HAZEN (Minister of Marine and Fisheries) moved for leave to introduce Bill (No.' 118) to create ' The Biological Board of Canada.'

Explain.

Mr. HAZEN.

This Bill has reference to the work carried on in connection with the biological service. The members of the Biological Board serve without pay and they have been hampered in their work to a considerable extent owing to the system under which the work is now carried on. AH supplies 'and everything of that kind in connection with the different stations have to be ordered by the Department of Marine and Fisheries in the first instance, and these gentleman who are now serving feel that their work is considerably delayed, the season during which the work is carried on being very short. They have not been able to give as good results as they think they could if the system proposed in this Bill were adopted. I took the matter up with the Auditor General and this Bill is the result of a consultation with him. The Bill 'creates a'board to be called ' The Biological Board of Canada ' which shall be under the control of the minister. The board shall 'Consist of two members appointed by the minister, one appointed by each of the universities o.f Dalhousde, Laval, McGill, New Brunswick, Queen's and Toronto, and one to be appointed by each of such other universities (to be named by the minister) as may engage in the work of biological research.

The board shall have charge of all biological stations in Canada, and shall ;have; the conduct and control of investigations of practical and economic problems con-129 ' .

nected with marine and fresh water fisheries, flora and fauna, and such other work as may be assigned to it by the minister. The board shall meet annually at the city oi Ottawa and at such meetings shall elect one member to be chairman and another to be secretary treasurer, who shall hold office until the next annual meeting.

Other meetings of the board shall be held at such places and at such times as are necessary for the work of the board. The board may make by-laws for the conduct of its business, but no by-law shall be in force until it has been approved of by the minister. No member of the board shall receive any payment or emolument for his services, but he shall be repaid all actual, reasonable travelling or other expenses in connection with the work of the board. From the moneys appropriated by parliament for the work of the board which in the present year, will amount to $15,000 or which the board may receive through bequest, donation or the sale of specimens of natural history, the secretary treasurer under direction of the board shall expend such sums as are necessary for the work of the board. A detailed statement of the expenses of the board up to the close of the preceding fiscal year shall be prepared annually by the secretary treasurer, and such statement shall be submitted to and be examined by the Auditor General. A report upon the work done by the board shall be made to the minister a3 soon as possible after the close of each fiscal year.

1. Has Mr. Frederick Passmore Gutelius been recently appointed to the National Transcontinental Commission?

2. Is Mr. Gutelius a British subject?

Mr.'COCHRANE:

1. No.

2. Mr. F..F. Gutelius is a British subject.

1. Have any complaints been made against the postmaster of St. Angele de Laval, county of Nicolet?

If so, has an inquiry been ordered in his case?