IMPERIAL WAR CABINET

Timaru Herald, Volume CLI, Issue 22184, 30 January 1942, Page 5

IMPERIAL WAR CABINET

Australia’s Position Requests Not Fully Met By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. 7.30) SYDNEY, Dec. 28. A section of the Federal Cabinet is dissatisfied with the statement on the Imperial War Cabinet made by Mr Churchill, says “The Daily Telegraph.” Tire deputy-Primp Minister (Mr F. M. Forde) said in Melbourne that vital points were still outstanding. There were essential aspects on which the Government is awaiting advice from Mr Churchill. His statement to the House of Commons did not deal with matters awaiting settlement. Ministers in Melbourne said that Mr Churchill had been careful to say that Australia’s voice would be “heard,” but that was not what Australia wanted. Australia wanted not only a voice but a vote and adequate executive power on the Imperial War Cabinet. Mr Churchill made no mention of this being granted. The Ministers said that for Australia to have only a voice on the British Cabinet would be little Improvement on the existing arrangement. Either the Australian demand had been completely misunderstood, or the British Government was placing its own meaning on it as a convenient way out of a delicate situation. Mr Churchill also failed to say whether the Pacific War Council is to have full executive power. The Government considers that the Council must have full power to determine strategy and policy in the Pacific if it is to be of any use. Mr J. Curtin (Australian Prime Minister) interviewed in Perth, gave no indication that he was dissatisfied with Mr Churchill’s references to Australia’s position. He said he regarded Mr Churchill’s speech as being in accord with the general purpose for which the whole British Commonwealth of Nations unitedly stood. A message from Ottawa says that Mr Mackenzie King told the House of Commons that the Canadian Government would avail itself of the privileges of representation on the British War Cabinet if at any time it was found that the existing machinery for consultation with the British Government was unsatisfactory. So far the existing machinery had been satisfactory. In his opinion it had worked exceedingly well.