British Govt asks to see Holt diaries

Press, 7 March 1984, Page 6

British Govt asks to see Holt diaries

NZPA London The British Government has asked to see diaries kept by ■ a late Australian Prime Minister, Harold Holt, which are said to contain coded messages. The request came from the Secretary of the Cabinet, Sir Robert Armstrong, as a result of publication of a controversial book, “The Prime Minister was a Spy,” by a British writer and former foreign correspondent, Anthony Grey. The author alleges that Mr Holt was a Chinese spy for 38 years. The allegation is based on information provided by a former Royal Australian Navy Intelligence officer, Commander Ronald Titcombe. He said that he was told by Chinese informants tht Mr Holt haad put coded messages in

newsletters he sent back to

his family and friends during extensive overseas travels as an Australian Minister and chairman of the World Bank, International Labour Organisation, and Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. An extra copy of the newsletter had gone to Mr Holt’s Chinese contact, Commander Titcombe says he was told. He has a bound volume of the travel diary, which he offered to the British and Australian governments. Grey said that Sir Robert Armstrong had asked to see the travel diary, and it was being handed over to him. “He said that the Cabinet Office would like to see the diary in view of the suggestion that security questions were involved,” Grey said.