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The Prime Minister of New Zealand to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Through the kindness of the acting Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia I have today received by telegraph the text of a page 274 report made to the Commonwealth Government by Lieutenant-General Blamey, a copy of which I understand has been forwarded to Mr. Menzies in London. Together with the Australian Government we are of course much perturbed at the situation that has developed, and I should like at once to add my representations to those which will no doubt be made by Mr. Menzies, firstly, that all possible steps be taken to supply our troops with the necessities of war to enable them to defend themselves in the position in which they are placed, and secondly, to request you again to instruct those responsible on the spot to take every step that is possible, having regard to the situation as it has developed and is developing both in Greece and in Africa, to ensure a safe and rapid evacuation from Greece should this become necessary. We feel that we can ask no more and I am sure you will agree that we can expect no less.