'Solid Support For Menzies'

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29841, 6 June 1962, Page 13

'Solid Support For Menzies'

(A.Z. Press Association—Copyright) MELBOURNE, June 5. The Australian Prime Minister (Mr Menzies) was assured of the “solid support” of all parties in the Federal Parliament on the line he had taken in his first round of Common Market talks in London, the Melbourne “Herald” reported from Canberra today.

Mr Menzies’ stocks had soared because of his un. compromising fight to retain Commonwealth preferences, the newspaper’s Canberra correspondent, E. H. Cox. wrote.

"There is evidence that his toughness and his alignment with the New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister. Mr Marshall, are producing resentment among members of the British mission in Canberra." Cox said Mr Menzies’ blunt and uncompromising tactics had come as > a surprise in contrast to his usual bland relations with British ministers in London, Cox said “In Canberra, his shock tactics are seen as a new reflection of the gravity of the situation facing Australia and of fears that Britain is prepared to go.to unexpected lengths in sacrificing Commonwealth interests to enter the Common Market,” Cox wrote.

The swift liaison Mr Menzies had established with Mr Marshall, and the join’ action they had since taken to press the case of the Commonwealth countries, were seen as significant. “This is in sharp contrast with the statement by the Minister for Trade. Mr McEwen, on his return from Izmdon in April, that Australia would not ‘gang up' with other threatened Commonwealth partners." he said Cox said strong resentment had been caused in Canberra

by the timing of the provisional agreement reached by ,Britain and the Common Market countries last week on ending preferences on manufactures from Australia and other Commonwealth countries.

The decision had been announced just before Mr Menzies reached London. “He began his talks facing the tact that Britain had already surrendered in principle the long-standing principle of Commonwealth preference.” Cox said.