[Letterhead: 'DEPARTMENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS', 'CABLEGRAM.']

SECRET [underlined]

21st May, 1948.

ENCYPHERED TO:

External Affairs

CANBERRA. [underlined.]

[Underlined heading:] Tel. No. 329. [end underline.] Personal for BURTON alone from STUART.

You will have seen telegrams regarding latest deportation crisis here. If we can we will somehow arrange that these people are not returned to Australia and save face at home to that extent, but story will be in all local paper tomorrow and in Australian ones on Monday, as press keeps close touch with Immigration office here. Impression of amateurishness and gross incompetence displayed here estranges local authorities as much as indifference to Asian susceptibilities does local public, and BALL mission on top of this is merely ironic. Cannot something be done to see that if this policy of expulsions must be followed, greater care cannot be exercised in checking facts?