94 Australian Government to Commonwealth Relations Office

Cablegram. 333 CANBERRA, 23 December 1948, 2 p.m.

RESTRICTED Reference conclusions reached at recent meeting of Commonwealth Prime Ministers re status of High Commissioners [1], Australian Government proposes make following recommendation to His Majesty the King (a) that High Commissioners be placed in same order of precedence as at present enjoyed by foreign Ambassadors (b) that High Commissioners in Australia be granted the title of 'Excellence' (c) that Ambassadors and High Commissioners should take precedence in strict order of date of appointment except that Doyen of Diplomatic Corps will take precedence over High Commissioners.

High Commissioners and Diplomatic Envoys in Australia will in future rank in the table of precedence as follows-(1) Governor- General, (2) Governors of States, (3) The Prime Minister, (4)(a) Foreign Ambassadors and High Commissioners, (b) Foreign Ministers and Envoys, (5) Cabinet Ministers. [2]