HC Deb 15 June 1950 vol 476 cc518-20
1. Mr. Gammans

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what has been the result of his investigations into the failure to inform the Government of New Zealand that petrol rationing was to be abolished in this country.

2. Mr. Hollis

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations for what reason the New Zealand Government was not informed of the recent decision of His Majesty's Government in this country to de-ration petrol.

3. Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, why, in view of the fact that His Majesty's Government in the Dominion of New Zealand had retained petrol rationing in that Dominion at the request of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, no prior notification was given to His Majesty's Government in New Zealand of the intention of His Majesty's Government to end petrol rationing in the United Kingdom.

5. Lieut.-Commander Gurney Braithwaite

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he informed the Government of New Zealand of his decision to de-ration petrol prior to the announcement made on 26th May last.

The Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations (Mr. Gordon-Walker)

I would refer hon. Members to the reply I gave on 13th June in reply to Questions by the hon. Members for Wimbledon (Mr. Black), Darwen (Mr. Prescott) and Sutton Coldfield (Sir J. Mellor).

Mr. Gammans

In order to clear up this unfortunate affair, can the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that adequate apology has been tendered to New Zealand over this apparent discourtesy, and that New Zealand is now satisfied that we do not fail to appreciate all she has done in the past to co-operate with us?

Mr. Gordon-Walker

I think the affair is settled now. No apology was made to New Zealand, but an explanation was given to the New Zealand Prime Minister. He accepted it completely, and said that the matter was closed as far as he was concerned.

Mr. Hollis

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in his reply the other day he told the House that at one important point in this story there was an unexplained reason for delay? The Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey (Mr. Gammans) asked the result of the investigation. Is the right hon. Gentleman able to explain that hitherto unexplained delay?

Mr. Gordon-Walker

No. I am not in a position to do that, because it was due to a failure of the human factor which is, as the hon. Gentleman knows, sometimes very difficult to explain. All I can do is to repeat my assurance that this will not happen again.

Lieut.-Commander Braithwaite

Does the right hon. Gentleman recollect that in the reply to which he has referred he used the words: In the small hours of 26th May, further telegrams were sent to our High Commissioners. …"—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 13th June, 1950; Vol. 476, c. 25.] Does that phrase, "the small hours", refer to this country, when it is high noon in the Antipodes, or vice versa?

Mr. Gordon-Walker

It referred to the small hours here.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Does not the answer to which the right hon. Gentleman has been good enough to refer indicate that the only attempt to communicate this information to the New Zealand Government was made only a few hours before the announcement in this House; and, as the New Zealand Government had retained petrol rationing at the express request of His Majesty's Government, should not some days' notice have been given during which that Government could have made its own consequential arrangements?

Mr. Gordon-Walker

The final telegram was sent as early as possible, immediately after the decision here was taken. All Commonwealth Governments, including the New Zealand Government, were informed, of course, of the discussions that had been going on. I should explain that exactly the same steps were taken to inform all other Commonwealth Governments, and that all but New Zealand were informed in time of the final decision. It was only because there was an inexplicable accident in this case that the New Zealand Government were not informed in time,

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Will the right hon. Gentleman say why the New Zealand Government were not notified in sufficient time to enable them to take their own action and make their own arrangements?

Mr. Gordon-Walker

A longer interval could not be given because the telegram could not be sent until the final decision had been taken.