I thank you for your telegrams Nos. 169 [1] and 170. [2] We have
authorised representative to sign for purposes of certification.

[3] The matter would never have arisen in Conference which was
restricted to the expert level were it not that the Secretary of
the United States Treasury intervened and made public statements
regarding its deliberations. [4] The Conference is either on the
expert level or on the ministerial level and if it is on the
former then the Conference should not be given the appearance of
being a conference on which nations as nations make agreements.

The very fact that so much trouble has had to be taken at the
conclusion to make plain what was really intended is evidence that
the Australian Government's attitude had to be maintained
otherwise it would have been construed to have committed either
itself or its officials notwithstanding the insistence that
representatives were directed otherwise. [5]

CURTIN