A.—s

brought out in the course of the discussion, and there was some criticism of the attitude of the Council twards the committee's report. In connection witli the proposed inquiry into Children's Courts, one speaker expressed the opinion that the child delinquent, who is not now regarded as a criminal, but as a misdirected person needing proper control, was not a fit subject for investigation by the International Prisons Commission, which dealt with prison administration and the suppression of crime. There were several references to the cinema, and the evil effects which it has 011 the child unless it is properly controlled. Some exception was taken to the inclusion of recreation in the life of children amongst the subjects dealt with by the Child Welfare Committee, but it was conceded that a comparative study of the methods and experiences of different countries might be of assistance, and a resolution on these lines was framed. A strong effort was made to mention specially in the report to the Assembly the resolution of the Child Welfare Committee dealing with alcohol. There was some opposition to this, especially as a proposal had been made to the Seventh Assembly for a general inquiry into the question, and it was not desired that the Child Welfare Committee should make a separate inquiry into those aspects which relate to child welfare. After discussion, a resolution was framed which, whilst approving of the action already taken by the Child Welfare Committee, deprecated further action, in view of the general inquiry referred to above. The report of the Child Welfare Committee, the minutes of its second session (Document C. 264), and the report of the Fifth Committee to the Assembly cannot but be of interest to a country like New Zealand, which has always been to the fore in all questions relating to child welfare. The Assembly adopted the Fifth Committee's report at its meeting 011 the 24th September. (See Document A. 77.) Work fob the Refugees. The Fifth Committee had before it Document A. 44, a comprehensive report on the work done in connection with certain Armenian and Russian refugee questions since the last Assembly, and also Document A. 29. The early part of the debate was mostly taken up by statements from representatives of some of the delegates who had not replied to the questionnaire of the 24th December, 1925, or to the invitation of the Council given in its resolution of the 10th June last, to members of the League to authorize their delegations at this Assembly to acquaint the Assembly with the measures which may have been taken in their territories to give effect to the terms of the arrangement which resulted from the governmental conference at Geneva in May last. It may here be noted that New Zealand's interest in this question is a purely academic one, and, in the absence of instructions, no statement from the Dominion Delegation seemed to be necessary. If reference is made to the report of last year's Assembly, it will be seen that there was then before the Fifth Committee a suggestion that the League should concern itself with the unemployed. This suggestion then met with little support, and the opinion was expressed that the question of finding employment for persons other than unemployed refugees was a domestic matter for the Governments concerned. When the Rapporteur's draft report was before the Fifth Committee this year some surprise was expressed that it contained a reference to the existence of the nucleus of a permanent organization within the International Labour Office to which recourse may be had at any time by members of the League for the consideration of emergency unemployment problems. There is a similar reference in the last paragraph but one 011 page 32 of Document A. 44. It is true that Document A. 44 does state that last year's Assembly had laid it down that the machinery of the refugee service should be confined to the placing of refugees, and it would appear that whatever organization does exist is distinct from the refugee service. The Rapporteur was asked to suppress the passage, and reference was made to a Belgian motion which had just been introduced to the Assembly, designed to ascertain how far measures taken to give protection to, to provide employment for, and to afford relief to Russian and Armenian refugees could be extended to other categories of refugees. Evidently, however, it was the larger problem of the unemployed which was dominant in the minds of a few of the delegates, and they werfe strenuous in their efforts to secure consideration of this problem. Again an appeal was made to the Rapporteur to suppress the passage to which so many of the delegations had taken objection, and he offered to do so, provided a resolution bearing on the question was passed and took its place. The debate was prolonged, and in the course of it a suggestion was made that the Rapporteur should withdraw from his report the reference to the nucleus of a permanent organization within the International Labour Office, to which recourse may be had at any time by members of the League for the solution of emergency unemployment problems, provided that a motion on the subject which he had introduced was considered separately. He accepted the suggestion, and his report, as amended, was passed. The creation of the revolving fund of £100,000, whether by means of an annual charge of 5 gold francs, to those who can afford it, for identity certificates for Russian or Armenian refugees, or by means of subventions from Governments members of the League, does not seem to have made much progress. The reasons are not far to seek. The greater number of the refugees are so poor that a sum of even 5 francs represents to them a considerable amount. Moreover, many Governments who in normal times might be prepared to assist are faced with grave economic depression, and relief for their own citizens must be their first concern. The Committee then had before it the German motion reading as follows : — " Having regard to the importance of the practical experience acquired by the refugee service of the International Labour Office in the placing of unemployed refugees in countries desirous and capable of receiving them, requests the governing body of the International Labour Office to consider the possibility of submitting a report to the International Economic Conference, suggesting, in the light of their experience, by what practical means the coordination between national systems of placing labour provided for under the Washington Convention might be carried out effectively,"

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