On May 23 Mr. Heeney received a delegation in the person of Dr. James A. Gibson, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Canadian Council for Reconstruction through UNESCO. Dr. Gibson expressed the regrets of Major Vincent Price, K.C., Chairman of the Council, and the Honourable Thomas Vien, P.C., K.C., Vice-Chairman, who were unable to attend. Mr. R.G. Riddell and Mr, V.C. Moore of the Department were also present.

On behalf of the Council Dr. Gibson presented A Report of Activities, July 1947-March 1949, together with a financial statement and auditor's report.

Although about $500,000 remain to CCRU's credit in the Bank, all of this except $1 I-12,000 has already been committed to be spent. A new budget for the period to December 31st has been drawn up providing for a greatly reduced staff which will probably consist only of an Administrative Director and an Accountant. Shipping costs overseas are at present an uncertain factor.

Three of the five projects undertaken by CCRU have now been substantially completed. It is hoped that by September 1 all the books collected under the "March of Books" project will have been shipped abroad. There has been a delay owing to the tardiness of Universities and other Institutions abroad in submitting requests; should no more requests be received soon, the remaining books will be despatched to designated countries for distribution in order to avoid the continued cost of maintaining a specialist staff in Halifax.

Successful candidates for Fellowships are to arrive from abroad in July and September of this year and the Canada-UNESCO Fellowships project will terminate in June 1950. The Book Exchange will go out of business shortly, chiefly because of lack of funds from the Library Association. It is therefore possible for the offices in Ottawa to be closed by September 30, 1949. Mr. Heeney welcomed Dr. Gibson's statement that he did not anticipate the initiation of a fresh drive for funds. It was agreed by all present that CCRU had come into being in 1947 for a specific shorttime task; with this task accomplished and the needs of the war-devastated countries considerably reduced, it would now be unrealistic for CCRU to tie itself to a new campaign. Dr. Gibson remarked that he believed this view would be held by the majority present at the annual meeting of the Council in Quebec on May 27. Mr. Heeney remarked that the role of the CCRU and other similar organizations should be "ad hoc or ad hike": to do the job for which they were created but not then to find new undertakings simply to justify a prolonged existence.

The conversation turned to a nusconception on the part of some officers of CCRU of its role as that of a substitute for a National Commission for UNESCO. It was pointed out, with agreement of all present, that this conception had no basis. CCRU has merely carried out, in a limited field, certain projects suggested by UNESCO; the co-ordinating body has been the Department of External Affairs, which handles the entire field of UNESCO activities as they affect Canada. This latter function may in the future be taken over by a National Commission, which would then be responsible for the whole cultural, educational and scientific aspect of Canadian life, delegating as the need arises specific tasks to ad hoc organizations such as CCRU.

Dr. Gibson envisaged the closing of CCRU's offices in Ottawa by September 30 or more probably December 31, with its work then wound up in a dignified and proper manner. It is unlikely that at that time there would be another delegation, unless UNESCO should request the Council to launch some new project. A further possibility is that it may thereafter continue as a purely voluntary private organization, with no funds or staff, moil its activities are absorbed by the National Commission. It would nevertheless be ready at any time to administer any movies put up for new Fellowships and would encourage its member organizations, such as the Boy Scouts, in undertaking projects independently.

It was agreed that the Department would use its good offices in obtaining rentfree premises for CCRU until December 31 or September 30, 1949. The Department of Public Works have re-leased the Sparks Street premises until April I, 1951, and have offered to sublet it to CCRU for that period. Dr. Gibson pointed out that there are four other organizations sharing these premises; the Canadian Allied Relief Fund, the National Film Board, the United Nations Appeal for Children, the United Emergency Fund for Britain. The Department of Public Works apparently consider mistakenly that CCRU are the sole occupants and wish to remain there until 1951.

Vouchers have already been received by the Department showing the disbursement of the $200,000 grant from External Affairs in purchases in Canada of materials for reconstruction abroad, but advantage has not yet been taken of the Department's offer to arrange for the Auditor General to audit the books of CCRU. 1t was agreed that the Auditor General should now be asked to review the two reports (to December 31, 1948 and to March 31, 1949) already made by a firm of public auditors, as well as the $200,000 budget. The Secretary of CCRU will make this request in writing after the general meeting.

Dr. Gibson invited the Department to send a representative to the general meeting at Quebec.

A number of extra copies of the Report of Activities will be made available for circulation to interested posts abroad. It was agreed that the Department would formally present the Report to the Director General of UNESCO.

Mr. Heeney expressed his appreciation of the achievements of CCRU. The organization had been created to carry out tasks which this Department wished to see done but could not itself undertake. It was a matter of satisfaction to be able now to report back to UNESCO on a job well done.

V.C. MOORE