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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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PLC.O. 885

20 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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COLONEL PRAIN: It will be very necessary for our friends to understand that our Committee cannot undertake to supply information regarding diseases that are due to fungi. We must pledge ourselves only to give information regarding diseases of plants and animals due to insect agency.

LORD CROMER: Yes. I quite see that.

LORD LUCAS: The Entomological Research Committee does not cover the whole field of animal disease, only a part of it.

LORD CROMER: The question of fungi is another large field.

LORD LUCAS: That raises another point altogether. But supposing you are supplied with valuable information by a Colony, let us say with regard to some fungoid form of disease of plants, are you not going to communicate that informa- tion?

LORD CROMER: We discussed that the other day, and I was told by the experts that the fungoid question is another very large branch of the subject, and all my experts were rather opposed to it, because they said it was another large branch of affairs which we could not very well deal with; it would enlarge our operations too much.

LORD LUCAS: That is, enlarge the work of the Entomological Research Committee?

MR. MARSHALL: If there is some definite information of value received

I do not see why it should not be published. It would not add to the cost.

MR. MIDDLETON: If you exist for the purposes of collecting entomological information, you would not expect people to look to you for information on fungi. Do not let them have that expectation.

LORD CROMER : quite see Colonel Prain's point. I should put the resolu- tion in this way :—

"That this meeting is of opinion that the proposal to obtain and disseminate information of a scientific and useful nature tending to prevent the spread by insects of diseases both in animals and plants to the various States and Dominions of the Empire would be highly advantageous, and that steps should be taken to obtain the adhesion of the Dominions which are interested in the matter."

That, I think, is the outcome of our discussion. Would somebody second that?

SIR ELLIOT LEWIS: I second that.

MR. MALAN: You are leaving out the fungoid diseases. Take, for instance, potatoes. There is something said in this Memorandum about regulations hamper- ing trade, and so on; and we have found that apply in regard to potatoes very seriously indeed. I would like to have information on the fungoid diseases as well as on the insect diseases.

MR. MIDDLETON: Then you must go to another source for that. LORD LUCAS: The point is that the Entomological Research Committee cannot help you with regard to that. It really only covers part of the subject.

MR. MALAN: This is our definition of plant disease in our Act and we considered the Acts of the different Colonies before we passed this Consolidation Act" Plant disease shall mean any bacterial or fungus or other disease which is injurious to plants," so that we clearly cover both insects and fungi.

other.

COLONEL PRAIN: We propose to give you information with regard to the

MR. MALAN: If this Committee deals only with insects I am quite satisfied. LORD CROMER: We could not deal with the fungi because we have not got expert knowledge. I will now put the resolution :—

"That this meeting is of opinion that the proposal to obtain and disseminate information of a scientific and useful nature tending to prevent the spread by insects of diseases both in animals and plants to the various Dominions and States of the Empire would be highly advantageous, and that steps should be taken to obtain the adhesion of the Dominions and States interested in the matter."

The resolution was then put and declared carried.

LORD CROMER: As regards further proceedings, I suppose the Colonial Office will address a communication to the various Governments.

MR. READ: I think we had better have a second meeting later on, after the Coronation.

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LORD LUCAS: And submit at that meeting a definite proposal with regard to the way it will work, and a statement of the finance and the whole thing complete. LORD CROMER: I think that will be the best way. I think we must have a more detailed proposal.

LORD LUCAS: What you want to do is to work out the actual details of it. LORD CROMER: Mr. Marshall and Mr. Lefroy can do that.

LORD LUCAS ; And Mr. Read.

LORD CROMER: Yes, and any experts there are among the representatives

of the Dominions. You require expert knowledge for it, do not you?

LORD LUCAS: Certainly.

SIR WILLIAM HALL JONES: You want first of all to get the official adherence of the Overseas Dominions, and then ask them to arrange to fit in with the proposed interchange of information. When you have that you will have the basis for your future working.

LORD LUCAS: Will you obtain the official adherence of the Overseas Dominions before they know fairly precisely what it is that is proposed?

SIR WILLIAM HALL JONËS: I shall have to report to my Government and I shall recommend them to support it.

LORD CROMER: Would it not be better, before we address ourselves to the

various Dominions, to have a detailed project to put before them?

SIR WILLIAM HALL JONES: You have it really in your circular. LORD CROMER: But that wants licking into shape. SIR WILLIAM HALL JONES: Yes, it might be improved.

for the Secretary to arrange.

LORD CROMER: And the finance of it too.

SIR WILLIAM HALL JONES: Yes.

That is a matter

LORD CROMER: I think, perhaps, if Mr. Lefroy and Mr. Marshall would put their heads together and work out the details, including the expenditure, then Mr. Read can work out the details of how the amount is to be divided and paid

by the various Governments. Then we could have another meeting of the Committee after the Coronation. Would not that be the best plan?

SIR ELLIOT LEWIS: Would not the better plan be to circularize the various Colonies and States through the Colonial Office and obtain their adherence?

LORD CROMER: Without having any further meeting of the Committee? SIR ELLIOT LEWIS: I do not think we want another meeting of the Committee.

LORD CROMER: This meeting of the Committee was only preliminary, but I think we might do that perfectly easily.

LORD LUCAS: You can circulate the proposal in its final form to the members who have been here to-day, and if necessary we could hold another meeting. I doubt if we want another meeting, though.

LORD CROMER: The Colonial Secretary will send round to the Governments

a copy of this decision, and at the same time the detailed proposal which Mr. Lefroy and Mr. Marshall will work out with Mr. Read.

SIR WILLIAM HALL JONES: And we shall each get a copy of the resolution that has been passed.

LORD CROMER: Yes, I think a copy of this resolution should be sent to everybody.

MR. KIRKPATRICK: And a report of the meeting.

LORD CROMER: Yes, and I think this resolution should be communicated to the press.

LORD LUCAS: Mr. Blandford asks me whether the shorthand writer's report of the meeting ought to be circulated. I think so.

go

MR. BLANDFORD: I would like to have it for reference when I home. LORD CROMER: If it is an official report I think it should be circulated to everybody, so that they can correct their remarks.

MR. BLANDFORD: I had not that in my mind at all.

LORD CROMER: If it is to be an official report it had better be circulated in proof.

MR. BLANDFORD: I simply want it for the purpose of telling our people what the different gentlemen here representing the Overseas Dominions said.

LORD CROMER: Certainly. You had better circulate it first in proof. Gentlemen, I think we have had a very satisfactory meeting, and I wish to thank you again very much for your presence.

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