#Mr. KAY: 1. How much cream was exported to the United States from the counties of Brome and Missisiquoi during the year 1914? 2. How much was exported from each port in these counties and what was the value thereof in each case?

Mr. Bemieux: For a copy of all Orders in Council, letters and telegrams exchanged between the Dominion Government and the several provinces, concerning the proposed transfer of fisheries in tidal waters from the provincial to the federal control. Mr. Marcil: For a copy of all correspondence and other documents relating to the awarding of the mail contract at Maria Capes, Bonaventure county, in 1914. Mr. Macdonald: For a return showing the names and addresses of all persons in the county of Pictou who have been paid the Fenian raid bounty, and of all persons in said county who have made application for said bounty and who have not yet received it. Mr W M. Martin : For a copy of all correspondence between the Dominion Government and the governments of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta relating in any way to the supplying of seed grain to settlers for the season of 1915. .. 2. A copy of all memoranda and instructions given by the Government, or any department thereof, to any of its officials regarding the purchase and distribution of seed grain to settlers in the provinces referred to. 3 A copy of all circular letters whether written; printed or typewritten, together with forms of application, forms of security and all such other forms or circulars as were issued by any department, or any official of the Government in dealing with the seed grain probl™r W M. Martin: For a return showing the total duality of seed grain purchased to date, specifying in each case the number of bushels of wheat, oats, barley and flax; the average price per bushel paid for each class 3. seed grain secured to date; the names and addresses of all persons employed to purchase seed grain and the amount of salary and expenses paid to each; and the name and addresses of all persons empowered to take applications from settlers for seed grain, and a copy of all instructions sent to such persons in connection therewith, and the amount of the salary or remuneration paid to such persuiia. _ Mr. W. M. Martin : For a copy of all Orders in Council, letters, memoranda and all documents issued by the Government, or any member or department thereof, which contain instructions or directions regarding the distribution of relief or assistance of any nature whatsoever to settlers in Alberta and Saskatchewan, owing to the partial crop failure of the past season. 2. With a return showing the total amount ol such relief or assistance actually granted to such settlers in each of the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta, exclusive of the cost of administration and exclusive of all expenditures made in connection with the purchase and storing of seed grain. 3. The total amount of such relief or assistance actually granted to settlers in each of the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta, being within the area recently fixed by the Interior Department and referred to as the ' drouth stricken area,' such amounts to he exclusive of the cost of administration and exclusive of all expenditure made in connection with the purchase and storing of seed grain. 4. The names and addresses of the committee, board or other body appointed by the Government to take charge of the distribution of such relief, and a statement as to the provision made by the Government for their remuneration and expenses. 5. A list of any persons appointed by the Government, or any department thereof, since July 15, 1914, to assist in receiving and approving applications for such relief; such list to include the names of the persons so employed, theif addresses, monthly, daily or other salary, date of employment, length of time employed, total salary paid each and total amount paid each for expenses. . 6. The provision made by the Government for getting security for loans advanced by way of such relief, and 7. The steps, if any, taken by the Government to prevent duplication of relief to needy settlers by the federal and provincial authorities. Mr. Sinclair: For a return showing the names and post office addresses of all persons in Guysborough county, N.S., to whom the bounty under the Fenian Raid Volunteer Bounty Act has been paid; the names and post office addresses of all persons whose applications have been rejected, and the reasons for such rejections ', also the names and post office addresses of all person whose applications have been received but have not yet been paid, distinguishing between those who have been dealt with and allowed, and such applications as have been received but not yet considered, if any. Mr. Carroll: For a return showing the names and addresses of all persons in South Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, who have been paid! Fenian raid bounty; the names and addresses of all persons in South Cape Breton, N.S., who have made application for said bounty and who have not yet received it. Mr. Michael Clark: For a statement in detail of: The number of prisoners of war in this country; the number under parole; the num [DOT] ber held in detention camps ; the number of detention camps, where situated, how accessible, and the number of prisoners in each. The amount of cost to Canada in each of these camps, respectively, for subsistence, pay, clothing, transportation and supervision; the nature of work done by prisoners, and the total value of same to date. Mr. A. W. Chisholm: For a copy of all correspondence, telegrams, petitions, letters and all other documents in any way referring to the dismissal of Mr. Mallet, captain of the life boat in the life-saving station at Cheticamp, and the appointment of his successor? Mr. A. W. Chisholm: For a copy of all correspondence, telegrams, letters, petitions and documents of all kinds in any way referring to a proposed change in the mail route from Inverness railway station to Margaree harbour. Mr. A. W. Chisholm: For a copy of all letters, telegrams, memoranda, pay-lists, recommendations and any other documents whatsoever in anywise appertaining to the construction of a wharf at Dower Burlington, in the county of Hants. 20C

Mr. JOHN H. SINCLAIR (Guysborough) . moved: That, in the opinion of this House, it is expedient to amend section 3 of chapter 65 of the Acts of 1908 by repealing- the said section and substituting therefor the following: (f) "Coasting voyage" means a voyage between any port or place on the eastern coast of Canada, and any other port or place on such coast, or in Newfoundland, Labrador, or St. Pierre or Miquelon, or any other port or place on the eastern coast of the United States of America or Mexico or Ceneral America or in the West Indies, or on the eastern coast of South America not further south than forty degrees south latitude; and also means a voyage between any port or place on the western coast of Canada, and any other port place on such coast, or on the western coast of the territory of Alaska, or of the United States of America or of the western coast of Mexico or Central America or South America, not further south than forty degrees south latitude." He said: This resolution will be followed by a Bill, the object of which is to amend the Canada Shipping Act so as to enable certain captains holding coasting certificates to visit or clear for ports in South America. In our Canadian Shipping Act provision is made for two kinds of certificate. The first is what is publicly known as a deep-sea certificate, which enables those holding such certificates to clear for any port in the world. I do not propose to interfere with that certificate in any way. The other class of certificate is that which is known as a coasting certificate, which enables a captain holding it to sail his ship within a certain limited area. My complaint is that the limitations of this area are too much restricted. At present the master of a Canadian ship holding a coasting license can sail his ship only as far south as 5 north latitude, which is somewhere in the vicinity of the mouth of the Amazon river. This shuts our vessels out from a very profitable trade in South America. So far as I am aware, there is no reason why this restriction should be maintained. Before Confederation no such restriction was in force; a coasting captain in my province was allowed to take his ship to any port on the coast of South America. He was permitted to go through the Straits of Magellan, to sail up the coast of Chile, and thence to California, British Columbia, or Alaska. For one hundred years Nova Scotia ships were seen in all these parts, but when the seat of Government was changed from Halifax to Ottawa some meddlesome official for some reason which I have been unable to ascertain, decided that the coasting captain should be restricted in his movements. The rule was then laid down that coasting captains should not take their ships farther , south than Cape Hatteras, thus shutting them out from a very profitable trade in the West Indies. It was the custom of persons owning large schooners in those days to engage them in fishing duxing the summer and in the winter season to send them with cargoes of fish to the West Indies and have them bring back molasses. In this way a very good trade was carried on, but by stopping these ships at Cape Hatteras this business was entirely wiped out, and a great deal of trouble ensued among shipping people on the coast of the maritime provinces. Protests were made here, but they were apparently of no avail. This has never been a political question. It is simply a matter of business, and I do not want the minister or any body to suppose that I am endeavouring to make it a political question now. I regret to say that Governments of both political parties have maintained this provision, when, I think, they should not have done so. By reason of this condition of affairs, owners were compelled to seek a remedy in some other way. One plan to which they resorted was that of securing a retired captain holding a deep-sea license and putting him as a figurehead on board the ship. In this way they were enabled to clear their ship from a Canadian port and get out of the custom house. The next thing was to get rid of the figurehead. Sometimes he went ashore in the pilot boat; sometimes the ship was stopped at the headland, he was sent ashore, and the real captain boarded and took charge of the ship and was generally successful in his voyage. No trouble ensued; the only difficulty was that shipping people had to resort to this subterfuge in order to get away from the Canadian custom house. There was no escape from the regulation; these plans were unsatisfactory, people began to transfer the registry of their ships to other ports. The registers of many Canadian vessels were transferred from Canadian ports to Barbados, which was the favourite port for that purpose. Some were transferred to Newfoundland, and some to Bermuda-anywhere where they could enjoy the protection of the British flag and at the same time escape the restrictions imposed upon them by the Canadian Government. I have here a partial list of ships owned in the maritime, provinces, which, were- compelled to seek refuge in Barbados. These inces. In order that the minister may see ships comprise some of the largest freight how far this matter has gone, I will read a vessels that we have in the maritime prov- portion of the list: Name of Vessel. Owner. Residence of Owner. Port of Registry.Annie M. Parker . . . . R. C. Elkin 4 St. John Barbados.Adonis Cushing & Co 4 t. John Annie L. Warren . . . . F. K. Warren 4 Halifax Alvina Theriault P. A. Theriault 1 Belliveau Cove Archie Crowell C. W. Anderson Sherbrooke, N.S Bessie Crooks Arthur Crooks Liverpool Beryl Corkum William Duff 4 Lunenburg Coral Leaf J. F. Whitney & Co. . . New York [DOT]David C. Ritcey Capt. D. C. Ritcey.. .. La Have E. M. Roberts R. C. Elkin St. John Earl of Aberdeen.. .. C. C. Langill 4 Parrsboro Edde Theriault F. K. Warren Halifax Edyth J. Ernest & Son Mahone Bay Emily Anderson F. K. Warren Halifax Fleetly Zwicker & Co Frances F. K. Warren Halifax General Laurie Wm. McMillan Lockeport : H. R. Silver W. C. Smith Lunenburg : Inga La Have J. L. Nelson .> F. K. Warren Halifax Laura C 4 Lemuel Creaser Ri verport Lavengro George A. Cox Shelburne Lavonia J. Willard Smith st. John Lillian Baluvelt H. Jones Weymouth Maple Leaf Wm. Arenburg Lunenburg Melba R. C. Elkin St. John Mineoia J. Willard Smith. .. .4 " Mary Hendry Henry Ltd Liverpool Ronald J. B. Waggoner And so I could go on with a large number of vessels once registered in the Maritime provinces but now registered in the Barbados and in other ports. The question arises, why should the people of the maritime provinces transfer their ships from Canadian registration to the Barbados? The answer is very plain: it is because the British law is in force in Barbados, and by transferring to Barbados they get rid of Canadian regulations and are able to sail ships with captains having only coasting licenses. They are able in this way to take cargoes to South American ports, as they are bound to do if they are to carry on a successful business. Competitors in the United States are able to do this without restriction, and consequently, as our vessel owners have to compete -nitti coasting vessels of the United States, they have to get rid of the customs regulations of Canada and, leaving the Canadian fag, go to some place else. I venture to say that by reason of the change no calamity has overtaken the ships that left the Canadian flag and registered in the Barbados. They have been carrying on a successful business. I do not think the minister has ever heard that they were unable to find their way to South American ports or back again. This regulation has been maintained from year to year, and the only result has been that we have driven the ships belonging to the people of Canada away under some other registry. In 1908, with the assistance of some of my colleagues, I brought this matter to the attention of the Government then in power. At that date I had the same view as I have to-day, that captains holding coasting certificates should be allowed to sail anywhere on the coasts of North and South America. However, I was unable to induce the Parliament of that date to adopt my views. They did compromise: they agreed to fix the southern limit of coasting voyages instead of at Cape Hatteras, at the fifth degree of north latitude, which, of course, was a measure of relief, enabling the ships of the Maritime Provinces to carry on their business in the waters of the West Indies. This

was a very valuable concession, but it did not open to these vessels the trade of South America. The question has arisen recently in an urgent form owing to the fact that the coasting trade in Canada is not profitable at present and has not been for a number of years, whereas the trade with South America is profitable and our vessels are very anxious to get a share of it. This is not a new question; I have brought it to the attention of the present Minister of Marine more than once. I attempted last year to have the law amended. My hon. friend expressed himself, I thmk, in favour of some relief; but he informed the House when I introduced my Bill that he intended to revise the Canada Shipping Act and that within two or three weeks from the date on which I made my motion the Bill for that purpose would be introduced, which would be the proper time for me to deal with this question. .My hon. friend kept his promise and introduced his Bill, but I was disappointed to find that the old clause defining a coasting voyage was re-introduced. Some change was made in the size of vessel that required a certificated captain, but there was no change of the character that I am asking the House to make. If my hon. friend had adopted my view of last year and allowed my Bill to go through, it would have meant tens of thousands of dollars in the pockets of the shipping people of the maritime provinces since that time. That money has gone to the ship owners in the United States, because the people of the maritime provinces were unable to take advantage of the freights because their captains could not clear to a point south of the 5th degree of north latitude. This restriction, I submit, cannot be justified. It cannot 'be said that our captains [DOT]are incompetent, for they can sail anywhere and have always done so. It cannot be said that it is unsafe. I do not think there is any record in the department or anywhere else that will show that there has been anything risky or unsafe in allowing a coasting captain to take his vessel anywhere in North or South America. There is no such rule in force in Great Britain, the greatest shipping country in the world. There, a ship engaged in deep-sea foreign trade or in the home trade carrying passengers must have a certificated captain; but a vessel not carrying passengers in the home trade is not required to have a certificated captain. No matter what the size of the ship, the captain is allowed to go anywhere on the coast of Britain. In the United States any ship of less than 700 tons register is also allowed that privilege; the smaller ships are allowed to go to South America or wherever they please-to clear from any American port without restriction. If we had the same law as the United States there would be no trouble, because nearly all the sailing ships I have referred to, and nearly all the ships owned in the maritime provinces, are under 700 tons. As we compete with the United States in this business, it is very important that we should give our people some relief and put them in a position to take advantage of the profitable trade that offers in South America. I think we ought to feel that the rule tnat obtains in Great Britain, the greatest ship-owning country in the world, should be good enough for us. There is another reason why prompt action should be taken, and that is that since July last the registry of the United States has been thrown open to foreign shipping. Prior to that date you could not register a ship in the United States, and an American citizen could not buy a ship; he had to build it in the United States. Protection had gone so mad in that country that they would not allow an American citizen to import a ship and put it under the American flag. The consequence was that the American flag was driven off the seas, altogether. The United States found that they had made a mistake, and they are now endeavouring to build up a merchant marine. They have gone to the limit; they have thrown the door wide open, and if a Canadian citizen wishes to register his ship under the American flag, he can now do so in the name of some American Associate without any trouble and without paying any duty. That is what our 'shippers generally will do if my hon. friend does not give them some relief in this direction. A few days ago I asked his department for some information as to the number of ships transferred during the past year. The questions and answers were as follows: Mr. Sinclair: 1. How many vessels of all kinds were withdrawn from the Canadian Shipping Registry since July 1, 1914? 2. What is the gross tonnage of such vessels? 3. What are the countries to the registry of which such vessels were transferred? Mr. Hazen: 1. Twenty-two vessels of all kinds. 2. Gross tonnage, 28,791. 3. Three to Newfoundland; three to Barbados; one to France; fourteen to United States of America. These fi gures do not cover the whole year, but only a period of six or seven months. They show what is going to happen. Since July 1, just about the time when the American registry was thrown open, fourteen vessels formerly registered in Canada have transferred to the United States; and after the war is over and Canadians can sell or transfer their vessels, practically all the coasting vessels will go over to the United States flag if something is not done in regard to this matter. This resolution deals with the coast of British Columbia as well as with the coast of eastern Canada. I have no mandate to speak for the Pacific 4 p.m. coast, but I am assuming that it is just as important for a coasting schooner owned in British Columbia or in the West to have this privilege as for a schooner owned in eastern Canada. I understand that the present limit is the harbour of Portland; but as the Panama canal is now being opened, and will probably result in a very profitable trade for our coasting vessels carrying lumber and other products from British Columbia through the canal to the eastern coast of Canada or the United States, I regard it as very important that the western limit should be moved as -well as the eastern limit. I propose that instead of five north, the latitude should be fixed at forty south. That would allow our vessels to go to Rio de Janeiro and the River Plate on the eastern coast of South America, and the vessels on the western coast could go as far as Valparaiso, in Chile. A few days ago I wrote a letter to the secretary of the Maritime Shipowners' Association in Halifax, asking for his opinion ^of this resolution, and this is his reply: Maritime Shipowners' Association, Secretary's Office, Halifax, N.S. February 12, 1915. John H. Sinclair, Esq., M.P. Ottawa, Canada. Dear sir,-I thank you for your favour ol the 9th inst., enclosing a copy of Orders of the Day, and in reply would beg to say that this association heartily endorses your resolution regarding coasting voyages, and I trust that you will be successful in getting it passed, as present regulations prohibit vessel owners from sending their vessels to Brazil if registered in a home port, unless both the master and the mate hold foreign-going certificates and it is needless for me to tell you that it is an impossibility to get masters, and far more so to get mates (because any mate holding the necessary certificate would have no difficulty in getting command of a vessel) and consequently in order to evade the restrictions of the Canadian Shipping Act, we are compelled to register our vessels in Barbados. Tours very truly, (Sgd) J. K. Warren, Secretary. That will show my hon. friend why so many of our vessels are leaving Canadian ports. The question is, what ought to be done? I submit that this resolution should pass and the Act follow at once. I have no objection to a committee except that a committee, as the minister knows, generally ends in delay, and in that case we might not get the Act passed this session. If a committee is granted I have not the slightest doubt that the shipping people will be able to show that there is a complete case for a change. The minister no doubt knows the facts already, and I would much prefer that he deal with this matter himself rather than refer it to a committee. It is a business proposal that ought to be patent to everybody without being threshed out before a committee. I therefore beg to move, seconded by the hon. member for Cape Breton, that this resolution be adopted.

tries in the world for the purpose of considering the question of the safety of human life at sea. Canada was represented at that meeting, its representative being the Deputy Minister of Marine and Fisheries. A convention was concluded, Canada was a party to it, and the terms, which I fully explained to the House last year, will become operative on the first of July next. Under the terms of the convention, vessels employed on voyages between Canada and ports out of Canada which take them two hundred miles off shore are to be regarded as " foreign-going " vessels, and they are to be subject to the terms of the convention in regard to life-saving equipment and matters of that sort. In the revised Act, laid on the table last session, wherein it is proposed to terminate " coasting " voyage at Galveston on the Atlantic and at San Diego on the Pacific, due regard was had to the provisions of the convention, and on examination of the chart it will be seen that at no point on such a voyage unless extraordinary conditions occur, would a ship be taken two hundred miles off land. But the convention has raised a different question, one which has to be carefully considered in any legislation that we may pass unless we are prepared to withdraw from the convention and not be parties to its terms which, I believe, are in the interest of the travelling public and of the people generally. If the limits as proposed by the resolution moved by the hon. member for Guysborough are adopted, it will be at once observed that on a voyage from Halifax to Brazil, for instance, by the shortest route, a vessel would at one point be 700 miles off land and for a distance of 3,000 miles of the journey the same vessel would be an average of 300 miles off land, which is in excess of the distance allowed by the London convention. It would scarcely seem consistent to designate a voyage of that nature as a coasting voyage.