A.—6

British Commonwealth of the optional clause of Article 36 of'the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice. The Conference, having considered the provisions of the General Act for the Pacific Settlement of International Dispiites, approved the general principles underlying the Act. The representatives of the United Kingdom, Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia. New Zealand, the Irish Free State, and India intimated that it was proposed to commend the General Act to the appropriate authority with a view to accession on conditions mainly similar to those attached to their respective acceptances of the optional clause ; in particular, the reservation regarding questions which by international law fall within the domestic jurisdiction of the parties would be retained by those members of the Commonwealth who had adopted it in accepting the optional clause, in view of the importance attached by many of His Majesty's Governments to certain matters, such as immigration, which are solely within their domestic jurisdiction. The representatives of the Union of South Africa intimated that His .Majesty's Government in the Union were not opposed to the principle of the General Act, but that the Act would be further examined by that Government before they could arrive at a final decision, as some time would be required for a study of certain questions involved. The Conference further considered the proposals which had been made to bring the Covenant of the League of Nations into harmony witli the Pact of Paris, and reached the conclusion that the principle underlying these proposals is one which should receive the support of all the Governments represented ai the Conference. The Conference also placed on record the view that the amendments to the Covenant which were drafted by the sub-committee appointed for this purpose by the First Committee at the Eleventh Assembly of the League of Nations should be recommended to the several Governments for acceptance. The Conference was further of opinion that the entry into force of these amendments should be made dependent upon the entry into force of a General Treaty for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments. (2) Measures for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments. The Conference desired to record its conviction that the future peace of the world depends upon the early adoption of some general scheme of disarmament by international agreement and that every effori should be made to convoke a General Disarmament Conference at an early (lute in order that the obligations accepted by all the members of the League under Article S of the Covenant might be honoured without further delay. The Conference considered the text of the draft of a Disarmament Convention drawn up by the Preparatory Commission, and reached the conclusion, as the result of an exchange of views, that the principles underlying the draft convention should be approved. The Conference was in general further satisfied that the provisions of the draft convention, with certain proposed amendments, afforded an adequate basis for an effective system of disarmament. The Conference took note of the deposit of ratifications of the London Naval Treaty, which took place while it was in session, and desired to record its satisfaction at the progress thereby achieved in the sphere of naval disarmament. VIII. THE ANTARCTIC. The question of Antarctic exploration was discussed between representatives of the Governments interested. They took note of the fact that, in the exercise of the British title to that part of the Antarctic Continent which lies between Enderby Land and the Koss Dependency (with the exception of the territory of Adelie Land). an expedition organized by His Majesty's Government in the Commonwealth of Australia and led by Sir Douglas Mawson was despatched to these regions in 1929. The valuable exploratory and scientific work accomplished by this expedition during the season of 1929-30 was reviewed by the representatives of the Governments concerned, who also discussed the arrangements proposed for the continuation of the work during the season of 1930-31. Sir Douglas .Mawson started for his second year's expeditionary voyage during the sittings of the Conference, and the Chairman, on behalf of the Conference, sent to him the following message : —

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