1, There are 755 men employed in the government railway shops at Moncton, New Brunswick, and 79 men in the government railway shops at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

2. Ten hours constitute a day's work in these shops.

1. To whom was given the contract for the illumination of public buildings in Ottawa during the visit of the Prince of Wales last year ?

2. What was the amount paid for such illumination ?

3. How much was charged per lamp ?

In the absence of the hon. Minister of Public Works, I am requested to give the following answers to the hon. gentleman's questions :

1. Ahearn & Soper.

2. Amount paid $5,000, but cost was : Parliament Building, at $5,000; Bast and West Blocks, at $4,000 each;; equals $13,000 as per plan by tender. Langevin Block, bridges, Wellington Street, post office and festoons, $4,150 as per tender for buildings, &c. ; total, $17,150.

3. The contracts were given for designs, lamps to be placed at given distances or groupp. pro account iwas kept of the number used.

1. Whr.t is the total amount paid by the government to the Montreal 'Herald' since the 30th June last ?

2. What is the total amount paid by the government to the Toronto 'Globe' since the 30th June last ?

3. What is the total amount paid by the government to the Halifax ' Chronicle ' since the 30th June last ?

4. What is the total amount paid by the government to 'Le Soleil,' of Quebec, and 'La Patrie,' of Montreal, since the 30th June last ?

This information cannot, at present, be obtained. I think it would! be more convenient if the hon. gentleman would move for a return, as the information he desires relates to various departments, and not to any one particular department.

1. How many one dollar bank notes were issued in each year from 1892 to 1901, both dates inclusive ?

2. How many two dollar bank notes were issued in each year from 1892 to 1901, both dates

inclusive ?

3. How many four dollar bank notes were issued in each year from 1892 to 1901, both dates inclusive ?

The hon. gentleman's question is intended to refer, I presume, to Dominion notes, not to bank notes, notes of the denominations mentioned are not issued by the banks. The following is a statement of the Dominion of Canada $1, $2 and $4 notes issued by the Comptroller of Dominion Currency at Ottawa to the several assistant Receivers General in Canada for

each year from 1892 to 1901, inclusive. 1891.. 816,000 304,0001892.. 832,000 320,0001893..

1,680,000 872,000 304,0001894..

1,636,000 896,000 288,0001895..

1,788,000 1,024,000 208,0001896..

1,784,000 1,008,000 176,0001897..

1,816,000 1,000,000 208,0001898..

2,344,000 1,280,000 352,0001899.. 1,480,000 264,0001900..

2,272,000 1,544,000 40,0001901..

2,760,000 1,616,000 816,000$21,664,000 $12,368,000 $3,280,000

1. Has the matter referred to in the following letter, addressed by C. D. Pinault, Deputy Minister of Militia and Defence, to Lieut.-Col. Van-Wagner, on November 25th, 1899, been investigated :-

' Sir,-In reply to your letter of the 8th inst., addressed to the Right Honourable the Earl of Minto, and transferred to this department, I have the honour to inform you that the matter concerning your removal will be investigated.'

2. If so, by whom ?

3. What is the finding ?

After the date of the letter of the deputy minister quoted in the question, I looked into the matter, and came to the conclusion that there was nothing requiring investigation.

1. What steamers have been fitted up with cooling plants to cool the compartments containing perishable products in conformity With agreement with the government of Canada ?

2. What other steamships than those named in the House by the Minister of Agriculture last year have been fitted with fans to produce a circulation of fre3h air in the compartments in which perishable products are carried, if any ?

Part of the information called for in this question is now in the hands of the department, but another part has yet to be obtained. I will allow the question to stand until I can get the whole.

1. No record is kept by this department of the quantity of samples brought into Canada from foreign countries.

2. The postage on such matter is paid in and retained by the country of origin, and in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Postal Convention there is no charge by Canada except in the case of deficient postage.

3. It is impossible to form an estimate of the cost of transmission of such matter.