Cablegram unnumbered 1 April 1939,
SECRET
Your telegram of 31st March. [1] Owing to existing international situation and fact that Commonwealth Parliament opens 19th April, I regret that attendance of Minister at Defence Conference will not be possible. We have telegraphed you today that Captain E.C. Johnston of Civil Aviation Department will attend the Conference for purpose of discussing matters coming under item (j). We feel that items (c) and (d) concern questions of such high political importance over which the Government should not relax its control that in circumstances it is impracticable to permit Service representatives to discuss these items to a greater extent than indicated in my telegram of 29th March. [2] Service representatives will discuss item (h) so far as shipping is concerned but although we would have liked to arrange for a representative to attend who would be competent to discuss economic aspects associated with this item we find this impossible. The Australian Delegation will also include Captain J.B. Foley, R.A.N., who will act as Secretary to the Delegation, and Commander J.C.D. Esdaile, R.A.N.
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1 Document 65.
2 Document 61.
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[AA: A981, PACIFIC 1]