ALLIES’ REAL GAIN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20875, 29 August 1942, Page 3

ALLIES’ REAL GAIN

SOLOMON ISLES WAR COUNCIL SURVEY MR. FRASER’S DISCUSSIONS (10 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Aug. 28. The Pacific War Council viewed the successes in the Solomon Islands as a real gain. The meeting lasted an hour and a half and was devoted almost execlusively to a report by the Prime Minister of New Zealand. Mr. P. Fraser, on the south-west Pacific and New Zealand’s relation to the battle programme. The New Zealand Minister, Mr. W. Nash, acted as spokesman. Mr. Nash told the press that his own impression of the Allied gain in the Solomons is real. There had been a considerable dispersal of Japanese forces in the south-west Pacific area and the outlook was rather encouraging. The losses of aeroplanes at one point had been in proportion of seven Allied against 33 Japanese. Mr. Nash said the council discussed the new Japanese landing in New Guinea, but he did not comment on this. Report From Talks in Australia He said that Mr. Fraser reported on consultations with the Australian Prime Minister, Mr. J. Curtin, and General MacArthur, Commander-in - Chief of the south-west Pacific. President Roosevelt discussed the Solomons operations. Mr. Nash, commenting on the press reports, said they had already given most of what was going on. The British Ambassador, Viscount Halifax, said Mr. Fraser was much impressed by the cordial way in which the Australian and American forces were working together. The Australian representative, Sir Reginald Dixon, did not comment. Mr. Fraser had lunch with the Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull President Roosevelt’s secretary, Mr. Stephen Early, said that President Roosevelt stayed up until 2 o’clock yesterday morning talking with Mr. Fraser and Mr. J. G. Grew, former United States Ambassador in Tokio. in the President’s study. Mr. Nash was also present. President Roosevelt and Mr. Fraser resumed their conference after breakfast, spending most of the moraine together. Then they went to the Pacific War Council meeting.