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The Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs to the Prime Minister of New Zealand¹

Your telegram of 21 August [No. 478].

We are grateful for your agreement to make available one Royal New Zealand Air Force squadron for the Tactical Air Force contingent and [for the advice] that your ships may continue their attachment to the British Pacific Fleet. We also note that you are making inquiries as to the possibility of obtaining sufficient volunteers from men of the 2nd New Zealand Division for a brigade group for the occupational forces in Japan.

2. Your paragraph 3. We have already informed the Supreme Allied Commander, South-East Asia, that as soon as he is in a position to spare the necessary forces and shipping, it is our intention to instruct him to take over by stages from Australia their initial responsibilities in the South-West Pacific area, other than Papua and Australian mandated territories. This arrangement should, subject to unforeseen circumstances, provide relief for your squadrons in Borneo as soon as the first priority occupation tasks of the Supreme Allied Commander, South-East Asia, have been completed.