Cablegram E11 CANBERRA, 17 September 1947, 2.25 p.m.
IMMEDIATE SECRET PERSONAL
Eaton seems to have made favourable impression both on Indonesians and Dutch and was entertained at dinner at the Palace and his suggestion of a permanent representative at Djokjakarta was sympathetically received. The joint report will be compiled on conclusions reached on all separate reports and these separate reports will be attached to the joint report. Work on report will commence next Monday.
2. Van Zeeland has apparently been nominated by Belgium. In middle thirties, Zeeland was responsible for some woolly but equally liberal economic proposals for Europe. Our nomination should be announced as soon as possible and, apart from suggestions already made [1], Justice Reed of Adelaide, assisted by Kerr, or even a member of the Department, might be a good choice. Another possibility is Simpson. Foster proves to be not available and Prime Minister anxious for suggestions.
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1 See Document 333. In a cablegram sent to Evatt on 11 September, Burton had also advised that Chifley considered Justice R. C.
Kirby could not be made available to serve as Australia’s representative on the Committee of Three. On 15 September, in reply to Document 333, Evatt nonetheless expressed a preference for the nomination of Kirby who had visited Java in June July 1946 to investigate the murder of three Australian military officers.
For documents relating to this incident and Kirby’s visit to Java, see Volumes IX and X.
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[AA:A9420/1, 2]