MOSCOW POST

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 July 1946, Page 9

MOSCOW POST

MINISTER’S DESPATCHES OPPOSITION PRESSES FOR INFORMATION DISCUSSION IN HOUSE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 19. In the House of Representatives to-day, the Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser), replying to Mr. W. S. Goosman (Oppn., Waikato), said the New Zealand Minister in Moscow, Mr. C. W. Boswell, sent many most valuable dispatches dealing with all phases of economic and social life in Russia, but there was nothing ■ which could be described as “disclosures.” As was the practice in all nations, he added, diplomatic correspondence was for the information of the Government, not for general dissemination. If much information obtained through diplomatic channels was made public, it would be impossible to maintain friendly diplomatic relationship with any country. If the economic conditions prevailing in any one of the United Nations, which conjointly saved the world from a continuation of the horrors of Nazism, were made a subject of pi opaganda, the difficulties already so very great of promoting friendship among those nations would be greatly increased. “Evasive” Reply. Mr. Sutherland said that Mr. Fraser’s reply concerning the dispatches from Moscow was evasive and he asked when the Prime Minister was going to place the information from Mr. Boswell before the House. Mr. W. S. Goosman (Oppn., Waikato) said that, so far as trade was concerned, New Zealand had imported about £l4O worth of what he presumed was literature from Russia, and had exported nothing. The Minister in Moscow had cost New Zealand more than £50,000, and that expenditure was a colossal waste.

He imagined that Mr. Boswell was hoping that the elections would be held soon so that he could come back to good old New Zealand, Mr. Goosman added. . Mr. Fraser said he justified Mi. Boswell’s appointment 100 per cent. It was essential during the war to have representatives in Washington and Moscow. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Holland): What about Paris? Mr. Fraser said there was a case for representation in Paris, but the High Commissioner in London could attend "to matters in the meantime. Mr. Boswell’s reports showed that he had a good grasp of the situation without'exercising prejudice. Mr. Holland asked why should not the House bo informed of the information coming from Mr. Boswell. Mr. Fraser said it would be impossible to carry on diplomatic relations if every dispatch from a foreign. country was made public. Mr. Goosman: Could the Leader of the Opposition have a look at them. Publicity Undesirable. Mr Fraser replied in the affirmative, but added that, if Mr. Boswell’s dispatches were made public, it was possible that they could be construed as propaganda against the U.S.S.R., and that sort of thing was not conducive to diplomatic relations. Mr. Fraser said our job was to foster goodwill. No Government coud pledge itself to publish all the dispatches received in diplomatic correspondence. It was all a matte: of common sense, In due course, when the immediate irritations and difficulties were over, the practice ol: tabling dispatches could be resumed.