Cablegram unnumbered 12 August 1940,
SECRET
Your telegram of 5th August [1] received. Commonwealth Government is grateful for invitation of New Zealand Government to be associated in Mission you propose to send to Tahiti.
Certain obligations with regard to New Hebrides and New Caledonia have already been entered into by Commonwealth, which has assured New Caledonia of its active support and co-operation particularly in the economic sphere. Mr. B. C. Ballard has been appointed our representative in New Caledonia.
It is felt, however, that Tahiti clearly comes within the naval and economic sphere of New Zealand.
Therefore the Commonwealth Government, whilst sympathetic towards the proposed Mission, considers that representation should be limited properly to New Zealand. [2]
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1 On file AA:A981, New Caledonia 1, iii. See also Document 47, note 4.
2 This cablegram was repeated to Lord Caldecote, U.K. Dominions Secretary, as no. 427.
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[AA:A3196, 1940, 0.5655]