Mr. CLARKE asked :

What sums have been paid out to date in connection with the taking of the recent census of the Dominion ?

The total amount to date is $948,410.55.

1. There has been handled by the government elevator at St. John in the year ended 31st December, 1901, 146,087 bushels of wheat. No grain or other produce was handled by the government elevator at Halifax between 1st January, 1901, and 1st January, 1902.

2. There are no direct revenues from the elevators; the elevator charges are included in the through rates for carrying the grain. The cost of running and caring for the St. John elevator was $4,989.93, and the Halifax elevator $2,016.50, up to January 31st, 1902.

It was shown that the postmaster at Wellington was in the habit at parliamentary elections of allowing the post office to be used practically as a committee room by his political friends, and also of permitting political posters of a partisan character to be hung up on the walls of the post office during elections, to the great annoyance of those patrons of the office not in political sympathy with him, and that he proved himself an energetic and offensive political partisan; and that his health was so poor as to not allow him to give proper personal attention to the affairs of the office. Under these circumstances he was relieved of the office. The information reached the Postmaster General from a source that is considered, beyond any question, reliable.

Mr. BELAND asked :

Has the attention of the government been called to an article which appeared in the Victoria ' Colonist ' on the 9th February, 1902, part of which reads as follows :-

' In speaking of the grievances of the canners, Professor Prince, commissioner of fisheries, said there were no doubt many grievances, many matters to set right, and if they had been set right long ago, it would have been better for the government; but the government have not had a minister who could form a resolution and act on it since the days of Sir Hibbert Tupper.'

2. Is it the intention of the government to have an investigation as to whether Professor Prince expressed himself as above reported ?

In answering this question, I think I cannot do better than read a letter received from Professor Prince. It is as follows ;

20*

Department of Marine and Fisheries, Ottawa, 3rd March, 1902

Dear Mr. Sutherland,-Respecting the question of Mr. Beland, M.P., as to a statement which it has been alleged I made in an interview on the 8th February last, I beg to say that the statement is absolutely untrue and without foundation. I made no such statement to any representative of the press or to any other person.

Yours faithfully,

EDWARD E. PRINCE, Dominion Commissioner of Fisheries. The Hon.

James Sutherland, M.P.,

Minister of Marine and Fisheries.

I may also add that Professor Prince informs me that no such interview took place, and that the paragraph quoted in the question is part of a long series of statements published in the newspaper referred to, which Professor Prince shows not only misrepresent his views on British Columbia questions, but are exactly opposite in every particular to the opinions held by him.

The government has not had under consideration any proposal to increase the salary and allowances of the general officer commanding.

The present customs duty on cotton fabrics, white or gray, bleached or unbleached, is 25 per cent ad valorem, subject to a rebate of one-third the duty, making the net rate 16f per cent, when made in and imported direct from a country admitted to the benefits of the British Preferential Tariff of Canada. The customs duty on the same fabrics under the Customs Tariff of 1877, was 17* per cent ad valorem.

1. How many men are employed in the government railway shops at Moncton, New

Brunswick, and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island ?

2. How many hours constitute a day's work in these shops ?