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16 June, 1911.] [10th Day. Australia. The Honourable A. Fisher, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth. The Honourable E. L. Batchelor, Minister of External Affairs. The Honourable G. F. Pearoe, Minister of Defence. New Zealand. The Right Honourable Sir J. G. Ward, K.C.M.G., Prime Minister of the Dominion. The Honourable J. G. Findlay, K.Q., LL.D., Attorney-General and Minister of Justice. Union of South Africa. General The Eight Honourable L. Botha, Prime Minister of the Union. The Honourable F. S. Malan, Minister of Education. The Honourable Sir David de Villiers Graaff, Bart., Minister of Public Works, Posts and Telegraphs. Newfoundland. The Honourable Sir E. P. Morris, K.C., Prime Minister. Mr. H. W. Just, C.8., C.M.G., Secretary to the Conference. Mr. W. A. Robinson, Senior Assistant Secretary. Mr. A. B. Keith, D.C.L., Junior Assistant Secretary. There were also present : *The Right Hon. C. E. Hobhotjse, M.P., Financial Secretary to the Treasury; Lord Lucas, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Colonies; Sir Francis Hopwood, G.C.M.G., X.C.8., Permanent Under Secretary of State for the Colonies; Sir C. P. Lucas, K.C.M.G., C.8., Assistant Under Secretary of State for the Colonies; Mr. A. Law, C.8., Foreign Office; *Sir H. Llewellyn Smith, X.C.8., Permanent Secretary to the Board of Trade; Sir Walter Howell, X.C.8., Assistant Secretary to the Board of Trade; Captain Sir A. J. G. Chalmers, Board of Trade; Sir M. Nathan, G.C.M.G., Secretary to the Post Office; Mr. E. W. Farnall, Assistant Secretary to the Post Office; Commander Foakes, R.N., General Post Office; Rear-Admiral Sir C. L. Ottley, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., Secretary to the Committee of Imperial Defence; Mr. Atlee A. Hunt, C.M.G., Secretary to the Department of External Affairs, Commonwealth of Australia; Mr. J. R. Leisk, Secretary for Finance, Union of South Africa; and Private Secretaries to Members of the Conference.

Treaties. " That His Majesty's Government be requested to open negotiations with the several Foreign Governments having treaties which apply to the Overseas Dominions with a view to securing liberty for any of those Dominions which may so desire to withdraw from the operation of the Treaty without impairing the Treaty in respect of the rest of the Empire." /Sir WILFRID LAURIER : The first resolution which the Conference has to deal with this morning is the resolution of which I gave notice some days ago, and

* Present at the afternoon sitting.