Mr. PREFONTAINE.

With the obligation to spend $50,000 a year.

Mr. FOWLER.

Why did you not make the lease with the British American Fishing Corporation ?

Mr. PREFONTAINE.

It was not incorporated at the time.

Mr. FOWLER.

Not incorporated at the time ? The lease says that the lessee may transfer his interest to the British American Fish Corporation, Limited, ' for which letters pqtent have been granted.' Yet the hon. minister says it was not incorporated at the time. There it is in black and white and yet the hon. minister says, in face of that, that it was not incorporated. We are used to having statements from the ministers which are not in accordance with the facts. That is an awful thing to have to say, but one cannot be tt-uthful and not say it. Here is a minister who tells us that the reason be did not give a lease to the corporation but gave it to Markey, was, because the corporation was not in existence at the time the lease Was given, but the lease itself says that the lessee should not transfer his interest in the lease except to the British American Fish Corporation. Limited, for which letters patent have been granted by the Privy Council of Canada.

Mr. PREFONTAINE.

Does that mean that the company was in existence ?

Mr. FOWLER.

What else does it mean ? If the minister takes such a view as that I suppose there is no use in talking further.

Mr. CLANCY.

Where are these fish hatcheries to be located ?

Mr. PREFONTAINE.

The sites have not yet been chosen. The officers will choose the sites as'soon as the session is over ; but it is the intention to establish them in the different provinces.

Mr. CLANCY.

There will be two on the great lakes.

Mr. PREFONTAINE.

Yes, but they are not located yet.

Mi-. CLANCY. How many applications have been made for them on the great lakes ?

Mr. PREFONTAINE.

Four or five, I think. .

Mr. EARLE.

With regard to the hatcheries in British Columbia, is it the intention of the government to select the sites and construct them this year ?

Mr. PREFONTAINE.

If we have time we will. I am leaving for British Columbia in a day or two and in company with Mr. Bancroft of the provincial government, I intend to select the sites.

Mr. BOYD.

As the hon. minister has not seen fit to hand me back the copy of the leases which I quoted from, I will read the lease which I now have to the House.

Mr. PREFONTAINE.

I gave it to someone on the other side.

Mr. BOYD.

sum of at least one hundred thousand dollars, then he or the said company shall have the option of renewing the present lease, subject to the same terms and conditions, for a further period of twenty-one years.

These presents are made and issued subject to the following provisions, terms and conditions :

1. That the said lessee or the said company, shall in* the use and occupation of the fishery privileges hereby leased, conform in every respect to the provisions, enactments and requirements of the Fishery Laws now, or which may hereafter be in force, and comply with all the rules and regulations that may have been or that may from time to time be adopted or made by the Governor General in Council relative thereto.

2. That the said lessee shall not transfer his interest in the present lease, except to the British American Fish Corporation, Limited, for which letters patent have been granted by the Governor General in Council of Canada, without obtaining the written consent of the minister, or that of some other person or persons authorized to grant the same.

3. That the said lessee or the said company shall not have any right or claim to indemnity or abatement of rent by reason of a decrease or failure in the fishery by these presents leased.

4. That the said lessee or the said company shall annually make a full return of full details and particulars to the Department of Marine and Fisheries of the operations carried on in every branch of the fishery hereby leased.

5. That the said lessee or the said company shall, during the three years following the 1st day of May, 1904, expend a sum of at least one thousand dollars per annum in the exploration of the territory hereby leased, and during the period of ten years from the 1st day of May next, shall expend and. lay out at least fifty thousand dollars in the exploration, development, equipment and improvement of the said property hereby leased.

6. That if the said lessee or the said company shall fail or neglect to pay the renh hereinbefore reserved and stipulated for, or any part thereof, or shall neglect or fail to perform any of .the other conditions, terms or provisions hereinbefore mentioned, or if the said fishery is being improperly operated by the said lessee or the said company, contrary to the terms of this lease, so as to prejudicially affect the public Interests, the minister may give or cause to be given three months' notice in writing to the said lessee or the said company, that the term of the lease by these presents created will be determined and cancelled, and the said term and lease shall thereupon and thereby be determined, ended and cancelled, and His Majesty may thereupon resume possession of the said fishery and the privileges hereby created wthout indemnifying the said lessee or the said company for any improvements that may have been done, and His Majesty may thereafter, without let or hindrance from the said lessee or the said company, resume possession of the said fishery and the privileges by these presents hereby created, and may continue to enjoy the same, or relet them to others as His Majesty may deem fit.

7. The said lessee or the said company shall not take from the said waters any sturgeon weighing less than twelve pounds, nor' any whitefish, trout, or catfish, weighing less than

Mr. BOYD.

two pounds, nor any yellowT pike weighing less than one and a half pounds.

8. That the said lessee or the said company shall be liable for any damage or loss that may accrue to His Majesty by reason of any act or neglect of the said lessee or_ the said company in connection with the said fishery and shall indemnify and hold harmless His Majesty from all costs, loss and damage in connection therewith.

9. His Majesty reserves the right to grant other leases in and upon said rivers and lake ; hut no other lease will be granted to fish in and upon the said rivers and tributaries, within a limit of ten miles from any fishing or refrigerating station erected by the said lessee or the said company thereon, or in said lake within a limit of fifty miles from any such station erected on said lake.

In witness whereof the minister hath subscribed and set his hand and seal of office, and the lessee hath hereunto set his hand and seal.

R. PREFONTAINE. Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of

Mr. FOWLER.

The hon. minister spoke of the way the public interest was safeguarded by that lease. I listened carefully to the reading of it, and there is not a condition in that lease the observance of which is not greatly to the advantage of the fisu-ing company. There are no onerous conditions imposed upon them at all. The hon. minister said it was not uncommon toga-ant leases of this kind. I challenge the hon. gentleman here and now to point to any single concession made hy any predecessor of his, whether a member of a Conservative government or of a Liberal government, on all fours with the lease which the hon. gentleman has made of these fishing rights. The hon. gentleman signalized his coming into office by doing what ? Acting the pirate, and robbing the Public Works Department and other departments of then-powers-for what purpose ? Merely to re ward bis friends. The hon. gentleman's boodling friends were not coining quickly enough to eat of the great feast he was spreading for them, and he issued a circular in Montreal, saying : IIo, all ye that hunger and thirst for boodle, come. That circular was published in the newspapers. So they came, each one carrying his ladle, to take part in the soup. X am surprised, not so much at the hon. gentleman, as at some of his colleagues who will permit such a scandalous state of affairs to continue.

Additional amount required for outfitting new cruisers for the fishery protection service, $30,900.