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Geneva in June, 1947, the International Refugee Organization Conference at Lausanne in July of that year, the Sterling Area Conference during September in London, and the International Maritime Conference held at Geneva in February. New Zealand was also represented by officers from New Zealand House at the International Conference of Agricultural Economists in August, the International Conference of National Tourist Organizations held at Paris in October, the fifth session of the Preparatory Committee of the International Refugee Organization at Geneva in January, 1948, and the Conference of the Permanent Migration Committee of the International Labour Organization which took place at Geneva in February of this year. In addition, a representative from New Zealand House was present at the second and third meetings of the Study Group for a European Customs Union held at Brussels, the first being attended by a representative from New Zealand. Secretarial and cipher staff from the High Commissioner's Office were also called upon to assist at several International Conferences held throughout Europe, to which delegates travelled from New Zealand. The External Affairs Officer has also represented New Zealand on Committees dealing with whaling, polar, and Antarctic matters. 3. Office of the High Commissioner for New Zealand, Canada The election of Canada to the Security Council underlines her increasingly important and responsible position in world affairs. At the same time it makes it even more necessary than before that her policies and actions should be thoroughly understood by other members of the Commonwealth. It has therefore been a major concern of the Office of the New Zealand High Commissioner in Canada to keep the Department posted with information on Canadian domestic and foreign affairs. Canada has now established a very extensive network of overseas posts covering thirty-three countries, and Canada is in a good position to contribute to the arrangements among the members of the Commonwealth for exchange of information upon external affairs ; this exchange widens considerably the New Zealand Department's purview of world affairs. There was a constant demand for information on various aspects of life in New Zealand, and an increased quantity of material was distributed throughout Canada to newspaper editors, libraries, public bodies, and educational institutions. Background articles with illustrated photographs were submitted to the press for publication. Index descriptions of New Zealand films were supplied to the Canadian Film Society for inclusion in their film catalogue, and arrangements were made with the Canadian National Film Board