FOREIGN AFFAIRS TALKS

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27912, 8 March 1956, Page 7

FOREIGN AFFAIRS TALKS

Mr Holland’s Visit To Australia “ DEFINITELY VERY VALUABLE ” (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON. March 7. Foreign relations discussions between himself and Mr Menzies had been “informal, personal, certainly confidential, and definitely very valuable,” the Prime Minister (Mr Holland) said on his return from Australia today. Mr Holland said that during part of his Australian visit he had stayed at Mr Menzies’ official residence. “This provided an opportunity for an exchange of views on topics in which we have a mutual national interest, such as Malaya and Singapore and Southeast Asia generally,” the Prime Minister said. He added that he had also had talks with the Australian Minister of External Affairs (Mr R. G. Casey) and also by telephone with the New Zealand Minister of External Affairs (Mr T. L. Macdonald), when Mr Macdonald passed through Australia on his way to the SEATO conference at Karachi. “The purpose of all these talks on foreign affairs was to facilitate exchange of information and the development of our thinking on parallel lines in subjects in which Australia and New Zealand have an identity of interest,” Mr Holland said.