§ 8. Mr. Arthur Hendersonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any statement to make on the resignations of Sir Otto Niemeyer, Sir Henry Strakosch, and M. C. E. der Meulen from the League of Nations Financial Committee?
§ Mr. EdenI understand that Sir Otto Niemeyer informed the Secretary-General of the League, in his letter of resignation, that the recent decision of the council, namely, that members of the Financial Committee should be appointed for three years, with the right of re-eligibility, instead of, as hitherto, for an indefinite period, would not, in his considered opinion, enable the committee to render the same effective service as in past years. M. der Meulen expressed a similar view. Sir Henry Strakosch informed the Secretary-General of the wish of His Majesty's Government in the Union of South Africa that he should no longer be connected with the Financial Committee as a South African expert. Sir Henry Strakosch stated that the wish of the Union Government, coupled with the fact that his activities in other directions were fully taxing his energies, had reluctantly led him to the conclusion that he should resign from the committee.
§ Mr. HendersonIn view of the importance of this committee, is the Foreign Secretary satisfied that the change is a good one?
§ Mr. EdenWe were not very anxious to see this change, and we did postpone our decision for some time, but the members of the council as a whole wished to make it, and it has been their decision.
Mr. De la BèreWould it be possible now to bring in these gentlemen to consider a long-term credit policy for agriculture?