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equipment) of egg exporters, with serious penalties for infringement of Government regulations, is it) full working order. By the spring of next year similar complete control of creamery production will have been established. Although the ink is scarcely dry on the Parliamentary sanction for these measures, we are able to tell you that in the opinion of competent critics in Great Britain the best of our Irish produce for certain parts of this year has been higher in quality than the best that our foreign competitors —long established and highly organized as they are —have been able to place on the British market. When the peculiar difficulties of our internal conditions in the past three years are borne in mind it will, I think, be agreed that it is most encouraging to find practically all our agricultural institutions, schemes, and activities functioning more effectively than ever they did before. There is an increase in the local rate for county schemes, there is an increase in the number of cow-testing associations. The number of farmers grading up their breeding stocks is increasing every month. New creameries are being built and equipped, and existing creameries are co-operating with active good will with the Government, and there is a definite recognition throughout the agricultural community that by organization, efficiency, and hard work we can face without fear the hitherto triumphant competition of foreign countries. Imperial Economic Committee. I should like to add my word of appreciation to that of Mr. Amery of the valuable services which have been rendered by the Imperial Economic Committee. It is pertinent to say here that we, too, had recognized the need and had taken steps accordingly to bring the advantages of the most recent research within the grasp and understanding of the small farmer. Similarly, we are at one with the Imperial Economic Committee in its insistence upon the supreme importance of securing in our produce both uniformity of quality and continuity of supply. We recognise that it is better to have it said of our produce that it is consistently good than that it is occasionally excellent. Mr. Amery's observations on the important work of the Empire Marketing Board were of special interest to me and my colleagues, because both producers and the Government in Ireland are at the present moment co-operating in the work of improving our marketing methods. The Government of the Free State are dealing also with the question of agricultural credits. Trade with Great Britain. The influence of geography on trade is both immediate and obvious, and whilst it may not be generally appreciated it is nevertheless true that in her near neighbour, the Free State, Great Britain finds one of her best customers —the total value of our imports from Great Britain being greater than the total value of all our exports. We welcome the opportunity of taking our part in this Conference, representing as it does a great clearing-house of thought and action, since we are convinced that from the interdependence of Great Britain and our State it follows that, broadly speaking, whatever makes for the economic betterment of the one will have a like consequence for the other. We find, for instance, that every fluctuation in the purchasing power here is reflected immediately in the markets of the Free State. Similarly, we hope and believe that, if we are able to maintain a larger population and to induce more prosperous conditions, those facts will have beneficial reactions on this side of the channel. STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF NEWFOUNDLAND. Mr. Monroe: Prime Minister, I would like to say that I agree entirely with Mr. Bruce's remark this morning that while the question of Empire films and other matters are in the hands of an Expert Committee we cannot very well make any very definite pronouncement upon them, but I would like just to make a few preliminary remarks. Exports of Newfoundland. The'exports of Newfoundland consist chiefly of fish, paper, pulp, and iron-ore. The fish is salt-dried codfish and chilled salmon. The latter is brought to this market, and its consumption could be helped by the Marketing Board. Half the paper is used here by the Harmsworth Press, so-called ; the other half is sold at present in the United States of America. Australia has granted a preference on pulp from Canada, and perhaps both countries might agree that the preference should be extended to Newfoundland in return for some preference by Newfoundland upon Australian exports. Our iron-ore finds its chief market in Germany, and none here. This latter fact is due in the main to lack of unloading facilities here, and to the consequent cost of transportation. We feel that the use of our ore within the Empire, and particularly within Great Britain, is a vital matter for us, and for the Empire, and should be stimulated. Empire Preference to be considered. Newfoundland grants no preference to Empire goods, but a Commission has recently been appointed to revise the Customs tariff, and the propriety and feasibility of Empire preference will be favourably considered. Negotiations have been proposed for reciprocal preferences between Newfoundland and the British West Indies, along the lines of the recent agreement between them and Canada, and an attempt will be made to increase facilities for transportation. As I have said, we shall welcome some arrangement with Australia, and one with New Zealand will be regarded with equal favour.

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