A.—6.

to more than one part of the Empire, and to secure closer co-operation between the authorities producing such films through the institution of a central catalogue, lending library, information service, and otherwise, and commend this proposal to the attention of the Empire Marketing Board." * (c) Imperial Institute. " (i) The Research Committee desire to record their view that the Imperial Institute is specially fitted to discharge its duties as a clearing-house for the collection and dissemination of information relating to the commercial and industrial utilization of the raw materials, including the mineral resources, of the Empire by virtue of the valuable information and experience accumulated by the staff during the last thirty years, by means of its contacts with technical Government Departments and producers of those materials in the Dominions. Tndia, and the Colonies, and by its close association with scientific and technical authorities and with the trades and industries concerned with the different groups of raw materials. " (ii) The committee recognize that a close degree of co-operation already exists between the Imperial Institute and organizations in the United Kingdom engaged in agricultural and industrial research, and in the promotion of marketing Facilities for, and the commercial utilization of, Empire products, and recommend that in any scheme for the economic development of the resources of the Empire that may emerge as the result of this or of future Imperial Conferences full advantage be taken of the services the Institute is in a position to render." f (d) Mineral Resources of the Empire. " (i) The Research Committee of the Imperial Conference are of opinion that in order to develop intra- Imperial trade in minerals and mineral products, it is desirable that a survey be made of the mineral situation of the whole British Commonwealth of Nations, with the object of indicating the surpluses of mineral supplies in certain units of the Empire available to supply the deficiencies in other units. '" (ii) The Research Committee strongly recommend that steps be taken by each Administration in the Empire to carry out such a survey of its own situation along the lines of a common plan which would permit the proper correlation of the data by a central committee, to include representatives of the various Governments concerned, of the mining and metallurgical institutions of the Empire, and of the Imperial Institute. The committee desire to draw attention in this connection to the resolutions passed by the Empire Mining and Metallurgical Congress in April, 1930, and suggest that consideration be given by the Imperial Conference to the form of common programme described in Dr. Camsell's memorandum, with the principle of which the committee are in gencnil agreement." J (e) Production of Oil from Coal. The committee were favourably impressed with the results that had been achieved in the experimental work at the Fuel Research Station at Greenwich on the hydrogenation of coal and tar, and formed the opinion that, technically, the treatment of coal and coal-tar oils with hydrogen at suitable temperatures and pressures offered a most promising method for obtaining large supplies of motor-spirit. X (f) Geophysical Methods of Survey. The committee reached the conclusion that geophysical methods of prospecting have been developed to a point of definite usefulness, and that their employment in the search for mineral and oil deposits is justified, provided that the work is carried out under proper scientific supervision and in close association with the geological survey of the area concerned.

♦See also Section XX (a), page 41. f Soe also Section XX (//). pages 41-42. | See also Section \ V (<•), page 43,

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