A.—6

Workmen's Compensation for Accidents which was adopted by the International Labour Conference at Geneva in 1925, recommends that the Governments of the several parts of the Empire should consider the desirability of giving effect, in so far as they have not already done so, to the principle of the draft convention in their workmen's compensation legislation." Administration of Compensation-moneys. As regards the administration of compensation-moneys, it appeared that the Courts of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and generally speaking of the other parts of the Empire, have at present no authority to transfer or receive for administration compensation-money awarded in any part of the Empire other than their own. The Conference adopted the following resolution " The Conference, taking note of the difficulties arising under the law relating to workmen's compensation in the administration of money awarded in one part of the Empire to beneficiaries resident or becoming resident in another part of the Empire, is of opinion that arrangements should be made between the different parts of the Empire whereby any sum awarded to such beneficiaries may, at the request of the authority by which the award is made, be transferred to and administered by the competent authority in that part of the Empire in which such beneficiaries reside. It accordingly invites the several Governments of the Empire to take such steps by way of legislation or otherwise as each may consider necessary and appropriate for the purpose of promoting such arrangements." The report of the sub-committee has been published.* XIX. RESEARCH. The subject of research was considered by a special sub-committee under the chairmanship of Lord Balfour. The report of this sub-committee, which was prefaced by a special introduction by Lord Balfour, was adopted by the Imperial Conference on the 19th November, and has been published.| The sub-committee were deeply impressed with the value of consultation and co-operation between all parts of the Empire in regard to research matters, and they gave careful consideration to the methods by which such co-operation can best be extended. General Organization. As regards the general organization of research, dealt with in Part I of the subcommittee's report, it was suggested that at special expert conferences which may be called from time to time, such as those already arranged for forestry and agriculture, the question should be considered whether there is need for establishing further scientific bureaux on the lines of the Imperial Bureaux of Entomology and Mycology ; and also organizations based not on a particular science, as are the existing bureaux, but on a particular practical art. Organizations of the latter kind would communicate scientific and technical information to those concerned anywhere throughout the Empire with the particular art concerned —agriculture, forestry, medicine, horticulture, mining, or manufacturing industry. It was further pointed out that organizations of either kind might be situated in whatever part of the Empire was found to be most appropriate. Attention was also called to the desirability that official organizations in the Empire engaged in similar branches of scientific research should freely and directly intercommunicate on all topics of common interest, and it was suggested that each part of the Empire should, as and when possible, nominate a representative to take part in the quarterly Standing Conference of the Departments concerned with research in Great Britain. The following resolution, proposed by the sub-committee, was adopted by the Conference : — " The Conference, impressed by the need of — (a) An active prosecution of research in all fields of applied science ; (b) The fullest practicable co-operation between the organizations respectively responsible for agricultural, fisheries, forestry, medical, and industrial research ;

* See Appendix XI. f See Appendix XII.

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