§ 34. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when the subject of Germany being given a mandate for one of her former colonies was last under discussion; and what was the attitude expressed by His Majesty's Government?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINThe mandates over the former German colonial territory (which derived from the Treaty of Versailles and not from the League of Nations) were definitely allotted to the existing holders and there has never, so far as I am aware, been any suggestion that any of the existing mandatories desired to be relieved of its responsibilities. Our position was explained to Germany at the time of the Conference of Locarno and has been more than once re-stated since. If a new mandate were to be called into being or, in the unlikely event of an existing mandate being vacated, we should be prepared to consider the claim of Germany as of any other Great Power, Member of the League, but we can take no engagement in advance in regard to so hypothetical a contingency.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWill the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to answer the first part of the question as to when this matter was last under discussion?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINIt has not really been under discussion since, I think, the Locarno negotiations. No doubt there have been references to it since that.
§ Mr. THURTLEMay we take it from the reply that the view of the Government is that it is a definite advantage and gain to have these mandates?