MR. FRASER WOULD GIVE U.S. BASES

Chronicle (Levin), 11 April 1946, Page 5

MR. FRASER WOULD GIVE U.S. BASES

Press Assn.

ESSENTIAL FOR WELFARE AND SECURITY

By Telegraph

-Copyright

Received Wednesday, 11.50 p.m. SYD'jSTEY, April 10. It was essential for the future wel- 1 fare and security of Australia and New Zeaiand that America should he allowed to estahlish bases in the Pacific, saiu ; the Prime Minister of New Zeaiand j (Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) who, accompanied ; by the Minister of Finance (Hcn. j Walter Nash), arrived in Sydney to- 1 day. Mr. Fraser addecl that there would ! need to he a joint plan of coopc. ..uon | hetween the United States, Bricain, j Australia and New Zeaiand and possibly France. ■ His discussions with Mr. Chifley ; would relate to defence matterSj the j future of the Pacific and the need for i close collaboration hetween New Zea- j land and Australia. Mr. Fraser said a proposal to set up ' an Bmpire defence scheme, and particu- j larly the need for establishing regionai ; security, would he discussed at the ! London conference. Mr. Fraser will return to New Zea- j land on Saturday before proceeding to j London. He will confer wuoii the ; Minister of External Affairs (Dr. j Evatt) as well as Mr. Chifley before his 1 departure. i Mr. Nrsh will have trade talks witn i the Austraiian Ministers. "I emphasise that Austraiian control i in New Guinea will not he diminished one iota. It is hallowed ground to the Aus'cralians and of supreme importance J to this country. ' ' This declaration was j made in the House of Representatives j hy Dr. Evatt, replying to a question. Dr. Evatt added that there was no intention of any portion of this territory goiug outside ' Australia. The only question under consideration was the system of trusteeship, under which Australia would have greater rights than at present.