1. Mr. H. A. F. McLeod lias reported on the feasibility and cost of construction of the south-eastern terminus of the Trent canal.

2. Answer to No. 1 disposes of this question.

3. Yes.

1. How much has the government already expended within the last seven years lor pictures, paintings, and other works ol art lor the Canadian National Gallery, or lor other purposes ?

2. What sums have been expended lor the works ol Canadian artists ?

3. Under whose supervision are these works ol art selected ?

Mr. R. L. BORDEN (Halifax).

Before the Orders of the day are called, I would like to ask the government whether they have any further information as to the disturbance at the Sault, which would seem to have been of a somewhat more serious character than was anticipated by my right hon. friend yesterday. I observe from the newspaper reports that two men were shot, one named Dault, from Lake St. John, Quebec, and another named Grenier, from Ottawa. The report states that Dault was shot in the neck and Grenier in the leg. Another report indicates that one of these men was very seriously injured. It has even been reported-I do not know with what truth that he has died. It would also appear that some portion "of the permanent force of the country has been called out. I would like to ask my hon. friend what is the total force, whether permanent or militia, now engaged in subduing the disturbance, and under what circumstances they have been called out. There is a further newspaper report to the effect that a bulletin has been placed on the door of the company's offices in the following terms:

Officers and employees of the Consolidated Lake Superior and Subsidiary Companies : The president and directors in New York have been unable to raise money to pay to-day the wages and salaries now due the men and officers of the company. Advice received from New York this morning indicates that our president and directors have a plan to raise the money to no'. only pay the men, but to start up the works.

that seems to promise success. The plan has the endorsement and promise of support of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Premier of Canada, and the Hon. Geo. W. Ross. Premier of Ontario, and it is expected to produce the necessary money within thirty days. While we regret very much the inability of the company to pay to-day, the fact remains that there is not money to pay with. There seems to be only one thing left for the men to do. and that is to accept the offer of work elsewhere, leaving their checks with friends, responsible attorneys, or business men, to collect and send to them when the company pays them. Bear in mind that your wages will have to be paid ultimately, and constitute a just obligation against the company, which all the property and other assets of the company will ultimately be liable for. Any men who cannot get free transportation to new work can no doubt get enough money advanced on their time checks by business houses to pay their way to their new work.

There are just these points on which 1 would like my hon. friend to give information. What is the situation in Sault Ste. Marie with respect to this disturbance 1 What portion of the permanent force lias been called out ? What portion of the militia force is also on duty there V At whose instance have these forces been called out '/ And what truth is there in the statement affixed to the door of the company's offices that some plan has been proposed to the government, which has the endorsement and the promise of the Prime Minister, by which it is expected the necessary money will be obtained to pay the men their wages ?

The statement which my hon. friend has read with regard to a plan for raising money has not been submitted to me, and I do not know exactly what it means. I have only to say that no plan of any kind for raising money has been submitted to me, either directly or indirectly. With regard to the condition of things at Sault Ste. Marie, the last information that I have personally received is from Mr. Dy-ment, a member of this House, who wired me late last evening to this effect:

Trouble here has somewhat subsided. Don't anticipate further rioting after arrival of troops to-day. Many arrests made. Policemen injured and two rioters shot, but not fatally. Troops now guarding government canal and allied companies works.

As to the other question, it will be answered by my hon. friend the Minister of Militia. '

The municipal authorities at Sault Ste. Marie applied, under the clause of the Militia Act providing for such a contingency, to the senior military officer there, the colonel of the 97th regiment, for protection. The company at the Sault was accordingly called out by that officer, and I think a company was brought from the adjacent village of Tbessalon. Finding the matter more serious

than he thought he could cope with, the senior officer applied to the district officer commanding, at Toronto, Col. Buchan. Col. Buchan notified the Adjutant-General here that he considered it proper immediately to despatch sixty of the permanent force to the Sault, which, I presume has been done, and that he had given orders to draft some two hundred men from regiments within the city of Toronto. That is all the information which I have to give. I have had no report as to the shooting ; but from what 1 gather from the newspapers, I believe the shooting has been done by the police officers, and not by the militia. All the proceedings have been done in the regular way, under the clause of the Militia Act, to which 1 have referred, through the senior officer at the Sault, and the district officer commanding at Toronto.

Mr. R. L. BORDEN (Halifax).

Does the Militia Act provide for the calling out of the permanent force in that way ?

I believe it does.

Mr. BORDEN (Halifax).

The hon. gentleman may be right ; I was not aware of it. Of course, I am not very familiar with the provisions of the Act, but my recollection was not in accord with that. The hon. gentleman has not stated how many of the active militia are on duty there outside of the' permanent force.

The MINISTER OB' MILITIA AND DEFENCE. I think about 100. I think there are four companies in the 97th regiment, numbering about 200 men. Two of the companies were called out, but they did not turn out in full strength. I am not aware that the 200 men who have been drafted from the different regiments of the eity of Toronto have yet been sent forward. They are held as a reserve in case of emergency.

Mr. BENNETT.

I may say that they went up yesterday afternoon. I saw the train pass at Orillia.

Mr. R. L. BORDEN (Halifax).

Before the Orders of the day are called, I would like again to call the attention of the government to Bill (No. 3) to amend the Dominion Elections Act, 1900, which was introduced by my hon. friend from North Norfolk (Mr. Charlton) and was referred at the instance of the hon. Minister of Finance to* a special committee. I believe that a good deal of work has been done by the committee in re-drafting the Bill ; but it wall he absolutely impossible for it to be dealt with this session unless it is removed from public Bills and orders and placed among government orders. As the Bill was referred to a special committee at the instance of my hon. friend the Minister of Finance, I Sir F. W. BORDEN.

had expected that it would have been transferred to the government orders before this. I would like to ask the intention of the government with regard to it.

I have already intimated, in reply to a question that was asked a day or two ago, that it is the intention of the government to bring the question forward, in order that the committee may present the measure to the House and the House may have an opportunity of discussing it. It will be placed on the government orders for that purpose at an early day.

kept wondering and undecided whether they are dealing with the Grand Trunk or Die Grand Trunk Pacific. It is not necessary to weary the House with a further discussion, for this matter lias been debated both on the second reading mid in Committee of the Whole, so that the people are in possession of the facts and discussion in the country cam go on. And I most say that the more the discussion has gone on among the people, the more the people have said the opposition are right and the government wrong. The opposition is perfectly right in determining not to leave the job so long as there is any opportunity left of setting right in any particular this contract which the government forces upon the country.

Amendment (Mr. Lancaster) negatived.

Mr. BORDEN (Halifax).

Lost on the same division.

Mr. SPEAKER.

Lost on the same division as last recorded yesterday.