Mr. SPROULE.

I would call the attention of the right hon. the First Minister to the following paragraph which appears in this morning's ' Citizen ' :

Washington, April 11.-Secretary of State Root and British Ambassador Bryce to-day signed two treaties negotiated recently between the United States and Great Britain One provides for a commission to determine the boundary between the United States and Canada and the other regulates fishing in the great lakes and contiguous streams. The boundary commission will be charged with the work of resurveying certain sections of boundary line and determining disputed questions in that connection. It is said that the fishery question also is placed in the hands of a commission by the terms of the treaty.

Are the government in a position to give the House information ? Have they any control over the appointment of the commissioners or over their selection, especially on behalf of Canada?

Rt. Hon. Sir WILFRID LAUR1ER (Prime Minister). 1 have just received a telegram stating that these two treaties have been signed. One refers to the boundary. It is not contemplated to establish new boundaries but simply mark again the boundaries and describe them on maps. The second deals with the fisheries. In the contiguous waters, we have had difficulties for many years owing to there being a close season on our side and none on the American side. By the treaty all contiguous waters will be put under a commission which will make regulations for the fisheries. The appointments on the British side exclusively belong to the government of Canada.

Mr. F. D. MONK (Jacques Cartier).

I would like to ask the government if it will lay upon the table the two agreements which have been concluded between Great Britain and the United States and the correspondence connected therewith. I see in this morning's Montreal 'Gazette' a reproduction of a despatch to the New York ' Herald ' making a rather long reference, which I will not read, to Canada's nttU'dp. This despatch is from Loudon to the New York ' Herald ' and dated about 12th April. There must be considerable correspondence, and there are also the two agreements. May we expect that these will be laid on the table ?

Sir WILFRID LAURIER.

It goes as a matter of course that, as soon as the ratifications of the treaties have been exchanged and we have received them, they will be

communicated to the House, as well as the correspondence. I have not seen the articles to which the hon. gentleman (Mr. Monk) refers, but I have seen articles in the American press to the effect that there are some other' questions as to which negotiations are pending. Of course, this correspon dence cannot be brought down until the matter is concluded.

Mr. FOWLER.

I wish to draw the atten tion of the Minister of Marine and Fisher ies (Mr. Brodeur) to the alleged miscon duct of one of the officers-

Mr. SPEAKER.

It is not proper to in troduce matter for discussion at this point

Mr. W. H. BENNETT (East Simcoe).

May I ask the Minister of Public Works (Mr. Pugsley) if the appropriation to be voted this year at Midland and Tiffin harbours for improvements-which I take it is dredging-amount $75,000, and Victoria liar hour, $75,000, has been given to two com panies known as the Canadian Construction Company and the Owen Sound Dredging Company, without tenders being asked for?

Hon. WM. PUGSLEY (Minister of Public Works).

Certain dredging work, which would form part of these improvements, was let last year by public tender, and by the terms of the contract the time for the completion of the work is to be fixed by the minister. The question of giving until the close of the present season for the doin; of the work is under consideration. The matter will be decided in a few days.

Mr. BENNETT.

Are any tenders to be called for the work to be done at either point during the coming season, or are those companies to proceed at the commencement of navigation with the work to be done there ?

tenders and for the same schedule prices as last year ?

Mr. PUGSLEY.

The matter is under consideration. I have had a very strong report made by the chief engineer of my department, stating that, in quite a number of cases, where the prices were obtained fixed by competition after public advertisement, and in which he eei'tifies that they are reasonable and that the contractors are equipped with complete plants for doing the work, it would be in the public interest to fix a period during the coming season for the completion of the work. The matter is under consideration with regard to a number of cases.

Mr. BOYCE.

Are there any other cases mentioned in the order in council besides the two spoken of by the hon. member for East Simcoe (Mr. Bennett) ?

Mr. PUGSLEY.

The order in council will speak for itself when it comes down.

Mr. CLEMENTS.

I have a letter from a dredging firm wanting to know if works in Lake Ontario will be let by tender as well. Is the Minister of Public Works (Mr. Pugs-ley) in a position to give any information on that point at the present time ?

Mr. PUGSLEY.

I think I can only repeat the statement that the order in council' when it comes down, will show.

Mr. BENNETT.

In this connection, will the minister be good enough to bring down the report of the chief engineer, as well as the order m council ?

Mr. PUGSLEY.

If I exercise the power which is contained in the contract of fixing the time during the present season, either at the close of navigation, or earlier, new tenders will not be called for and the prices will be determined by the tenders called for in the early part of last season.