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Australia and Canada were among the countries which opposed the United States proposal, lest it have dangerous consequences and intensify and perpetuate the division of Korea. The New Zealand representative (Mr. Thorn), on the other hand, supported the United States resolution. But he considered that the letter might not carry the same authority as the resolution, and therefore suggested that the resolution should be amended by the incorporation of the United States pledges of co-operation in securing free elections and of the opinion that the National Assembly would not necessarily be the definitive form of Korean Government, but would be free to consult with other groups regarding their participation. These suggestions were not accepted. The United States resolution was adopted by 31 votes (including New Zealand) with 2 against (Australia and Canada) and 11 abstentions. At the end of the period under review Korean unity and independence were no nearer and tension was mounting. In South Korea, occupied by the United States, preparations were being made for the elections which General Hodge had set down for 10 May. Whether the political atmosphere there made free elections impossible, and therefore whether the United Nations Temporary Commission should take the possibly far-reaching step of associating itself with them, were still matters of grave argument. Meanwhile in North Korea, the zone occupied by the Soviet Union, the Peoples Congress, it was rumoured, had drafted the Constitution of a " Democratic Peoples Republic " which would claim sovereignty over all Korea, a claim which would be backed by its " Peoples Army " of 250,000 to 500,000 men. 7. Regional Co-operation in South-east Asia An event which, though small in itself, may not be without significance was the despatch of a New Zealand observer to the Conference on Social Welfare held at Singapore in August, 1947. For some time the Government had been aware of the effective work of Lord Killearn, as Special Commissioner for South-east Asia, and his staff of economic and agricultural experts in organizing at Singapore a non-controversial forum where practical problems such as co-ordinating food production and distribution could be discussed by the many countries of the region. Burma, Ceylon, Malaya, Borneo, French Indo-China, Siam, the Netherlands East Indies, and Hong Kong were joining in regular meetings, and with them were associated the Indian Government, those Dominion Governments with representatives at Singapore, and occasionally China, the Philippines, and the United States of America. It was known that a co-operative regional spirit was being developed, and that the