THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 14, 16 July 1918, Page 7

THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

SUMMARY OP TRANSACTIONS

ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL

QUESTIONS.

The following summary of the proceedings of the Imperial War Conference during the week ended 13th July has been received by His Excellency the Governor-General from the Secretary of State for the Colonies:—

The Imperial War Conference, on reassembling for its seventh meeting- on Bfch July, on return of the Dominion members from France, first passed an address of congratulation to the King and Quera. on Their Majesties' silver wedding, expressing its fervent wish and prayer that Their Majesties might long be spared to live and reign over an Empire united in loyalty to its King and Queen. Later in the day His Majesty replied to the -address, saving that it afioTded great pleasure to trie Queen and himself that the Prime Ministers of the Dominions and other overseas representa-tives-were present at the thanksgiving service at St. Paul's, and expressing their prayer that under Divine Providence the blessings of peace might soon be restored, bringing again that reunion of home life which is the basis of the well-being of the whole Empire. . ' This meeting was mainly occupied with certain economic and financial questions arising after the war, and certain resolutions of a confidential nature were passed. A further resolution agreed as to the desirability of. the establishment of an Imperial Bureau of Mycology for the pnrpose of investigating fungoid diseases, and that contributions to fiiich bureau should be made by tho Governments of the Empire. THE DOUBLE INCOME TAX. The eighth meeting was held on 10th July. At this meeting the first business was a statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding the question of the double income tax. The Chancellor explained the concessions made to the overseas Dominions under the Finance Act, 1916, and subsequent Acts. It was generally ; agreed that further action was impracticable diiring the war, .but the opinion expressed last year was reiterated, namely; that the whole question called for review immediately after the conclusion of the war, and that an amendment of the law should be made to remedy the present unsatisfactory position.

i IMPERIAL NEWS SERVICE. The next subject discussed was Imperial statistics. The conference passed a resolution approving the proposal of the Dominions Royal Commission to hold a conference of statisticians after the war, the' Wai 1 Conference to consider the establishment of an Imperial Statistical Bureau under the supervision of an Inter-Imperial Committee. A farther resolution passed at this meeting dealt with the Imperial News Service. The resolution states that the conference is impressed with the importance of securing adequate news service available to all parts of the British Empire, and the supply of such service through British sources. {The conference requested His Majesty's Government to formulate a scheme and submit it for the consideration of. the Governments represented at the conference. In discussing this question! the desirability of British news service to Canada and Newfoundland was particularly emphasised. THE DYE INDUSTRY. At the ninth meeting, held on 11th July, the first resolution passed dealt with, the action taken artd contemplated by His Majesty's Government with aview to freeing the industry of the United Kingdom from its dependence on Germain, dye stuffs, and recommended, the other Governments of the Empire to consider immediately what steps can be taken to co-operate with the efforts of the Imperial Government to promote the successtul development of the dye industry in tho British Empire and so avoid enemy domination over essential industries. OCEAN FREIGHT RATES. Tho conference next considered the question of Inter-Imperial communications, and accepted in; principle the establishment of an Imperial Investigation Board to deal with the question of ocean freight rates. The conference appointed a committee to frame a detailed- scheme for Such', board, arid also to consider best machinery for promoting the development of Imperial communication^ to the best advantage, with special reference to tho probable size of vessels and the consequent demands upon harbour accommodation for purposes of Imperial requirements, arid to a resolution handed in by the Prime Minister of New Zealand.

The last resolution passedl at this meeting stated that the conference considered it desirable for the piirtSose <rf encouraging Imperial trade that the present facilities for Inter-Imperial parcels delivery should he improved and coordinated, and recommended the preparation of a detailed scheme to promote this object.