RADIO INTERVIZEW GIVEN BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR HAROLD HOLT,
AT PAR LIAMENT HOU FF, CANBERRA. 6TH OCTOBER. 1966.
MR HOLT: It gives me particular pleasure to be able to announce
that President Johnson has found it possible to pay a visit to Australia
en route to the Conference at Manila. As you will know, I have been
pressing President Johnson ever since I saw him in Washington earlier
in the year to make a visit to Australia, and when I found that he would be
in thiis general neighbourhood for the Manila Conference, I pressed that

PRESS BRIEFING GIVEN BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR HAROLD
HOLT, FOR THE HEADS CF BUREAUX IN THE PARLIAMENTARY
PRESS GALLERY AT PARLIAMENT HOUSE, CANBERRA. 6TH OCTOBER. 1966.
MR HCLT: Well, yentlemen,, I think you have had confirmation
or at least the announcement about the dates for this Manila Conference being
now the 24th and As you are aware, the later dates proposed proved
highly inconvenient for both Mr Holyoake and myself and I am very appreciative
of the fact that the views which we put on this matter had the effect of brin. g-ing

66/ 146
FOR PRESS P. M. No. 101/ 1966
SIR ALAN WATT ARTICLE
Comment by the Prime Minister, Mr. Harold Holt
I thought highly of Sir Alan Watt during his
long and distinguished period with the Government.
Before commenting on his article in any detail, I would
like to read the full text.
This much seems clear from the Press reports,
that the techniques of a discreet and cautious diplomatist
are not necessarily the same as those to be employed by
the political leader who must determine policy and make

66/ 145
FOR PRESS P. M. No. 100/ 1966
TALKS WITH PREMIERS
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mr. Harold Holt
The Prime Minister said this morning that he would
discuss with Sir Henry Bolte and Mr. Askin the timing of
a meeting with them and the other State Premiers.
Mr. Holt said he had no wish to retreat from any
earlier undertaking to hold talks with the Premiers of New
South Wales and Victoria. However, as requests had now
been received from all the State Premiers, it seemed
preferable to meet together rather than hold a series of

FOR PW; jSS: 66/ 14A
P. M. No. 99/ 1966
CHA IRMAN OF C OMMONZEALTH GRANTS C OMMISS ION
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mr. Harold Halt
Sir Leslie Melville, has been has been
appointed Chairman of the Commonwealth Grants Commission as from
tomorrow ( 1st October). Sir Leslie, who is already a member
of the Commission, will replace Mr. P. D. Phillips, C. M. G.,
whose term of appointment as Chairman expires today
September) Mr. Phillips has occupied the position of
Chairman of the Grants Commission since 1960. During his

FOR PRESS - No 797 

The Acting Treasurer ( Mr. Holt) announced today the appointment of Sir Kenneth Coles as Deputy Chairman of the Decimal Currency Board in place of the late Sir Alfred Armstrong, who had been Deputy Chairman of the Board from its establishment in June 1963 until his death last July.

Sir Kenneth has been a member of the Board since its establishment and was also a member of the Decimal Currency Committee.

CANBERRA, 
27th September, 1966 

FOR PRESS: P. M. No. 96/ 1966
CONFERENCE OF HEADS OF 7XOVLRNJWMENT ON VIET NAM
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mvr. Harold Holt
The Australian Th'vernment warmly commends the
proposal put forward by President Mvarcos of the Philippines, in
consultation with the President of Korea and the Prime Minister
of Thailand. It appreciates the offer by President Marcos to
make arrangements for the conference to be held in the Philippines.
Since this is a conference of Heads of Government
whose forces are joined in resisting Communist aggression in

FOR PRESS P. M. No. 98/ 1966
VISIT BY THE PRIME~ MINISTER OF MALTA
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mr. Harold Halt
The Honourable Dr. Giorgio Borg-Olivier,
Prime Minister of Malta, will visit Australia as a
guest of the Government from 1st to 12th November.
Australians recalling the gallant resistance
of the Maltese people during the years of the Second World
Y Iar will warmly welcome this visit. It will also have special
interest f or those many thousands of Maltese who have settled
here under the immigration programme.

66/ 14
FOR PRESS P. M. No. 95/ 1966
6.30 P. M. !. I' 0NDAY 26th.
PRIME IINISTER'S ILEALTH.
The Prime MIinister is on the mend, but no decision has yet
been made as to when he will return to his office.
Although he is still in bed, he had a number of official
callers at the Lodge today, and dealt with a considerable
amount of Governmental business. He is hoping to be back in
Parliament before the end of the week.
His doctor is satisfied with his progress, and thorough
examinations have shown that the Prime Minister is in good

Mr Holt is spending his fourth day in bed at the Lodge recovering from a mild form of viral pleurisy.

His doctor who examined him again this morning is staisfied with the Prime Minister's progress. 

Exactly when Mr Holt will be able to return to work will depend on his further progress, but the Prime MInister is hopeful that he will be able to attend to at least some of hsi parliamentray duties during the week.

he will not be opening the CSIRO exhibition in (Ki******)  tomorrow morning.

Canberra
26 September 1966