FUTURE OF PACIFIC

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIV, Issue 39, 14 January 1944, Page 5

FUTURE OF PACIFIC

MR ERASER'S COMMENT. SYDNEY, Jan. 13. Australia and New Zealand were the democratic nations of the British Empire in the South-West Pacific and mnst work together as closely as possible not only for the Empire but for Democracy as a whole, said the New Zealand Prime Minister (Mr Eraser) on arrival at Sydney. to-day to attend the conference at Canberra. Mr Eraser said that the conference would he the most important of many which would be held between the two countries and ho believed there would be excellent results. The problems of all the United Nations in the Pacific could be solved in a ■way that would strengthen Democracy. Mr Fraser added that the New Zealand Government had an open mind on the ultimate control of the Pacific Islands of strategic value and was anxious to know the views of the Australian Government. New Zealand, after providing for returned soldiers, would consider encouraging immigration as the need of a greater population in the Dominion was realised. In the councils of the world New Zealand would maintain the stand she had adopted as a member of the League of Nations to prevent aggression and would try to bring about a now world organisation, either through the League or some alternative body, to make war impossible.