Canberra, 21 December 1949
Australian Delegation for Colombo Conference
The Minister for External Affairs, Mr. Spender, to-day announced the composition of the Australian Delegation to the Conference of British Commonwealth Foreign Ministers to be held at Colombo on January 9th, 1950.
As already announced, the Delegation will be led by Mr. Spender. He will be accompanied by Mr. L.R. McIntyre, Counsellor in charge of the Pacific and South-East Asian Division of the Department of External Affairs, and Mr. A.H. Tange, Counsellor in charge of the United Nations and Economic Relations Division. Mr. R.N. Hamilton of the Department of External Affairs will act as Mr. Spender’s Secretary. Mr. Spender will have the assistance also of Mr. F.H. Wheeler, First Senior Assistant Secretary of the Department of the Treasury; Mr. J. Nimmo, Treasury Representative, London; and Brigadier H.G. Rourke, Military Secretary, of the Defence Department.
Mr. Spender stated that he had asked the Australian High Commissioners from India, Pakistan and Ceylon to join the Delegation.
The Conference commences on 9th January and will last approximately a week.
[NAA: A10617, 11/301/720]