CHAMPAGNE (Wright) presented the fourth report of the select committee appointed to supervise the official reports of the Debates of the House, as follows

Your Committee recommends that Mr. Leon Gerin be appointed to the position on the staff of translators in the official reports of Debates rendered vacant by the death of the late N. H. Beaulieu, and that his appointment and remuneration of $1,500 per annum date from the 23rd instant. Also that Mr. Sylva Ciapin who has been employed in a temporary capacity on the staff of the translators from the 16th to the 23rd instant, be paid at the rate of $4 per day.

1. There was no contract. The saddles were furnished from store, and drawn from the units of cavalry throughout the country.

2 and S. Answered by answer to question

1.

4. I. am not aware of any complaints as to the quality of the saddles.

5. So far as I know, the saddles and bridles were used by the contingents.

Mr. TAYLOR asked :

Is it the intention of the government to award medals to the members of the Third Canadian Mounted Rifles, in recognition of their services of loyalty to the empire, in going 'to Cape Town, S.A., and there received orders to proceed to Durban, rvhere they arrived too late to disembark by the 31st of May, the time set as the medal limit ?

The government has no power to award medals ; medals are awarded by the King. With reference to this particular case, I may say that all the Canadian soldiers who served in South Africa will be treated pre-Mr. CHAMPAGNE.

cisely as the soldiers from the British Islands and from the other colonies are treated.

Mr. WILMOT asked :

Who is the contractor for carrying the mail between Lower and Upper Gagetown, N.B. ? What is the amount paid the contractor ?

In the absence of the hon. Postmaster General (Hon. Sir William Mulock) I beg to answer the hon. gentleman's (Mr. Wilmot's) question as follows : There is no special contract for mail service between lower and upper Gagetown. Upper Gagetown and Gagetown along with other offices are served during the season of navigation by the Star Line Steamship Company plying between Fredericton and St. John. During the winter season upper Gagetown is served tri-weekly from Gagetown, J. W. Dickie, contractor; also triweekly from Oromocto by an extension of the Oromocto and Sheffield route, J. W. Malone, contractor. Lower Gagetown is served daily on the route between Gagetown and Westfield, W. H. Bulyea, contractor. .

In the absence of the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. Mr. Fisher)

I beg to answer the hon. gentleman's (Mr. Talbot's) question as follows :

1. The Minister of Agriculture authorized the employment of Dr. C. E. Saunders to take charge of the work of cereal breeding and other branches of experimental work in agriculture at the Central Experimental Farm.

2. He is a son of Dr. William Saunders, Director of Dominion Experimental Farms.

3. His regular employment in his present capacity dates from January 1st, 1903, and his salary is S100 per month.

4. His employment was authorized by the Minister of Agriculture, who was personally familiar with the work he had already done in the cross-breeding of cereals and fruits.

5. He was transferred to this work from the exhibition branch of the Department of Agriculture, where he had been engaged in preparing a series of agricultural photographs for the Japanese and St. Louis exhibitions.

G. Dr. O. E. Saunders is an honour graduate and silver medalist of Toronto University in the department of natural science, and a doctor of philosophy of the science department of Johns Hopkins University. For some years past he has been employed at intervals at the Central Experimental Farm to carry on the work of cross-breeding in cereals and in hardy fruits for the Northwest, and during this period most of the new varieties originated at the farm have been the result of his efforts.

1. Mileage of railways in North-west Territories :

Constructed by aid of land grants....1,921.21

Constructed by aid of money grants... 1,336.70 Constructed without public aid 57.97

Mileage of railways in Manitoba :

Constructed by aid of land grants.... 1,576.30

Constructed by aid of money grants

1,624.81

Constructed without public aid 35.07

2. Mileage of railways in Canada, excepting Manitoba and North-west Territories :

Constructed by aid of land grants.. .. 2,421.00 Constructed by aid of money grants.. 13,685.00 Constructed without public aid 777.00