The attention of the government has been drawn to this matter through the public press; but, as the Rt. Hon. Joseph Chamberlain is a remarkably well-informed man in all colonial affairs, I am bound to believe that this must be a newspaper mistake, and that he never could have made use of the language attributed to him. If any of the remedies suggested in the hon. gentleman's question are to be made use of,

I think that the visit of the young ladies would be the most agreeable and pleasing to the Colonial Secretary, if he is like other ministers.

If built of native timber, $91,000; if of partly creosoted timber, $143,000.

1. Yes.

2. That Canadian Portland cements give better satisfaction than imported cements. For the past fourteen years tests have been made regularly by this department of all available cements, even though not sent to the department for that purpose. During the past two years 900 tensile and crushing tests have been made besides hot water, air, cold water, specific gravity, setting, sieving and chemical analysis of each cement.

1. What is the total estimatjd cost of the addition made to the Central Block of the Parliament Buildiugr, Ottawa ?

2. What is tho superficial area of this addition; what number of rooms does it contain, and to what purposes are these rooms devoted, or to be devoted ?

3. What appropriations have bea made by parliament towards the expenditure on this work ?

4. What is the total amount expended to this date ?

5. Were tenders called for ?

6. How has the work been executed, by contract or otherwise ?

7. The names of the contractors ?

8. What is the cost of the alterations and improvements made in the attic of said block ?

1. Cost of addition, including heating, lighting, &c., $30,000 ; elevators, taking down walls, cutting floors, building foundations and brick walls for elevators and the electric elevators, $12,000 ; attic rooms over old parliament building, new roof, iron skylights and finishing rooms, $8,000 ; granite columns, new doorways in entrance hall to elevators, painting main hall and staircases, &c., $4,000 ; minor works, changes Commons post office, changing stairway to public gallery (Commons) and messengers' rooms, fitting up rooms for Senate, &c., $2,500 ; total, $56,500.

Area.

Ground floor 26 x 60

1560First floor 26 x 70

1820Attics 40 x 70 ".2800Total area 6,180

Ground floor devoted to * Hansard ' stall, first floor, one room for Mr. Monk, M.P., one for Mr. Stewart, and apartments for Deputy Speaker, House of Commons.

3. $35,000.

4. $35,167.47.

5. Tenders were invited for the elevators.

6. Partly by contract and partly by day labour.

7. The Fenson Elevator Company, of Toronto, for the elevators. The Forsyth Granite and Marble Company, of Montreal, for the granite columns.

8 $8 000

According to the first plans prepared for the addition, the elevators were shown to be placed directly opposite the main entrance door of the parliament buildings and the estimate was made from the first plans. Had the elevators been placed as shown by the first plans, less accommodation would have been got than there now is, and it would not have been possible to get the large committee room that there is now in the attic.

After careful examination, it was found the elevators could be placed in the space they now occupy. Where now placed they are more convenient than if placed where originally intended. Owing to this change, the cost of the alterations was considerably increased ; further, in order to get the additional attic rooms over the old part of the building, the old roof had to be removed and a new roof constructed and iron skylights put in. The roof trusses had to be remodelled and iron tie rods put in, as also a concrete floor, heating, lighting, &c. The changes named are the reasons why the original estimate has been exceeded.

1. Did the government do any work during August and September, 1901, to further protect the pier at North Bay, Ingonish, in the county of Victoria, N.S. I and if so, what was the nature of the work ?

2. What sum of money was paid for such work ?

3. Was the work done by contract or by day's labour ?

4. If by contract, ha3 the contractor been paid ; and how much ?

5. If by day's labour, have the labourers been paid ; if so, when and how much ?

6. What is the name of the overseer of the work, and what was his remuneration ?

1. Yes, placed a stone talus on seaward side of breakwater.

2. No money paid yet. Cost of work, $951.36.

3. By day labour.

4. See below.

5. See below.

6. D. M. McDonald, $2.50 per day.

Work was completed on 12th September.

Mr. Milliege asked Overseer McDonald to forward paylists; these were not sent in until 16th January, when they were returned

Hon. Mr. TARTE.

for correction and forwarded to department on 12th February. The overseer was altogether responsible for the delay.

1. During the year 1900, were licenses issued entitling the persons named therein to fish for oysters on the beds planted by the government in the harbour of Shediac ?

2. To whom were the licenses issued, and on what dates were they respectively Issued ?

3. By whose authority were they issued in each instance ?

4. Were such licenses, or any of them, cancelled ? If so, how many, and on what date ?

5. For what reasons were such licenses cancelled ? ,

6. What quantity of oysters were secured under such licenses during the period they were in force ?

Nearly 200 licenses have been granted. If my hon. friend will move for a return I will have the Information brought down. It is too long for a question.