. The Commission adopted a Standard Classification of Economic Activities, which the Economic and Social Council later approved and recommended for

adoption by member Governments. The Commission also considered ways in which statistical services at the national level could be improved, and recommended that a study should be made of ah international programme for training statisticians, particularly in under-developed countries. This proposal was approved at the seventh session of the Economic and Social Council. The Commission continued its work of acting in an advisory capacity to the Council in co-ordinating the statistical activities of other United Nations bodies and the specialized agencies. (ix) Narcotic Drugs Commission The Commission on Narcotic Drugs, while supervising the administration of existing conventions, has been concerned with important policy matters, including possible means to limit production of raw materials and the consolidation of present agreements for narcotics control into a single convention. A significant immediate advance was the final approval by the United Nations General Assembly of a protocol designed to extend international control to synthetic drugs which are capable of inducing addiction and which, particularly since the war, have represented a threat to : the whole protective system. This protocol, which was signed by 1 New Zealand on 18 November, 1948, requires twenty-five signatures before it comes into force. At the eighth session qf ECOSOC, during the discussion of the. report of the Permanent Central Opium Board, a statement was made on the increase in the New Zealand consumption of diacetylmorphine (heroin). It was emphasized that there could be no suggestion of illicit traffic in New Zealand, and that measures already taken (in co-operation with the medical profession) had secured a reduction in consumption. It was noted that in New Zealand, as in other countries, there was a division of opinion on the desirability of the prohibition of the use of the drug. A further step has been the addition of certain preparations containing heroin to the list of those which may not be supplied free under social-security legislation.* (d) Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East The United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East was set up at the beginning of 1947 to assist the economic reconstruction of the Far Eastern region. The Commission now includes among its members Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand,, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Soviet Union, as well as the Asian members of the United Rations —Burma, China,

* Drug Tariff (September, 1946), Amendment No. 1, effective 1 June, 1949.

India, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Siam—-and, with modified status, Ceylon, Hongkong, Indonesia, the Republic of Indonesia, Malaya, Nepal, Laos, and Cambodia. The third session of the Commission (June, 1948) was held at Ootacamund (India) and the fourth session (November-December, 1948) at Lapstone, Australia. A Committee of the Whole Commission met at Bangkok from 28 March to 5 April, 1949. Reconstruction in the Far East has been hampered by the underdeveloped character of the Asian economies and by political disturbances in almost all countries of the region. These factors have been reflected in the Commission's work: in particular, the absence of basic statistical data has made, it difficult to grapple with economic problems, while the politically disturbed nature of the area has resulted in long and bitter debate in the Commission on questions of membership, chiefly concerning Indonesia. The Commission's terms of reference provide that only countries responsible for their own international relations may submit applications for membership. When, at the second session, the Republic of Indonesia submitted an application for associate membership (associate members have full rights of participation except the right to vote in plenary session, only members of the United Nations being entitled to full membership), the Netherlands, though admittedly not in de facto control of the area administered by tfce Republican Government, maintained that the Netherlands was responsible for the international relations of Indonesia as a whole and submitted an application for. associate membership of the whole area. As no compromise seemed possible, the question was twice postponed after long and acrimonious controversy. At the fourth session the New Zealand delegate suggested that it seemed possible to provide for representation of the area without attempting to judge the political situation in Indonesia; this was desirable in order to facilitate the work of the Commission, which should be devoting its serious attention to urgent economic problems and not be sidetracked to such a disproportionate extent by political issues. A New Zealand resolution to admit both the Republic of Indonesia and the rest of Indonesia as associate members was subsequently adopted. The Commission has approached its substantive worth by setting up fact-finding bodies, notably a Working Party on Industrial Development (consisting of four members, with sixteen expert consultants), a joint ECAFE-FAO Working Party on Agricultural Requisites, and a Study Group on Financial Measures to Facilitate Trade (on which New Zealand was represented by the New Zealand Trade Representative in Tokyo). In addition, expert consultants have

been engaged to report on technical training and flood control. Asa result of this research the Commission has been able to select key problems for concentrated attention. A Bureau of Flood Control has been set up under the segis of the Commission, problems of flood control (involving millions of casualties every year) being of grave concern to the region. The Bureau will collect and disseminate information, advise Governments,, rendering technical assistance to Governments when requested,, promote the training of technicians, and explore the need for an international laboratory to study problems of flood control. Partly as a result of the Commission's study of technical training facilities in the region, the ILO has agreed to establish an Asian Field Office on Technical Training. This office will furnish information, advise Governments on training schemes, plan the interchange of experts and students, organize training abroad, and in due course set up training courses and other facilities. The ILO has also set up a regional Tripartite Committee on Man-power (to include the subject of technical training) and is to call a conference of experts towards the end of 1949. All these activities will be carried out in collaboration with ECAFE. Following on their joint study of agricultural problems, the Commission and FAO are to call a conference of officials engaged in the task of agricultural reconstruction in the region, and FAO is to convene a meeting of countries supplying agricultural requisites. The Commission's Secretariat, in collaboration with FAO, is to make a study of the sociological and economic aspects of the production and use of chemical fertilizers. In the field of trade, the International Monetary Fund has agreed to report on balance of payments and trade movements and on the desirability of setting up a multilateral clearing system for the region. In an effort to stimulate trade with Japan, the Commission's Secretariat is disseminating information on import needs and export availabilities in Japan and in countries of the ECAFE area. The Secretariat is also compiling a handbook of trade-promotion services in the region, and in this and other ways is developing a commercial intelligence service. The Commission has set up a Working Party on Travel Facilities (to be succeeded by a representative subcommittee) to promote the freer movement of students, and tourists in the area. Industrial development has been generally regarded as the most important subject the Commission has had to consider and a number of key problems have been selected for intensive research by the Secretariat, including transport, coal resources, and iron and steel. In collaboration with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Secretariat is also preparing a study on regulations.

affecting "foreign investments in the region, and examining existing financial and fiduciary institutions to see how they can best be organized in mobilizing domestic financial resources for economic development. In addition, the Secretariat has issued the first of a series of comprehensive economic surveys of the region. The Commission has also established a Committee (open to all member and associate member Governments) to intensify the Commission's work in the fields of industry and trade. The Committee will meet twice a year (once during or just prior to the annual session of the full Commission), with provision for other meetings if necessary. It is the general intention that this Committee on Industry and Trade should place discussion of the Commission's substantive work cfn a more objective plane, leaving controversial issues associated with membership to the annual meeting of the full Commission. (e) United Nations Appeal for Children UNAC campaigns were conducted in forty-five countries and more than thirty non-self-governing territories, offering to individuals a personal role in helping destitute children through the agency of the United Nations. The latest available figures indicate that UNAC raised more than s3l million. Of this, over sll million was allocated to UNICEF, $3.5 million to private agencies to be spent in consultation with UNICEF, and $1.5 million to private child relief agencies for expenditure in countries other than those of collection. The balance, about 12 per cent., was for use in countries of collection. The New Zealand campaign realized £391,553 (all of which was allocated to UNICEF), the fifth largest sum raised in a national campaign and exceeded only by Iceland on a per capita basis. Apart from the immediate result of bringing emergency relief, UNAC stimulated a concern for child welfare, some countries establishing permanent institutions for children with the proceeds of their UNAC. campaigns. In addition, the appeal has been the means of spreading knowledge about the United Nations, emphasizing the humanitarian aspects of that organization and demonstrating its capacity to act affirmatively on a problem that was urgent and readily understood. However, there has been considerable divergence of opinion as to whether the United Nations Appeal for Children should be continued in 1949 on the same scale and in the same form as in 1948. The seventh session of the Economic and Social Council {July-August, 1948) adopted a resolution terminating the central organization of UNAC at the end of the year, but at the same time encouraging the continuance of national campaigns in various countries.

In December, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly decided to continue UNAC for another year, but on the basis that all contributions should be for the sole benefit of UNICEF, with UNICEF acting as the co-ordinating body for national campaigns. (f) The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Since UNICEF began operations in September, 1947, its financial resources have totalled approximately $l2O million, but for the task in hand UNICEF has found these resources limited. To spread its funds further, UNICEF has encouraged measures of self-help, UNICEF's part being to supplement the efforts of Governments and voluntary agencies in their own child health and welfare programmes. The result is that UNICEF's supplies are matched with complementary supplies by the Government of the assisted country and, in addition, the Government and local agencies bear the cost of operating the programme within the country. In the supplementary feeding programme in Europe, for example, tJNICEF supplies certain protective foods which those countries lack—milk, meat, fish, fats, and cod-liver oil. These are matched from local supplies of fruit and vegetables and together make a well-balanced supplementary meal. Again, UNICEF distributes raw materials for clothing ; the cost of manufacture is borne by the recipient country and the finished products are distributed free. Moreover, in co-operation with FAO, UNICEF has promoted a milk-conservation campaign in every European country where it operates : UNICEF has helped with technical assistance and in providing certain essential parts for milk-conservation plants, while Governments supply buildings, labour, and raw materials, the objective being to spread the distribution of local supplies evenly throughout the year. Again, UNICEF's programme is so devised that practically all recipient countries are also contributors : Poland, one of the most devastated countries, has given large quantities of sugar, while Czechoslavakia has supplied vehicles and undertaken the printing of documents. The supplementary feeding programme in Europe reaches over 4 million children out of a total child population of about 69 million in the twelve assisted countries. Selection is made on the basis of need without discrimination as to race, creed, nationality, or political belief. In Germany, *where the children receive supplementary meals from the occupation authorities, UNICEF provides codliver oil daily for a million children. Wool and leather to the value of $500,000 has also been sent to Germany to be processed by German manufacturers into children's clothing and footwear. These supplies move freelv into all four zones of Germany.

Over the past year, UNICEF's activities have been extended to include ten Far Eastern countries. The task in that area is immense and it is hampered by inadequacy of local welfare organization through which UNICEF may operate. Attention is being devoted primarily to a health programme. Dr M. H. Watt, formerly New Zealand Director-General of Health, is in charge of UNICEF activities in Asia and the Far East, except China. In the Palestine area, UNICEF has assisted the work of Governments and voluntary organizations in a supplementary feeding programme for 350,000 refugee children and mothers, as well as supplying clothing, blankets, and medicine. UNICEF's work in the Middle East and, more recently, in Latin America is being extended. In co-operation with WHO and the Scandinavian Red Cross Societies, UNICEF is attempting to check the spread of tuberculosis among children. Fifty million children in Europe are being tested and about 15 million of that number are being vaccinated with BCG—only those who have not at some stage been infected can be vaccinated. Plans are being made to extend this programme to countries in the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America. UNICEF' has also set aside $2 million to assist Governments in developing programmes for combating syphilis and $300,000 to help combat malaria. All these health projects are being carried out in cooperation with WHO. In addition, the two organizations are fostering the training of personnel to develop and administer child health and welfare services. Following up its initial contribution of £250,000 in 1947, New Zealand gave a further £IOO,OOO to UNICEF in 1948. These contributions, plus the money raised for UNICEF in the United Nations Appeal for Children, make New Zealand one of the largest per capita contributors. The New Zealand representative is the first Vice-Chairman of the Executive Board of UNICEF and is also Chairman of the Committee on the Administrative Budget. The Board's reports have been approved by the Economic and Social Council and by the General Assembly of the United Nations. 5. Trusteeship and Non-self-governing Territories (a) Trusteeship The adjourned part of its second session, when the draft Statute for Jerusalem was discussed, and the third and fourth regular sessions, of the Trusteeship Council were held during the period under review. The representative of the Soviet Union attended meetings of the

Council throughout this period, having previously refused to participate on the grounds that the trusteeship agreements were unconstitutional. Unfortunately the objective standards of debate that were hoped for at San Francisco have not been apparent in the deliberations of the Trusteeship Council. This is partly due to the fact that, unlike its predecessor—the Permanent Mandates Commission—the Trusteeship Council has become a political rather than a technical body. A tendency has developed for the Council to be used as a forum for propaganda by the representative of the Soviet Union. Discussion in the Council has often been unnecessarily protracted with procedural questions. A lack of practical experience of the problems inherent in the administration of Native peoples has detracted from the validity of certain criticisms offered by the non-administering Powers who have nevertheless endeavoured to base their views and suggestions on humanitarian principles. In spite of these failings, the positive achievements of the Trusteeship Council have been considerable in the period under review. Reports from trust territories have been examined, petitions considered, visits to trust territories carried out, and some constructive recommendations proposed. The most important questions dealt with by the Trusteeship Council and by the General Assembly were : (i) Examination oj Annual Reports on Trust Territories At its third session, June-August, 1948, the Trusteeship Council -examined reports submitted by the administering Powers for Ruanda Urundi (Belgium), Tanganyika (United Kingdom), and New Guinea (Australia). Special representatives who were thoroughly familiar with the territories concerned attended on behalf of the administering Powers to answer questions put by members of the Council. During the consideration of New Zealand's report on Western Samoa at the fourth session, January-March, 1949, general satisfaction was expressed with the progress made and constructive suggestions for the political, economic, and educational development of the territory were offered. (ii) Administrative Unions The most important issue arising out of the examination of the annual reports on Ruanda Urundi, Tanganyika, and New Guinea was the right of the administering Powers, in pursuance of permissive provisions in the trusteeship agreements for those territories, to establish a Customs, fiscal, and administrative union between the trust territory in question and the adjacent non-self-governing territories of the Belgian Congo, Kenya and Uganda, and Papua

respectively. Much concern had been expressed, both in the Council and in the fourth (Trusteeship) Committee of the General Assembly,, by the non-administering Powers that such unions constituted a threat to the political individuality of the trust territories. The United Kingdom, Belgium, and Australia, while asserting that they acted entirely on the authority of the trusteeship agreements, gave assurances that the political status of the trust territories would be respected, and stressed the advantages of common services between the trust and adjacent colonial territories. The Fourth Committee finally adopted a resolution recommending that the whole question be investigated by the Trusteeship Council. The Council was directed to seek safeguards for the continuance of the " distinct political status " of the territories, investigate unions already constituted or proposed, and ask the advice of the International Court of Justice, where relevant, as to the compatibility of such unions with the Charter and trusteeship agreements. On a recommendation that the administering authority should consult the Trusteeship Council prior to establishing any such union, the New Zealand delegation maintained that, though such consultation was neither enjoined nor forbidden by the Charter or trusteeship agreements, it was desirable that there should be the fullest co-opera-tion and understanding between Council and administering authority. The recommendation that the Trusteeship Council should be consulted before any administrative unions were established was not passed by the necessary two-thirds majority in the plenary session of the General Assembly, but the Council was authorized by the General Assembly to set up a sub-committee to examine the question of administrative unions, and a report will be presented to the Council at its fifth session in June, 1949. (iii) Special and Visiting Missions In the Trusteeship Committee of the Assembly a number of delegations praised the " helpful and liberal" attitude of the New Zealand Government, which had then already implemented most of the recommendations made by the United Nations Mission to Western Samoa in 1947. In reply, the New Zealand representative stressed the importance of such Missions both to Council members and to peoples of the trusteeship areas ; informed decisions of the Council based on the reports of such Missions would certainly be more helpful to administering authorities and inhabitants than a priori judgments. The first periodic visiting Mission of the Trusteeship Council to Ruanda Urundi (Belgium) and Tanganyika (United Kingdom) took place in July-August, 1948. The four-member Mission reported

3—A l

to the fourth session of the Council, but consideration of their report was deferred until the next session as the administering authorities had not had time to submit their comments on the Mission's findings. The Council authorized the despatch of a similar visiting Mission to West Africa in November, 1948, comprising representatives of the United States, Belgium, Iraq, and Mexico. During discussion of the annual reports on the British Cameroons and Togoland, Sir Carl Berendsen pointed out to critics that it would be unwise to draw more than tentative conclusions from the annual reports before the Mission's report was received and considered. (iv) Political, Economic, and Educational Advancement of Trust Territories The General Assembly adopted a resolution recommending greater concentration on educational advancement by administering authorities, the development of free primary education, and increased provision for the training of indigenous teachers. The Council was directed to investigate the possibility of establishing in 1952 an African University for students from trust territories, and a committee of the Council has been established to investigate educational programmes in Africa. The Assembly adopted a Polish proposal calling on the administering Powers to promote the political, economic, social, and educational advancement of the inhabitants in trust territories and to accelerate their progress towards self-government. In committee, New Zealand opposed this resolution as constituting a vote of no-confidence in the administering Powers and the Council. Agreement was reached between the Security Council and the Trusteeship Council whereby the latter has undertaken the supervision of political, economic, social, and educational matters in strategic trusteeship areas, on which it will report to the Security Council. The only strategic trusteeship at present is the United States trust territory of the Pacific islands. (v) Petitions The Trusteeship Council at its fourth session examined petitions from African territories. Consideration of a petition from the Council of Chiefs of Nauru, praying that the Nauruans be granted some share of responsibility in the administration of Nauru, was postponed until the fifth session. (New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Australia are jointly responsible for the administration of Nauru under the trusteeship agreement, although the actual administration is delegated to Australia.)

(vi) South-west Africa The Fourth Committee, ostensibly discussing the detailed observations of the Trusteeship Council on the report of the South African Government on South-west African administration for 1946, in fact reopened the issue of trusteeship for this territory. The South African delegate restated his Government's reasons for not implementing the General Assembly resolutions recommending trusteeship, the fundamental one being the desire of both Europeans and indigenous inhabitants for incorporation in the Union. Tentative agreement had already been reached for political association with representation in the Union Legislature. In the general debate many delegations, particularly the Indian delegation, claimed that South-west Africa must either be held under a trusteeship agreement or be given independence, and that the present South African policy constituted absorption of the territory. A resolution recommending South Africa to continue to supply information to the Trusteeship Council until agreement with the United Nations on the future of the territory was reached was adopted by the Assembly after an Indian amendment, requesting the Union Government to agree to a visit by a United Nations Mission, had been rejected. New Zealand opposed the amendment, which could only provoke a blunt refusal from South Africa, and abstained from voting on the resolution as a whole. (b) Non- self-governing Territories Under the terms of Chapter 11 of the Charter, member States administering non-self-governing territories undertook, inter alia, to transmit statistical and other information of a technical nature relating to economic, social, and educational conditions in such territories. A Special Committee, consisting of the eight administering Powers (of which New Zealand is one in respect of the Cook and Tokelau Islands) and eight elected members (China, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, India, Nicaragua, Soviet Union, and Sweden), was established by the Assembly at its second session to examine this information. This Special Committee on Information, transmitted under Article 73 (e) of the Charter, as it is ponderously called, met in Geneva in 1948. There it examined the Secretary-General's summaries and analyses of the information transmitted. The questions which gave rise to most discussion both in the Committee and in the Assembly concerned the permanence of the Committee, the proper exercise of its functions in relation to non-self-governing territories, and the transmission by administering members of political information, which at present is optional for them. New Zealand transmits political or constitutional information on the Cook and

Tokelau Islands, believing that there is nothing to be gained by withholding information which is public and which is indicative of the liberal policy of the Government towards island peoples under our jurisdiction. The Special Committee submitted to the Assembly four draft resolutions designed to perfect procedures for transmission and consideration of information. These resolutions reflected a compromise between the views of the administering and non-administering Powers within the Special Committee. The Soviet Union alone, of the sixteen members, dissented. In the Assembly the Soviet representative, with the support of the other Slav States, proposed that the Special Committee's powers should be enlarged to resemble more closely those of the Trusteeship Council, but this proposal was rejected. The Special Committee's resolutions were then adopted as follows : by the terms of these four resolutions the Secretary-General was empowered to compare the economic, social, and educational problems of non-self-governing territories with those of territories (including sovereign States) submitting statistical information; liaison was to be established between the Special Committee on the one hand and the Economic and Social Council and specialized agencies such as ILO and WHO on the other; and the Special Committee was reconstituted for 1949. New Zealand voted against two amendments proposing the permanent establishment of this important Committee, which is, in fact, still in an experimental stage, and the amendments were lost. Nonadministering members elected to the 1949 Special Committee were Brazil, China, Dominican Republic, Egypt, India, Soviet Union, Sweden, and Venezuela. The Assembly also adopted a fifth resolution (proposed by India) requesting the administering Powers which had ceased to send information to the Secretary-General on the grounds that a particular territory had achieved self-government to justify such change in status by reference to relevant constitutional changes. New Zealand abstained from voting on this resolution in committee, believing that the difficult task of defining a non-self-governing territory was not one which the General Assembly should attempt. 6. Administration and Finance (a) Budget The gross total of the 1949 budget adopted by the General Assembly is $43,487,128 ; the net figure on which Governments' contributions are based is $42,659,814, of which New Zealand's share is one half of 1 per cent.

The Assembly approved the continuance for another year of the 1948 scale of contributions by which the largest contributor, the United States, pays 39.89 per cent, of the total. It resolved, however, that " in normal times " no State should contribute more than onethird of the budget for any one year. The New Zealand representative, considering that the essential criterion should be ability to pay, abstained from voting on this resolution. (b) Secretariat The Assembly approved—(a) A permanent staff pensions scheme. (b) A staff contributions scheme, designed to facilitate an adjust ment of the present situation whereby some members ot the staff are exempted by their Government from the obligation to pay taxes and some are not. (c) The progress made by the Secretary-General in ensuring that staff are drawn as equitably as possible from all member countries. In addition, the Assembly asked for a review of salary scales and the system of expatriation allowances. (c) Postal and Telecommunications Services The Assembly approved in principle the establishment of a postal service and a telecommunications system of the United Nations. (d) Working Languages of the General Assembly Although both the Secretary-General and the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions reported adversely on. a proposal to add Spanish to the existing working languages of the Assembly (English and French), a resolution to that effect was adopted. New Zealand was among the minority which considered that the attendant expenditure and administrative inconvenience were unjustified. (e) Training in Public Administration The Assembly approved a proposal that an International Centre for Training in Public Administration be set up under the direction of the United Nations. (/) Budgetary Co-ordination of the Specialised Agencies Under the direction of the General Assembly the Economic and Social Council is responsible for co-ordinating the work of the specialized agencies with that of the United Nations. For reasons of economy and efficiency alike, the New Zealand Government have always advocated the institution of all practicable measures of

administrative and financial unification. After discussion in joint meetings of Committees 2, 3, and 5, the Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution, sponsored by New Zealand, calling for consideration of the feasibility of developing a joint system for external audit and for a common collection of contributions. 7. Legal Questions The International Court of Justice heard one dispute, the Corfu Channel case, but did not deliver judgment during the period under review.* The Court gave an advisory opinion on the question of the admission of new members, which is reported under another section, f Later, the Court took up the question of reparation for injuries suffered in the service of the United Nations, as requested by the Assembly (see below). The questions considered in this section, all of which were dealt with by the General Assembly, relate not only to the application of international law, but to its development and codification and to legal aspects of the administration of the organization. (a) Violation by the Soviet Union of Human Rights and Diplomatic Practices The Chilean Government charged the Soviet Union before the Sixth (Legal) Committee of the Assembly with having violated fundamental human rights and traditional diplomatic practices by preventing the Soviet wives of foreigners, and in particular Mrs de Cruz, daughter-in-law of the former Chilean Ambassador in Moscow, from leaving the country. The Sixth Committee adopted a resolution which, after declaring that to prevent a wife from joining her foreign husband abroad was not in conformity with the Charter and in the case of a foreign diplomat was contrary to courtesy, diplomatic practice, and the principle of reciprocity, recommended that the measures complained of be withdrawn by the Soviet Union. Only the Eastern European States voted against this resolution, but a further proposal to seek the advice of the International Court on the question of diplomatic privilege was rejected. New Zealand voted for both resolutions. Final decision on this question was deferred until the second Dart of the Assembly session. (b) Genocide The second session of the General Assembly had asked the Economic and Social Council to complete the work already begun on a Convention on Genocide. The sixth session of the Council appointed an ad hoc committee, composed of China, France, Lebanon,

* Judgment was given on 9 April, 1949. f See page 43.

Poland, Soviet Union, United States, and Venezuela, to complete the existing draft and to submit it, together with the recommendation of the Commission of Human Rights thereon, to the seventh session. The Commission of Human Rights at its third session did not discuss the report of the ad hoc committee in detail, but expressed the opinion that it represented an appropriate basis for decisive action by the Council and the Assembly during their coming, sessions. The Council was likewise unable to discuss the ad hoc committee's report at its seventh session, but an oppprtunity was given to members to make statements. The New Zealand representative emphasized that the problem of genocide could not be isolated from the historical, social, and economic backgrounds of the countries in which acts of genocide take place. He suggested that a realistic approach to the problem required the removal of those insecurities which breed fear and hate and lead finally to complete disregard for human life. The New Zealand delegation doubted whether the Convention was the most appropriate answer to the problem of genocide, but would do all it could to make the Convention as effective as possible. This statement formed the basis of the New Zealand delegation's attitude to the Convention when it was discussed by the General Assembly. The delegation gave its strong support to the objectives of the draft Convention, and at the same time sought to ensure that it became a realistic document, including only generally acceptable principles and operating within clearly defined and attainable limits. The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide,* as finally adopted by a unanimous vote of the General Assembly, makes genocide a crime under international law. For the purposes of the Convention, genocide is any one of a number of acts " committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such " Of the five specific acts enumerated, the first is that of killing members of the group. The definition covers what is known as " physical genocide," and not the less concrete concept of " cultural genocide." This last, defined as " any deliberate act committed with the intent to destroy the language, religion or culture of a national, racial or religious group . . . ." was rejected by the Sixth Committee in the face of strong support from the Eastern European States. There was some controversy as to whether or not " political" groups should be included. Division of opinion in the Committee led to their omission. The question whether the Convention should provide for some form of international criminal tribunal to punish acts of genocide was also considered. Although the present text of the Convention

* The report of New Zealand delegation on the first part of the third regular session of the Assembly (E.A. Publication No. 75) reproduces the full text (Appendix HI).

implicitly recognizes that no agreement could be reached, a separate Assembly resolution invites the International Law Commission to study the desirability and possibility of establishing an international judicial organ for the trial of persons charged with genocide. At 31 March, 1949, only twenty-one members of the United Nations had signed the Convention and no ratifications had been deposited. (Twenty ratifications or accessions are required to bring the Convention into force.) The leader of the New Zealand delegation indicated, when the Convention was opened for signature in Paris, that he would not be able to sign the Convention until he had had an opportunity to refer the text back to his Government. (c) Reparation for Injuries Suffered in the Service of the United Nations This question was given particular urgency by the deaths in Palestine of the United Nations Mediator, Count Bernadotte, and of members of his staff. The assembly decided to ask for an advisory opinion from the International Court—(i) On the capacity of the organization to bring international claims against Governments for reparation in respect of damage caused to the United Nations or to the victim, (ii) In the event of an affirmative reply to (i), on the possibility of conflict with the rights of the State of which the victim was a national. (d) Permanent Missions The Assembly adopted a resolution which, for the first time, gave official standing to the permanent Missions which have been established by the majority of members at the seat of the organization, and laid down certain requirements in regard to the credentials and duties of permanent representatives. (e) Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations The Secretary-General reported to the General Assembly that twenty-eight States had acceded to the Privileges and Immunities Convention, two of which (Canada and New Zealand) had made reservations in respect of the taxation of United Nations officials. It was hoped that the adoption of a tax equalization plan* would remove the difficulties associated with tax exemption. The representative of the United States, the country most directly affected by the terms of the Convention, said that Congress was expected to ratify it shortly. The Assembly adopted a resolution (which New Zealand supported) urging tardy States to deposit their ratifications as soon as possible.

* See page 68.

MISCELLANEOUS INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS 1. The International Trade Organization (ITO) In the year ending 31 March, 1949, the Department has again taken part in the efforts which are being made by international organizations in the field of world trade and employment. The first of these is the International Trade Organization. As an aid to public discussion the Department has published during the year the text of the Havana Charter and the report of the New Zealand delegation to the Havana Conference. As at 31st March no Government had accepted the Charter and smaller countries have been deferring action pending its acceptance by the major Powers. In the meantime, the Interim Commission for ITO, of which New Zealand is a member, has elected and delegated its powers to an Executive Committee of eighteen members, which has been instructed to prepare a provisional agenda for the first session of the Conference of ITO after the Charter is accepted and to be prepared to make recommendations to the Conference on administrative matters and relationships with other international agencies. New Zealand is not a member of the Executive Committee, but was represented at its second session at Geneva in August, 1948, by an observer and the Department is kept fully informed of its activities. The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) On 30 June, 1948, New Zealand signed the Protocol of Provisional Application to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, drawn up by representatives of twenty-three countries at Geneva in October, 1947. The agreement is designed to contribute to the expansion of world trade and the improvement of standards of living, and, to this end, the contracting parties entered into negotiations on a mutually advantageous basis. The schedules of tariff concessions arising from these negotiations are incorporated in the agreement, together with general articles concerning the conduct of trade between the contracting parties. The concessions granted by New Zealand were applied as from 26 July, 1948, involving reductions of duty on numerous articles. New Zealand was represented at the second session of the contracting parties at Geneva in August, 1948, and then and later signed protocols amending the agreement to bring it into conformity with the relevant articles of the Havana Charter. During the year, the Department published the text of these protocols. The third session commenced at Annecy on 8 April, 1949, New Zealand being represented by a delegation competent to negotiate Tariff concessions with a number of countries wishing to join, and to discuss other matters arising from the provisions of the General Agreement.

2. The International Labour Organization Under the International Labour Organization's new constitution, the position of the Organization as one of the principal specialized agencies associated with the United Nations has been confirmed, and its membership has been strengthened by the entry of the Philippines, Burma, Ceylon, and El Salvador. Within this new framework ILO's manifold activities, devoted to the promotion of social justice in all countries, have been restored to their pre-war level and additional activities have been undertaken. Through its committees and its Secretariat, the International Labour Office, collection of facts about labour and social conditions in many countries and regions, with a view to establishing minimum international standards, has been continued. The total conventions and recommendations adopted by the ILO are now 90 and 83 respectively. The thirty-first session of the Internal Labour Conference met at San Francisco from 17 June to 10 July, 1948. The conference adopted conventions on freedom of association and protection of the right to organize, on night work of women engaged in industry, on night work of young persons employed in industry, and on the employment service and recommendations on the employment service. The New Zealand High Commissioner in Canada, Mr J. Thorn, who was the senior New Zealand Government delegate, was Chairman of the Committee established to draw up the Convention on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Eight to Organize. The various stages in the preparation of this convention and related measures were characterized by continuous collaboration between ILO and the competent agencies of the United Nations. In the first instance, the question was put before ECOSOC by the international trade-union'movement and was then referred to the ILO. ECOSOC and the United Nations General Assembly in turn approved the preliminary recommendations made by the ILO, and the 1948 ILO Conference adopted the new convention. The Conference also decided to consult further with the United Nations, particularly with the Commission on Human Rights, concerning the enforcement, through international machinery, of the right of freedom of association. Another ECOSOC recommendation to the ILO dealt with equal pay for work of equal value for men and women. The conference formally invited the governing body to take this principle fully into account in dealing with questions concerning women and girls and decided to place the question on the agenda of an early conference with a view to the adoption of appropriate international regulations. The conference accepted the United Nations Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of Specialized Agencies, as modified by an annex relating to the ILO. A 1949 budget of S(U.S.)S, 215,529 was approved, New Zealand's contribution being $>(U.5.)43,084.

As a specialized agency and under the terms of its agreement with the United Nations, the ILO presents periodical reports to the United Nations. When appropriate, ILO's operations are also integrated with the work of other specialized agencies such as FAO and WHO ; apart from the co-ordination with ECOSOC referred to above, the ILO has co-operated with this body at the regional level on European man-power problems. In order to help Governments utilize their man-power resources most effectively and to co-ordinate the labour , supply and demand at the international level, the ILO undertook a statistical inquiry into European manpower shortages and surpluses which might be met by immigration or emigration. This concern with man-power problems is continuing, and the ILO has extended its activities in this field to Asia and the Far East, where there is rural over-population and need to secure training for technical, professional, and skilled workers. At the request of ECAFE, an ILO expert made recommendations for the development, of technical training, and the ILO has decided to establish a vocational guidance centre for Far Eastern countries. At the same time the ILO also decided to set up a regional Tripartite Committee on Man-power and to call a regional conference of technical experts at an early date. New Zealand was represented at the third session of the Permanent Migration Committee of the ILO at Geneva from 13 to 27 January, 1949, when methods of affording protection to migrants of various categories were discussed. Apart from the twenty-four Governments represented on the Committee, there was a large attendance of observers from other international agencies. The Committee, inter alia, reviewed previous ILO migration regulations and prepared the draft of a new Convention on Migration for Employment. The New Zealand delegate took an active part in this preparatory work and stressed that the terms of the convention must be sufficiently flexible to cover varying conditions in countries receiving migrants. Certain amendments to this end were made in the draft submitted to the Committee. This proposed convention will be placed on the agenda of the thirty-second session of the ILO Conference this year. Concentrated work on standards of industrial safety was continued, and a Tripartite Technical Conference on Safety in Industrial Establishments at Geneva (27 September to 16 October, 1948) adopted, with a few reservations, a Model Code of Safety Regulations for Industrial Establishments. A conference was held in Ceylon during November, 1948, on labour inspection in Asian countries,

preparatory to the consideration of labour inspection as one of the main questions on the agenda of a projected First Asian Regional Conference. The governing body of the ILO has accepted an invitation from the New Zealand Government to hold the second meeting of the ILO Committee of Social Security Experts in New Zealand early in 1950. It is expected that the Committee will consider the lines along which. the various ILO conventions and recommendations concerning social security should be revised in view of modern trends in social-security practice. The several industrial committees appointed by ILO have continued their individual work, while other subjects which have received particular attention include vocational guidance, wages, women in industry, agricultural workers, and various maritime conventions. During the year, Mr Percy Coyle, of New Zealand, attended a meeting of the governing body of ILO as an employers' representative. 3. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) During the period under review UNESCO has expanded its activities and consolidated its position as an international organization. Its membership has increased and its activities have been extended to Germany and Japan. The scope of the programme of UNESCO is very wide and much of it consists of long-term work, the results of which cannot be immediately estimated. The report of the first Director-General, Dr Julian Huxley, on the progress of the organization during its second year indicates that much valuable work has already been done to foster a spirit of international co-operation in the educational, scientific, and cultural fields. This spirit has been achieved at the meetings and conferences held to discuss various UNESCO projects. It was particularly apparent at the three educational seminars held during 1948, and at the Utrecht conference of representatives of universities. UNESCO sponsored an International Summer School for Librarians in London in 1948, which was considered valuable for the opportunities it afforded for the interchange of methods and ideas, and the discussion of problems among the nationals of the different countries represented. In the scientific field, UNESCO took an active part in the organization of the Pacific Science Congress, which was convened in Auckland and Christchurch in February, and provided funds to enable several scientists from other countries to attend. In the field of natural sciences, UNESCO has now established four regional offices for international co-operation—at Cairo, Shanghai, New Delhi, and Montevideo—to create closer contact between scientists and scholars, who sometimes work far from their main centres of research.

During the period under review the UNESCO fellowships scheme came into operation. This scheme is part of a project to meet study needs in education, science, and culture by the exchange of persons. The New Zealand Government have offered five fellowships for study in this country during 1949—tw0 to China, and one each to the Philippines, Malaya or Singapore, and Burma. Candidates from the Philippines, Malaya, and Burma have been selected and will study social services, infant welfare, vocational guidance, and State housing during a six months' stay in New Zealand. On 26 November, 1948, the Third General Conference of UNESCO appointed H. E. Mr Jaime Torres Bodet, Mexican Minister of Foreign Affairs, to succeed Dr Julian Huxley as Director-General, for a term of six years. Shortly after taking up his new duties, Mr Bodet suggested that a concentration of effort on a limited number of urgent projects would enable UNESCO to achieve tangible results more quickly. Acting on this suggestion, the Executive Board have fixed an order of priority in the carrying-out of the organization's programme during 1949. The object of adopting priorities is to bring out the relative importance or urgency of different projects so that UNESCO's energies may be directed to the fulfilment of tasks most suited to the needs of the moment. Priority has been given to projects in the fields of reconstruction, education, social sciences, natural sciences, exchange of persons, and to the whole programme of the Department of Mass Communication ; particular attention will be given to the promotion of international understanding and better social conditions through the media of press, radio, and film. An extraordinary session of the General Conference was convened in Paris on 15 September, 1948, to determine the date and place of the third session of the conference. New Zealand was represented by Dr W. B. Sutch, the Secretary-General of the New Zealand Permanent Delegation to the United Nations. The third session of the General Conference of UNESCO was held at Beirut, Lebanon, from 17 November to 11 December. During the opening session the leader of the New Zealand Delegation, Mr R. G. Ridling, stressed the need for an economical budget and for more realism in programme activities. The New Zealand delegation was represented on many of the committees, commissions, and sub-commissions of the conference, and its report has been published as External Affairs Publication No. 78. The delegation was convinced that, although many weaknesses still remained in the programme and in the administration of UNESCO, the organization had, nevertheless, already done much constructive work. New Zealand's share of the 1949 UNESCO budget has been assessed at o*6o per cent., on which basis this country's contribution amounts, to $45,836. In addition, the sum of $1,299 is due from

New Zealand for deposit to the Revolving Fund. Accordingly, New Zealand's total contribution to UNESCO for 1949 amounts to $47,135. Until last September the co-ordination of UNESCO activities in New Zealand was undertaken by an Acting National Commission. In September the Permanent National Commission for UNESCO, consisting of fifteen members, was set up, and so far has held three meetings. The Department of External Affairs continues to act as the main channel of communication between the National Commission and the Secretariat of UNESCO, and also advises the Commission on questions of external relations. 4. The World Health Organization (WHO) The World Health Organization formally came into existence on 7 April, 1948, when the number of United Nations' members accepting its constitution reached twenty-six. There are now sixty members. The first World Health Assembly met at Geneva from 25 June to 24 July, 1948„ and approved a 1948 budget of $(U.5.)4,800,000, which includes $(U.5.)2,125,000 for repayment of loans made to the interim .Commission by the United Nations and $(U.5.)1,650,000 as a working fund capital, and a 1949 budget of $(U.5.)5,000,000. New Zealand's contributions are $23,324 and $24,153 respectively. The Assembly approved six major health campaigns dealing, namely, with malaria, tuberculosis, venereal diseases, nutrition, environmental hygiene, and maternal and child health. In the first 1949 quarter, $(U.5.)716,045 were allocated for advisory services, demonstrations, and fellowships connected with these campaigns in thirty-four countries. The Assembly also appointed an Executive Board of eighteen members which, in conjunction with the DirectorGeneral at the head of the Secretariat, is responsible for fulfilling decisions of the Assembly. The Executive Board was instructed to set up expert committees for each of these six campaigns, and similar action was taken on biological standardization—e.g., standardization of different types of penicillin—and on unification of pharmacopoeias. Provision was also made for study of a wide range of other subjects, including poliomyelitis. The Assembly adopted as World Health Assembly Regulations No. 1 the regulations on nomenclature, including compilation and publication, with respect to diseases and causes of death in order to ensure uniformity and comparability of these statistics. These regulations apply to all members unless notice of rejection is given. The regulations have been accepted by New Zealand.

Geographical areas were defined by the Assembly as Eastern Mediterranean, Western Pacific (which includes New Zealand), South-east Asian, European, African, and American, and the Executive Board was instructed to establish regional health organizations on receipt of the consent of a majority of the members in each area. No steps have yet been taken to establish the regional organization for the Western Pacific, but the South-east Asian organization is operating with headquarters at New Delhi. An important function of WHO and its 'expert committees is co-ordination with other international organizations. The operational values of both WHO and UNICEF, for instance, have been strengthened by the work of the Joint Committee of these two organizations, which has the task of regulating all UNICEF health programmes. Thus the financial resources of UNICEF are combined with the technical competence of WHO to the advantage of children and women, particularly in Europe and the Far East, who are receiving food and other assistance from UNICEF. This cooperation covers nutrition, field operations such as anti-tuberculosis injections, and training of personnel. On 16 February the U.S.S.R. advised the Director-General that the U.S.S.R. no longer considered itself a member of WHO. The grounds stated were that tasks connected with prevention of disease and dissemination of medical knowledge were not being accomplished satisfactorily, and expenses were too heavy for member States to bear. Similar action was taken by the Ukraine and Byelorussia. The Director-General replied that there was no provision in the WHO constitution for withdrawal and asked the three members to reconsider their position. He emphasized that WHO had accomplished much in a short period and considered it premature to express dissatisfaction with work which was only beginning. No information is at present available on further developments. It has been decided that New Zealand should denounce the agreement of 9 December, 1907, by which the Office International d'Hygiene Publique was established. This action was envisaged in the protocol signed by participants at the 1946 International Health Conference, when it was agreed that the duties and functions of the Office should be assumed by the WHO. 5. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) There have been two conferences of the FAO since that at Geneva in August-September, 1947. Sir Carl Berendsen, New Zealand delegate, was Chairman of a special conference held at Washington on 6 April, 1948, at which Mr Norris E. Dodd, formerly UnderSecretary of the United States Department of Agriculture, was

appointed successor to the retiring Director-General, Sir John Boyd Orr. The fourth annual conference also met at Washington during 15-29 November, 1948. In a report to the annual conference the Director-General estimated that for the first time since the war provisional exports of bread and coarse grains would almost meet provisional import requirements during the period July, 1948, to June, 1949. North America has become principal supplier of all deficit areas, and this dependence on hard currency means that unless international trade and payment problems can be resolved there may be disequilibrium amongst supply, demand, and distribution. FAO considers that stability in prices and distribution is the best guarantee against such maladjustment, and the Council was instructed to prepare tentative plans suitable to all commodities which are in short supply or which might become surplus to demand under normal trading conditions. For the world as a whole it remains an urgent problem to improve nutrition and increase food-production, which, in Asia at least, is not expanding rapidly enough to keep pace with population increases. Rice, which is a basic food for half the world's population, is in critically short supply, and the surplus for distribution in 1949 is less than half the quantity available in pre-war years. The conference established an International Rice Commission to enable Governments to deal co-operatively with production, conservation, distribution within countries, and consumption. This Commission met at Bangkok in March this year and the seventeen member Governments agreed on a 1949 programme of work. Regional activities were further developed during the year, operations being decentralized from FAO Headquarters through regional offices in Europe, the Near East, the Far East, and Latin America. A series of 1948 conferences at Baguio, in the Philippines, drew up plans for co-operative action to increase rice and fish supplies and improve nutrition in South and East Asia. In Latin America there were conferences on forestry products and nutrition, and in Europe one on rehabilitation and development. A Cairo conference made recommendations for the increase of food-supplies in the Near East, and other conferences dealt with Indo-Pacific fisheries, live-stock diseases, locust control, soil conservation, and infestation of stored food. A special Mission to Venezuela investigated edible oils. Demonstrations of food-preserva-tion methods were made in Czechoslovakia, Greece, and Italy, and Czechoslovakia was assisted in the construction of refrigeration plants. Training schools for statisticians were held in the Near East, Mexico, and China, while China, Siam, and Ethiopia have been helped to develop veterinary services. A large number of FAO experts are engaged in field operations throughout the world.

New Zealand is represented at the Forestry and Timber Utilization Conference for Asia and the Pacific which opened at Mysore on 28 March. Relations between FAO and the United Nations, its Economic and Social Council, the Regional Economic Commissions of that body, and with other specialized and international agencies have become closer. FAO co-operates on .many matters with WHO, ILO, and UNICEF. Under a FAO/UNRRA agreement, FAO technical experts have been placed directly at the service of countries formerly receiving UNRRA aid. In Europe, thirty-five such assignments were completed up to June, 1948, and fifty projects under way in China include one for the vaccination of 15 million animals against rinderpest. Through its eight technical divisions FAO provides information, advice, and assistance on all aspects of agriculture and food-production and brings its programmes and limited budgets into line with recommendations made to Governments. FAO is a clearing-house and also a first source of world agricultural information. Its publications include year-books, statistical bulletins, and technical pamphlets. Sixty-five countries are carrying on preparatory work for the 1950 World Census of Agriculture. 6. The International Emergency Food Committee (IEFC) As the International Emergency Food Committee of the Council of FAO, the former International Emergency Food Council has continued its work to secure an equitable distribution of available foodstuffs and associated products in short world supply. However, with the improvement in the supply of various commodities, several of the committees dealing with particular products have been disbanded as the need for allocation has disappeared. The annual FAO Conference in November, 1948, agreed that allocation of foodstuffs and fertilizers should be discontinued as soon as possible but decided that the time had not then come to dissolve IEFC. Latest available information indicates that only rice, cocoa beans, and nitrogenous fertilizers now remain under allocation. 7. The International Wheat Council The International Wheat Conference which met at Washington from 26 January to 23 March, 1949, drew up an agreement designed to assist stabilization of world wheat prices during the next four years. The agreement follows closely that reached at a similar conference last year and which New Zealand signed and accepted. Later New Zealand and other countries formally withdrew acceptance when the United States Congress failed to approve acceptance of

the 1948 agreement by the United States Government. New Zealand has also signed the 1949 agreement; signatory Governments must notify acceptance by 1 July, 1949. The exporting countries party to the present agreement are Australia, Canada, France, United States, and Uruguay. Argentine and the U.S.S.R., although they accepted invitations to the conference, are not participating in the agreement. Under the agreement the exporting countries undertake to provide, and importing countries undertake to purchase, a minimum quantity of wheat (in the case of New Zealand, 4,592,964 bushels) which will be sold at prices ranging from a basic maximum of s(Can.)l-80 per bushel for the four years and a basic minimum of s(Can.)l*so for 1949-50, the latter price dropping by annual 10-cent reductions to sl-20 in 1952-53. The basic maximum price is a reduction of 20 cents on that stipulated in the 1948 agreement. If the agreement comes into force, a new International Wheat Council to implement its provisions will be formed from representatives of the contracting States. 8. The United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) UNRRA, which ceased field operations in 1947, was formally dissolved by the Central Committee on 31 March, 1949, when the forty-eight member States were freed of any further obligations incurred under the original agreement. The final accounts showed that UNRRA received $(U.5.)3,968,392,725 in goods, services, and cash and that approximately 93 per cent, of this total went directly into provision and distribution of supplies. During five and onehalf years UNRRA brought assistance to sixteen countries and on its dissolution allocated residual funds to the following agencies, which undertook to carry on certain of UNRRA's activities : UNICEF, approximately $(U.5.)34,500,000 ; Board of Trustees for Rehabilitation Activities in China, $(U.5.)5,000,000 ; WHO, $(U.5.)4,000,000 ; IRO, $(U.5.)3,603,839 ; FAO, $(U.5.)1,135,000. The United Nations have taken over UNRRA's archives. 9. The International Refugee Organization (IRO) The constitution of the IRO came into force on 20 August, 1948, when Denmark's acceptance brought the number of ratifications to fifteen and the sum of these States' contributions to 75 per cent, of the total budget. The Preparatory Commission handed over its functions to the IRO itself on 13 September, 1948. In his report to the second session of the IRO General Council held at Geneva from 29 March to 8 April, 1949, and at which New Zealand was represented, the Director-General stated that between

1 July, 1947, and 31 December, 1948, 414,615 people we're repatriated or resettled, over 1,000,000 applied for help, and more than 875,000 were classified as eligible for assistance. While refugees were leaving IRO camps at the rate of 20,000 per month at the beginning of 1949, the agency was still assisting 715,000 men, women, and children. Over 500,000 people were receiving- care and maintenance, some 200,000 fewer than in July, 1947, but new admissions were being made at the rate of 8,000 per month. The Director-General estimated that a further 281,000 persons would come within IRO's jurisdition between 1 January, 1944, and 30 June, 1950, and this would bring to 977,000 the approximate number of persons requiring assistance during that period. Of these, some 607,000 would be repatriated or resettled or would otherwise pass beyond the scope of IRO, and at 30 June, 1950, there would still be 370,000 persons to be re-established. Half of this total would comprise people who, for various reasons, could not be resettled under existing conditions. The Director-General said that the rate of admissions was higher than had been foreseen and that applications were coming from two sources—new arrivals and people who, while they had been in the area of operations for some time, were only now seeking aid. Secondly, the rate at which refugees had been re-established was slower than had been planned. This had been due in part to shipping shortages and to the suspension by some countries of immigration programmes. The number of persons repatriated during the last twelve months had continued to decline, and for the present resettlement appeared to be the main hope for reducing the refugee problem in Europe to manageable proportions. The Organization had maintained the principle that no refugee who had valid reasons for not returning to his country of origin should be forced to do so. On the basis of the estimates in his report the Director-General put forward proposals for the termination of the IRO. programme and for future international action concerning refugees and displaced persons. When the Council discussed these proposals, suggestions were made that they could be amended to bring forward the date on which IRO should cease operations. The Council decided that, in the light of this discussion, the Director-General should submit to member Governments further recommendations on these two subjects and that they should be considered at a special session of the Council in June this year. It is possible that these discussions will result in a modification of the figures put forward in the DirectorGeneral's original estimates. The Council approved the issue of a press communique giving suggested time limits which should be observed for the liquidation of IRO and including 1 October, 1949,

as the date after which no Further registrations of eligibility should be made. In the meantime it was agreed that IRO should concentrate on an attempt to end its programme by the scheduled date, 30 June, 1950, and it was suggested that an early start should be made to deal with the problem presented by those refugees who are considered " ilnsettleable." Apart from attention to resettlement and repatriation, including the development of a world-wide transportation network, IRO has devoted considerable effort to the legal and political protection of refugees and displaced persons, to educational, health, vocational training, and rehabilitation programmes, and has also continued to enjoy support and co-operation from a large number of voluntary organizations. Two other features of IRO's operations have been the resumption of financial assistance to large numbers of Jews emigrating to Palestine and emergency plans to aid some 8,500 refugees in China. On 10 November, 1948, as a practical contribution towards the solution of the problems facing IRO, the New Zealand Government offered to accept a mixed group of 1,000 displaced persons. This offer, in making provision for a number of widows, orphans, and elderly persons, was described by the IRO as most encouraging and the first direct Government action on behalf of refugees who could not be resettled on the basis of their economic value alone. During February-April, 1949, a New Zealand Selection Team in Germany and Austria chose over 900 people, who are expected to arrive in New Zealand in June of this year. 10. International Civil Aviation The international aspects of civil aviation continued to occupy, throughout the period under review, a position of importance in the activities of the Department. The rapid development of international civil aviation in recent years and its impact on the political, economic, and cultural life of New Zealand have made it essential for the Department to maintain an active interest in this field. The continued extension of the functions of the Civil Aviation Branch of Air Department has relieved this Department of much of the work it formerly carried out in this field, but a considerable measure of co-operation and consultation between the External Affairs Department, the Civil Aviation Branch of the Air Department, and other Departments concerned has been maintained. The second Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), at which New Zealand was represented, was held at Geneva from 1 to 21 June, 1948. Representatives of thirty-seven contracting States, seven non-contracting States, and ten international organizations were in attendance.

The bulk of the questions before the Assembly were based on the deliberations of the Permanent Council during 1947-48, and for the purpose of concentrating its efforts the Assembly resolved itself into four working commissions covering legal, economic, technical, and administrative problems. The question of the charges which may be levied by any country for airport and other aviation facilities was discussed at length and, as a result, the Council was directed to undertake an immediate study of the facilities provided on international trunk air routes and to prepare a report on the matter. New Zealand is closely interested in this question, as the British Commonwealth provides a large number of airport and aviation facilities in ail parts of the world. This Assembly also adopted a resolution in accordance with Article 54 of the ICAO Convention to establish a Permanent Air Navigation Commission of twleve members having suitable experience in the science and practice of aeronautics which will be responsible for the collecting and collating of technical reports and information on air navigation with a view to devising and improving standards and recommended practices. This new Commission has replaced the Air Navigation Committee, which had been operating on an interim basis, but which had been prevented from carrying out its purely technical work by the intervention of national and political considerations. The New Zealand delegation again raised the question of international ownership and operation of international trunk air services and moved a resolution that the Council of the ICAO be directed to submit detailed reports upon legal, economic, and administrative problems involved in this matter. This resolution was adopted. The New Zealand delegation also urged that the study of the problem of securing a multilateral agreement on commercial rights in international air transport be continued. It was noticeable that the second Assembly, unlike the first ifi 1947, was not clouded by any significant political issues. The Organization appeared to have settled down on to more solid foundations, and national delegations, in almost all cases, guided themselves by the principle that the main purpose of the Organization is to develop techniques of international air navigation and foster the development of international air transport. The third meeting of the South Pacific Air Transport Council (SPATC) was opened at Wellington on 29 November, 1948, and concluded on 7 December, 1948. This meeting had a particular significance as it was the first occasion that Canada was represented as a member. Previously Canada had been represented by an observer only. Canada has designated a privately-owned airline (Canadian Pacific Airlines) to operate an air service between North

America and the South Pacific, and although this airline will compete with the jointly owned and operated British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines, New welcomed Canada's decision to become a member of the Council as a means of furthering British Commonwealth co-operation in the field of aviation. At this meeting a resolution was adopted to provide liaison between the Council and the South Pacific Commission. The South Pacific Commission had decided on a works programme which included the project to collect information on existing sea and air transport services in the South Pacific and to analyse further needs and suggestions for the improvement of these services, and it is essential that co-operation be established between the two bodies. Some difficulty has been experienced in the past in dealing with policy questions concerning the joint operating organizations due to the fact that the United Kingdom Ministry of Civil Aviation did not have a representative in either Australia or New Zealand. It is satisfactory to note, therefore, that the United Kingdom intends to appoint a suitable representative who will be available for consultation with the Australian and New Zealand authorities whenever required, 11. The Inter-governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) The second session of the Preparatory Committee of the IMCO was held at Lake Success on 30 November and 1 December, 1948. New Zealand has not ratified the convention establishing IMCO and was not represented at the Preparatory Committee's second session, which was mainly concerned with administrative problems pending the coming into force of the permanent Organization. 12. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) New Zealand ratified, on 8 July, 1948, the convention establishing the International Telecommunications Union, and the year under review has been one of transition from the outmoded regime of the Madrid Convention, 1932, to the more modern organization established by the Atlantic City Convention of 1947. It is essential for New Zealand that international telecommunications should be organized on a sound basis, and although most of the work done in connection with the ITU is of a technical nature and outside the scope of the External Affairs Department, a close study is made of all developments affecting the Government's external policy. The Provisional Frequency Board, entrusted with the task of preparing a new international frequency list, began its work at Geneva on 15 January, 1948, and continued throughout the year under review.

During this period New Zealand was represented at the following conferences : (1) The first session of the International Administrative Aeronautical Radio Conference, which opened at Geneva on 15 May, 1948, but went into recess on 25 September, 1948, and is to reassemble on 31 July, 1949. The main task of this conference is to draw up a frequency allocation plan for the Aeronautical Mobile Service. (2) The International Consultative Committee, which held its fifth plenary session at Stockholm on 12 July, 1948, with a view to discussing the band widths, operating problems of radio band standards for monitoring stations, and other technical problems. (3) The Preparatory Committee for the Third Region Frequency Conference, which met at Geneva during September, 1948, to make a preliminary survey of the work to be done at the Third Region Frequency Conference, scheduled to commence in Geneva in May, 1949—namely, the reallocation of frequencies within the region as required by the Atlantic City Radio Regulations 1947. (4) The International High Frequency Broadcasting Conference, which opened at Mexico City on 23 October, 1948. The task of this conference was to adopt a high frequency broadcasting allocation plan. A satisfactory measure of agreement was reached and an adequate allocation was made to New Zealand, which was one of the fifty-one countries to sign the resulting convention. Eighteen countries, including the United States of America and the U.S.S.R. have not yet become signatories, but it is hoped that with further study this difficulty will be resolved in the near future. NEW ZEALAND'S REPRESENTATION OVERSEAS 1. General The scope of New Zealand's representation overseas has been enlarged during the year by the establishment in February, 1949, of a Consulate-General of New Zealand at San Francisco. This step was taken to meet the greatly increased volume of consular, shipping, and business activity affecting New Zealand on the west coast of the United States of America, undertaken in the miin up to that time by the Honorary New Zealand Government Agent in San Francisco. The establishment of this Consulate-General brings the number of New Zealand's diplomatic missions, High Commissioners' Offices, and consular offices up to eight; a summary

of the activities of each is included in the following pages of this chapter. New Zealand's first Embassy overseas was created in December, 1948, with the elevation of the status of the New Zealand Minister in Washington to that of Ambassador. There has been little change in the total number of staff employed at New Zealand's overseas posts during the past year. Washington, Ottawa, and Canberra have remained at their 1948 annual report figures ; the staff of the Legation in Moscow'has been reduced by 1, and that of the combined office at New York increased by 1. Owing to a constant increase in the range and complexity of the duties performed by the Office of the High Commissioner for New Zealand in the United Kingdom, 4 new members have been added to the staff of New Zealand House, bringing the total number to 187. The staff at the newly-established Consulate-General at San Francisco numbers 4. As was the case in last year's annual report, it is necessary to refer to the heavy strain which representation at international conferences has imposed on New Zealand's overseas posts. The United Kingdom and North America posts, in particular, have been seriously depleted, sometimes for long periods, during the year by the need for sending members of their staffs to attend conferences both in Europe and in the United States of America. 2. Office of the High Commissioner for New Zealand, United Kingdom A study of the activities of the Office of the High Commissioner for New Zealand in the United Kingdom during the year ended 31 March, 1949, indicates that the increase in the volume of work apparent since the end of the war has by no means yet reached its peak. London has been the venue of a large number of conferences and meetings, both governmental and unofficial, during the year, and consequently the volume of visitors from New Zealand has probably exceeded that of any comparable period since the cessation of hostilities. In February negotiations were completed for the purchase by the New Zealand Government of the Carlton Hotel site, on the corner of Pall Mall and Haymarket, on which, ultimately, new headquarters for the High Commissioner's Office will be erected. As it will be some considerable time, however, before construction can be commenced, a short-term lease of additional office accommodation has been concluded and the occupation of these premises has greatly relieved the serious problem of overcrowding at New Zealand House. The External Affairs Section has been strengthened during the year by the appointment of a second Assistant External Affairs Officer, and this has enabled the Section to assume certain functions

previously undertaken by other branches of the Office. These include, for example, the handling of claims on behalf of New Zealanders in respect of property in ex-enemy countries and representation (in collaboration with the Finance Branch) on technical and special committees of Commonwealth officials, such as the Commonwealth Liaison Committee on the European Recovery Programme and the Sterling Area Statistical Committee. Apart from these additional duties, the Section has continued to maintain a close and useful liaison with the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Relations Office on a wide range of subjects. The regular meetings of Commonwealth High Commissioners in London, as well as several meetings with the Secretaries of State for Foreign Affairs and Commonwealth Relations and other Cabinet Ministers, have been attended by Mr Jordan and the External Affairs Officer. The Public Relations Branch, which was set up in July, 1948, absorbing the Information and Publicity Sections, is working under constant pressure to fulfil the increasing demand for articles, photographs, films, and general publicity material on New Zealand. The " Meet New Zealand " Exhibition closed in July after a most successful seven months' tour of the country. This exhibition has proved an invaluable medium of publicity for New Zealand throughout the United Kingdom. Others, on a much smaller scale, illustrating various aspects of New Zealand life and conditions have been prepared for inclusion in local exhibitions. Inquiries by intending immigrants as to the prospects of settling in New Zealand continue unabated. The effects of the alteration in the exchange-rate have added materially to the normal duties of the Finance Branch, which, during the year under review, included the ordering and shipping of bank-notes, cupro-nickel coins, crown pieces for the postponed Royal Tour, and postage-stamps. The Finance Officer was also associated with the issue of £7,000,000 3-per-cent. 1973-77 Government stock in February, 1949, the outstanding success of which can rightly be accepted as a reflection of New Zealand's high credit standing in London. The function of issuing passports and visas is now undertaken by the General Branch of the High Commissioner's Office, which, during the year, has continued to assist the New Zealand Public Service Commission, local authorities, and the University of New Zealand to fill vacancies in this country. Among its wide range of activities the Branch is concerned with New Zealand rehabilitation bursars and other students in the United Kingdom, and comment has been made, incidentally, on the outstanding results achieved by a large number of these persons in their various fields of study.

As in the past, the Stores Indents Branch has arranged the ordering and shipping to New Zealand during the year of large quantities of goods ranging from electric locomotives and rolling-stock for the Railways Department to books and pamphlets for the National Library Service. The Branch was called upon to render special services in connection with the proposed Royal Tour of New Zealand. The New Zealand Joint Service Liaison Staff have. continued their primary function of maintaining close contact with the United Kingdom Government and exchanging information on matters relating to defence with the United Kingdom Services' and with Missions of other Commonwealth countries in London. In addition, members of the staff have from time to time attended various courses of instruction and conferences in which New Zealand has been invited to participate. Among the many activities with which the individual Service Headquarters have been occupied during the year have been the recruitment of personnel for all three Services in New Zealand and the refitting and commissioning of the six Lochclass frigates purchased by the Government from the Admiralty for the Royal New Zealand Navy. Four of these vessels have now arrived on the New Zealand station. Three Royal New Zealand Air Force crews were sent from New Zealand to take part in the Berlin Airlift and have been continuously on duty. New Zealand's immigration scheme has proceeded apace during the year under review and up to the present a total of 3,369 emigrants have embarked for New Zealand. An 'extension of the scheme in May, 1948, to cover additional categories of industry in New Zealand, and the introduction of a nomination scheme, resulted in a considerable expansion of the Branch's activities. In addition, New Zealand has offered to accept approximately 1,000 displaced persons from Europe, and the Branch is collaborating with the International Refugee Organization in the selection and embarkation of these persons. With the Overseas League the Immigration Branch has also been engaged in the administration of a child migration scheme and it was anticipated that the first party of 18 children would leave the United Kingdom for New Zealand in April. Liaison with the Commonwealth Scientific Offices in attendance at several international Commonwealth scientific congresses and meetings, and attention to special inquiries in the field of science from New Zealand have claimed the major part of the time of the Scientific Adviser to the High Commissioner. He has also been closely associated with the Joint Service Liaison Staff on matters relating to defence science. While the scope of this report does not permit of a detailed study of all the activities carried out by

the High Commissioner's Office and the branches under its control, mention rnust • necessarily be made of the outstanding work done during the year by the representatives in the United Kingdom of the Departments of Industries and Commerce, Customs, Tourist and Health Resorts, Marketing, Agriculture, and the Public Trust Office. Through their agency the business of the High Commissioner's Office has in many respects been greatly expedited and the ability of the Office to give a higher-degree of service to the public and to the United Kingdom Government—as well as to New Zealand Government Departments—has been considerably increased by the efficient manner in which their duties have been carried out. The High, Commissioner was associated with the Prime Minister during Mr Fraser's attendance at the Conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers held in London in October, 1948, and he accompanied Mr Fraser on visits to Germany early in November and to Ireland in December. Apart from a brief period of illness in February and March of this year, the High Commissioner, in addition to fulfilling the numerous engagements which his official position demands, has continued his attendance at the periodic meetings of Commonwealth High Commissioners, in London and at various other official meetings arranged from time to time. Once again heavy calls have been made upon New Zealand House to provide delegates and staff to represent .New Zealand at conferences in the United Kingdom and on the Continent. These have included the United Nations Conference on Freedom of Information at Geneva in April, the International Administrative Aeronautical Radio Conference at Geneva from May to September, the Assembly of the International Union of Official Travel Organizations at Oslo in June, the Eighth World Poultry Conference held at Copenhagen during August, the second session of the contracting parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and the second session of the Interim Commission of the International Trade Organization (both of which took place in Geneva in August and September), the third session of the United Nations General Assembly held in Paris from September to December, the fourth meeting of the Study Group for a European Customs Union at Brussels in December, and the third session of the Permanent Migration Committee of the International Labour Organization at Geneva in January. To other conferences in Europe attended by delegates from New Zealand, secretarial and cipher staff were sent from London as and when the necessity arose.

3. Office of the High Commissioner for New Zealand, Canada Canada's increasingly important role in international affairs, exemplified by the extension of Canadian Missions abroad to cover forty-four countries, by her position as a- member of the Security Council, and her leading part in the Atlantic Pact, has emphasized the importance of keeping abreast of Canadian policy on external affairs through the New Zealand High Commissioner's Office in Ottawa. During the year under review this task has been a particularly exacting one, since the resources of the High Commissioner's Office, containing only two diplomatic officers apart from the High Commissioner, have been severely taxecl by calls- on the staff to represent New Zealand at overseas conferences. From 13 June to 7 July the High Commissioner was absent from Canada as New Zealand Delegate to the International Labour Conference in San Francisco. He then * proceeded to Geneva as New Zealand delegate to the seventh session of the Economic and Social Council, and then to the United Nations General Assembly in Paris, returning to Ottawa in December, 1948. The Assistant Secretary was also absent from 3 July to 1 September, 1948, as adviser to the the New Zealand delegation to the Economic and. Social Council. From 5 February to 19 March, 1949, the High Commissioner and Assistant Secretary were absent in . New York for the eighth session of the Economic and Social Council. During the periods when the High Commissioner was absent, the Official Secretary assumed charge of the Mission as Acting High Commissioner. Apart from the more important work of keeping the New Zealand' Government informed on trends in Canadian domestic and external affairs, the High Commissioner's Office has maintained consultation on a Commonwealth basis with the Canadian Department of External Affairs and continued to cope with inquiries from students and prospective immigrants and tourists, as well as taking care of the interests of New Zealanders visiting or resident in Canada. Publicity material interpreting New Zealand affairs to Canadians has continued to be issued to the Canadian press. Film screenings and numerous talks given to various organizations by the High Commissioner in an extensive tour of the provinces in the early part of the period have also secured favourable publicity for New Zealand. The High Commissioner's Office has maintained close liaison with the New Zealand Trade Commissioner's Office in Montreal and the New Zealand Honorary Government Agent in Vancouver on matters of mutual interest; contact on administrative arrangements was also maintained with New Zealand posts in the United States.

4. Office of the High Commissioner for New Zealand, Australia Close liaison with the Australian Department of External Affairs by the High Commissioner's Office, in pursuance of the prior consultation between the Australian and New Zealand Governments -enjoined by the Canberra Pact on matters of international affairs in which we have a common interest, continues to be a marked feature of the daily activities of the Office. Questions discussed have included Antarctica, Asian Conference in New Delhi, Italian colonies, recognition of Israel, human rights in the Balkan and Central European countries, occupation policy in Japan, the trusteeship of Nauru, the International Children's Emergency Fund, and Indonesia. The Office has followed and reported on social, economic, and political conditions in Australia. The settlement of displaced persons and the employment of immigrants, labour conditions, price control, industrial disputes, rationing, the wheat harvest and export trade, and citizenship legislation are subjects which illustrate the scope of the reporting undertaken by the Office. The High Commissioner, as the New Zealand representative on the Anzac Agency of the Imperial War Graves Commission, has attended regular meetings in Melbourne. This organization is responsible for the care and maintenance of New Zealand and Australian war graves in the Pacific area, notably the War Cemetery at Bourail, New Caledonia. Three international conferences at which New Zealand was represented were held in Australia during the year under review. In May and November the first and second sessions of the South Pacific Commission were held at the temporary headquarters in Sydney. The third session of ECAFE was held at Lapstone, New South Wales, in November-December, 1948, when the High Commissioner's Office provided secretarial staff for the New Zealand delegation. The High Commissioner, Mr J. G. Barclay, has accepted many invitations to address associations and organizations throughout Australia, necessitating travel as far afield as Tasmania and Queensland. Accompanied by Mrs Barclay and the Official Secretary, Miss J. R. McKenzie, he visited the western districts of Victoria in October. The High Commissioner attended a meeting of the South Pacific Air Transport Council in Wellington in November, and during his absence .in New Zealand Miss McKenzie was Acting High Commissioner. The Governor-General and Lady Freyberg visited Australia and were the guests of the Governor-General of Australia, Mr W. J. McKell. Their Excellencies were welcomed enthusiastically both

in Canberra and in other parts of Australia, and there is no doubt that their visit has done much to strengthen further the good relations that exist between the Governments and peoples of Australia and New Zealand. The Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Minister of Agriculture, and the Minister in Charge of Social Security visited Canberra during the year for consultation and discussion with Federal Ministers of the Crown. Subjects under discussion included, among others, the Commonwealth discussions in London, sterling area arrangements, dollar expenditure and proposals for economic integration between New Zealand and Australia, the purchase of wheat, and reciprocal •social-security arrangements. The Office performs a function that is unusual in other overseas posts. Some Governments which have no diplomatic representatives in New Zealand accredit their diplomatic officers at Canberra both to Australia and New Zealand, and the High Commissioner's Office is one of the channels of communication between the New Zealand Government and the Governments of those countries. India, Pakistan, Ceylon, Norway, and Eire are some of the countries referred to. A film library is maintained in the Office and requests for the screening of New Zealand Government films are increasing with the growing interest of Australians in their nearest neighbour! Publicity and information on New Zealand is distributed by the High Commissioner's Office as well as by the New Zealand Travel Managers in Sydney and Melbourne. Constant liaison is maintained with the other New Zealand Government offices in Australia, with the Trade Commissioners and Travel Managers in Sydney and Melbourne, and with the New Zealand Defence Liaison Officer and New Zealand Scientific Liaison Officer in Melbourne. Colonel C. J. S. Duff, D.5.0., was replaced by Colonel D. T. Maxwell, 0.8. E., as New Zealand Defence Liaison Officer. Colonel Maxwell is also military adviser to the High Commissioner. The bulk of the New Zealand Government procurement work in Australia is done by the Trade Commissioners' Offices in Sydney and Melbourne, but a number of cases involving Government policy or requiring representation to Federal Ministers or negotiations with head offices of Federal Departments are referred to the High Commissioner's Office. The purchase of wheat and eggs, the export of Merino ewes, the payment of Federal incometax by New Zealand Government rehabilitation bursars studying in Australia, and the provision of chartered flights on the Tasman service are a few examples of the questions taken up directly by the High Commissioner in Canberra.

The office staff, consisting of the Official Secretary, the Assistant Official Secretary, an office-assistant, and one stenographer, remain unchanged. 5. New Zealand Embassy, United States of America The increasing importance of the work of this post is reflected in the raising of its status to an Embassy. Sir Carl Berendsen, who has been New Zealand Minister to the United States since 1944,; became New Zealand's first Ambassador when he presented his credentials to President Truman on 1 December, 1948. Contemporaneously the United States Legation was raised to the status of an Embassy, the first to be established in Wellington. The Prime Minister (the Right Hon. P. Fraser) visited the Embassy in January, 1949, on his return from the third session of the General Assembly in Paris and the Commonwealth Conference in London: During his stay in Washington Mr Fraser met President Truman and had discussions with Robert A. Lovett, Acting Secretary of State J During the year under review heavy demands were made on the staff of the Embassy to represent the Government at international conferences both inside and outside the United States. The following conferences are among those which have been attended by the Ambassador or members of the staff: the second special session of the General Assembly which was concerned with the problem of Palestine, the adjourned part of the second session and the third and fourth sessions of the Trusteeship Council, the Interim Committee of the General Assembly, all of which meetings took place at United Nations Headquarters; the Far Eastern Commission and its committees, which meet regularly once a week in Washington ; the special session of the Food and Agriculture Organization, of which Sir Carl Berendsen was elected Chairman ; the Special Committee on Non-self-governing Territories in Geneva in September, 1948 ; and the third regular session of the General Assembly in. Paris. Regular fortnightly meetings of the heads of British Commonwealth Missions in Washington were attended by the Ambassador and reports were forwarded to Wellington. Many of the meetings enumerated above were of lengthy duration and greatly increased the work of the Embassy. The Embassy has continued to keep the Department informed about important developments in the United States and upon special issues from time to time. Where a matter is particularly urgent and important it is covered by telegraphic reporting, but normally general information is contained in the regular report on current events which is despatched once a fortnight. The general work of the Embassy was concerned with reporting on United States legislation, forwarding copies of Acts and congressional reports, answering

immigration inquiries, and providing information on New Zealand statutes and domestic conditions. Advice and assistance were given to New Zealand nationals in the United States ; the presidential and congressional election campaign was reported upon and considerable attention was devoted to the discussions in Congress and the nation-wide reactions to the Atlantic Pact and the progress of the European Recovery Progiamme, with particular reference to its impact on the American scene, has been fully covered in reports. Some of the particular assignments directly affecting New Zealand and the United States were the negotiations with the State Department leading to the signature in Wellington of the United States Educational Foundation Agreement, which enables surplus lend-lease credits to be used by American scholars for study in' New Zealand and for the payment of travelling-expenses of New Zealand students to the United States. Arrangements have been made for New Zealand students to participate in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology foreign students' summer project, 1949, and members of the Embassy have observed and reported on educational conferences, at which opportunity was taken to explore the range of scholarships and other assistance open to New Zealand students and trainees. The Embassy, in conjunction with the Rehabilitation Department in Wellington, provides advice and assistance to New Zealand rehabilitation bursars studying in the United States. Invitations to attend the Seventh Pacific Science Congress were sent through the Embassy to various United States organizations and Government bodies. A proposal for an international regime for Antarctica was received from the State Department and, after consideration in Wellington, was the subject pf discussion with the United States authorities. The volume of inquiries for travel information and for details of all aspects of New Zealand life steadily increases. The activities of the Embassy in the matter of supplying information about New Zealand, in addition to the. answering of immigration inquiries, the dissemination of printed literature and photographs, and the circulation of films, have included the preparation of feature articles dealing with various aspects of New. Zealand life for distribution to schools. In particular there has been a marked increase both in volume and detail of inquiries regarding health benefits and socialsecurity programmes, reflecting the increased public interest felt in the United States as a result of President Truman's announced intention to inaugurate a form of health insurance and wider socialsecurity benefits. In the last quarter of the year under review there were 202 screenings of films, and 122 requests had to be refused owing to the heavy demands on the Embassy's stocks of films. Negotiations are continuing with an American company to televise all New Zealand

Government films. One film has already been released on a trial basis by television in New York. This company already buys film from the 35 mm. Weekly Review for incorporation in its own news-reel and distribution throughout the United States. The Embassy is one of the three New Zealand consular offices in the United States, the other two being located in New York and San Francisco. During the year a total of 33 passports and 184 visas were issued by the Embassy, and the. consular work may be expected to increase with the passing of the British Nationality and New Zealand Citizenship Act of 1948. The staff of the Embassy has undergone several changes during the last year. The departures included Mr R. B. Taylor, Third Secretary, to the High Commissioner's Office in London; Mr G. R. Powles, Counsellor, to Wellington to take up his appointment of High Commissioner of Western Samoa; and Mr J. S. Reid, Counsellor, to Wellington. Arrivals included Mr G. R. Laking,, Counsellor, and Mr F. H. Corner, First Secretary, both from Wellington. 6. New Zealand Legation, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics The important political function of observation and interpretation of Soviet policy, both external and domestic, has continued to be the principal task of the Legation at Moscow during the past twelve months. The information forwarded by the Legation in the course of its work has been of much value to the Department, for the correct evaluation of the changes and developments in international relations which followed the immediate post-war period is dependent upon studied appraisal of the policy of the Soviet Union and the other Great Powers. Much of this information is contained in the regular fortnightly summaries of current events and the quarterly reports which are despatched by the Legation, but, in addition to these, it has supplied special reports on the more important international developments during the period. Members of the staff have also undertaken studies of significant Soviet institutions, and papers have been prepared and forwarded on a number of subjects in this sphere, including education, health services, living-standards, labour incentives, and various aspects of agriculture and industry in the Soviet Union. The Legation has also been able to forward useful information on political and social developments in the neighbouring East European States. The exchange of information of a cultural, scientific, and technical character between Departments in New Zealand and corresponding institutions in the Soviet Union has been continued through the-

4—A 1

agency of the Legation. Selections of Russian text-books and works of reference have been forwarded for distribution to the appropriate New Zealand Departments. A wide range of up-to-date information of both a general and specialized nature is provided in the translations of current articles from the Soviet press which are made by the Joint Press Reading Service in Moscow, and the Legation has continued to classify and forward these at weekly intervals. The general function of furnishing information on New Zealand and its people is an important part of the duties of the post, and the Legation has continued to handle a number of inquiries for such information. Articles on various aspects of New Zealand life have been supplied to the Russian-language newspaper British Ally, which is published by the British Embassy, Moscow. The Minister and Mrs Bos well returned to Moscow on 28 July, 1948, after a period of furlough in New Zealand. Mr D. P. Costello, First Secretary, was absent on official business in London and Paris in October and November, 1948. Mr D. W. Lake, Third Secretary, was relieved by Mr B. D. Zohrab in December, 1948, and returned to New Zealand. 7. Permanent Delegation of New Zealand to the United Nations, New York As is indicated elsewhere in this report, there was a marked increase in the activities of the United Nations during the year. This meant a corresponding increase in the duties of the Permanent Delegation, whose function it is not only to represent New Zealand at the Headquarters of the United Nations, but to provide representatives and secretarial services for the majority of United Nations conferences. So heavy was the schedule of meetings—some of them held in Europe—for which the office was required to provide staff, that members of the delegation were engaged almost continuously in duties of representation in addition to their normal office work. In March, 1949, the delegation consisted of a Secretary-General, a Second Secretary, a Third Secretary (one fewer than last year), and the necessary office staff. 8. Consulate-General of New Zealand, New York The Consulate-General in New York continued during this period to share its offices with, and to provide certain administrative services for, the Permanent Delegation to the United Nations, in addition to performing the usual consular functions.

At the beginning of 1949, Mr T. O. W. Brebner, who had been in charge of this office since its establishment, was appointed ConsulGeneral at San Francisco. Following the establishment of the San Francisco ConsulateGeneral, the consular jurisdiction of the New York Office, which had previously been limited to the New York area, has been extended to cover the thirty-six States not included in the jurisdiction of the former post. Mr D. W. Woodward has been appointed Consul-General with effect from 1 April, 1949. He will also hold the office of Trade Commissioner, a new post created in recognition of the importance of New York as a centre of world trade. The Consul-General is assisted by a Vice-Consul and a Customs representative. 9. Consulate-General of New Zealand, San Francisco This new post was established with Mr T. O. W. Brebner as the first Consul-General on 15 February, 1949. It will perform the usual consular functions in respect of the States of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, and the territory of Hawaii. OVERSEAS REPRESENTATION IN NEW ZEALAND While no alteration in the number of diplomatic Missions and British Commonwealth High Commissioners' Offices has occurred during the year, important changes in the status of such representation have taken place. In November, 1948, the Governments of the United States of America and New Zealand agreed to elevate their respective Missions in Wellington and Washington to the status of Embassies, and on 22 December, 1948, the then Minister of the United States of America at Wellington (the Honourable Robert M. Scotten) presented his credentials as the first Ambassador of a foreign State to New Zealand. Following closely upon this development came the recommendations made by the British Commonwealth Prime Ministers at their Conference in London in October concerning the status of High Commissioners. In accordance with these recommendations. High Commissioners in New Zealand now take precedence as if they had had the rank of Ambassador when they first arrived at Wellington. This procedure, which was approved by His Majesty the King, and came into force in New Zealand on 13 January, 1949, replaces the former practice of ranking High Commissioners according to the seniority of Commonwealth countries. From this date also the title of " Excellency " was granted to High Commissioners. Under

the new arrangements, Ministers and Charges d'Affaires ad interim continue to have the precedence previously accorded to them —that is to say, they follow the new category of Ambassadors and High Commissioners. From the date of the presentation of his credentials on 22 December, 1948, the Ambassador of the United States of America became Dean of the Diplomatic Corps. Up till this time the Minister of Belgium (Mr Armand Nihotte) was Acting-Dean during the absence of the Dean, Mr Armand Gazel (Minister of France). Mr J. B. D. Pennink presented his letters of credence as Minister of the Netherlands on 4 November, 1948, succeeding Dr A. F. H. van Troostenburg de Bruyn, whose death occurred in Holland some months after his departure from New Zealand in January, 1948. Dr W. Arriens acted as Charge d'Affaires ad interim until the arrival of the new Minister. Early in March, 1949, the agreement of the New Zealand Government was given to the nomination of Mr Alexander M. Alexandrov as Minister of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to New Zealand, in succession to Mr Ivan K. Ziabkin, who departed from New Zealand in August, 1947. Until the new Minister's arrival in New Zealand, Mr Pavel K. Ermoshin will continue to act as Charge d'Affaires ad interim. Mr Henry Rollet has been Charge d'Affairs ad interim of the Legation of France during the year under review. Mr Karl I. Eskelund, Charge d'Affaires ad interim of the Royal Danish Legation at Wellington, left New Zealand for Denmark on leave late in March. There have been no changes in the representation of countries of the British Commonwealth of Nations in New Zealand during the year. In April, 1948, a Consulate of the Argentine Republic was established at Wellington, and in December the Consulate of Italy was reopened. This brings the number of career Consulates at Wellington to five. Altogether, twenty-five foreign and Commonwealth countries are represented in New Zealand by diplomatic representatives, High Commissioners, Consuls of Career, and Honorary Consuls. In addition, the consular or trade representatives in Australia or the United Kingdom of five other countries not otherwise represented here exercise jurisdiction in New Zealand. There are at present thirty-nine consular offices of foreign Governments throughout New Zealand, the majority of which are, of course, headed by honorary consular representatives. A total of twenty career and honorary consular offices was recognized by the New Zealand Government during the year.

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APPENDIX 1 AGREEMENTS CONCLUDED BETWEEN NEW ZEALAND AND OTHER COUNTRIES, 1 APRIL, 1948, TO 31 MARCH, 1949 I. Multilateral Agreements Ratification by New Zealand of the Convention of the World Meteorological Organization and Protocol concerning Spain, signed at Washington, 11 October, 1947. New Zealand ratification deposited, 2 April, 1948. Ratification by New Zealand of Insured Letter and Box Agreement and Protocol Universal Postal Union, signed at Paris, 5 July, 1947. New Zealand ratification deposited, 12 May, 1948. Ratification by New Zealand of Universal Postal Convention together with Final Protocol and Detailed Regulations for the Execution of the Agreement signed at Paris, 5 July, 1947. New Zealand ratification deposited, 12 May, 1948. Ratification by New Zealand of Airmail Convention and Final Protocol signed at Paris, 5 Julv, 1947. New Zealand ratification deposited, 12 May, 1948. Protocol of Provisional Application of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, signed at Geneva, 30 October, 1947. New Zealand acceptance deposited, 30 June, 1948. Ratification by New Zealand of International Telecommunications Convention with Final Protocol and additional Protocols, signed at Atlantic City, 2 October, 1947. New Zealand ratification deposited, 8 July, 1948. Ratification by New Zealand of International Wheat Agreement, signed at Washington, 25 March, 1948. New Zealand ratification deposited, 30 June, 1948. Note.—New Zealand withdrew from this Agreement on 6 July, 1948. Agreement relating to British Commonwealth and Empire Telecommunications and Protocol, signed at London, 11 May, 1948.* International Convention for the Safety of "Life at Sea, signed at London, 10 June, 1948f. Final Act of the International Conference on Safety of Life at Sea, signed at London, 10 June, 1948. Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, signed at Brussels, 26 June, 1948f. Protocol to bring under control the drugs outside the scope of the 1931 Convention, signed at Paris, 19 November, 1948.* Protocol modifying Part II and Article XXVI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade of 30 October, 1947, signed at Geneva, 14 September, 1948f. Ratification by New Zealand of Protocol modifying Part II and Article XXVI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade of 30 October, 1947, signed at Geneva, 14 September, 1948. New Zealand ratification deposited, 7 February, 1949. Protocol Modifying Part I and Article XXIX of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade of 30 October, 1947, signed at Geneva, 14 September, 1948f. Ratification by New Zealand of Protocol modifying Part I and Article XXIX of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade of 30 October, 1947, signed at Geneva, 14 September, 1948. New Zealand ratification deposited, 7 February, 1949.

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.Protocol for the Accession of Signatories of the Final Act of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade of 30 October, 1947, signed at Geneva, 14 September, 1948f. Second Protocol of Rectifications to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade of 30 October, 1947, signed at Geneva, 14 September, 1948f. Protocol to amend the International Convention for the Suppression of the Circulation of and Traffic in Obscene Publications of 12 September, 1923, signed at New York, 28 October, 1948.* International Wheat Agreement, signed at Washington, 25 March, 1949f. 11. Bilateral Agreements Denmark Exchange of Notes establishing a Visa Abolition Agreement. Signed at Wellington, 13 December, 1948.* Netherlands Exchange of Notes establishing a Visa Abolition Agreement. Signed at Wellington, 3 March, 1949.* Northern Ireland Memorandum of Reciprocal Arrangements relating to Family Allowances and Family Benefits. Signed at Belfast and Wellington on 9 August, 1948, and 23 September, 1948, respectively.* Sweden Exchange of Notes establishing a Visa Abolition Agreement. Signed at Wellington, 30 July, 1948.* United Kingdom Memorandum of Reciprocal Arrangements relating to Family Allowances •and Family Benefits. Signed at London and Wellington on 6 August, 1948, and 23 September, 1948, respectively.* United States of America Agreement for the establishment of a United States Educational Foundation in New Zealand. Signed at Wellington, 14 September, 1948.* Exchange of Notes constituting an amendment to the Agreement for the Establishment of a United States Educational Foundation in New Zealand. Signed at Wellington, 3 and 9 March, 1949.* Exchange of Notes concerning visas for travel between the United States and New Zealand. Signed at Wellington, 14 March, 1949.* United Nations Agreement relating to United Nations Aid for Children, signed at Wellington and New York on 20 May, 1948.*

* Ratification not required. -j- Not binding on New Zealand until further action taken (e.g., ratification or acceptance).

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APPENDIX 2 NEW ZEALAND REPRESENTATIVES OVERSEAS* Australia CANBERRA, A. C. T.— Office of the High Commissioner for New Zealand— High Commissioner: J. G. Barclay. Official Secretary : Miss J. R. McKenzie. Canada OTTAWA— Office of the High Commissioner for New Zealand, 105 Wurtemburg Street — High Commissioner : James Thorn. Official Secretary : C. A. Sharp. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics MOSCOW— New Zealand Legation— Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary : C. W. Boswell. First Secretary: D. P. Costello. United Kingdom LONDON— Office of the High Commissioner for New Zealand, New Zealand Government Offices, 415, Strand — High Commissioner: Rt Hon. W. J. Jordan. Official Secretary : Major-General W. G. Stevens, C.8., C.B.E. United States of America WASHINGTON— New Zealand Embassy, 19 Observatory Circle— Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary : Sir Carl Berendsen, K.C.M.G. Counsellor: G. R. Laking. NEW YORK— Consulate-General of New Zealand, Suite 6004, Empire State Building— Consul-General: D. W. Woodward. Office of the Permanent Delegation of New Zealand to the United Nations, Suite 6004, Empire State Building— Permanent Delegate : Sir Carl Berendsen, K.C.M.G. Secretary-General: W. B. Sutch. SAN FRANCISCO— Consulate-General of New Zealand, 153 Kearny Street — Consul-General: T. O. W. Brebner.

* This list includes only New Zealand diplomatic Missions, High Commissioners' Offices, and Consulates-General overseas.

APPENDIX 3 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES AT WHICH NEW ZEALAND WAS REPRESENTED (1 APRIL, 1948 TO 31 MARCH, 1949)

Part I. —Conferences Under the Auspices of the United Nations and Specialized Agencies

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Title. Place. Date. Names of Delegates. 1. Social Commission of the New York. . 5-23 April Dr W. B. Sutch.* Economic and Social Council 2. Conference of the Food and Washington 6-14 April Sir Carl Berendsen.* Agriculture Organization Mr R. W. Marshall.* (special session) 3. Executive Board of the InterNew York.. 20 and 28 April Dr W. B. Sutch.* national Children's Emergency Fund 4. Special Committee of Economic New York.. 26 April Dr W. B. Sutch.* and Social Council on United Nations Appeal for Children 5. Preparatory Commission of the Geneva 4-12 May Mr M. C. Smith.* International Refugee Organization (sixth part of first session) 6. Special Committee of Economic New York. . 12 May Dr W. B. Sutch.* and Social Council on United Nations Appeal for Children 7. International Administrative Geneva 15 MayMr G. Searle. Aeronautical Radio Con25 September S-Ldr A. L. Partelow. ference 8. Correspondence Committee on Montreal .. 24-28 May Mr B. F. Waters. Social Security of the International Labour Organization (first session) 9. Special Committee of Economic New York.. 26 May Dr W. B. Sutch.* and Social Council on United Nations Appeal for Children 10. Assembly of the International Geneva 1-21 June Mr F. Shanahan.* Civil Aviation Organization Mr E. A. Gibson. (second session) Mr S. R. Meatchem. 11. Economic Commission for Asia Ootacamund 1-12 June Brigadier F. L. Hunt.* and the Far East of the (India) Mr R. R. Cunninghame. Economic and Social Council (third session) 12. Committee of International New York.. 10 June Dr W. B. Sutch.* Children's Emergency Fund on Administrative Budget 13. Trusteeship Council of the New'York.. 16 JuneMr J. S. Reid.* United Nations (third session) 5 August Mr C. Craw.* 14. International Labour ConSan 17 JuneMr J. Thorn.* ference (thirty-first session) Francisco 10 July Mr H. Parsonage. Mr H. F. Butland. Mr H. Kilpatrick. 15. World Health Assembly (first Geneva ' .. 25 June-24 July Dr F. S. Maclean. session) Mr T. P. Davin.* 16. International Conference on Geneva 28 June-5 July Mr G. W. Parkyn. Public Education (eleventh conference), sponsored by United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization and International Bureau of Education * Members of the staff of External Affairs Department or of . a New Zealand overseas Diplomatic Mission.

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Part I.—Conferences Under the Auspices of the United Nations and Specialized Agencies—continued

Title. Place. Date. Names of Delegates. 17. Interim Committee of the New York. . 7-9 July Sir Carl Berendsen.* General Assembly 18. International Radio ConsultaStockholm 12-31 July .. Mr G. Searle. tive Committee of the International Telecommunications Union (fifth plenary meeting) 19. Agenda Committee of the EcoGeneva 15-16 July Mr J. Thorn.* nomic and Social Council 20. Seminar on Teacher Education Ashridge 15 JulyMr G. W. Parkyn. (UNESCO) (England) 25 August 21. Executive Board of the InterGeneva 16-22 July . . Dr W. B. Sutch.* national Children's Emergency Fund 22. Committee of International Geneva 17 July Dr W. B. Sutch.* Children's Emergency Fund on Administrative Budget 23. Economic and Social Council of Geneva 19 JulyMr J. Thorn.* the United Nations (seventh 30 August Dr W. B. Sutch.* session) Mr C. C. Aikman.* 24. Interim Committee of the New York. . 26-30 July . . Sir Carl Berendsen.* General Assembly 25. Preparatory Conference of RepUtrecht 2-13 August . . Sir David Smith. resentatives of Universities, Prof. I. A. Gordon. sponsored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization 26. Interim Committee of the New York.. 5 August Sir Carl Berendsen.* General Assembly 27. Executive Board of the InterGeneva 17 August Dr W. B. Sutch.* national Children's Emergency Fund 28. Special Committee of Economic Geneva 17-18 August. . Dr W. B. Sutch.* and Social Council on United Nations Appeal for Children 29. Special Committee on InformaGeneva 2-18 September Mr J. S. Reid.* tion Transmitted under ArMr C. Craw.* ticle 73 (e) of the United Nations Charter 30. Preparatory Commission of the Geneva 10-11 September Major-General W. G, International Refugee OrStevens.* ganization (seventh part of Mr J. V. Brennan.* first session) 31. General Council of the InterGeneva 13-25 September Major-General W. G national Refugee OrganizaStevens.* tion (first session) Mr J. V. Brennan.* 32. General Conference of the Paris 15 September Dr W. B. Sutch.* United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (extraordinary session) 33. General Assembly of the United Paris 21 SeptemberRt Hon. P. Fraser. Nations (first part of third 11 December Mr J Thorn.* regular session) Mr A. D. Mcintosh.* Mr J. V. Wilson.* Mrs A. Newlands. Dr W. B. Sutch.* Mr J. S. Reid.* * Members of the staff of External Affairs Department or of a New Zealand overseas Diplomatic Mission.

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Part I.—Conferences Under the Auspices of the United Nations and Specialized Agencies—continued

Title. Place. Date. Names of Delegates. 34. Meeting of Committee of Paris 8-12 October . . Mr M. H. Holcroft. Specialists on Tensions affecting International Understanding (UNESCO) 35. Preparatory Committee for Geneva11 OctoberMr G. Searle. Third Region (International 10 December Telecommunications Union) Conference 36. International Conference on Mexico City 22 OctoberMr E. R. H. Green. High Frequency Broad10 April Mr W. L. Harrison. casting 37. Executive Board of the InterParis 28-29 October Dr W. B. Sutch.* national Children's Emergency Fund 38. Annual Conference of the Food Washington 15-29 November Mr E. J. Fawcett. and Agriculture OrganizaMr R. W. Marshall.* tion (fourth session) 39. Meeting of Representatives of Beirut 15-16 November Mr M. H. Holcroft. National Commissions of the Mr D. Cairns. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization 40. General Conference of the Beirut 17 NovemberMr R. G. Ridling. United Nations Educational, 11 December Mr M. H. Holcroft. Scientific, and Cultural Dr H. N. Parton. Organization (third session) Mr D. Cairns. 41. Executive Board of InternaParis 19 November Dr W. B. Sutch* tional Children's Emergency Fund 42. Economic Commission for Asia Lap stone 29 NovemberBrigadier F. L. Hunt.* and the Far East of the (Australia) 11 December Mr A. McGregor. Economic and Social Council (fourth session) 43. Special Committee of Economic New York.. 6 January Dr W. B. Sutch.* and Social Council on United Nations Appeal for Children 44. Fiscal Commission of the EcoNew York. . 10—25 January Mr D. W. A. Barker. nomic and Social Council (second session) 45. Communications Divisional Montreal . . 11 JanuaryMr I. A. Scott. Meeting of the International 26 February Mr D. F. Jenkins. Civil Aviation Organization 46. Permanent Migration ComGeneva 13-27 January Mr T. P. Davin.* mittee of the International Labour Organization (third session) 47. Committee of International New York. . 22 January Dr W. B. Sutch.* Children's Emergency Fund on Administrative Budget 48. Trusteeship Council of the New York. . 24 JanuarySir Carl Berendsen.* United Nations (fourth ses25 March Mr G. R. Laking.* sion) Mr C. Craw.* 49. Special Committee of Economic New York. . 26 January Dr W. B. Sutch.* and Social Council on United Nations Appeal for Children 50. Interim Committee of the New York.. 31 January Sir Carl Berendsen.* General Assembly 51. Executive Board of the InterNew York. . 3 February Dr W. B. Sutch.* national Children's Emergency Fund * Members of the staff of External Affairs Department or of a New Zealand overseas Diplomatic Mission.

106

Part I.—Conferences Under the Auspices of the United Nations and Specialized Agencies—continued

Part II. —Peace Conferences and Meetings Concerning Reparations and Similar Problems

Title. Place. Date. Names of Delegates. 52. Agenda Committee of the EcoNew York. . 4 February Dr W. B. Sutch.* nomic and Social Council . . Dr W. B. Sutch.* 53. Committee of International New York.. 7 February Children's Emergency Fund on Voluntary Fund Raising 54. Economic and Social Council New York.. 7 FebruaryMr J. Thorn.* of the United Nations 18 March Dr W. B. Sutch.* 55. Operations Divisional Meeting Montreal .. 8 FebruaryMr I. A. Scott. of the International Civil 13 March Mr. E. F. Carpenter. Aviation Organization 56. Airworthiness Divisional MeetMontreal .. 22 FebruaryMr I. A. Scott. ing of the International Civil 29 March Mr E. F. Carpenter. Aviation Organization 57. Executive Board of the InterNew York.. 23 February and Dr W. B. Sutch.* national Children's Emer-9-10 March gency Fund 58. Committee of International New York.. 15 March Dr W. B. Sutch.* Children's Emergency Fund on Administrative Budget 59. Economic Commission for Asia Bangkok .. 28 MarchMr A. McGregor. and the Far East of the Eco5 April nomic and Social Council (Committee of the Whole) 60. Forestry and Timber UtilizaMysore 28 MarchMr A. P. Thomson. tion Conference for Asia and (India) 8 April the West Pacific (sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization) 61. General Council of the InterGeneva 29 MarchMr J. V. Brennan.* national Refugee Organiza8 April tion (second session) 62. Interim Committee of the New York.. 31 March Sir Carl Berendsen.* General Assembly * Members of the staff of External Affairs Department or of a New Zealand overseas Diplomatic Mission.

Title. Place. Date. Names of Delegates. 1. Far Eastern Commission and Washington In continuous Sir Carl Berendsen.* Committees session from Mr G. R. Powles.* 26 February, Mr J. S. Reid.* 1946 Mr G. R. Laking.* Mr F. H. Corner.* 2. Assembly of Inter-Allied ReparaBrussels .. In session from Mr J. B. Prendergast.* tions Agency 28 February, Sir Desmond Norton. 1946 3. Inter-Allied Trade Board for Washington In session from Mr R. W. Marshall.* Japan 28 October, 1946 * Members of the staff of External Affairs Department or of a New Zealand overseas Diplomatic Mission.

107

Part III. —British Commonwealth Meetings

Title. Place. Date. Names of Delegates. 1. Commonwealth Communications London 8-21 June Mr J. S. Young. Council 2. Conference of Commonwealth Cambridge 24-25 June Dr O. H. Frankel. Plant Breeders (England) 3. Commonwealth Universities ConOxford 19-23 July .. Sir D. Smith. ference Professor I. A. Gordon. 4. Imperial Mycological Conference London 19-24 July .. Dr G. H. Cunninghame. (fourth conference) 5. Imperial Entomological ConLondon 22-30 July . . Dr D. Miller. ference (fifth conference) Dr Cottier. 6. United Kingdom and Dominions Oxford 3-7 August . . Dr T. D. M. Stout. Official Medical Histories Liaison Committee 7. Commonwealth Scientific Official London 4-7 August Dr Marsden.* Conference — Special ConMr C. D. Ellyett. ference on Radio Research Mr G. Searle. 8. Commonwealth Geological' ConLondon 20-22 September Mr M. Ongley. gress Dr E. Marsden.* 9. Commonwealth Prime Ministers' London 11-25 October Rt Hon. P. Fraser. Conference Rt Hon. W. J. Jordan.* Mr A. D. Mcintosh.* * Members of the staff of External Affairs Department or of a New Zealand overseas Diplomatic Mission.

108

Part IV. —Miscellaneous Conferences

Title. Place. Date. Names of Delegates. 1. International Conference on London 23 April-Lieutenant-Commander Safety of Life at Sea 10 June E. Brown. Mr Y. G. Boivin. 2. International Congress on Washington 10-18 May . . Dr J. C. Lopdell. Tropical Medicine and Malaria (fourth congress) 3. South Pacific Commission (first Sydney 11-21 May .. Brigadier F. L. Hunt.* session) Mr C. G. R. McKay. 4. Conference on Revision of ConBrussels 5-26 June Sir Harold Saunders. vention for Protection of Literary and Artistic Works 5. International Union of Official Oslo 14-19 June Mr A. N. Reid (Observer). Travel Organizations 6. Conference on Tropical Soils.. London 14-30 June Dr Grange. 7. International Conference on Rotterdam 22-30 June Mr K. S. Birrell. Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering (second conference) 8. International Congress of GeStockholm 7-14 July Dr O. H. Frankel. neticists (eighth congress) 9. International Poliomyelitis ConNew York. . 12-17 July . . Dr D. Cook. ference (first conference) 10. International Union of Scientific Stockholm 12-22 July . . Dr E. Marsden.* Radio (eighth general assemKhr\ Mr. C. D. Ellyett. J/ 11. International Congress of ZoParis 21-27 July . . Dr E. Marsden.* ology (thirteenth congress) 12. International Congrees of EntoStockholm 9-14 August . . Dr D. Miller. mology Dr Cottier. 13. International Congress of LimZurich 19-25 August.. Dr D. Miller. nology 14. International Union of Geodesy Oslo 19-28 August. . Dr E. Marsden.* and Geophysics (eighth general assembly) 15. Conference of International Red Stockholm 20-30 August. . Major A. C. Highet (ObCross (seventeenth conserver) . ference) 1ft. International Geological ConLondon 25 AugustMr M. Ongley. gress (eighteenth congress) 1 September 17. Timber Mechanics Conference Ottawa and 27-28 September Mr J. S. Reid.* Madison, and 11-12 OcU.S.A. tober 18. International Conference on Lincoln 11-16 October Dr A. G. Butchers. Correspondence Education (Nebraska) (second conference) 19. South Pacific Commission Sydney 25 OctoberBrigadier F. L. Hunt.* (second session) 2 November Mr C. G. R. McKay. 20. South Pacific Air Transport Wellington 29 NovemberHon. F. Jones. Council (third meeting) 7 December Mr J. G. Barclay.* Mr F. Shanahan.* Mr T. A. Barrow. Mr E. L. Greensmith. Mr E. A. Gibson. Mr I. A. Scott. 21* European Customs Union Study Brussels .. 1-6 December Mr. L. S. Nicol* (ObGroup server). 22. International Wheat Conference Washington 26 JanuaryMr R. W. Marshall.* 23 March Mr J. S. Scott.* 23. Pacific Science Congress Auckland 2-23 February Dr R. A. Falla (President) (seventh congress) and ChristDr G. Archey (Secretarychurch General) . And others. * Members of the staff of External Affairs Department or of a New Zealand overseas Diplomatic Mission.

109

APPENDIX 4 PUBLICATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Publication No. The United Nations : Report of the New Zealand Delegation to the Second Special Session of the General Assembly, held at New York, 16 April to 14 May, 1948, to consider the Future Government of Palestine ... - ... ... ... 61 Exchange of Notes between the Governments of New Zealand and Sweden concerning the Mutual Abolition of Visas. Wellington, 4 June, 1948. (In force, 1 July, 1948) ... ... 62 New Zealand Treaty List. 31 March, 1948 ... ... ... 63 The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations : Report of the New Zealand Delegation on the Third Session held at Geneva, 25 August to 11 September, 1947 ... ... 64 Annual Report of the Department of External Affairs, 1 April, 1947, to 31 March, 1948 65 Exchange of Notes between the Governments of New Zealand and Switzerland concerning the Mutual Abolition of Visas. Wellington, 30 July, 1948. (In force, 1 August, 1948) ... 66 Agreement between the Government of New Zealand and the Government of the United States of America for the Use of Funds made available in accordance with the Lend-Lease Settlement Agreement of 10 July, 1946. Wellington, 14 September, 1948. (In force, 14 September, 1948) ... ... ... 67 Revival of Pre-war Treaties and Agreements between the Governments of New Zealand and the Governments of Finland, Hungary, Italy and Roumania. Helsinki, 21 June, 1948. Budapest, 19 June, 1948. Rome, 18 June, 1948. Bucharest, 17 June, 1948 ... 68 Protocol to Amend the Convention for the Suppression of the Circulation of and Traffic in Obscene Publications, Concluded at Geneva on 12 September, 1923. New York, 12 November, 1947. (In force, 28 October, 1948) 69 Memorandum of Reciprocal Arrangements relating to Family Allowances in Great Britain and Family Benefits in New Zealand made between the Minister of National Insurance in Great Britain with the Consent of the Treasury of the one part and the Minister of Social Security in New Zealand of the other part. London, 6 August, 1948. Wellington, 23 September, 1948. (In force, 1 December, 1948) 70 Memorandum of Reciprocal Arrangements relating to Family Allowances in Northern Ireland and Family Benefits in New Zealand made by the Ministry of Labour and National Insurance for Northern Ireland with the Consent of the Ministry of .Finance for Northern Ireland of the one part and the Minister of Social Security in New Zealand of the other part. Belfast, 9 August, 1948. Wellington, 23 September, 1948. (In force, 1 December, 1948) ... ... ... ... ... 71 Exchange of Notes between the Governments of New Zealand and Denmark concerning the Mutual Abolition of Visas. Wellington, 13 December, 1948. (In force, 1 January, 1949) ... 72

PUBLICATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAlRS—continued Publication No. •Exchange of Notes between the Government of New Zealand and the Government of the United States of America amending the Agreement dated 14 September, 1948, for the Use of Funds made available in accordance with the Lend-Lease Settlement Agreement of 10 July, 1946. Wellington, 3 and 9 March, 1949. (In force, 9 March, 1949) ... ... • ... ... 73 Exchange of Notes between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of New Zealand concerning Visas for Travel between the United States of America and New Zealand. Wellington, 14 March, 1949. (In force, 1 April, 1949) ... ... ... ... ... ... 74 The United Nations : Report of the New Zealand Delegation on the First Part of the Third Regular Session of the General Assembly held at Paris, 21 September-12 December, 1948 ... 75 Exchange of Notes between the Government of New Zealand and the Government of the Netherlands concerning the Mutual Abolition of Visas. Wellington, 3 March, 1949. (In force, 1 April, 1949) 76

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (639 copies), £154.

By Authority: E. E. Owen, Government Printer, Wellington.—l 949. Price 25.)

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DEPARTMENT of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH, 1949, Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1949 Session I, A-01

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DEPARTMENT of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH, 1949 Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1949 Session I, A-01

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DEPARTMENT of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH, 1949 Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1949 Session I, A-01

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DEPARTMENT of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH, 1949 Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1949 Session I, A-01

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DEPARTMENT of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH, 1949 Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1949 Session I, A-01

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