26 International Agricultural Institute. 



gates from the adhering States. Each country may have 

 an unlimited number of delegates, but with a definite number 

 of votes according to the group to which it belongs. 



The meetings are held at certain dates fixed by the previous 

 General Assembly. The agenda are submitted by the Per- 

 manent Committee after being approved by the adhering 

 Governments. The subjects selected are therefore intended 

 to have considerable influence on the development of the 

 Institute. They can be used by the General Assembly as a 

 means of indicating the scientific and technical value of the 

 Permanent Committee, and as a test of loyalty to the Con- 

 vention and to the Regulations of the Institute. The 

 suggestions of the Permanent Committee, prepared in the 

 form of Reports, are used as the basis for the proceedings 

 of the General Assembly. 



The financial control of the General Assembly is very 

 important. It fixes the total expenditure; it regulates and 

 passes the accounts. It therefore combines the three-fold 

 attributes of a Budget Committee, a representative Assembly, 

 and of an Auditor-General's Department. Its functions are 

 still wider because it has, to some extent, authority to revise 

 its constitution, and its decision may under certain circum- 

 stances lead to a modification of the Convention. 



The General Assembly submits to the adhering Govern- 

 ments for their approval modifications of any nature which 

 entail an increase of expenditure or an extension of the 

 powers of the Institute. 



The power of revision, of control, and of modification is 

 very interesting, although the procedure is lengthy and com- 

 plicated. Remembering the principle (i.e., an official Insti- 

 tution) on which the Institute was founded, it will still be 

 possible, having regard to the changing nature of the interests 

 which it is intended to protect, to develop the organisation on 

 lines which need not necessarily remain absolutely rigid. 



The Permanent Committee. — The executive of the Institute 

 is vested in the Permanent Committee, which is essentially 

 the vital organ. It consists of one delegate from each 

 country, except in the case of the cumulative representation 

 of several countries by one delegate. 



As indicated in M. Ruau's letter, it has the nature of an 



