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Assistant Secretaries Mr. H. Beaulieu, Director, Staff and Publicity, Post Office Department. Mr. H. F. Feaver, Third Secretary, Department of External Affairs. Mr. W. Ide, General Executive Assistant, Department of National Revenue. Dr. H. L. Keenleyside, First Secretary, Canadian Legation, Tokyo. Mr. F. E. Lathe, Director, Division of Research Information. Mr. Oliver Master, Economist, Department of the Interior. Mr. T. L. McEvoy, House of Commons Staff. Mr. A. E. Richards, Agricultural Economist. Mr. B. J. Roberts, Comptroller, Government Guarantee Branch, Department of Finance. Mr. J. A. Wilson, Controller of Civil Aviation. Mr. H. H. Wrong, Counsellor, Canadian Legation, Washington. Press Officers L. B. Pearson, First Secretary, Department of External Affairs, A. W. Merriam, Private Secretary to the Prime Minister of Canada. A. Lalonde, Departmental Solicitor, Post Office Department. lI.—OPENING OF THE CONFERENCE The Conference was opened by His Excellency the Governor General of Canada who first delivered a gracious message from His Majesty the King, which was in the following terms: " My thoughts and prayers are with the delegates of my Governments who are gathered in Conference to-day, to explore the means by which they may promote the prosperity of the Peoples of this great Empire.^ At this Conference you are opening a new page of history, on which, within a few weeks will be written the record of a determined effort to solve the difficulties weighing so heavily, not only on us, but upon the whole world. It is my earnest hope that when this Conference rises there will be a record of results worthily reflecting the frankness, the sincerity, and the spirit of helpfulness with which, I feel confident, your deliberations will be conducted. The British Empire is based on the principle of co-operation, and it is now your common purpose to give the fullest possible effect to that principle in the economic sphere. By so doing you will set in motion beneficial forces within the British Commonwealth which may well extend their impulse also to the world at large. I pray that you may be given clear insight and strength of purpose for these ends. GEORGE R. 1." 21st July, 1932. His Excellency, on behalf of the Government and people of Canada, welcomed the delegations who had come from Overseas, and delivered an address to the Conference, which is included in Annex I. On the motion of the Leader of the Delegation of the United Kingdom, seconded by the Leader of the Delegation of Australia, the Prime Minister of Canada was asked to take the Chair at the meetings of the Conference and of the Heads of Delegations. As its first official act, the Conference placed on record a resolution of respectful devotion to His Majesty the King, which was moved by the Prime Minister of Canada as Chairman of the Conference, and. seconded by the Leader of the Delegation of India, and passed unanimously. The message was in the following terms: — " The representatives of the Governments of the British Commonwealth, assembled in conference at Ottawa at their first meeting, and as their first official act, desire to present their respectful duty to the King, to thank him for his gracious message which has just been read by His Excellency the Governor General. They join in thanksgiving for Your Majesty's continued health, and earnestly hope that Your Majesty and Her Majesty the Queen may long be spared to strengthen the feelings of love and devotion shared by all the peoples of the British Commonwealth of Nations."