CO. T>.0. 3. Communications on this subject should ho addressed -to— The Under-Secretary of State, Dominions Office, Downing Street, London. S.W.I, the following number quoted:— 2 2 FEB1939 v C.O.HEG1 J Reference- to previous correspondence: Letter £ the Dominions Office of the '«f3/^9 Transmitted by direction of the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs. A copy has also been sent to the Dominions Office, Downing Street, n m »39 193 (•1326) Wt. a5'74—370? 10.000 10/37 T.S. 695 PARAPHK/&SJS TKLKGHiVtl COiiMOUWiiALTH OF .\U8TOALIA To the Government of the commonwealth of Australia. (Sent 9.15 p.m., 20th February, 1939). Wo* 13. Secret. Keference your telegram of 15th February No. 18. Prime Minister of New Zealand has repeated to us his telegram to you of 17th February. His Majesty's Government in New Zealand had already been informed of our view that adequate consideration of some of the topics mentioned in their telegram of 22nd January would call for a meeting more in the nature of an Imperial Conference and that on such topics it was assumed that task of the present Conference would be merely exploratory with a view to drawing up reports for further consideration by Governments. v/e added that this would not apply to immediate practical problems which it was thought could be fully discusced at the Conference with a view to reaching definite conclusions. \ie feci that, if defence discussions on this basis could take place without undue delay there would be considerable advantage. Moreover v/e are anxious to discuss ae soon as possible with His Majesty's Governments in Commonwealth of Australia and New Zealand other questions relating to Pacific Islands namely action in regard to United States claims and civil avlution problems. It would therefore be convenient from our point of view if opening of Conference were not deferred beyond latter part of March. This would also be ' suitable time for attendance of High Commissioner for the western Pacific whom v/e should like to be one of our representa- tives at the Conference. We are repeating this telegram to New Zealand No. 27.