Mr. PUGSLEY:

1 would suggest to my

hon. friend the Minister of Railways and Canals that he take this matter up at once with the officials of the department and see whether it can be remedied. An important commercial city like St. John should be placed upon the main line of the Intercolonial so far as passenger service is concerned, and direct communication should be had between St. John and Montreal by means of the Ocean Limited.

Mr. J. D. REID:

This is the first complaint I have heard with regard to the Ocean Limited since it was again placed on tlie time-table. However, I shall be glad to take the matter up with the department with a view to seeing if anything can be done.

Mr. PUGSLEY:

The hon. gentleman may be thankful to me for bringing the matter up, because Iby-and-by he will hear very loud complaints.

Mr. LEMIEUX:

I see by this morning's Citizen that the hon. member for Argenteuil (Mr. Perleyj is leaving shortly for Europe, and that the object of his trip is two-fold; first, to discuss with the Imperial Government the question of Senate representation of the western provinces, and, second, to take up the matter of the purchase of a site for the Canadian offices in London. Would my right hon. friend inform the House if that report is correct?

Mr. BORDEN:

It is proposed that the

hon. member for Argenteuil, as a member of the Government, shall proceed to London during the coming summer and remain there for some months for the purposes indicated and for other purposes.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER:

Anything

about naval affairs?

Mr. BORDEN:

My right hon. friend is

so intensely interested in naval affairs that I have very great pleasure in assuring him that in case the necessity arises the hon. member for Argenteuil will discuss naval affairs.

Mr. LEMIEUX:

Emergency?

Mr. BORDEN:

Necessity.

Mr. GERMAN:

Does this mean that the Bills respecting senatorial increases will be dropped for this session?

Mr. BORDEN:

It is intended to introduce a resolution with regard to the matter; in case that resolution should pass, it would not be necessary to proceed with the Bill.

Mr. HAZEN:

I have considered the suggestions of the Deputy Minister of Justice as to changes in the phraseology of this Bill, and I think it would be well to accept them. I beg to move:

That the words ' a commission ' in the fourth line of subsection 2 be struck out and that the words ' commissioners ' be substituted therefor, 292}

and that in the following line the word 'commission ' be changed to ' commissioners.'

Sir WILFRID LAURIER:

I see a statement in the press to the effect that it is intended that the commission shall sit on the 9th of this month. Is that the case?

Mr. HAZEN:

No decision has been

arrived at as to the date upon which the commission shall sit. A representative of the British Board of Trade is on his way here now; he sailed by the George Washington on Saturday last, and the place of the sitting will depend on what may take place in his consultation with officials here. The newspapers have also published a statement that the commission will sit in Montreal; I may say that no decision has been arrived at in that regard.

Sir WTLFRID LAURIER:

Quebec ought to be ihe place.