Sir WILLIAM MULOCK.

I beg to lay on the table the report of His Honour Judge Winchester on the investigation respecting the alleged employment of aliens by the Pere Marquette Railway Company.

Mr. INGRAM.

Will the hon. gentleman explain shortly what the result of the report is ?

Sir WILLIAM 'MULOCK. The report finds that in a number of cases the Pere Marquette Railway Company has imported aliens contrary to the Alien Labour Act. I think it would be advisable to have the report printed, and I would make a motion to that effect.

Mr. HAGGART.

Is it the intention of the government to introduce any amendments to the Alien Labour law this year ?

Sir WILFRID LAURIER.

No conclusion has been come to. That is under consideration.

Mr. SPROULE.

Before the Orders of the Day are taken up, I would like to inquire if there is any probability of my getting a return which I moved for some time ago, showing the number of permanent appointments made in the civil service since 1896 ?

Sir WILFRID LAURIER.

As the session threatens to be a long one, I think my hon. friend will have an opportunity of getting his return. a

Sir WILLIAM MULOCK.

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the opposition asked me yesterday whether there would toe any objection to my laying on the table copies of the papers m connection with the Thessalon post office matter, which was under discussion yesterday. I told him I would think over the matter. I have done so ; I see no

objection, and I will have copies of the papers prepared and laid on the fable at the earliest possible moment.

Mr. H. LENNOX.

Before the Orders of the Day are called, I wish to ask the Prime Minister a question. On the 22nd of February the matter to which I wish to refer was under discussion, and after it had been pointed out that there was no provision in the Railway Act, the right hon. gentleman said :

I must say that I have a confession to make to the House, and a confession that is not pleasant to me. I did not know '.hat the commission was not only not empowered hut not obliged to make a report. I have always understood that it was part of the duty of the commission to make a yearly report of their operations ; not only of the money which we gave them to spend as to how they have expended it-and for this we are responsible to parliament-but also of their operations, what they have done, what cases they have decided, so that the public could know exactly what has taken place. We have a right to that information, and if it is found after a conference with the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Railways, who is more familiar than I am with the Act, that the commission is not bound to make such a report,

I think we should enact legislation this very session to have such a report from the commission. I shall at once call the attention of the Minister of Justice to this. If the commission is not under obligation to make such a report it is due to parliament that it should be at once put under such an obligation.

I wisb to ask the right bou. gentleman if that conference with the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Railways has taken place and with what result ? I ask this question as I do not see that any legislation has been introduced.

Sir WILFRID LAUR'IER. I understand that a report will be ready in a very short time.

Mr. LENNOX.

What I asked more particularly was whether the Minister of Justice is of the opinion that there is a necessity for au amendment to the Act.

Sir WILFRID LAURIBR.

I cannot give an answer to-day. I do not know that he has expressed an opinion.

iS. FIELDING (Minister of Finance) moved that the House go into Committee of Supply.