TRIAL RELIEF SHIP

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 March 1946, Page 5

TRIAL RELIEF SHIP

UNION PROPOSAL NOT ACCEPTABLE ATTITUDE OF DUTCH

SYDNEY, March 1. The Netherlands Government will not agree to a union observer accompanying a trial relief ship to the Netherlands East Indies. This means that if the unions did not lift their ban (which they show no signs of doing), the Dutch ships which have been immobilised in Australian ports will remain here. . The Netherlands Minister (Baron van Aerssen) said, the proposal to send an observer meant control ol the actions'-on both the Netherlands Government and South-east Asia Command. Moreover, it cast doubt on the sincerity of the promises made by him on behalf of his Government. The assurances given to the Australian Minister of External Affairs (Dr. H V Evatt) on January 23 were the only basis on which negotiations for the lifting of the ban could be held. That statement accepted the principle that relief goods would be distributed among former internees, prisoners of war, and others in the greatest need, without regard to nationality or political persuasion, with preference for women and children, and with South* east Asia Command arranging distribution. , I Meanwhile, work was resumed on the Dutch ship Straat Malakka, after the union received a letter from the Australian representative on the British Ministry of Transport (Sir, Thomas Gordon) giving an assurance that the vessel was bound for Colombo,