STRATEGY IN PACIFIC

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23583, 10 March 1942, Page 6

STRATEGY IN PACIFIC

IMPORTANT MEETING IN MELBOURNE

VITAL DECISIONS TAKEN

SYDNEY. March 4,

Decisions made at the War Council meeting which ended in Melbourne last Saturday are expected to have farreaching effects on the defence strategy of the South Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand.

For security reasons, the names, of those who attended, apart from the New Zealand Ministers, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan and the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, and Australian representatives, were kept secret. But it is known that representatives of other nations were present. v Australia, disappointed over the establishment of the Pacific War Council in London, app.ears to have at last secured a chance to put her own case on the spot before representatives of other nations. The result of the conference seemed to have pleased the Prime Minister (Mr J, Curtin) and the New Zealand representatives. Although he declined to comment, Mr Curtin appeared particularly pleased over the attitude taken by members of the council. . It was assumed from his own attitude that the representatives of *the Allied nations shared his view that a completely realistic approach must be made to the question of Australia’s defence and that they realised Australia’s immediate danger. Since it is certain communications will have to be sent to overseas Governments, no time was lost in quickly following up the War Council’s decisions. Mr Curtin, and probably the two greatest authorities on constitutional law in Australia, the Attorney-General, Dr. H. V. Evatt, and a former Prime Minister, Mr R. G. Menzies,. met to carry out secret instructions.Broadcasting over Australian national and commercial stations after the War Council meeting, Mr Sullivan said the discussions had been of great importance. Australian and New Zealand soldiers, he continued, were fighting together again, as they did in the last war, when they combined to make the name “Anzac” one of the most feared by Britain’s enemies, but at home now the two countries were also united by a common peril. The defeat of one would mean the defeat of the other. It was still possible that New Zealand might become a line of defence for Australia.