A—ll

The routine Australian - New Zealand Secretariat contacts have recently been supplemented by regular direct contacts between the Australian Secretary of External Affairs and the Official Secretary of the Office. Throughout the year information from Australian and New Zealand Departments has continued to be exchanged through the Office. Among the various matters dealt with have been information concerning immigration plans, material for the New Zealand National Employment Service, factory and other social legislation in New Zealand, data on New Zealand sales-tax exemptions, meat and dairy-produce prices, research into industrial conditions, trade training, &c. Day-to-day reports by the High Commissioner on Australian internal affairs also continued throughout the year. The High Commissioner's Office in Canberra maintains continuous contact with the New Zealand Trade Commissioner's Offices and the New Zealand Travel Managers in Sydney and Melbourne in connection with travel and supply matters. The High Commissioner, who has responsibility for the supervision of all aspects of New Zealand Government policy in Australia, is kept fully informed by the Trade Commissioners of all developments concerning trade and supply. The High Commissioner directed negotiations on such important questions as the supply of wheat and timber from Australia, and intervened at the governmental level to assist the efforts of the New Zealand Supply Liaison Officers to secure supplies of timber, coal, gypsum, and pigiron. Contacts were maintained by the Office with the New Zealand Service Liaison Officers in Sydney and Melbourne in connection with returning servicemen and their dependants. Information on defence liaison matters was also regularly exchanged with these officers. Regular distributions of films, publications, and photographs of New Zealand were made during the year. An extensive distribution took place during the International Week of the United Nations Association held throughout Tasmania in October, when the Assistant Secretary, representing the Office, spoke, in conjunction with other overseas representatives, at schools and public meetings throughout the State. A loan service of 16 mm. films supplied by New Zealand has continued to be popular with schools, service organizations, &c. The High Commissioner also used these to illustrate his talks to institutions. That the arrangements made for the direct exchange of news paragraphs between the Australian and New Zealand broadcasting authorities are working well is'evidenced by the inclusion in the Australian Broadcasting Commission's news broadcasts of numerous references to New Zealand topical affairs. Many New Zealand visitors, official and unofficial, have been received and entertained by the High Commissioner and members of the staff during the year. Mr. J. Gr. Barclay was reappointed High Commissioner for a further term as from 15th April, 1947. NEW ZEALAND LEGATION, UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS Since the establishment of the New Zealand Legation in the USSR in 19M Moscow has been the centre of many events of international importance—meetings between Allied leaders during the closing stages of the war, negotiations between the Soviet Union and other countries, and deliberations between the representatives of the major Powers. The Legation was able to provide the New Zealand Government with direct information concerning the progress of these negotiations. At the recent session of the Council of Foreign Ministers the New Zealand Minister was in daily consultation, along with the heads of other British Commonwealth Missions at Moscow, with the United Kingdom Foreign Secretary on matters of policy affecting all members of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

2 A-11.

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