Dear Mr. Walshe:

Mr. Fenton¹ told me about half an hour ago that as he was leaving his Office a cablegram came from Australia and he said 'it seemed to me that the Government of Australia does not contemplate being a candidate for the Council of the League of Nations'. He said he would 'give me tomorrow the substance of the despatch accurately'.

Mr. Fenton is somewhat casual and you need not be surprised at getting this information in instalments.

I shall send you an official minute tomorrow on the subject.