REPORTS FROM RUSSIA

Chronicle (Levin), 20 July 1946, Page 7

REPORTS FROM RUSSIA

SENT BY N.Z. M1NISTKU in the I-Iouse yeslerday, the Prime Aliiubter, Alr. Fruser, replyiug to Alr. \V. H. (ioosmuu, said that the X e w Zealand Alinister at Aloscow sent many most valuable despatehes dealing with all phases of ec.ononiie and social lii'e in Kussia, but there was notliing wliich eould be described as ' ' diseiosures. ■' ' As was the practice iu all nations, diplonmtic correspondence was for the information of the Goyeruineut, not for general dissemhiation. If niuch of the information obtained tlirough diploniatie channels was made publie, it wouhl ])(» inipossible to maintain a lnendly (liplomatie relationship Avitli any eountry. If the eeonomic eonditions prevailing iri any oue of the Fnited Xations, whieh conjointly saved the world from a continuation of the Iiorrors of Xaxism wero made' subjeet to propaganda, the diliiculties, already so vrrv ereat, of pronioting friendship aniong tliose nations. would be greatly imweased. Alr. Sutlierland said that Mr. Praser 's reply eoneerning despatehes from- Mo.scow were evasixe, and he asked when the Prime Alinister was going to phu-e the iaforniation obtaineil from JMr. Boswell betore the llouse. Alr. ('oosman said that, so far as trade was coneerned, Xcw Zealund had iaij.orted about £140 wortli of what he presumed was literature from Pussia, and i;ad e.\[)orted nothiug. The Aliuister in AIoscow had cost Xow Zealand more tinui £o(),(H)0 and that exjiendituro was a eolossal waste. He imagined Alr. Haswell was hoping the elections Avotild be lield soon so that he eould come back to good old Xew Zealand. Mr. Fraser said that he had justiiied Mr. Hoswelk's ai>pointinent 100 per ceiit. It was essential during the Avar to have representativeo at Washington and Moseow. Mr. F. H. Ilolland: AVhat about Paris? Mr Praser said that there was a case for represeutalion in Paris, but the Iligh ( 'ommissioner in London eould atteinl to matters there in the meantime. Mr. Haswell 's rejiorts showed that he had a good grasp of the situatiioi wilhout exercising ])rejudice. Mr. Ilolland asked why should not he llouse be informed of the infonuation coming from Mr. Boswell? Mr. Fraser said it uould be impossible to carry on difilomat ic relntions if every despatch from a foreign eountry uas made publie. Mr. (loosinan: Houhi the Leader of ihe Opposition have a look at them? Mr. Fraser replied in tlfe alhrmative, but a-lded tlmt if Mr. Haswell 's desnntehes were made publie it was pos,sible flint tliey eould be eonstrued as urojiaaanda ae.aiust; the P.K.S TI. and ■ 'hal sort of tliing was not eondueive to liplomatie reiations. Mr. Fraser said ' 'liat our job was to foster goodwill. X"o lovemnw-nt eould ]dedge itself to ]iub- : dsh all the despatehes it reeeived in liplomatie eorresfiondenee. It Avas all a matler of eommonsense. In due ! ■'ourse. v.lien the immediate irritations and di tio ult ies were over, the praetiee ^ if tabling despatehes eould be resunied.