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PRESS, RADIO AND TELEVISION CONFERENCE
IVEN BY THE PRIME MINISTER SIR ROBERT MENZIES
T PARLIAMENT HOUSE CANBERRA, ON THURSDAY
7TH OCTOBER 1965 AT 3.50 P. M. ON THE OCCASION
OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS APPOINTMENT AS
LORD WARDEN OF THE CINQUE PORTS
PRIME MINISTER Sorry I didn't hear the 19 gums.
Well, no doubt you will have some uestions but Ithink I ought
to begin by mentioning two points that I gather are being dealt
with in other places. Somebody appears to have imagined that
because I have been given this purely honorary title and office
that I am goini off to live in Great'Britain You can forget
about it. I live in Australia and I hope I'll die here. So all
that kind of rumour has no foundation at all. In the second place,
I hope nobody will think I am going to career around Australian
waters as an admiral because I am not. This, as you probably
know, having looked at it now. is a very ancient style and title.
Lord Wairden of the Cinque Ports used to have considerable actual
jurisdiction both legal and otherwise. He has none now. His
principal duty is. if he can, to go down about once a year for a
week or so. is first duty is to attend his installation and after
that the people in the ports like to think that he will be down
there once a year. Well, I normally fetch up in Great Britain
once a year so that is no great inconvenience. He has the right,
I believe to reside at Walmer Cstle but as it is uninhabitable,
it is a theoretical right rather than anything else. Though,
Mr. Wilson when he raised this matter with me in London did indicate
that they were investigating the possibility of making some part of
it h. bitable, putting in a flat or something of that Kind so that
it might be used officially. Well, that's on the knees of the gods.
It's fascinating to know that the Lord Warden has the right to
Sflotsam, jetsam and lagan.
QUESTIONER What is " lagan", Sir?
P. M. Lagan is wreckage which lies on the sea floor.
Q. Oh, I thought it might be mermaids. ( Laughter)
P. M. No, unhappily mermaids are not included in " Fishes Royal"
I am entitlea to Fishes Royal. Queer entitlement whales,
porpoises and so on. All it means is if a whale gets itself washed
up bn the beach at Dover the Lord Warden has the supreme privilege
of paying for its removal.
Q. When is the installation, Sir?
P. M. Oh, that isn't fixed. That will be the next time I am in
England, whenever that happens to be.
Q. The style of the uniform, if any?
P. M. They tell me there is a uniform. I don't My
predecessor, Winston Churchill, he was interested in the uniform but
I don't think he went down for his weekly visit very much. He was
more conspicuous by his absence. But, yes, in terms of uniform the
W. rden is a species of admiral, which I imagine is the most nautical
thing about him. But it is really a very great personal honour.
I feel it in that sense. Lord Willingdon, Lord Reading and
Winston Churchill being the three predecessors.
Q. Would it suggest that it is a prelude to a peerage?
PM. Not the slightest chance. / 2
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Q. Have you made any decisiQn on when you'll retire?
Oh, come off it. Do you expect me to make a decision
this week? I've been expecting one for three months, Sir.
Well I'm not even thinking about that. I'll deal with
that at what I think is the right time. Yes or No.
You did suggest Sir, when you returned from abroad
earlier in the rear that you were in fact thinking of it.
Are you still t inking of it?
PM.: Oh yes, of course and I will continue to think of it.
Wouldn't you at my age think of it?
When do you think you will be in England again, Sir?
P. M. -Vell, I don't know. I don't know.
Q. In reference to your age, Sir do you feel the duties
of the job are growing such that tAey are testing you
physically? You mean my present
Q. Ai Prime Minister.
P. M. gell, it'z3 not easy. But. look, this problem let's
be quite plain about it. This is a matter that I will have
to decide one way or the other at the right time, and that
time hasn't arisen and as far as I can see, it won't arise for
some time to come.
Q. Sir, getting back to the position of Lord Warden, are
there any privileges that go with this position?
P. M. Yes I have the right to flotsam jetsam and lagan and I
daresay that what I'll fave to do is to live hoping"
would be the wrcng word because it would be inhuman
for some decent luxury liner to be cist ashore out of which
I might get a few perquisites. There are no privileges.
You have the privilege of spending a good deal of money.
Q. Do you fly a special flag, Sir, over the castle?
P. M. Yes, there is a flag, I believe.
Q. Will y~ u use it in Australia?
P. M. Oh, I wouldn't think so. None of this has any operation
in Australia.
Q. Doesn't affect precedence in Australia?
P. M. Oh dear no. Oh no.
Q. Do you know what the uniform is like, Sir?
P. M. I am told that it is based on the uniform of an admiral.
Q. A modern or an ancient one?
P. M. Oh I haven't a clue. I was under the great impression
at the 6oronation time that Winston had on this uniform under
the gown of the Garter. That's mere speculation. He enjoyed
dressing up. I hate it. / 3
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Are you able to tell us, Sir, anything of the method of
selecting the Lord Warden?
Well, I gather that what happens is this. It's a Royal
appointment but the Government 01 the day tenders advice on
the matter. Mr. Wilson spoke to me about this towards the
end of the last Prime Ministers' Conference and wanted to know
whether I would permit him to put my name forward. Well, I
said it needed a bit of thouaht. I didn't quite know what it
involved, what travel it might commit me to in the future and
what expenditure that's not unimportant. And so we had
correspondence afterwards and finally I said " yes". I had
always said this was a very great honour. I wrote to him
finally and said, yes, I would agree to his putting my name
forward and he did then. I had reason to believe hat he had
discussed it with The Queen before and so the announcement was
made. You don't suggest Sir that Mr. Wvilson was trying to
help the Australian Latour tarty?
P. M I -, Would hate to put it on so low a level as that. Mr.
Wilson is a very practical man. I don't think he would
commit himself o an impracticable course.
Q. Sir Robert, have you any idea why a Labour Prime Minister
should su,: est you for the office?
-hat's this?
Have you any idea why a Labour Prime Minister should
suggest you for This office?
P. M. No. All I can assume in my :) wn favour is that he thought
I was an appropriate person. It wasn't proposed to me as
Prime Minister because, after all, one is no a Prime Minister
forever, and this appointment runs for life.
Do you see any political significance at all in the fact
that he nominated you for it, Sir?
P. M. I don't. No.
Q. Does this carry any special precedence, Sir at Commonwealth
Prime Ministers' Conferences?
P. M. Oh no. I gather from some of the papers they sent me
that I Aave special precedence in the Cinque Ports area. If
The Queen is there, I outrank other people. I think that must
be great fin, but the question won't arise.
Is this installation likely to be this year, Sir?
Ycu mean in 1965?
Yes.
P. M. Oh, no. It will be next year some time.
Q. Sir do you think Mr. Wilscn may have considered you a
suitable person for this honour because of a possible imminent
retirement? I credit Y. Vilson with a great deal of intelligence
and therefore he would never entertain so absurd an idea.
You boys will chivvy me out of office if you have your way,
won't you, but I will make up my own mind in my own time,
thank you. / 4
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Q. Sir Robert, have you any ideas of what city you will
retire to when you do Tinally make the decision.
I anticipate Melbourne yes. That's my own, so to
speak, home town and there I'll go, I hope.
There's a rumour that you have in fact made appraches
about buying a house in Melbourne.
P. M. Yes, that's quite tre I can confirm that. I have
been doing it for the last fifteen years. Once a year my wife
and I sa~ y, " Well, it would be rather nice to have a home of
our own in our home tywn" and we think of it. You are
quite right, so I can t deny that rumour,
Q. Would you have actually been looking at any properties
in Melbourne in reoent months?
Every year I have looked at one or two so far withcut
result, but if you should hear of a good one, I'll be
grateful.
Q. It might be easier to build a new Prime Minister's
Lodge here, Sir, as you have been here that lvng.
P. M. Oh, I hope not, I hope not. I wouldn't want to be here
when the new Prime Minister's lodge was finished. That's a
Stime off. That doesn't mean next week.
Q. Don't you think in view of the fact that you have been
Prime Minister for so long. occupied the Lodge for so long
yoa would be the appropriate one to make the decision to build
a new Lodge, thereby saving your successor embarrassment?
P. M. There are proposals about a new Lodge which I know the
National Capital Cbmmission has had in mind because in some
ways this is not the perfect answer, the present house. The
contribution that I will make to that will be to give them the
benefit of my advice and so will my wife, as to what ought
to be done in a new rime Minister's house. In other words
what deficiencies there are in this one, how they might be
improved or removed in another. But that's a mere matter of
6cnsultation. I will always be willing to do that, but I don't
anticipate living in any oher Prime Minister's Lodge myself
than the one I now precariously occupy.
Q. Sir Robert do you intend to Co to England before the
normal time as AustralianPrime Minister in the winter?
P. M. I hope not. Indeed I hope not.
Q. There will be no special trip for this?
Oh no. No. I have had a few winter trips there and I am
not enamoured of them.
This suggested retirement before say, May next year, it's
just not on?
PM. I'm sayin-nothin-about that. I have already said that
I will decide hat mater in my own time. Why are you in such
a hurry to get rid of me? o
Q. Je are seeking amplification of statements issued in your
name. What statement is this?
The statement to the effect that normal dutics will take
you to the U. K.
P. M. Well what's mystericus about that?
Q. Well would'hormal duties" be as Australia's Prime
Minister, Sir?
I didn't say so. I might with reasonable expectation
of life hope to be still alive when I am no longer Prime
Minister, and if still alive, then I may have some duties
or I may impose them myself, which will take me to England.
All I am saying is that I would anticipate being able to go
there once a year. This is not a job ex officio you know.
This is not an appointment as Prime Minister. TAis is an
appcintment under my omri name.
Q. Sir Robert, do you hope to be the Prime Minister when
you accept the new honour formally?
P. M. In other words, you want me to make a statement about a
matter that I said I am not making a statement about. You
are trying in vain. You must restrain your eagerness in
spite of your newspaper.
Q. On a different subject, Sir, can you give us your
reactions or whatever analysis you have made of what could
be the effect of recent happenings in Indonesia on Australia?
P. M. Oh, no, look the conference was not called for
that purpose. I am discussing all that with Mr. Hasluck
because I think that we ought to, if we can, if the position
has cleared enough, to have a statement made on that on
Tuesday in the House, but at present, of course, it is all
very obscure. By that time, perhaps, it will be sufficiently
clarified to say something useful.
Q. Sir, you told us two conferences ago you didn't know
whether you were going to lead the Government at the next
election. Do you now know whether you will or not?
P. M. ' eren't you here when I answered these questions earlier?
Q. I was here two conferences ago.
P. M. Yes I thought you mi htn't have been here today.
Don't tare me for a fool. Y9u can't trick me into making
some statement about a matter on which I have already stated
ouite clearly that I will deal . ith that in my own time, not
in yours. Come on, any more intelligent questions?
We'll try, Sir again. Can you tell us if this new
appointment could allow you to go to Prime Ministers'
Conferences in any other capacity than Prime Minister?
Uill it have any Uommonweath significance? e / 6
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P. M. This appointment has no bearing upon what happens at
a Prime Ministers' Conference. This is a purely local matter
of great historic interest and continuity. It happens now for
the first time to a man outside Great Britain. I$ has no
bearing whatever on anything that happens at Prime Ministers'
Conferences or otherwise.
Q. Sir Robert, if you don't wish to discuss Indonesia at
this press conference, will you be holding one soon when we
can diScuss it?
I don't know. I am going to clarify my own mind with my
colleague on what goes on in Tndonesia firsXtw ith a view if
we can get some clarification adequate clarification, to
saying something to Parliament aoout it.
Sir Robert, would you let us go from the Five Ports to
the Australian waterfront?
P. M. No. No, I won't.
Q. Sir there was another announcement in London today from
Rhodesia House that IVir. Ian Smith has sent a message to
PA.: Gentlemen, I am afraid there has been a misapprehension.
I thought this conference was about this little honorific
affair of mine, not a general conference.
Q. Ie thought it might be a lead-in, Sir.
P. M. Did you? No, I'm saying nothing about Rhodesia.
I'm just hoping. I'm saying nothing,
Q. Sir the ceremony of installation. Does it involve the
British Prime Minister?
I couldn't tell you. I don't know.
Q. Does this take place at one of the Five Ports?
P. M. I think it usually occurs at Dover. They have a bi!
function of some kind and when that happens you are initTated
and when it's over you take off the uniform and hang it up.
I think I must buy one and put it in the Parliament House.
Mr. Hurst, President of the Press Gallery Sir Robert, just before
you go, 3r, on baf of the Press Gallery, in spite of the
questions, we would like to congratulate you on this honour.
P. M. Thank you very much. Thank you.
I I I