MR. FRASER IN CAIRO

Camp News, Volume 2, Issue 74, 23 May 1941, Page 6

MR. FRASER IN CAIRO

Sees Dominion Troops

AIR JOURNEY FROM NEW ZEALAND

Visit To Singapore

(N.Z.E.F. Official News Service.)

CAIRO, May 17. The New Zealand Prime Minis-

ter, Mr. Fraser, landed in-. the Egyptian capital this afternoon in a Royal Air Force machine. Admiration for the magnificent stand by the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Greece was expressed to Mr. Fraser by Genera: Wavell, who called on Mr. Fraser shortly after his arrival. This admiration is shared by all in the Middle East, and everybody whom Mr. Fraser has met voiced praise and appreciation for the deeds of valour and courage performed by the New Zealanders, Maori and pakeha.

This morning Mr. Fraser called on Sir Ahmed Hassanein Pasha, chamberlain to King Farouk at Abdin Palace.

Mr. Fraser landed at Cairo /on > a cool, sunny, afternoon which followed one of the city’s worst heat waves, in which the thermometer touched 120 deg. Fahrenheit in the shade. He was met by the British Ambassador, Sir Miles Lampson, Air Vice-Marshal A. W. Tedder, second in command to Marshal Longmore, Brigadier N. S. Falla, Col onel W. G. Stevens, officer in charge of administration, N.Z.E.F., Colonel Conway, Adjutant-General, N.Z.E.F., and Colonel .F. Waite. New Zealand National Patriotic Fund Commissioner

Spending several days in the world's hottest regions did not appear to have sapped his vitality, and Mr Fraser was fit and well. After shaking hands with Sir Miles Lampson and before meeting the other members of the reception committee. Mr. Fraser shook hands with the crew of the plane. He is staying at the British Embassy on the banks of the Nile, a s the guest of Sir Miles and Lady Lampson.

A full programme has been mapped out, and Mr. Fraser is having a busy time. In order to see as much as possible of the New Zealand troops, he will visit nearly every (-amp, hospital, convalescent depot, and club at which New Zealanders are likely to be found

Trip from Nev Zealand.

Leaving Auckland on May 3 in a Tasman Airways flying-boat. Mr. Fraser was farewelled by a small group, which included the mayor aof Auckland, Sir Ernest Davis, Mr, Richards, M.P., Mrs Fraser, and Mrs. Berendsen and Mrs. Jeffery, the wives of the members of his staff who accompany him "

The Acting-Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Fadden, the deputy-leader of . the Commonwealth Labour Party, Mr. Forde, representing the Opposition Leader, Mr. Curtin, Sir H. Manion, representing the New South Wales State Government, and Messrs. Taylor and Malcolmson, New Zealand Government trade representatives in Australia, met Mr. Fraser on his arrival at Rose Bay. Sydney.

Mr. Fraser attended a meeting of Australia’s War Cabinet in Sydney and participated in important discussions. lie also had an interchange of views on munitions supply, shipping overseas and inter-Dominion trade with Sir Earle Page and Sena!or McBride. At an official luncheon he met Mr. Spender, Senator Foil Sir Fred erick Stewart, Dr. Evatt and Mr Beasley (members of the War Council) and the Queensland Premier Mr For gan Smith.

On May 6, Mr. Forgan Smith dew to Brisbane with Mr. Fraser in a Qantas £mpire Airways flying-boat. At Dar win Mr.' Fraser was met by the Admin istrator, Mr. L. Abbott, with whom he inspected the defences. “I was deeply

impressed by the strengthening »f Darwin’s defences since my last visit in December, 1939.” Mr. Fraser told a win correspondent.

At Sourabaya, Mr. Fraser met the Dutch Ministers, Messrs. Van K'effens and Welter, and had a long di.MUissior with them. After flying by land plane to Batavia he was the guest of the Governor-General of the NethcilandEast Indies.

■ The British Commander-in-Chief in th Far East, Ai r Chief Marshal Sit Robert Brooke Popham, was Mr. Fraser’s host at Singapore, where the Prime Minister was mostly occupied with the inspection of the naval base, flying fields, and land defences, ilia'i make Singapore Britain’* main Paciln bulwark. Mr. Fraser discussed defence with Sir Robert and with Admiral Layton. In Bangkok, the ancient Thai capital, Mr. Fraser stayed a night with the British Minister, Sir Josiah Crosby He was a. guest at Government House in Calcutta.

Plane Shelled

Mr. F. R. Picot, New Zealand repre tentative on the Eastern Group Supply Council, met Mr. Fraser at Calculi a. and accompanied him to Gwalior Pm blems of supply and othei matters con corning the war effort in the Far Ea<t eru and south Pacific zone<- were li< cussed while Mr. Fraser was at Karachi, where he was entertained by the Governor of Sind, Sir Hugh Dow

Mr. Fraser was advised from Lon don that in view of the Iraq situation it would be advisable to proceed to Cairo by the Bombay and Aden sea route, and arrangements had been made accordingly, but because of iiis anxiety to see the New Zealand soldiers in the Middle East, and ascertain for himself at the earliest possible moment the definite casualties in the Greek campaign, he decided to adhere to rhe previous itinerary arranged. Through the co-operation of the Viceroy of India, Lord Linlithgow, Sir Miles Lampson and the Middle East Com mand, he travelled < by flying-boat to Basra, the Iraqi port on the Persian Gulf,. only just captured by the British from the insurgents.

Shortly after leaving Basra, the R.A.F. plane by which he was travel ling was ineffectively shelled by antiaircraft fire from a small section of the insurgent forces of Raschid Ali.