Letter CANBERRA, 26 November 1943
Following upon certain representations made to the effect that your standing in and knowledge of the Italian community in Australia should, from a humanitarian point of view, be availed of in matters pertaining to the welfare of that community [1], you have been authorized by the Prime Minister to act as a liaison between the Commonwealth Government Departments concerned and the following sections of the community:-
(a) Italians resident in Australia.
(b) Naturalized British subjects of Italian origin.
(c) British subjects of Italian origin who may be subject to disabilities.
2. For the present it is intended that you should be authorized to act as a liaison and permitted to make representations in respect of:-
(1) Detention, restriction, and release under National Security Regulations (General) in respect of those categories mentioned in paragraph (1) (a), (b) and (c).
(2) Action taken under Aliens Control Regulations.
(3) Naturalization.
(4) Questions arising out of Aliens Service Regulations, Manpower Regulations, Land Transfer Regulations, Enemy Property Regulations, and Trading with the Enemy Act.
(5) Welfare and rehabilitation of persons released.
(6) Relief of distressed relatives.
(7) Conditions of Italian prisoners of war in Australia not confined in prisoner of war camps.
3. The Commonwealth Government hopes that in the capacity mentioned you will be able to assist the various Government Departments concerned as well as the members of the community in whose interests you will act.
H. V. EVATT
_
1 See Document 301.
_
[AA:A1608, AA19/1/1]