A.—6

one responsible to Parliament, and the conclusion to which we came was that the responsibility for this expenditure should be entrusted to the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, that he should be assisted in framing his scheme by, first of all, official representatives of the British Government Departments more immediately concerned, such as the Departments for Agriculture here and in Scotland, and then also by those who could keep in the closest touch with the Imperial Economic Committee and its recommendations, because, after all, a recommendation is one thing in print, but it is essential to know also what was in the minds of those who framed it. The plan, therefore, which we devised, and which has worked very happily, was that the Imperial Economic Committee should be represented in a consultative capacity on the Board that advises me —by a representative of each of the Dominions as well as by certain home representatives. In that way you get a continuing conference or body, which can keep the executive machinery, which is vested in the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, in constant touch with the views of the Imperial Economic Committee, and therefore with the Governments represented on that committee. That is the machinery which has been at work so far, though set up on a purely provisional basis for the consideration of this Conference. We have found that it works very satisfactorily, and it may perhaps be of interest to the Conference if I tell them briefly something of the nature of the organization we are setting up and of the work we are doing. An account of it is embodied in the two reports that have already been circulated—or are in course of immediate circulation—to the members of the Conference ; but it must be worth while my indicating briefly the lines that we are working on. Work of Empire Marketing Board. The Imperial Economic Committee in its first report indicated that there were two respects in which the marketing of Empire food produce could be specially benefited in this country. One was effective publicity to help to create that voluntary preference which, as the President of the Board of Trade has already indicated, can be a very important factor in these matters. It would help to get the public out of the existing ruts of habit in its purchases and give an incentive to purchase Empire produce, which would filter through the merchants and salesmen and alter the whole character of the trade. It was suggested by the Imperial Economic Committee that something like two-thirds of the total money spent from the Empire marketing grant should be given to publicity. The other matter to which it has given its attention is the question of research. Undoubtedly an enormous amount of work can be done by research to help the marketing of Empire produce. In a very interesting report on entomological work, which has been circulated to the Conference, Dr. Marshall, the head of the Imperial Bureau of Entomology, points out that something like 10 per cent, of the world's crops are destroyed every year by insects of one sort and another. I mention that as one indication only of the importance of research. Then, of course, there is not only the question of research into actual methods of growth and cultivation and into the combating of insect and other plagues —there is research into the wide problems of transportation, and of cold storage, and there is also economic research —research into the chain of actual marketing, to see, for example, where the incidence of cost comes and where it could be diminished. The Imperial Economic Committee also suggested that a certain proportion of the expenditure might be set down to definite schemes for helping this or that particular Empire product. Publicity Work. Following those lines broadly, we have set up, in connection with the Empire Marketing Board, two main committees, one on publicity and one on research. On the publicity side we have secured the co-operation of a small group of business men, each of them possessing very special knowledge of publicity either in the wholesale or in the retail trade—such men as Sir Woodman Burbidge, Mr. Pick of the Underground Railways, Mr. Crawford, the head of a big advertising organization, and others — who have thrown themselves into this matter with the greatest keenness and enthusiasm, who have given an immense amount of time, and whose deliberations will, I think, bear very substantial fruit in the near future. What they have felt, and, I think, felt very rightly, is that it would be a great mistake to launch on a concrete advertising campaign of particular Empire products, and to devote a great expenditure to that campaign, until it is quite certain that the supplies of those products, adequate both in quantity and in quality, are really available from the Empire. Therefore we have felt it wise not to rush into any detailed advertising campaign until we are quite sure that the ground is ready. On the other hand, a very great deal can be done to establish what might be called a background for such campaigns by a more general campaign, urging the advantages of purchasing Empire goods rather than foreign goods. That campaign, in the shape of both a poster campaign and a Press campaign, is now being set in train. Our Press advertisements are now beginning, and we have had some very interesting poster designs submitted, which are going to be on view at the Royal Academy on the 2nd November, when I hope that the members of the Conference may be able, just before our morning meeting, to come round and look at them. I think they will find most of them extraordinarily well done —attractive and interesting, and yet of a dignified character. There are other ways, too, in which publicity can be helped a good deal. There are always exhibitions of one sort or another going on. There was the Grocers' Exhibition recently. The Imperial Fruit Show will soon be opening and there will be the British Industries' Fair at the beginning of next year, and perhaps a further Fruit Show in the spring. In all these exhibitions we can, by spending a certain amount of money, secure a really good show for Empire products and in that way carry on the work done at Wembley. So, too, in connection with the Imperial Institute, by improving the exhibits there, by strengthening the arrangements for lecturing, by bringing teachers of schools and school children into contact with what the Empire can produce, we shall, I believe, be able to do a great deal. So, too, in connection with the cinema, to which the President of the Board of Trade

59