PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TRILE C.O. 885
21 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
62
Ministers, that a Conference was held at the Colonial Office on the 12th of August to discuss the proposed scheme for Imperial co-operation in preventing the spread, and furthering the investigation, of noxious insect pests.
2. It will be seen from the Report of the proceedings of the Conference,* six copies of which are enclosed, that representatives of most of the self-governing Dominions were able to attend, although, unfortunately, it was not possible to arrange for
every Government to be represented.
3. As you are aware, the Entomological Research Committee had previously put forward for consideration a scheme of which the main points were:-
(1) That the Committee should undertake a general survey of the more
important plant pests occurring within the British Empire;
(2) That they should organise a system for securing the prompt identification of any noxious insects which might be submitted for that purpose by officials of any of the Governments concerned; and
(3) That they should publish a journal monthly containing concise summaries of all the current literature which has a practical bearing on the in- vestigation and control of noxious insects.
This scheme was accepted by most of the Governments which were invited to co-operate, but your Ministers will see from the Report of the proceedings of the Conference that there was entire unanimity among all those present that a more extended scheme should be adopted. I need not elaborate the arguments in favour of this course, as they will be found in the Report, but I may say that I fully concur with the views expressed by Dr. Gordon Hewitt and others at the Conference as to the desirability of extending the scope of the work which the proposed Bureau would undertake.
4. As regards finance, an estimate of the cost of the extended scheme is annexed to the Report. It is calculated that an annual expenditure of approximately £2,600 will be required. The original proposals involved a total expenditure of £1,200 per annum only, and towards this it was suggested that the Canadian Government might contribute £300. If the new scheme proves generally acceptable, I would suggest that the contributions from the self-governing Dominions and India should be allotted as follows:-
Canada
India
South Africa
Six Australian States
Australian Commonwealth
New Zealand
Newfoundland
£
500
500
350
300
200
200
50
A sum of £500 will still have to be found to bring the total up to the required figure, and it is my intention, if the extended scheme meets with the approval of the Governments concerned, to approach the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury with a view to obtaining from them an annual grant of that amount as a contribution from the Imperial Government. In the first instance, I would propose that the various Governments should guarantee their contributions for a period of three years, at the end of which time the position could be reviewed.
5. An important point which arose during the discussion at the Conference was that of the representation of the contributory Governments on the managing body of the Bureau, I entirely agree that some system of representation should be adopted. The suggestions made at the Conference for effecting this appear to me to be satisfactory, but your Ministers will doubtless give the matter their careful consideration. In this connexion I enclose a list of the members of the Committee as now constituted.†
6. The relation of the proposed Bureau to the International Institute of Agri- culture at Rome is also dealt with in the Report. I understand that doubt has been felt in certain quarters as to the necessity for the existence of the Bureau as well as of the Institute, as it has been suggested that it would duplicate work which is already being done at Rome. It is, however, in my opinion clear that this will not be the case, especially when it is remembered that the Bureau would not confine
• No. 56.
† Enclosure in No. 72.
63
itself solely to dealing with insects harmful to plant-life, but would also embrace within its scope those which convey disease to domestic animals and to human beings. There would, therefore, be no question of any Government which now contributes to the Institute discontinuing its contribution to that organisation as the result of a decision to support the Bureau. Nor do I anticipate any difficulty arising in the relations of these two institutions if co-operation arranged on the lines suggested
at the Conference.
7. In conclusion, I have to express the hope that this scheme, from which the most valuable and far-reaching results may be expected, will meet with the approval and support of your Ministers. It is not yet possible to determine how soon it could be brought into force, but so far as can be seen, there is no reason why the Bureau should not be inaugurated at the beginning of next year. I may add that I should be glad to receive a reply to this despatch as soon as possible.
27163
No. 67.
AUSTRALIA.
I have, &c.,
L. HARCOURT.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL. [Copy to High Commissioner for Australia, 4 Üctober, 1912. L.F.] [Answered by No. 112.] (No. 401.) MY LORD,
Downing Street, 3 October, 1912. WITH reference to my despatch, No. 148, of the 29th of March,* I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, six copies of a Report of the proceedings of the Conference which was held at the Colonial Office on the 12th of August to discuss the proposed scheme for Imperial co-operation in preventing the spread and furthering the investigation of noxious insect pests.
2. It will be seen from the Report that representatives of most of the self- governing Dominions were able to attend, although, unfortunately, it was not possible to arrange for every Government to be represented.
3. In my despatch "Miscellaneous, "of the 29th of September, 1911, I trans- mitted to you a copy of papers relating to the scheme originally put forward by the Entomological Research Committee, the main points of which were:-
4.
[As in paragraph 3 of No. 66.]
As regards finance, an estimate of the cost of the extended scheme is annexed to the Report. It is calculated that an annual expenditure of approxi- mately £2,600 will be required. The original proposals involved a total expenditure of £1,200 per annum only. If the new scheme proves generally acceptable, I would suggest that the contributions from the self-governing Dominions and India should be allotted as follows:-
Canada India
South Africa
Six Australian States
Australian Commonwealth New Zealand, Newfoundland
£
500
500
350
300
200
200
50
A sum of £500 will still have to be found to bring the total
to the required
figure, and it is my intention, if the extended scheme meets with the approval of the Governments concerned, to approach the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury with a view to obtaining from them an annual grant of that amount as a contribution from the Imperial Government. When the original scheme was under consideration it was not suggested that the Commonwealth Government should contribute towards the expenses as well as the State Governments; but I think that
• No. 18.
↑ No. 56.
L.F. transmitting copy of No. 96 in Miscellaneous No. 231.