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My dear Prime Minister,

There is really little occasion for a letter this mail, falling as it does between the Christmas and New Year Holidays.

I think, however, you would be interested to see the enclosed picture page from today's 'Times' as it will give you a very good impression of the sort of weather that the south of England is having at the present time. You will notice that the pictures of the really heavy snow drifts are all within 30 miles of London.

Since the snowstorm ceased on Monday night, we have had continual frost with a keen north cast wind rising at times to gale force, so that it has been far from pleasant.

AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS

By the incoming mail I received letters from Mr. Paterson [1], Dr.

Rivett [2] and Professor Copland [3], commenting on the report of my Empire Marketing Board Committee on Agricultural Economics. I was very pleased to find how much interest they displayed in the subject and I shall hope to hear from you in the course of the next two or three weeks as to your views thereon. [4]

DEVELOPMENT & MIGRATION COMMISSION'S REPORT [5]

This mail brought a copy of the first Annual Report of the Development & Migration Commission and the first fairly long personal letter from Gepp [6] that I have received during the twelve months. I have read the report with great interest. The programme of work of the Commission during the first year of its life is quite impressive but perhaps hardly shows the way in which the Commission is tackling its work. One realises that the burden upon Gepp is immense and it is probably well nigh impossible for him to find time to write a constructive report which would show the people in this country the way in which the Commission is commencing systematically to tackle problems of development. [7]

I was very pleased to find in Gepp's letter a promise of a regular monthly report for my information on the Commission's activities.

I hope, in due time, to commence to receive such report.

MR. JULIUS [8]

Julius is back in town for the final three days before sailing for America. He and I are very busy going through a number of outstanding points and also in preparing a memorandum on Standardization and Simplified Practice for the President of the Board of Trade.

I shall regret Julius's departure but I expect you feel it desirable that he should get back as the C.C.S.I.R. has a very large number of problems confronting it.

Yours sincerely, F. L. MCDOUGALL