Mr. CLANCY.

1 am calling attention to the fact that this is the proposition and it makes no difference when it was produced. It is headed ' proposed redistribution for Ontario, submitted by Liberal members at informal meeting, May 11, 1903,' and these have not been departed from in any one instance. The contention the hon. gentlemen opposite has set forth in it is contained in the Bill with unvarying regularity.

That is all right, I think we are following the rule laid down and that is all.

Mr. CLANCY.

But this was three months before the matter was made public.

My hon. friend must know that the committee was in session for three months.

Mr. CLANCY.

What I say is that not a single one of the propositions submitted from this side of the House was accepted. That is the proposition of the hon. gentlemen and it has been adhered to to the letter.

The action of the committee should not be misrepresented. What is important is that we have before us the suggestions of the majority of the committee and the suggestions made in a few cases by the minority and the question now is which of these should prevail. I do not know that, there is anything to be gained by recrimination or by attempts to intimate that somebody was improperly Influenced or acted in an improper manner. I think we all endeavoured to do as we thought best and now the propositions in a concrete form are before the committee of this House who can judge for themselves. I wish to say to my friend from Elgin (Mi-. Ingram) who said that these proceedings should have been brought before the House that in inviting members on both sides of this House to appear and make statements, the committee were seeking full information, but these gentlemen are all here now and they can give all that evidence and can add to what they said in the committee anything that would influence the minds of members to make any change.

Mr. INGRAM.

Will the hon. minister look around him and see if any of the gentlemen are here filling these empty benches and able to give him any of this information.

Item allowed to stand.

Mr. MONK.

Before the committee rises may I ask that the work of the committee would be greatly facilitated if it was possible to have this minute of proceedings indexed. I think it is a pity that the proceedings were not printed, but as this was not done it would greatly facilitate the work if they are indexed. I understand the Minister of Justice proposes to have

them indexed and if we had one or two copies indexed it would be of a great use to the committee in the continuation of this work.

Progress reported.

Mr. MONK.

Before this motion passes I think I would like to ask the Prime Minister, in the event of our advancing this work considerably to-morrow, what it is intended to take up after we have disposed of the Bill. There is another point to which I would also like to call the hon. gentleman's attention. We would probably enter into a consideration of the Transcontinental Railway Bill next week. I mentioned this morning that it would be very desirable for us to have before the House the railway resolutions before we again enter upon the consideration of that. measure. I am sure my right hon. friend will understand why that is. The Transcontinental Railway will entail a very considerable railway expenditure and I think it is only fair that the House should have before it a statement of what other expenditure in connection with railways is contemplated for this year. I think this resolution and the last estimates should be before the House as soon as possible.

I agree. 1 cannot bind myself to any particular day, but it is the intention of the government, especially if we make some reasonable progress, to have these ready at a very early day.