N.Z. AND FIGHTING FRANCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 August 1942, Page 4

N.Z. AND FIGHTING FRANCE

POLICY OUTLINED

WELLINGTON, August 18. The policy of the New Zealand Government to Fighting France is based on a maintenance of integrity of France and the French Empire, and their eventual and complete re-constitution. Ihis outline of the New Zealand policy is contained in an exchange of tatters between the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser), and Centre-Amiral Georges Thierry d’Alrgenlieu, a member of the French National Committee (the governing body of Fighting France), and the Committee’s delegate for the Pacific. The French National Committee, of which General de Gaulle is President, is regarded by New Zealand as being the body governing all Frenchmen and all French territories and possessions, who adhere to Fighting France. The New Zealand Government will continue to treat only with the French National Committee, m regard to matters in which the collaboration of Fighting France is involved. The New Zealand Government fully recognises the efforts of Fighting France in the common cause. Mr Fraser declared, as being of special interest to New Zealand the maintenance of authority of the French National Commitee in all insular possessions and territories of France in the Pacific, including French Oceania. The New Zealand Government recognised, he said, that the authority of the French National Committee extends to all civil and military matters in such possessions, and the New Zealand Government accepted with pleasure the appointment of M. Antoine de la Tribouille, as delegate in New Zealand of the French'' National Committee. His functions would include the issue of passports and visas, and other administrative and legal formalities concerning Frenchmen who adhered to Fighting France.