N.Z. AND FIRE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 63, 15 March 1944, Page 6

N.Z. AND FIRE

MR. FRASER EXPLAINS U.S. ACTION APPROVED (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The New Zealand Government could not fail to be concerned about the existing conditions, said the Prime Minister, Mr. Eraser, when asked to comment on the situation aiisinp out of the United States Government's request that the Axis diplomatic representatives be removed from Dublin.

While appreciating the sincere and vigorous efforts to institute security measures against espionage which had been made by the Government of Eire, whose friendship is greatly valued by the people of this country, said Mr. Eraser, nevertheless it was a fact that information of military importance could be transmitted from the German and Japanese Legations, that the lives of New Zealanders, as well as those of other members of the British Commonwealth and the United Nations, were involved, particularly those who were assembled in readiness for the second front.

For these reasons, and since the cause of democracy and freedom for which the United Nations were fighting was also the cause of the Irish people, the New Zealand Government had felt it their duty to approve the United States' request, and had also expressed the hope that the Government of Eire would find it possible to accede to the strong 1 epresentations which had been made by the State Department.