CLOSE LIAISON

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 March 1943, Page 3

CLOSE LIAISON

DESIRED WITH AUSTRALIA. MR BERENDSEN INTERVIEWED. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) CANBERRA, March 23. While New Zealand’s war effort had been a remarkable one, Australia’s had been phenomenal, declared the ■ newly appointed High Commissioner for New Zealand, Mr C. A. Berendsen, at his first Press interview. He acknowledged the great assistance which New Zealand had received from Australia, and he answered many questions concerning the impact of the war on New Zealand life. Admiral Halsey, he said, had made a splendid impression on New Zealand. Indeed, the American leadership in the South Pacific was extremely good, and the New Zealanders had the utmost confidence in the command. In discussing the relationship between Australia and New Zealand, Mr Berendsen said that the problems of the war and of external affairs generally in the two Dominions were essentially the same. Any differences were of detail, not of principle. “We wish to establish the closest possible liaison between New Zealand and Australia with the object of attaining the greatest co-operation,” he said. “That is the object of my appointment here.” ’Mr Berendsen said that so far as could be seen, the threat to New Zealand was receding rather than advancing, but one hour’s bad luck on a dark night might change the situation.