‘WRONG INFERENCE’

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31114, 18 July 1966, Page 11

‘WRONG INFERENCE’

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) SYDNEY, July 17. The Australian Prime Minister, Mr Harold Holt, today told reporters in Sydney that he was sorry some newspapers had inferred from his Washington remarks a good deal of criticism of the British Government. The reports had read more into what he said than he had intended, he said when he arrived back in Sydney by air from Honolulu, ending visits

to Britain and the United States. About 50 demonstrators assembled in the foyer of the overseas terminal building at Sydney Airport gave him a noisy reception. Most of them carried placards, some supporting and others criticising the Australian Government's policy in South Vietnam. At a brief press conference, Mr Holt said the main purpose of the journey was to try to establish a warmer and closer personal working relationship with Mr Harold Wilson and President Johnson. “I can say ‘mission accomplished’ with full heart,” he said.

Referring to newspaper comment of his remarks in Washington, Mr Holt said that. Instead of criticising Mr Wilson, he had regard to the political difficulties and problems Mr Wilson faced in the United Kingdom. Mr Wilson had shown great courage and firmness in the line he had taken in relation to South Vietnam. It is true that Mr Wilson did not see the HanoiHaiphong bombing in the same way as the United States and Australia did but he made it clear that be was still supporting America's purposes and presence in South Vietnam. "Mr Wilson and I had a very close exchange,” Mr Holt said. Private Talk "I think the night at Chequers in which we spent three hours alone together and covered a great deal of ground was functional to continuing good relations in the future and we were able to follow that up with talks at No. 10 Downing Street the next day. "I mention this because I think rather less has been made of the talks in London, although they were certainly no less extensive than the talks we had in Washington between the President and myself and his adviser*. “In each case I was able to talk, not only with the leaders of the governments concerned but with their most senior colleagues, and this has given me a very rounded and quite full picture of what each administration is doing in respect of a lot of matter in which we are interested."

Archbishop of Suva.—Pope Paul has appointed Monsignor Victor Foley, . aged 57, as Roman Catholic Archbishop of Suva. Archbishop Foley was formerly Vicar Apostolic of the Fiji Islands.—London, July 17.