PARAPIIRAS;; TS&SOBAB Prom the Governor General of New Zealand* Bated 17th February, 1939. Received 10*20 a.m. 17th February. Ho.23 Secret. I am asked "by my Prime Minister to communicate to you text of following telegram which he has addressed to the Prime Hinister of Commonwealth of >>ustr;.lia today. Telegram "begins. | i Secret. i it Reference your telegram of 15th Pobruary I appreciate your apprehension of the difficulties that may militate against a successful Defence Conference at an early date. I fully realise the importance and difficulties of some of the questions which it is proposed to discuss and I recognise the fact that the Defence officers in . ustralia arc very much pressed as is also the case in New Zealand. At the same time I feel that since the F-cixic aei'enco matters v/erc discussed at the Imperial Conference the position has chanced so radically and the pressure of events is so ominous that v;ith a view to making practical recommendations to the Governments concerned rather than exploring the matters of high policy it is highly desirable that the proposed Conference should he held at the earliest possible moment. For example, paragraphs (a) and (b) of the proposed Agenda while couched in very v/ldo terms would in fact, v/e contemplate, be interpreted as a practical investigation firstly of the time during which Australia and How Zealand may expect to be without assistance from naval reinforcements from the United Kingdom, secondly the scale and direction of attack that may be contemplated during that period, and thirdly the steps which in combination combination between the United Kingdom Australia and Rot Zealand it would be most desirable to take to aeet this eventuality* as in Hew Zealand it raiy well lie in Australia that plans for such a contingency have already been evolved but the Mow Zealand Government afro impressed with the desirability of collaborating in the P cific defence mensux^es to the utmost extent possible* Similar cements apply to other paragraphs of the proposed acendat Xt has always been the intention of the Hew Senland Government to provide papers sotting out the Hew Zealand point of view on the subjects of the Agenda which they have proposeu and it is hopud that this work which is already in preparation will be completed in time to allow of their delivery to the Australian delegates before their departure for How Zealand. 1 trust that in all the circumstances you will bo able to reconsider the matter and agree to a meeting of the Conference at the earliest date convenient to His r.sjesty'o Government in the United Kingdom. A copy of this message has been repeated to His Majesty^ Government in the United Kingdom* Telegram ends*