AUSTRALIA-N.Z. RELATIONS

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

AUSTRALIA-N.Z. RELATIONS

COLLABORATION AND RESPONSIBILITY IMPORTANCE OF FUTURE CONFERENCES The coming week, with its conferences between representatives of the Australian and New Zealand Governments, would mark an important milestone in the history and relations of the two Dominions, said the Hon. T. G. d’A. Daßon. High Commissioner for Australia in New Zealand, in a broadcast address last evening. Leaders of the Australian delegation .at present in_New Zealand were Mr F. M. Forde, Deputy-Prime Minister of Australia, and Dr. H. V. Evatt, the Commonwealth Attorney-General and Minister of External Affairs, said Mr Dalton. He referred to the conclusion of the Canberra Agreement by the Prime Minister of New Zealand (the Rt. Hfin. P. Fraser) and representatives of the Australian Government, including the Prime-Minister of the Commonwealth (the Rt. *Hon. J. Curtin). In that agreement were embodied the common aims of the peoples of the two Do-, minions. There'had been criticism of the agreement from some quarters,Dut neither Government had seen any reason for apologising for its terms. The Canberra Agreement had brought Australia and New Zealand together in day-to-day collaboration. Its principles had been accepted by other countries' throughout the world. The opinion had been expressed in some quarters that New Zealand and Australia should speak in international affairs only through Great Britain; such people forgot that the two Dominions had, been fully recognised as independent nations. The Pacific war had shown that New Zealand and Australia must depend on themselves and on each other. Recently, talks between Australia and New Zealand delegations, on the subject of civil aviation, had been held in Wellington, and had proved most harmonious. , Visitors’ Background Mr Dalton said that Mr Forde was best known in the Commonwealth as Minister of the Army. In this department Mr Forde had been responsible for a tremendous expansion of activities. It was not possible to give figures of the present strength of the Army, but enlistments to 1944 had totalled 891,000. The Australian Army had inflicted the first land defeat upon the Japanese, and since then had been in continuous action against them in New Guinea. There was still much work to be done before the enemy was driven out. Dr. Evatt was known internationally as a historian, and as a former Justice of the High Court of Australia. He had resigned from the High Court to enter the Federal Elections in 1940, and had been appointed to his present position in the first Curtin Government.' Dr. Evatt’s interest in New Zealand was very strong and deep, said Mr Dalton:* he had believed for many years that the Australian and New' Zealand nations should become more conscious of their problems and destiny. The discussions which were to be held during the next week could not fail to be of great importance, not only to New Zealand and Australia, but to the whole Pacific region, said Mr Dalton. The countries had made a full contribution to the common struggle against Japan and the other Axis Powers. No other countries, with the nossible exception of the Soviet Union, had suffered such grave casualties in proportion to their population. The two countries could now make their contribution to world order, as typical examples <1 peace-loving,.democratic.

states, and they must be assume new duties and new reaP abilities,