COMMONWEALTH DELEGATION

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24401, 30 October 1944, Page 4

COMMONWEALTH DELEGATION

ARRIVAt JN N.Z. CANBERRA AGREEMENT DISCUSSION (P.A.) AUCKLAND. October 29. Members of the Australian Government delegation to New Zealand, led bv the Rt. Hon. F. M. Forde, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Army and Dr. H, V. Evatt, Munster of External Affairs, arrived by flying' boat from Sydney, on Saturday. They will confer with New Zealand Government representatives m the first (u the talks between the two countries arranged under the terms of the New Zealand-Australia agreement of January and will be in New Zealand about three weeks. Other members of the party are!Mr A. V. Smith, secretary of the Department of Supply and Shipping. Mr F. R. Sinclair, secretary of the Army Department, Dr. J. W. Burton, Mr W. D. Forsyth, and Mr P. Hasluck, of the Commonwealth Department of External Affairs, and Mr K. C. Hardie, secretary to Mr Forde.The Australian delegation was accompanied by Mr J. G. Barclay, New Zealand High Commissioner in Australia, who will take part in the discussions in Wellington. Mesdames Forde, Evatt, and. Barclay have accompanied their husbands. The delegation was met by the Minister of Labour (the Hon. P. C. Webb) and Mr J. W. Keenan. Undersecretary for Internal Affairs, on behalf of the New Zealand Government, by the Mayor (Mr j. A. C. Allum), and by the chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board (Mr J. W. Frater). The Australian party remained in Auckland overnight and left to-day for Rotorua, where they were given a Maori reception this morning. Mr Barclay stayed in Auckland for the, week-end and will travel to Wellington to-morrow.