Hon. Mr. FISHER.

selection, if any, what is the area in each case?

2. With respect to lands voted and not earned, but which may under existing legislation be earned, what is the area reserved in each case, if any. (a) in Manitoba ; (b) in the North-west Territories ? And what is the description of the same by township and range ?

3. With respect to lands earned and reserved, but not selected by the company, what steps, if any. have been, or are to be, taken by the Department of the Interior, or the government, to compel or expedite selection ?

1. The Saskatchewan and Western Railway has earned a total area of 98,880 acres by construction of Its line from Minnedosa to Rapid City, but no reservation has been made to satisfy this grant.

2. The question whether the Red Deer Valley Railway and Coal Company may yet earn any land by construction was dealt with recently in answer to a_ question in the House.

The only other company which may yet earn land by construction is the Canadian Northern Railway Company. The reservation which was made out of which the company could select lands to make up the area earned and which may yet he earned, lies partly in Manitoba and partly in the North-west Territories. [DOT]

About 310,000 acres have been selected on account of area earned, all in Manitoba except 15,700 acres.

The land in the reservation is all unsurveyed except a small proportion in Manitoba and a few townships in the North-west Territories. The area reserved is estimated from latest plans at about 4,924,440 acres in Manitoba and in the North-west Territories south of township 50, about 3,304,000 acres. There is also reserved in the Northwest Territories a tract estimated to contain about 22,000,000 acres lying between town- ' ship 49 and Hudson bay and along the projected line of the railway. This latter tract is entirely unsurveyed and largely unexplored.

The description by township and range, except the tract north of township 49, may be given as follows :

Sir WILLIAM MULOCK.

No selection has yet been made except a few sections by the Canadian Piicific Railway Company on account of its Souris branch, as the greater part of the reserves made for this land grant are not surveyed.

Since 1883, when the first railway lands were patented, to the present time, there has been patented to the different railway companies on account of land subsidies a total of about 14,S00,000 acres, of which about 11,800,000 acres have been patented since February, 1901.

The department is making every possible effort to have the balance, which remains to be patented in each case, surveyed, selected and patented at the earliest possible date.

GOVERNMENT LANDS IN NORTH-WEST TERRITORIES. &e.

Mr. RICHARDSON asked :

How many acres of government lands are there available for settlement in British Columbia, Manitoba, and the North-west Territories, each ?

In reply I beg to say :

The superficial area, not yet taken up, included within Manitoba, and North-west Territories, comprising provisional districts of Assiniboia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Athabasca (less laud covered with water), 295,319,206 acres. British Columbia, (comprising lands within the railway belt and northern reserve), 13,089,340 acres ; total 308,408,546 acres.

From this approximate area, however, must be deducted the area of land unfit for settlement owing to swamps, mountains, sterility of soil and such other causes ns may render the land useless.

FIRE AT MORTIMER & COMPANY.

1. What property of the government was lost in the fire which destroyed the premises of Mortimer & Company ?

2. What was the value, and what will be the total loss to the government 7

3. Under what conditions was such property on the premises 7

4. Has the government any legal claim for compensation ?

1. Not necessarily if identity is preserved, and not unless requested by the owner, shipper or carriers. This often occurs for reason that its condition has changed and buyers almost invariably under such circumstances require sea-board inspection.

2. Forty cents per car, or when in cargoes, fifty cents per 1,000 bushels.

Copies of the following resolutions have been received at the departmentAt a joint meeting of the live stock and poultry interests of the Dominion, held in the city of Guelph on February 24th. 1903, the following resolution was moved by Mr. Robert Miller, of Stouffville, Ontario, seconded by Mr. Peter Christie, of Manchester, Ontario, and unanimously carried

That, in the opinion of this joint meeting of representatives of Canadian live stock an! poultry breeders, it is most important that we make a strong exhibit of live stock and poultry at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis in 1904. We feel that the breeding of pure bred animals is one of the most important industries in Canada, and the government of Canada should make a liberal grant to pay the expenses of such an exhibit and provide a liberal prize list as well. We think that a grant of $250,000 at least would be necessary, and that the exhibit would be of great benefit to and appreciated by the people of this country, and we pledge ourselves to do all we can to uphold the good name that Canada has already in the live stock world.

At the fifth annual meeting of the Canadian Ayrshire Breeders' Association, held in Montreal on Friday. February 13th. 1903. it was moved by ,T. G. Clark, of Ottawa,

4S40

seconded by W. W. Ballantyne, of Stratford, and carried unanimously

That the Canadian Ayrshire Breeders' Association petition the Dominion government for assistance in making a creditable exhibit at the St. Louis fair.

At a meeting of the Eastern Ontario Poultry Association, held at Ottawa, February 11th, 1903, the following resolution was unanimously adopted :-

That it is the unanimous opinion of this association that it would be very desirable in the interests of Canada that the Dominion government and the local governments give every assistance in their power and use every means to secure a good poultry exhibit at the World's fair to be held at St. Louis, 1904.

The following is an extract from the deliberations of the Council of Agriculture of the province of Quebec, at its meeting on March 18th, 1903

Second resolution :-Moved by Mr. W. H. Walker. seconded by Mr. Jno. Draper, and resolved: -That in view of the vast importance of the World's fair to be held in St. Louis in 1904, this council is of the opinion that the Dominion of Canada through its Department of Agriculture should use every effort in its power to make the Canadian exhibit of live stock at this exposition fully up to the best standard that this country can produce, and that with this objee' in view a sufficient sum be provided in the estimates to uphold the names already gained at Chicago and Buffalo, and that this council use its best endeavours to send stock of highest class to keep up the reputation we have already gained in the past. Certified correct :

(Signed) OCT. OUELLETTE, Secretary Council of Agriculture.

The following is a copy of a communication received from the Secretary of the Dominion Shorthorn Breeders' Association on February 26th, 1903 :-

The following resolution was moved by Mr. W. D. Flatt, seconded by Captain Robson, and unanimously carried :-

Hon. Sydney Fisher,

Minister of Agriculture,

Ottawa. Ont.

Dear Sir,-We, the Dominion Shorthorn Breeders' Association, here assembled this 27th day of January, 1903, respectfully ask that your government encourage and assist the live stock breeders of Canada financially and otherwise in making a large exhibit at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis, Mo., in 1904. It is said that the state of Missouri alone are to give $200,000 in premiums on live stock bred in that state, and we believe that this will be one of the greatest contests of the various breeds ever known in the world. We are confident that your government would be acting in the best interests of our Dominion by aiding our breeders in making an exhibit that would in every sense be a lasting credit to this country. The good work done along this line by your department at the Pan-American, Buffalo, last year is gratefully acknowledged, but we feel you should go much further as the live stock industry is the greatest of all industries.

We also desire that the government announee their intention in regard to this matter to the breeders of Canada.

Hon. Mr. FISHER.

No individuals have written to the Minister of Agriculture or the government, refusing or objecting to send their live stock to the St. Louis fair on account of the anticipated heat of the weather during the said fair.