Memorandum CANBERRA, 24 May 1949
With reference to paragraph 2 of our cable No. 87 [1], we have still about 90,000 worth of supplies for each party in stores in Australia consisting of R-ray equipment, clothing, medical supplies of which I am attaching a list. It would be of assistance if the request for immediate shipment of these, which I requested in the cable, could be made on the basis that the whole quantity is part of a single programme of aid to Indonesia and that supplies for both parties would go forward together as soon as possible.
With regard to the supplies necessary for re-establishing the Republican administration, I should like you to keep us informed as to the adequacy of Dutch assistance. If the agreement by the Dutch to make these supplies available is properly carried out there should be no need for outside assistance. If however, after they have genuinely done all they can, there are certain supplies still needed which could be got from Australia, we have between 20,000 and 50,000 uncommitted from previous appropriations, which could possibly be used on some of the items shown in the list of ‘Goods for the 12 ministries and offices of the President and the P.M.’, namely ink, pencils, pens, carbon papers, stencil ink, stencil papers. The paper (3,000 rolls) envelopes (60,000) paper for newspaper (1500 rolls) and newspaper ink would be extremely difficult to get. We could not provide ‘Romeo’ duplicators, though it might be possible to provide ‘Ditto’ or other makes. The only item we could provide of the Goods required for the immediate functioning of the Republican Government in the Residency of Jocjokarta would be tyres and tubes (spares) if those were for cycles. We think it premature, however, to make any offer at the moment.
You might take up again the question of educational materials for Indonesia which has been discussed with the Dutch but not yet with the Republicans (V. Batavia memorandum [2] B/43/20/1/2 of 7th February). We are now proceeding with the procurement of supplies of this sort for a number of other countries and it would be convenient to deal with Indonesian requirements at the same time.
_
1 Document 404 2 Not found.
_
[AA : A4357/2, 352/2, i]