My dear P.M.,

I have kept the High Commissioner [1] fully informed of the
Antarctic negotiations [2], by word of mouth and by submitting a
complete file of the correspondence to Trumble [3] at intervals.

They seem quite content to leave it to me. In fact I very much
doubt if they have read the material I have bombarded them with. I
will not deal with the subject here as I am treating it very fully
by letter and telegram and it has so many ramifications that there
is little useful that I can say shortly.

I will only say this. The success or lack of success that the
Foreign Office may achieve diplomatically has nothing to do with
the question of our issuing a licence to Irvin & Johnson. The
former may stave off the immediate threat to our sovereignty-the
latter goes some way in advance of this in establishing and
cementing our rights. [4]

The related subjects of transport, road building and traffic
handling seem to have been inadequately handled-judging by results
in the old countries of the world. At the present time people
appear to be groping in the dark. Ten years ago in the United
States I remember having the fact brought home to me that for
'short hauls' of up to 100 miles under certain conditions, road
transport was able to compete successfully with rail. This
competition has evidently crystallised into something more serious
from the railway point of view. In America with its comparatively
small railway network one could imagine such competition existing
and not meaning very much, but in these last few years the menace
to the railways of road transport (both passenger and goods) has
begun to take on serious proportions even in England with its
closely-knit railway system. The proper respective spheres of road
and rail do not seem to have been properly allocated as yet,
either in new or old countries.

Situated as we are in Australia, on the threshold of our
development, we have a comparatively clear field. I should think
that it would be worth while some independent body in Australia
taking the subject in hand-or rather the three inter-related
subjects of transport, traffic and road construction.

The problem of laying down city street surfaces that will last
more than a year or so under modern traffic conditions is
obviously unsolved-London is a vivid example. Whether the big
rural arterial roads are going to stand the pounding of five and
ten ton lorries is problematical, even when laid down on concrete.

Town-planning and the traffic problem are obviously intimately
related.

No municipality has the means of reviewing all the problems-even
if they had they would only solve them for themselves and their
own particular conditions. It would seem to me to be a job for the
Development and Migration Commission.

The question of transport has always interested me and from the
point of view of personal interest I am keeping in touch with the
development of the 100 ton tracked machine here, from the results
of which I have great hopes. McDougall [5] assures me that the
potentialities of this development are fully recognised in
Australia.

With reference to Duckham [6] and Coal enquiry [7], I enclose as a
matter of interest copy of the Command paper containing this one-
man minority report. This was never acted on, but it is regarded
with respect in almost all quarters. Although it happened nine
years ago it is still widely remembered and commented on as an
able judgment.

I have seen your memorandum with regard to the new posts to be
created in the External Affairs Department [8], and I think it is
quite a considerable advance. I think, however, that you will lose
Officer [9] if you try to keep him down to the range of pay 420-
510. After all, he has quite considerable qualifications for this
sort of work and has in addition personal attributes which make
him a most valuable man to the Department.

I do not know if your ideas are hard and fast about keeping the
salary range where you have put it. If this is so, then I am
afraid he will continually be on the look-out for something else,
as he cannot afford to live on the amount offered, as he has no
private means. Would it be possible for him to have the grading of
third assistant, class III, and yet be temporarily filling the
next higher appointment on a higher salary basis? Things being
generally as they are in the External Affairs Department, I really
don't know how the show would carry on there without him if he
chooses to go. This is not prompted by Officer, although I have
discussed the matter with him. I venture to mention the matter to
you as I have fears for the satisfactory conduct of affairs in the
External Affairs Department if he goes.

I gather that Henderson [10] still has in his mind what I think is
a misunderstanding about my letters from this end. He apparently
thinks that you have instructed him not to put my letters into the
official files. When I was in Australia I asked you about this and
you replied that you intended this to apply to personal letters
only and I so informed Henderson. But I gather that he still has a
complex about it. Possibly you might relieve his mind by a word on
the subject.

Everyone is away and Departments are short staffed, but it is
being for me rather a busier month than usual.

I am, Yours sincerely,
R.G. CASEY