FOR PRESS: Issued from the office
of the Press Secretary.
PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO U. S. AND CANADA
The Prime Minister, Mr John Gorton, will leave
Australia on the night of Saturday 29 March for his talks with President
Nixon in Washington and Mr Trudeau in Ottawa.
The discussions in Washington will occupy Tuesday
( 1st) and Wednesday ( 2nd ApriA co~ mmencing a day later than originally
scheduled because of unavoidable changes in the President's programme.
In addition to his talks with the President, Mr

19-I
FOR PRESS: PM. 31/ 1969
MESSAGE FROM ISRAEL
Ovet the weekend, the Prime Minister received
the following message from Tel Aviv
" 1 WAS DEEPLY MOVED BY YOUR PERSONAL
EXPRESSION OF SYMPATHY WITH US IN THE DEATH
OF PRIME MINISTER LEVI ESHKOL, AND ON BEHALF
OF THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL AND IN MY OWN NAME
I THANK YOU FOR THE CONDOLENCES OF THE
GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA IN OUR
NATIONAL MOURNING.
YOUR HOMAGE TO THE MEMORY OF A
BELOVED LEADER HAS BROUGHT US MUCH COMFORT.
YIGAL ALLON.
ACTING PRIME MINISTER."

FOR PRESS: P. M. No. 30/ 1969
DROUGHT RELIEF FOR QUEENSLAND
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mr. John Gorton
The Commonwealth Government announced on
11 March that, in view of the recurrence of drought conditions
over a large area of Queensland, the Commonwealth was
prepared to participate with the Queensland Government on a
for basis in the provision of finance for drought relief
measures. In Canberra today the Queensland Premier ( Mr.
Bjelke-Petersen) and the Treasurer ( Mr. Chalk) asked the

FOR PRES3: P. M. No. 29/ 19
SPECIAL NON-RECURRING REVENUE GRANT
At the meeting of the Premiers' Conference this
afternoon the Prime Minister, Mr. John Gorton, announced that
the Commonwealth would make a special non-recurring revenue
grant of $ 12 million to the States.
This amount, allocated in the same proportions
as the distribution of the 1968-69 financial assistance grants,
would be ear-marked for the reduction of the 1968-69 budget
deficits of the States. It would not form part of the grants for the

9 196
FOR PRESS PM. No. 28/ 1969 ( A)
NEW ROADS AGREEMENT
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mr John Gorton
During the five years ending on 30 June this year, the
Commonwealth Government has provided $ 750 million towards the costs of
roads in the States. During the five years beginning on I July this year, the
Commonwealth Government proposes to provide 252 million towards
these costs. The increase will be over half a billion dollars or 67 per cent.
The money will be divided amongst the States by a new

FOR PRESS: P. M. No. 27/ 1969
DROUGHT RELIEF FOR QUEENSLAND
Statem ent by the Prime Minister, Mr. John Gorton
In view of the recurrence of drought conditions
over a large area of Queensland, the Commonwealth is prepared
to participate with the State, on a for basis, in the provision
of finance for drought relief measures.
These measures will include:-
* Rail and road subsidies on the transport of fodder
and the movement of livestock to agistment:
* Carry-on finance for drought affected farmers
who are unable to obtain credit from normal

FOR PRESS P. M. No. 26, 1969
ECONOM. C CONSULTATiONS
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mr dahn Gorton
The Government met with represeatatives of industry
and commerce in Canberra today.
Today's discussions were with national organisations
representing primiary industries, manufacturing industries and
commerce. The Government saw these organisations in three separate
groups, thereby continuing the practice begun in j-, My last year.
The talks were again worthwhile in providing Ministers

" AUSTRALIA 19
AUSTRALIAN FINANCE CONFERENCE SEMINAR
Wentworth Hotel, Sydney, N. S. W. MARCH 1969
k-J i APR 1969
SPEECH BY THlE PRIME MINISTER, MR JOHN GORTON
Mr Chairman and Gentlemen:
I have really come here tonight because I believe that
the objectives of this Seminar and the calibre of the people who are
attending it are in both cases so great they should be recognised on a
national basis. There are a number of things which I think should be
said even though they may be already in your minds, and probably they

FOR PRESS: P. M. No. 25/ 1969
CONGRATULATIONS TO THAI PRIME MINISTER
Following the appointment of Field Marshall
Thanom Kittikachorn as Prime Minister of Thailand over the
weekend, the Prime Minister, Mr. John Gorton, asked the
Australian Ambassador in Bangkok to convey the following
message:-" It is with pleasure that I send you
my sincere congratulations on your appointment as the
first Prime Minister of Thailand under the new constitution,
I am confident that your appointment, following the holding

In accordance with established practice, the Government has consistently refused in Parliament either to confirm or deny that Mrs Hoffmann did any work for ASLO at the Japanese Embassy eight years ago.

Again, in accordance with that practice, I do not propose either to confirm or deny the truth of Mrs Hoffmanns published story.