A.—6

" (2) While the amount of its contribution must remain wholly within the discretion of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, it should be recognized that the efficiency of the Board's work and its opportunities for effective planning depend upon a minimum annual income being assured to the Board over a reasonable period : " (3) The Board should therefore be constituted as a body with a fixed minimum annual income, witli a provision enabling it to receive such other contributions from public or private sources as it may be willing to accept, for the purpose of furthering the marketing of Empire products."* XIV. STANDARDIZATION. The imperial Conference of 1926 adopted a resolution commending the further development of standardization within the various parts of the British Commonwealth of Nations, the exchange of information and co-operation in regard to common standards. Since that time it has become obvious that full and representative discussion would be of substantial assistance in giving effect to these general recommendations, and a Conference on Standardization, under the chairmanship of Mr. W. R. Smith, M.P., Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade, was accordingly arranged to take place at the same time as the Imperial Conference of 1930. The work of the Standardization Conference fell into two parts, relating respectively to industrial standardization, and fundamental standards. As regards industrial standardization, the Conference commended the co-ordination of standardization under a central body in each country, to which support should be given by the Government. It urged closer co-operation between these standardizing bodies with a view to the further development of standardization and the establishment, so far as practicable, of uniform standard specifications. Stress was laid upon the importance of simplification by means of the reduction of unnecessary types, sizes, &c, of everyday commodities. The Conference also recommended the adoption of marks or brands by the various standardizing bodies, to be protected throughout the Commonwealth, and suggested measures to promote adherence to standard specifications and practices. On the recommendation of the Conference on Standardization, the Imperial Conference adopted the following resolutions on the subject of industrial standardization :— '' I. (a) The Conference takes note of the growing recognition of the value of standardization as a means both to economy and to efficiency in the interests of producers and consumers, and draws attention to the importance of the contribution that may be made by its judicious development to the economic welfare of the British Commonwealth of Nations as a whole and of its various parts. " (b) It welcomes the advance which has been made in various parts of the Commonwealth in the co-ordination of standardizing activities under one central body representative of all parties concerned, and recommends to the consideration of those parts of the Commonwealth in which such co-ordination has not been achieved the adoption of steps to that end. " (c) It urges that the standardizing body in each part of the Commonwealth should be accorded the support of the Government, by way of financial assistance, of the co-operation of the Government purchasing Departments, and otherwise. " 11. (a) The Conference draws attention to the resolution of the Imperial Conference of 1926 in favour of the adoption, where practicable, of common standards, and recommends that the standardizing bodies in the various parts of the British Commonwealth of Nations should keep in regular and systematic consultation with a view to the establishment of uniform standard specifications so far as is practicable in their common interest.

* Note. —The representatives of the Union of South Africa considered that the fund was and should remain the concern solely of the Government of the United Kingdom, and could not, therefore, agree to paragraph (3) of resolution V.

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