A—S

V

RESOLUTIONS.

The following Resolutions were unanimously agreed to by the Conference, except where otherwise stated :— I. Constitution of the Imperial Conference. That it will be to the advantage of the Empire if a Conference, to be April 2a called the Imperial Conference, is hold every four years, at which questions&•p. 94 oi common interest may be discussed and considered as between His Majesty's Government aud it is Governments of the self-governing Dominions beyond the seas. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom will be ex officio President, and the Prime Ministers of the self-governing Dominions ex officio members, of the Conference. The Secretary of State for the Colonies will be an ex officio member of the Conference and will take the chair in the absence of the President, lie will arrange for such Imperial Conferences after communication with the Prime Ministers of the respective Dominions. Such other Ministers as the respective Governments may appoint will also be members of the Conference—it being understood that, except by special permission of the Conference, each discussion will be conducted by not more than two representatives from each Government, and that each Government will have only one vote. That it is desirable to establish a system by which the several Governments represented shall he kept informed during the periods between the Conferences in regard to matters which have been or may be subjects for discussion, by means of a permanent secretarial staff, charged, under the direction of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, with the duty of obtaining information for the use of the Conference, of attending to its resolutions, and of conducting correspondence on matters relating to its affairs. That upon matters of importance requiring consultation between two or more Governments which cannot conveniently be postponed until the next Conference, or involving subjects of a minor character or such as call for detailed consideration, subsidiary Conferences should be held between representatives of the Governments concerned specially chosen for the purpose. 11. Colonial Repkkskntation on the Committee of Imperial Defence. That the Colonies be authorised to refer to the Committee of Imperial April so. Defence, through the Secretary of State, for advice any local questions in See p. 121 regard to which expert assistance is deemed desirable. That whenever so desired, a representative of the Colony which may wish for advice should be summoned to attend as a member of the Committee during the discussion of the questions raised. 11l General Staff for the Service of the Empire. That this Conference'welcomes and cordially approves the exposition A,>rii 23. of general principles embodied in the statement of the Secretary of State t'or.s,. ~: 12a War, and, without wishing to commit any of the Governments represented,