Hon. W. T. WHITE (Minister of Finance) :

The resolutions which I introduced on the occasion of my Budget speech were yesterday approved by the Committee of Ways and Means, and afterwards concurred in by the House. I now beg leave to introduce a Bill No. 169, entitled an Act to amend the Customs tariff, 1907, founded upon those resolutions.

Mr. MACDONELL:

I desire to rise to a question of privilege. The hon. member for Brant (Mr. Fisher) and the hon. member for North York (Mr. J. A. M. Armstrong) yesterday brought to the attention of the House an article in the Toronto Globe of Wednesday, the 29th April, asserting that certain members of the Government were outspoken in their opposition to the Canadian Northern railway deal as announced by the Government. I was not in the House when the matter was brought up by the hon. member for Brant, otherwise I would have joined him in denying the accuracy of that statement. My own name was mentioned among others, and I take this first opportunity of denying that there is any reason or foundation for such a statement. On the contrary, I think the transaction has been handled in a most businesslike and thorough manner by the Government, and in the only manner in which it could be properly handled. The agreement will have my most cordial support.

Hon. W. T. WHITE (Minister of Finance) :

My attention has been called to a report in to-day's issue of the Montreal Gazette and in certain other newspapers By inadvertence an erroneous impression has been created as to what I said yesterday during the discussion of certain steel items in the tariff. The report is as follows :

That there may he some further revision of steel duties required to meet the existing conditions in Canada, particularly as regards structural steel, was intimated by Hon. W. T. White to-night, during the discussion of the steel items in the tariff schedules. Mr. White said that the bridge manufacturers and allied interests in particular were naturally deeply interested in this question, and would have representations to make which might result in some further changes. The nature of these he did not indicate.

I shall read from ' Hansard ' what I said. I was speaking of the resolution under which the Governor in Council is authorized, when satisfied that rolled iron or steel angles, beams, channels, and other rolled shapes or sections of iron or steel weighing 120 pounds and less per lineal yard are manufactured in substantial quantities in Canada from steel made in Canada, to direct that there be substituted for tariff item 379 in schedule A to the customs tariff, 1907, the following:

379. Rolled iron or steel angles, beams, channels, and other rolled shapes or sections, of Iron or steel, not punched, drilled or further manufactured than rolled, weighing over one hundred and twenty pounds per lineal yard, n.o.p. not being square, flat, oval or round shapes, and not being railway bars or rails per ton-British preferential, $2; intermediate, $3 ; general, $3.

I explained to the House that the effect would be that on structural steel, from 35 pounds per lineal yard up to 120 pounds per lineal yard, the general rate of $7 per ton would be imposed. That is now the Tate on structural steel up to 35 pounds per lineal yard. The item which I have read will not become effective until the Governor in Council so directs, after being satisfied that rolled iron or steel angles and the other products mentioned are manufactured in substantial quantities in Canada. What 1 said, in answer to my hon. friend from Pictou (Mr. Macdonald), was:

X am in hopes that within the next year and a half or two years plants will be established at the Sault, and possibly at New Glasgow, Sydney and Hamilton, capable of manufacturing structural steel up to 120 pounds per lineal yard. As soon as the Government is satisfied that structural steel up to that weight can be manufactured in Canada, the increased duty will come into effect. It is possible that some other adjustments of the tariff may have to be made by reason of that change when it comes into effect. For instance, the manufacturers of bridges are interested in this duty upon structural steel.

Of course, it was not in my mind that a change would be made in the $7 per ton duty which this item imposes. I said that when the change comes into effect it is possible that some other adjustments of the tariff will have to be made in consequence of that change. Not, of course, upon these products, but upon other products; or, in other words, what are known as consequential changes. I desire, therefore, to make it plain that the adjustment which I had in mind did not relate to these products. I may say, in order that there may be no doubt whatever about the matter, that it is not the intention of the Government to introduce any further tariff changes at this session of Parliament.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER:

But to keep

an open mind for the future.

Mr. WHITE:

My right hon. friend knows that my distinguishing characteristic is an open mind.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER:

Yes, that is so, but not always in the right way.

Mr. WHITE:

I am glad that my right

hon. friend and I agree upon the main point.

Mr. OLIVER:

Before the resolution is

adopted, I am sure the Minister o.f Trade and Commerce will give the committee some information that was asked for on a previous occasion in regard to the operation of the Canadian terminal elevators, to facilitate which operation this resolution is to be be passed.

Mr. FOSTER:

Perhaps my hon. friend

would be just as well pleased to take that up when we come to the Bill. This is simply a resolution, and the information that he requires I shall then be prepared with. If my hon. friend will kindly indicate what particular information he desires to have, I shall be ready with it when we take up the Bill, probably on Monday or Tuesday.

Mr. OLIVER:

The information requested of the minister was as to the rates that were to be charged for services in connection with the interior elevators and the system under which business would be transacted.

Mr. FOSTER:

I shall be prepared with any information relating to that.

Mr. OLIVER:

We would like to have the fullest possible information in regard to how the Government intends to operate those elevators, pending their completion, and in regard to the handling of the coming crop. There may be further information required in regard to the terminal elevator at Fort William.