WELLINGTON,
20 th May, 1938
My Lord,
At the instance of my Prime Minister, I have the
honour to inform Your Lordship that His Majesty's Government
in New Zealand have recently given considerable attention to
the strategic importance of the Pacific Islands, and have noted
the views expressed in C.I.D. Paper C.0.8.586 (Report by the
Chiefs of Staff Committee).      In this Paper, after suggesting
that in War Japanese activities in this area would be limited
to raiding operations, the Chiefs of Staff go on to say;-
"8.    Air forces maintained in Australia and New Zealand
could also take part in operations against raiders. As
aircraft ranges increase, it will become possible to extend
these operations to the Pacific Islands area, and any develop-
ment of air facilities in this area should, therefore, prove
of strategic value.
9.    Any operations against raiders would be facilitated
by a good intelligence service in the Pacific Islands,
comprising wireless stations at numerous positions.
10. Prom our point of view, therefore, the Pacific Islands
are of strategic value in so far as they provide us with
fuelling bases for our Naval forces, possible landing grounds
for our Air Forces, and positions for the establishment of
wireless stations.     Moreover, if our system of communications
can be sufficiently developed the chances of Japan using any
Islands in our possession as fuelling bases would be
considerably reduced.
Conclusions.
11. We conclude that we would endeavour to establish our
sovereignty over any of the Pacific Islands offering
facilities
facilities for fuelling bases or landing grounds. It
should be our policy to assist, where feasible, the
development of those facilities which would be of value in
war.     We should at the same time take whatever measures
are possible to gain information as to Japanese activities
in the Islands."
2*     The programme of air development which is now in
progress in New Zealand will, by 19i+0, proviae two regular
squadrons equipped with long-range aircraft capable of
reaching the Pacific Islands and operating therefrom for any
of the purposes mentioned above.     Their ability to do so
will depend, however, on the provision of the necessary air
route facilities.     Although much useful information on the
topography of the islands has been obtained by ships of the
Hew Zealand Division of the Royal Navy during recent cruises,
data is still lacking on many points, and any conclusions as
to the facilities which can be provided must be regarded as
tentative.      Inspection of the map indicates that the move-
ments of aircraft would be facilitated by the provision of
some central point from which routes would radiate. This
point should be to the north of New Zealand in the Fijian or
the Tongan Groups.     Suitable areas for the development of a
landing ground are available in these Groups, of which the
former is preferable owing to its size, and the greater
facilities which it offers.
3.     There is also a further aspect which is of especial
importance to New Zealand.     The increased range of aircraft
now brings Auckland and much of the North Island within the
range of bombers based on the Hjian and Tongan Groups. It
is therefore essential that an enemy should be prevented from
establishing himself in this area, and it is clear that the
security of these islands is of strategic importance to
New Zealand
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New Zealand.     The provision of landing grounds and other
facilities for the operation of air reinf orcenients, will be
an important addition to the existing means of defence.
In any system of routes it appears that Fiji should
be regarded as a focal point, and the route New Zealand-Fiji
should be the first to be developed.     Future development
might then take the form of extending this route to the north,
north-east and east, the purpose of these routes and the
facilities necessury for their operation being considered
in more detail below.
Route A:    Fiji - Gilbert Islands.     Paragraph 11 of the
C.0.S. Report quoted above refers to tne necessity of gaining
information of Japanese activities.     Little is known of the
extent of the defences which the Japanese have prepared in
the Marshall Islands, but their position just north of the
Equator provides a convenient base for any vessels raiding
into the South Pacific.      It will therefore be desirable to
establish a chain of landing grounds through the Gilbert and
Ellice Colony terminating sufficiently far north to bring the
Islands of the Marshall Orcup within reconnaissance range of
aircraft.      Intermediate landing grounds would have to be
provided along this route, especially where it crosses the
belt subject to violent cyclonic storms, but these landing
grounds could be used to assist in the administration of the
Islands, the provision of medical aid, etc.     The population
of the Gilbert and Ellice Group, excluding Ocean Island, is
approximately 100 Europeans and 30,000 Natives, whilst the
Islands have a considerable local trade.     Linking up the
larger Islands by air could net fail to prove of value to the
administration.      Further investigation is required before
the relative suitability of the Islands can be assessed, but
from the information now available it appears that the
¦ajcrity of the Islands are flat and possess sufficient area.
The
The chief difficulty will be the effect on the local food
supply should it be found necessary to cut down any
considerable number of coconut palms.
Route B; Fiji - Phoenix Islands - Fanning and
Christmas Islanas.
This route would pass through Samoa, the Union Group,
and the Phoenix Islands, and would link up at Christmas Island
with Route C referred to below, which traverses the northern
Cook Group and the Line Group.     The reconnaissances which
have so far been undertaken indicate that there should be no
insuperable difficulties in organizing a landplane route.
His Majesty's Government in Mew Zealand have already agreed
to garrison Fanning Island in war, and this group will provide
means of connecting up with that garrison.      It will also
follow the line of any future trans-Pacific commercial land-
plane route, and any development work which is undertaken is
likely to be of ultimate commercial value.
Route C:   Fiji - Samoa - Northern Cook - Line Group.
Reports so far received suggest that   landing strips
can be obtained in the majority of the Islanas, but fuller
information will be necessary before any final conclusions
are reached.
Route D:    Fiji - Tonga Islands - Cook Islands,
Further information is necessary, especially as
regards facilities in the Cook Islands,     These Islands can
also be reached direct from New Zealand.
6.     The four routes referred to above would enable
aircraft to reach the greater part of the South Pacific if
the need arose.     Owing to the distances, there can never be
any question of a continuous patrol, nor is it advocated that
aircraft snould be permanently stationed in this area; but
the provision of landing facilities along certain main routes
will enable aircraft to be flown to any desired area should
the
the necessity arise.
6. It is appreciated that no final decision can be
reached until further surveys have been undertaken. His
Majesty*8 Government in New Zealand would therefore like
to be informed if His Majesty's Government in the United
Kingdom concur in principle in the establishment of the
routes described above, and whether, as a first step', they
agree to a full survey being made of Route A: Fiji-Gilbert
and Ellice Islands.
7. Owing to the importance of this route to the
security of New Zealand, His Majesty's Government in New
Zealand are willing to bear the cost of undertaking the
technical work of such a survey and providing His Majesty's
Government in the United Kingdom with a full report.
8. His Majesty's Government in the Commonwealth of
Australia and the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific
have been supplied with a copy of thi3 despatch for their
information.     His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom
might possibly think it advisable that representatives of
all three countries (Great Britain, Australia and New
Zealand) should meet at some suitable point to discuss
Pacific Islands matters;   but His Majesty's Government in
New Zealand do not suggest that this should delay the
expression of opinion from His Majesty's Government in the
United Kingdom on the points raised in the two preceding
¦
paragraphs.
I heve, etc. ,
(Sgd.) Galway.
0 OVERN OR-3ENERAL.
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
LORD STANLEY, P.O. , M. C. ,
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DOMINION AFFAIRS.
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