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Documents Relating to New Zealand's Participation in the Second World War 1939–45: Volume III
251 — The Prime Minister of New Zealand to the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs1
251
The Prime Minister of New Zealand to the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs1
With reference to your telegram of 14 October.
His Majesty's Government in New Zealand agree with the suggestion that the detailed arrangements and the most expeditious channels of communication to give effect to their proposal for direct responsibility for defence in Fiji and the High Commission territories could be best worked out on the spot. They therefore propose, on the assumption that this will prove acceptable to the Governor of Fiji, to despatch a party consisting of two members of War Cabinet, together with certain New Zealand officers (the names of whom will be communicated to the Governor of Fiji in an immediately following telegram),2 to Suva by flying boat, leaving Auckland on 14 November and returning on the 19th. His Majesty's Government in New Zealand will communicate their considered views on the return of this Mission.
2 Not published. The chief members of this mission were the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones), the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, and the three Chiefs of Staff, Commodore Parry, Major-General E. Puttick (who had succeeded Major-General Sir John Duigan on 1 Aug 1941) and Air Commodore Saunders.