A.—s

11

Conference is held and is successful a final Diplomatic Conference would be held to which all States would be invited. The Second Committee's report, with the resolutions attached, was passed by the Assembly at its meeting on the 23rd September. Health Organization. The annual report of the Health Organization for 1928 is Document A. 8. Brief accounts of its more recent work will be found in Documents A. 6 and A. 6 (a). It will be recollected that during the past few years the Health Organization has been working within the limits of a stabilized Budget, amounting to about 1,000,000 francs. It has hitherto consistently followed the policy of not overloading its programme. Results have been striking. No organ of the League has received greater praise or more thoroughly deserved it. The organization concerns itself with general intelligence work (in which is included the Singapore Bureau), with special investigations, such as tubercule and syphilis ; with interchanges of medical officers (in which New Zealand has already taken part), and with inquiries into general health administration or particular aspects of such administration in various countries. It is mainly on account of the last-mentioned that an increase of 250,000 francs in the estimates was asked for. Since the last Assembly the Health Committee has lent its assistance to the Greek Government in planning the reorganization of the Health Service of Greece. The work of investigation has been completed, and the Greek Government will put the recommendations of the Health Committee into operation. Similarly, Bolivia has asked for expert assistance in studying the reorganization of its Health Service, and the Government of China has requested that an expert, a member of the Health Section, should visit China with a view of studying a programme of reform in the health administration of that country. So valuable is the advice which the organization is able to give that its help is being more and more sought by countries in the elucidation of their health problems. The valuable results so far obtained could not have been accomplished without the help of National Health Administrations. Indeed, it is the officers of the latter who frequently do much of their work, although the money required and certain facilities are provided by the League. A useful summary of recent operations of the Health Organization is contained in the Second Committee's report to the Assembly (Document A. 67). Financial Organization. In my report last year I made reference to the Bulgarian loan then about to be issued. Particulars of the progress of the Bulgarian stabilization scheme will be found in Documents A. 6, A. 6 (a), and A. 30, together with information on other subjects with which the Financial Organization is engaged, including a programme of the study of undue fluctuations in the purchasing of gold. The Greek refugee settlement scheme proceeds apace, and has now reached a stage which promises completion next year. The organization had for some years been studying various questions of taxation, and the Council of the League has now set up a Fiscal Committee, whose duty it will be to study fiscal problems. A corresponding member of this committee is Colonel J. J. Esson. The report of the Second Committee (Document A. 65), containing a brief summary of the Financial Organization's work was presented to the Assembly on the 23rd September, when the following resolution was passed : — " The Assembly— " Takes note of and expresses its satisfaction with the work of the Financial Committee ; " Particularly appreciates that the study of the undue fluctuations of the purchasingpower of gold has begun, and hopes that this most important work may contribute to the economic well-being of all nations." Organization for Communication. The work of this permanent organization has been largely concerned with problems of communication and transit in Europe. A brief survey of what has been done since the Ninth Assembly will be found in Documents A. 6 and A. 6 (a). Two subjects, however, which are of more than European interest are the buoyage and lighting of coasts, and the reform of the calendar, including the fixation of Easter. The preparatory work for the unification of buoyage and lighting of coasts is now complete, and an International Conference of maritime countries is now in sight. As to the reform of the calendar, the views of the various countries will doubtless be laid before the next General Conference on Communications and Transit, which will be held in 1931. The Advisory and Technical Committee of the organization has occasionally been called upon to act as a conciliation body in connection with transit disputes arising in Europe, and has done much useful work. The Assembly passed the Second Committee's report (Document A. 6fi) at its meeting on the 21st September.