MR. FRASER IN CAIRO

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 198, 19 May 1941, Page 6

MR. FRASER IN CAIRO

Sees Dominion Troops AIR JOURNEY FROM NEW ZEALAND

Visit To Singapore

(N.Z.E.F. Official News Service.)

CAIRO, May 17.

The New Zealand Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, landed in the Egyptian capital this afternoon in a Royal Air Force machine. Admiration for the magnificent stand by the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Greece was expressed to Mr. Fraser by General Wavell, who called on Mr. Fraser shortly after his arrival. This admiration is shared by all in the Middle East, and everybody whom Mr. Fraser has met voiced praise and appreciation for the deeds of valour and courage performed by the New Zealanders, Maori and pakeha.

This morning Mr. Fraser called on Sir Ahnfed Hassanein Pasha, chamberlain to King Farouk at Abdin Palace.

Mr. Fraser lauded at Cairo on a cool, sunny afternoon which followed one of the city’s worst heat waves, in which the thermometer touched 120 deg. Fahrenheit in the shade. He was met by the British Ambassador, Sir Miles Lampson, Air Vice-Marshal A. W. Tedder, second in command to Marshal Longmore, Brigadier N. S. Falla, Colonel W. G. Stevens, officer In charge of administration, N.Z.E.F., Colonel Conway, Adjutant-General, N.Z.E.F., and Colonel F. Waite, New Zealand National Patriotic Fund Commissioner.

Spending several days in the world's hottest regions did not appear to have sapped his vitality, and Mr. Fraser was fit and well. After shaking hands with Sir Miles Lampson and before meeting the other members of the reception committee, Mr. Fraser shook hands with the crew of the plane. He is staying at the British Embassy on the banks of the Nile, a s the guest of Sir Miles and Lady Lampson. \ A full programme has been mapped out, and Mr. Fraser is having a busy time. In order to see as much as possible of the New Zealand troops, he will visit nearly every camp, hospital, convalescent depot, and club at which New Zealanders are likely to be found. Trip from New Zealand.

Leaving Auckland on May 3 in a Tasman Airways flying-boat, Mr. Fraser was farewelled by a small group, which included the mayor aof Auckland, Sir Ernest Davis, Mr. Richards, M.P., Mrs. Fraser, and Mrs. Berendsen and Mrs. Jeffery, the wives of the members of his staff who accompany him. The Acting-Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Fadden, the deputy-leader of the Commonwealth Labour Party, Mr. Forde, representing the Opposition Loader, Mr. Curtin, Sir 11. Manion, representing the New South Wales State Government, and Messrs. Taylor and Maleolmson, New Zealand Government trade representatives in Australia, met Mr. Fraser on his arrival at Rose Bay, Sydney. Mr. Fraser attended a meeting of Australia’s War Cabinet in Sydney and participated in important discussions. He also had an interchange, of views on munitions supply, shipping overseas and Inter-Dominion trade with Sir Earle Page and Senator McBride. At an official luncheon he met Mr. Spender, Senator Foil, Sir Frederick Stewart, Dr. Evatt, and Mr. Beasley (members of the War Council) and the Queensland Premier, Mr. Forgan Smith. On May 6, Mr. Forgan Smith flew to Brisbane with Mr. Fraser in a Qantas Empire Airways flying-boat. At Darwin Mr. Fraser was met by the Administrator, Mr. L. Abbott, with whom he inspected the defences. “I was deeply impressed by the strengthening of Darwin's defences since my last visit in December, 1939.” Mr. Fraser told a war correspondent. At Sourabaya, Mr. Fraser met the Dutch Ministers, Messrs. Van Kieffens and Welter, and had a long discussion with them. After flying by land plane to Batavia he was the guest of the Governor-General of the Netherlands East Indies. The British Comniander-in-Chiet in tli Far East, Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke Popham, was Mr. Fraser’s host at Singapore, where the Prime Minister was mostly occupied with the inspection of the -naval base, flying fields, and land defences, that make. Singapore Britain’s main Pacific bulwark. Mr. Fraser discussed defence with Sir Robert and with Admiral Layton. In Bangkok, the ancient Thai capital, Mr. Fraser stayed a night with the British Minister, Sir Josiah Crosby. He was a guest at Government House in Calcutta. Plane Shelled. .Mr. F. R. I’icol. New Zealand representative on the Eastern Group Supply Council, met Mr. Fraser at Calcutta, and accompanied him to Gwalior. Problems of supply and other matters concerning the war effort in the Far Eastern and south Pacific zones were discussed while Mr. Fraser was at Karachi, where lie was entertained by the Governor of Sind, Sir Hugh Dow. Mr. Fraser was advised from London that in view of the Iraq situation, it would be advisable to proceed to Cairo by the Bombay and Aden -sea route, ami arrangements had been made accordingly, but because of his anxiety to sec the New Zealand soldiers in tlie Middle East, and ascertain for himself al. the earliest possible moment the definite casualties in the Greek campaign. lie decided to adhere to the previous itinerary arranged. Through the'co-operation of the Viceroy of India. Lord Linlithgow. Sir Miles Lampson and Ibe Middle East Command, he travelled by flying-boat to Basra, the Iraqi port on the Persian Gulf, only just captured by the British from tlie insurgents. Shortly after leaving Basra, the R.A.F. plane by which he was travelling was ineffectively shelled by antiaircraft tire from a small section of the insurgent forces of Rascltid Ali.