Letter CANBERRA, 1 April 1948
With reference to your letter of March 8th [1] I beg to enquire whether you have had an opportunity to discuss with Mr. justice Kirby the question of the resumption of trade and shipping with Indonesia. I understand that shortly after his return to Australia conversations took place between him, as Chairman of the Stevedoring Industry Commission, and overseas shipping interests in the course of which judge Kirby did not conceal his condemnation of the present discrimination of the Dutch flag in the non-Indonesian trade. If I am correctly informed he also expressed, on that occasion, his personal view that the time has arrived for the complete lifting of the shipping ban.
I should therefore be grateful if you would inform me as to the result of your conversations.
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1 In this letter Chifley advised Teppema that, after consulting Kirby, he would discuss personally with Australian Council of Trade Union representatives the resumption of trade between Australia and the NEI.
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[AA:A1838, 401/4/4/1, v]