With the postwar formation of the United Nations Organisation the question of mandates and the rights of 'colonial' people came under scrutiny and much ideological discussion. The case of the Nauruans and the rights to mine their phosphate was debated at length and with partisan bias, and for a time it seemed that the operations of the BPC might be declared-illegal. Although this was avoided the first step had been taken towards Nauruan Independence and the takeover, 30 years later, of the phosphate operation by the Nauruans