Despatch from Joseph P. Walshe, for Patrick McGilligan, to Lord Passfield
(London)
(D.5340) (No. 290) (Confidential)

My Lord,

With reference to Your Lordship's Confidential despatch No. 371 of the 30th July, 1929, transmitting Circular Telegram A.No.34 as to the forthcoming meeting of the Expert Committee on the operation of Dominion legislation and Sub-Conference on Merchant Shipping legislation, I have the honour to inform you that the 8th October is acceptable to His Majesty's Government in the Irish Free State as a suitable date for the meeting. The principal representatives of the Irish Free State will be the Minister for External Affairs and the Attorney General. They will be accompanied by Mr. Hearne, Mr. O'Hegarty, Mr. Murphy (Secretary to the delegation) and Mr. Walshe.

2. His Majesty's Government in the Irish Free State find themselves in agreement with your proposal that the meeting should be organised as a single Conference. They feel, however, that the better procedure would be that the full Conference should consider all the matters that fall within the terms of reference settled by the Imperial Conference of 1926 for the Expert Committee and those so settled for the Sub-Conference. This course would, it is thought, simplify the procedure of the Conference by avoiding the necessity which would otherwise arise of setting up Sub-Committees conducting separate deliberations in regard to different parts of the field of Dominion legislation which His Majesty's Government in the Irish Free State feel should be surveyed as a whole, and by avoiding the delay which separate proceedings by different Committees and the preparation of a number of reports back to the full Conference would inevitably entail.

3. It is recalled as mentioned in Circular Telegram A.34 that it was contemplated at the Imperial Conference of 1926 that India would be represented at the Sub-Conference on Merchant Shipping legislation and it is felt that the decision of the Imperial Conference in this regard should not be departed from. His Majesty's Government in the Irish Free State have been unable to discover what matters other than merchant shipping are likely to arise in which India is directly interested. They therefore regret that they find themselves in disagreement with the proposal that representatives of India should be invited to attend and take part in any discussion at the forthcoming Conference save only the discussion on Merchant Shipping legislation in which it was made clear at the Imperial Conference of 1926 that India would have a special interest.

4. His Majesty's Government in the Irish Free State deeply appreciate and are most grateful for the invitation of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom that the representatives of the Irish Free State should be the guests of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom during the Conference. In this connection, however, they feel that as the October Conference is to be regarded as a subsidiary Conference of the Imperial Conference of 1926, they are bound by the considerations which applied to that Conference and that accordingly the expenses of the Irish Free State representatives should be borne by His Majesty's Government in the Irish Free State.¹

5. His Majesty's Government in the Irish Free State wish to nominate Mr. S. Murphy as a member of the Secretariat for the October Conference.