Cabinet Meets On Common Market

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29905, 20 August 1962, Page 10

Cabinet Meets On Common Market

ISrorn Our Parliamentary Heporlerj

WELLINGTON, August 19.

A cabled copy of the British Government’s summary of the state of its Common Market entry negotiations reached the New Zealand Government this evening. It was received just as the Cabinet economic policy committee completed a six-hour meeting which was called to consider as the Prime Minister said afterwards, “the whole position we have arrived at in the E.E.C. talks.”

Later, Mr Holyoake left for dinner at Government House where the King and Queen of Thailand are guests of the Governor-General. “But I shall study the cable this evening." he said.

The committee will meet again on Tuesday to examine this latest British advice on the terms of her entry and the implications for Commonwealth produce. Today's meeting was attended by officials of the Treasury, the External Affairs, Agriculture and Customs Departments to help prepare a brief for the New Zealand party attending next month’s Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ conference in London. The New Zealand team to accompany the Prime Minister and the Deputy-Prime Minister (Mr Marshall) has yet to be approved by the Cabinet. Mr Holyoake, who earlier said that selection of the party would depend on the talks summary from Lon-

don, said tonight that the number of officials going from Wellington had not yet been decided.

The Sunday meeting was apparently demanded by the pressure imposed on Ministers while Parliament is in session and the Thai Royal tour now in progress.

Although the British cable was expected to add to the Government’s knowledge of the E.E.C. position, its absence today was not a hindrance to progress on planning for the conference, explained the Prime Minister. The latest cables from London and Brussels have not produced anything new for the committee. In addition to these, the Prime Minister receives fairly frequent and detailed letters from the New Zealand High Commissioner in London (Mr T. L. Macdonald) which appraise him of more intimate details and views of what is happening in Whitehall.

The Prime Minister still expects to leave for London on September 1.