7

A.—6a

3. IMPERIAL PREFERENCE. (1.) Tariff Preference. It was decided to adopt the following resolution :— This Imperial Economic Conference, holding that, especially in present circumstances, all possible means should be taken to develop the resources of tin; Empire and trade between the Empire countries, desires to reaffirm the resolution on the subject of Imperial preference passed by the Imperial War Conference of 1917. (2.) Imperial Preference in Public Contracts. It was decided to adopt the following resolution : — (1.) That this Imperial Economic Conference reaffirms the principle that in all Government contracts effective preference be given to goodn made and materials produced within the Empire, except where; undertakings entered into prior to this Conference preclude such a course or special circumstances render it undesirable or unnecessary. (2.) That, so far as practicable, efforts be made to ensure that the materials used in carrying out contracts be of Empire production. (3.) That State, provincial, and local government authorities should bo encouraged to take note of the foregoing resolutions. 4, FURTHER STEPS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF MUTUAL TRADE. (A.) —Imperial Co-operation in respect of Commercial Intelligence. It was decided to adopt the following resolutions : — (i.) Commercial Diplomatic and Consular Services. This Imperial Economic Conference takes note of the offer of His Majesty's Government to place the services of His Majesty's Commercial Diplomatic Officers in foreign countries at the disposal of the Governments of the Dominions and India and of the colonies and protectorates in the same way and to the same extent as the services of His Majesty's Trade Commissioners within the Empire are already at their disposal. It notes that His Majesty's Government propose that, as regards countries outside of Euroj)e, the Governments should utilize direct the services of Commercial Diplomatic Officers or of senior Consular Officers whore no Commercial Diplomatic Officers have been appointed, but that communications which it is proposed to address to Commercial Diplomatic Officers in European countries should be transmitted in the first instance to the Department of Overseas Trade. The Conference, recognizing the importance of all possible steps being taken to strengthen the mutual co-operation of the several parts of the Empire in matters of commercial intelligence with a view to the development of Empire trade, welcomes the arrangements proposed by His Majesty's Government. It also welcomes the offer of the Governments of the Dominions which have appointed Trade Commissioners in countries overseas to make a similar arrangement for the utilization of those officers by Governments of other parts of the Empire. The Conference further recommends that, when two or more Governments of the Empire maintain commercial representatives in the same country, an endeavour should bo made to arrange that the offices of these representatives should, be in the same building or in close proximity, in order to facilitate all possible co-operation between such representatives in their work on behalf of Empire trade. (ii.) Commercial Travellers' Samples. This Imperial Economic Conference proposes that articles liable to duty imported into any part of the British Empire as samples or specimens by commercial travellers representing manufacturers or traders established in any other part of the British Empire should bo temporarily admitted free of duty, subject to such persons complying with the laws and regulations and also the Customs formalities established to assure the re-exportation or deposit in bond of the articles, or the payment of the prescribed Customs duties if not re-exported or deposited within the; prescribed period. But the foregoing privilege should not extend to articles which, owing to their quantity or value, cannot be considered as samples, or which, owing to their nature, could not be identified upon re-exportation. The; marks, stamps, or seals placed upon such samples by the Customs authorities of any part of the Empire at the time of exportation, and. the officially attested list of such samples containing a full description thereof, including, in the case of goods liable to ail valorem, duty, a statement of their value, should be accepted by the Customs officials of any other part of the Empire as establishing their character as samples and exempting them from inspection, except so far as may be necessary to establish that the samples produced are those enumerated in the list. The Customs authorities of that part of the Empire into which the samples are brought may, however, affix a supplementary mark to such samples or lists in special cases where they may think this precaution necessary. In cases whore the regulations require the provisional payment of the duties or deposits for such samples on entry a receipt for such payment should be given, and the duties or deposits should be reimbursed at any Customhouse at which the samples may be produced with a view to re-exportation,