1. What was the rate per 100 pounds from Parry Sound to St. John, on export grain carried by the Canada Atlantic and Intercolonial Railways last November and December?

2. What was the rate per 100 pounds accruing to the Intercolonial Railway from Montreal to St. John'as its proportion of the through rate from Parry Sound?

3. What was the quantity carried?

4. What is the estimate of the net gain or

loss to the government railway in connection with handling this export grain? .

1. Rate per hundred pounds from Parry Sound to St. John, on export grain carried by the Canada Atlantic and Intercolonial Railways last November and December :

Grain. Average Rate.

On wheat 9J cts. per 100 lbs.

On rye 10 7 cts. per 100 lbs.

On corn 10 9 cts. per 100 lbs.

2. The rate per 100 pounds accruing to the Intercolonial Railway from Montreal to St. John as its proportion of the through rate from Parry Sound, is as follows :

Grain Rate.

On wheat 5-6 cts. per 100 lbs.On rye

6 "3 cts. per 100 lbs.On corn

6-4 cts. per 100 lbs.3. The total quantity of grain carried was 395,720 bushels.4. It has not been the usage on the Intercolonial, nor is it customary on any railway to furnish the public an estimate of loss or gain to the railway in any particular shipment or shipments, nor would it be possible to do so with an approach to accuracy. Many varying elements would need to be taken into consideration for the purposes of such an estimate : such as the capacity of the cars ; power of the locomotive ; the rate and quantity of return freights supplied to the cars carrying the grain ; terminal charges and delays in transport, which more frequently occur during the winter season, before! even an approximate estimate could be attempted to be made.

1. How much did the grain elevator cost, built by the present government, at the city of Halifax ?

2. How many bushels of grain have been shipped therefrom ?

3. How many men are employed at said elevator ?

1. The total cost of the grain elevator at Halifax is $159,728.75, outside of value of several lots of land, and including city of Halifax contribution.

2. 763,425 bushels of grain have been shipped from the elevator at Halifax since it was first built.

3. Two men are employed at the said elevator.

1. Who has the contract for carrying the mails between Aliliston and Rosemont, in South Sim-coe ?

2. What is the date of the contract, or renewal, and the amount paid ?

3. Were advertisements for tenders issued at date of last renewal, and if so, when ?

1. John Joseph Holland is the contractor for the mail service between Alliston and Rosemont.

2. The contract at present in operation began on the 1st April, 1897, and terminates on the 31st March, instant. This contract was renewed with Mr. Holland for four years from 1st April proximo on the same terms and conditions.

3. Tenders were invited in 1897, due to be opened on the 19th February of that year. Two were received, from J. J. Holland at $231.75 a year, and from J. H. Johnston at $23S a year. Mr. Holland's offer being the lower was accepted, and a contract made with him at that rate. This is the contract now in operation. The former rate was $238 a year.

Mr. KAULBACH asked :

Daggett, to whom license was granted for packing lobsters on the Island of Anticosti, an employee in the service of Henri Menier, the owner of the island ?

The MINISTER OF FINANCE (Hon. W.

S. Fielding). Mr. Dogget, or Dagget, I am not sure of the name, the person referred to, is an agent of Mr. Menier.

1. Who was the successful tenderer for strengthening the wall at the head of lock 24, on the new Welland canal, for which tenders were advertised on January 18 last, and what is the amount of the tender accepted ?

2. From whom were other tenders received, and what was the amount of each respectively ? When was the contract let, and to whom, and for what amount ?

The contract has not yet been executed, and until it is, Mr. KEMP.

it would not be in the public interest to give the information asked for.

1. What quantity of water per minute in cubic feet is being passed through the Welland canal at Welland ?

(a) What portion of this is required for the feed of the new canal for purposes of navigation ?

2. What is the maximum quantity of water per minute in cubic feet which can be passed through the canal at Welland, without being detrimental to navigation, according to the latest reports by the engineers ?

3. What quantity of water per minute in cubic feet is now passing into the old Welland canal ?

4. What quantity of water per minute in cubic feet can be passed through or down the old Welland canal ?

5. What quantity of water per minute in cubic feet was granted the Cataract Power Company by lease, in 1896 or 1897, and what amount since, and when ?

6. What quantity of water per minute in cubic feet is now passing the guard lock at Thorold ?

7. What quantity of water per minute in cubic feet is taken from the old Welland canal at Mer-ritton and passed into the hydraulic race ?

1. Some 66,000 cubic feet per minute, (a) Eighteen thousand (18,000) cubic feet per minute are reserved for the feed of the new canal for purposes of navigation.

2. Some 135,000 cubic feet per minute can be passed through the aqueducts without detriment to navigation, if that quantity could be discharged into the canal from Lake Erie without drawing down the summit level.

3. Some 45,000 cubic feet.

4. The quantity cannot be definitely stated until the various structures, upon the canal, are arranged to control and regulate a greater quantity of water than at present flows through it, which quantity can be considerably increased.

5. The Cataract Power Company was granted the right to draw from the canal 6,000 cubic feet of water per minute. No additional quantity of water has been leased since.

6. Some 34,500 cubic feet per minute.

7. Some 9,000 cubic feet per minute.

1. Has the government issued orders to their agents in British Columbia not to employ Chinese or Japanese on any public works or government steamers ?

2. Is the government aware whether Chinese are employed as cooks on any government vessels, in British Columbia ?

3. If they are so employed, is it the intention of the government to continue their services ?

4. Is the government aware that there are plenty of white cooks obtainable for such employment ?

No special instructions have been given, but it is understood that "Canadian labour is to be employed on the government steamers where it can be obtained, and we are not aware of any departure from the rule.