VITAL DECISIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24216, 6 March 1942, Page 4

VITAL DECISIONS

PACIFIC WAR COUNCIL HISTORIC SECRET MEETING SYDNEY, Mar. 5 Decisions made at the War Council meeting which has ended in Melbourne are expected to have far-reaching effects on the defence strategy of the South Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand. For security reasons the names of those who attended, apart from the New Zealand Ministers, Messrs'. Sullivan and Coates, and Australian representatives, were kept secret. Australia, disappointed over the establishment of the Pacific War Council in London, appears to have at last secured a chance to put her own case on the spot before representatives of other nations. The result of the conference seemed to have pleased the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Curtin, and the New Zealand representatives. Although he declined to comment, Mr. Curtin ~ appeared particularly satisfied with the attitude taken by members of the council. It was ass'omed from his own attitude that the representatives of the Allied nations shared his view that a completely realistic approach must be made to the question of Australia's defence and that they realised Australia's immediate danger. Since it is certain communications will have to be sent to overseas Governments, no time was lost in quickly following up the War Council's decisions. Mr. Curtin, and probably the two greatest authorities on constitutional law in Australia, the Attorney-General, Dr. Evatt, and a former Prime Minister, Mr. Menzies, met to carry out secret instructions.