Letter CANBERRA, 3 October 1946
Acting under instructions from my Government, I have the honor to extend an invitation to the Commonwealth Government to designate a plenipotentiary or observer delegation to attend an International Whaling Conference at Washington on November 20, 1946. The objective of the Conference is to conserve and develop existing whaling resources by establishing whaling regulations applicable to the 1947-48 and subsequent seasons and creating a Commission to facilitate modifications of such regulations from time to time as conditions may require. A copy of the Draft Agenda and Rules of Procedure of the Conference have been forwarded to me by air mail and will be transmitted to you as soon as received.
In accordance with the established practice at previous whaling conferences, my Government assumes that English will be the official and working language of the Conference.
My Government suggests that if the Commonwealth Government is prepared to sign the anticipated convention at Washington it should endow its delegation with full powers.
It would be appreciated if you would be so kind as to advise me as soon as possible of the names and titles of the Australian delegation, together with the dates and places where they will arrive in the United States. Should hotel accommodations for the Australian delegation be required, would you please advise me of this fact and I shall communicate it to the Department of State.
[1]
ROBERT BUTLER
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1 Australia accepted the invitation and was represented by V. C.
Duffy, official Secretary, High Commissioner’s Office, London, and C. G. Setter, Fisheries Division, Post-war Reconstruction Dept.
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[AA:A1067, ER46/10/15]