Nauru Is Now In
pp. 27-28 · Read in the full issue
Trust'
Development Directs Attention To Difficult Problem of TNG
fTIHE phosphate island of Nauru, taken ± from Germany in 1914 and handed over to Britain, Australia and New Zealand in 1920, under joint Mandate, by the League of Nations, is now to be held in trust by the same three countries, under a Trusteeship Agreement approved on October 17 by the Trusteeship Council of the United Nations. Voting was 9 to 2, in favour.
The Communist bloc, led by Russia, offered the usual footling objections— unexplained, except by the fact that it is the purpose of the Reds to cause delay and irritation at the world court—but the great majority of the nations ap proved.
The Australian Administrator of Nauru, Mr M Ridgway who left the island September for New York—was present at the United Nations General Assembly session, to assist the Australian delegate (Dr. Eyatt) with information and advice.
He will be absent from Nauru for several weeks. «,? au F u is stm described officially as a ‘Mandated Territory” and that, ap parently will be its status until the Trusteeship Agreement has been accepted by the Parliaments of Britain, Australia and New Zealand.
New Guinea Problem
IN a similar way, New Guinea is still a Mandated Territory. The New Guinea Agreement has been ac cepted by UNO; but it cannot be called a Trustee Territory until slow-moving offi
cialdom has had the Agreement accepted by the Australian Parliament.
When that time corned, Australia will have to decide whether the present set up (Papua-New Guinea Provisional Ad ministration) is to continue; or whether we are to revert to an Australian Ad
ministration of Papua, and a Trustee ship Administration of New Guinea.
There are no complications in the case of Nauru; but there definitely is a head ache in relation to Papua-New Guinea.
Some jurists and administrative authori ties argue that it will not be possible to govern the two Territories in one ad ministration, no matter how desirable that course may be from the viewpoint of convenience and efficiency.