DOMINIONS’ COMMISSION.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 March 1917, Page 1

DOMINIONS’ COMMISSION.

It’s RecommerdaUons.j LONDON, March 15. Tho Dominions Royal Commission’s final report has been presented. It surveys the Empire, and recommends the appointment of an Imperial Development Board under the Imperial Conference’s control, to advise continuously upon raw material supplies, and stocks of the Empire, and to devise the means of direction of the Empire’s capital towards tho development of all works. It contains numerous oilier recommendations which include increased British control over the selection of emigrants; greater eitoris on behalf of the Dominions to secure the immigration of young women with a view ito their better distribution, especially in in untry districts, ana avoiding their concentration in cities, and the emigration by the State ui children to the Dominions. The Commission recommends a uniform depth of harbours of thirty-three feet on the, Suez route to Australia; thirty-four feet on the Canadian route to Australia; and thirty-eight feet on the Cape Bouto; also a new high spdee mail- services with vessels of a great length and draught; also the development of a route to Australasia via Halifax, Bermuda, Jamaica, Panama and Tahiti. T,t. also recommends the control or freight rates and subsidised lines by Government boards, and the extension of the Dominions’ inspection of the unloading and marketing of proaiwe for Britain. It further recommends Government control of cables, and the Government’s acquisition of tbe Atlantic cable, and a one-third reduction in cable charges for Australasia, and a considerable rcdiuftionj in tho priess rates with a view to the vital importance of the dissemination of imperial news fully, widely and cheaply. Also a decimal coinage in the metric system, and uniformity in patents, trade marks and companies legislation. Extra Credit Vote. LONDON, March 15. All*. Uonar Law introduced a supplementary credit vote for sixty-four millions and said lie was disagreeably surprised to find that the la'st credit vote would not suffice for tbe financial rear, and it was now necessary to find eighteen millions* for Australian wheat: twenty-three millions as an advance to the Allies and Dominions. It had been understood that payments to Australia were unnecessary luring the current financial year. In both cases it meant paying money low instead of in'the next financial rear. Tbe balance comprised two amounts vbicb it was inadvisable to state separately. One constituted of additional muniions expenditure which really should >o a source of satisfaction, because it vas due to the more prompt delivery if supplies. The last item consisted of the hipping controllers payments for iureasing the supply of our merchant hips, which ho was obtaining more apidly than was expected. The Hon. McKenna asked how much f the £2,010,000,000 spent on mumions represented assets realisable afer the war. LONDON, March 15. A French Macedonian communique ays there is great patrol and artillery ctivitv on the Monastir front.