on the fringe of the continent, and that later on mineral discoveries,
paricularly discoveries of gold, and the pursuit of agriculture had
resulted in a large increase of population, followed by the development
 of secondary industries. We knew that these had been
fostered by various means to meet a natural desire for independence
of other countries in the matter of the provision of the necessaries
of life for the Australian people and for the provision of employment
 for a growing population. We knew that these developments
 had resulted in the establishment of a great Dominion of
the British Empire, consisting of a people almost entirely of British
descent and numbering over 6,000,000 persons, whose record of
achievement as pioneers, administrators and soldiers, stands as high
as any to be found in the history of the world. But it was evident
that if we were to do justice to our task we must acquire a knowledge
 of Australia much more intimate than any general
acquaintance with the outlines of her history can give.
4. Our itinerary has been lengthy and our investigations varied.
The effect produced by them on our minds has been, in many
cases, intensified by going over much similar ground and being
confronted with similar problems in each State.
5. The opinions we express are based on the evidence which
has come before us In various ways, at our numerous conferences,
and in official reports and other literature which has been furnished
to us. In the time at our disposal it is obvious that we have been
unable to conduct a detailed scrutiny into this evidence. Our
report should be looked at as representing the judgment of four
business men on the data placed before us after a brief but comprehensive
 survey of the conditions of the country. We realize
that others have had greater experience in Australia than we can
pretend to. We are indeed struck with the ability of the reports
of Royal Commissions and other enquiring bodies in the past, and
with the scope and thoroughness of the evidence furnished to
them. We are aware that our own enquiries on specific subjects
may have been less exhaustive than theirs, and that our knowledge
 is less profound than that of many able writers and thinkers
on political and economic subjects in Australia; but their knowledge,
 in so far as it is recorded, has been before ns when we
have formed our judgment.
6. Our terms of reference, it will be observed, lay emphasis
on the problems of the promotion of trade and commerce between
Great Britain and Australia and of the increase of settlement in
Australia. It early became clear to us that these problems should
be approached from the point of view of what is best for Australia
herself in the belief that the increase of Australia’s prosperity
and productivity is an essential condition of increased trade with
Great Britain. Given the maximum possible prosperity and wealth
production in Australia, the ties between Australia and Great
Britain are sufficiently close and the sentiments of common loyalty
which bind the one to the other are sufficiently strong to secure