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Documents Relating to New Zealand's Participation in the Second World War 1939–45: Volume III

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

4
The Governor-General of New Zealand to the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs

3 July 1940

My Ministers desire me to inform you that their general views on the Far Eastern situation and on your Circular telegram of 26 June are set out in a telegram sent this morning to the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia, a copy of which was communicated to you.

My Ministers are in general agreement with the point of view expressed in your telegram of 2 July (Part 2 of which was received in a mutilated condition and was not deciphered or considered before the despatch of the above-mentioned telegrams). At the same time my Ministers feel that it would be preferable to await the result of the approach made to the United States Government before any reply is made to Japan, and they themselves propose to reserve any final decision on the points at issue until the United States attitude is known to them.1

A copy of this telegram is being sent to Canberra.

1 The New Zealand Government on 5 July telegraphed its concurrence with the terms of the reply to be sent to Japan.