PRIME MINISTER

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24363, 27 August 1942, Page 2

PRIME MINISTER

VISIT TO A MEDIC A PRESIDENT'S INVITATION LONDON, Aug. 25 It was announced from the White House, according to a Washington message, quoted by the British official wireless, that the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, had arrived on a visit to the United States at the invitation of President Roosevelt. Mr. Stephen Early, the President's secretary, said Mr. Fraser had reached the Pacific Coast to-day and would proceed to Washington to be received by the President. He would ba the guest of honour at a White House dinner to-morrow. Mr. Early said lie assumed Mr. Fraser would attend the Pacific War Council during his visit, but no details of his programme had yet been announced.

RECIPROCAL AID SECOND FRONT TALKS WORLD WAR* STRATEGY (Reed. 12.10 a.m.) NEW YORK, Aug. 2tt The New York Times' Washington correspondent says informed circles say Mr. Roosevelt and Mr. Fraser will discuss wry Id-wide war strategy and will be aided in their talks by the fact that Mr. Fraser recently hold lengthy conferences in Australia, and also by the fact that the New Zealand Minister to Washington, the Hon. W. Nash, has just returned from London, where he conferred with the War Cabinet. Mr. Fraser is expected to sign new lend-lease agreements, putting on a formal basis the reciprocal aid New Zealand has been giving American troops. Mr. Fraser will also probably engage in second front conversations, since New Zealand is interested in any United Nations strategy affecting operations in the South-west Pacific. .Mr. Fraser is expected to attend today's session of the Pacific War Council.

DEFENCE IN THE PACIFIC COUNTRIES' MUTUAL INTERESTS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday The acting-Prime Minister, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, said Mr. Fraser left New Zealand some days ago. The American Minister to New Zealand, Brigadier-General P. J. Hurley, travelled to America with Mr. Fraser. It was not expected Mr. Fraser would be absent more than three or four weeks. During his stay in America he would discuss with Mr. Roosevelt questions connected with the defence of our common interests in the Pacific and many other matters of mutual concern to the two countries.

OTHERS INVITED AUSTRALIA AND SOUTH AFRICA WASHINGTON, Aug. 25 President Roosevelt has announced that he has invited the Prime Ministers of Australia and South Africa to visit him some time this year to confer on the war's progress. A Canberra message says the Australian Prime Minister, Mr. J. Curtin, declined to comment oil Mr. Roosevelt's invitation.

TRAVEL RESTRICTION FOOTBALL TEAM BAN PROTEST BY RUGBY LEAGUE A strong protest was made at last evening's meeting of the Auckland Rugby League against a refusal by the Government to allow the Manukau team to travel to Wellington for a match there on Saturday week. The chairman, Mr. J. W. Watson, said permission had been granted to an Auckland Rugby team to travel, and he considered it most unfair that a similar privilege had been withheld so far as the Manukau team was concerned. Permission had been refused also to schoolboys' teams to play away from Auckland. "Equal rights should be given to all athletic teams and all those connected with the League code will receive the decision of the Railway Department with surprise and resentment," said Mr. Watson. "As good citizens, we are always prepared to abide by the decision of the Government in curtailing travel, but I cannot understand why one section of the community should be restricted when it desires to take part in a healthy sport." The chairman concluded that _ protests had been forwarded to prominent members of Parliament and of the War Cabinet.

MONKEY RECAPTURED NIGHT IN WASHHOUSE Driven indoors by the heavy rain early yesterday morning, the monkey which escaped from the Zoo on Monday was found asleep in a Westmere washhouse about 8 o'clock and was easily captured by two keepers who were summoned by telephone and arrived with a small net.

The monkey, which is of the variety known as Macque. actually returned to the same house at 23 Notley Street at which it made its first appearance on Tuesday evening. The Macque monkeys are a crab-eating variety which never attain a greater size than that of a large cat. This was one of the Zoo's oldest inhabitants and had been a private pet before being presented to the collection.

It was its friendly disposition which led to its escape. Whenever its cage is opened it comes out to be petted, and on Monday afternoon a large group of schoolchildren gathered around gave it the chance to edge away and to climb the near by back wall of the Zoo. Seven other Macque monkeys are kept in another cage, but the one which escaped, having been thoroughly domesticated. cannot safely be put with wilder monkeys.

SLY GROG-SELLING (P.AO INVERCARGILL, Wednesday A man and his wife were charged in the Magistrate's Court to-day with breaches of the Licensing Act. Yiolet M arie Waddick pleaded guilty to selling liquor in an unlicensed district, and her husband, Harold Evans Waddick, pleaded not guilty to keeping liquor for sale in an unlicensed district. Sergeant J. S. H. Hogg said that when he searched the premises after Waddick had said he had no beer there they found 115 full bottles and 33 empty bottles. Most of the full bottles were concealed in a cavity in a wall under a staircase. Waddick later admitted having had the liquor there for sale. Mrs. Waddick was fined £l2 and the charge against her husband was dismissed.

NELSON RAILWAY LINE (0.0.) NELSON, Wednesday A deputation from the Nelson Progress League asked the Minister of Railways, the Hon. R. Seinple, that the filling of the gap in the Nelson railway line between Kawatiri and Inangahua be put on the urgent postwar list of public works. So far, this had not been done. Nelson was the largest town in New Zealand remaining without communication with a trunk railway. Mr. Scmple said he could not give a definite promise, and tie the hands of the Government. He advised the deputation to place its case for the line before the Rehabilitation Council, which was 3 still in the process of preparing a list of works for the post-war period.