Australian Government - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Advancing the interests of Australia and Australians internationally

Australian Government - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Advancing the interests of Australia and Australians internationally

6

31st December, 1924

My dear P.M.,

Since the Times came out with an announcement in today's issue [1], I have been bombarded with Representatives of the various Cable agencies which send news to Australia-but I have said nothing at all to them-and explained to them that any publicity at the moment would be an embarrassment to the Government here (as they have not yet officially informed the other Dominions). We parted friends-and they all said that they would be grateful to have any news in the future. I told them again that that was not likely to be possible.

However, I think that if you at any time wanted to get anything in the Australian press by cable from here-it would be very simple for you to cable me in cypher what news you wished expressed, and for me to have the cable agencies quietly inspired, preferably through a third party.

There is nothing much more to tell you just now. I am going ahead quietly getting to know people-and I have sent out quite a budget of stuff by this mail.

With all good wishes to Mrs Bruce and yourself for the New Year.

I am, Yours sincerely, R. G. CASEY

1 On 31 December l924 The Times published several paragraphs about Casey's appointment. He was not named and his office was described as Special Representative to the Office of the High Commissioner.

His concern sprang not only from the fact that the British Government had not yet informed the other Dominions of his appointment but from fear that too much publicity would cause the other Dominions to seek similar appointments. It was unlikely that Whitehall would be as cooperative with, say, South African or Irish representatives, but Hankey and the rest would not have been able to discriminate and Casey would have stood to lose many of his privileges.

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