THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
Printed for the Committee of Imperial Defence.   October 1938.
SECRET. Copy No.
COMMITTEE OF IMPERIAL DEFENCE.
Extract from the Minutes of the 333rtf Meeting, held on October 6. 1938.
(8)—THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS.
(C.I.D. Paper No. 1463-B.) (j)
(Previous Reference : C.I.D. Minutes of the 331st Meeting, Minute 14.) ffOj
THE COMMITTEE had under consideration a letter from the Colonial
Office dated the 23rd July, 1938, enclosing a copy of a despatch dated the
13th June, 1938, from the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific relating to
proposals for the development of air routes in the Pacific (C.I.D. Paper
No. 1463-B.'
SIR COSMO PARKINSON recalled that the Committee in July last had
approved proposals made by the New Zealand Government for the development of
four strategic air routes in the Pacific, radiating from Fiji. They had welcomed
an offer by the New Zealand Government to begin the development of the first of
these routes, from Fiji to the Gilbert Islands, at their own expense. The New
Zealand Government were intending to begin the reconnaissance of an aerodrome
at Fiji early in October. The High Commissioner for the Western Pacific raised
two points in the despatch which was now before the Committee. He asked, first,
why land aircraft were to be used in an area where there were numerous sheltered
waters suitable for the use of seaplanes. The second point was the necessity for
providing anti-aircraft defences at the proposed aerodromes. Would not the
development of these routes be a two-edged weapon, in that it might facilitate
air action by the Japanese against our own terriories? These were questions
for the Service Departments to answer.
Recently a further complication had arisen, in that the Air Ministry now
wanted to develop the Fiji-Phcenix Islands-Fanning and Christmas Islands
route first, and not the Fiji-Gilbert Islands route, as previously agreed. The
Colonial Office would have no objection to this proposal of the Air Ministry, but
it would have to be arranged with the New Zealand Government.
SIR CYRIL NEW ALL said that the scale of attack on Fiji would hardly
warrant the provision of anti-aircraft defences.
SIR ROGER BACKHOUSE supported this view, and urged that there were
many other places which had far higher claims for anti-aircraft defences than
Fiji.
SIR WARREN FISHER thought that it would be absurd to hold up the
development of these routes on the argument put forward by the High Com-
missioner. Other countries would be developing air routes in this area, if we did
not do so ourselves.
SIR CYRIL NEW ALL said that land aerodromes had been decided on
because the aircraft in New Zealand which would be operating on these routes
in war were land aircraft.   New Zealand had no seaplanes.
[18034—8]
SIR KINGSLEY WOOD explained that the Air Ministry wished to start on
the Fiji-Phoenix Islands-Fanning and Christmas Islands route first because it
was probable that the air route from America would run through the Christmas
Islands. There was a danger that the United States would try to stake out a
claim on these islands, as they had done in the case of Canton Island. It was
therefore important for us to get in first.
SIR EDWARD HARDING said that the change of plan had not yet been
put to the New Zealand Government, and it was conceivable that they might not
be so ready to bear the cost of the development of this route, but the Dominions
Office could approach them immediately and explain the reasons.
Conclusions.
The Committee of Imperial Defence agreed :—
(a) That there was no reason to delay the development of the four strategic
air routes in the Pacific referred to in paragraph 3 of C.I.D. Paper
No. 1455-B on the grounds that additional defences would be necessary
for the protection of the aerodromes.
(b) To take note that the development of these routes for use by land aircraft,
as opposed to seaplanes, was necessary because the only aircraft
available in New Zealand for operating on these routes in war were
land machines.
(c) That, owing to recent developments, it was now desirable that the develop-
ment of the Fiji-Phoenix Island-Fanning and Christmas Islands
route (Route "B" in C.I.D. Paper No. 1455-B) should have priority
over the development of the Fiji-Gilbert Islands route (Route l< A "J.
(d) To invite the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs to inform the
New Zealand Government without delay of Conclusion (c) above and
to ask for their co-operation in this matter on the same basis as
previously offered for Route "A."
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Richmond Terrace* S.W. 1,
October 6, 1938.