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immigration inquiries, and providing information on New Zealand statutes and domestic conditions. Advice and assistance were given to New Zealand nationals in the United States ; the presidential and congressional election campaign was reported upon and considerable attention was devoted to the discussions in Congress and the nation-wide reactions to the Atlantic Pact and the progress of the European Recovery Progiamme, with particular reference to its impact on the American scene, has been fully covered in reports. Some of the particular assignments directly affecting New Zealand and the United States were the negotiations with the State Department leading to the signature in Wellington of the United States Educational Foundation Agreement, which enables surplus lend-lease credits to be used by American scholars for study in' New Zealand and for the payment of travelling-expenses of New Zealand students to the United States. Arrangements have been made for New Zealand students to participate in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology foreign students' summer project, 1949, and members of the Embassy have observed and reported on educational conferences, at which opportunity was taken to explore the range of scholarships and other assistance open to New Zealand students and trainees. The Embassy, in conjunction with the Rehabilitation Department in Wellington, provides advice and assistance to New Zealand rehabilitation bursars studying in the United States. Invitations to attend the Seventh Pacific Science Congress were sent through the Embassy to various United States organizations and Government bodies. A proposal for an international regime for Antarctica was received from the State Department and, after consideration in Wellington, was the subject pf discussion with the United States authorities. The volume of inquiries for travel information and for details of all aspects of New Zealand life steadily increases. The activities of the Embassy in the matter of supplying information about New Zealand, in addition to the. answering of immigration inquiries, the dissemination of printed literature and photographs, and the circulation of films, have included the preparation of feature articles dealing with various aspects of New. Zealand life for distribution to schools. In particular there has been a marked increase both in volume and detail of inquiries regarding health benefits and socialsecurity programmes, reflecting the increased public interest felt in the United States as a result of President Truman's announced intention to inaugurate a form of health insurance and wider socialsecurity benefits. In the last quarter of the year under review there were 202 screenings of films, and 122 requests had to be refused owing to the heavy demands on the Embassy's stocks of films. Negotiations are continuing with an American company to televise all New Zealand

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