284 Mr R.G. Menzies, Prime Minister, to Mr S.M. Bruce, High Commissioner in London
Cablegram unnumbered (extract) 11 October 1939,
SECRET
Wool.
Last portion of my telegram 5th October [1] referred to our desire
deal with representatives of friendly neutrals. So far only
neutral country specifically mentioned between us and the United
Kingdom Government is Japan and following the favourable re-action
of the United Kingdom Government to our early cables Central Wool
Committee have appointed Japanese appraisers to deal with Wool
Committee in regard to wools which will be allotted to Japan from
time to time. Consul-General, Italy, now expressing perturbation
that no Italian appraisers appointed and was under mistaken
impression that Italian buyers discriminated against. [2] Glad if
you can immediately secure understanding with the United Kingdom
Government that we may deal with appraisers of neutral
nationalities to whom wool is allotted. Please ascertain also if
United Kingdom Government proposes to allot wool to Italy.
MENZIES
1 Document 264
2 On 9 October 1939, the Italian Consul-General, Andedeo
Mammalella, sent a cablegram to the Minister for External Affairs,
Sir Henry Gullett, complaining that the failure to appoint Italian
wool appraisers would lend itself to 'regrettable consideration
within the framework of the present international situation'. The
Secretary of the Department of External Affairs, Lt Col W.R.
Hodgson, subsequently informed the Secretary of the Italian
Consulate in Melbourne that no discrimination had been intended
against the Italian Government, which had in any case made no
request for wool. It appears, however, that this information was
not passed on to Mammalella, who sent further cablegrams of
protest on 7 and 9 December 1939. The matter was settled On 12
December 1939 when the Chairman of the Central Wool Committee,
Alexander F. Bell, invited the Italian Acting Consul in Melbourne,
Commander L. Buoninsegni Vitali, to submit the names of three
Italians for appointment as appraisers. All correspondence on this
subject is on file AA: A981, Trade 6.
[AA: A1608, L37/1/5]
