A Chara,

I am instructed by the Minister for External Affairs to request you to have the following matter placed on the Agenda of the Executive Council for an early decision:

1. It will be remembered that the question of the precise nature of the Governor General's position was discussed at the Imperial Conference and the conclusions arrived at appear in Sec. IV (b) of the Imperial Conference Report. They are as follows:

Details were left for settlement as soon as possible after the Conference had completed its work.

2. It will also be remembered that the New Zealand Premier did not receive the proposed change in the channel of communication with much enthusiasm. The insertion of the sentence 'The Representatives of Great Britain ... accepted the proposed change in relation to any Dominions which desired it' was in all probability due to New Zealand's attitude, and it seems to the Minister that it will be left to the Dominions to say whether they desire the change or not.

3. The Minister therefore proposes to send a Despatch to the Dominions Office suggesting that the change should take place at the earliest convenient date.¹ The Despatches and all communications and documents hitherto coming through the Governor General would then be addressed to the Minister for External Affairs and would be privately dealt with by this Department. The secret Foreign Office papers would form part of these general communications and all the papers hitherto kept in the Vice Regal [Lodge] would be transferred to the custody of the Department of External Affairs. Outgoing communications would also issue in the last instance from this Department.