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Lieutenant-Colonel F. W. Voelcker is the New Zealand representative. One meeting was held during the year, in August. This proved particularly useful in giving consideration to the annual Budget prior to its submission to the Commission itself. The Commission work programme includes twenty-eight projects in the field of health, economic, and social development. In the field of social development, special importance is attached to education, in particular, technical education. At present, a sixmonths' study is being made of the needs of the South Pacific area for technical training. Co-ordination of research is perhaps the most important function of the South Pacific Commission, and the work being done by the full-time members and by the associate members of the Research Council is of great importance for the development of the territories of the South Pacific. The Research Council, which held its first meeting in Sydney in April, 1949, will meet there again in August, 1950. The Commission was engaged during the year in preparations for the first South Pacific Conference. The purpose of the Conference was to bring the peoples of the South Pacific area into closer touch with the work of the Commission and to obtain an expression of their opinion on the social and economic problems of the area. Representatives from Western Samoa and the Cook Islands and official New Zealand observers were to attend. The New Zealand Government are participating fully in the activities of the South Pacific Commission and have taken a prominent part in shaping its work. The Commission is a valuable instrument for he furtherance of international co-operation in the South Pacific—a task which it is performing with energy and success—and its work is evidence of the progressive and positive policy of the six member countries in regard to the social and economic advancement of the island peoples. 2. Relations with South Pacific Administrations The regional co-operation fostered by the activities of the South Pacific Commission has stimulated the relations of New Zealand with South Pacific Administrations in the fields of health and economic and social affairs. The Commission's work can be expected to increase the number of requests for advice and for the services of trained personnel, which are at present received largely from British Administrations in the area. It has generally been possible for New Zealand to provide the assistance requested. Particularly in the education and nursing services New Zealand makes a large contribution to progress in the Pacific.