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3. Office of the High Commissioner for New Zealand, Canada Canada's increasingly important role in international affairs, exemplified by the extension of Canadian Missions abroad to cover forty-four countries, by her position as a- member of the Security Council, and her leading part in the Atlantic Pact, has emphasized the importance of keeping abreast of Canadian policy on external affairs through the New Zealand High Commissioner's Office in Ottawa. During the year under review this task has been a particularly exacting one, since the resources of the High Commissioner's Office, containing only two diplomatic officers apart from the High Commissioner, have been severely taxecl by calls- on the staff to represent New Zealand at overseas conferences. From 13 June to 7 July the High Commissioner was absent from Canada as New Zealand Delegate to the International Labour Conference in San Francisco. He then * proceeded to Geneva as New Zealand delegate to the seventh session of the Economic and Social Council, and then to the United Nations General Assembly in Paris, returning to Ottawa in December, 1948. The Assistant Secretary was also absent from 3 July to 1 September, 1948, as adviser to the the New Zealand delegation to the Economic and. Social Council. From 5 February to 19 March, 1949, the High Commissioner and Assistant Secretary were absent in . New York for the eighth session of the Economic and Social Council. During the periods when the High Commissioner was absent, the Official Secretary assumed charge of the Mission as Acting High Commissioner. Apart from the more important work of keeping the New Zealand' Government informed on trends in Canadian domestic and external affairs, the High Commissioner's Office has maintained consultation on a Commonwealth basis with the Canadian Department of External Affairs and continued to cope with inquiries from students and prospective immigrants and tourists, as well as taking care of the interests of New Zealanders visiting or resident in Canada. Publicity material interpreting New Zealand affairs to Canadians has continued to be issued to the Canadian press. Film screenings and numerous talks given to various organizations by the High Commissioner in an extensive tour of the provinces in the early part of the period have also secured favourable publicity for New Zealand. The High Commissioner's Office has maintained close liaison with the New Zealand Trade Commissioner's Office in Montreal and the New Zealand Honorary Government Agent in Vancouver on matters of mutual interest; contact on administrative arrangements was also maintained with New Zealand posts in the United States.