Page image

8

This statement was received with applause. The United States delegate, Mr Connally, referred to New Zealand's " gracious and magnanimous action," and hoped that this generous spirit of collaboration would dominate the future actions of the United Nations, The Yugoslav delegate also thanked New Zealand, while for the United Kingdom Mr Noel-Baker said:— " I want, if I may, to state the reasons why we voted for New" Zealand and why we hope that she may become a member of the 1 Council at an early election in the future. "If we look at the past, New Zealand played a very great part in the conflict against nazism and fascism. New Zealand was in the war three minutes after Hitler's challenge was first taken up. New Zealand has among the highest, if not the highest, proportion of ascertainable casualties on the Allied side. New Zealand was on almost every battlefield in the world. " Looking to the future, we think that it is desirable to have on the Council representatives of some countries which have been fortunate enough to make great social and economic progress, and I know that every one again will agree that New Zealand is among those countries. " Take any test you like. New Zealand has the lowest infant mortality rate in the world, the lowest maternity mortality rate,, the lowest overall death rate; the longest expectation of life, theleast poverty, and the best—perhaps the very best —social security system. New Zealand out-Beveridged Beveridge before Beveridge began. " For these reasons, His Majesty's Government think that it would be extremely valuable to have New Zealand in the Economic and Social Council in the early formative period of its work, and for that reason we hope that she may soon be elected." In a final ballot Yugoslavia was elected as the eighteenth member. In subsequent ballots the following six countries were elected for three years: — China Chile Peru Canada France Belgium, and the following for two years: — Soviet Union Norway United Kingdom Cuba India Czechoslovakia. The term of office for the following six is consequently for oneyear : Ukrainian S.S.R. United States of America Greece Colombia Netherlands Yugoslavia. International Court of Justice After a series of concurrent ballots between the General Assembly and the Security Council the following fifteen persons were elected as judges of the International Court of Justice. The first five wilt