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

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

478
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to the Prime Minister of New Zealand

8 September 1945

Your telegram of 6 September. I fully realise and sympathise with your keen desire for the urgent repatriation of New Zealand page 443 troops. We are reviewing as a matter of extreme urgency our overall shipping commitments and resources in the light of the changed situation; but I feel bound to tell you that even greater shortages of shipping than we had feared are revealed by our examination to date. The points you make about the long distance from home and the length of time abroad of New Zealand troops will be taken fully into account when making up the balance sheet. Now that operational movements of United States forces to the Pacific can no longer be claimed to have overriding priority, we shall be approaching the Americans to ask for a larger share of the available shipping.