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Historical documents

336 Evatt to Vaccari

Letter CANBERRA, 26 November 1943

Following upon certain representations made to the effect that
your standing in and knowledge of the Italian community in
Australia should, from a humanitarian point of view, be availed of
in matters pertaining to the welfare of that community [1], you
have been authorized by the Prime Minister to act as a liaison
between the Commonwealth Government Departments concerned and the
following sections of the community:-

(a) Italians resident in Australia.

(b) Naturalized British subjects of Italian origin.

(c) British subjects of Italian origin who may be subject to
disabilities.

2. For the present it is intended that you should be authorized to
act as a liaison and permitted to make representations in respect
of:-

(1) Detention, restriction, and release under National Security
Regulations (General) in respect of those categories mentioned in
paragraph (1) (a), (b) and (c).

(2) Action taken under Aliens Control Regulations.

(3) Naturalization.

(4) Questions arising out of Aliens Service Regulations, Manpower
Regulations, Land Transfer Regulations, Enemy Property
Regulations, and Trading with the Enemy Act.

(5) Welfare and rehabilitation of persons released.

(6) Relief of distressed relatives.

(7) Conditions of Italian prisoners of war in Australia not
confined in prisoner of war camps.

3. The Commonwealth Government hopes that in the capacity
mentioned you will be able to assist the various Government
Departments concerned as well as the members of the community in
whose interests you will act.

H. V. EVATT

1 See Document 301.


[AA:A1608, AA19/1/1]
Last Updated: 11 September 2013
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