DOMINIONS’ COMMISSION.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 March 1917, Page 2

DOMINIONS’ COMMISSION.

The Final Report

(Received March 26, as 9.25 a.m,) London, March 25

The Dominions’ Commission, in a final and unanimous report, covering five years’ investigation, states they had visited every capital of every state and province in the five Do. minions, had held 160 sittings and had examined 850 witnesses.

The report acknowledged the indebtedness and assistance of Mr Knibbs during tho Australian tour and Malcolm R:ss in New Zealand.

Reviewing the Dominions’ seriatim, the report inferentially favours the existing development of potentialities in Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and New Foundland in the order named,

The Australian interior was largely waterless and impossible of settlement. Northern Queensland, Northern West* ralia and the Northern Territory not proved suitable fcr a large white*population. Nevertheless, enormous areas, mainly the coastal belt, were as healthy as any country in the world. There was a beautiful climate and the rainfall waa sufficient. It was the most sparsely populated, civilised country in the world.

its Recommendations

(Received March 27, at 9.50>a.m) London, March 25 The Dominions Commission, in its final report, criticised the undue aggregation of population in the towss. Thß wheat areas are enormous, but they are lacking in railways, the average yielding 50% below Canada. The micerological potentialities are enormous, particularly in Queensland, which many believed to rank as the first State minerologically. New Zealand bad splendid agricultural country’ and was another Britain of the southern seas. Social legislation and the even distribution of wealth in New Zealand had probably more advanced her than any part of the Empire. \ The principal recommendation is the creation of a permanent Imperial Development Board under the direction of a permanent Imperial Con* ference, comprising twelve members intimately acquainted with the Empire, seven representing. Britain, India and the Crown Colonies, and one eaoh the five Dominions, with headquarters in London, to make frequent Empire peregrinations. The main functions would bo to complete and continue the work begun by the Commission in relation to the production and distribution of food and raw materials throughout the Empire ; scientific research ; em-/' ployment of Empire capital ; development of Empire resources; emigration with the Empire , steamships, cables and railways in so far as contributory to Imperial development. Lsgislation affecting trade aud preparation of Imperial statistics. The Board would be purely advisory in the initial stages and must not encroach ou political or administrative machinery of the self-govern-ing Dominions. The principal duty would be to initiate or report on schemes remitted by tbo Imperial Conference in participation with the Governments.

Shipping [Problems.

(Reeceived Maroh 26, at 10.25 a.m.) London, March 25 Inter Imperial communication demands vessels of greater draught and length, necessitating the deepening of the harbours at Suez and the Cape Canadian routes, notably Fremantle,. Adelaide, Melbourne, Lyttelton, PortChalmers.

The Australasian dry docks are inadequate, except Sydney. The shipping set vice will need reviewing in 1920 when the O.iaut contract expires with a view to scouring eighteen knot servicers lauding mails at Adelaide in twenty-five days fourteen hours via Suez, twenty-eight days via Cape, and twenty-five to New Zealand via Halifax and Vancouver. Subsidised services roust submit a • schedule or freights to Governments IWo obviate diff jreutiM rates inimical to Imperial Pads. The Oon' , .inisaicn recommends the creation of a Central Emigration Board, under British Governmental direction with a consultative board comprising of th 9 Dominion representatives. Other Recommendations (Received March 26, at 10 55 a.m.) London, March 25 1 7 The Dominions’ Commission discountenances immigration without adequate capital and training and urges increased female emigration to redress the balance of sexes. It recommends Government acquisition of the Atlantic cable and land line 1 from Nova Scotia to Montreal con- a necting with th 3 Pacific, thereafter o reducing the full rates to 2/, deferred to!/and week-end to 63 and press fi correspondingly, assuming the aboli- y tion of the Co.nraoawealth’s UDjustifi- y able terminal charge of 5d and the fi nationalisation of the private cable is ei beooming au uigent problem of states- o manship, a The Commission endorses Sir Joseph Ward’s views tbtreon at the B Imperial Conference of 1911. 01 Other recommendations are quinquennial census of the Empire, interImperial itinerant exhibitions and international exhibitions, unification of legislation patents and trade marks, w modification of double income tax, and to nniform Imperial decimal coinage, and metric weights and measures.