A.—s,

"' Special Article. "'l. The right to receive the "present value" of an annuity in virtue of Article 9, paragraphs 1, 2, 3, and 4, of the present regulations is suspended from the date of entry into force of the present Article until its revival is decided by the Supervisory Commission, acting by a majority vote, or until the close of the next ordinary session of the Assembly, at which date it shall revive unless otherwise decided by the Assembly. " ' 1. The present Article does not apply: "'(a) To officials whose service terminated before the Article came into force; "'(b) To officials who had given notice of resignation before 28th September, 1938; "'(c) To officials retiring as the result of having reached or passed the superannuation age or as the result of the expiration of the periods for which they were appointed.' "(3) Paragraphs (1) and (2) of the present resolution shall be brought into force by a decision of the President of the Nineteenth Session of the Assembly if and when, in his opinion, a state of emergency has arisen." FIFTH COMMITTEE: SOCIAL QUESTIONS. New Zealand Delegate: Mr. W. J. Jordan. Substitute: Miss J. R. McKenzie. The Fifth Committee was called upon to examine the social work done by the League during the past year, and therefore took up the study of the following questions: - W ORK OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL QUESTIONS. (a) Organization and Administration.—Twenty-three Governments are now represented on the Committee, leaving two vacancies to be filled, and twenty-eight international organizations are corresponding members of the Advisory Committee. The increase in this latter connection was desirable to enable the Committee to keep in touch with voluntary organizations and to make its work better known. It was felt, too, that the international organizations would be_ able to supplement the reports of Governments by information regarding aspects of social questions in different countries. (b) Review of Social Questions.—Following the decision of the 1937 Assembly that a review should be published, inquiries were made as to its most appropriate form. Members ot the ilth Committee stressed the necessity for ensuring that the review would be as attractive, illustrative, and widely circulated as possible. ' A sum of 25,000 Swiss francs was voted by the Fourth Committee for the issue of a review, and publication will begin m 1939. * (c) Child Welfare Information Centre.—This organization has done much in the past year m collecting and distributing documentary material on child welfare, and has also prepared a summary of legislative and administrative measures in various countries (Document C. 73, M. 28, 1938, IV). One of its mam tasks was the establishment of a card -index of the laws governing the various aspects of child welfare which are in force in the different countries, and it is hoped that by this means an important contribution will be made to the further study of the subject. (d) Child Welfare: Placing of Children in Families.—An inquiry was recently undertaken on this subject, and a report is shortly to be published. (e) Cinematograph. The Fifth Committee had before it the report of the Advisory recreational aspects of the cinema for the young (Document C. 256, M 152, 1938, IV), and the hope was expressed that public attention will be directed to this hitherto neglected problem. (/) Illegitimate Children.—The Advisory Committee has continued during the past year its examination ot this question from various standpoints, including the legal position ■ and further study is to be given to the religious, social, economic, and other factors which have a bearing on the illegitimate-birth rate. The necessity for continuing the inquiry from the social point of view was stressed by members of the Fifth Committee. One feature of the difficult period through which the world was passing was the number of children born out ot wedlock, and several interesting suggestions were made by members— i.e the facilitation of marriage formalities, organization of guardianship for illegitimate or natural children, and the development of adoption. The delegate of Spain suggested that the term illegitimate - be replaced by the expression " born out of wedlock " In her country the use of the expression " illegitimate " had long since been dropped.

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