Dr. C. A. BARBER, School of Agriculture, Cambridge. Mr. H. C. SAMPSON, Economic Botanist, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Mr. F. W. PHILLIPS, Assistant Secretary, General Post Office.

Lieut.-Colonel A. G. LEE, M.C., Staff Engineer, General Post Office.

Mr. G. O. WoOD, Principal, General Post Office. Vice-Admiral C. D. CARPENDALE, C.B.E., Controller, British Broadcasting Corporation.

Captain P. P. ECKERSLEY, Chief Engineer, British Broadcasting Corporation.

Professor R. S. TROUP, C.I.E., Director, Imperial Forestry Institute.

Mr. R. L. ROBINSON, O.B.E., Forestry Commissioner. Dr. R. S. PEARSON, C.I.E., Director, Forest Products Research Laboratory, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.

Professor FRASER STORY, Publications Officer, Forestry Commission.

Mr. A. R. HINKS, C.B.E., F.R.S., Secretary, Royal Geographical Society.

Mr. C. H. BRESSEY, C.B.E., Chief Engineer, Ministry of Transport.

Mr. E. S. PERRIN, Engineering Inspector, Ministry of Transport.

Mr. R. A. WATSON WATT, Senior Assistant, Radio Research Board, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.

Mr. O. F. BROWN, Secretary, Radio Research Board, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.

Mr. BRYAN FELL, Senior Clerk, House of Commons.
Mr. E. A. FELLOWES, Assistant Clerk, House of Com-

mons.

Mr. A. R. AINSWORTH, Assistant Secretary, Board of Education.

Mr. H. J. R. MURRAY, Divisional Inspector, Board of Education.

Mr. J. H. OLDHAM, Advisory Committee on Native Education in the British Tropical African Dependencies.

Mr. H. VISCHER, C.B.E., Secretary, Advisory Committee on Native Education in the British Tropical African Dependencies.

Mr. W. W. WOODS, C.M.G., Treasurer, Ceylon.

Dr. J. O. SHIRCORE, C.M.G., Director of Medical and Sanitary Services, Tanganyika Territory.

Colonel W. H. FRANKLIN, C.B.E., D.S.O., Director, East African Dependencies Trade and Information Office. Lieut.-Colonel J. H. LEVEY, D.S.O., O.B.E., Director, Gold Coast Commercial Intelligence Bureau.

Mr. H. B. ELLERTON, Agent, Malay States Information Agency.

Mr. J. B. CASSELS, M.B.E., Government Trade Commissioner for British Guiana in London.

Mr. P. H. EZECHIEL, C.M.G., Crown Agent for the Colonies.

Lieut.-Colonel J. F. H. CARMICHAEL, C.M.G., C.B.E., Crown Agent for the Colonies.

Mr. H. MARTIN, O.B.E.,
Mr. H. C. RANSON, O.B.E.,
Mr. W. E. HOGG,

Office of the Crown Agents

for the Colonies.

Sir CHARLES STRACHEY, K.C.M.G., C.B., Assistant Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Sir JOHN RISLEY, K.C.M.G., C.B., K.C., Legal Adviser to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Mr. E. J. HARDING, C.B., C.M.G., Assistant UnderSecretary of State for Dominion Affairs.

Dr. A. T. STANTON, Chief Medical Adviser to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Mr. W. D. ELLIS, C.M.G., Assistant Secretary, Colonial Office.

Mr. J. F. N. GREEN, Assistant Secretary, Colonial Office. Mr. E. R. DARNLEY, Assistant Secretary, Colonial Office.

Mr. A. J. HARDING, O.B.E., Assistant Secretary, Colonial Office.

Mr. O. G. R. WILLIAMS, Assistant Secretary, Colonial Office.

Major R. D. FURSE, D.S.O., Private Secretary (Appointments) to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Mr. A. J. DAWE, Principal, Colonial Office.

Mr. A. BEVIR, Private Secretary to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Mr. G. F. SEEL, Assistant Principal, Colonial Office.

Mr. A. RIDGWAY, Deputy Director of Information, Colonial Office.

In addition to the plenary meetings of the Conference, there were 14 meetings of Committees, and the Members attended a meeting of the Oversea Defence Sub-Committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence. The Governors and other Representatives of the African Dependencies also attended a meeting of the Tsetse Fly Sub-Committee of the Committee of Civil Research.

The Members of the Conference were received by the Prime Minister at No. 10, Downing Street, on the 31st May. In a brief speech of welcome Mr. Baldwin expressed his sense of the value of the work which was being done by the Colonial Services in maintaining the high traditions of the Empire overseas, by which standard especially the British race was judged throughout the world.

II. OPENING STATEMENTS.

In opening the Proceedings of the Conference on the 10th May, the Secretary of State for the Colonies welcomed the Representatives of the Colonial Governments, and expressed his gratification that, although the Conference had been summoned at such short notice, so many Governors had found it possible to attend, and that those who had not been able to come themselves had arranged for so strong a representation of the interests of their Colonies.

Mr. Amery referred to the nature of the Colonial Empire, and drew attention to the fact that, while there was a large measure of unity in the problems which confronted it, there was, owing to historical and geographical causes, but little structural or administrative unity. He suggested that the difficulties that were now presented by the existing lack of interchange and co-operation might be solved by the development of that system of consultation by Conference which had been found so effective in promoting unity of thought and action between Great Britain and the Dominions.

Mr. Amery then recalled the Conferences which had been held in increasing numbers during recent years between technical officers and representatives in groups of adjacent Colonies, and mentioned in particular two Conferences of a more general character which had been held in 1926, the East African Governors' Conference at Nairobi and the West Indian Conference in London. He explained that the present Conference, which was the first of its kind, must necessarily be tentative in character, but expressed his conviction that, although, having regard especially to the short time available, no definite conclusions might be reached, the exchange of views and opinions would be most valuable and that the decision to hold the Conference would be amply justified.

In conclusion Mr. Amery referred to the question of scientific research and organisation as perhaps the most important subject before the Conference, and pointed out that in this sphere particularly a wider outlook was required and some more effective system of interchange and co-operation than existed at present between the several parts of the Colonial Empire.

Mr. Amery's speech was published immediately afterwards.* In the speeches made in reply by the Governors and other Representatives present, cordial appreciation was shewn of Mr. Amery's decision to summon the Conference, and the opinion. was generally expressed that it would prove an effective method of consultation and would produce results of great importance to the Colonial Empire as a whole. It was clear that the Colonial Empire should, in future, be regarded as a unity in itself, sharing with the Dominions and India in the greater unity of the Empire.

See Appendix I. in Cmd. 2884.

Many of the Members expressed the view that the meeting would enable them to learn the experience of other Colonial Governments in dealing with problems analogous to their own, and it was generally felt that the Conference was of value not merely in bringing about greater personal contact between the Colonial Office and Colonial Governments, but also in promoting the interchange of ideas between the several Colonial Administrations.

III. MESSAGE TO THEIR MAJESTIES THE KING
AND QUEEN.

The first act of the Conference was to send a message of greeting to Their Majesties the King and Queen. The words of this message were:

66

At our first meeting we, the Governors and other Representatives of the Colonies, Protectorates, and Mandated Territories assembled in Conference, desire to express our loyalty and fidelity to the King and to assure Your Majesty and Her Majesty the Queen of the loyalty and devotion of the many peoples and races throughout the world whom we represent.

His Majesty's gracious reply was read aloud at the meeting on the morning of the 11th May and was in the following terms :—

"It has been a source of much pleasure to me to receive the message from the Governors and other Representatives of the Colonies, Protectorates, and Mandated Territories assembled at their first meeting, and the Queen joins with me in thanking them for their re-assurance of the loyalty and devotion of the many peoples whom they represent. I wish all success to the deliberations upon which they are about to enter. George, R.I."

On the 14th May Their Majesties the King and Queen received at Buckingham Palace the Representatives at the Conference and their wives.

IV. THE DISASTER AT CASTRIES, ST. LUCIA.

The Conference learnt with the greatest regret of the disaster which had overtaken the Colony of St. Lucia in the destruction by fire of a large part of Castries, the capital, during the early hours of the 15th May. The Secretary of State was requested to convey to the Colony, on behalf of the Conference, an expression of their deep sympathy, and the following telegram was sent to the Governor of the Windward Islands :

"Representatives at Colonial Office Conference now in session have asked me to convey to St. Lucia their sincere sympathy in the great misfortune which has overtaken their sister Colony."

The following telegram was received in reply from the Governor :

"Will you please convey to Representatives at Colonial Office Conference the high appreciation of my Government, people of St. Lucia, and myself for their message of sympathy."

V. EMPIRE DAY MESSAGE.

On the 24th May, at the request of the Conference, the Secretary of State sent a message of greeting on the occasion of Empire Day to the Governments and peoples of all the Colonies, Protectorates, and Mandated Territories.

VI. RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING OF COLONIAL

CIVIL SERVANTS.

(a) The Conference had under consideration a comprehensive memorandum* dealing with recruitment since the Armistice for those branches of the Colonial Services for which men are selected by the Secretary of State with the assistance of his Private Secretary (Appointments). Major R. D. Furse, who, as Private Secretary for Appointments, had been responsible for recruitment under successive Secretaries of State since 1919, was present during the discussion.

This memorandum shewed that during the post-war period great difficulties were faced in satisfying the requirements of Colonial Governments. There had been a demand for (a) about 60 per cent. more men per annum than in pre-war days; (b) a higher standard of quality in personnel; and (c) more, and better, training. It had therefore become evident

(1) that special steps must be taken to stimulate recruiting and to make the fullest possible use of available material;

(2) that in regard to certain scientific and technical departments there was a scarcity of candidates with the requisite personal qualifications and general as well as specialized education;

(3) that the existing curricula in training institutions, whence the supply is drawn, were not fully in accordance with Colonial requirements.

The memorandum then detailed the general steps taken during this period to improve recruitment and training, e.g., by general increases in salary levels, by developing a widely extended system of liaison with the University Appointments Boards and other educational authorities, and by extensive use of advertisement in the Press in respect of particular vacancies.

An account was next given of various specific schemes for improving the supply and training of recruits for particular ser

* See Appendix II. in Cmd. 2884.