Mr. LEMIEUX:
In connection with the papers brought down with reference to the
Farmers Bank, would the Minister of Finance lay on the table of the House the names of the depositors in La Banque du Peuple, the Ville Marie Bank, and La Banque St. Jean? I think these reports were submitted to Parliament some years ago.
Mr. W. T. WHITE:
Usually that information is not available in the department, but if it is, I shall consider the advisability of complying with the request of my hon. friend.
Bill No. 106, to incorporate the NorthWestern Railway Company of Canada.
Hon. J. D. HAZEN (Minister of Marine and Fisheries) moved for leave to introduce Bill No. 191, to provide for further advances to the Harbour Commissioners of Montreal. Motion agreed to, and Bill read the first time.
Hon. J. D. HAZEN (Minister of Marine and Fisheries) moved for leave to introduce Bill No. 192, to provide for further advances to the Quebec Harbour Commissioners.
Mr. LEMIEUX:
When we come to discuss this Bill in committee, will my hon. friend have with him a detailed statement of the 'dredging work performed by the Quebec Harbour Commission at Quebec?
Mr. HAZEN:
I will have the details of all the work that has been done.
Motion agreed to, and Bill read the first time.
Hon. W. T. WHITE (Minister of Finance) moved for leave to introduce Bill No. 193, to amend the Act respecting the National Battlefields at Quebec. He said: By this measure, the number of commissioners is increased from five to seven, and power is given to the commission to adopt by-laws for the administration of its affairs. The commission is further empowered to purchase, without the approval of the Governor in Council, any lands which it may have been authorized previously by Parliament to acquire, provided that funds have been appropriated for the purpose and are at the disposal of the commission. Those are the three changes provided for in the amending Bill.
Mr. SPEAKER:
This appears to be a Bill which requires to be introduced byresolution. Section 11 says:
No expenditure shall be made and no liabilities shall be incurred by the commission until funds sufficient to cover such expenditure or liabilities shall be at its disposal for the purposes of this Act.
Mr. WHITE:
I was advisedthatitwas not necessary to precede this Bill by a resolution, but I shall bow to your judgment in the matter. No expenditure is contemplated by the Bill unless it has been provided for by Parliament. Under the existing legislation the commission may, with the approval of the Governor in Council, purchase lands provided it has been previously authorized by Parliament to acquire such lands. The purpose of this amending Bill is to prevent the delay which arises in the purchase of land, and which in the past has resulted disadvantageous^ to the commission in purchasing lands. The object of the provision which Your Honour has under consideration is to enable the commission, without obtaining the approval of the Governor in Council, to purchase properties, provided that the acquisition of such properties has been authorized by Parliament, and provided also that moneys for the purpose have been appropriated and are at the disposal of the commission. If Your Honour has any doubt as to the matter upon further consideration, I shall of course be glad to defer to your judgment and proceed by way of resolution; but I had been advised that it was not necessary in this case.
Mr. SPEAKER:
On looking over the
section more carefully, I think perhaps the hon. gentleman is right. It says:
No expenditure shall be made and no liabilities shall be incurred by Jiie commission until funds sufficient to cover such expenditure or liabilities shall be at its disposal for the purposes of this Act.
If it were necessary to move by way of resolution, it would be only on this one section of the amending Bill. I will look into the mattter and find out what is the correct procedure.
Motion agreed to, and Bill read the first time.
Hon. ARTHUR MEIGHEN (Solicitor General) moved for leave to introduce Bill No. 194, respecting Co-operative Credit Societies. He said: No lengthy explanation will be necessary as the same Bill, with the exception of a few amendments, was introduced by myself last session. Furthermore, last session I had the honour of addressing the House upon the question at large. My remarks upon that occasion will apply to the present Bill, and I will explain it more fully on the second reading. This Bill provides for uniform machinery throughout the Dominion enabling the formation of cooperative credit societies. I do not need to describe the character of the societies for which co-operative credit is provided. They are societies, the principle of which ia mutual loanings among its members of funds for the purpose of their commercial advantage. Certain restrictions are placed upon each society, and the general precautions provided under the previous Bill are embodied here. I may add that the Bill does not differ in any essential particular from that passed by this House, after a very thorough review in Committee, in 1907.