Canberra, Jan. 9.
"Problems which concern nations surrounding the Pacific Ocean are of special vital interest to Australia," declared Mr. R. G. Menzies, the Prime Minister, in announcing the appointment of Mr. R. G. Casey, Treasurer in the Federal Government, to be the first Australian Minister in Washing-on.
Mr, Menzies also said that the Australian Government had under immediate consideration the question of diplomatic representation in Tokyo.
"As an independent nation within the British family of nations," the Prime Minister declared, "we might quite reasonably expect to play an effective part in the development and strengthening of peaceful contacts between all Pacifc powers.
"Just as we feel that we are contributing effectively towards the future peace of the world by sending Australian forces to Europe, so we believe that by increasing diplomatic contacts around the Pacific, we are contributing powerfully towards that common understanding without which permanent peace is impossible,""—Reuter, Rome's Envoy to Tokyo Sees Gaimusho Tokyo, Jan. 9.
Views on latest developments in Europe were exchanged by Signor Giacinto Auriti, Italian Ambassador, and Admiral Kichisaburo Nomura, Foreign Minister, yesterday afternoon The Italian Ambassador visited the Foreign Office at 5 o'clock.—Domei.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.