A.—6a

10

The Conference strongly recommends, in the interests of inter-Imperial trade, the early adoption by all parts of the Empire which levy duty on the system in question of the form annexed to this resolution.* Certificate in regard to Postal Packages. The attention of the Conference ha.s been drawn to the short form of certificate prepared by the Imperial Customs Conference, 1921, for use as establishing the origin of goods sent by parcel-post from the United Kingdom. It understands that this form has already been adopted by a number of the Dominions and colonies, and considers that in the interests of inter-Imperial trade the adoption of a similar form is desirable in the case of parcels arriving in one part of the Empire from another part. The Conference* therefore strong]}' recommends that in the case of parcels sent by parcel-post the; e;ontents of which are of small value and are not merchandise for sale the following short form of certificate should be adopted at an early date by all parts of the Empire concerned, as providing satisfactory evidence of the origin of the goods in cases where the production of such evidence entitles the goods to entry at a lower rate of duty than would otherwise obtain : — " The contents of this package are not merchandise for sale, and every article herein, to the extent e>f at least one-fourth of its present value, is bona fide the produce or manufacture of [Name of part of British Empire.] " Dated at this day of 19 ' . , Sender." (ii.) International Conference on Customs Formalities. It was decided to adopt the following resolution : — That the Conference should take note of the work accomplished by the recent League of Nations International Conference on Customs and other Similar Formalities (the 15th October to the; 3rd November, 1923), and that the conclusions of that Conference; should be recommended for favourable; consideration to the; various Empire Governments concerned. (H.) -Empire Currency and Exchange. The Imperial Economic Conference adopted, and endorsed the following resolutions, submitted to them by the Committee on Inter-Imperial Exchanges : — (1.) That, arising as they do from the suspension of an effective gold standard, the difficulties of inter-Imperial exchange will disappear when the currencies of Great Britain and the Dominions affected are again made convertible into gold. (2.) That it is neither necessary nor desirable to adopt complicated plans for a new instrument of oredit, such, as Empire currency bills, which involve difficult and disputable constitutional and financial questions. (3.) That where difficulties have arisen in regard to exchange between certain parts of the Empire and. between such parts and the United Kingdom— (a.) The position could be ameliorated if the note-issuing authorities were to accumulate sterling assets and to undertake to exchange their local currencies for sterling, and vice versa. (6.) This measure might be further developed and assisted by the creation of central banks and by mutual co-operation, as recommended by the Genoa Conference. (c.) In some cases the bank charges for buying and selling sterling appear to be unduly high, and should be capable of reduction. (J.) —Co-oneration for Technical Research and Information. It was decided to adopt the following resolutions : — Resolution 1. This Imperial Economic Conference recommends the adoption of the first of the two schemes for the future of the Imperial Institute and the Imperial Mineral Resources Bureau proposed in the Itepoi'tf of the Imperial Institute Committee of Inquiry, 1923, subject to the following modifications : — (i.) That, in order to ensure that the reconstituted. Imperial Institute may in future undertake; in its laboratories only preliminary investigations of raw materials for the purpose of ascertaining their possible commercial value, and to ensure that investigation or research of a more extensive kind may be referred to the appropriate authority, whether in this country or elsewhere in the Empire, there shall be formed a small Committee of the governing body, to be known as the " Laboratory Committee," consisting of the Comptroller-General of the Department of Overseas Trade (or his nominee), the Secretary of the Scientific and Industrial Research Department (or his nominee), and a Fellow of the Royal Society, being a representative of that society on the governing body of the Imperial Institute, who will supervise the laboratory work of the Institute and report thereon from time to time to the governing body.

* See pages 135-137. t See Cmd. 1997 of 1923.