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Mr. Bishop : My suggestion was that the question of allowing discussion or questions should also be referred to that committee. Right Hon. the Prime Minister : Would that meet with your views ? Mr. Roberts : I agree. The representatives from our side on the committee are Messrs. Bloodworth, Mcßrine, and Roberts. Mr. Bishop : From our side the representatives are Messrs. Sterling, Williams, and myself. Right Hon. the Prime Minister : Is it your wish, gentlemen, that we proceed with the appointment of the committee ? Mr. Roberts : I move that Messrs. Sterling, Williams, Bishop, Bloodworth, Mcßrine, and Roberts be the Business Committee of the Conference. Members : Agreed. Mr. Roberts : There is just a matter we would like some information on : Is it the intention to take a report of the proceedings here, and have that report printed so that we may have copies of it ? Right Hon. the Prime Minister : A report is being taken of the proceedings of this Conference. The printing of the report is entirely a matter for the Conference to decide. If the Conference says that it wishes everything reported a record will be taken of everything that takes place ; and if you want it printed, the Manager is here to see that it is carried out for you. You have only to intimate your requests and they will be attended to. Mr. Roberts : Thank you. Discussion as to Papers to be taken. Right Hon. the Prime Minister : Is it your wish, gentlemen, that we hear one of the economists and his paper in the meantime ? Mr. Bloodworth : I think it would be scarcely fair to the economists or to the delegates that that course should be adopted. We are all anxious to hear what the economists have to say ; but we cannot follow them properly unless we have the papers before us as they read them, so that we can mark passages at the time, and ask them questions afterwards. Right Hon. the Prime Minister : I understood that it was practically arranged this morning that, in view of the difficulty and the time lost in getting sufficient copies to go round, we should in the meantime accept from the economists a paper, in order that the afternoon's work may be proceeded with. It is impossible to get them for you now, and they could not be prepared before to-night. That is the position. Mr. Roberts : If the object is to avoid any delay in the Conference, we would be prepared to submit a paper this afternoon on the objective of the Conference. That would enable the papers of the economists to be printed, so that a copy would be available for each member of the Conference. We think it is impossible for delegates to follow them without having the papers, and it would hardly be fair to the economists themselves. The paper I refer to might take up the whole of the afternoon. It is non-contentious, I think, and could be submitted if Conference agrees to that course. Professor Murphy : The professors have agreed to speak in order of seniority. I have not a paper prepared, but if that is acceptable to the Conference I will give an address on general lines, and it can be taken down and printed. If that will not suit the Conference, I will not address the Conference at all. Right Hon. the Prime Minister : I understood that we were to take the papers of the economists and defer discussion until copies of the papers were available. Another difficulty has arisen : I understand that Professor Murphy has not prepared a paper, and he has intimated what he is prepared to do. He is prepared to address the Conference on general lines, but his address will have to be reported. We are prepared to report that address ; arrangements have been made for that. Professor Tocher : I would suggest that, as copies of the papers will be available to-morrow, the papers should be taken this afternoon and the discussion to-morrow when the copies are available. Right Hon. the Prime Minister : But we have decided that the papers shall go to the Business Committee, and that the committee shall decide when the papers shall come up, and so forth. Mr. Bishop : I suggest that we have Mr. Murphy's address. That will save time, because it is not going to be presented to us in. typed form. Mr. Barber: It is very difficult to hear speakers in this part of the room. We shall be glad, sir, if you will ask some of them to speak up. Right Hon. the Prime Minister : I know it is a bad room to hear in. I trust delegates will speak up. Mr. Semple: I take it that Mr. Murphy's speech will be taken down, that copies will be submitted to-morrow morning, and that we shall then have an opportunity of discussing it. Right Hon. the Prime Minister : It would be difficult to get it by to-morrow morning. We should require to have all the Hansard staff at work to-night. As soon as it can be prepared., however, it will be available for the Conference. I put it that we take Professor Murphy's address now. Delegates : Agreed. Professor Murphy's Address. Professor Murphy : Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, —In order to save the time of the Conference, which on present indications threatens to be rather a lengthy one, I propose, so far as I know the minds of my colleagues, to touch mainly on such matters as they are not likely to deal with, and to touch verv lightly on those matters which I understand they will devote greater attention to'. lam quite certain of this, that if you take four different men from four different parts of the Dominion there will be some difference of opinion apparent. I propose to leave the question of sheltered and unsheltered industries to my colleague Professor Tocker, but I wish to endorse the reasoning of

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