International Agricultural Institute. 25 



some of whom would form a sort of International Adminis- 

 trative Council charged with the management of the Institu- 

 tion and the fulfilment of its duties. Apart from these 

 delegates, a staff for the ordinary work and for the translation 

 of the various documents would have to be necessary. 



The pith of M. Ruau's interesting letter is embodied in the 

 Convention of 1905, more particularly in Art. 9. 



The Convention Creating the Institute. 



The Convention which created the Institute was approved 

 and signed on behalf of 45 Governments. On the applica- 

 tion of the States to which they belong, Colonies may also 

 form part of the Institute on the same conditions as other 

 countries. 



The system of State representation was a very intricate 

 problem. Were all countries to be placed on an equality, or 

 was it not rather to the interest of the Institute to classify 

 them according to the payments which each country con- 

 sented to make ? This method was adopted, and the number 

 of votes at the disposal of a country is, at the meetings of 

 the General Assembly or of the Committees, in proportion to 

 the expenditure which it intends to bear. 



Five groups of countries were accordingly arranged, with a 

 voting power varying from one to five votes. The States 

 in the same group contribute the same amount, and are 

 entitled to an equal number of votes. Each selects its own 

 group, and decides how much weight its influence is to carry. 



If the various Governments contribute towards the expenses 

 of the Institute in proportion to their resources and to their 

 actual economic and social status, there is reason to hope that 

 their influence will be harmoniously divided in relation to the 

 importance of the interests concerned. 



Methods of Representation. — A system of duplicate repre- 

 sentation of the Governments was provided by the Conven- 

 tion, viz., representation on the General Assembly and on the 

 Permanent Committee. 



The General Assembly. — The General Assembly is the 

 supreme authority of the Institute. It directs it completely. 

 It has controlling powers over its executive organ, viz., the 

 Permanent Committee. The Assembly is composed of dele- 



