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Mr. Barber : I think the tickets should be limited to members of Parliament, owing to the want of room in this chamber. Hon. Mr. Weston : I think we ought to admit a limited number, and leave it to the Chairman to regulate the number. There may be men in the various organizations who have a vital interest in the matter, and they should be allowed to be present if they wish. Right Hon. the Prime Minister: 1 agree with the Hon. Mr. Weston, and think the issue of tickets should be left with the Chairman. If left to individual members Ido not know where it is going to end. It is quite usual for visitors to be admitted to conferences on the issue of a ticket by the Chairman. It was decided to leave the issue of visitors' tickets in the hands of the Chairman. Hours of Meeting. The hours of meeting of the Conference were fixed at from 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., and from 2.15 p.m. to 5 p.m. Business Committee. Right Hon. the Prime Minister : The next question is the appointment of a Business Committee, to which may be referred any matter that may be deemed necessary for the efficient working of the Conference. Hon. Mr. Weston: Is it suggested that two members from each side would be enough to form this committee ? Mr. Roberts : I do not think so. Hon. Mr. Weston : Would you agree to three each side ? Mr. Roberts : Yes. I think we should make it an even number, and so force the committee to bring in recommendations. Hon. Mr. Weston : I suggest that the Chairman of the Conference should also be a member of the committee, but with no right to vote. He ought to know what is going on. The appointment of a Business Committee of six members was agreed to. Classification of Papers. Mr. Bishop moved, That all papers, other than those prepared by the Professors of Economics, be referred to the Business Committee for classification, with a recommendation that groups ballot for position. Mr. Henderson : It is suggested that delegates who have papers to present should hand in the names of the subjects with a brief reference to the contents. I think that would be all that would be necessary to enable the Business Committee to make the required classification. Professor Murphy : Are all the papers to be read in open Conference, and then distributed to each delegate ? It would mean a heavy job where something like twenty papers are involved. I can see no reason why the papers cannot be distributed, and be taken as read. Right Hon. the Prime Minister: I take it that the Conference later on will order the printing of the papers. Perhaps the Manager will explain what is proposed regarding the submission and printing of the papers. Hon. Mr. Ban: The recommendation is that typewritten copies of the paper to be read should be distributed by the secretary to the Conference. I understand that in some cases typewritten copies are available. Regarding the papers of the Professors of Economics, lam afraid that there will not be time to print and circulate them before they are read. lam sure, however, that the delegates will listen to those papers with the utmost interest, and in due course the papers will be printed and be available for the discussion of the matters dealt with when in committee. The object in referring the question to the Business Committee for classification is to obviate two or more papers belonging to the one group being scattered all through the proceedings of the Conference. Otherwise we might have a paper by Mr. Bishop on one subject brought on at a different time altogether from a paper on a similar subject read by Mr. Roberts. That is the principal object of making the classification. Mr. Roberts : I agree with the Hon. Mr. Barr. lam afraid that the Conference will be set a very heavy task in following the addresses of the professors without a copy in the hands of each member. I think the copies should be distributed before the paper is read. Professor Belshaw : I have arranged for copies of my paper to be available, but they will not arrive until Thursday. I agree with Professor Murphy that to have the papers read as well as circulated is a waste of time. Would it not be sufficient if the paper were circulated, so that each member could read it over at his leisure ? Mr. Bishop : I consider that the papers should be read in open Conference, and I do not agree with the professors that they should be taken as read. Right, Hon. the Prime Minister : I think the professors should read their papers, because it makes a difference if you listen to the man who is delivering the speech as compared with just reading it over quietly yourself. lam sure the delegates will feel very much as I do, and will be greatly interested in the papers, and we believe that the Professors of Economics will give us a useful lead on certain questions, and their papers will certainly form the foundations for a profitable discussion and for thought. The professors can check them over afterwards, if they wish, and the Printing Office can put the printing in hand as soon as they are ready. If we have to wait until they are mimeographed, or printed off, it may mean some delay, and we can readily see that in the early stages it is desirable, if possible, to have the hours filled up with useful information. Professor Murphy : Sir, I think you may take it that the Professors of Economics will do anything that the Conference desires them to do.
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