IMPERIAL ECONOMIC COMMITTEE.

Shannon News, 11 May 1928, Page 3

IMPERIAL ECONOMIC COMMITTEE.

FOSTERING CONSUMPTION OF DOMINIONS’ PRODUCE.

The Imperial Economic Committee have now been at work somewhat under three years. Both scientific and business-men and those engaged m public administration have generously placed their knowledge and experience at the disposal of the Committee. The fact that each principal part of the Empire is represented by at least two members has rendered it possible for some members, to serve for several years and so enable the committee to build up a tradition, and for others to be appointed for short terms so as to bring to the committee, special knowledge fresh from overseas. In some cases, as in those of Sir Mark Sheldon and Mr Clifford from Australia, advantage was taken of the presence in London of 1 distinguished visitors from overseas to nominate them to the Committee for .the time being; in other cases, as, for instance, in those of Mr MeOuat and Mr Cowie from Canada, gentlemen with specialist knowledge were sent over for the express puipose of participating in inquiries into specific subjects. The Committee have also derived benefits from the tours which several of the members have made to portions of the Empire overseas—notably those of the chairman, the Rt. Hon. Sir Halford Mackindei, Sir Syd ney Henn, M.P., Sir Thomas Allen, Sir Davson, Mr F. N. Blundell, M.P., and Mr J. Dimond. Since the Committee was appointed in 1925, its terms of reference have been extended by the Imperial Conference of 1926; and the Empire Marketing Board, well endowed with funds, has been appointed in Great Britain to foster the increased consumption of Empire produce in that country. The report now published, besides throwing light on the actual work of the committee and stating the subjects to which its attention is now being directed, sets out clearly and succinctly the distinction between the, work and objects of the Committee and those of the ‘Empire Marketing Board. The ultimate object of both is the same; to foster an increased consumption of Empire produce from home and overseas in Great Britain and to assist measures —especially those in the field of co-ordinated research —directed towards that end. But in constitution, methods of work and duties the two bodies are entirely distinct. The Imperial Economic Committee derives its authority from the Imperial Conferences, can only investigate subjects remitted to it with the consent of all the Governments of the Empire, has a fixed whereby each Government participating in Imperial conferences nominates its own representatives and is charged solely with the duty of investigation and report. It remains with each Government to decide the extent to which it will give effect to any of the Committee’s recommendations.

The Empire Marketing Board is entrusted with funds and executive powers by His Majesty’s Government in Great Britain to further the marketing of Empire products from home and overseas in the United Kingdom. The Empire Marketing Board is thus an executive organisation responsible to His Majesty’s Government whilst the Imperial Economic Committee is an Imperial Council reporting to all the Prime Ministers of the Empire on the economic subjects referred to it. Representative as it is of all parts of the Empire, it should be able to bring to the consideration of its subjects the experience and knowledge of all parts to be thrown into a common pool, not for the advantage of any one particular part of the Empire, but for the benefit of all, for the improvement in the preparation and ijnarketing of Empire products, and especially for and in the markets of the United Kingdom. “By purchasing goods produced in the overseas Empire in preference to those imported from foreign countries,’’ says the report, “it is in the power of the people of the Old Country to offer an increased market for Empire produce. To render voluntary preference effective three things were necessary: (1) That the consumer should be induced to select Empire goods; (2) that he should be able to recognise Empire goods; and (3) that Empire goods should be adequate in supply and quality, and reasonable in price.”