FOR PRESS: P. M. No. 101/ 1968
PRIME MINISTER'S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE TO FORCES
The Prime Minister has sent the following message to
members of the Australian forces serving In Australia and overseas:-
" On behalf of the people of Australia, I
send to all Australian servicemen and women my best
wishes for Christmas and the New Year.
Wherever you may be serving, each one
of you is making a contribution to the security of Australia
and to the stability of our part of the world.
In particular, our thoughts are with those

FOR PRESS: P. M. No. 100/ 1968
COMMONWEALTH ASSISTANCE FOR KILLARNEY
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mr. John Gorton
On the night of Friday, 23 November 1968, the
township and district of Killarney in South East Queensland was
struck by a violent cyclonic storm which left a trail of damage
and destruction throughout the area.
As is usual in disasters of this type, the Commonwealth
stood ready to assist upon the request of the State Government.
Recently the Premier asked the Commonwealth

FOR PRESS: P. M. No. 99/ 1968
DEFENCE ARRANGEMENTS UP TO 1971
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mr. John Gorton
Cabinet today concluded its discussion on the detailed
arrangements for implementation of the previously announced " in
principle" decision to maintain Naval, Army and Air Forces in
Malaysia/ Singapore until the end of 1971.
We are now conveying firm details of the proposed
arrangements to New Zealand, and to Singapore and Malaysia who,
of course, as the States concerned will have their own arrangements

68/ 1177
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING COMMISSION EMBARGOED UN~ TIL
8.30 p. m. 14~/ 12/ 68
FOUR C ORNERS INTERVIEW WITH THE PRIME MINISTER.
THE RIGHT HON. J. G6 G'ORTON
Reporters: John Temple
Michael Willosoe
John Penlington
TEMPLE: Good evening. This last edition of Four
Corners for 1968 is coming from Canberra. An interview with the
Prime Minister, the Right Hon. J. G. Gorton, looking back on his
first year of office. With me are John Penlington and Michael
Will see, Prime Minister, since you camo to office

7MBARGO: NOT FOR PU3LICATION F3FOR 7 P. M. S. T.)
" OR PR ESS: PM. NO. 90/' c61
AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR TH3 ARTS: GRANTS FOR 19Q-69
Statement bv the Prime Minister, Mr. John Gorton
I have received from the Chairman ol the Australian Council for the
\ rts the Counc-il's recommendations for grants to be made by the Commonwealth
Government in support of the performing arts in the current finan-ial year
This is the first year of the Council's existence and it has gi-en
considerable thought to the proper function for Commonwealth support for the

EMBARGO 6 p. m. PM 97/ 1968
9/ 12/ 68 COVE BAUXITE/ ALUMINA PROJECT
STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER
M JG-GRTON
The Government has given approval in principle
for a proposal to enable the doubling of the previously
planned size of the Gove bauxite/ alumina project.
It has also agreed that Australian participation
in the enlarged project will initially be 30% which
represents an Australian investment, in terms of money,
nearly twice as large as that previously contemplated.
The original proposal was for the construction

ACCEPTANCE OF THE SIR HUBERT MURRAY PAPERS
BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR JOHN GORTON, ON
BEHALF OF THE INATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA
Canberra, A. C. T._ 6 DECEMEF 1968
Speech by the Prime Minister, Mr John Gorton
Sir Grenfell, Mrs Pinney, Dr West and Members of the National Library
Council This seems to be fundamentally, at any rate ostensibly, a
strictly family occasion, as it were, and I feel very privileged indeed to be
able to share in it and to accept on behalf of the Council these historical
letters which you have so generously donated.

FOR PRESS: PM. No. 96, 1968
OVERSEAS TAK( EOVERS OF AUSTRALIAN
COMPANIES
joint Press S3tatement by the Prime Minister and the-
Treasurer
The Government has given consideration to some of the
problems raised as a consequence of attempts by overseas interests to take over
control of Australian companies by market purchases of shaz ( perhaps
in the name of nominees), " first-come first-served" offers for the purchase
of shares, and other such measures designed to avoid the need for
discussion with the company concerned.

FCR PRESS: P. M. No. 94/ I968
NEW SOUTH WALES BUSHFHIES
Statement _ by the Prime Minister, Mr John Gortoin
This afternoon the Premier of New South Wales
advised me that his Government had contributed a further $ 50, 000 to the
joint Commonwealth/ State scheme for the relief of personal harc~ hp and
distress in the New Scuth Wales bushfiresi In accordance with what I said
in the House yesterday, the Commonwealth readily agreed it would itself
match this contribution with an additional $ 50, 000 to the relief scheme.

69/ 174
SALARIES BILL 1968
Second Reading Speech by the Prime Minister,
the Rt. Hon. J. G. Gorton 27 NOVEMBER 1968
I move that the Bill be now read a second time.
This Bill arises from the Government's decision to
increase the salaries of $ 15, 000 and $ 17500 for Permanent Heads
of Departments of State and certain Statutory offices and to provide
for the payment of annual allowances additional to these salaries.
The new salaries will be $ 19, 500 and $ 22, 750 and the annual
allowanceswill be 1, 000 and 500 respectively, with effect from