IXO. 3.
SECRET
. .        Communication!* on this subject
should be addressed to—
TP' " NDER-Sf.CRETARY OF STATK,
Dominions Office,
Downing Street, London, S.W.I,
and the following mini her quoted :—
Co .
Subject:
Reference to previous correspondence :
Letter J°   the Dominions Office of the
from
Transmitted by direction of tue Secretary of State for
Dominion Affairs.
A copy has also been sent to t he 1-0
r /I
Dominions Oflioo. Downing Street,
24J/JM939 193
WL «»74—1707   W*»   IO/J7   T.S. W5
PARAPHRASE TliLEGRAM
NEW ZEALAND
Fran the Governor-General of Hew Zealand
Dated 22nd January 1939, Received 9030 a.nu, 22nd Jan.
No09o Secreto
Your secret telegram No„12 of January 16th.   My Prime
Minister desires me to inform you that so far an New Zealand 1
Chiefs of Staff report is concerned it deals with a strategic
survey of certain Pacific Islands only, and report is adequately
summarised in my secret telegram of December 24th Ko«,145. At
this stage His Majesty's Government in New Zealand would like to^t
set out more precisely the points which they suggest should he
discussed at the Conference namely
(a) Possible lines of action by enemy powers against Empire
interests in the south west Pacific in the period before the
arrival of naval reinforcements, including (i) operations to
capture bases in the Western Pacific,,    (ii) Nature and scale of
possible operations against Empire trade,    (iii) Nature and scale
of possible operations against Australian and New Zealand
territory*
(b) Measures necessary to defend - (i) Pacific Islands and
Mandated territories, notably Fiji Tonga New Hebrides Solomon
Islands*   (ii) Ships trading with United Kingdom New Zealand and
Australia*     (iii) Australian and New Zealand territories.
(c) Host effective means of cooperation with the United Kingdom
in the defence of British Commonwealth after providing for security
in the South Western Pacific, including schemes for mutual
«
reinforcement.
(d) Coordination of dofence policy in peace and war.
(e) Sources of supplies of equipment after the outbreak of war0
(f) Scales of reserves of supplies, including fuel and equipment
(g) Possible effect of German demand for the return of Mandated
Territories.
(h) Economic aspects of war, Including probable effect on trade
and shipping.
())   Policy in relation to Trana Pacific Air route and the
United States activities in the Pacific.
This agenda is dependant only in a small degree on report
of the New Zealand Chiefs of Staff which affects point (b) above
only.     His Majesty's Government in New Zealand had hoped that
it would be possible to hold the conference at latest by mid-March
and they are somewhat disturbed at the proposal of His Majesty's
Government in the United Kingdom not to hold it before the middle
of April.     His Majesty's Government in New Zealand still hope !
this will be possible and in view of relatively small importance
of report of Kew Zealand Staff Chiefs already referred to, suggest
that His Majesty1s Government in the United Kingdom may be able
to decide on their representations forthwith and arrange for the
arrival of their representatives by the middle of March.
The substance of this telegram is being repeated to the High
Commissioner for Western Pacific and to His Majesty's Government
in the Commonwealth of Australia.