IMPERIAL CONFERENCE, 1930.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1931 Session I-II, A-06

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1931. NEW ZEALAND.

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE, 1930.

SUMMARY OF PROCEEDINGS. [Presented to the Parliament of the United Kingdom by Command of His Majesty, November, 1930.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly of New Zealand by Command of His Excellency.

CONTENTS. page I. —Preliminary Note .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 II. —Opening Statements .. .. .. .. .. .. • • • ■ 8 Hl.—Message to Their Majesties the King and Queen .. .. .. • .. 0 IV. —Loss op Airship R 101 .. .. .. .. .. •. .. 0 V. —Publicity .. .. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 9 VI.— Inter-Imperial Relations .. .. .. • • • • • • • • 9 (a) Report of the Conference of 1929 on the Operation of Dominion Legislation 10 (b) Nationality .. . • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 2 (c) Nationality of Married Women .. .. .. .. .. .. 12 (d) Commonwealth Tribunal .. .. .. .. .. .. 13 (e) Merchant Shipping .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 14 (/) Defence Questions .. .. .. .. .. .. ..15 (i) Discipline of Armed Forces .. .. .. .. .. 15 (ii) Prize Law and Procedure .. .. .. .. .. 15 (g) Appointment of Governors-General .. .. .. .. .. 15 (h) System of Communication and Consultation in Relation to Foreign Affairs .. ]fi (i) Channel of Communication between Dominion Governments and Foreign Governments .. .. .. .. .. • • ..17 (j) Status of High Commissioners .. .. .. .. .. .. 17 VII. —Arbitration and Disarmament .. .. .. • • • • 21 VIII.—The Antarctic .. .. • • • • • • • • • • .. 22 IX.—Defence .. .. .. • • • • • • • • • • .. 23 X. —Proposed Amendment to the Charter of the Imperial War Graves Commission 23

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ECONOMIC SECTION. . page Xl.—lntroductory .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 24 Xll. —General Economic Conclusions .. .. .. .. .. 24 XIII. —Work of Committke on Economic Co-operation .. .. .. 20 (a) A Quota for Wheat .. . . . . .. .. .. 26 (b) Quotas for Commodities other than Wheat, Import Boards, Bulk-purchases Schemes, and the Organization of Channels of Trade . . .. 29 (c) Imperial Shipping Committee .. .. . . .. .. 29 (d) Imperial Economic Committee .. .. .. .. .. 29 (e) Empire Marketing Board .. .. .. .. .. 30 XIV. —Standardization .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..31 XV. —Imperial Communications (other than Transport) .. .. .. 33 XVl.—Civil Aviation .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 34 XVII. —Oversea Settlement .. .. .. .. .. .. 35 XVIII.— Forestry 36 XlX.—Research .. .. .. .. .. .. .. •• ..37 XX. —Other Economic Questions .. .. .. .. .. .. 41 (a) Imperial Institute . . . . .. . . .. . . ~11 (b) Work of Imperial Organizations in the Field of Minerals .. .. 41 (c) International Institute of Agriculture .. .. .. .. ..42 (d) Cotton-growing in the Kmpire . . . . . . . . . . 42 (c) Petroleum Production and Refining in the Commonwealth . . .. l"> (/) Oversea Mechanical Transport Council, and Roads and Road Transport . . 43 (y) Conference of Statisticians .. .. .. .. .. ..44 (h) Adequacy of Existing Steamship Services .. .. .. ..44 (i) Double Income-tax Relief .. .. .. .. .. 44 (j) Reciprocity in Old-age Pensions .. .. .. .. .. 45 (k) Use of Cinematograph Films for the Education of Producers, &c... .. 45 (/) Standardization of the Form of Customs Invoices and Certificates thereon .. 40 (m) Other Subjects .. .. .. .. .. .. 46 XXl.—Concluding Resolutions .. .. .. .. .. .. 46 XXII. —Address to His Majesty the King, Emperor of India .. .. 47

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IMPERIAL CONFERENCE, 1930: SUMMARY OF PROCEEDINGS.

I. PRELIMINARY NOTE. The proceedings of the Conference opened in London on the Ist October, 1980, and were continued until the 14th November. Plenary meetings were normally attended by the following : — United Kingdom. The Right Hon. J. Ramsay Mac Donald, M.P., Prime .Minister (in the chair). The Right Hon. Philip Snowden, M.P., Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Right Hon. Arthur Henderson, M.P., Secretary of State, for Foreign Affairs. The Right Hon. J. H. Thomas, M.P., Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs. The Right Hon. Lord Passfield, Secretary of State for the Colonies. (Representing the colonies, protectorates, and mandated territories.) The Right Hon. Lord Sankey, G.8.E., Lord Chancellor. The Right Hon. William Graham, M.P., President of the Board of Trade. Canada. The Right Hon. R. B. Bennett, K.C., M.P., Prime Minister, Secretary of State for External Affairs, and Minister of Finance. The Hon. Hugh Guthrie, K.C., M.P., Minister of Justice. The Hon. H. H. Stevens, M.P., Minister of Trade and Commerce. The Hon. Maurice Dupre, K.C., M.P., Solicitor-General. Commonwealth of Australia. The Right Hon. J. H. Scullin, M.P., Prime Minister. The Hon. F. Brennan, M.P., Attorney-General. The Hon. Parker J. Moloney, M.P., Minister for Markets and Transport. New Zealand. The Right Hon. G. W. Forbes, M.P., Prime Minister. The Hon. Sir Thomas Sidey, M.P., Attorney-General. Union of South Africa. General the Hon. J. B. M. Hertzog, M.P., Prime Minister and Minister for External Affairs. The Hon. N. C. Havenga, M.P., Minister of Finance. The Hon. A. P. J. Fourie, M.P., Minister of Mines and Industries. Irish Free State. Mr. P. McGilligan, T.D., Minister for External Affairs. Mr. D. Fitzgerald, T.D., Minister for Defence. Mr. P. Hogan, T.D., Minister for Agriculture. Mr. J. A. Costello, K.C., Attorney-General. Newfoundland. The Right Hon. Sir Richard Squires, K.C.M.G., K.C., M.P., Prime Minister. India. The Right Hon. W. Wedgwood Benn, D.5.0., D.F.C., M.P., Secretary of State for India. Lieut.-General H. H. the Maharaja of Bikaner, G.C.5.1., G.C.1.E., G.C.V.0., G.8.E., K.C.8., A.D.C. Sir Muhammad Shafi, K.C.5.1., C.I.E.

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SECRETARIAT OF THE CONFERENCE. Colonel Sir Maurice Han key. G.C.8., G.C.M.G., Secretary to the Conference. Sir Harry Batterbee, K.C.V.0.. C.M.G., Deputy Secretary to the Conference. Mr. R. B. Howorth, C.8., Administrative Secretary to the Conference. Mr. John E. Read, K.C. (Canada). Mr. E. Abbott (Commonwealth of Australia). Mr. F. D. Thomson, C.M.G. (New Zealand). Dr. H. 1). J. Bodenstein (Unio)i of South Africa). Mr. J. P. Walshe (Irish Free State). Mr. \\ . J. Carew (Newfoundland). Mr. G. R, F. Tottenham, C.1.E., I.C.S. (India). The following were also present at one or more meetings of the Conference :— United Kingdom. The Right Hon. Lord Parmoor, K.C.V.0., K.C, Lord President of the Council. The Right Hon. J. R. Clynes, M.P., Secretary of State for Home Affairs. The Right Hon. Thomas Shaw, C.8.E., M.P., Secretary of State for War. The Righi lion. Vernon Hartshorn, 0.8. E., M.P., Lord Privy Seal. The Right Hon. A. V. Alexander, M.P., First Lord of the Admiralty. The Right Hon. W. Adamson, M.P., Secretary of State for Scotland. Mr. F. W. Pethick Lawrence, M.P., Financial Secretary to the Treasury. Sir William Jowitt, K.C, M.P., Attorney-General. Mr. W. Lunn, M.P., Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs. Major C. R. Attlee, M.P., Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Karl de la Warr. Parliamentary Secretary. Ministry of Agriculture. Mr. G. M. Gillett. M.P.. Secretary, Overseas Trade Department. Canada . The Right Hon. Sir Robert L. Borden, G.C.M.G., K.C. Union of South Africa. Mr. C T. te Water, High Commissioner for the Union of South Africa in London. Mr. H. T. Andrews, Political Secretary. Irish Frkk State. Professor T. A. Smiddy, High Commissioner for the Irish Free State in London. Mr. J. Dulanty, C.8., C.8.E., Commissioner for Trade in Great Britain for the Irish Free State. Newfoundland. The Right Hon. Lord Morris, K.C.M.G., K.C. India. Sir Geoffrey Corbett, K.8.E., C.1.E., I.C.S. Sir Padamji Pestonji Ginwala. Major-General Sir Fabian Ware, K.C.V.0., K.8.E., C.8., C.M.G., Vice-Chairman, Imperial W"ar Graves Commission. The Right Hon. Sir Halford Mackinder. Chairman. Imperial Economic Committee. Sir David Chadwick, C.5.1., C.1.E., Secretary, Imperial Economic Committee. The Hon. P. D. L. Fynn, C.M.G., Treasurer, Southern Rhodesia. Sir Francis Newton, K.C.M.G., High Commissioner for Southern Rhodesia in London. ADVISORS. United Kingdom. (a) For Political and General Questions. Sir Claud Schuster, G.C.8., C.V.0., K.C, Permanent Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department. Sir Maurice Gwyer, K.C.8., His Majesty's Procurator-General and Treasury Solicitor.

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Sir E. .). Hurtling, K.C.M.G., C.8. ; Permanent Under-Secretaiy of State for Dominion Affairs. Sir Victor Wellesley, K.C.M.G., C.8., Deputy Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Mr. C. A. Mounsey, C.M.G., 0.8. E., Assistant Under-Secretary of State, Foreign Office. Sir 11. W. Malkin, K.C.M.G., C.8., Legal Adviser, Foreign Office. Mr. 0. F. Dowson, 0.8. E., Assistant Legal Adviser, Home Office. Mr. H. G. Bushe, C.M.G.. Assistant Legal Adviser. Dominions Office. (b) For Economic Questions. Sir Sydney J. Chapman, K.C.8., C.8.E., Chief Economic Adviser to His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. Sir Horace P. Hamilton, K.C.8., Permanent Secretary, Board of Trade, Sir K. L. C. Flout!. K.C.8., Chairman, Board of Customs and Excise. Sir Ernest Gowers. K.C.8., K.8.E., Chairman, Board of Inland Revenue. Sir Charles J. Howell Thomas, K.C.8., C.M.G., Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. Mr. G. C. Upcott, C.8., Deputy Controller, Treasury. Sir Charles Hipwood. K.8.E., C.8., Second Secretary, Board of Trade. Sir Percy Thompson, K.8.E., C.8., Deputy Chairman, Board of Inland Revenue. Mr. F. E. Smith, C.8., C.8.E., Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Sir H. Fountain, K.C.M.G., C.8., Principal Assistant Secretary, Board of Trade. Sir Edward Crowe, K.C.M.G., Comptroller-General, Department of Overseas Trade. Mr. P. W. L. Ashley, C.8.. Principal Assistant Secretary, Board of Trade. Mr. E. J. Foley, C.8., Principal Assistant Secretary, Board of Trade. Sir Thomas Barnes, C.8.E., Solicitor, Board of Trade, Mr. G. G. Whiskard, C.8., Vice-Chairman, Oversea Settlement Committee. Mr. H. L. French, C.8., 0.8. E., Principal Assistant Secretary, Economic Division, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. Mr. E. R.'Eddison, C.8., C.M.G., Deputy Comptroller-General, Department of Overseas Trade. Mr. S. G. Tallents, C.8., C.M.G., C.8.E., Secretary, Empire Marketing Board. Mr. R. A. Wiseman, Assistant Secretary, Dominions Office. Mr. A. W. Flux, C.8., Assistant Secretary, Statistical Department, Board of Trade. Mr. EL F. Carlill, Assistant Secretary, Board of Trade. Mr. H. D. Henderson, Joint Secretary. Economic Advisory Council. Canada. Mr. W. D. Herridge, D.5.0., M.C., K.C., Personal Assistant to the Prime Minister. Mr. John E. Read, K.C., Legal Adviser, Department of External Affairs. Mr. C. P. Plaxton, K.C., Senior Advisory Counsel, Department of Justice. Dr. H. M. Tory, D.Sc, LL.D., F.E.S.C., President, National Research Council of Canada. Mr. R. H. Coats, 8.A., F.S.S., F.R.S.C, Dominion Statistician, Department of Trade and Commerce. Mr. William Gilchrist, Chief of the Foreign Tariffs Division, Department of Trade and Commerce. Dr. D. A. Mac Gibbon, Ph.D., Vice-Chairman, Board of Grain Commissioners. Dr. C. Camsell, B.Sc, LL.D., F.R.S.C, Deputy Minister of Mines. Major-General A. G. L. McNaughton, C.M.G., D.5.0., Chief of the General Staff Department of National Defence. Group-Captain J. L. Gordon, D.F.C., Director, Civil Government Air Operations, Department of National Defence. Lieut.-Colonel W. A. Steel, M.C., Department of National Defence. Mr. A. J. McPhail, President, Central Selling Agency, Canadian Wheat Pools. Mr. John I. McFarland. Dr. \V. \Y. Swanson, M.A., Ph.D., Head of Department of Economics, University of Saskatchewan.

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Commonwealth of Australia. Sir Robert Garran, K.C.M.G., Solicitor-General. Mr. E. Abbott, Deputy Controller-General of Trade and Customs. Dr. A. C. D. Rivett, Chief Executive Officer, Commonwealth Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. Major-General J. H. Bruche, C.8., C.M.G., Military Adviser, High Commissioner's Office in London. Captain H. P. Cayley, R.A.N. , Naval Adviser, High Commissioner's Office in London. Squadron Leader R. Marsden, D.5.0., Australian Air Liaison Officer. Mr. F. L. McDougall, C.M.G. Mr. L. R. Macgregor, Australian Trade Commissioner in Canada. Mr. R. G. Casey, D.5.0., M.C.. Liaison Officer in London. Mr. H. Farrands. Assistant Secretary. High Commissioner's Office in London. New Zealand. Mγ. F. D. Thomson, C.M.G., Head of Prime Minister's Department. Mr. C. A. Berendsen, Secretary for External Affairs. Dr. G. Craig, C.M.G., Comptroller of Customs. Dr. E. Marsden, Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Union of South Africa. Major-General A. J. Brink, D.T.D., D.5.0., Secretary for Defence and Chief of the General Staff. Dr. H. I). J. Bodenstein, Secretary for External Affairs. Dr. A. J. Bruwer, Chairman, Board of Trade and Industries. Mr. A. F. Corbett, Commissioner for Inland Revenue. Mr. J. D. Heddon, Commissioner of Customs and Excise. Mr. F. P. van den Heever, Legal Adviser, Department of the Prime Minister and Department of External Affairs. Mr. J. Collie, 0.8. E., Commissioner of Pensions. Dr. P. J. du Toit, Director of Veterinary Education and Research. Mr. J. H. Dimond, Trade Commissioner for the Union of South Africa in London. Colonel H. S. du Toit, D.T.D., Department of Agriculture. Mr. W. A. J. Day, Advisory Engineer. Irish Free State. Mr. J. J. McElligott, Secretary of the Department of Finance. Mr. I). O'Hegarty, Secretary to the Executive Council. The Hon. Gordon Campbell, Secretary of the Department of Industry and Commerce. Mr. F. J. Meyrick, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture. General C. McMahon, Secretary of the Department of Defence. Mr. .1. I'. Walshe, Secretary of the Department of External Affairs. Major-Genera] M. Brennan, Inspector-General of the Forces. Mr. S. Murphy, Assistant Secretary of the Department of External Affairs. Mr. J. J. Hearne, Legal Adviser to the Department of External Affairs. Newfoundland . Mr. D. James Davies, C.8.E., Acting Trade Commissioner for Newfoundland in London. Mr. W. C. Job, Representative of Newfoundland on the Imperial Economic Committee. India. Rear-Admiral H. T. Walwyn, C.8., D.5.0., R.N. Mr. H. A. F. Lindsay, C.1.E., C.8.E., Indian Trade Commissioner in London.

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PEKSONAL STAFFS. United Kingdom. Mγ. C. P. Duff, C.8., C.V.0., Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister. Mr. Malcolm Mac Donald, M.P. (Personally attached to the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs.) Mr. George Isaacs. M.P. (Personally attached to the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs.) Mr. P. J. Grigg, Principal Private Secretary to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Mr. W. H. M. Selby, C.8.. C.V.0., Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Mr. C. R. Price, Principal. Dominions Office. (Personally attached to Sir Maurice Hankey.) Mr. W. B. Brown. Private Secretary to the President of the Board of Trade. Mr. G. S. Bailey, Private Secretary to Chief Economic Adviser to H.M. Government in the United Kingdom. Canada. Mr. C. S. Guthrie, Assistant Private Secretary to the Minister of Justice. Mr. W. H. Grant. Assistant Private Secretary to the Minister of Trade and Commerce. Mr. L. Francceur, Assistant Private Secretary to the Solicitor-General. Lieutenant H. L. Cameron, Secretary to Major-General McNaughton. Commonwealth of Australia. Mr. W. H. Bale, Private Secretary to the Prime Minister. Mr. M. M. Threlfall, Intelligence Officer. Mr. ('. B. Carter, Private Secretary to the Minister for Markets. New Zealand. Mr. C. A. Jeffery, Private Secretary to the Prime Minister. Union of South Africa. Mr. T. F. Hurley, Private Secretary to the Prime Minister. Mr. G. P. Jooste, Private Secretary to the Minister of Finance. Mr. M. L. de Waal Davies, Private Secretary to the Minister of Mines. Captain P. de Waal, A.D.C. to General Brink. India. (a) To H.H. the Maharaja of Bikaner. Maharaj Kumar Bijay Singh. Thakur Tandwa. Mr. G. S. Bajpai, C.1.E., C.8.E., 1.C.5., Secretary. (b) To Sir Muhammad Shaft. Begum Shah Nawaz, Secretary. OTHER SECRETARIES AND OFFICIALS. United Kingdom. Administrative Assistant Secretaries. Mr. A. E. Overton, M.C., Administrative Assistant Secretary for Economic Questions. Lieut.-Colonel G. N. Macready, D.5.0., 0.8. E., M.C., Assistant Secretary, Committee of Imperial Defence. Mr. J. E. Stephenson, Principal, Dominions Office. Mr. N. E. Archer, Principal, Dominions Office. Mr. W. D. Wilkinson. D.5.0., M.C., Principal, Cabinet Office. Mr. F. A. Griffiths, M.C., Board of Trade. Mr. R. J. W. Stacey, Board of Trade. Mr. H. W. Acres, M.8.E., Board of Trade.

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Union op South Africa. Mr. W. C. du Plessis, Department of the Prime Minister and of External Affairs. Irish Free State. Mr. J. V. Fahy, Secretary to the Delegation. .Mr. J. A. Belton, Department of External Affairs. Commandant D. Bryan. Department of Defence. PRESS OFFICERS. Mr. D. Caird, C.B.E. Mr. C. Beckett Platt, Dominions Office and Oversea Settlement Department. Mr. G. F. Steward, C.8.E., Foreign Office. Mr. A. Ryan, Empire Marketing Board. The opening and closing plenary meetings of the Conference were held in the Reception-room of the Foreign Office. In order to economize the time of delegates, however, the general direction of the work of the Conference was conducted at meetings of the heads of delegations held at No. 10 Downing Street, and in the room of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at the House of Commons. These meetings were normally attended by the Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom, Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, and Newfoundland, the Minister for External Affairs of the Irish Free State, and the Secretary of State for India as head of the Indian delegation, accompanied by other delegates and ndvisers according to the nature of the subjects under discussion. On the motion of the Prime Minister of Canada, seconded by the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom was asked to take the chair at the meetings of the Conference and of the heads of delegations. In his absence the chair was usually taken by one of the Dominion Prime Ministers. Committees and sub-committees were appointed both by the full Conference and by the heads of delegations. In former Imperial Conferences it has been the usual practice to devote some time to general statements and discussion on such matters as foreign affairs, defence, and questions relating to colonies, protectorates, and mandated territories ; on the present occasion, having regard to the large number of specific subjects relating to inter-Imperial relations and economic questions arising on the agenda and the time required for their discussion, it was thought desirable to replace this procedure by the circulation of general memoranda, from which particular questions were selected as subjects for consultation. The total number of meetings was: Plenary Conference, 3; heads of delegations, 28 ; committees and sub-committees, 163. 11. OPENING STATEMENTS. Opening statements were made by the Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom, Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia, New Zealand, and the Union of South Africa, the Minister for External Affairs of the Irish Free State, the Prime Minister of Newfoundland, and by His Highness the Maharaja of Bikaner on behalf of the Indian delegation. Tributes were paid to the memory of the late Earl of Balfour. Mr. O'Higgins, Sir Joseph Ward, Sir Neville Howse, and the Earl of Birkenhead. In the course of the opening meeting the Conference was informed of the arrangements made for representation of the interests of Southern Rhodesia— namefy, that the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs should be advised on matters affecting Southern Rhodesia by the Hon. P. D. L. Fynn, Treasurer of Southern Rhodesia, and Sir Francis Newton, High Commissioner for Southern Rhodesia in London. It was agreed that special arrangements should be made for the representation of Southern Rhodesia on committees which might be set up to deal with questions affecting the interests of Southern Rhodesia, more particularly those concerned with the economic side of the agenda of the Conference.

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111. MESSAGE TO THEIR MAJESTIES THE KING AND QUEEN. As the first official act of the Conference a message of greeting to Their Majesties tin- King and Queen was moved by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, seconded by the Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa, and passed unanimously by the Conference. The message was in the following terms : — "■ The Prime Ministers and other representatives of the Governments of the British Commonwealth assembled in Conference, at their first meeting and as their first official act, desire to present their respectful duty to the King. They join in thankfulness for Your Majesty's restoration to health, and earnestly hope that Your Majesty and Her Majesty the Queen may be spared for many years to inspire the feelings of love and affection which unite all the peoples of the British Commonwealth of Nations under the Crown." The following gracious reply, signed by His Majesty, was received during the meeting and was read to the Conference by the Chairman : — ' Please convey to the Prime Ministers and other representatives of the Governments of the British Commonwealth the sincere thanks of the Queen and myself for the message of loyalty and affection which they have addressed to us as the first official act of the Imperial Conference, and I am especially touched by its kind allusions to my restoration to health. ' Realizing the all-important questions which will be considered, T shall follow witli close attention the progress of your deliberations. " George, R. 1." IV. LOSS OF AIRSHIP R 101. A meeting of heads of delegations, held on the 6th October, passed the following resolution of sympathy in the loss of airship R 101, which was destroyed near Beauvais, in France, in the initial stage of a journey to India on the sth October, L 930, with the loss of forty-eight lives, including that of Lord Thomson, the Secretary of Slate for Air in the United Kingdom:— " We, the members of the Imperial Conference, desire to place on record our great sorrow at the disaster to airship R 101 and the loss of so many brave and valuable lives. On behalf of all parts of the British Commonwealth we" pay homage to the gallant men who have given their lives as pioneers in the cause of human progress, and we wish to express our heartfelt grief for their bereaved families. ' To our Chairman, personally, we offer our dec]) sympathy at the loss of a distinguished colleague and well-loved friend." V. PUBLICITY. It was agreed that the procedure and arrangements for publicity should follow those adopted at previous Conferences. The Right Hon. J. H. Thomas, M.P., Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, was asked to undertake responsibility for the general supervision of the publicity arrangements. He was assisted in this work by Mr. Malcolm Mac Donald, M.l\. and by Mr. D. Caird, formerly Director of Information, Dominions Office, who bad acted in a similar capacity at previous Conferences. In order to enable contact to be maintained with the current work of the various committees and sub-committees of the Conference, further assistance was given by Mr. C. Beckett Platt. Publicity Officer, Dominions Office, Mr. G. F. Steward, News Department, Foreign Office, and Mr. A. Ryan, Publicity Officer, Empire Marketing Board. VI. INTER-IMPERIAL RELATIONS. It was found convenient, after preliminary discussion by the heads of delegations on the various points involved, to refer many of the questions on the agenda affecting inter-Imperial relations to a committee under the chairmanship of the Right Honourable Lord Sankey, G.8.E., Lord Chancellor. This committee did most valuable work in exploring the various issues, and the following section is based largely on its work. Lord Sankey's committee was in turn aided by special subcommittees that were set up to deal with particular aspects of the questions involved, and by a drafting sub-committee under the chairmanship of Sir Roberi Garran, K.C.M.G., Solicitor-General, Commonwealth of Australia.

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(a) Report of the Conference of 1929 on the Operation of Dominion Legislation. The Imperial Conference examined the various questions arising with regard to the Report of the Conference on the Operation of Dominion Legislation, and in particular took into consideration the difficulties which were explained by the Prime Minister of Canada regarding the representations which had been received by him from the Canadian provinces in- relation to that report. A special question arose in respect to the application to Canada of the sections of the statute proposed to be passed by the Parliament at Westminster (which it was thought might conveniently be called the Statute of Westminster) relating to the Colonial Laws Validity Act and other matters. On the one hand, it appeared that approval had been given to the Report of the Conference on the Operation of Dominion Legislation by resolution of the House of Commons of Canada, and accordingly that the Canadian representatives felt themselves bound not to take any action which might properly be construed as a departure from the spirit of that resolution. On the other hand, it appeared that representations had been received from certain of the provinces of Canada subsequent to the passing of the resolution, protesting against action on the report until an opportunity had been given to the provinces to determine whether their rights would be adversely affected by such action. Accordingly, it appeared necessary to provide for two things. In the first place, it was necessary to provide an opportunity for His Majesty's Government in Canada to take such action as might be appropriate to enable the provinces to present their views. In the second place, it was necessary to provide for the extension of the sections of the proposed statute to Canada or for the exclusion of Canada from their operation after the provinces had been consulted. To this end it seemed desirable to place on record the view that the sections of the statute relating to the Colonial Laws Validity Act should be so drafted as not to extend to Canada unless the statute was enacted in response to such requests as are appropriate to an amendment of the British North America Act. It also seemed desirable to place on record the view that the sections should not subsequently be extended to Canada except by an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom enacted in response to such requests as are appropriate to an amendment of the British North America Act. The Conference on the Operation of Dominion Legislation in 1929 recommended a draft clause for inclusion in the statute proposed to be passed by the Parliament at Westminster, to the following effect:— " No Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom passed after the commencement of this Act shall extend, or be deemed to extend, to a Dominion unless it is expressly declared in that Act that that Dominion has requested, and consented to, the enactment thereof." At the present Conference the delegates of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom were apprehensive lest a clause in this form should have the effect of preventing an Act of the United Kingdom Parliament passed hereafter from having the operation which the legislation of one State normally has in relation to the territory of another. To obviate this, the following amendment was proposed : — " No Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom passed after the commencement of this Act shall extend, or be deemed to extend, to a Dominion as part of the law in force in that Dominion, unless it is expressly declared in that Act that that Dominion has requested, and consented to, the enactment thereof." The delegates from some of the Dominions were apprehensive lest the acceptance of the above amendment might imply the recognition of a right of the Parliament of the United Kingdom to legislate in relation to a Dominion (otherwise than at the request and with the consent of the Dominion) in a manner which, if the legislation had been enacted in relation to a foreign State would be inconsistent with the principles of international comity. It was agreed that the clause as amended did not imply, and was not to be construed as implying, the recognition of any such right, and, on the proposal of the United Kingdom delegates, that a statement to this effect should be placed on record.

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The Conference passed the following resolutions : — " (i) The Conference approves the Report of the Conference on the Operation of Dominion Legislation (which is to be regarded as forming part of the report of the present Conference), subject to the conclusions embodied in this section. " (ii) The Conference recommends — " (a) That the statute proposed to be passed by the Parliament at Westminster should contain the provisions set out in the schedule annexed : " (b) That the Ist December. 1931, should be the date as from which the proposed statute should become operative : " (c) That, with a view to the realization of this arrangement, resolutions passed by both Houses of the Dominion Parliaments should be forwarded to the United Kingdom, if possible by the Ist July, 1931, and, in any case, not later than the Ist August. 1931, with a view to the enactment by the Parliament of the United Kingdom of legislation on the lines set out in the schedule annexed : " (d) That the statute should contain such further provisions as to its application to any particular Dominion as are requested by that Dominion." SCHEDULE. Clauses in Proposed Legislation. 1. In accordance with the recommendation in paragraph 43 of the lt"port of tlie Conference on the Operation of Dominion Legislation, a clause as follows : — " It is hereby declared and enacted that the Parliament of a Dominion has full power to make laws having extra-territorial operation." 2. In accordance with the recommendation in paragraph 53, a clause, as follows : —■ " (1) The Colonial Laws Validity Act, 1865, shall not apply to any law made after tin commencement of this Act l>v the Parliament of a Dominion. " (2) No law and no provision of any law made after the commencement of this Act 113 t lie Parliament of a Dominion shall he void or inoperative on the ground that it is repugnant to the law of England, or to the provisions of any existing or future Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom, or to any order, rule, or regulation made under any such Act, and the powers of the Parliament of a Dominion shall include the power to repeal or amend any such Act, order, rule, or regulation in so far as tin , same is part of the law of the Dominion." .'!. In accordance with the recommendation in paragraph 55, a clause as follows: — " No Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom passed after the commencement of this Act shall extend or be deemed to extend to a Dominion as part of the law in force in that Dominion unless it is expressly declared in that Act that that Dominion has requested, and consented to, the enactment thereof." 4. In accordance with the recommendations in paragraph 66, clauses as follows : — " Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to confer any power to repeal or alter the Constitution or the Constitution Act of the Commonwealth of Australia or the Constitution Act of the Dominion of New Zealand otherwise than in accordance with the law existing before the commencement of this Act. " Nothing in this Act shall he deemed to authorize the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia to make laws on any matter within the authority of 1 lie States of Australia, not being a matter within the authority of the Parliament or Government of the Commonwealth of Australia." Note. —In view of the doubts that have arisen concerning the interpretation of the draft section in paragraph 66 in its application to the Canadian Constitution, the words " Dominion of Canada " and "provinces" have been deleted. It is intended that a section dealing exclusively with the, Canadian position will be inserted after the representations of the provinces have received consideration. 5. In accordance with the recommendation in paragraph 81, a clause as follows : —■ " Notwithstanding anything in the Interpretation Act, 1889, the expression " colony " shall not, in any Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed after the commencement of this Act, include a Dominion or any province or State forming part of a Dominion.' , 6. In accordance with the recommendations in paragraph 12.'S, clauses as follows: — "Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions of this Act, sections seven hundred and thirty-five and seven hundred and thirty-six of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, shall be construed as though reference therein to the Legislature of a British possession did not include reference to the Parliament of a Dominion.

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" Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions of this Act, section four of the Colonial Courts of Admiralty Act, 1890 (which requires certain laws to lie reserved for the signification of His Majesty's pleasure or to contain a suspending clause), and so much of section seven of that Act as requires the approval of His Majesty in Council to any rules of Court for regulating tin , practice and procedure of a Colonial Court of Admiralty, shall cease to have effect in any Dominion as from the commencement of this Act." 7. A clause to deal with the position of New Zealand, as follows : — "No provision of this Act shall extend to the Dominion of New Zealand as part of the law thereof unless that provision is adopted by the Parliament of that Dominion, and am Act of the said Parliament adopting any provision of this Act may provide tliat the adoption shall have effect either as from the commencement of this Act or as from such later date a may lie specified !>v the adopting Act." Certain Recitals ix Proposed Legislation. 1. In accordance with the recommendation of paragraph 51. a recital as follows: — "And whereas it is in accord with the established Constitutional position that no law hereafter made by the Parliament of the United Kingdom shall extend to any of the Dominions as part of the law in force in that Dominion otherwise than at the request and with the consent of that Dominion." '1. In accordance with the recommendation in paragraph ii(), a recital as follows: — "And whereas it is meet and proper to set oul by way of preamble to this Act. that inasmuch as the Crown is the symbol of the free association of the members of the British Commonwealth of Nations, and as they are united by a common allegiance to the Crown, it would he in accord with the established constituti I position of all the members of the Commonwealth in relation to one another that any alteration in the law touching the succession to the Throne or the Royal Style and Titles shall hereafter require the assent as well ol the Parliaments of all the Dominions as of the Parliament of the United Kingdom." (b) Nationality. The conclusions of the Conference were as follows : — (1) That the Conference affirms paragraphs 73 to 78, inclusive, of the Report of the Conference on the Operation of Dominion Legislation. (2) That, if any changes arc desired in the existing requirements for the common status, provision should be made for the maintenance of the common status, and the changes should only be introduced (in accordance with present practice) after consultation and agreement among the several members of the Commonwealth. (3) That it is for each member of the Commonwealth to define for itself its own nationals, but that, so far as possible, those nationals should be persons possessing the common status, though it is recognized that local conditions or other special circumstances may from time to time necessitate divergences from this general principle. (4) That the possession of the common status in virtue of the law for the time being in force in any part of the Commonwealth should carry with it the recognition of that status by the law of every other part of the Commonwealth. (c) Nationality of Married Women. Careful consideration was given to the subject of the nationality of married women. All the members of the Commonwealth represented at the Hague Conference of 1930 signed the Nationality Convention there concluded, and will, it is assumed, introduce such legislation as may be necessary to give effect to Articles 8-10 of that convention.* The Conference was satisfied, however, that any proposals for the further modification of the principle of the existing law would fail to secure unanimous agreement. It followed that the Conference was unable to make any recommendation for the substantive amendment of the law on this subject except to the extent stated above.

* The text of these Articles is as follows: — Article .$'. — If the national law of the wife causes her to lose bei nationality on marriage with a foreigner, this consequence shall be conditional cm her acquiring the nationality of the husband. ArticU 9. —If the national law of the wife causes her to lose her nationality upon a ohange i" the nationality ill her husband occurring during marriage, this consequence shall be conditional on her acquiring her husband's n.■« nationality. Article 10. —Naturalization of the husband during marriage shall not involve a change in the nationality of the wife except with her consent.

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(d) Commonwealth Tribunal. The Report of the Conference on the Operation of Dominion Legislation contains the following paragraph (paragraph 125) : — We folt that our work would not he complete unless we gave some consideration to the question of i In , establishment of a tribunal as a means of determining differences and disputes between members of iln British Commonwealth. We were impressed with the advantages which might accrue from the establishment of such a tribunal. 11 was clearly impossible in the time at our disposal to do more than collate various suggestions with regard, first, to the constitution of such a tribunal, and, secondly, to the jurisdiction which it might exercise. With regard to the Conner, the prevailing view was that any such tribunal should take the form of an o<2 hoc body selected from standing panels nominated by the several members of the British Commonwealth. With regard to the latter, there was general agreement that the jurisdiction should be limited to justiciable issues arising between Governments. We recommend that the whole subject should be further examined by all the Governments. This matter was examined by the Conference, and they found themselves able to make certain definite recommendations with regard to it. Some machinery for the solution of disputes which may arise between the members of the British Commonwealth is desirable Different methods for providing this machinery were explored, and it was agreed, in order to avoid too much rigidity, not to recommend the constitution of a permanent Court, but to seek a solution along the line of ad hoc arbitration proceedings. The Conference thought that this method might be more fruitful than any other in securing the confidence of the Commonwealth. The next ojuestion considered was whether arbitration proceedings should be voluntary or obligatory, in the sense that one party would be under an obligation to submit thereto if the other party wished it. In the absence of general consent to an obligatory system, it was decided to recommend the adoption of a voluntary system. It was agreed that it was advisable to go further, and to make recommendations as to the competence and the composition of an arbitral tribunal, in order to facilitate resort to it, by providing for the machinery whereby a tribunal could, in any given case, be brought into existence. As to the competence of the tribunal, no doubt was entertained that this should be limited to differences between Governments. The Conference was also of opinion that the differences should only be such as are justiciable. As to the composition of the tribunal it was agreed — (1) The tribunal shall be constituted ad hue in the case of each dispute to be settled. (2) There shall be five members, one being the Chairman ; neither the Chairman nor the members of the tribunal shall be drawn from outside the British Commonwealth of Nations. (3) The members, other than the Chairman, shall be selected as follows : — (a) One by each party to the dispute from States members of the Commonwealth other than the parties to the dispute, being persons who hold or have held high judicial office or are distinguished jurists and whose names will carry weight throughout the ('ommonwealth : (ft) One by each party to the dispute from any part of the Commonwealth, with complete freedom of choice. (4) The members so chosen by each party shall select another person as Chairman of the tribunal, as to whom they shall have complete freedom of choice. (5) If the parties to the dispute so desire, the tribunal shall be assisted by the admission as assessors of persons with special knowledge and experience in regard to the case to be brought before the tribunal. It was thought that the expenses of the tribunal itself in any given case should be borne equally by the patties, but that each party should bear the expense of presenting its own case. It was felt that details as to which agreement might be necessary might be left for arrangement by the Governments concerned.

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(e) Merchant Shipping. The report of the Conference of 1929 dealt at considerable length (paragraphs 83 to 109) with Merchant Shipping legislation and the following paragraphs of that report should be referred to here :— 93. The new position* will be that each Dominion will, amongst its other powers, have full and complete legislative authority over all ships while within its territorial waters or engaged in its coasting trade: and also over its own registered ships both intra-territorially and extra-territoriaUy. Such extra-territorial legislation will, of course, operate subject to local laws while the ship is within another jurisdiction. 94. The ground is thus cle, ired for co-operation amongst the members of the British Commonwealth of Nations on an equal basis in those matters in which practical considerations call for concerted action. This concerted action may take the form of agreements, for a term of years, as to the uniformity of laws throughout the British Commonwealth of Nations ; as to the reciprocal aid in the enforcement of laws in jurisdictions within the British Commonwealth outside the territory of the enacting Parliament : and as to any limitations to be observed in the exercise of legislative powers. Recommetidalions. 95. As shipping is a world-wide interest, in which uniformity is from the nature of the case desirable, there is a strong presumption in favour of concerted action between the members of the British Commonwealth in shipping matters, hut this concerted action must from its nature result from voluntary agreements by the members of the Commonwealth : it should be confined to matters in which concerted action is necessary or desirable in the common interest : it should be sufficiently elastic to permit of alterations being made from time to time as experience is gained ; and it must not prevent local matters being dealt with in accordance with local conditions. The kind of agreement which we have in mind in making our recommendations is one extending over a fixed period of years, and providing for revision from time to time. 96. It would be difficult, and is not necessary, at the present stage to frame a complete list of the shipping questions on which uniformity is desirable : but certain matters stand out clearly, and we submit the following recommendations with regard to them. Then followed a statement of the outstanding points on which uniformity was desirable. A draft of an agreement covering these; points was this year prepared in the United Kingdom and circulated to the Dominions. The Conference examined this draft agreement very closely, and came to the conclusion that, with certain alterations, it meets fully and satisfactorily the objects which Part VI of the 1929 report had in view. The draft agreement as altered is shown in the annex to Section VI (pages 18 to 21). The draft contains, in the form of an agreement which is flexible but as precise as the subject-matter will allow, a statement of the matters in which, after examination in two successive years by representatives of the Governments concerned, it is considered that concerted action on a voluntary basis between the parts of the Commonwealth is essential in the common interest, together with the broad principles which should be followed in dealing with those matters. The Conference recommended that the agreement be made. The agreement presupposes that the legislation contemplated by the 1929 report has been passed, and that it should come into operation at the same time as that legislation. It was pointed out that clause 9 of the draft agreement did not make satisfactory provision for ships whose owners had their principal place of business in one part of the Commonwealth and traded the ships regularly to and from that part, but, in order to avoid the conditions imposed by the laws of that part, registered the vessels in another part of the Commonwealth to which they did not trade. The Conference agreed that the point was one which required careful consideration. The agreement as originally drafted will enable all safety regulations to be applied to such ships and to some extent the provisions as to ships' articles also. A further clause has been inserted meeting the situation as regards discipline, but it was thought that it would be unwise to attempt to make further alterations in the draft agreement. Canada reserves the right, when signing the agreement, to declare the extent. if any, to which the provisions of the agreement, other than those of Part I, shall not apply to ships navigating the Great Lakes of North America.

* 1.e., the position which will arise after legislation has been enacted on the lines indicated in Section (a) above.

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, (/) Defence Questions. (i) Discipline of the Armed Forces. In the very short time at the disposal of the Conference it was impossible to do more than examine some aspects of the practical problems which will be involved in the carrying-out of the recommendations contained in paragraph 44 of the Report of the Conference on the Operation of Dominion Legislation. It is assumed that all Governments will desire to take such action as may be necessary to secure (1) that the military discipline of any of the armed forces of the Commonwealth when present, by consent, within territory of another rests upon a statutory basis, and (2) that there shall be no period of time during which the legal basis of military discipline could on any ground be impeached. The method by which the above two objects can best be attained must necessarily be a matter for the Governments themselves. As the action to be taken to give effect to the recommendations contained in paragraph 44 of the Report of the Conference on the Operation of Dominion Legislation is likely to take some time, it was agreed that all the Governments concerned will take such steps as may be necessary to provide against possible difficulties during that period. (ii) Prize Law and Procedure. In the time at the disposal of the Conference it was impossible to examine any questions relating to prize law and procedure, a subject which was mentioned in paragraph 80 of the 1929 report. This matter, though one of paramount importance in certain contingencies, may happily be regarded as not being of any urgency at the present time. Accordingly the Conference recommended that it should be the subject of further consideration by the Governments at their leisure, and that in the meantime, pending such consideration, it should be agreed that the status quo will be preserved. (</) Appointment of Governors-General. The report of the Inter-Imperial Relations Committee of the Imperial Conference of 1926 declared that the Governor-General of a Dominion is now the " representative of the Crown, holding in all essential respects the same position in relation to the administration of public affairs in the Dominion as is held by His Majesty the King in Great Britain, and that he is not the representative or agent of His Majesty's Government in Great Britain or of any Department of that Government." The report did not, however, contain any recommendation as to the procedure to be adopted henceforward in the appointment of a Governor-General, and the Conference felt it necessary to give some consideration to this question. Having considered the question of the procedure to be observed in the appointment of a Governor-General of a Dominion in the light of the alteration in his position resulting from the resolutions of the Imperial Conference of 1926, the Conference came to the conclusion that the following statements in regard thereto would seem to flow naturally from the new position of the Governor-General as representative of His Majesty only : — (1) The parties interested in the appointment of a Governor-General of a Dominion are His Majesty the King, whose representative he is, and the Dominion concerned. (2) The constitutional practice that His Majesty acts on the advice of responsible Ministers applies also in this instance. (3) The Ministers who tender and are responsible for such advice arc His Majesty's Ministers in the Dominion concerned. (4) The Ministers concerned tender their formal advice after informal consultation with His Majesty. (5) The channel of communication between His Majesty and the Government of any Dominion is a matter solely concerning His Majesty and such Government. His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom have expressed their willingness to continue to act in relation to any of His Majesty's Governments in any manner in which that Government may desire. (6) The manner in which the instrument containing the Governor-General's appointment should reflect the principles set forth above is a matter in regard to which His Majesty is advised by His Ministers in the Dominion concerned.

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(h) The System of Communication and Consultation in Relation to Foreign Affairs. Previous Imperial Conferences have, made a number of recommendations with regard to the communication of information and the system of consultation in relation to treaty negotiations and the conduct of foreign affairs generally. The main points can be summarized as follows : — (1) Any of His Majesty's Governments conducting negotiations should inform the other Governments of His Majesty in case they should be Interested and give them the opportunity of expressing their views, if they think that their interests may be affected. (2) Any of His Majesty's Governments on receiving such information should, if it desires to express any views, do so with reasonable promptitude. (3) None of His Majesty's Governments can take any steps which might involve the other Governments of His Majesty in any active obligations without their definite assent. The Conference desired to emphasize the importance of ensuring the effective operation of these arrangements. As regards the first two points, they made the following observations : — (i) The first point —namely, that of informing other Governments of negotiations —is of special importance in relation to treaty negotiations, in order that any Government which feels that it is likely to be interested in negotiations conducted by another Government may have the earliest possible opportunity of expressing its views. The application of this is not, however, confined to treaty negotiations. It cannot be doubted that the fullest possible interchange of information between His Majesty's Governments in relation to all aspects of foreign affairs is of the greatest value to all the Governments concerned. In considering this aspect of the matter the Conference have taken note of the development since the Imperial Conference of 1926 of the system of appointnieni of diplomatic representatives of His Majesty representing in foreign countries the interests of different members of the British Commonwealth. They feel that such appointments furnish a most valuable opportunity for the interchange of information not only between the representatives themselves, but also between the respective Governments. Attention is also drawn to the resolution quoted in Section VI of the Report of the Inter-Imperial Relations Committee of the Imperial Conference of 1920, with regard to the development of a system to supplement the present system of intercommunication through the official channel with reference not only to foreign affairs, but to all matters of common concern. The Conference have heard with interest the account which was given of the liaison system adopted by His Majesty's Government in the Commonwealth of Australia, and recognized its value. Their attention has also been called to the action taken by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom in the appointment of representatives in Canada and the Union of South Africa. They are impressed with the desirability of continuing to develop the system of personal contact between His Majesty's Governments, though, of course, they recognize that the precise arrangements to be adopted for securing this development are matters for the consideration of the individual Governments with a view to securing a system which shall be appropriate to the particular circumstances of each Government. (ii) As regards the second point — namely, that any of His Majesty's Governments desiring to express any views should express them with reasonable promptitude —it is clear that a negotiating Government cannot fail to be embarrassed in the conduct of negotiations if the observations of other Governments who consider that their interests may be affected are not received at the earliest possible stage in the negotiations. In the absence of comment the negotiating Government should, as indicated in the report of the 1926 Conference, be entitled to assume that no objection will be raised to its proposed policy.

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(?') The Channel of Communication between Dominion Governments and Foreign Governments. At the Imperial Conference of 1926 it was agreed that in cases other than those where Dominion Ministers were accredited to the heads of foreign States it was very desirable that the existing diplomatic channels should continue to be used, as "between the Dominion Governments and foreign Governments, in matters of general and political concern. While the Conference did not wish to suggest any variation in this practice, they felt that it was of great importance to secure that the machinery of diplomatic communication should be of a sufficiently elastic and flexible character. They appreciated that cases might arise in which, for reasons of urgency, one of His Majesty's Governments in the Dominions might consider it desirable to communicate direct with one of His Majesty's Ambassadors or Ministers appointed on the advice of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom on a matter falling within the category mentioned. In such cases they recommended that the procedure just described should be followed. It would be understood that the communication sent to the Ambassador or Minister would indicate to him that, if practicable, he should, before taking any action, await a telegram from His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, with whom the Dominion Government concerned would simultaneously communicate. As regards subjects not falling within the category of matters of general and political concern, the Conference felt that it would be to the general advantage if communications passed direct between His Majesty's Governments in the Dominions and the Ambassador or Minister concerned. It was thought that it would be of practical convenience to define, as far as possible, the matters falling within this arrangement; the definition would include such matters as, for example, the negotiation of commercial arrangements affecting exclusively a Dominion Government and a foreign Power, complimentary messages, invitations to non-political conferences, and requests for information of a technical or scientific character. If it appeared hereafter that the definition were not sufficiently exhaustive it could, of course, be added to at any time. In making the above recommendations it was understood that, in matters of the nature described in the preceding paragraph, cases might also arise in which His Majesty's Governments in the Dominions might find it convenient to adopt appropriate channels of communication other than that of diplomatic representatives. The Conference were informed that His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom were willing to issue the necessary instructions to the Ambassadors and Ministers concerned to proceed in accordance with the above recommendations. (j) Status of High Commissioners. The question of precedence of High Commissioners for the Dominions in London was raised at the Imperial Conference of 1923 by the then Prime Minister of Canada (Mr. Mackenzie King). As a result of the discussion at that Conference and subsequent correspondence with the Prime Ministers of the Dominions, a proposal was submitted to, and approved by, the King that the Dominion High Commissioners should be given precedence on ceremonial occasions after any members of the United Kingdom or Dominion Cabinets who might be present on any given occasion, but not in any case given a position superior to that accorded by the United Kingdom Table of Precedence to Secretaries of State. At the present Conference the question was raised whether it might be possible in any way to improve the status accorded, as a result of the 1923 discussions, to Dominion High Commissioners in London in order to emphasize the importance of their position as the representatives in London of other Governments of His Majesty. The desirability of such action, if it were possible, was generally recognized, more particularly in view of the constitutional position as defined by the Imperial Conference of 1926.

3—A. 6.

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On the other hand, there was obvious difficulty in according to the representatives in London of any of His Majesty's Governments a status which would place them in a position higher than that accorded not only to His Majesty's principal Ministers in the United Kingdom, but also to the members of the respectiveDominion Governments when they were visiting the United Kingdom. As the result of the discussion His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom intimated that they were prepared to recommend to the King that the Dominion High Commissioners should on all ceremonial occasions (other than those when Ministers of the Crown from the respective Dominions were present) rank immediately after Secretaries of State—that is, before all Cabinet Ministers in the United Kingdom, except Secretaries of State and those Ministers who already have higher precedence than Secretaries of State. It had been ascertained that, if such a recommendation were made to the King, His Majesty would be graciously pleased to approve it. As regards the position of the representative of a Dominion in relation to a Minister of the Crown visiting the United Kingdom from that Dominion, the existing position would remain unaltered —that is, normally a Minister of the Crown from a Dominion visiting the United Kingdom would be given precedence immediately before the High Commissioner concerned. The representatives of the United Kingdom at the Conference expressed the hope that His Majesty's Governments in the Dominions would consider the question of recommending equivalent precedence for any High Commissioner appointed by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom in a Dominion. ANNEX. DRAFT AGREEMENT AS TO BRITISH COMMONWEALTH MERCHANT SHIPPING. His Majesty's Governments in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, the Irish Free State, and Newfoundland, and the Government of India, having considered the report of the Conference on the Operation of Dominion Legislation and Merchant Shipping Legislation, 1929, undertake to propose any necessary legislation and take such other steps as may be required for the purpose of giving full effect to the provisions of the present agreement with regard to Merchant Shipping. Part I. —Common Status. Part II. —Standards of Safety. Pari 111. —Extra-territorial Operation of Laws. Part IV.—Equal Treatment. Part V. —Ships' Articles, Internal Discipline, and Engagement and Discharge of Seamen. Part VI. —Certificates of Officers. Part Vll.—Shipping Enquiries. Part VIII. —Belief and Repatriation of Seamen : Wages and Effects of deceased Seamen. Part IX. —Offences on Board Ship. Part X. — General. Interpretation. Article I. —ln this agreement, unless the context otherwise requires, the following expression has the meaning hereby assigned to it, that is to say — " Part of the Commonwealth " means any Part of the British Commonwealth of Nations the Government of which is a party to this agreement. Part I.—Common Status. ( '(milium Qualifications. Article 2. —(1) No ship shall he registered in any pori within the British Commonwealth so as to acquire the status and recognition mentioned i.i paragraph ('!) of this Article unless it is owned wholly by persons of the following description, namely : — (a) Persons recognized by law throughout the British Commonwealth of Nations as having the status of natural-born British subjects : (b) Persons naturalized by or in pursuance of the law of some Part of the British Commonwealth ; (c) Persons made denizens by letters of denization ; and (d) Bodies corporate established under and subject to the law of some Part of the British Commonwealth, and having their principal place of business within the British Commonwealth. (2) Every ship so owned and duly registered within the British Commonwealth shall possess a common status for all purposes, and shall be entitled to the recognition usually accorded to British ships.

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Registry. Article 3. —The, laws, regulations, forms, and procedure relating bo the matters following, that is to say : — Obligation to register ; Certificate of registry : Transfer and transmissions ; Mortgages ; Certificates of mortgage and sale ; Name of ship : Registry of alterations, registry anew, and transfer of registry ; Incapacitated persons : Trusts and equitable rights ; Liability of beneficial owner : Managing owner ; Declarations, inspection of register, and fees; Returns, evidence, and forms : Forgery and false declarations : Measurement of ship and tonnage— shall be substantially the same throughout the British Commonwealth and so far as possible be based on Part I of the Merchant Shipping Ac!. 1894. Article 4. — In order thai there may be a complete list of ships registered in all Parts of the British Commonwealth, for statistical purposes, particulars (such as the name of the ship, the regie tered number, the port to which she belongs, the name of the registered owner, and the tonnage) relating to all ship- registered at bheir ports will be forwarded by the administration of each Part oJ the Commonwealth at convenient intervals to the Registrar-General of Shipping and Seamen in London. Copies of the complete list shall be forwarded annually to the administration of each Part of the Commonwealth. National Colours. Article 5. —It being recognized that the proper national colours for all ships registered in any Part of the Commonwealth shall lie such as may be determined by the (iovernmeni of that Part, each i'art of the Commonwealth undertakes to prohibil under penalty (<i) the use by ship.- registered in thai Part of any national colours other than those determined for those ships : (6) the hoisting on I ■ any ship registered in that Part of colours proper to a ship of war or resembling any of those colo without proper warrant. Part II. —Standards of Safety. Article 6. — While each Part of the Commonwealth will from time to time determine the standards with which its ships shall be required to comply in all mailers relating to safety, every endeavour will be made to preserve uniformity and to maintain the standards at present in Eorce. Article 7. Each Governmeni which proposes to make an alteration of substance in these stand will give as long uotice as practicable to the other Governments of the proposed alteration and of the reasons for it. Article #.—Subject to the provisions of I'art IV. nothing in this agreement affects the right of each Part to apply t<> any ship trading to its ports its regulations regarding the safety of ships, their crews and passengers, except in so far as the ship complies with regulations accepted by the Pari as equivalent to its own regulations. Part ill. Extra-territorial Operation oe Laws. Article t>. Save as otherwise specially provided in this agreement, the laws relating lo merchant shipping in force in one Pari of the Commonwealth shall not be made to apply with extra-territorial effect to ships registered in another Pad unless the consent of thai other Pari of the Commonwealth has been previously obtained : — Provided that nothing contained in this Article shall be deemed to restrict the power of each Part of the Commonwealth to regulate the coasting trade, sea fisheries, and lishing industry of that Part. Part IV.—Equal Treatment. Article 10. Each Pari of the British Commonwealth agrees to grani access to its ports to all ships registered in the British Commonwealth on equal terms, ami undertakes that no laws or regulations relating to seagoing ships at any time in force in that Part shall apply more favourably to ships registered in that I'art. or to the ships of any foreign country, than they apply to any ship registered in any other I'art of the Commonwealth. Article 11. While each Part of the British Commonwealth may regulate its own coasting trade. it is agreed that any laws or regulations from time to time in force for that purpose shall treat all ships registered in the British Commonwealth in exactly the same manner as ships registered in that Part, and not less favourably in any respect than ships of any foreign country. Article 12. —Nothing in the present agreement shall be deemed — (i) To derogate from the right of every Part of the Commonwealth to impose Customs tariff duties on ship- built outside that Part ; or (ii) To restrici the righi of bhe Government of each Part of the Commonwealth to give financial assistance to ships registered in that Part or its right to regulate the seafisheries of that Part.

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Part V.—Ship's Articles. Internal Discipline and Engagement, and Discharge of Seamen. Article 13. —The form and ((intents of ship's articles if first opened in a Part of the Commonwealth shall be those prescribed by the law of that Part, and if first opened elsewhere than within the British Commonwealth shall be those prescribed by the law of the Part in which the ship is registered. Article 14. —The powers and duties with respect to discipline on board a ship registered within the British Commonwealth shall, in so far as they are not derived from the ship's articles, be those made and provided by the laws and regulations in force in the Part of the Commonwealth in which the ship is registered. Provided that if and so long as a ship, registered in one Part of the Commonwealth, is engaged whollv or mainly in the. coasting trade of another Part, the powers and duties with respect to such discipline may be those made and provided by the laws and regulations in force in that other Part. Provided also that in the case of a ship which is trading from a Part of the Commonwealth in which the principal place of business of her owners is situated, and not trading to the Part of the Commonwealth in which she is registered, the powers and duties with respect to such discipline may be those made and provided by the laws and regulations in force in the former Pa 11. Article 15. —Provision shall be made by law in each Part of the Commonwealth that whenever a seaman or apprentice deserts in that Part from a ship registered in another Part any Court exercising summary jurisdiction in the Part in which the seaman or apprentice has deserted, and any Justice or officer of such Court shall, on the application of the master of the ship, aid in apprehending the deserter, and for that purpose may. on information given on oath, issue a warrant for his apprehension, and, on proof of the desertion, order him to be conveyed on board his ship or delivered to the master or mate of his ship, or to the owner of the ship or his agent, to be so conveyed. Part Vl.—Certificates of Officers. Article 16. —The standards of qualification to be required of applicants for certificates of competency and of service shall so far as possible be equal and alike throughout the British Commonwealth, and shall nol be lower than those at present established. Article 17. —Subject to any special provisions that may be made by any Part of the Commonwealth as to the qualifications to be required of officers on ships engaged in its coasting trade, a valid certificate of competency or service granted by one Part of the Commonwealth will be recognized I t the British Commonwealth as indicating that the holder is duly qualified accordingly when serving on board any ship registered in that Part. Part VII. —Shipping Inquiries. Article 18. —The Government of each Part of the Commonwealth agrees to assist the Governments of the other Parts by providing for officers to hold preliminary inquiries (including the taking of depositions) into casualties to ships registered in such other Parts. Article 19. —N0 Government of any Part of the Commonwealth will cause a formal investigation to be held into a casualty occurring to a ship registered in another Part, save at the request or with the consent of the Government of that Part in which the ship is registered. Provided that this restriction shall not apply when a casualty occurs on or near the coasts of a Part of the Commonwealth or whilst the ship is wholly engaged in the coasting trade of a Part of the Commonwealth. Article 20. —In all Parts of the Commonwealth the laws and regulations relating to the matters following, namely : — Constitution of Courts having jurisdiction to hold formal investigations ; Holding of such Courts with the assistance of assessors ; Classification of assessors according to their qualifications ; Selection of assessors according to the nature of the questions to lie raised ; Notice of investigation and the service thereof ; Opportunity to be given to any person whose conduct may be impugned of making a defence ; Procedure on the hearing ; He hearings and appeals— shall be, as far as possible, alike, and shall be based upon the provisions relating to formal investigations contained in Part VI of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, and the Shipping Casualties and Appeals and Rehearings Rules, 1923, made pursuant thereto. Provided that — (1) The Administration of that Part of the Commonwealth in which a formal investigation is held shall alone be competent to order a rehearing thereof : (2) An appeal from a decision of a Court of formal investigation shall lie to a Court in the Part of the Commonwealth in which the formal investigation was held, and that Court shall be similar in its constitution and jurisdiction to a Divisional Court of Admiralty in England : (3) A Court of formal investigation shall be empowered to cancel or suspend a certificate of competency or service granted by the Administration of another Part of the Commonwealth so only as to effect its validity within the jurisdiction of the Part in which the investigation is held, but the Administration by which the certificate was granted may adopt such cancellation or suspension.

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Article 21. —Provisions shall be in force in each Part of the Commonwealth, similar, so far as possible, to those contained in Part VI of the Merchant Shipping Act. 1894, relating to the special inquiry thai may lie held when there is reason to believe thai any master, mate, or certificated engineer is from incompetency or misconduct unfit to discharge his duties. Provided that the power of a Court holding such inquiry to cancel or suspend a certificate of competency or service granted by a Part of the Commonwealth other than thai in which the inquiry is held shall be similar to the power of a Court of formal investigation under the lasi preceding Article. Part VIII. — Reliei and Repatriation oi Seamen; Wages and Effects of deceased Seamkn. Article 22. —A scheme shall be drawn up to which each Pari of the Commonwealth shall give legislative effect, under which provision shall be made — (a) For the relief and repatriation of seamen belonging to any Part of the Commonwealth who may be found in distress or left behind in any other Part or in places abroad, and for defraying the expenses : (b) For payment of the expenses of medical attendance, maintenance, burial, and repatriation in case of injury or illness of seamen ; (c) For dealing with the effects and wages of seamen who are left behind or die in a port outside the Part of the Commonwealth to which they belong : (d) For the recovery from the owner of the ship in proper i ases of any expenses incurred by the administration of any Part of the Commonwealth in the matters referred to in paragraphs {a) and (b). Part IX. — Offences on Board Ship. Article 2-i. —Reciprocal arrangements shall be made for conferring jurisdiction on the lines ol section 686 of the Merchant Shipping Act. 1894, with respect to offences committed on board ships registered in any Part of the Commonwealth. Part X. — General. Article 24. —The present agreement shall come into operation on the day of , and shall continue in full force for a period of live years ami thereafter until the Government of any Part of the Commonwealth gives notice of intention to withdraw therefrom or from any Article thereof. A notice of withdrawal, if seni to the Governments of every other Part of the Commonwealth, shall take effect as regards the Part giving the notice to the extent therein specified at the expiration of twelve months from the date of its despatch, but shall not otherwise affect the continuance in full force of the present agreement. Article 23. —The present agreement may be varied at any time during the continuance thereof l> v common accord. Proposals for variation shall be sent by the Government of the Part proposing the variation, to the Government of the United Kingdom, to be circulated to the Governments of the other Parts of the Commonwealth, who will consider the proposals and endeavour to agree upon the acceptance of the variation with or without amendment. If a common accord is reached with respect to any proposed variation, the present agreement shall be varied accordingly. Article 26. —A conference to consider any matter the subject of the present agreement or any other matter relating to merchant shipping which the Government of any Part of the Commonwealth considers to be of common interest may be called at any time at the instance of the Governments of any three Parts of the Commonwealth. Article 27. —This agreement shall apply to all territories administered under the authority of the Government of any Part of the Commonwealth, and to ships registered there, or in any foreign port of registry, and fulfilling the requirements as to ownership set out in Article 2 (1). VII. ARBITRATION AND DISARMAMENT. In the sphere of foreign affairs, apart from the review of certain special questions of foreign policy, the main task before the Conference was the discussion of the means by which the members of the British Commonwealth could best co-operate in promoting the policy of disarmament and world peace. These questions were considered by a committee under the chairmanship of the Hon. Maurice Dupre. K.C.. .A!.!'.. Solicitor-General, Canada. These discussions naturally covered two main fields— (1) Formal measures for the preservation of peace, including the improvement of the machinery for the peaceful settlement of international disputes ; and (2) Measures for the reduction and limitation of armaments. (1) Formal Measures for the Preservation of Peace. The Conference noted with pleasure the progress which had been made since the last Imperial Conference in this field, and in particular the important steps taken in the conclusion of the Pact of Paris and the acceptance by all members of the

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British Commonwealth of the optional clause of Article 36 of'the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice. The Conference, having considered the provisions of the General Act for the Pacific Settlement of International Dispiites, approved the general principles underlying the Act. The representatives of the United Kingdom, Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia. New Zealand, the Irish Free State, and India intimated that it was proposed to commend the General Act to the appropriate authority with a view to accession on conditions mainly similar to those attached to their respective acceptances of the optional clause ; in particular, the reservation regarding questions which by international law fall within the domestic jurisdiction of the parties would be retained by those members of the Commonwealth who had adopted it in accepting the optional clause, in view of the importance attached by many of His Majesty's Governments to certain matters, such as immigration, which are solely within their domestic jurisdiction. The representatives of the Union of South Africa intimated that His .Majesty's Government in the Union were not opposed to the principle of the General Act, but that the Act would be further examined by that Government before they could arrive at a final decision, as some time would be required for a study of certain questions involved. The Conference further considered the proposals which had been made to bring the Covenant of the League of Nations into harmony witli the Pact of Paris, and reached the conclusion that the principle underlying these proposals is one which should receive the support of all the Governments represented ai the Conference. The Conference also placed on record the view that the amendments to the Covenant which were drafted by the sub-committee appointed for this purpose by the First Committee at the Eleventh Assembly of the League of Nations should be recommended to the several Governments for acceptance. The Conference was further of opinion that the entry into force of these amendments should be made dependent upon the entry into force of a General Treaty for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments. (2) Measures for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments. The Conference desired to record its conviction that the future peace of the world depends upon the early adoption of some general scheme of disarmament by international agreement and that every effori should be made to convoke a General Disarmament Conference at an early (lute in order that the obligations accepted by all the members of the League under Article S of the Covenant might be honoured without further delay. The Conference considered the text of the draft of a Disarmament Convention drawn up by the Preparatory Commission, and reached the conclusion, as the result of an exchange of views, that the principles underlying the draft convention should be approved. The Conference was in general further satisfied that the provisions of the draft convention, with certain proposed amendments, afforded an adequate basis for an effective system of disarmament. The Conference took note of the deposit of ratifications of the London Naval Treaty, which took place while it was in session, and desired to record its satisfaction at the progress thereby achieved in the sphere of naval disarmament. VIII. THE ANTARCTIC. The question of Antarctic exploration was discussed between representatives of the Governments interested. They took note of the fact that, in the exercise of the British title to that part of the Antarctic Continent which lies between Enderby Land and the Koss Dependency (with the exception of the territory of Adelie Land). an expedition organized by His Majesty's Government in the Commonwealth of Australia and led by Sir Douglas Mawson was despatched to these regions in 1929. The valuable exploratory and scientific work accomplished by this expedition during the season of 1929-30 was reviewed by the representatives of the Governments concerned, who also discussed the arrangements proposed for the continuation of the work during the season of 1930-31. Sir Douglas .Mawson started for his second year's expeditionary voyage during the sittings of the Conference, and the Chairman, on behalf of the Conference, sent to him the following message : —

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" On behalf of the Imperial Conference now sitting in London, I send you and your companions in adventure the best wishes of the Conference for a successful voyage and a safe return. God speed you all." The representatives of the Governments interested expressed their serious concern at the increasing magnitude of whaling operations in the Antarctic, which they felt had now reached such proportions that the introduction of restrictive measures was urgently required if the future of the whaling industry was not to be gravely endangered. The representatives of the Governments concerned recognized that there were many difficulties in the way of the adoption of such measures, which could only be introduced by international action, but they felt that these difficulties ought to be faced, and that, in the interests of preserving the whaling industry, no opportunity should be lost of urging the imperative necessity of conserving the stock of whales in the Antarctic. IX. DEFENCE. As already mentioned, the great pressure of work in connection with interImperial relations and economic questions rendered it impossible to arrange any plenary discussions on Imperial defence. At an early stage of the Conference, however, arrangements were made for the Chiefs of Staff of the three Services in the United Kingdom and representatives of the Services of the Dominions and India to meet together and discuss matters of common interest. The existing arrangements for consultation and co-operation (including questions of general defence, such as the supply of war material and the co-ordination of defensive arrangements, as well as the staff arrangements of the respective services) which have grown up as the result of past Imperial Conferences were reviewed, and, where necessary, recommendations were submitted for their improvement in matters of detail. In addition, meetings took place at the Admiralty. War Office, and Air Ministry, at which questions of naval, military, and air defence respectively were examined from a more technical point of view. Naval Base at Singapoi:k. As a result of discussion between representatives of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth of Australia, and New Zealand, it was recommended that the present policy of the ultimate establishment of a defended naval base at Singapore should be maintained and that the Jackson contract should be continued. It was. however, also recommended that, apart from the latter expenditure and such as will be required for the completion of the air base on the scale at present contemplated, the remaining expenditure — i.e., that required for completing the equipment of the docks and for defence works —should be postponed for the next five years, when the matter could he again reviewed in the light of relevant conditions then prevailing. X. PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CHARTER OF THE IMPERIAL WAR GRAVES COMMISSION. Certain proposals for the extension of the powers of the Imperial A\ar (iraves Commission under their existing charters were considered by a Committee under the chairmanship of Sir Fabian Ware, Vice-Chairman of the Imperial War Graves Commission. The committee recommended, and the Conference approved the recommendation, that application should be made for a supplemental charter to remove doubts as to the power of the Commission to make superannuation provision for, and pay gratuities to, their officers and servants, and to make certain other arrangements for the general welfare of their officers and servants abroad. It was recommended also thai at the same time power should be sought to enable official members of the Commission to appoint deputies to represent them on committees of the Commission.

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ECONOMIC QUESTIONS. XL INTRODUCTORY. The agenda on the economic side of the Conference was briefly reviewed at the First Plenary Session of the Conference, held on the Ist October, when a number of committees were appointed to examine and report on important but specialized or technical subfects. These Committees were as follows :— Committee on Communications : Committee on Civil Aviation : Committee on Oversea Settlement: Committee on Forestry : Committee on Research : General Economic Committee, to deal with miscellaneous economic matters. A brief account of the reports of the above committees which were adopted by the Conference and the resolutions passed by the Conference on their recommendation are given in the appropriate sections of the present summary. The Conference also agreed that meetings on standardization should be held separately from but concurrently with the Conference itself. A brief account of its proceedings and the text of the resolutions adopted by the Imperial Conference are included in the present summary.* XII. GENERAL ECONOMIC CONCLUSIONS. It was apparent that all parts of the Commonwealth were united in a common desire that all practicable steps should be taken to promote and develop interImperial trade, and at the Second Plenary Session of the Conference, held on the Bth October, a discussion of great importance took place on the methods to be used to achieve this end. No statement of policy was made on behalf of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom during the Second Plenary Session, but at the meeting of heads of delegations on the 13th November the following statement was made by their representatives : — "1. His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, believing that the development of inter-Imperial markets is of the utmost importance to the Commonwealth, have declared that the interests of the United Kingdom preclude an economic policy which would injure its foreign trade or add to the burdens of the people ; but that their fiscal policy does not preclude marketing propaganda and organization which will secure valuable opportunities for the consumption of Dominion products in the United Kingdom. " 2. His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom have suggested that the Governments of the Empire should undertake to make forthwith a close examination of the various methods by which each may make the greatest possible contribution to economic co-operation within the Empire, with a view to presenting reports to a Conference which, it has been suggested, should be held next year or as soon as the reports are ready. " 3. In the meantime His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom have declared that the existing preferential margins accorded by the United Kingdom to other parts of the Empire will not be reduced for a period of three years or pending the outcome of the suggested Conference, subject to the rights of the United Kingdom Parliament to fix the Budget from year to year. " 4. His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom agree to reconstitute the Empire Marketing Board as a body with a fixed minimum annual income, with a provision enabling it to receive such other contributions from public or private sources as it may be willing to accept, for the purpose of furthering the marketing of Empire products. " 5. His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom agree to the reconstitution of the Imperial Economic Committee on the lines recommended by the committee of the Conference on Economic Co-operation."

* See pp. 31-33.

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In view of the above statement made by the representatives of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, the representatives of His Majesty's Government in the Union of South Africa made the following statement: — " The Government of the Union of South Africa declare that the existing preferential margins accorded by South Africa to the United Kingdom will not be reduced for a period of three years or during such shorter period as the existing preferential margins accorded to South Africa by the United Kingdom may remain in force." The discussion arising out of the statements made at the Second Plenary Session was continued at a series of meetings of Prime Ministers and heads of delegations held between the 9th and 17th October, in the course of which it was intimated on behalf of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom that they were opposed to any policy involving duties on foodstuffs or raw materials. They suggested that there were other methods worthy of examination by which the common object of increasing inter-Imperial trade might be attained, and in this connection mention was made of quotas, import boards, bulk purchase, direct exchange of commodities, and the promotion of agreements between industrialists, and improved machinery for inter-Commonwealth consultation in economic matters. During these discussions it became apparent that the Governments of the wheat-exporting Dominions (Canada and Australia) attached special importance to increasing the sales of their wheat in the United Kingdom, particularly in view of the depression in the world's wheat-markets. An informal committee of Ministers representing the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Commonwealth of Australia was accordingly set up to explore the wheat situation. On the 14th October this informal committee was reconstituted as the " Committee on Economic Co-operation," under the chairmanship of the Right Hon. William Graham, M.P., President of the Board of Trade, and representatives of New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, the Irish Free State, Newfoundland, and India were added to it. The subjects referred to the committee by the meetings of Prime Ministers and heads of delegations for examination were as follows: — The quota system. Bulk-purchase schemes, Import Boards, direct exchange of commodities, and the promotion of agreements between industrialists. Imperial Shipping Committee, Imperial Economic Committee, and Empire Marketing Board. The Report of the Committee on Economic Co-operation, which is dealt with in Section XIII below, together with the views expressed on behalf of the various Governments, were considered at meetings of Prime Ministers and heads of delegations held on the 12th and 13th November. At the latter meeting it was decided to recommend the following resolutions, which were adopted by the Conference : — " I. The Imperial Conference records its belief that the further development of inter-Imperial markets is of the utmost importance to the various parts of the Commonwealth. " 11. Inasmuch as this Conference has not been able, within the time-limit of its deliberations, to examine fully the various means by which inter-Imperial trade may best be maintained and extended, it is resolved that the Economic Section of the Conference be adjourned to meet at Ottawa on a date within the next twelve months to be mutually agreed upon, when that examination will be resumed with a view to adopting the means and methods most likely to achieve the common aim ; provided that this reference is not to be construed as modifying the policy expressed on behalf of any of the Governments represented at this Conference. "111. The agenda for the meeting referred to in the previous resolution will be agreed between the several Governments."

4-A. 6.

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XIII. WORK OF COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION. The discussions in the Committee on Economic Co-operation were chiefly devoted to examining the question of a quota for Dominion wheat* milled in the United Kingdom, and it was found convenient to remit to sub-committees the examination of other subjects referred to the committee. The reports of these sub-committees were adopted by the Committee on Economic Co-operation. (a) A Quota for Wheat. On the question of a quota for wheat, the committee reported as follows : — 1. The committee have devoted a large part of their time to examining the suggestion that steps should be taken to secure that a guaranteed proportion of the wheat milled in the United Kingdom should be of Empire growth. 2. The committee were informed that about 120,000,000 cwt. of wheat are milled annually in the United Kingdom, of which about 15 per cent., or 18,000,000 cwt., consists of wheat grown in the United Kingdom, the remainder being imported wheat. Of the total imports of wheat in the six years ended 1929, the proportion consigned from British countries amounted to 48 per cent. But, owing to the fact that some Canadian grain is stored in elevators in the United States and shipped from United States ports, the above figures of consignments do not accurately represent the real figures of wheat of Dominion growth imported into the United Kingdom. We referred this matter to a sub-committee of experts, who gave it as their opinion that the average figure of the imports from British countries during the six years ended 1929 may not have been in excess of 53 per cent, of the wheat grain imported into the United Kingdom ; that the use of 55 per cent, as a basic figure would adequately cover the element of uncertainty attaching to the calculations ; but that in order to arrive at an accurate figure further information is necessary beyond that at present available. Adding to this the wheat of United Kingdom growth which is milled in the United Kingdom, the use of 55 per cent, of the total imports as the basic figure for a Dominion wheat quota would be equivalent to the use of a figure of 47 per cent, of the total quantity of wheat milled in the United Kingdom. In addition, the sub-committee reported that flour-imports from the Dominions amounted on the average to 335,000 tons a year, and if this is converted into wheat the percentage of the total consumption of milling-wheat and flour in the United Kingdom attributable to Dominion wheat and flour would be increased to 49 per cent. 3. The object of a quota for Dominion wheat would be to secure that a guaranteed and, if possible, increasing proportion of the total quantity of wheat milled in the United Kingdom was of Empire growth. It was stated on behalf of the United Kingdom delegation that ho price guarantee could be given for Dominion wheat, and that the suggestion was confined to securing a guaranteed share of the import requirements at world prices. We were informed that a quota scheme for United Kingdom wheat had been under examination for some months, and that the machinery and procedure had been discussed in detail with the trade organizations concerned. We have had prepared the outline of a similar scheme applicable to Dominion wheat, which is attached as an annex to this report.f The essence of this scheme is that certificates should be issued by His Majesty's Customs in the United Kingdom in respect of all imported wheat passed through the Customs which they are satisfied is of Dominion growth. Wheat-millers would be required to produce evidence of purchase (including the surrender of Dominion wheat certificates issued by the Customs) of the prescribed minimum quota. The certificates would be transferable in the same way as other contract documents, and divisible, and, in order to save unnecessary transport, would not necessarily remain attached to the wheat or flour in respect of which they were issued. In the event of undesirable results following on the transfer of certificates, the situation would require to be dealt with by the authority in charge. The scheme would have to be elaborated in greater detail before the plan could be embodied in legislation or put into operation, and for this purpose consultation with the trade interests concerned might be necessary.

* 1.e., Wheat imported from the other parts of the British Commonwealth, t See page 28.

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4. We assume that a quota scheme for wheat of Dominion growth would not be introduced without the introduction also of a quota scheme to absorb the whole of the wheat of millable quality grown in the United Kingdom. While it is not within our competence to discuss the details of a quota for United Kingdom wheat, some members of the committee feel that such a quota might react on a Dominion scheme. Thus it was suggested that, in so far as a quota for United Kingdom wheat had the effect of raising its price, the result might be that the price obtainable for imported, including Dominion, wheat might tend to be depressed. Again, if the United Kingdom quota scheme stimulated the production of wheat in the United Kingdom- the requirements of imported wheat would be reduced. On the other hand, it was suggested that any increase in the price of United Kingdom wheat must fall not on the importer of wheat, but on the consumer of flour ; that any increase in the United Kingdom supply could not exceed 5 per cent, of the total requirements of millers, and that such- an increase would be effected at the expense of foreign wheat and not of Dominion wheat, if a quota for Dominion wheat were in force. 5. We next considered what would be the advantages to the wheat-exporting Dominions of the quota scheme. The total exports of wheat from the Dominions greatly exceed the total imports from all sources into the United Kingdom, and it follows that, provided there is free competition in the United Kingdom market among Dominion exporters, the price of Dominion wheat in the United Kingdom could not be raised appreciably above the world price, since, as the United Kingdom price tended to rise, shipments to Continental ports would be diverted to ports in the United Kingdom. Wheat-importers in the United Kingdom are further protected by the present arrangements whereby the whole of the exportable surplus of the Dominions, whether consigned to the United Kingdom or not, is available and identifiable for the purpose of the quota by documents of origin, or grade certificates, or otherwise. There is no suggestion of any interference with these arrangements. Further, the Parliament of the United Kingdom might also introduce legislative safeguards designed to prevent any undue inflation of prices. 6. We also considered whether a quota for Dominion wheat in the United Kingdom would tend to reduce the price which the Dominions obtained for their wheat in foreign markets. The effect of the quota would be to divert a certain amount of foreign wheat from the United Kingdom market to the Continental market; but, on the other hand, the same quantity of Dominion wheat would be diverted from the Continent to the United Kingdom. We see no reason, therefore, to suppose that the effect of the quota would be appreciably to reduce the price for wheat on the Continent. It is pointed out that the displacement of foreign wheat on the United Kingdom market would lessen the quantity of Dominion wheat for which foreign markets would be required, thus maintaining price equilibrium. 7. There has this year been a marked increase in the exports of Russian wheat compared with 1929, much of which wheat is shipped " on consignment " — i.e., to be sold on arrival for what it will fetch. It seems probable that, for the future, Russia will be a more important wheat-exporting country than she has been in recent years. Several of the Dominion representatives expressed considerable apprehension on this question, and they pointed out that during and since the war their production had been greatly increased on patriotic grounds, and that the results would be serious if they lost some of their, markets in the United Kingdom by the unequal competition of countries with a lower standard of life. 8. It is not improbable, therefore, that in the ordinary course of trade the imports of Dominion wheat into the United Kingdom will fall below the level of recent years other than 1929. This applies particularly to Canadian wheat, since the bulk of the Russian supply is hard wheat of a similar character to Canadian wheat. Australian wheat, on the other hand, is in direct competition with Argentine wheat, being generally similar in character and marketed at the same season of the year. It appears to us, therefore, that a quota which secured to Dominion wheat ;i guaranteed market for a quantity of wheat in excess of the figure of recent years would be pro tanto beneficial to the wheat-exporting Dominions by giving them a secured market, of which they could not be deprived by any dumping competition, for a definite quantity of their exports ; and this advantage would be enhanced in so far as it was possible to increase the quota progressively over a period of years.

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In this connection it should be observed that the quota would be a guaranteed minimum, and that it would be open to the Dominions to compete equally with foreign countries for the remainder of the supply apart from that reserved for United Kingdom wheat. 9. We have considered whether in any Dominion quota scheme separate quotas should be fixed for each of the wheat-exporting Dominions, but we have been informed that it would be administratively impracticable. 10. We have devoted a good deal of attention to the steps that it would be necessary to take in respect of imported flour. The imports of wheatmeal and flour into the United Kingdom average about 10,000,000 cwt. per annum, (if which about two-thirds come from British countries. It is clear that millers in the United Kingdom would have just cause for complaint if they were placed under the control involved in a quota system while flour could be imported as freely as it is to-day. The scheme which it is suggested might be applied to imported flour is outlined in paragraphs 4 and sof the annex to this report.* The general effect would be that the importer of Dominion flour would be required to take up his quota of United Kingdom wheat certificates, while the importer of foreign flour would also be required to take up his quota of Dominion wheat or wheat-flour certificates. Seeing that the imports of Dominion flour at present exceed considerably the imports of foreign flour, we do not consider that such a requirement would place any serious hardship on the importer of foreign flour. As regards imported Dominion wheat-flour, we have considered whether the obligation to acquire United Kingdom wheat certificates would interfere with the trade in special brands, but it was suggested to us that the importer would experience no undue difficulty in obtaining the necessary certificates, doing this probably in many cases through agents in the London Corn Exchange or in the country markets for United Kingdom wheat. The divergent interests of millers and of flour-importers would require to be protected in the framing of legislation which would be required to give effect to the plan, thus ensuring that no action would be taken to prejudice the important trade in Dominion flour. It would probably be desirable that the arrangements in connection with imported flour should be planned in consultation with the trade interests concerned. ANNEX. Outline of Plan for the Introduction of a Guaranteed Quota for Dominion Wheat on Milling in the United Kingdom. 1. The term " Dominion wheat " shall apply to wheat uiown in, and sent from, any part of the British Commonwealth outside the United Kingdom, and the term " Dominion wheat-flour " to flour milled entirely from " Dominion wheat " and sent from any part of the British Commonwealth outside the United Kingdom. 2. In connection with every parcel of Dominion wheat imported into the United Kingdom, a Dominion wheat certificate (or certificates, if it desired to subdivide the parcel) shall be issued by the Customs when they are satisfied, by the usual evidence tendered, that the wheat concerned is of Dominion origin. Similarly, in connection with every parcel of Dominion wheat-flour imported, a Dominion wheat-flour certificate would be issued by the Customs to the importer. 3. Quota as applied to Millers. —The quota would be reckoned as a percentage of the total amount of wheat used in mills, and the responsible Minister would require millers to produce evidence of purchase (including the surrender of Dominion wheat certificates issued by the Customs) of the prescribed minimum quota. (Millers would be under a similar obligation in regard to a United Kingdom quota.) 4. Quota as applied to Flour Importers. —(i) Imports of " Dominion wheat-flour " qualified to receive the Customs certificate will be subject only to the requirement as to surrender of United Kingdom wheat-quota certificates. (ii) Other Imported Flour. —An importer of any other wheat-flour will be required, before clearing such flour from Customs control, to produce and surrender to the Customs Dominion wheat or wheatflour certificates as issued by the Customs for an amount equivalent to the Dominion wheat quota. This flour — i.e., non-Dominion wheat-flour — will also be subject to the same requirement as Dominion wheat-flour in respect of the surrender to the Customs of United Kingdom wheat-quota certificates. • The responsible Minister would prescribe the equivalent of imported flour in terms of Dominion wheat certificates. 5. Flour Imports. —lt is to be understood that the Dominion wheat quota will be increased or reduced should imports of Dominion wheat-flour fall below or increase beyond a basic figure, the change in the quota being equivalent in terms of wheat to the change in the imports of flour, in accordance with the prescription of the responsible Minister.

* See below.

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His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom undertook to examine carefully the above report of the Committee on Economic Co-operation on a quota for wheat, and, in the course of their consideration of this subject, to consult with the Governments of the wheat-growing Dominions and of India. (b) Quotas for Commodities other than Wheat, Import Boards, Bulk-purchase Schemes, and the Organization of Channels of Trade. After a preliminary discussion of quotas for commodities other than wheat, Import Boards, bulk-purchase schemes, and the organization of channels of trade, the Committee on Economic Co-operation decided that the most convenient method of examining them was to refer them to sub-committees for consideration with reference to particular commodities. Sub-committees were accordingly appointed to consider the possibility of extending the trade between the United Kingdom and other parts of the Empire by the above means. The Conference received the report of the Committee on Economic Co-operation on quotas for commodities other than wheat, Import Boards, bulk-purchase schemes, and the organization of channels of trade, and decided to refer it to the Governments concerned for consideration. (c) Imperial Shipping Committee. The Committee on Economic Co-operation had the advantage of hearing a statement by Sir Halford Mackinder, the Chairman of the Imperial Shipping Committee, on its work and functions. In the light of this statement, and after reviewing the position, the committee recommended, and the Conference adopted, the following resolutions: — " I. The Conference desires to place on record its appreciation of the value of the work done by the Imperial Shipping Committee, and to convey to the Chairman and members of the committee its thanks for their services. " 11. The Conference is of opinion that it is desirable to maintain the Imperial Shipping Committee generally on its present basis, deriving authority from, and being responsible to, the Governments represented at the Imperial Conference." The committee also supported the recommendation of the Committee on Civil Aviation, subsequently adopted by the Conference,* suggesting that civil aviation should be represented on the Imperial Shipping Committee, and that a small addition should be made to the terms of reference of the Committee in order that it may be empowered to take into account facilities for air transport on the routes for maritime transport which it may survey. (d) Imperial Economic Committee. The Committee on Economic Co-operation examined with considerable interest the progress report of the Imperial Economic Committee. They recommended, and the Conference adopted, the following resolution : — " The Conference desires to convey to the Chairman and members of the Imperial Economic Committee an expression of its high appreciation of the valuable work which has been done by the Committee since the last Imperial Conference." In their progress report the Imperial Economic Committee made three suggestions of a general character: — (1) That the organization of an intelligence service on a Commonwealth basis should be considered : (2) That the creation and assimilation of Empire standards in regard to many trades, both of primary production and manufacture, should greatly simplify the promotion of inter-Imperial trade : (3) That further steps should be taken, under the lead of the Economic Organization of the League of Nations, to secure that trade statistics compiled by the various Governments of the world should be based on such common rules as will render them more truly comparable. The first of these suggestions is dealt with below (see section on the Empire Marketing Board) ; the second suggestion is dealt with in the report of the Conference on Standardization; the third suggestion will come under review by the Conference of Statistical Officers of the various parts of the British Commonwealth which it is proposed should be held in September, 1932|.

♦ See Resolution B, page 35. f See page 44.

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During consideration of the work of the Imperial Economic Committee the general question of arrangements for the examination of economic matters of interImperial concern arose. The Committee on Economic Co-operation recommended, and the Conference adopted, the following resolutions : — " I. The Conference is of opinion that the Imperial Economic Committee should continue as at present established, but takes note of the desire expressed by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom that their representation should be on the same basis as that of other parts of the Commonwealth. " 11. The Conference is further of opinion that the Chairman of the Imperial Economic Committee should be elected annually by the committee from among its own members, regard being paid to the desirability of rotation. " 111. The Conference considers that the general reference to the Imperial Economic Committee should be as follows : — " (1) To complete the series of investigations into the marketing of Empire foodstuffs in the United Kingdom : " (2) To undertake inquiries into the production for export and the marketing in various parts of the world of the raw materials enumerated in the Fifteenth Report of the Imperial Economic Committee : " (3) To prepare, at the instance of the Governments of the Commonwealth, preliminary surveys of any branch of Empire trade and marketing such as were contemplated in the recommendation of the Imperial Conference of 1926 : " (4) To carry out any investigations arising out of recommendations contained in reports submitted by the General Economic Committee and adopted by the present Conference : " (5) To facilitate conferences among those engaged in particular industries in various parts of the Commonwealth : " (6) To examine and report on any economic question which the Governments of the Commonwealth may agree to refer to the committee." (e) Empire Marketing Board. The Committee on Economic Co-operation recommended certain resolutions with regard to the work of the Empire Marketing Board, and the Conference adopted them in the following form : — " I. The Conference, having surveyed the work of the Empire Marketing Board, is satisfied that it is valuable to the Commonwealth as a whole, and recommends its continuance and its extension in certain directions, notably in the spheres of market intelligence, statistical surveys, and market-promotion. " 11. The Conference takes note of the Empire Marketing Board's programme of research, involving commitments approaching £2,000,000 from the Empire Marketing Fund, as well as independent contributions by so many Empire Governments. It finds that programme in accord both with the resolution of the Imperial Conference of 1926 and the policy adopted by the Imperial Agricultural Research Conference of 1927. " 111. The Conference commends especially that feature of the Board's policy which aims at the concentration and development in the most appropriate centres of scientific team work upon problems of interest to the Commonwealth as a whole, and notes as an example of special promise the recognition and extension of the Onderstepoort Veterinary Research Station as an Empire centre of research in the field of animal health. " IV. The Conference also welcomes the facilities provided by the Board for enabling scientific workers to visit different parts of the Empire. " V. The Conference is of opinion that if effective advantage is to be taken of the opportunities for co-operative action within the British Commonwealth open to the Board — " (1) The limitation of the Empire Marketing Fund to marketing in the United Kingdom should be removed:

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" (2) While the amount of its contribution must remain wholly within the discretion of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, it should be recognized that the efficiency of the Board's work and its opportunities for effective planning depend upon a minimum annual income being assured to the Board over a reasonable period : " (3) The Board should therefore be constituted as a body with a fixed minimum annual income, witli a provision enabling it to receive such other contributions from public or private sources as it may be willing to accept, for the purpose of furthering the marketing of Empire products."* XIV. STANDARDIZATION. The imperial Conference of 1926 adopted a resolution commending the further development of standardization within the various parts of the British Commonwealth of Nations, the exchange of information and co-operation in regard to common standards. Since that time it has become obvious that full and representative discussion would be of substantial assistance in giving effect to these general recommendations, and a Conference on Standardization, under the chairmanship of Mr. W. R. Smith, M.P., Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade, was accordingly arranged to take place at the same time as the Imperial Conference of 1930. The work of the Standardization Conference fell into two parts, relating respectively to industrial standardization, and fundamental standards. As regards industrial standardization, the Conference commended the co-ordination of standardization under a central body in each country, to which support should be given by the Government. It urged closer co-operation between these standardizing bodies with a view to the further development of standardization and the establishment, so far as practicable, of uniform standard specifications. Stress was laid upon the importance of simplification by means of the reduction of unnecessary types, sizes, &c, of everyday commodities. The Conference also recommended the adoption of marks or brands by the various standardizing bodies, to be protected throughout the Commonwealth, and suggested measures to promote adherence to standard specifications and practices. On the recommendation of the Conference on Standardization, the Imperial Conference adopted the following resolutions on the subject of industrial standardization :— '' I. (a) The Conference takes note of the growing recognition of the value of standardization as a means both to economy and to efficiency in the interests of producers and consumers, and draws attention to the importance of the contribution that may be made by its judicious development to the economic welfare of the British Commonwealth of Nations as a whole and of its various parts. " (b) It welcomes the advance which has been made in various parts of the Commonwealth in the co-ordination of standardizing activities under one central body representative of all parties concerned, and recommends to the consideration of those parts of the Commonwealth in which such co-ordination has not been achieved the adoption of steps to that end. " (c) It urges that the standardizing body in each part of the Commonwealth should be accorded the support of the Government, by way of financial assistance, of the co-operation of the Government purchasing Departments, and otherwise. " 11. (a) The Conference draws attention to the resolution of the Imperial Conference of 1926 in favour of the adoption, where practicable, of common standards, and recommends that the standardizing bodies in the various parts of the British Commonwealth of Nations should keep in regular and systematic consultation with a view to the establishment of uniform standard specifications so far as is practicable in their common interest.

* Note. —The representatives of the Union of South Africa considered that the fund was and should remain the concern solely of the Government of the United Kingdom, and could not, therefore, agree to paragraph (3) of resolution V.

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" (b) As part of this consultation, the practice of communicating draft specifications prepared in one part of the Commonwealth for the observations of the standardizing bodies in other parts likely to be interested should be continued and extended. It would be advantageous if any proposed specification could be so communicated in draft form at the earliest moment practicable, subsequent modifications being sent, if necessary, by telegram, and if a definite time-limit were agreed upon within which the observations of the other standardizing bodies should be furnished. " (c) It is further desirable that in the event of users in one part of the Commonwealth not being satisfied with the performance of the goods made to any particular standard specification issued in another part, the matter should be brought to the attention of the issuing standardizing body in order that the specification in question may be brought under review. " (d) Much advantage would result from the communication by one standardizing body to others of any suggestions that it may be able to make from time to time as to commodities in respect of which standardization is desirable. Any such suggestion should be supplemented, where possible, with co-ordinated information of the views of users and manufacturers in the country from which the suggestion emanates as to the characteristics that are desirable in the commodity in question, and also with information as to the extent of the demand that may reasonably be anticipated in that country when the commodity is standardized. " (e) The Conference recommends that the scope of the work of the standardizing bodies should include both standard specifications for industrial materials and apparatus, and codes or rules. In order to simplify the procedure, should modification be required, the actual specifications for materials in connection with any code should be kept separate from the code itself. " 111. (a) The Conference recommends that each standardizing body should adopt a mark or brand to be applied under the license and control of such body to goods which comply with standard specifications issued by it and are produced or manufactured within the territory which it covers ; and should take the necessary steps to secure for such mark or brand the full protection of law throughout the British Commonwealth of Nations, whether by its registration, wherever possible, as a standardization trade-mark or in some other appropriate way. " {b) The Conference is further of opinion that it would be advantageous for each standardizing body adopting such a mark or brand to communicate from time to time to the other standardizing bodies lists of the specifications to which the mark or brand relates, and of the holders of licenses, together with an indication of the class or classes of products in respect of which the license is held in each case. " IV. The Conference is of opinion that with a view to the promotion of economy in production and distribution, to the advantage of both manufacturers and consumers throughout the Commonwealth, and also as a preliminary to standardization in suitable cases, it is desirable that all practicable steps should be taken by the appropriate bodies in each part of the Commonwealth to promote, wherever possible, industrial simplification, by co-operation between consumers, distributors, and manufacturers. " V. The Conference desires to emphasize the need for standardizing bodies to ascertain within their spheres of activity the extent of adoption of and adherence to standard specifications and practices, and recommends that such measures consistent with the principle of voluntary adoption should be taken as will promote the greatest degree of conformity in each part of the Commonwealth. " It wishes also to bring to the attention of the Governments of the Commonwealth the great importance of adherence to the standard specifications drawn up by the recognized standardizing bodies, and suggests that encouragement should be given to a general adherence thereto by the adoption of such specifications to the fullest extent possible by Government purchasing Departments, local authorities, and public corporations, and in any other ways which may be found practicable. "VI. The Conference draws attention to the suggestion of the Imperial Conference of 1926 that a specific Department of each Goverriment within the Commonwealth should be charged with the duty of watching and stimulating the movement towards standardization and simplification, and accepts the view that there is considerable scope for activity, in the interests of consumers and manufacturers alike, by such Government Departments.

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" As a particular means to the extension of simplification and standardization within the Commonwealth, the Conference suggests for the consideration of the several Governments the establishment in each country of an index to specifications in use by large buyers (governmental and other), and would draw attention to the type of index which is to be compiled by the Board of Trade in London." As regards fundamental standards of weight, measure, &c, the Conference on Standardization made proposals for preserving uniformity in the standards used in common throughout the Commonwealth. The following resolution proposed by them on this subject was adopted by the Imperial Conference : — " The Conference is of opinion that — " (i) It is desirable that there should be uniformity between the standards employed for all units of measurement which are of common use among the British Commonwealth of Nations: " (ii) In order to secure such uniformity, arrangements should be made— " (a) To provide in each Dominion and in India suitable reference standards for each such unit of measurement required for use in that country, where not already available ; and " (b) To introduce suitable procedure whereby all such standards shall be periodically compared with the corresponding standards at the Board of Trade or at the National Physical Laboratory : " (iii) At least one member of the Commonwealth should undertake research work with the object of enabling the fundamental standards to be referred ultimately to natural standards, such as the wave-length of light. It would be a great advantage if it were possible for research work of this character to be carried out independently by more than one member." XV. COMMUNICATIONS (OTHER THAN TRANSPORT). Certain questions relating to Imperial communications (other than transport) were referred to a committee under the chairmanship of the Right Hon. G. W. Forbes, M.P., Prime Minister of New Zealand. The committee considered the possibility of establishing an Empire broadcasting service, and, at the instance of the committee, the Conference adopted the following resolution : — " The Conference has examined the question of the establishment of an Empire broadcasting service and considers that such a service, organized and conducted on sound lines, would be greatly appreciated by many persons in the Dominions, in India, and in the colonies, and would strengthen the ties between various parts of the British Commonwealth. It should also tend to stimulate trade and commerce within the Commonwealth. " The Conference welcomes the action of the British Broadcasting Corporation in carrying out experimental work in connection with Empire broadcasting, and in submitting proposals for a permanent and extended service from a new station in the United Kingdom. " The Conference recognizes the technical and financial difficulties of the scheme, and feels that further information is required to determine whether they can be overcome. It recommends, as a first step, that His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom should suggest to the British Broadcasting Corporation that that body should communicate particulars of the scheme to the broadcasting organizations or other appropriate authorities throughout the Empire, and should invite them to furnish their views (after any necessary consultation with their respective Governments) as to the value to them of such a service and as to their readiness to make a contribution towards its cost in return for the right to relay any part of the service which they may require. " In conjunction with these proposals for a regular service, the Conference recognizes the desirability of encouraging broadcasting organizations in the various parts of the Commonwealth to arrange for the reciprocal broadcasting of programmes and events of special interest in any cases where suitable means of long-distance transmission may be available."'

5—A. 6.

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The committee also considered questions relating to cable and radio communications and postal services. On the recommendation of the committee, the Conference adopted the following resolutions : — Telephone Services. " The Conference notes with satisfaction the progress already made in the establishment of public telephone services between the United Kingdom and certain of the Dominions. The Conference approves the various projects now under way for the establishment of additional Empire telephone services by the United Kingdom Post Office, and trusts that this work will be carried forward with the object of eventually interconnecting by means of telephone channels all parts of the British Commonwealth of Nations." Telegraph Services. " The Conference has examined with interest and appreciation the work of the Imperial Communications Advisory Committee." Eadio Broadcast of Weather Maps. " The Conference notes with approval the work now under way in the United Kingdom and Australia in connection with the transmission of weather maps by radio for the use of shipping and aviation services. " The Conference wishes to draw the attention of all Governments of the Empire to the great importance of this service both to shipping and to aircraft, and recommends that the Imperial Shipping Committee be asked to study this question with a view to promoting the further development of the service as an aid to navigation." The committee received representations from the Empire Press Union on the subject of facilities for the dissemination of news throughout the Empire. XVI. CIVIL AVIATION. The Conference appointed a committee, under the chairmanship of the Hon. Hugh Guthrie, K.C., M.P., Minister of Justice, Canada, to deal with civil aviation questions. This committee reviewed the progress made in the development of air communications with heavier-than-air aircraft since the date of the Imperial Conference, 1926, and was impressed with the great advantages, both commercial and political, to be derived from the speeding-up of Imperial communications by means of regular air services. The committee appointed a sub-committee to consider the question of airshipdevelopment, but pending the report of the Court appointed to investigate the R 101 disaster, the committee decided to make no recommendations. The committee gave consideration to other questions, including the representation of civil air interests on the Imperial Shipping Committee and certain recommendations put forward by the Society of British Aircraft Constructors. On the recommendation of the committee, the following resolutions were adopted by the Conference : — " A. (i) The Imperial Conference takes note of the marked development in civil air activities in different parts of the Empire since the, date of the last Imperial Conference and is appreciative of the importance and variety of these activities. " (ii) The Conference notes with special interest that the first step has 'been taken in linking up by air the different parts of the British Commonwealth by the opening in March, 1929, of the first regular Imperial air service—namely, that between England and India operated by Imperial Airways, Ltd. —which was followed at the end of last year by the Indian extension from Karachi to Delhi. " (iii) The Conference expresses the hope that the next stage in the development of Empire Air Communications, by the opening in 1931 of the regular Imperial air service between England and South Africa, will be followed at an early date by an extension of the regular weekly air service between England and India as far as Australia,

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" (iv) The Conference places on record the great importance of establishing regular air services throughout the Empire, particularly for the carriage of mails, which will have the result of bringing the several parts of the Commonwealth into quicker communication with each other than is possible by any other means of transport. " (v) The Conference recommends that preference should be given to Empire air routes for the carriage of air mails when the facilities which exist offer equal advantages to air routes by foreign services. " B. The Imperial Conference is of opinion that civil aviation should be represented on the Imperial Shipping Committee, and with this object hereby amends the terms of reference to the Imperial Shipping Committee by the addition of the following words: ... (ii) . . . ; and in doing so to take into account facilities for air transport on the routes in question.' " C. (i) The Conference takes sympathetic note of the desire of the Society of British Aircraft Constructors for reductions in the existing shipping-freight rates for aircraft and aero engines, and recommends that this subject should be referred to the Imperial Shipping Committee for consideration. " (ii) The Conference recommends the following proposals to the favourable consideration of the several Governments of the British Commonwealth : — " (a) That the personnel of the existing liaison system should be appointed on a more permanent basis : ' " (b) That the interchange of selected administrative and technical officers for periods of service within the Empire is desirable : " (c) That the technical officers of the various parts of the Empire should confer with a view to evolving a common standard of airworthiness for the Empire." XVII. OVERSEA SETTLEMENT. The subject of oversea settlement was examined by a committee presided over by the Hon. Parker J. Moloney, M.P., Minister for Markets and Transport, Commonwealth of Australia. The committee in their report stated that they realized that conditions overseas were at the moment unfavourable to any large movement of population under Government-assisted passage schemes. They recommended, however, that the existing arrangements should be kept in being in the case of Canada, New Zealand, and Southern Rhodesia, subject to such limitations as may from time to time be found necessary or desirable. The Australian representatives, whilst unable to concur in any general recommendation on the lines contemplated, were prepared to recommend the maintenance of the existing arrangements for the reunion of families. As regards the future, the committee stated emphatically that in their opinion the primary consideration in dealing with the question of inter-Imperial migration should be not the conditions in the country which the settler is leaving, but the absorptive capacity of the country to which he is proceeding. Any increase in the absorptive capacity of the Dominions must depend, in the first place, on the existence of adequate markets for their products, and, secondly, upon the inflow of capital for fresh development. It was felt that anything which will increase the absorption of the products of the Dominions must be of benefit to the Dominions and to the United Kingdom, in that it will stimulate development, encourage the investment of fresh capital, and attract settlers from the United Kingdom. The committee welcomed the introduction of the general reduced rate of £10 for buna fide British migrants from the United Kingdom to Canada, and were of opinion that it has had satisfactory results, but it was felt that it would be inopportune at the present time to make any recommendation on the subject of a general reduced rate to Australia and New Zealand. The committee considered that voluntary organizations were capable of performing valuable work in connection with migration, but that it was essential that the operations of these organizations should be conducted under the supervision of, and in close co-ordination with, the various Government migration authorities, and that only those organizations should be recognized which were possessed of a full sense of responsibility and had efficient and adequate machinery in this country and overseas.

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On the recommendation of the committee, the following resolution was adopted by the Conference : — ' The Conference approves the report of the Committee on Oversea Settlement. The Conference is of opinion that the problem of the better distribution of the white population of the British Commonwealth continues to be a question of paramount importance for the British Commonwealth as a whole. Its successful solution depends upon the availability of adequate markets for the products of the Empire and of sufficient capital for the development of its resources. The Conference recognizes that the economic; difficulties of the present time are such as to render impracticable any considerable flow of migrants from the United Kingdom to the Dominions, but it has every confidence in the future and recommends that the problem of oversea settlement should continue to receive the most careful consideration, and that the Governments concerned should adopt such measures as may be found best calculated to secure the object in view as and when economic conditions permit." XVIII. FORESTRY. Another committee of the Conference was set up, under the chairmanship of Sir Padamji P. Ginwala, of the Indian delegation, to report upon forestry questions. This committee laid stress on the desirability of improving the existing facilities for scientific forestry instruction and research. In the opinion of the committee, the work of this character carried out by the Imperial Forestry Institute, Oxford, had been seriously hampered by the want of sufficient funds for staff and equipment, and should now be placed on a more permanent basis. To enable the Institute to function effectively an assured income of £19,000 per annum is required, this estimate including a sum of £2,500 for the establishment of a Bureau of Information. The committee gave consideration to reports on forestry made by the Forest Services of the Empire, and noted the general improvement which has taken place in forest management and technique. Considerable progress in afforestation has been made in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, the Irish Free State, and Southern Rhodesia. An important survey of forest resources has been begun in Canada, progress in laying down forest policy is being made in Australia, the extensive timbered area of Labrador is now included in Newfoundland, and in India the Dehra Dun Research Institute has been completed. Measures to be taken for the prevention of loss by soil erosion caused by forestclearance and the preservation of indigenous forest fauna were further subjects to which the committee gave consideration. .Much importance was attached to the good beginning which had been made in various parts of the Empire in forest-products research, and it was decided that special emphasis should be laid upon this branch of forestry-work at the next Empire Forestry Conference, to be held in the Union of South Africa in 1933. On the recommendation of the committee, the Conference adopted the following resolution : — ' The Conference, having in view the vital importance of forestry both directly and indirectly to the well-being of the British Commonwealth, — " (a) Urges all the Governments concerned to develop such forest policies as will bring their forests under effective management: " (b) Takes favourable note of the good beginning which has been made in various parts of the Commonwealth in forest-products research, and of the steps which are being taken by the Empire Marketing Board and the Forest Products Research Laboratory at Princes Risborough to promote the utilization of Empire timbers ; and expresses the opinion that the scope of forest research should be widened to include the utilization of exotic as well as indigenous timbers : " (c) Recognizes the value of the Imperial Forestry Institute and the desirability of attaching to it a bureau for the collection and dissemination of information, and, further, recommends the several Governments to give these bodies their fullest support:

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" (d) Desires to place on record its appreciation of the munificent gift of £25,000 by His Highness the Rajah of Sarawak to the Imperial Forestry Institute : " (e) Desires to express its appreciation of the excellent work done by the Empire Forestry Conferences, welcomes the invitation of His Majesty's Government in the Union of South Africa to hold the next Conference in that Dominion in 1933, and recommends to all the Governments concerned active preparation for and participation in that Conference." XIX. RESEARCH. Subjects connected with scientific research were considered by a committee of the Conference comprising senior officers of the research Departments of the various Governments of the British Commonwealth, under the chairmanship of the Right Hon. Lord Parmoor, K.C.V.0., Lord President of the Council. The position with regard to co-operation in agricultural research may be regarded as generally satisfactory. As the outcome of the recommendations of the Imperial Conference of 1926 and of the Imperial Agricultural Research Conference of 1927, eight agricultural bureaux have been established for the interchange of information in eight branches of agricultural science. Scientific conferences are growing in number and importance. Improvements have been effected in the arrangements for the recruitment and training of agricultural research workers. Investigations have been carried out with the aid of funds provided by the Empire Marketing Board, involving team-work between research organizations in different parts of the British Commonwealth. The following resolutions were passed by the Research Committee on co-operative developments connected with agricultural research : — Results of Imperial Agricultural Research Conference, 1927. " (i) The Research Committee of the Imperial Conference note with satisfaction the remarkable growth within the Commonwealth during the last four years of co-operative activity in the field of agricultural research designed to meet the needs to which the Imperial Conference of 1926 drew special attention. " (ii) The committee welcome the success of the first Imperial Agricultural Research Conference, held in London in 1927, and, being satisfied that great benefits accompanied and have followed the holding of that Conference, urge the respective Governments to give their fullest possible support to the second Conference to be held in 1932, and to facilitate the representation of universities and research institutes at that Conference." Imperial Agricultural Bureaux. : ' In the establishment of the eight Imperial Agricultural Bureaux, financed from a common fund and controlled by a Council of nominees of the Governments of the Commonwealth, the Research Committee of the Imperial Conference find both a notable precedent for action on a true Commonwealth basis and a contribution that is already bearing fruit in the better dissemination of scientific knowledge throughout the Empire." Research Grants of the Empire Marketing Board.* " (i) The Research Committee of the Imperial Conference take note of the Empire Marketing Board's programme of research, involving commitments approaching £2,000,000 from the Empire Marketing Fund as well as independent contributions by so many Governments. They find that programme in accord both with the resolution of the Imperial Conference of 1926 and the policy adopted by the Imperial Agricultural Research Conference of 1927. " (ii) The Committee commend especially that feature of the Board's policy which aims at the concentration and development in the most appropriate centres of scientific team work upon problems of interest to the Commonwealth as a

* In this connection see Resolutions 11, 111, and IV on page 30.

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whole, and note as an example of special promise the recognition and extension of the Onderstepoort Veterinary Research Station as an Empire centre of research in the field of animal health. " (iii) The Committee also welcome the facilities provided by the Board for enabling scientific workers to visit different parts of the Empire." Financial Provision for Research. The Committee considered it desirable to emphasize the importance of scientific investigation being steadily pursued if fruitful results were to be achieved, and passed a resolution in the following terms : — " The Research Committee of the Imperial Conference, being convinced that progress will in the future be dependent to an increasing extent upon the growth and application of scientific knowledge, desire to direct the attention of the various Governments of the British Commonwealth of Nations to the importance of making adequate provision from State funds for the steady pursuit of scientific research into the various problems affecting the material well-being of mankind. They also desire strongly to urge their view that the severe economic depression from which the British Empire, in common with the rest of the world, is How suffering should be regarded as a reason not for the curtailment but for an expansion of expenditure on research. The greater utilization of the help which science can give will be a potent factor in the rehabilitation of existing industries, including agriculture, no less than in the development of new ones." Visits of Research Workers in the Empire. The Committee passed the following resolution on this subject: — " The Research Committee of the Imperial Conference are of opinion that the existing facilities, by means of which research students throughout the British Empire are enabled to visit laboratories and research stations in other parts of the Empire in order to receive training in research and to gain additional experience, should be extended, and that funds should be definitely provided in the annual budgets of research organizations with this object in view. The committee regard it as even more important that financial provision should be made to enable senior workers engaged in research to visit laboratories in other parts of the Empire for the purpose of consultation and the promotion of co-operative relations. ' Questions referred to the Reseabch Committee by the General Economic Committee of the Conference. The General Economic Committee referred a number of matters to the Research Committee for an expression of opinion on the scientific issues involved, and recommendations were made as follows : — * (a) International Institute of Agriculture, Rome. " The Research Committee are of opinion that the value of the assistance rendered by the Internationa] Institute of Agriculture to scientific workers in agriculture in the British Empire is negligible, and does not warrant the continuance of this work, especially having regard to the effectiveness of the services now rendered by the Imperial bureaux. " They consider that the energies and expenditure of the Institute should be concentrated on the statistical side of its work, particularly in the directions of greater completeness and speed of distribution of information." f (b) Dissemination of Research Results among Agricultural Producers. " The Research Committee of the Imperial Conference, being impressed with the potentialities of the cinema as a means of disseminating the results of scientific research among agricultural producers, recommend that steps should be taken to stimulate the production of agricultural instructional films having a common interest

* See also Section XX (c), page 42. t See also Resolution 111 on page 46.

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to more than one part of the Empire, and to secure closer co-operation between the authorities producing such films through the institution of a central catalogue, lending library, information service, and otherwise, and commend this proposal to the attention of the Empire Marketing Board." * (c) Imperial Institute. " (i) The Research Committee desire to record their view that the Imperial Institute is specially fitted to discharge its duties as a clearing-house for the collection and dissemination of information relating to the commercial and industrial utilization of the raw materials, including the mineral resources, of the Empire by virtue of the valuable information and experience accumulated by the staff during the last thirty years, by means of its contacts with technical Government Departments and producers of those materials in the Dominions. Tndia, and the Colonies, and by its close association with scientific and technical authorities and with the trades and industries concerned with the different groups of raw materials. " (ii) The committee recognize that a close degree of co-operation already exists between the Imperial Institute and organizations in the United Kingdom engaged in agricultural and industrial research, and in the promotion of marketing Facilities for, and the commercial utilization of, Empire products, and recommend that in any scheme for the economic development of the resources of the Empire that may emerge as the result of this or of future Imperial Conferences full advantage be taken of the services the Institute is in a position to render." f (d) Mineral Resources of the Empire. " (i) The Research Committee of the Imperial Conference are of opinion that in order to develop intra- Imperial trade in minerals and mineral products, it is desirable that a survey be made of the mineral situation of the whole British Commonwealth of Nations, with the object of indicating the surpluses of mineral supplies in certain units of the Empire available to supply the deficiencies in other units. '" (ii) The Research Committee strongly recommend that steps be taken by each Administration in the Empire to carry out such a survey of its own situation along the lines of a common plan which would permit the proper correlation of the data by a central committee, to include representatives of the various Governments concerned, of the mining and metallurgical institutions of the Empire, and of the Imperial Institute. The committee desire to draw attention in this connection to the resolutions passed by the Empire Mining and Metallurgical Congress in April, 1930, and suggest that consideration be given by the Imperial Conference to the form of common programme described in Dr. Camsell's memorandum, with the principle of which the committee are in gencnil agreement." J (e) Production of Oil from Coal. The committee were favourably impressed with the results that had been achieved in the experimental work at the Fuel Research Station at Greenwich on the hydrogenation of coal and tar, and formed the opinion that, technically, the treatment of coal and coal-tar oils with hydrogen at suitable temperatures and pressures offered a most promising method for obtaining large supplies of motor-spirit. X (f) Geophysical Methods of Survey. The committee reached the conclusion that geophysical methods of prospecting have been developed to a point of definite usefulness, and that their employment in the search for mineral and oil deposits is justified, provided that the work is carried out under proper scientific supervision and in close association with the geological survey of the area concerned.

♦See also Section XX (a), page 41. f Soe also Section XX (//). pages 41-42. | See also Section \ V (<•), page 43,

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Other Resolutions. The Research Committee also passed the following resolutions on a number of other matters : — Minor Forest Products. "The Research Committee are of opinion that in order to secure the full utilization in commerce and industry of the minor forest products of Empire origin, and to develop intra-Imperial trade in these products, it is desirable that such steps be taken as are practicable by the various Governments of the Empire to carry out a survey of their own resources in these materials. The survey should, as far as possible, conform to a common plan, so as to permit the proper correlation of the data by a suitable central body, including in its membership representatives of the various Governments concerned, of the Imperial Institute, and of other organizations closely associated with the investigation or utilization of these products. The directions in which information is particularly required would include the following : — " (A) Resources of minor forest products within the existing limits of economic production — " (i) Statistics of actual production : " (ii) Economics of production : " (iii) Exports. <; (iv) Imports : " (v) Consumption : " (B) Resources outside the existing limits of economic production— " (i) Lists of possible minor forest products which might be of economic importance. " (ii) If possible, the collection and extraction of information as regards costs and quantities." Standardization of Meteorological Units. " The Research Committee of the Imperial Conference note with satisfaction the progress made towards the universal adoption of a common system of meteorological units, and endorse the recommendations of the Conference of Empire Meteorologists and its proposals for the adoption of the international codes for the transmission of meteorological messages." Agricultural Standards. " The Research Committee of the Imperial Conference desire to draw attention to the assistance which might be rendered to intra-Imperial trade in certain agricultural commodities by reasonable uniformity of standards or grades, and urge that those responsible for formulating regulations of this character in each part of the British Commonwealth of Nations should bear this aspect in mind." Research under the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (United Kingdom). The research work carried out under the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research of the United Kingdom on the preservation and transport of foodstuffs, on building, radio-telegraphy, prevention of water-pollution, and on standards was also considered. The committee agreed that the arrangements for collaboration between the various Governments of the Commonwealth were generally satisfactory, but certain suggestions were made for more effective intra-Imperial co-operation in building research. Industrial Research Associations. The question of the practicability of co-operation between industrial research associations in the United Kingdom and the manufacturing industries in the Dominions received attention. The conclusion was reached that it was not practicable to devise a policy of co-operation between research associations and Dominion manufacturers which would be capable of general application, but that oversea firms desirous of making application to a research association for membership, either directly or through a national research organization, should be encouraged to do so.

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Imperial Wool Research Conference. The committee gave consideration to the resolutions passed by the Imperial Wool Research Conference, and expressed their general agreement with the spirit of the resolutions, and, in particular, heartily endorsed the reference made therein to the importance of scientific investigation into the problems of wool-production. Imperial Collaboration in Co-ordinated Programmes of Research. Finally, as a means for effecting a greater degree of Imperial collaboration in research, the committee recommended that arrangements should be made for the interchange of the schemes of work of the national research organizations of the British ('ommonwealth and for the principal workers engaged on the various researches to establish personal contact with their " opposite numbers " in research institutions in the countries of the Commonwealth. The Imperial Conference agreed to take note of the report and resolutions of the Committee on Research, and to refer them to the consideration of the several Governments of the British Commonwealth. XX. OTHER ECOMONIC QUESTIONS. A number of other economic questions of a miscellaneous character were referred to a General Economic Committee under the chairmanship of Sir Sydney Chapman, K.C.8., C.8.E., Chief Economic Adviser to His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The principal matters dealt with by this committee, and the conclusions of the Conference thereon, are indicated below. (a) Imperial Institute. Attention was drawn to the position of the Imperial Institute. It was recognized that as a clearing-house for information and for the conduct of technical investigations in general the Imperial Institute performs functions which constitute an essential service to the various parts of the Commonwealth not obtainable elsewhere. Contributions towards the maintenance of the Institute are made by the various Governments of the British Commonwealth. The Conference was informed in this connection that to enable the Institute to carry on its work on the existing basis new revenue of £9,000 a year was required, and that consequently, even if the contributory Governments undertook to maintain the existing level of their contributions, the present work could not be carried out without eventual depletion of capital funds and possible insolvency. The Conference agreed that if any part of the [nstitute's work was to come to an end it ought not to be the work of intelligence and investigation, and that therefore the Exhibition Galleries presented the one field where economy might be least regrettable. The General Economic Committee recommended that, even if the new revenue of £9,000 a year were not forthcoming, the contributory Governments should, at any rate, maintain their subscriptions for a period of not less than five years. The Conference agreed to accept the report and to refer to the consideration of the various Governments of the Empire the recommendations on finance contained therein. (b) Work of Imperial Organizations in the Field of Minerals. Under the above heading, the committee examined the proposal made by the Second Empire .Mining and Metallurgical Congress, held in Canada in 1927, and recommended by the Empire Congress held in Johannesburg in April, 1930, that the Governments of the Commonwealth should undertake a mineral survey of their respective countries on lines suggested by the Empire Council of Mining and Metallurgical Institutions. The Research Committee of the Imperial Conference, who were asked to advise on the subject, expressed themselves as entirely in accord with the proposal that such a survey should be made.

6—A. 6.

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On the recommendation of the General Economic Committee, the Conference adopted the following resolution : — " The Conference, recognizing that it is highly desirable that the various parts of the British Commonwealth of Nations should be furnished with the fullest practicable information regarding the mineral resources of the other parts of the Commonwealth, and the surpluses of mineral supplies in certain parts of the Commonwealth available to meet deficiencies in other parts, recommends to the favourable consideration of the various Governments that steps should be taken by each part of the Commonwealth to compile along the lines of a common plan existing information of its mineral resources and, where practicable, to make a survey of those resources with a view to completing such information, arrangements for the settlement of the form of common programme and for the correlation of results to be undertaken by a central committee, on which such Governments as so desire, the Imperial Institute, and mining and metallurgical institutions of the Commonwealth, would be represented." (c) International Institute of Agriculture. It was felt that an exchange of views on this subject would be of value before the meeting of the General Assembly of the Institute which opened in Rome on the 14th October. The Research Committee of the Conference, who were asked to advise, expressed the view that the value of the assistance rendered by the Institute to scientific workers in agriculture in the British Commonwealth was negligible. The Conference adopted the report submitted by the General Economic Committee, which recommended — (a) That the reform of the Institute should be pressed for at the General Assembly on every suitable occasion ; and (b) That in view of the importance to the British Commonwealth of Nations of complete and comparable information on world agriculture, and also in view of the limited financial resources of the Institute, it would be advantageous if the energies and expenditure of that organization were in future more concentrated on the statistical side of its work. (d) Cotton-growing. The General Economic Committee discussed the question of cotton-growing within the Empire with representatives of the Empire Cotton-growing Corporation. There has been a marked increase in the growth of cotton in the Empire in the last ten years, and there has also been a distinct falling-orr in the consumption in the United Kingdom of United States cotton as compared with cotton of other growths. Much expansion of cotton-growing in the Empire is, however, not to be expected unless prices improve. In India, in particular, at least one and three-quarter million bales of stapled cotton (I in. and over), suitable for the machinery of Lancashire, are produced annually. It appeared that Lancashire would be assisted in increasing her sales in Eastern markets if she used more Indian cotton, and it was suggested that the method of obtaining the best Indian cotton was to establish buying agencies to purchase direct from Indian growers. On the recommendation of the General Economic Committee, the Conference adopted the following resolutions : — " I. The Conference notes with satisfaction the increased production of cotton within the British Commonwealth of Nations in recent years, and recommends to the consideration of the Governments of the various parts of the Empire concerned that they should take all possible steps to maintain that increase, in particular (a) by requiring a sound and scientific foundation in the training and qualifications of their agricultural officers, and (b) by pursuing an agricultural policy which recognizes that cotton-growing can only be established as a permanent feature of the agriculture of any country if it constitutes one crop in an evenly-balanced rotation suited to local climatic conditions. " 11. The Conference notes with approval that the most careful attention is being given to the possibility of using in Lancashire a larger proportion of Indian cottons."

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(e) Petroleum Production and Refining in the Commonwealth. The question of petroleum supplies throughout the British Commonwealth had not received attention at an Imperial Conference since that held in 1918. Since then the world's production of petroleum had increased about two and a half times, reaching in 1929 a figure slightly over 200 million metric tons. Of this total, about 17 million tons of refined products (requiring about 21 million tons of crude oil) are consumed in the British Empire, while the production within the Empire of crude oil only amounts to about 3| million tons. Any practicable steps to reduce the dependence of the British Commonwealth on foreign sources for its supply of so important a product would therefore be of value. The Research Committee of the Conference, who were consulted, expressed the view that technically the treatment of coal with hydrogen at suitable temperatures and pressures offered the most promising method of obtaining oil from coal. The commercial success of the method would depend, however, on a number of factors. The Research Commit Ice also considered geophysical methods of surveying for oil, and advised that the employment of such methods in the search for mineral and oil deposits was justified, provided that the work was carried out under proper scientific supervision and in dose association with the geological survey of the area concerned. On the recommendation of the (Jeueral Economic Committee, the Conference adopted the following resolution : — " The Conference notes with satisfaction the progress which is being made in connection with the question of the extraction of oil from coal and the development of geophysical methods of surveying, and recommends the Governments concerned to support such steps as may he found practicable to promote the searching for and production of natural oil. and to increase the supply of refined oil produced within the Commonwealth, whether by the refining of oil or by the production of oil from coal." (/) Oversea Mechanical Transport Council ; Roads and Road Transport. Under these beads the General Economic Committee considered certain questions brought forward by His Majesty's Government in New Zealand with regard to road transport in general. They also reviewed the work of the Oversea Mechanical Transport Council. As regards the latter, the committee were informed that there would be a serious waste of past effort and expenditure if lack of funds prevented the Directing Committee of the Council from proceeding with the development of either of the two units with which they were experimenting. Sufficient money was available for the completion of the lighter unit, and it was thought essential that the work on the heavier vehicle should lie completed. As to the taxation of commercial vehicles, the committee were agreed in recognizing the importance of encouraging vehicles with low axle-loads, but recognized that there are other factors, including the type of tires, which are of great importance in relation to damage to roads. The committee did not feel competent, however, to express an opinion as to any uniform basis of taxation of commercial vehicles, either in the United Kingdom or overseas. On the recommendation of the General Economic Committee, the Conference adopted the following resolutions : — "I. The Conference takes note of the report of the General Economic Committee on the work of the Oversea Mechanical Transport Council and on roads and road transport, and, recognizing the importance of improved methods of transport to the production and marketing of primary products, especially in less-developed areas, recommends to the favourable consideration of the Governments of the various parts of the British Commonwealth the close study of methods for the improvement both of vehicles and of roads. It considers that much advantage is to be gained by interchange of information on these subjects, and it therefore welcomes the issue of the confidential bulletin on oversea mechanical transport by the Directing Committee appointed by the Oversea Mechanical Transport Council.

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" 11. The Conference further records its opinion that the experimental work on large vehicles now being carried out by the Directing Committee is likely to prove of great value to the development of the British Commonwealth. It trusts that means will be found to enable the Council to complete this agreed programme, and notes witli appreciation the substantial contributions which the Empire Marketing Board has been able to make to these developments." (g) Arrangements for a Conference of Statisticians. Tn the course of successive Imperial Conferences the inadequacy of existing statistics for the purpose of presenting a general review of the production and trade of the Commonwealth as a whole has received attention. Since the 1920 Conference of Statisticians the preparation of trade statistics in the colonies and dependencies has been systematized on lines permitting of fairly ready comparison with corresponding data prepared for the United Kingdom, but difficulties have been experienced in respect of the trade statistics of the Dominions and India. It was recognized that if real progress was to be made in the preparation of statistical surveys covering the Commonwealth as a whole a further meeting of statistical officers would be necessary, and the matter was accordingly referred to the General Economic Committee for further consideration. The committee proposed that a Conference of the Statistical Officers of the various parts of the British Commonwealth should be held in September, 1932. at Ottawa, and drew up a list of subjects which such a meeting might consider. The Conference commended the committee's proposals to the consideration of the Governments of the Commonwealth. (h) Adequacy ok existinci Steamship Services. While the shipping services between various parts of the Empire are generally adequate for the needs of the parts of the Empire concerned, there are cases where direct services for the carriage of important imports and exports from and to certain markets would be advantageous. For example, Canada is at present largely dependent on the port of New York for the shipment of goods between Canada and Java. The policy of treating the shipping of all countries on a footing of equality would, however, preclude the possibility of stimulating the provision of direct services by a system of preference to goods imported in British ships. The Conference recommended, therefore, that the Government of any part of the Commonwealth should be invited to submit to the Imperial Shipping Committee any specific case in which they considered that shipping services were not adequate to the needs of that part. (i) Double Income-tax Relief. Under the system at present in force for the avoidance of double income-tax where income belonging to a person resident in the United Kingdom or in a Dominion is taxed by both Exchequers, the United Kingdom Exchequer reduces its rate on such income by the amount of the Dominion rate, subject to the limitation that the reduction of the United Kingdom rate shall not exceed one-half the total rate of the United Kingdom tax (including super-tax). Consequently, in cases where the Dominion rate of tax is not greater than one-half the United Kingdom rate the United Kingdom Exchequer bears the whole cost of the relief, and when the Dominion rate exceeds one-half the United Kingdom rate the Dominion Exchequer bears the cost of the remission of such excess. It was felt by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom that the time was ripe to review the arrangements for the avoidance of double taxation, an<l it was thought that some approximation to the system in force between the United Kingdom and the Irish Free State, under which each country reciprocally agrees to refrain from taxing income which accrues to persons resident in the other country, would afford a more satisfactory basis for the relief. The matter was referred to the General Economic Committee, who considered such a method of relief, but definite division of opinion arose and there was not sufficient agreement among the members of the committee to warrant an attempt

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being made to elaborate further details of the scheme. Those who were favourable to the scheme suggested, however, that ii should receive the early and careful consideration of the various Governments of the British Common wealth, and that, if possible, advantage should be taken of the not meeting of representatives of the Governments of the Commonwealth to consider the scheme in greater detail with a view to the introduction of the appropriate legislation. The Conference took note of the committee's report, and referred it to the several Governments for consideration. (j) Reciprocity in Old-age Pensions. This matter was discussed at the Imperial Conference of 192 G. since when certain developments have taken place. In the United Kingdom the Widows', Orphans', and Old-age Contributory Pensions Aci of \us> has been amended bv the enactment of 1929. In the Union of South Africa a scheme of non-contributory old-age pensions has been introduced on substantially the same general lines as the systems of the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. In Canada the Federal Government has passed an Old-age Pensions Act, but does not at present appear to be in a position to negotiate schemes of reciprocity with other parts of the Empire. No changes have occurred in the pensions systems of Australia or New Zealand, at the instance of which latter Dominion the question of reciprocity was placed on the agenda of the Conference. The matter was referred for examination to the General Economic Commit lee. who reported that, in view of the manifold divergencies of the various noncontributory pensions systems, no standard reciprocal scheme for general application could be devised. It was recognized that, in addition to the question of the conditions governing the award of a pension to a migrant coming within the scope of a reciprocal arrangement, there was the further and distinct question as to the basis upon which the cost of a pension becoming payable under such an arrangement was to lie apportioned between the two countries concerned. The various pensions systems differ so extensively, however, that it was impossible, within the limited time available for discussion, to formulate a common basis of apportionment. The committee (with the exception of the representative of one Government) recommended that the Governments of the different parts of the Commonwealth should at the first convenient opportunity introduce such legislation as might be necessary to enable them to make reciprocal arrangements relating to old-age pensions, and, when the necessary powers had been obtained, to enter into negotiations with any other Government within the Commonwealth possessing similar powers, with a view to the formulation of a scheme of reciprocal arrangements. The Conference took note of the report and referred it to the several Governments for consideration. (/,•) Use of Cinematograph Films for the Education of Producers, etc. On the recommendation of the General Economic Committee, the Conference adopted the following resolutions : — "■ I. The Conference, impressed with the increasing importance of the question of Empire films, recommends to the various (iovernments of the British Commonwealth the further consideration of the report on the subject laid before the Imperial Conference of 1926, and reaffirms the resolution then adopted. ' 11. The Conference, recognizing the value of films for propaganda purposes, whether direct or indirect, in connection with inter-Imperial trade, as well as for other purposes, and realizing that the present period is one of rapid development and therefore of great opportunity, recommends that attention should be devoted to establishing and maintaining contact between the different parts of the Empire in relation to film-production, with a view to the sharing of experience and the promotion of the production of such films as will best serve the interests of the several parts of the Commonwealth.

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"111. The Conference, being impressed with the potentialities of the cinema as a means of disseminating the results of scientific research for example, among agricultural producers —recommends that steps should be taken to stimulate the production of instructional films having a common interest to more than one part of the Empire, and to secure closer co-operation and exchange of information between the authorities producing such films, and that this proposal should be referred for the consideration of the Empire Marketing Board."' (I) Standardization of the Form of Invoices and Certificates thereon. The imperial Economic Conference of 1923 recommended two standard forms of invoice and certificates of value and origin for adoption respectively by those parts of the Empire which levy ad valorem duties on the basis of (1) the current domestic value of goods in the country of export, and (2) the invoice values of goods. The former was based on a form drawn up and recommended by the Imperial Customs Conference, 1921. Although, with certain important exceptions (due for the most part to the fact that the parts of the Commonwealth concerned do not levy ad valorem duties on either of the above-mentioned bases), the invoices and certificates now required by most parts of the Empire are more or less in conformity with one or other of the standard forms recommended by the Conference of 1923, there exist numerous divergencies. The matter was referred for examination to the General Economic Committee, who came to the ((inclusion that it was impracticable to devise a standardized invoice form which would be at once convenient to shippers and acceptable to the Customs authorities of all parts of the Empire. The committee were, however, of opinion that technical difficulties in regard to certificates of origin would be greatly lessened if it were possible to arrive ai a common understanding of the principles which should determine the distinction between Empire and non-Empire goods. On the recommendation of the General Economic Committee, the Conference adopted the following resolution :— •■ The Conference, recognizing the advantage of maintaining the greatest measure of uniformity in the form of invoices and certificates thereon, expresses the hope that the forms recommended for adoption by the Imperial Economic Conference of 1923 will be adhered to as closely as possible, and further recommends that an inquiry should be made into the possibility of arriving at a common understanding with regard to the principles which should determine the distinction between Empire and non-Empire goods." (m) Other Subjects. The (ieneral Economic Committee also considered the questions of the avoidance of obstacles to the free entry of books, periodicals, and newspapers, and of an Empire mark of origin. The Conference, however, did not pass any resolutions on these subjects. XXI. CONCLUDING RESOLUTIONS. At the concluding meeting, the Conference adopted the following resolution : " The Imperial Conference desires to place on record its appreciation of the work accomplished by the Chairmen and members of the various committees and sub-committees which have been engaged in the discussion of the various subjects remitted to them. " The Conference is convinced that the detailed study of these subjects in committee has been of very great value not only in facilitating the work of the Conference but also in affording eu opportunity for establishing closer personal association among those who are engaged in similar work in various parts of the Commonwealth." The Conference also passed the following resolution at its last meeting:— •■ Before the meetings of the present Imperial Conference terminate, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and his colleagues desire to place on record the great pleasure which it has given them to welcome in London the Prime Ministers of the Dominions and other representatives from overseas.

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" On their part, the Prime Ministers and representatives of the Dominions and India desire to express their thanks to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom for presiding over the business of the Conference, and their gratitude to him and his colleagues for the warmth of their welcome and the assistance which they have rendered in the organization of the work of the Conference. " The Conference has tnei ai a time of great stress and difficulty, but its members trust that the work accomplished during the past few weeks may prove of lasting value to all the Nations of the British Commonwealth."' At the concluding meeting the Prime Minister of Canada, in accordance with the resolution already adopted by the Conference (see Resolution II in Section Xll on page 25), moved that the Economic Section of the Conference adjourn to Ottawa, to meet within the next twelve months at a date to be mutually agreed upon. This motion was put to the Conference and carried unanimously. XXII. ADDRESS TO HIS MAJESTY THE KING, EMPEROR OF INDIA. The following Address to His Majesty was moved by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at the concluding meeting of the Conference, seconded by the Prime Minister of Canada, and was unanimously adopted. Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald, as Chairman of the Conference, was asked to submit the Address to His Majesty :— " To His Majesty the King, Emperor of India. " We, the Prime Ministers and representatives of the Governments of the British Commonwealth of Nations who have been assembled during the past few weeks, desire, at the conclusion of the Conference, again to present our respectful duty to Your Majesty. ' We pray that under Divine Providence, Your Majesty and Her Majesty the Queen may long be given health and strength to preside over the destinies of all the nations of the Commonwealth, and that the assurance of the devotion and affection of your peoples may support you in this great task." The following gracious message from His Majesty was received and read by the Chairman at the close of the proceedings : — " I sincerely thank the Prime Ministers and representatives of the Governments of the British Commonwealth of Nations for the message which they have addressed to me at the close of the Imperial Conference of 1930, and I greatly appreciate their affectionate good wishes for the Queen and myself. It has been a pleasure to me during the session of the Conference to have this opportunity of meeting my Ministers from the Dominions, as well as the representatives of India. I trust that the results of your deliberations may be for the happiness and prosperity of my people in all parts of the British Empire. ' The Queen and I wish the members of the Conference God speed, and a safe and happy return home. "George R. 1."

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