Documents Relating to New Zealand's Participation in the Second World War 1939–45: Volume III
297 — The Prime Minister to the New Zealand Minister, Washington — [Extract]
297
The Prime Minister to the New Zealand Minister, Washington
[Extract]
Will you please see Admiral King and give him the following personal message from me:
1 Mr Nash had reported on 30 May to Mr Fraser, ‘exclusively for your personal information’, an interview with Admiral King ‘at which I discussed Ghormley's proposal re leaving our men at Fiji. I think Ghormley's proposal good and your response to the suggestion excellent, and I told King so. His feeling, however, is that Ghormley should not have made the suggestion, which might affect the United States' promise to send a division to New Zealand and their plans for disposition in the Islands. I still think that your decision on Ghormley's suggestion was correct and reiterated this to King.’
2. If it is not possible in your opinion to alter Admiral King's views on the retention in Fiji of the New Zealand troops, we will ask you in due course to endeavour to ensure that our suggestion as to individual reliefs, which you have told us in your telegram [No. 291] was agreed to in principle, will actually be applied in practice….1
1 A reference to morale in the United States plan for the relief of Fiji has been omitted.