Message [1] CANBERRA, 11 June 1948
PERSONAL Begins:
2. Press reports allege a statement made by you at the dinner which you were good enough to give Mr. Ball suggesting that, in front of Chinese, Malay and Indian political and community leaders, you conveyed a warning to Mr. Ball that Australia’s recent actions had done ‘irreparable harm’ not only to Australia but to an European nations with interests in South-East Asia.
3. This statement is most embarrassing to Australian Government and I cannot believe you made statement and find it hard to understand how the ‘Free Press’ could have reported any statement made at a private dinner.
4. It is most regrettable that Mr. Ball’s visit, which had specific purpose should have [been] [2] the occasion for this anti-Australian outburst in Singapore and Malaya. I believe it would be most helpful to you and to us if you could close the incident by an appropriate statement regarding the purposes of the Mission and welcoming Australia’s move in carrying out its obligations to the United Nations and UNESCO in taking a positive step to bring peoples of South-East Asia including Australia into a better relationship.
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1 Transmitted through Stuart in cablegram 326, dispatched 11 June 1948, with request to pass to MacDonald.
2 Inserted from the copy in AA:A3196, 1948, 0.8302.
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[AA:A4968/2, 25/35/1]