KEEPING TOUCH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 April 1941, Page 4

KEEPING TOUCH

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND PERMANENT CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE. ESTABLISHMENT ANNOUNCED BY MR FRASER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. Ah agreement between the New Zealand and Australian Governments to establish a permanent consultative committee was announced by the Prime Minister. Mr Fraser, in a statement last, night. He said that this arrangement had first been discussed with the Hon. C. L. Anthony, the Commonwealth Minister who visited New Zealand in February last. Details of the proposal were further worked out with him by the Minister of Supply, Mr Sullivan, and the matter was fully approved by the War Cabinet. “I have considered for some time,” said the Prime Minister, "that it would be most advantageous to both countries in war time as in peace if some machinery for regular consultation on matters of common interest could be set up. The questions of greatest concern at the present time are, of course, those relating to supply and muni- / lions. * “Mr Anthony, who warmly welcomed the idea, undertook to place it before his Government on his return, and I was informed by the Acting Prime Minister of the Commonwealth. Mr Fadden. a short while ago that our proposal was fully acceptable and indeed warmly approved. It is intended that the inter-Governmental committee shall consist of the Ministers of Supply of the respective countries as permanent members and such other appropriate Ministers as are required from time to time. It is also contemplated that meetings shall be held at regular intervals in both countries at times yet to be agreed upon. “I feel.” concluded the Prime Minister. “that the establishment of this machinery for personal consultation between’Ministers is a most important advance in the relationship between the two countries and I am certain that most valuable results will be obtained not only in matters relating to supply but in all other problems of common interest.”