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Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 June 1941, Page 5

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FOR AN IMPERIAL WAR CONFERENCE MR CHURCHILL’S STATEMENT. DIFFICULTIES IN ARRANGING MEETING. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, June 24. It is stated authoritatively that the Government hoped to hold an Imperial war conference in July or August, but that Mr Mackenzie King and FieldMarshal Smuts advised that the exigencies of their work make it impossible for them to come to England in the near future, and therefore the date has not been fixed for the present. The Acting-Prime Minister, Mr Nash, has received from the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, London, the full text' of a statement by Mr Churchill in the House of Commons concerning the proposals for' an Imperial War Conference. Mr Churchill said:

“I was, however, asked to give information about the policy of His Majesty’s Government in relation to an Imperial War Conference. As I told the House we very much desire such a conference’ and we had hoped that the end of July or the beginning of August might be a suitable occasion. I have now received replies to the inquiries I have made. “Both Field-Marshal Smuts and Mr Mackenzie King regret that the exigencies of their work in their respective countries made it impossible for them to come here in the near future. Mr Menzies has only just returned to Australia though I hope we shall see him here again before long. Mr Fraser, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, arrived last Saturday and is sitting with us constantly in our councils. He would not, however, be able to remain indefinitely. “The House will readily understand that these Prime Ministers of important and powerful Governments with the Legislatures and the whole war effort of their people to guide find great difficulty in meeting here simultaneously. I hope these difficulties may be resolved some time in the future but for the present I feel that it is impossible to fix a date.”