IMPERIAL WAR CONFERENCE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16265, 16 July 1918, Page 7

IMPERIAL WAR CONFERENCE.

SUMMARY OF PROCEEDINGS. (ritESS ASSOCIATION" TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, July 15. The following summary of tho proceedings of the Imperial War Confer- j ence during tho week ended July 13th, has been recoived by the GovernorGeneral from the Secretary of State for the Colonies:— ' The Conference, on reassembling for its seventh meeting on July Bth, on tho return of"the Dominion members from Franco, first passed an address of congratulations to the King and Qleen on their Majesties' silver wedding, expressing its fervent wish and prayer tnat their Majesties might long bo sparod to live and reigu over an lliiiipire uuiteu in loyaity to its A.mg- ana Queen. Later iu tue uay his Jiajesty lepiied to tuo address, saying it uiioiuou great pleasure to tne vueun ana hirnseu. Tne JL'rime Ministers of tue .Dominions and other oversea representatives were present at tho Tnanksgiving faervice in St. Paul's, expressing taoir prayer that under J>ivine providence tho blessings of peace may soon be restored, bringing again the reunion of home life, wnich is the basis of the well-being of tho» whole Ji,mpira. This meeting was mainly occupied with certain economic and nnancial questions arising after the war, and certain resolutions of a confidential nature were passed. Further resolutions wero agreed to as to the desirability of the establishment of an Imperial Bureau of Mycology, for the purpose of investigating fungoid diseases, and that contributions to such bureau should be made by the Governments of tho Empire. The eighth meeting was hold on July 10th. At this meeting the first business was a statement by the Chancellor of tho Exchequer regarding the question of double income tax. Tho Chancellor explained the concessions mado to the oversea Dominions under tho Finance Act, 1916, and subsequent Acts. ' It was generally agreed that further action was impracticable during' the war, but the opinion expressed last year was reiterated, namely, that the wholo question called for review imme? diately after tho conclusion of the war, and that an amendment of the law should bo mado to remedy the present unsatisfactory position. The next subject discussed waa Imperial statistics, and the Conference passed a resolution approving the proposal of the Dominions' Royal Commission to hold a conference of statisticians after the war, tho War Conference to consider tho estnblishment of an Imperial Statistical Bureau, under the. supervision of an Inter-Imperial Committee. A further resolution passed at this meeting dealt with an Imperial news service. The resolution states:—''The Conference is impressed with the importance of. securing adequate news service, available to all parts of the British Empire, and the supply of such service through British sources." The Conference requested his Majesty's Government to formulate a scheme and submit it for the consideration of the Governments represented at the Conference. In discussing this question, the desirability of a British news service 'to Canada and Newfoundland was particularly emphasised.. At the ninth meeting, held on Julv 11th, the first resolution passed dealt with tho action taken and contemplated by his MajestyV Government, with a viow of freeing industries in tho [ United Kingdom from dependence on German dyestuffs, and rorommended the other Governments of the Empire to consider immediately what steps could be taken to co-onerate with the efforts of the Imperial Government to promote the successful development of tho dyo industry in the British Empire, and so avoid enemy domination over essential industries. The Conference next considered the question of inter-Imperial communications, and accepted the principle of the establishment of an Imperial Investigation Board to _ deal 'with the question of ocean freight rates. The Conforence apnorated a Committee to frame <i detailed scheme for anch Board, an<7 ols(* to consider the best machinery for promoting tho development of Imperial communications to the Lest advantage, with special reference to the probable size of vessels, and the consequent demands upon hnrbotir accommodation for the purposes of Imperial reouirernen+s. nn<t to «. resolution bonded in bv Prime Minister of New Zenlnnd. Jhe last resolution naesfd nt this meet-. ir<r stated tjmt the Conference considered it desirable for the pumose of euco«raci*n<T Tmporial trade t.hnf, the nresejH facilities for inter-Tmneriai parcels deliver* Should be improved and co-ordinated, and recommended the preparation of n detailed scheme to promote this obioct. >