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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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14. The requirements of the general reader will be met by the historical and descriptive portions of the Handbooks of Standing Information, and by Annual General Reports framed on the lines now proposed. We cannot suggest any single way of meeting the needs of those who are specially interested in the Colonies as possible settlers or tourists, but we are of opinion that what they require can be found in the Handbooks of Standing Information, the publications of the Emi- grants' Information Office, and the publications referred to under the heading of

Other Publications, iii & iv," in paragraph 3 of this Report.

15. The Trade Commissioners' Reports. These reports are of course primarily a matter for the Department of Overseas Trade and their probable nature has already been stated. We regard as specially important, however, the proposal that each Trade Commissioner should be instructed that, both as regards the information which he can give locally and in compiling his reports, he should endeavour to serve local interests as well as those of the United Kingdom. We recognise that for this purpose it is essential that cordial relations should be estab- lished between Colonial Governments and the Trade Commissioners for their area; and therefore we suggest that, when the appointment of such Commissioners is actually made, despatches should be sent to Colonies for which Trade Commissioners are appointed emphasising, inter alia, the desirability of such cordial co-operation.

16. If Handbooks of Standing Information are published, it is all important in their case, as in that of the Trade Commissioners' reports, that a full use should be made of them. To this end the volumes should not be too numerous. It is desirable that they should be paid for; but, subject to this, they should be inexpen- sive. Lastly, their form should be as uniform as possible, so that it may become familiar to the Public. Arrangements should be made that both Chambers of Commerce and Associations of Manufacturers should induce their members to subscribe for them and use them. Mr. Shelford and Mr. Oldham have kindly promised their co-operation in this respect.

17.

As regards the mode of compilation of the Handbooks of Standing Information, we would invite reference to the Draft Instructions contained in Appendix III. Most of the material of these Handbooks will be supplied by the Colonial Governments, and we recommend that any cost which may fall on Govern- ment funds in respect of printing, publishing and advertising them should be borne by His Majesty's Government. Whether the printing and publishing of these Handbooks should be undertaken by the Stationery Office or entrusted to a firm of publishers is a question on which various arguments could be adduced on either side, but after considering the matter in all its bearings we have come to the con- clusion that on the whole the best course will be for the publication of these Hand- books to be entrusted to a firm of publishers, provided that a satisfactory arrange- ment can be made as to terms. From the point of view of official convenience, publication by the Stationery Office would no doubt be the preferable course; but we attach much importance to securing that the Handbooks should be widely distributed and adequately brought to the notice of possible readers throughout the Kingdom, and we consider it therefore desirable that the methods and machinery which are at the disposal of a large firm of publishers should, if possible, be utilised for selling and advertising these Handbooks.

We recommend that a copy of each of these Handbooks should be supplied as issued, free of charge, to those Public Libraries in this country which possess a Commercial Section and a reading population of a certain size. In addition to this limited measure of free distribution, some of the Colonial Governments may think it advisable in their own interests to purchase a certain number of copies for free distribution among institutions which they consider would be likely to bring the Handbooks prominently to the notice of the sections of the public to which those Governments may more particularly desire to appeal.

18. It has been recommended that considerable extensions and alterations should be made in the Blue Books, and that the Blue Book Reports should be replaced by Annual General Reports, framed to meet official and parliamentary requirements and the interests of the general reader, rather than to afford strictly commercial information. We have also proposed the institution of a series of Handbooks of Standing Information, especially designed to meet the commercial

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requirements of this country. We recognise that these proposals involve consider- able additions to the work which the Colonial Governments have already to perform in preparing the Blue Books and the Annual Reports, and it remains for us to con- sider in this connection the second part of our Terms of Reference, which raises the question of furnishing the Colonies with some kind of quid pro quo for their Blue Book Reports.

We recom-

In the first place, the Handbooks of Standing Information, for which we recom- mend that the Imperial Government should bear the financial responsibility, will. as we have pointed out, afford an opportunity for widespread publicity as to the products, resources, and development of the various Colonies. We have, in para- graph 11 above, expressed the hope that this will result in attracting the attention of those who are in a position to invest capital for the development of the Colonies. It is also proposed, as stated in paragraph 10, to instruct the Trade Commissioners. who will be officers paid from Imperial funds, to give assistance and advice as to the improvement and extension of the export trade of the Colonies where they are stationed, and as to the development of local industries. The necessary corollary to this action on the part of the Trade Commissioners will be that the Depart-` ment of Overseas Trade, under whose authority the Commissioners, act. and by whose instructions they are guided, will become a centre from which information as to the resources of the Colony will be disseminated. mend that, as soon as the development of its organisation and its finances permit, that Department should, through the medium of the Trade Com- missioners, apprise the various Colonies of any changes in the demand for their products in the United Kingdom, and should be prepared in appropriate cases to make suggestions with a view to the development of fresh industries and the extension of existing industries. The correspondence with Sir William Clark. referred to in our terms of reference, mentioned the possibility of the appointment in London of Trade Commissioners for the principal groups of Colonies and Pro- tectorates, who might work in co-operation with the Department of Overseas Trade. We think, however, that it is unnecessary to proceed with this proposal, if our recommendation is accepted that the Department should not only aim at providing openings for United Kingdom trade in the Colonies, but also endeavour to encourage the general extension of the exports and industries of the Colonies themselves. We believe that the Colonies will receive an adequate return for any additional labour involved in the preparation of the Handbooks, the Blue Books, and the Annual Reports if our recommendations are adopted.

19. In concluding our report, we would wish to lay stress on the very real debt which we owe to Mr. A. J. Harding for his willingness to undertake the duties of Secretary of the Committee, and to Mr. Rushmer for the assistance which he has given.

It will be seen from the Appendices that a great deal of our work has fallen upon the Sub-Committees which considered the details of the Handbooks of Standing Information, the Blue Books, and the Annual General Reports. The Committee are much indebted to those gentlemen who, though not members of the Committee, served on the Sub-Committee on Blue Books and Blue Book Reports. These are Mr. A. E. Aspinall, C.M.G. (Secretary to the West India Committee), Mr. W. C. Bottomley, O.B.E. (of the Colonial Office), and Mr. R. Henshall (of the Board of Trade).

A. J. HARDING,

(Secretary).

J. RUSHMER,

(Assistant Secretary). 2nd March, 1918.

ARTHUR STEEL-MAITLAND) (Chairman).

W. H. MERCER.

W. J. GLENNY.

W. H. SHELFORD.

E. FITZJOHN OLDHAM.

G. GRINDLE.

F. G. A. BUTLER.

T. C. MACNAGHTEN. CHARLES TENNYSON.

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