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1944 NEW ZEALAND.

AUSTRALIAN-NEW ZEALAND AGREEMENT BETWEEN HIS MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA AND HIS MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT IN THE DOMINION OF NEW ZEALAND MADE IN CANBERRA, 21st JANUARY, 1944

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Leave His Majesty's Government in the Commonwealth of Australia and His Majesty's Government in the Dominion of New Zealand (hereinafter referred to as " the two Governments ") represented as follows :— The Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by— The Right Hon. John Curtin, Prime Minister of Australia and Minister for Defence The Hon. Francis Michael Forde, Minister for the Army The Hon. Joseph Benedict Chifley, Treasurer and Minister for Post-war Reconstruction The Right Hon. Herbert Vere Evatt, K.C., LL.D., Attorney-General and Minister for External Affairs The Hon. John Albert Beasley, Minister for Supply and Shipping The Hon. Norman John Oswald Makin, Minister for the Navy and Minister for Munitions The Hon. Arthur Samuel Drakeford, Minister for Air and Minister for Civil Aviation The Hon. John Johnstone Dedman, Minister for War Organization of Industry The Hon. Edward John Ward, Minister for Transport and Minister for External Territories The Hon. Thomas George de Largie D'Alton, High Commissioner for Australia in New Zealand The Government of the Dominion of New Zealand by — The Right Hon. Peter Fraser, Prime Minister of New Zealand, Minister of External Affairs, and Minister of Island Territories The Hon. Frederick Jones, Minister of Defence and Minister in Charge of Civil Aviation The Hon. Patrick Charles Webb, Postmaster-General and Minister of Labour Carl August Berendsen, Esq., C.M.G., High Commissioner for New Zealand in Australia having met in conference at Canberra from the 17th to the 21st January, 1944, and desiring to maintain and strengthen the close and cordial relations between the two Governments, do hereby enter into this agreement. Definition or Objectives of Australian - New Zealand Co-operation 1. The two Governments agree that, as a preliminary, provision shall be made for fuller exchange of information regarding both the views of each Government and the facts in the possession of either bearing on matters of common interest. 2. The two Governments give mutual assurances that, on matters which appear to be of common concern, each Government will, so far as possible, be made acquainted with the mind of the other before views are expressed elsewhere by either. 3. In furtherance of the above provisions with respect to exchange of views and information, the two Governments agree that there shall be the maximum degree of unity in the presentation, elsewhere, of the views of the two countries. 4. The two Governments agree to adopt an expeditious and continuous means of consultation by which each will 'obtain directly the opinions of the other. 5. The two Governments agree to act together in matters of common concern in the South-west and South Pacific areas. 6. So far as compatible with the existence of separate military commands, the two Governments agree to co-ordinate their efforts for the purpose of prosecuting the war to a successful conclusion. Armistice and Subsequent Arrangements 7. The two Governments declare that they have vital interests in all preparations for any armistice ending the present hostilities or any part thereof, and also in arrangements subsequent to any such armistice, and agree that their interests should be protected by representation at the highest level on all armistice planning and executive bodies. 8. The two Governments are in agreement that the final peace settlement should be made in respect of all our enemies after hostilities with all of them are concluded. 9. Subject to the last two preceding clauses, the two Governments will seek agreement with each other on the terms of any armistice to be concluded. 10. The two Governments declare that they should actively participate in any armistice commission to be set up. 11. His Majesty's Government in the Commonwealth of Australia shall set up in Australia, and His Majesty's Government in the Dominion of New Zealand shall set up in New Zealand, armistice and post-hostilities planning committees, and shall arrange for the work of those committees to be co-ordinated iti order to give effect to the views of the respective Governments.