PARAPHRASE TELEGRAM
HEW ZEALAITD
From the Governor General of New Zealand.
Dated 24th December, 1938.   Heceived 7.24 a.m., 24th
December, 1938.
No.145.     Secret.-
Reference my telegram No.144 of today.     I am
asked by my Prime Minister to inform you that various
Pacific Islands have recently been visited by New Zealand
Chiefs of Staff v/ho have now rendered a report on the
defences of Fiji and Tonga.     Summary of their conclusions
is as follows:-     Begins:-   (a) They.emphasis© the
strategical importance of the Fiji and Tongan Groups,
(b) The scale of attack to be expected in these groups has
risen to one infantry brigade A   (c) Fiji Defence Force
should be expanded from its present strength of 400 to a
total of 1300 all ranks.      (d) Port of Suva should be
defended by two naval six inch guns.     (e)   A Defence Force
of one battalion should be formea in Tonga.     (f) New
Zealand should have a brigade group in readiness in war time
to reinforce the Islands as required.     (g) In Suva local
forces are required for minosweeping and for examination
services.     (h) New Zealand should be prepared to send
aircraft to operate from these Islands in war.     (i) Two
landing grounds are required in Fiji, the necessary surveys
and estimates having been made,    (j) Two landing grounds are
required in the Tonga Group;   the surveys should now be made
by a Now Zealand aerodrome engineer.     (k)   Part of New
Zealand's reserves of fuel, bombs and ammunition should be
held in Fiji and part of the reserves of fuel in Tonga.
It
It must bo made clear that His Majesty's
Government in New Zealand have not yet approved
recommendations (f) (h) (j) and (k).
C)py of the full report is being sent to you by
despatch and copies are being sent to His Majesty's
Government in the Commonwealth of Australia and to the
High Commissioner for the Western Pacific.     It is though
that this report will naturally be discussed at the
forthcoming conference on defence matters.