Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

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

333 — The Prime Minister of New Zealand to the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs1

333
The Prime Minister of New Zealand to the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs1

8 April 1942

Your telegram [No. 268] of 5 April.2

His Majesty's Government in New Zealand feel now, as they have felt on similar occasions in the past, that it would be inadvisable to raise, in connection with the proffered assistance from the United States of America, any matters which the Americans might regard as unnecessarily formal or might perhaps construe as obstructive. For that reason they would be inclined to deprecate the use of the phrase ‘not only for formal reasons but also’ in the reply which His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom propose to make to the United States Government, and for their part they propose to take the line in such cases that United States assistance will be welcomed in all areas for which the New Zealand Government are responsible, that prior notification is of course always desirable in order that any necessary preparations may be made, but that where prior notification is not considered feasible by the United States authorities the position will be quite understood.

His Majesty's Government in New Zealand have already at various times and in general terms let it be known to the United States Government that they agree to the use by United States forces of New Zealand and territories administered by them, including the Cook

1 Rt. Hon. C. R. Attlee.

page 347 Islands, Western Samoa and the Kermadecs, and, so far as they are concerned, of Fiji, Tongatabu, and other British administered islands in the South Pacific, for the defence of which they are responsible.

The New Zealand Minister at Washington has advised me of the agreement by the United States authorities to undertake the defence of Fanning Island as proposed in my telegram [No. 330], and the New Zealand Government take it that the general approval contemplated in your telegram under reply adequately covers the question of the United Kingdom Government's consent to this use of Fanning Island as well as of Fiji, other British administered islands in the Pacific, and of Tongatabu. So far as Tongatabu is concerned, the New Zealand Government take it that any necessary negotiations with the Tongan Government will be undertaken by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom.1

1 On 17 April the Dominions Secretary replied that the New Zealand Government's assumptions in this paragraph were correct, and that the Tongan Government had given its approval.