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Representatives were also present, on the invitation of the International Labour Office, from the League of Nations, the United Nations Interim Commission for Food and Agriculture, the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, the Inter-Governmental Committee on Refugees, » the Pan-American Union, and the Pan-American Sanitary Bureau. New Zealand was represented by a full delegation comprising— Government Delegates^ — The Hon. Walter Nash, New Zealand Minister to the United States of America. Mr. E. B. Taylor. Assistant Secretary, Department of Labour, Registrar of Industrial Unions and Registrar of Apprentices. Adviser and Substitute Delegate— Mr. B. R. Turner, Second Secretary, New Zealand Legation, Washington. Employers' Delegate— Mr. H. P. Butland, Secretary, Canterbury Employers' Association. Workers' Delegate— Mr. P. C. Allerby, Secretary, New Zealand Road Transport and Motor Drivers and their Assistants' Industrial Association of Workers. The Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Right Hon. I'. Fraser, was present at the opening plenary session and addressed the Conference, expressing his confidence that the International Labour Organization was destined to play one of the most important parts in achieving the objective of the Atlantic Charter in establishing freedom from fear and freedom from want. To the delegates at the Conference he stated his belief that their work would lay soundly and well the foundations of greater security, greater happiness, permanency of employment, and freedom throughout the world. ELECTION OP PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENTS On the motion of Mr. Thomas (Government delegate, United States), seconded by Mr. Coulter (employers' delegate, Canada) and Mr. Velasquez (workers' delegate, Chile), the Hon. Walter Nash (New Zealand Minister at Washington) was unanimously elected President of the Conference. The following were unanimously elected Vice-Presidents of the Conference :— Mr. Bustos Lagos (Government delegate, Chile). Sir John Forbes Watson (employers' delegate, Great Britain). Mr. Robert J. Watt (workers' delegate, United States of America). Mr. Carter Goodrich in his opening speech said that representatives were present at the Conference from forty-one States Members of the International Labour Organization, and referred as follows to the absence of the Soviet. Union :— " There is one gap in our ranks. I wish to speak of it frankly. We had hoped that the Soviet Union, as a great member of the United Nations, would be represented here to discuss with us the problems of international, social, and economic policy. We have not ceased to hope that, as one result of the work of this meeting, the Soviet Union may see its way to return to the International Labour Organization for the purpose of co-operating on that wide range of problems common to all nations, whatever their internal organization, that are determined to raise the standard of life of the masses of the people." ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURE In accordance with normal procedure, the Conference, following a three-day g.,neral debate on items I and II of the Agenda, broke up into the following tripartite Committees, the numbers of Government, employers', and workers' representatives being shown in parentheses in the order mentioned :— (1) Selection Committee (16, 8, 8). Chairman, Sir Samuel Runganadhan (Government delegate, India). (2) Credentials Committee (1, 1, I). Chairman, J. Van den Tempel (Government delegate, Netherlands). (3) Committee on items I and II of the Agenda (30, 18, 18). Chairman, Miss Frances Perkins (Government delegate, U.S.A.). (4) Committee on Employment (33, 22, 22). Chairman, Mr. Paul Martin, M.P. (Government delegate, Canada). (5) Committee on Social Security (36, 18, 18). Chairman, Dr. Padilla Castro (Government delegate, Costa Rica). (6) Committee on Dependent Territories (16, 8, 8). Chairman, Dr. P. Ilonig (Government adviser, Netherlands); (7) Committee on Application of Conventions (14, 14, 14). Chairman, Prof. Bertil Ohlin (Government delegate, Sweden). (8) Committee on Resolutions (16, 8, 8). Chairman, Mr. Trujillo Gurria (Government delegate, Mexico). In addition to the opening debate, full plenary sessions of the Conference were held from time to time for the purpose of transacting formal business, of receiving Committee reports, and voting on resolutions and Recommendations. Two full days were also devoted to a discussion of the Director's Report. NEW ZEALAND REPRESENTATION ON COMMITTEES New Zealand was represented on the following Committees :— Selection Committee (which acted as Steering Committee of the Conference) : Mr. Allerby (substitute). Committee on Items T and II (that is, the future policy, programme, and •status of the 1.L.0., and Recommendations to the United Nations on post-war social policy) : Mr. Tavlor, Mr. Turner (substitute). Committee on Employment: Mr. Taylor, Mr. Butland, Mr. Allerby. Committee on Social Security: Mr. Taylor, Mr. Turner (substitute). Committee on Dependent Territories : Mr. Turner.

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