n u v D.0.3a. Subject : Reference to previous correspondence: With tho compliments of A copy has also been sent to l/f**f ,f Dominions Office, Downing Street, 6 MAY 1939 103 (1119521 Wt 323tfl/35R« 1.000 2'3fl H « Sp Op8IO (RB639) Wt l&5*8'3«7 30.000(4) 7/38 301 HIO;i'i' IMMUUfc JJ^K *9 V | L CONFjL.-fr'ilAL. ¦•.7. muMtcai, i^7th March, 1969 Sir, I have the honour to report that the announcement here on the 18th iiarch of the forthcoming meeting in Wellington, of representativea of the United Kingdom, New Zealand and •ustrelia, to discuss Pacific tiueationa of coa .on concern, with apeclal reference to aefenoe questions, haa been welcomed by all aectiona of opinion, aa represented in the preae of ; tions of the nations of the Commonwealth is possible also in trace rslatio.ns, in foreign policy, and in defence. Combined wltn tne need for ununiaoua aecisions, tnis assumption has reduced tne achievements of most conferences to the evolution of formulae too vague to be of practical vaius. Tne pace of any conference la dictated by its ;aost reluctant member. The decisions of Imperial Conferences represent, tnereforet the minimum rather than tne maximum of constructive collective action of which the British Commonwealth is capable. The problem is to find a technique of co-operation which, without supplanting the Imperial Conference* will better express the essential unit/ of the commonwealth; and it may be that the Hew Zealand .overnment, as the original promoter of the taclfic aefence conference* nas shown the way to a partial solution of the problem. Tula conference is a practical recognition of the Important fact that, within the British Commonwealth, there are interest groups which constitute the best basis for collective action. In this instance, it has been realised that Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and the British colonies in the ¦ nolflc have a comaon aefence problem. The ascitic shipping problem oroutes another group consisting Great Britain, Australia, few Lealana and Canada. In Africa, tne aefence problem has empaasised the community of interest^ among creat Britain, the Union of South Africa, the Uhodeelaa, and the British colonies and mandated territories in Africa. The otner peculiarity of the rucific defence conference attributable mainly to the need for haste and the technics nature of the questions it will discuss, is that it will be made up entirely of experts and permanent officials, i'or that reason, its decisions can be no more taan recommendation to tie governments concerned; but it la probable tnat It wlXX^ lead to speedier uotlon than a conference of plenlpotentlar Its order of reference la, of course, limited to defenos; but defence, of defence, In the modern world 1b not merely or even mainly u matter of armies, navies, nnd elr forces. There seems at least a possibility that the governments repreeented at the I aclflc oefeno* conference will by decrees be drawn Into oolleotive action on problems of truue. Industrial production and foreign policy by the same necessities waiea have drawn them into collective Motion on the uefence problem.