61 
been most happily chosen in this Imperial Institute, and 
I think your President has been most happily chosen in 
the person of Professor Dunstan. I am quite sure that 
you have all of you listened to his address this morning 
with the greatest possible interest. I do not know, 
gentlemen, whether I ought to condole with or con- 
gratulate you on the fact that you are opening your 
Congress this morning at a time of unusual political 
interest in this country. It is by accident rather than 
design that that has happened, but I refer to it at this 
moment for this purpose. I am afraid that the political 
engagements of many of us who are members of one 
or other House of Parliament are such at the present 
moment that we shall not be able ourselves to attend 
some of the meetings of this Congress that we should 
have liked to attend. For myself, greatly to my regret, 
{ shall be unable to be at the Congress this afternoon, 
when the question of cotton is to be dealt with. If any 
observations of mine are required, I have written out, 
and they can be read on that occasion, some very short 
observations dealing with that question. But I want 
to take this opportunity of apologizing for the fact that 
I am unable to be present this afternoon on account of 
the great importance of the proceedings of the House of 
Lords. 
Now, gentlemen, I will not detain you longer, but 
will ask you to express your very hearty thanks to 
Professor Dunstan for the Address with which he has 
opened our proceedings this morning. 
The resolution was carried unanimously. 
The PRESIDENT: My Lords and Gentlemen—lI desire 
to thank you and Sir George Reid and Sir Hugh Clifford 
for their very generous words, and also to thank Lord 
Emmott for his kindness in coming here this morning 
at some inconvenience to represent the Colonial Office 
at the opening meeting of our Congress, in the unavoid- 
able absence of the Secretary of State. I can only say 
it has been a great pleasure, as well as a great honour, 
to me to have to address such a distinguished assembly 
as this, and I apologize for having been obliged on 
account of time to abbreviate my address to some 
extent. But I hope to have opportunities in the course 
of the Congress of saying some of the things I have 
been obliged to leave unsaid this morning. 
