100

6. New Zealand Legation, United States of America The United States has been intimately concerned with the most important events of the year, and her actions at home and abroad have profoundly influenced the pattern into which those events have been shaped. It has therefore been more than ever necessary that the Government should be kept informed of the policy and actions ot the United States Government. To do this has been one of the chief functions of the New Zealand Legation at Washington. The Minister (Sir Carl Berendsen) has attended the meetings of the Heads of the British Commonwealth Missions stationed in Washington, where matters of common interest are discussed. These meetings, supplemented by similar meetings of counsellors, are among the many ways in which an intimate and valuable inter-Commonwealth liaison is maintained. There appears to be in the United States an ever-increasing interest in New Zealand and New Zealand affairs, and the Legation has been called upon to answer innumerable questions, many of them from intending immigrants, and has endeavoured to fulfil other requests for information by making available books, films, and other material. The publications of the Department of External Affairs have a wide circulation in governmental and educational institutions. As well as this, the Minister and other members of the Legation have, when possible, accepted invitations to speak from such bodies as Colombia, Princeton, and Cornell Universities, the American Society of International Law, and the American Association of University Women. The Legation has also dealt with a number of applications from New Zealanders for passports, as well as a large number of applications for visas for New Zealand. An important aspect of the Legation's work has been to give advice and assistance where necessary to New Zealanders, of whom there are many living in the United States. An endeavour is made to keep in touch with as many as possible, mainly through the medium of New Zealand News, a publication of which about 1,500 copies are distributed monthly. On Dominion Day the Minister and Lady Berendsen entertained about 150 New Zealanders, mainly from the Washington area. The Legation continues to provide advice and assistance to New Zealanders visiting the United States for business, scientific, and other purposes. In January, 1948, the Minister invested a number of American officers with decorations for services rendered to New Zealand during the war period. On 24 April, 1947, following discussions with the State Department, an Agreement with the United States on Copyright was signed in Washington by the Minister. An Agreement between United States and New Zealand for the avoidance of double taxation