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coupon scheme has been devised to overcome currency difficulties which impede the circulation of educational, scientific, and cultural publications ; this is under consideration by member States, as is also a draft convention providing for freer circulation of visual and auditory educational material. Other current projects cover the education of backward peoples (in respect of which several test schemes are being prepared) ; cultural interchanges in arts, letters, philosophy, and the humanities ; and human and social relations (under which head an inquiry is being conducted into " tensions affecting international understanding"). In the scientific field, UNESCO has been active in organizing meetings of experts and in promoting projects which are in harmony with the general objects ■of the Organization. The most ambitious of these projects is the •establishment of an institute to conduct research in the Amazon Basin, which has so far not been possible on a wide scale because of ■conflicting national interests in the area. The Organization's field of work is vast in scope and it is itself still in the formative stage, but the report of the Director-General, Dr. Julian Huxley, on its first year of achievement indicates that good progress has been made with projects already undertaken, and that the Organization is establishing itself as an important factor in the promotion of international understanding and co-operation. Co-ordination of UNESCO activities inside member States is undertaken by " National Commissions." In New Zealand's case this work has so far been performed by an Interim Committee set up in September, 1946, under the chairmanship of Dr. Beeby, Director -of Education, to consider the establishment of a National Commission. The Department of External Affairs has advised the Committee on •questions of external relations and continues to be the main channel of communication between the Committee and Organizations overseas, including the UNESCO Secretariat in Paris. In August, 1947, the Committee recommended the establishment of a Permanent National Commission of fifteen members, whose functions would be broadly to advise the Government on UNESCO matters, to advise New Zealand delegates to the General Conference of UNESCO which is held each year, to serve as an agency of liaison with Organizations, institutions, and individuals in New Zealand contributing or interested in UNESCO activities, and to promote an understanding of the general objectives of UNESCO among the people of New Zealand. Cabinet approved this recommendation on 24 September, 1947, and the Interim Committee was asked to carry on as an Acting National Commission until the Permanent Commission could be set up, which, it was hoped, would take place in the latter half of 1948.