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although you have expressed your opinion, Mr. President, 
that it is an extremely simple resolution, I should be 
obliged if you would allow me to read it again. I have 
the greatest admiration for this International Institute of 
Agriculture at Rome, and for the work it is doing, and 
I would wish very much to do what Sir James Wilson 
suggests—that is, when I go back to my own colony 
to urge upon the Government the desirability of their 
adhering without delay in order to secure upon that body a 
due representation of tropical agriculture. But the difficulties, 
Sir, are enormous. Take our own case. In the West Indies 
we are all separate Crown Colony Governments. Some could 
afford to pay a subscription of £100 a year; others could 
not do so, because they would ask themselves, ‘‘ What is the 
advantage of our being represented on this International 
Institute at Rome, when the matters that are dealt with there 
are principally concerned with products cultivated in temperate 
climates?’’ Then again, Sir, supposing that in the case of 
Trinidad I succeeded in persuading the Government to sub- 
scribe £100, the next difficulty I would have would be this: I 
take it that the mere subscription without sending a qualified 
representative to attend the meetings would not be of any 
great benefit to my colony. I think, Sir, that it would be 
absolutely impossible for the Government of the Crown 
Colonies in the West Indies to spare their qualified agricul- 
turists to attend the meetings at Rome. First of all as regards 
the time occupied; there are very few men, as Sir Sydney 
Olivier is aware, and as all those who have had experience in 
the West Indies are aware, there are very few men in the 
agricultural departments who can be spared to attend these 
conferences, and the expense of sending them has also to be 
considered. The colonies have small revenues, and the con- 
sequence is they have very seriously to consider any expendi- 
ture of this nature which does not produce a result which they 
consider satisfactory. They would very probably feel that they 
were giving a very nice holiday to one of their officials, and 
that he was enjoying himself thoroughly. Now, Sir, unless 
tropical agriculturists were sent to this institute at Rome, I 
do not think the agriculturists, extremely able men as they 
are in their own country, would have any knowledge that 
would be of any practical value in connection with tropical 
agriculture. I will give you an example. We introduced into 
Trinidad examinations in agriculture the questions in which 
were set from Cambridge. No child who had been brought 
up under tropical conditions could have answered some of the 
questions, and we were obliged to advise the examiner as to 
the kind of questions he should set. It would be very much 
