409 Mr John Curtin, Prime Minister, to Mr Winston Churchill, U.K. Prime Minister

Your WINCH 11 [2] received. I am sensible of the compliment you are paying Mr. Casey [3] and Australians would be gratified. But he now has contacts in U.S.A. which make his presence there most valuable. I know that we are in agreement that British representation should be of the highest possible quality.

Replacement of Mr. Casey at this stage would be a matter of great difficulty for this Government. Moreover, even if of equal calibre, a new man would take some time to establish himself. All things considered, probably it would be in interests of us all if approach not made at this juncture [4]

CURTIN