§ SIR GEORGE DOUGHTYTo ask the President of the Board of Trade how many commercial agents for the United Kingdom have been appointed to the various Colonies and British Possessions; and whether these appointments are made after consultation with, or with the approval of, the Colonial Governments interested.
(Answered by Mr. Kearley.) Twenty-one commercial correspondents have been appointed in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Some of these are officers of the Colonial Governments and nominated by them on representations made to the Governments by the Colonial Office. Others have been appointed by the Board of Trade on the nomination of special Commissioners sent by them to these Colonies on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Commercial Intelligence. In all cases these Commissioners have been instructed to confer with the Colonial Governments concerned. I may add that, as a consequence of discussions at the recent Imperial Conference, the question of the best means of extending and improving the means of obtaining commercial information with respect to the self-governing Colonies for the benefit of traders in the United Kingdom is now under the consideration
§ The following table gives the particulars for these years —
§ of the Board of Trade and their Advisory Committee, which includes representatives of these Colonies.