N.Z. RELATIONS WITH U.S.

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27169, 13 October 1953, Page 8

N.Z. RELATIONS WITH U.S.

Vice-President’s Visit MEETING WITH CABINET (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 12. Summing up the talks held today between the Vice-President of the United States (Mr Richard Nixon) and the New Zealand Cabinet, the Prime Minister (Mr Holland) said tonight that they were to all intents and Purposes a combined meeting of the Cabinets of the United States Government and the New Zealand Government. The Prime Minister met Mr Nixon at Ohakea this morning, and they travelled by car together to Wellington. “We talked on matters of mutual interest on the way,” said Mr Holland. “We lost no time in getting down to it.” >

Mr Nixon sat with the Cabinet meeting this afternoon for about an hour and a half. Reporting on the subjects under discussion at the meeting, Mr Holland detailed them as follows: Trade Policy.-- , . ... x said to the Vice-President that New Zealand was concerned at the exclusion of some of her exports from the United States market—dairy produce and meat and especially dried milk powder—which has had substantial consequences for New Zealand producers. I put forward to the VicePresident our desire to earn dollars for the sterling area by supplying our export products at competitive prices Wool Levy.— , , “The proposal to impose a leyy on wool imports from such countries as New Zealand was mentioned, ana we have pointed out to the Vice-President the far-reaching effects of such a proposal, seeing that wool is one of New Zealand’s main export commodities selling on the market at auction prices.”

Anzus Agreement.— , ~ “We discussed membership and the recent council meeting. The Minister of External Affairs (Mr T. C. Webb), who has just returned from those council talks, reported to the Cabinet on them while Mr Nixon was there.” Korea and Indo-China.— “We had an invaluable discussion on the progress of events concerning the Korea situation. The Chief of the General Staff (Major-General W. G Gentry) recently returned from a visit to French Indo-China, and we were able to exchange views with Mr Nixon on the latest developments and future possibilities in that critical area.” South-East Asia.— . , “Our discussions covered the field of events in South-east Asia generally, and the progress of events in Malaya. Soviet Policy, Germany.— “We discussed Soviet policy in world events today, and also the situation which is developing in Germany as a result of the Adenauer election success.” Sterling Area.—

“Mr Nixon was very interested to exchange views on the progress made in the recovery of the gold and dollar reserves in the sterling area. Mr Nixon was entirely sympathetic toward that area’s requirements.” Mr Holland said that in the one day Mr Nixon had been in Wellington his visit had been of very great benefit. “We are British people, and New Zealand is a very loyal part of the British Commonwealth, as well as having the closest ties with the United States,” he said. “We are the first to realise that the combination of influence and power of the British Commonwealth and the United States is the surest guarantee of peace in the world today. “Mr Nixon has come at a most fortunate time, not to repair the damage caused by quarrelling but to strengthen the bonds of friendship which have come from personal contact. “Mr Nixon was good enough to tell me that he thought his visit had been of value from his point of view. I can assure him that the exchanges we had today have been, as one of my colleagues said, one of the best ana most informative of any similar discussions he had attended.” Mr Holland recalled that Mr Nixon’s visit was a result of an invitation he extended about two years ago when he was in Washington on his way to a London conference.