Cablegram E84 CANBERRA, 21 October 1948, 2.35 p.m.
CONFIDENTIAL SECRET
South Pacific Commission meeting commences Sydney on Monday. The organisation is now on the rails, but it has achieved nothing in terms of its objectives as yet. To break the ice, member governments should invite Commission to undertake some particular projects, and I am asking Ward [1] and Halligan to agree to this course. It would be most helpful if United Kingdom and New Zealand similarly could send messages to this present meeting asking Commission’s advice on specific matter such as maternal and child welfare or agricultural development or nutrition or malaria control. Unless one or two governments take initiative, Commission will never be able to break through and get going.
Could you please take this matter up with a view to getting the necessary instructions to United Kingdom and New Zealand delegations by Monday or Tuesday in Sydney.
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1 E.J.Ward, Minister for External Territories.
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[AA:A9420, 7]