ROYAL COLONIAL INSTITUTE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 793, 16 April 1910, Page 15

ROYAL COLONIAL INSTITUTE.

The annual meeting of the' Royal Colonial-Institute was held at the Whitehall Kooms, London; on March I', Lieuten-ant-Goneral Sir J. Bevan' Edwards presiding. The accounts showed an incomo of and a credit balance of Mm. '

The chairman, in moving the adoption of. the report and accounts, said that, in response to an invitation from the Earl of Plymouth, the council had consented to co-oporato with the council of the Festival of Umpire in carrying out tho arrangements for . tho gathering which was to take place at the Crystal Palnco during tho months of May, June, and July. With regard to tho name of the Institute, it, was a question whether the time had not arrived when some change might not be necessary,' and it had been suggested ■ that the title of . the Boyal United Empire Institute would express more clearly the aims and objects of the Institute. Having discussed various methods of popularising the Institute, he said that a source of increase in membership would bo the establishment of provincial conferences boginning in Edinburgh, Oxford, or other important centres at Home, and.possibly extending to the overseas Dominions. Although it might not be possible for tho Institute to lay down any definite course of action, the council recognised that it must take the lead in all matters . affecting the union of the Empire, and tho question arose as to whether they should continue their.efforts.on the lines upon which they had hitherto been working, or whether they should endeavour to establish more closely relations with the great Dominions of the Empire, with a view of devising some means by which the interests'and unity'of the Empire might bo considered . more fully and : impartially than was possible under, the existing party system. ■..■.. ....'., Mr. Richard Jebb, who supported the motion, said that he was not quite sure whether their aims wouJd not be furthered if they contrived to change the name in suoh a way as to leave out the word "Colonial."- As to the policy of the Institute, ho thought they might bring themselves into closer relation with such societies ns .the' British Empire League, _ and with a number of the emigration. societies that wore working incidentally arid effectively for the union of the Empire. Something might be done towards, making the Boyal Colonial Institute the centra of the work : of the societies having similar objects in view— their institute might become a sort of olearing-house for them. • Certainly there was need for co-ordination. • The-i motion was agreed to unanimously.