15

A.—6

action which is being taken by the Foreign Office and the Home Office to carry into effect the Marriage with Foreigners Act, 1906, they had no recommendation to make. The committee's resolution to this effect was laid before the Conference and accepted. XVIII. PROPOSED EXTENSION OF THE POWERS OF THE IMPERIAL WAR GRAVES COMMISSION, During the course of the Conference a proposal was received from the Imperial War Graves Commission that the powers conferred upon the Commission by the charter of 10th May, 1917, and the supplementary charter of 10th August, 1921, should be extended so as to enable the Commission to comply with a request, based on public expediency and economy, that they should undertake the public duty of the future maintenance of such cemeteries and graves as the old military cemetery at Tel el Kebir, the Crimean cemetery at Scutari, which is in the same plot of ground as the Commission's war cemetery, and the older cemeteries in Turkey which could more conveniently be maintained in conjunction with the graves of those who fell in the Great War. This proposal was submitted to the representatives of the Governments concerned, all of whom have indicated their acceptance of the proposed amendment of the charters by the addition of a clause to the following effect: — ' The Commission, if in their absolute discretion they deem it desirable, may, at the request of any Government of any part of our Empire responsible for or desirous of maintaining any place of burial or memorial, whether or not of or relating to such officers or men as may fall within the descriptions contained in our original charter of 10th May, 1917, or our supplementary charter of 10th August, 1921, or of or relating to any other officers, men, or civilians whatever, exercise with regard to such place of burial or memorial aforesaid, and the graves in such place of burial, all or any of their powers as in the said original and supplemental charters were applicable to the said burial-place or memorial and graves, provided that the cost of or incidental to any exercise of the additional powers given by this our charter be provided by the Government making the aforesaid request." Accordingly the necessary steps will be taken forthwith to incorporate a clause on the above lines in a further supplementary charter for submission to His Majesty the King. XIX. ADDRESS TO HIS MAJESTY THE KING, EMPEROR OF INDIA. The following address to His Majesty was moved by the Prime Minister of Great Britain at the concluding meeting of the Conference, and was unanimously adopted.* Mr. Baldwin, 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 British Empire who have been assembled to take counsel together during the past six weeks, desire, before our meetings come to an end, to give expression once again to our affection and respect for Your Majesty and Her Majesty the Queen, and,to reaffirm our fidelity to the Crown. "We have had to face, in the course of the deliberations at both our Conferences, many and serious problems which confront the sister nations and the peoples of the British Commonwealth. We shall count ourselves fortunate if we have been able to contribute towards the solution of these problems even to a small degree. " Yet, as we look back on the years which have passed since the Great War, we are proud to feel that, amid the economic and political convulsions which have shaken the world, the British Empire stands firm, and that its widely scattered peoples remain one in their belief in its ideals and their faith in its destiny. " To the task of promoting that unity, of which the Crown is the emblem, Your Majesties have long devoted your strength and labours. We pray that the consciousness of the devotion of the peoples and the members of your Empire may encourage and uphold you in that task for many years to come."

* For the reply from His Majesty, see Appendix VI i.