A.—s.

Mandates. As in previous years, the Assembly, on the proposal of the Norwegian delegation, referred the documentation concerning Mandates to the Sixth Committee which proceeded to review the activities of the Mandatory Powers and the work of the Council and of the Permanent Mandates Commission. Reference was made to the importance of maintaining the principle of economic equality in the territories under A and B Mandates, and to the importance of the question of the education of Native people, but the greater part of the Committee's discussions on this subject was devoted, firstly, to the recent Franco-Syrian, agreement leading towards the autonomous Government of Syria and the Lebanon, and more particularly to the then current disorders in Palestine. In this connection the representative of the United Kingdom repeated the statement which that Government had already made to the Council —that circumstances as yet did not permit the British Government to supply adequate material for the examination of the disturbances, their cause and the lessons to be drawn therefrom until the proposed Royal Commission should have concluded its work. A suggestion that a special session of the Permanent Mandates Commission should be called for the purpose of investigating the position in Palestine was characterized as premature by the British delegation and was not pressed. The representative of South Africa took the opportunity of referring to the danger of the militarization of Native populations which was contrary to its own policy in reference to the Mandated Territory of South-west Africa. He referred also to the constitutional problem of South-west Africa and to the suggestion that the mandated territory might be incorporated as an additional Province of the Union which had been the subject of a recent study at present under consideration by his Government. He renewed his undertaking that the League would be informed before any action was taken. No reference was made to Western Samoa and no statement made by the New Zealand delegate. The report of the Committee on this subject is Document A. 69, 1936, VI, and the draft resolution is as follows :— " The Assembly — " Having noted the activity of the mandatory Powers, the Permanent Mandates Commission, and the Council concerning the application of the principles laid down in Article 22 of the Covenant and in the texts of the mandates — " (a) Renews to them the expression of confidence voted by previous sessions of the Assembly, and pays a tribute to the results they have achieved, thanks to a close and frank co-operation, which it is essential to maintain ; " (b) Expresses its profound regret at the disturbances which have been going on in Palestine since April, 1936, hopes that order will be promptly restored, and has full confidence in the impartiality of the inquiry instituted by the mandatory Power ; " (c) Expresses its appreciation of the efforts of the mandatory Power with a view to bringing forth the emancipation of Syria and Lebanon, has full confidence in its action to that effect, and hopes that the questions connected with the problem of emancipation will be equitably settled." SPECIAL WORK OF THE NEW ZEALAND REPRESENTATIVE ON THE COUNCIL. On page 5 of -this report reference has been made to the election of New Zealand to fill one of the non-permanent seats on the Council of the League. It is, of course, the duty of every representative on the Council to familiarize himself with, and to take part in, the whole of the activities of the Council and the many and varied problems which come before it from time to time. But, in addition, each member has a special subject assigned to him to which he must give a detailed study and upon which he acts as Rapporteur, submitting recommendations and answering questions when that subject is under examination or discussion. To New Zealand has been allotted the interesting and important subject of health. The Health Organization derives its charter from Article XXIII (/) of the Covenant, which provides that States Members of the League will endeavour to take steps in matters of international concern for the prevention and control of disease. Its purpose is to promote the protection of public health by international, co-operation. As an official international organization it does not concern itself with the internal affairs of the various countries, unless they expressly ask it to do so. Its chief mission, therefore, consists of giving its support to the national Governments and services responsible for the protection of health, and in promoting their collaboration. Its resources are such as national Governments and institutions place at its disposal. The organization comprises— (a) An Advisory Council consisting of representatives of fifty-two Governments. This Council prepares international conventions and proposes their adoption to Governments and supervises the application of the International Sanitary Convention of 1926. • (b) The Health Committee, which directs the health work of the League of Nations. (c) A Secretariat constituted by the Health Section of the League Secretariat. A summary of the chief problems falling within the sphere of the Health Organization's studies is given (on page 13) in the section of this report which contains an account of the proceedings of the Second Committee. I need only add that its efforts are devoted to the diverse and practical health problems of present-day importance, and that in essence its action, as admirably expressed in a recent publication " is exercised primarily in favour of healthy living, which is both a cause and an effect of social reform."

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