N.Z. Seen As Britain’s Baby-Sitter In Pacific

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27397, 9 July 1954, Page 11

N.Z. Seen As Britain’s Baby-Sitter In Pacific

(Rec. 10 pjn.) MELBOURNE, July 8. Douglas Wilkie, who writes the j coloumn “As I See It’’ in the Mel- - bourne “Sun-Pictorial” today de- : scribed New Zealand as “Britain s baby-sitter” in the Pacific. He wrote: “In the national sense. New Zealand seldom does a^ Ulin ? to surprise anyone—as opposed* of -course, to individual New Zealanders. who win V.C.’s. climb the highest mountains, and play Rugby foo.ball rather well. Hence the stir over New Zealand’s, declaration that it wants Red China admitted to the United Na“New Zealand’s most memorable bid lor fame in foreign affairs was bacK in 1936. when the New Zealand delegate to the League of Nations, bir James Parr, remarked that the world would be a much better place if solini could be made to understand the spirit of Rugby football. “More recently. Sir Carl ® e^en^ put the spotlight on New Zealand in the United Nations by shouting quacK. quack.’ during the more boring passages of a Russian harangue. Tnis was applauded by fellow delegates, but n ji mistaken for policy making. < lO fair, it should be mentioned that bir Car] Berendsen is a very able diplomat.) * “Toed Westminster Line , “Generally. Wellington has toed tnt Westminsf?r line, and when Bernard Shaw wroie a plav called ‘John Duh s Other Island," most New Zealanders assumed that it was about them. “It is wjth no disrespect to the present New Zealand Minister of External Affairs, Mr Clifton Webb—but « mark of our own ignorance and insularity—that most Australians are better acquainted with the English film comedian of the same name (hut no relation).

“Mr Webb, the comedian, scored his greatest success in the role of babysitter Mr Webb, the statesman, has beer T-chiefly distinguished, diplomatically speaking, as Britain s babyminder in the Pacific. “New Zealand showed its greatest independence of the Mother Country when it joined Anzus. This was because New Zealanders, like Australians, realised that they must look chiefly to the United States rather than t o Britain for protection in the Pacific. They argued that New Zealand, like Australia, cannot dictate conditions, and must make the best terms it can. “But New Zealand has been more overtly worried than Australia about the exclusion of Britain from Anzus_ It took part in the five-Power staff talks at Washington last 'month, because the talks were a means by*whica Britain could be brought into a general military discussion about Southeast Asia. Support for China “Now, imme ’.ately after the talks, New Zealand supports Britain and opnoses America on the question of admittmg China to the United Nationswithout prior consultation witlf Mr MenSS Mr Casey will hear the reasons Z when he stops off at Wellington on his way home, for talks with Mr “The reason, of course, is that New e Z ofe n a° « KKnTtha" tSe &T 1 |e arms of Russia is to £}j e affa f rs . /-vf Britain’s baby "minder in the Churchill, it is some baby .