MOST IMMEDIATE

I understand from my Government that they have received a telegram
from the New Zealand Government stating that the existence of a
state of war with Germany has been proclaimed in New Zealand and
asking that we will take any steps which may be necessary to
indicate to the German Government that His Majesty's Government in
New Zealand associate themselves with the action taken by His
Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom.

It is proposed to make a communication in the terms requested
through the United States Ambassador in London [1], but in this
event it would seem to my Government most desirable that a similar
communication should at the same time be made as regards the
Commonwealth Government. In these circumstances my Government have
requested me to take up the matter at once with you and to suggest
that if you agree, the most suitable procedure would appear to be
for the Commonwealth Government to send an official telegram to
the United Kingdom Government asking for a communication to be
made on similar lines as regards the position of the Commonwealth.

As the matter is most immediate my Office communicated the
substance of this message to your Department orally early this
morning for transmission to you at once in accordance with the
request of my Government. [2]

GEOFFREY WHISKARD