MR. FRASER’S MISSION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 300, 20 December 1945, Page 6

MR. FRASER’S MISSION

TALKS IN LONDON QUESTION OF N.Z. TRADE COMING ASSEMBLY OF UNITED NATIONS (P.A.) Auckland, Dec. 18. “Our work in London will be briefly to form a successor to the League of Nations,’’ said the Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser) in an interview in Auckland to-night. He added while in London he would discuss informally the possible impact on New Zealand’s trade of the new Anglo-American financial and trade arrangements.

Mr. Fraser is on his way to London tG attend, as New Zealand representative, the first meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations Organisation. The main business will Le the establishment of the Assembly and Security Council, and also possibly the appointment of the Economic and Social and Trusteeship Councils. “His meeting in London is really for the purpose of bring into being a complete United Nations’ Organisation for establishing its machinery and for electing officers,” Mr. Fraser said. “New Zealand will be a member of the Trusteeship Council by reason of agreeing to the mandated territory of the same being placed under the Trusteeship Council, which is, of course, responsible to the Assembly. “At the forthcoming Assembly meeting the object will be to bring into being an organisation approved in the Charter adopted at San Francisco and subsequently approved by the Parliament of New Zealand. A preparatory Commission has been operating for months now in London.’’

Asked if he intended raising the question of tariffs and import control following the Anglo-American negotiations just completed in Washington, Mr. Fraser said he would do so without doubt. He would probably discuss the matter with Sir Stafford Cripps (president of the Board of Trade) and Dr. Hugh Dalton (Chancellor of the Exchequer) as well as with the British Prime Minister (Mr. Attlee).

The prospect of a future meeting of representatives of the British Commonwealth of Nations to discuss the whole question of the commercial policy proposals put forward by the United States was mentioned by Mr. Fraser. He said that if such meetings eventuated he thought the Minister of Finance and Customs (Mr. Nash) would represent New Zealand. “Imperial preference has been a very important matter for New Zealand, and remains an important question, as does import control,” Mr. Fraser s aid. “Any modification of Imperial preference would, in my opinion, have to be accompanied bytariff adjustments in other countries.” Travelling with the Prime Minister are Mr. A. D. Mclntosh, Secretary for External Affairs, and Mrs. Mclntosh, Miss J. R. McKenzie, official secretary to the New Zealand High Commissioner in Canberra; Mr. W. O. Harvey, chief private secretary; Mrs. H. Kemp, the late Mrs. Fraser’s daugh-ter-in-law. and Miss Monica GranvilleJones, who will join the official New Zealand staff in London. On arrival in London the New Zealand delegation will be completed by the addition of Dr. R. M. Campbell, acting-New Zealand Hif>;h Commissioner, and Mr. A. D. J. V. Ailson, of the External Affairs Department. Mr. Fraser expects to he away from New Zealand until late in February, or possibly early in March. The Assembly meeting begins early in January.

The party flew from Wellington to Auckland to-day, and will leave Whenuapai to-morrow morning in a Sky master aircraft by the Pacific route. They will probably spend Christmas, in Washington and expect to reach London by the New Year.