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our many problems when we remember that during the course of this Conference you and your Government have been faced with a great industrial upheaval which .meant more perhaps to Britain at the moment than any of our problems might have meant to us. We know that you occasionally left this Conference chamber only to carry on most important deliberations elsewhere. May I express the hope that all your efforts in that other sphere will be as successful as have been your efforts here ? I take this opportunity also of expressing my thanks to, and appreciation of, the secretariat, particularly Sir Maurice Hankey and Mr. Harding, for all that they have done. The physical labours of this Conference have far exceeded those of any previous one. Committees have been sitting continuously and simultaneously, but at no stage was there any confusion or delay. For this we Prime Ministers owe a debt of gratitude to the staffs who made it possible. General Hertzog : May I just say a few words ? lam not going to add much to what has been said already by Mr. Mackenzie King and Mr. Bruce, except that I agree entirely with all they have said. In leaving this Conference we shall all feel how we are all co-operators in one great scheme, and how necessary it is that we meet from time to time to see one another, and—may I just add this in conclusion—in order to understand really what is the feeling and the spirit here in London. I may say this': that I shall certainly leave this Conference and go back with a feeling that I do not think often happens in the history of any one attending an important gathering such as this, that I leave fully satisfied that whatever I wanted to have and to attain has been attained at these meetings, and, what is more, that it has been attained with the full co-operation and sympathy of all when we have met together. Mr. O'Higgins : I would not like to let this matter pass without saying that our delegation would wish to be associated fully with what has been said by the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia, and South Africa. We recognize with gratitude that every matter which was raised by us has received fair and friendly consideration by all those who participated in our deliberations. Proposals which we felt necessary to bring forward were considered at short notice and with the greatest care and the fullest desire to meet us in a reasonable way on every issue that was raised. We are very pleased with the general result of the Conference, and we feel that this Conference will be pointed back to as work that was very much in the interests not merely of particular component parts of the British Commonwealth, but in the interests of the whole. Mr. Coates : I desire to associate myself with what has been said by the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia, and South Africa, and by Mr. O'Higgins on behalf of the Irish Free State, and to say how much I appreciate not only the opportunity of attending this Imperial Conference, but the ready assistance that has been extended to us on every occasion by British Ministers, and also the co-operation of other members of the Conference, in some cases possibly holding different opinions, but at any rate showing respect for any divergent point of view that may have been expressed. It all goes to show how valuable these meetings are. My feeling is that it is possible for me now to communicate more readily with any member of the Conference, knowing that my standpoint will be understood and respected, and that the personal relationships thus formed will be of value to all the different parts of the Empire, one with the other. I recognize that you, Prime Minister, have controlled the Conference with an admirable spirit. You have a happy way of getting us all to work for you and with you. You have got us into complete harmony, and that spirit has permeated right through all our deliberations. Ido not know that I place so much importance upon what is written, though I realize that what is written may be of great importance to the peoples in the different parts of the Empire who saw difficulties which perhaps did not exist. A strong or dogmatic view cannot always be accepted, but I am sure that what we have done will assist our family relations in different parts of our Empire. I can only say that it has been a privilege—and I am sure I speak on behalf of all my colleagues —to have had the opportunity of meeting the members of the Conference, particularly as they have shown such a readiness to try and evolve something which we all believe will help towards further cementing the bonds of Empire. Our deliberations will have a powerful effect not only within our Empire, but also on other parts of the world. In conclusion, I wish to say how much I appreciate the assistance that Sir Maurice Hankey, Mr. Harding, and the other members of the secretariat have rendered by their thoroughness and their willingness —irrespective of time and trouble —to meet our wishes and make matters move smoothly. Mr. Monroe : I have nothing to say except that our delegation is in entire accord with the views that have been so fully and admirably expressed by others. Lord Birkenhead : It would not be in accordance with my own domestic position that I should attempt to bandy compliments with my colleagues, but I have an associate in my task whose efforts and co-operation I have deeply valued, the second in command of the Indian delegation, a very distinguished Indian nobleman, who is also a man of affairs, of experience, of profound patriotism, with an appreciation of the Commonwealth of Nations as we have examined it in the last few weeks. It would, I think, be quite accordant with the wishes of all of us and with the agreeable task to which so many have contributed to-day if the Maharaja were permitted to say one word instead of myself. Maharaja of Burdwan: I beg to thank you, Sir, and your colleagues for your courtesy and kindly consideration to all the Indian delegation, and also all the Dominion Prime Ministers for their kindness. Personally, Sir, I wish to convey my most grateful thanks to every one of you round this table for the cordiality and for the great friendship you have shown me, and I should be failing in my duty if I did not convey my thanks to Lord Balfour for the great patience with which he has presided over that important Committee on Inter-Imperial Relations. Also I should like to thank Sir Maurice Hankey and others for their great help.

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