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173
The Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs to the Governor-General of New Zealand

With reference to my immediately preceding telegram (No. 172). Regarding the questions of command and administration of that part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force shortly to serve in this country, we assume that His Majesty's Government in New Zealand will wish the principles set out in the memorandum enclosed in your despatch No. 6 of 5 June¹ to apply, subject to such modifications as may be necessitated by the fact that this contingent will be detached from the main body of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force for the time being.

The geographical considerations and the increased difficulty of communication between this country and the Middle East since the outbreak of war with Italy suggest that the New Zealand Government will wish the powers, duties, &c., which are defined for and vested in the General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Expeditionary Force as regards the New Zealand Forces in the Middle East, to be delegated to and exercised by the Officer Commanding the New Zealand formation in this country. On this point a very early expression of the views of the New Zealand Government would be appreciated.