JOINT PLEA

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22339, 26 May 1947, Page 3

JOINT PLEA

REMOVAL OF BAN

TIED-UP SHIPS

DUTCH & INDONESIANS

GOODS HELD IN AUSTRALIA (10 a.m.) BATAVIA, May 25. A joint letter saying that the Netherlands Indies and Indonesian Republican •Governments would appreciate the use of the Australian Government's “good offices” to secure the immediate lifting of the ban on Dutch shipping, was sent yesterday to the Australian ConsulGeneral, Mr. B. C. Ballard.

The letter was signed by Dr. H. Van Mook and Dr. Sjahrir and has attached a three-clause agreement regarding the distribution of Dutch goods which had been held up in Australia since September, 1945. The letter says: “Both Governments call attention to the fact that' such a measure would be in the interest of the whole of Indonesia as the goods which at present cannot be removed from Australia as a result of the ban will help to meet the needs of the republic on the basis of the agreement to be concluded between th Netherlands Indies and the Republican Governments.” The signing of the joint letter is the result of several weeks’ patient negotiation, initiated bv the representatives of the Australian Government .who recently visited Indonesia as attaches to the Australian Consulate-General. A Dutch communique says that some 40,000 tons of goods, valued at more than 40,000,000 guilders, are lying in Australian ports. The main goods are textiles, but there are also such items as medicines, lighters, motor-boats, cars and agricultural implements. Dr. Akgani, Republican Minister for Economic^Affairs, said: “I hope this will be for the benefit of all people concerned and lead to the resumption of normal trade between cur two countries.”