PARAPHRASE TELEGRAM
NEW   ZEALAND *
Prom the Government of New Xealand.
Dated 24th December, 1938« Received 7.20 acm.,24th Dec*
K"Ool44. Secret.
Your telegram Noc179 of 13tb December secret.   Questions regarding
proposed conference on Pacific Islands between representatives of tne
United Kingdom, the Commonwealth of Australia and New Zealand. Meetings
of such a conference :-.n New Zealand will be welcomed by His Majesty's
Government in New Zealand but   they would now in view of developments
since the suggestion was first made, urgently propose extension of
conference to cover defence in the Pacific in its widest aspects, sea,
land and air„   For this purpose the appointment would be welcomed of
representatives from the United Kingdom who would be fully competent
to discuss and advise on these matters and would be supplied with the
latest information particularly as to conditions upon which and times
within which on the outbreak of a major war both in the East and West,
naval reinforcements can be expected to arrive at Singapore, and
correspondingly the scale of attack against which it would be prudent
to provide.
His .Majesty* s Government in New Zealand are convinced that it
would be desirable that the proposed conference should be arranged at
the earliest possible date but this must largely depend upon the time
necessary for the representatives of the United Kingdom to arrive in
New Zealand.
His Majesty1s Government in New Zealand would accordingly be
grateful if they could be advised whether it would be acceptable to
ilis Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom to extend the scope of
the conference r.s proposed and if so when the arrival of the British
representatives may be expectedc   Would suggest that the High
Commissioner for the western Pacific might with advantage be represented
at the conference
My
J
^      My succeeding telegram contains the gist or a report by tho
New Zealand Chiefs of Staff on a recent strategical survey of the
Pacific Islands.
. The proposals now made for extension of the scope of the
conference are being notified to His Majesty's Government in the
Coircnonwealth of Australia by telegram and that Government have been
invited to agree to conference being held in Mew Zealand.