Mr. TAYLOR.

These are not officers of the department but there is $485 paid to about thirty inspectors in the province of Quebec and $22 paid to six in Ontario.

They were employed for that purpose.

Mr. TA i LOR. The minister led us to believe that before this money was paid out an officer of the department certified that these places were completed according to law. Here we find that they are not ins-spected by an officer of the department at all.

Wherever it was possible the work was done by an officer of the department and in every other case it was done by a person engaged in similar work for some provincial or local organization.

Mr. HACKETT.

Have you one of those cold storage places at Charlottetown.

We engaged a room in a cold storage building there.

Mr. HACKETT.

And the buyer of the cheese pays a rent for the use of this building during the time the cheese is there.

He pays a storage charge.

Mr. HACKETT.

You are building one of those cheese curing establishments in Eastern Ontario, another in Western Ontario ; one in French Quebec and one in English Quebec. Why in the name of all that is good and gracious cannot you build one in Prince Edward Island, where the people have gone largely into the cheese industry ow'ing to the energy of Prof. Robertson and prior to this government coming into power. Prof. Robertson came down to Prince Edward Island under the Conservative government and established these cheese factories, and they have been a great success. The cheese industry lias been a success there without any assistance from this government, only that they rented this cold storage room from the Rattenburys, friends of their own in Charlottetown. The least the government ought to do is to build one of those cheese curing establishments in Prince Edward Island. The minister tells us that when the cheese is treated in one of those places it will come out perfect and be worth from three to four cents a pound more than ordinary cheese. Why should not the people of every province have the benefit of them. Why build two in Ontario and two in Quebec and not build any in New Brunswick. Nova Scotia. Prince Edward Island and Manitoba. We should have in the province of Erince Edward Island this means of turning the dairy products of the people to ' the best advantage. I trust the minister

will see his way clear to establish one of these places in Prince Edward Island.

To promote dairying interests by advances for milk and cream, to be recouped out of the proceeds of sales of such butter and cheese, to be placed to the credit of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, $40,000.

Mr. CLANCY.

What has been the outcome of the partnership business with the government in respect to the North-west creameries. As was predicted by some gentlemen here when the minister first submitted the plan, it has resulted in a loss, 1 and I think the minister told us that he was disposed to discontinue the assistance. How far has he been successful in recouping that loss.

The hon. gentleman is correct in saying that some of these factories have not been as successful/ as we had anticipated. The late boom in grain-growing-

Mr. CLANCY.

Another excuse.

Yes, another excuse ; possibly a mistake in placing some of these factories in the graingrowing region. We have discontinued one or two, and I fear that we will have to discontinue some others. We have lent altogether $43,540.63. Of that $24,528.87 has been repaid at present, leaving a balance of $19,011. Eight of these factories out of twenty-one have repaid the whole of the advances, four others have paid very nearly all, and I am certain will entirely repay next season if there is anything like the work that has been done lately. There are a few which I fear will lose money. These are, Edmonton and its tributaries, Maple Creek, Prince Albert and Duck Lake, and Wolseley and Moffat. The others owe much smaller amounts and it is likely they will be able to pay off. After all that is not a bad showing although I confess that the anticipations have not been realized as far as the actual financial view is concerned.

I think, however, that the progress of the country there has been benefited to an enormous extent, and that the encouragement to settlers on the whole is quite good compensation for the investment which was made, even if in some instances we lost.

Mr. CLANCY.

Has the minister discontinued the assistance.

I hope to be able in another year to let those who have repaid the whole amount, run their own business without any control from us. Some of the others will have to be run for a year or two perhaps to ensure tlie successful paying off of what is due. With regard to some others it is rather a blue lookout. This is very similar to the work done in Prince Edward Island some years ago, but on a smaller scale.

Mr. GILMOUR.

What creameries have" paid up ?

Churchbridge, Kootenay, Grenville, Moose Jaw, Red Deer, Regina, Saltcoats, Saskatoon, Whitewood, Yorktown. These? owe nothing. Four of the others have nearly paid off everything, and seven have not paid much.

Mr. GILMOUR.

Has the one at Calgary paid off its debt ?

At Calgary the money was not lent to the corporation, but to the patrons, and they have paid it off.

Mr. GILMOUR.

What is the output of the whole of the creameries ?

In 1897, 473,000 pounds of butter were made, value $85,000. In 1898, 484,000 pounds value $73,000; in 1899, 501,000 pounds, value $103,000; in 1900, 637,000 pounds, value

$128,000; in 1901, 677,000 pounds, value

$129,000. There has been a steady increase both in quantity and value.