Report of the Council. 193 



Festival of Empire, of which Sir Godfrey Lagden, K.C.M.G., wass Chairman, 

 conferred the privileges of Honorary Membership of the Dominions Club at the 

 Crystal Palace upon all Non-Kesident Fellows of the Institute, who shared in many 

 of the functions promoted by that Committee. 



Formation of Branches. 



20. The formation of Branches of the Institute in the Provincial Cities of the 

 United Kingdom has occupied the attention of the Council during the past year, 

 and Eegulations have been drawn up for their establishment and administration. 

 A Branch may be constituted, at the discretion of the Council, in any town or district 

 in the United Kingdom upon the requisition of ten or more persons desiring to 

 become Subscribers being sent to the Institute with the name and address of the 

 Honorary Secretary. The principal and immediate work of the Branches will be to 

 organise Lectures for the diffusion of intelligence concerning the Overseas Dominions, 

 Colonies, and India, and to bring together those who desire to aid in the maintenance 

 of Empire Unity. Ladies and gentlemen may become Members of such Branches, and 

 as such are entitled to receive the monthly Journal of the Institute, to attend all the 

 Meetings at which Papers are read or Lectures delivered both locally and in London, 

 and also to receive two invitations to the Annual Conversazione. 



Deputations. 



21. A deputation of the Council waited upon the Prime Minister and the Secretary 

 of State for the Colonies, at the House of Commons, with the object of urging the 

 Government to place upon the Agenda for the Imperial Conference the question of the 

 need for closer Constitutional Union of the Empire. The deputation was introduced 

 by Lieut. -General Sir J. Bevan Edwards, K.C.M.G., C.B., Chairman of Council, and 

 Speeches in support of the subject were delivered by Dr. G. R. Parkin, C.M.G., Hon. 

 Sir John A. Cockbum, M.D., K.C.M.G., Mr. Frederick Dutton, and Sir Westby B. 

 Perceval, K.C.M.G. The Prime Minister expressed his pleasure at receiving the 

 deputation, and undertook to bring to the notice of the Prime Ministers of the Self- 

 Governing Dominions at the Imperial Conference the arguments and representations 

 advanced by the Council of the Institute. A deputation of the Fellows resident in 

 Queensland also waited upon the Prime Minister of the AustraUan Commonwealth 

 for a similar purpose during his visit to Brisbane. 



Meetings of Non-Resident Fellows. 



22. A Meeting of the Fellows of the Institute resident in Port Elizabeth, South 

 Africa, was held during the past year, at which the Honorary Corresponding Secretary 

 submitted a statement regarding the work now being carried on by the Institute, 

 and the advantage of having Local Centres to keep in touch with the parent institution. 

 The Honorary Corresponding Secretary was requested to communicate with the other 

 centres in South Africa, and ascertain what steps were being taken in order to further 

 the interests of the Institute in their midst, and of the organisation they propose 

 formulating. This action marks the beginning of a movement which, it is hoped, 

 will be followed by the establishment of branches on an extensive scale throughout 

 the Empire. 



