A.—H

With regard to taxation of non-resident traders, it was pointed out that, when a •manufacturer or producer resident in one part of the Empire sells his goods through an agent or branch in another part, he is subject to taxation in both countries, though his burden is eased by the arrangements which have already been made between many parts of the Empire for relief in respect of double taxation. There was general though not complete agreement that the charge to income-tax in the country of sale might with advantage be restricted to the " merchanting " profit which arises from activities exercised in that country, excluding the " manufacturing " or " producing " profit. The representative of India, however, was unable to accept this principle and the representatives of Canada and of the Commonwealth of Australia were not in a position to speak on behalf of, or to bind, Provincial or State Governments. The question was also considered from the point of view of inter-Imperial trade of the valuation for Customs duty purposes —in those parts of the Empire in which duty is based on the domestic value of the goods in the country of export —of goods in respect of which a drawback of duty has been given in the country of export. It was understood that certain points will be examined, especially with regard to special or dumping duties, by the responsible authorities in the light of the discussion which took place in the General Economic Bub-Committee. XXII. 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 Governments of the British Empire who have taken counsel together during the last few weeks, desire before we separate to express once again our fidelity and devotion to Your Majesty and Her Majesty the Queen. "We have found in all our deliberations a spirit of mutual good will and an earnest desire for co-operation in promoting the prosperity of the several parts of the Empire. The foundation of our work has been the sure knowledge that to each of us, as to all Your Majesty's subjects, the Crown is the abiding symbol and emblem of the unity of the British Commonwealth of Nations. " We pray that, under Divine Providence, Your Majesty may long be spared, with Her Majesty the Queen, to watch over the destinies of all the nations and peoples of your Empire." XXIII. CONCLUDING RESOLUTIONS. As the preceding sections of this report have shown, a large number of questions on the agenda, particularly those of a more technical character, were referred to committees and sub-committees for examination and report to the Imperial Conference. This arrangement was in part due to the fact that it had been settled, in the course of the correspondence between the Governments which preceded the Conference, that there should be no separate Imperial Economic Conference as in 1923. It was also partly caused by the length of the agenda and the short time at the disposal of the Conference. The plan adopted, under which many matters were first discussed by committees, the reports and recommendations subsequently coming before the Conference for endorsement, turned out to be most successful. On the one hand, it extended the time available for the examination of a series of complicated subjects, since committees could sit simultaneously ; on the other hand, it enabled the conclusions reached and the resolutions adopted to be recommended to the various Governments of the Empire with the full authority of the Imperial Conference. At the concluding meeting the Conference adopted the following resolution : — " The Imperial Conference desires to express its appreciation of the work accomplished by the chairmen and members of the various committees and sub-

* For the reply from His Majesty see Appendix XVI.

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