planned

Pacific council planned

The formation of a Pacific regional council to improve regional co-operation and under standing has been proposed by the Leader of the Opposition in New Zealand, Mr. Kirk. The council should include New Zea land, Australia, Fiji, Western Samoa, Tonga, Niue, the Cook and the Tokelau Islands, he said.

It would establish agreement on such matters as Customs and immigration, fishing zones, de fence, education and the develop ment of under-d evel o p e d countries.

Such a council could later be extended to take in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philip pines and perhaps Japan, said Mr. Kirk. Eventually North American interests could be in cluded.

Representatives of countries in the proposed council would be members of their parliaments rather than members of their governments, said Mr. Kirk, This would give member countries a broader political knowledge of one another.