1. What are the names and residences of the applicants for leasing the grazing privileges of the Blood Indian reserve, in Alherta, and the date of said applications ?

2. Has the said reserve been leased ? If so, to whom, and what Is the date of the lease ?

3. How many acres are embraced in the said lease ?

4. What is the rate per acre, and for how many years ?

5. Has the lessee power to transfer such

lease ? -

Hon. CLIFFORD SIFTON (Minister of (lie Interior).

I am afraid that I cannot, iu tlie form of an answer to the question, give the hon. gentleman the full information that he desires. I will give the substance, and if my hon. friend finds that it is not sufficient, I hope he will move for a return, and I will have it brought down in full. In 1895 an arrangement was come to through the Indian Commissioner by which grazing permits were issued on the Blood reserve. A number of permits were granted from time to time. The following persons have been applicants for grazing privileges upon the reserve

1. J>. F. AWLaughlin, Temple Building,

Toronto, 11th December, 1902 ; W. M. Boultbee, 20 King St. east, Toronto, 13th December, 1902; C. Millar, 55 Yonge St., Toronto, 2nd April, 1903 ; C. A. Sheets, Cardston, Alta., 7th April, 1903 ; R. Patter son, Macleod, Alta., 11th April, 1903 ; Donald McEwan, Brandon, Man., 22nd April, 1903 ; H. M. Hatfield, Yarrow, Alta., 22nd April, 1903 ; J. W. Woolf, Regina, 25th April, 1903 ; A. J. McLean, Macleod, Alta., 30th April, 1903 ; T. II. Wallace, Lethbridge, Alta., 30th April, 1903. [DOT]

2. Grazing privileges on that portion of the Blood reserve situate on the east and south were granted Donald McEwan & Company, under agreement entered into with the Blood Indians on the 16th May, 1903, ratified by the department on the 6th June, 1903.

3. The approximate area covered by the grazing privileges is 219,000 acres.

4. A grazing permit is for a period of ten years at an annual rental of $5,000, payable half-yearly and subject to other conditions specified in agreement.

5. Agreement provides that privileges granted cannot be sub-let without the authority of the Superintendent General of Indian Affairs.

1. Has the Postmaster General received any petitions from letter carriers respecting disabilities or grievances said to exist in the amending Post Office Act, chapter 28, of 1902 ?

2. If so, from what cities have such petitions been received ?

3. Are any steps to be taken, legislative or

otherwise, to remedy the matter complained of ? '

Petitions were received from some letter carriers at the cities of Halifax, Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, Hamilton, Brantford, Winnipeg and Victoria, suggesting legislation bettering their position. The department is of the opinion that the pay of the .petitioners is sufficient; that the hours of service are reasonable; that the conditions accompanying the service are fair, and that the circumstances do not warrant the granting of the petition.

1. How many letters carriers did not elect to come under the provisions of the Post Office Amending Act, chapter 28, of 1902 ?

2. Have they petitioned the Postmaster General that an increase be granted them, without obliging them to aecepL the legislation mentioned ?

8. From what cities have such petitions been received ? .

4. Will the request of the petitioners be granted ?

Two hundred and thirty-nine letter carriers elected to come in under the provisions of the Post Office Act, chapter 28, 1902, and amending Act, and two hundred and thirty-two have failed to avail themselves of its provisions. Petitions for an increase of salary have been received from some letter earners at Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Hamilton, Victoria, Ottawa and London, who did not accept the increases of salary authorized by the said Act and amendments. The Act of 1902 allowed all letter carriers three months' time within which to* avail themselves of the provisions of the amending Act. Some availed them-! selves of this privilege, others failed to do so. After the time for such election had expired application was made on behalf of some letter carriers, who had failed to come in under the new Act, for an oppor tunity of doing so, and accordingly last ses sion an Act was passed giving those, who had failed to accept the benefits of the new law' the privilege of doing so within six months, and a number of them accordingly took advantage of this privilege.

The department, however, is given to understand that certain of the letter carriers, who have not up to the present accepted the conditions of the new law, now desire the privilege of doing so. If parliament should Mr. SIFTON.

accede to this request, by passing an Ac-t extending the time, then the petitioners will have an opportunity, under the provisions of the Act in question, of obtaining substantial increases in their salaries, but it has not yet been decided to ask parliament to grant such extension of time.

1. Have the government fishery officers reported upon the effect of the thick ice and deep snow in the past winter upon the fish in the Trent valley lakes ?

2. Have these officers advised the restocking of the lakes with spawn or fry of the classes of useful fish smothered during the winter ?

3. Were the fishery officers directed to preserve openings here and there in the ice during the winter ?

1. The Dominion Inspector of Fisheries has not reported on this, as matters affecting the proprietary interests in the fisherie.-, in Ontario come under the purview of the local government since the issue of licenses has been assumed by it.

2. Answered by No. 1.

3. Answered by No. 1.

1. Who has the contract for conveying {he mails between Qu'Appelle and Wishart ?

2. What is the distance, and what is the amount of his contract ?

3. Was the contract let by tender, and was the present contract let to the lowest tenderer ?

4. When does the contract expire ?

5. Has the contractor sub-let his contract ? And if so, to whom ?

6. What is the amount of the sub-contract ?

1. Mr. W. A. Heubach has the contract.

2. Distance, 71i miles ; amount, $560 per annum.

3. The contract was let by tender to the lowest tenderer.

4. September 30th, 1905.

5 and 6. The department has no knowledge that the contract has been sub-let. Mr. W. A. Heubach is being paid for the service.

1. On w-hat day in this year were plans for a drill hall forwarded from Ottawa to the district officer commanding at St. John, N.B. ?

2. When were these plans prepared ?

3. Is there at any place in Canada a drill hall built from these plans, or from plans similar thereto in dimensions and accommodation provided ? If so, w-here ?

4. Is provision made in such plans for a field battery ?

5. Is there a field battery at St. John, N.B. ?

6. Is it the intention of the Department of Militia to establish a field battery at St. John ? If so, when, and what would be the establishment of such battery ?

7. Of how many companies does the Third Regiment, C.A., having its headquarters at St. John, N.B., at present consist'? Is it the intention of the Militia Department to increase or decrease such number of companies ?

8. Of how many companies does the 62nd Regiment, having its headquarters at St. John, N.B., at present consist ? Is it the intention of the Militia Department to increase or decrease such number of companies ?

9. Is there not a bearer company, having its headquarters at St. John, N.B., at present authorized ?

10. Is not the establishment of a company of the Army Service Corps at St. John, N.B., at present authorized ?

11. Is it the intention of the Militia Department that the 3rd Regiment, C.A., the 62nd Regiment, a bearer company, and a company of the Army Service Corps should be accommodated with quarters in the proposed new drill hall at St. John, N.B. ? If so, why were not the plans for such drill shed prepared so as to afford such accommodation? If not, where is it intended that such regiments and companies should be provided with accommodation ?

12. What instructions were given for the making of plans, so as to insure the provision of adequate accommodation for the units of active militia having headquarters at St. John, N.B. ?

1. 12th February, 1904. ,

2. The compilation of the necessary data was commenced in November, 1903, and as soon as the plans were ready they were forwarded to the district officer commanding for his report.

3. No.

4. Yes.

5. No.

6. Yes, ordinary establishment.

7 (a). 4 companies, (b). No.

8 (a). 8 companies, (b). No.

9. Yes.

30. Yes.

11 (a). Yes. (b). The approved plan affords all necessary accommodation.

12. No special instructions were given.

Mr. URIAH WILSON (Lennox).

Before the Orders of the Day are called, I wish to call the attention of the Postmaster General to the fact that in the return brought down relating to the dismissal of the postmaster at Wilton, there is a large amount of correspondence left out. For instance. letters from the Rev. D. C. Day, who has been a minister there for four years, and a near neighbour of the ex-postmaster : Mr. Robert Miller, a wealthy

Liberal and very respectable man, ex-reeve of the township of Ernesttown ; and Mr. Wellington Babcock, another ex-reeve of

the township ; Mi;. James Lewis, J.P., Mr. Ross Peters, Mr. Thomas Prest, and several others on both sides of politics who have written strong letters to the Postmaster General asking that this postmaster be not dismissed.