THTS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT IN NEW ZEALAND.
' DEFENCE CONFERENCE, 1939----^.rr,^ ,
It is requested that special care may be taken to ensure**^ ' ^
the secrecy of this document. 18th April, 1939.
SECRET.
MEMORANDUM for
The Chairman9
Strategic Committee.
One of the items on the agenda of the Supply
Committee read as follows :-
¦  "(vi)    The practicability of establishing Imperial
reserves of equipment in the Dominions to meet
the requirements of reinforcements despatched
to the South Pacific."
The observations of the Committee on this point
are set out on the attached paper.
The Committee wishes the Strategic Committee to
take note of this aspect of the question of the provision
of a force for the defence of southern Pacific territories.
Any equipment provided for a force intended to protect
Fiji or elsewhere must necessarily reduce the mobilisation
stocks available in Australia or New Zealand.
Chairman -
Supply Committee.
Encl:
PROPOSED REPLY TO SECTION (vi) OP THE AGENDA
SET OUT IN PARAGRAPH h OP PAPER D.C.1+.
Neither reserves of equipment nor the capacity for
manufacturing munitions are at present available to make
the establishment of Imperial reserves of equipment in
the South Pacific a practical proposition.
Imperial reserves of equipment are held in Singapore
for the use of British Naval, Military and Air forces in
time of war.     Co-operation with Australian and New Zealand
forces in the matter of the provision of such equipment is
of great importance and anything which can be done by the
Governments of Australia and New Zealand to assist the
movement of United Kingdom or Dominion Naval, Air and Land
forces in the South Pacific would be highly desirable.
If it is decided that forces should be prepared in
Australia or New Zealand for the defence of Imperial
interests in Fiji or other Pacific territories, a clear
statement as to the size and composition of such forces
should be made at an early date in order to permit of the
preparation in the United Kingdom or elsewhere of the
necessary equipment for the maintenance of such forces.