Mr. PROULX.

Mr. SPEAKER.

I think the hon. gentleman (Mr. Proulx) is scarcely in order in entering upon a discussion at this stage of the sitting. If he desires to ask a question and simply wishes to make himself understood, he would be in order, tout not otherwise.

Mr. PROULX.

I do not intend to discuss the matter. I only wish to draw the attention of the government to the situation which exists and I would like the government to bring the matter to the attention of the Railway Commission and have the railway companies try to .solve the difficulty. In some parts of my county I know that they have hay awaiting -shipment, and if it is not shipped before the spring freshets come on they will not be able to Ship it for many months. In other parts of eastern Ontario the situation is the same, and I hope the government will do their utmost to help the farmers and shippers to ship their hay. One of the reasons of the difficulty seems to toe that most of the hay is going to the United States; there is a lack of foreign cars and our railway companies are reluctant to send their cars across the border. I hope that the government will take the matter up with the railway companies.

Mr. COCHRANE.

This is the first I have heard of the matter excepting what I saw in this morning's paper. No complaint has been laid before me, but now that the matter has been called to my attention I certainly shall be glad to bring it to the notice of the commissioners', and I have no doubt that they will deal with it promptly.

Mr. LEMIEUX.

May I ask the right hon. leader of the government if he has read the despatch published in, yesterday's paper about the international boundary line in British Columbia? I read in, the ' Witness ' of last night the following despatch :

Right Hon. R. L. BORDEN (Prime Minister).

My attention has not been called to the article, and I have heard nothing of the statement except what the hon. gentleman has just mentioned. I shall direct the attention of the proper department to the matter.

Mr. MICHAUD.

I wish to -ask the right hon. Prime Minister (Mr. Borden) if he has received any correspondence from the French people of the maritime provinces in -connection with the -appointment of a senator to fil-1 the place left vacant by the late -Senator Comeau. There are -actually in the maritime provinces -about 165,000 French people; they have only one senator and I believe that -they ar-e entitled to three or four according to population.

Mr. BORDEN.

The -appointments to new senatorshi-ps are now under consideration.

Mr. FOSTER (North Toronto).

It will be remembered that I proposed to insert after the word ' quality ' in subsection 2, the words- ' or is manifestly not of the grade called for by the certificate.' This is to provide for what occasionally takes place where a lot of grain turns out to be manifestly of a different grade from that shown on the certificate. There is no recourse so far as the Act is concerned in such a case and this simply proposes that in such a case the grain shall not be regraded but that the inspector shall endorse across the face of the original certificate a statement of the facts as he does in respect of the other two conditions mentioned in the section, where the grain has deteriorated or has gone out of condition.

Mr. OLIVER.

My hon. friend will agree that there is always grave danger in attempting to provide for special cases by general legislation. The amendment is intended to provide for a case that should not arise. If the inspection and transportation of the grain has been carried on in accordance with the Act the condition

Mr. LEMIEUX.

would not arise, and this is particularly an instance where general legislation should not- be invoked to cover a special case.