A.—2

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2. So far as the Crown colonies and protectorates are concerned, the work which mast form a basis for the scheme outlined in the second enclosure in this despatch is being actively prosecuted by the Entomological Research Committee. 3. In the case of the West and East African colonies and protectorates, the contributions from or on behalf of which to the work of the committee amount to £2,000 a year, large of noxious insects have already been made and identified, and steps are being taken to secure as far as practicable the co-operation of the other Crown colonies and protectorates. 4. With regard to the present scheme, which concerns the oversea Dominions and States and India, and is designed to supplement the work which is already being done in the case of the Crown colonies, you will observe that the proposals now made involve an annual expenditure of £1,200 a year, but that they are admittedly of a wider scope than those concerning which the sums of £500 a year and £1,000 a year were mentioned in the course of the proceedings at the meeting of the 14th June. 5. This larger scheme has been put forward because it seemed clear that the general opinion of the Conference was in favour of a more extended programme, but your Ministers will understand that it is a tentative suggestion intended to elicit a more precise expression of opinion from the several Governments. 6. For various reasons, such as the pressure of work in connection with the Imperial Conference, it was not found possible to arrange for a full representation of the oversea Dominions and States at the meeting of the 14th June, but the interest shown in the question by those representatives who were present leads me to hope that the scheme now submitted will prove generally acceptable. Should this prove to be the case, I would suggest that the expenditure involved might be allotted in the following manner : Canada, £300 per annum ; the six Australian States, £50 each, £300 per annum ; India, £300 per annum ; South Africa, £150 per annum ; New Zealand, £100 per annum ; Newfoundland, £50 per annum : total, £1,200 per annum. 7. I cannot but think that co-operation in scientific matters between the different parts of the Empire is likely to have beneficial and far-reaching results, and that the present scheme, if carried through, would be an important step to that end. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor the Right Hon. Lord Islington, K.C.M.G., D.5.0., &c.

Enclosure. A PROPOSAL TO INITIATE A SYSTEM OE IMPERIAL CO-OPERATION FOR FURTHERING THE PRACTICAL INVESTIGATION OF NOXIOUS INSECTS THROUGHOUT THE EMPIRE.—(Draft.) At a Conference of i epresentatives from the overseas dominions, held at the Colonial Office on the 14th of June, Lord Cromer, on behalf of the Entomological Research Committee appointed by the Secretary of Sta c for the Colonies, submitted certain proposals for the collection and interchange of information with regard to the insect-pests which occur in the various parts of the Empire. In order to serve as a basis for discussion, as well as to illustrate the useful kind of work which might be effected by an organization of this nature, a restricted scheme was put forward, under which it was proposed to deal only with the more important pests affecting useful plants or plant-products. These suggestions, which appeared to meet with the general approval of the i epresentatives present, are set forth in some detail in the appendix attached,to this memorandum. If in carrying out this proposal the work is strictly confined to identifying and recording only the more serious insect-pests attacking crops, &c, and if the publications are restricted to such returns as may be sent in by the colonies and dominions themselves for the information of other parts of the Empire, then the work which would devolve upon the central committee would not be very considerable, and the cost, as pointed out by Lord Cromer at the above Conference, should be fully covered by an outlay of about £500 per annum. But it seemed clear that the general opinion of the Conference was in favour of a more extended programme, and a resolution was passed recommending that the entomological committee should deal in a similar manner with noxious insects in general, including disease-carrying insects and ticks. The formation of a central bureau, which should be in a position to supply reliable information in response to all inquiries from Departments of Agriculture or Public Health concerning noxious insects, would certainly be of great practical utility ; but the organization of such a body on a thorough and effective scale would involve a very considerable amount of labour and expenditure. It is therefore suggested that, in the first instance, the scope of the committee's activities should be restricted to the following subjects : (1) The general survey of the more important crop-pests, as outlined in the appendix