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students and workers in learned institutions. The Department does; not attempt to anticipate all inquiries, and often merely ensures that the information officer at the post has the facts, leaving it to him to deal with the needs of the individual inquirer. In order that inquiries may be met, and in order, also, that New Zealand officers abroad may be kept in touch with the life of their country, the libraries of overseas posts are carefully maintained by the Department and regularly supplied with worthwhile New Zealand' literature and scientific and technical publications. The Department continues to publish, for the information of Parliament and the public, reports of New Zealand delegations to international conferences, treaties to which New Zealand is a party,, and the text of important international documents affecting New Zealand. 4. Treaty List Since 1943 the Department has been working to bridge a gap in the source material on New Zealand's external relations—the lack of any record of New Zealand's formal treaty obligations and commitments. This complicated task has now been virtually completed,, and a list of international agreements affecting New Zealand is with the printer. A prefatory note to the Treaty List explains the particular way in which New Zealand became bound by the treaties (some of which are very old). Appendix 1 of the annual report lists the treaties which the New Zealand Government have signed or ratified during the year. This list will be continued each year as an essential supplement to the Treaty List. 5. External Affairs Committee On 23 September, 1947, the House of Representatives ordered the appointment of a Select Committee, consisting of nine members,, to consider matters relating to external and Commonwealth affairs which might be referred to it by the House or the Government. The Committee consisted of nine members : the Prime Minister,, the Leader of the Opposition, Messrs. R. M. Algie, P. G. Connolly,. F. W. Doidge, J. Mathison, M. Moohan, Right Hon. W. Nash, and Mr. T. C. Webb. As a matter of convenience the Committee's Secretariat was drawn from the Department of External Affairs. The House referred to the Committee, and the Committee reported upon, the question of New Zealand policy towards the Japanese peace settlement. The Government directed the Committee's attention to the question of Palestine. Many other topics arose in the course of the Committee's deliberations. At its first meeting;