THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
Printed for the Committee of Imperial Defence. July 19:58.
SECRET. Copy No.
COMMITTEE OF IMPERIAL DEFENCE.
Extract from the Minutes of the 331$£ Meeting, held on July 27, 1938.
(14)—STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS.
(C.I.D. Paper No. 1455-B.)
(Previous reference : C.LD. Minutes of the 294th Meeting, Minute 3.)
THE COMMITTEE had under consideration a Report by the Chiefs of
Staff Sub-Committee on the Strategic Importance of the Pacific Islands (C.LD.
Paper No. 1455-B).
LORD CHATFIELD, introducing the Report, said that the Governor-
General of New Zealand had referred to His Majesty's Government in the United
Kingdom a proposal by the New Zealand Government to develop certain air routes
in the Pacific. This proposal originated from a Report by the Chiefs of Staff
which had been sent to New Zealand as a result of the Imperial Conference of
1937. The New Zealand Government proposed to develop four air routes
radiating from Fiji, which Lay about 1,000 miles to the north of New Zealand.
As a first step, it was proposed to survey the most important of these routes—
from Fiji to the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. The New Zealand Government had
undertaken to bear the cost of this survey. The Chiefs of Staff were entirely in
agreement with this proposal, which was an admirable example of Dominion
co-operation in Imperial Defence. In Paragraph 8 of his despatch the Governor-
General had also referred to a suggestion that representatives of Great Britain,
Australia and New Zealand might meet at some suitable point to discuss Pacific
Islands matters. It was not clear whether their intention was to include financial
and commercial as well as strategical aspects. If strategical aspects only were'
to be discussed, the Chiefs of Staff had suggested that the Commodore Com-;
manding the New Zealand Division and the Group Captain attached to the New;
Zealand Air Force should be authorised to represent His Majesty's Government;
in the United Kingdom. If, however, the discussions were to be on a wider
basis, it might be advisable for the Air Officer Commanding, Singapore, and thev
Commander-in-chief, China, to be represented, rather than that the discussions
should be conducted by officers under the New Zealand Government.
Mr. MacDONALD suggested that if the proposed conference took place the
High Commissioner for the Western Pacific should also be invited to attend.
LORD STANLEY remarked that the proposal for a conference, as put
forward by the Governor-General, was at p-rescnt very tentative. He suggested
that the Dominions Office should take up this question' with New Zealand.
Conclusions.
The Committee of Imperial Defence agreed :—
(a) To approve the Report by the Chiefs of Staff Sub-Committee on the
proposals put forward by the New Zealand Government for surveying
air routes in the Pacific (C.LD. Paper 1455-B).
[17673—13] * . |
(b) That the Secretary of State for the Dominions in communicating the
concurrence of His Majesty's Government with the proposal put
forward by the Government of New Zealand, should be invited to
include an expression of appreciation of the promptitude with which
they have followed up tne recommendations contained in C.I.D.
Paper No. 1327-B and of their willingness to bear the cost of a
survey of Route " A."
(c) That the Dominions Office should take up with the New Zealand Govern-
ment the question of a conference between representatives of Great
Britain, Australia and New Zealand to discuss Pacific Islands matters.
(d) With reference to Conclusion (c) above to take note of the views of the
Chiefs of Staff as to the Service representatives who should attend
the Conference, and of the Secretary of State for the Colonies that
the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific should also be
associated with it.
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2 Whitehall Garthns. SAY. 1.
July 27, 1938.