CANBERRA AGREEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 25113, 1 March 1944, Page 3

CANBERRA AGREEMENT

BASED ON ATLANTIC CHARTER H 0 SELF-SEEKING. MOTIVE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 29. Addressing the llotary Club to-day, the High Commissioner for Australia, Mr T. G. D'Alton, said it should be emphasised that the Australia-New Zealand agreement was based on the principles of the Atlantic Charter, which contained the, expressed ideals of Mr Churchill and President Roosevelt, the trusted leaders of the United Nations. There was nothing in the agreement envisaging the aggrandisement of Australia and New Zealand and no talk of the transfer of territory. Mr D'Alton said that Sir Keith Murdoch, through the Melbourne ' Herald,' had raised entirely new issues when he discussed- the transfer of territory to other countries. That controversial issue should not have been raised at. a time when all our efforts were required in the actual prosecution of the war. The agreement made at Canberra recognised that the foundations of the future peace of the world were being laid low. Although Australia and New Zealand were relatively small nations, within their particular region their duties and obligations must he fulfilled. " We cannot, and will not, stand bv and see the future of the Pacific settled without at least some hearing of our views," Mr D'Alton concluded.