Mr. OLIVER.

Mr. Speaker, before the orders of the day are called, I wish to give my hon. friend from Selkirk (Mr. Bradbury} the information he asked for the other day in Tegard to the request by the Royal Commission appointed1 by the Manitoba government for access to the original documents connected with the St. Peter's reserve. The fact that the time has passed when under the rules of the House a motion can be made to secure the production of these papers changes the position somewhat from w-hat it was. There is no desire to prevent the inspection of the papers by the Royal Commission, and at the same time it is desirable that the custody of the original documents should remain here or in the office in Winnipeg with respect to such documents as are there. So that if it will at all answer the purpose of the commission, they will he given, on their formal request, an order which will permit their inspection of the original documents in Winnipeg and the original documents heTe. If that will

not meet their requirements, we will try to make some other arrangement.

Mr. BRADBURY.

I would just like to point out to the minister that the object of obtaining these documents is to have them during the taking of evidence. They ought to be in Winnipeg in the custody of one of his own officers. It is impossible for the commission to establish the facts without having them there.

Mr. OLIVER.

So that they would remain in our office in Winnipeg and in its custody, but subject to the examination of the Royal Commission. Although that has not been discussed, I think I may say that there will be no difficulty about making that arrangement.

Mr. BRADBURY.

Will it be necessary for me to move a resolution?

Mr. OLIVER.

No. A formal request from the commission will, I think, be all that is necessary.

Mr. BRADBURY.

I think you have that formal request from the counsel. Mr. COMMONS

Whitla wrote you a letter asking for the production of these documents.

Mr. OLIVER.

I hardly think that the form in which we received the request would be sufficient warrant for our acceding to it. I think we are entitled to the courtesy of a formal request from the commission.

Mr. BRADBURY.

I will see that you get that.

0. MACDONELL (South Toronto). Before the orders of the day are proceeded with, I would like to ask the Minister of Public Works (Mr. Pugsley) if it is the intention of the government to erect any general federal buildings in the city of Toronto in connection with the erection of municipal buildings there, with a view to having a large public building erected jointly by the Dominion government and the city? Mention has been made of the matter in the ' Globe ' and other papers of Toronto, and if the minister is able to make any statement upon it, I would be very glad if he would do so.

Mr. PUGSLEY.

My attention has been called by prominent citizens of Toronto, including Mr. Gourlay, the president of the Board of Trade, to the desirability of considering the question of erecting public buildings, when we do erect them, all upon one of the blocks in that part of the city known, I believe, as ' the Ward.' It is centrally situated, and it has been thought that it would be desirable to place all the public buildings in that locality, but the matter has not been considered by the government for the reason that we have not in contemplation at present the erection of any new buildings in Toronto with the exception of an examining warehouse. It may be that in connection with that building, it would be well to consider this whole subject, but so far that has not been done.

Mr. TAYLOR (New Westminster).

I would like to inquire of the Minister of Marine and Fisheries (Mr. Brodeur) whether he has had any further communication from Washington under the International Fisheries Treaty?

Mr. BRODEUR.

I have not got any further information on the subject. I have brought the matter, however, to the attention of His Excellency, the Hon. Mr. Bryce, who is going to take up the question with the American authorities.