Speech given by the Rt. Hon. ReG. Menzies at the Wool
Industries' " search Association on 21/ 22 March, 1961
Chairman, ay Lord Mayor, my Lord, ladies and gentlemen, I have
now successfully performed the first part of my duty. You don't know how
lucky you are, because sometimes when you invite a politically-inclined fellow
like me to come to open something and to unveil a tablet, he's liable to forget
to unveil the tablet. Which, of course, means that what he was doing remains
veiled in decent obscurity. So I've developed rather a prudent habit nowadays

61/ 010
: JT: JT 1-7111
Dated: 20th March, 1961
Rec'd: 21st March, 1961.
1330
FROM: Australian High Commission,
LONDON. Excerpts of Prime Minister's speech to Australia'
Club dinner, Savoy Hotel tonight.
The Prime Minister said " The master of the Rolls
( Lord Evershed who proposed the toast of Australia) towards the
end of his speech made some reference to the Commonwealth. I
think it might be regarded as a little odd if I didn't say
something myself about the events of the last week or ten days.

W AUSTRALIA CLUB DINNER
LONDON. ON MONDAY. MARCH 20. 1961
Speech by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. R. G. Menzies
Sir, My Lords and Gentlemen,
I think I ought to begin by saying how grateful I am
to His Royal Highness the . Duke ( of Gloucester) for having once
more presided over one of these dinners. He and I were recalling
earlier this evening an occasion in this very hotel, in one of
those less civilized days when one wore a stiff shirt and white
tie; and I arrived with a temperature of 1030, which I am told

-South Africa
Australia's Migration Policy
Future relationship with South Africa
Possible Royal Visit
Governor-General
P. M.' s lead in arguing South Africa's
internal affairs
Discussions with Dr. Luns Dutch
West New Guinea

61/ 009
PRESS CONFERENCE
Given by the Prime Minister, Mr. Menzies in London
On March, 19th. 1961
Mr. Menzies: I notice that there is a good deal of speculation
and perhaps something more about the final stages of this
conference so perhaps I might as well add my own little bit to
its For some time it looked as if we could evolve a form
of communique u~ hich would confirm South Africa's membership
while at thc same time containing a fair summarised statement
of the criticisms of South Africa's racial policy and of Dr.

r/
. PR T INISTERS' CONFERNCE CMNIQUE
STh follow-ing is the text of the final communique:-
The meeting of Commonwealth Prime Ministers was con llded
' today. Pais-tan,, Ghana and Cyprus were represented by their
Prs-iderO74/ 4 The other Commonwealth countries were represented
by tbheJ-r Prime Ministers.
2. It had been agreed that on this occasion the Prime
Ministers would concentrate the-itjainoattention on a limited
number of specific problems which are'currently-of-fcommon concern
to them all namely, disarmament, the structure of the United

P. M. No. 10/ 1961
FOR YOUR INFORMATION: COMMUNIQUE FROM LANCASTER~ HOUSE
The following is the text of the communique
issued from Lancaster House
" At their meetings this week, the Commonwealth
Prime Ministers have discussed questions affecting
South Africa. On 13th March, the Prime Minister of
South Africa informed the meeting that, following
the plebiscite in October, 1960, the appropriate
constitutional steps were now being taken to
introduce a Republican form of constitution in the
Union, and that it was the desire of the Union

61/ 006
P. M. No. 9/ 1961
SOUTH AFRICA AND THE COMMOMW1I J TH
Statement by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon, R. G. Menzies
The following is the full text of the Statement
made by the Prime Minister, Mr. Menzies, in London, on the
South African situation
" This is a very unhappy day for those who
attach value to the Commonwealth as an association of
0independent nations each managing its own affairs in
its own way, but all co-operating for common purposes.
The criticisms which we all had to make of South African

OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR AUSTRALIA IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
Australian News and Information Bureau, Australia House,
Strand, London, W. C. 2 Telephone: TEMple Bar 2435
PRI1 MINISTER'S A1ZRIVAL AT LONDON AIRPORT.
MOINDAY, IvQ! RCH 6. 1961. INTERVIEW, B. B. C.,
I. T. V. AITD PRESS. 3.30 P. M. APPROXIMATELY.
CESTION:, Sir, you are a very senior member of the Commonwealth. Do
you think that the Commonwealth can keep its present
character if South Africa continues to be in the Commonwealth
with her racial discrimination?

. AEBAGO: Not for publication or broadcast before 6.30 p. m. on
Sunday, 26th February. 1961..
MAJOR PROJECTS TO ASSIST THE EXPORT TRADE
Statement by the Acting Prime Minister ( Mr. McEwven).
The Acting Prime Minister today said that the decision
by the Commonwealth to discuss with State Governments the plannil
of largo-scale developmental vorks, was an important stop in a
programme designed to assist in the expansion of Australia's
export trade. He vas referring to the announcement by the Prime
Minister that the Gove-nment had under particular and