A—4

C. INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL RELATIONS International Relations The external relations of Western Samoa, as a United Nations Trust Territory, are controlled by New Zealand as Administering Authority. International conventions signed by New Zealand are normally extended to the Territory, wherever they are appropriate. Some of these conventions are, however, applicable to Western Samoa only to a limited extent. The most important convention applying to the Territory is, of course, the Trusteeship Agreement, approved at New York on 13th December, 1946. As is shown elsewhere in this report, the New Zealand Government has accepted fully the responsibilities and opportunities which the inclusion of the Territory within the scope of the Trusteeship system provides. The New Zealand Government is also co-operating fully with the other organs and specialized agencies of the United Nations in respect of Western Samoa. In April, 1947, the Trusteeship Council examined a petition from the representatives of the Samoan people and, at the invitation of the New Zealand Government, sent a Mission to the Territory. A complete list of international agreements applying to the Territory is given in Appendix 111. No activities are carried out in the Territory by non-governmental bodies of an international character, unless the activities of the various Christian missions can be included under this heading. There is no proposal for the association or federation of the Territory with other territories for Customs, fiscal, or administrative purposes. Regional Agreements South Pacific Health Service An agreement for the establishment of a South Pacific Health Service was made between the Government of New Zealand (in respect of Western Samoa and the Cook Islands), the Government of Fiji, and the Western Pacific High Commission on 7th September, 1946. The Government of Tonga joined on Ist January, 1947. This agreement established a South Pacific Board of Health, with a Chief Administrative Officer, known as the Inspector-General, South Pacific Health Service, and headquarters at Suva. The functions of the Board are to advise the participating Governments on health matters, to assist generally in the more effective control of disease and promotion of health in the territories under their control, and to co-operate in the provision of professional staff. The South Pacific Health Service has, during the year under review, brought into operation a scheme for the interchange of epidemiological information amongst all Pacific island territories. The original agreement was for a period of three years, and since the end of the financial year it has been extended for a further period of five years from 7th September, 1949. South Pacific Commission The Administering Authority continued its membership in the South Pacific Commission during the year. At its fourth session, held at Noumea head quarters in November, 1949, the Commission adopted a large-scale research programme under the headings of Health, Social Development, and Economic Development, which had been drawn up by the Research Council at its meeting in April, 1949. In some cases considerable progress under the various head of research can be recorded, and under others preparatory work only has been possible. Details of the research projects as they have affected Western Samoa may be found in other parts of this Report, and the v ; sits of various members of

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