The Prince of Wales opened on! Tuesday morning at Guildhall the 12th Congress of Federated Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire at which over 300 ditcgates attended, half of them from over-Jceas. In some respects this. Conference is expketed to be the most important of all the congresses con~ Hvened by the federated chambers, lneause it will diceuss in plenary' sessions many of the wider subjects of Empire trade, while in the pila. toral discussions British, Canadian' and Australian business leaders will come to grips with details of soma] of the problems that now hamper} the fuller development of trading: relations. The object of the Con-rue is to find the best method vationalising trade within the pire, to bring about uniformity in commercial law, to improve transport, to substitute arbitration for] legal procedure in commercial disputes, to remove trade barricos, to develop Empire production, ' to educate coming generations in know: {iedze of the Empire, and to ensure that every citizen of the Empire shall first buy and sell to his fellows within the boundaries of the Empire. The fact that the Imperial Conference will meet a few months later throws a heavy responsibility on the delegates. This is indeed a year] jot Imperial gatherings. The Imperial Confrence will start in the Jautumn and since it has not been held since 1926 it should be of especial interest and should bind the Mother Country: much more closely to her Dominions _and Colonies not only as regards sentiment but in a more material way than hax been in the past.
Naturally with this weather hire aah been a certain amount of illness fabjut and colds and rheumatism are invevidence, while trades and pleasure trins which depend upon ood spring. weather ate expecially Unhappy. Travel Agencion for the summer holidays have not started "many. bookings. for. summer. hol Gave and the river te practically doterred. Tu fact until Wedn when the weather—marvellously unproved we were still wearing out winter coats, and he who dares to: leave anything off soon suffers The only bright spot is the beauti ful country. Everything is. gitvon andi perfect in beauty, and although the lack of sun may be harmful to certain crops, the vegetation and] foliage are exquisite. Howtwer one' cannot admire the country in the Pouring rain and storms, so thi Perhaps is a doubtful blessing, 1930 Empire. Day {1990 celebrated Empire Day in royal fashion. Although it] wis saddened by the loss of its founder, Lord Meath, everybody took part in some way or other in remembering and commemorating it: Empire Day fell this year on a Saturday, so the schools oflebrated Friday in their usual enthusiastic manner. The _B.B.C. had several talks about the Empire anid broadcast an interesting journey. in_which it took its readers to dif-feint parts of the Empire and gave thea sounds indicative of the country at which they were supposed to stop. Politicians have not ce' the day pass without caller attention to our responsibilities to the peoples over whom we have! control. The Royal Empire Setiety held a most represent ative and magnificent dinner atthe Connaught Rooms, though unfortunately the President the Dike of Connaught could not attend owing to the bad weather. The only dissentient note, if one may call it] that, was the suggestion by Mr. Alexander that Empire should be} changed: to "Commonwealth of Nations." Empire has @ very endear-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.