Sir ROBERT BORDEN:

I would like to communicate to the House the substance of a letter which I received this morning from Colonel Farquhar, of whose death in action we heard last evening. It is with deep and unfeigned sorrow that we have heard the news of his untimely death. He was one of the finest characters I ever knew; and of all the able men who have filled the position of Military Secretary to the Governors General of Canada, I do not know of any one who performed the duties of that responsible position more efficiently, or who more thoroughly endeared himself to the Canadian people, than did Colonel Farquhar. I know that all the hon. members of the House will join with me in an expression of our deep sorrow for the loss which the Empire has sustained in his death, and in a message of sympathy to those whom he has left behind. A few days ago I had a letter from him in the trenches, in which he spoke with very great pride of the bearing of his regiment in the field, and of the fine work which they had done. At that time he said to me that the work had already received the strong commendation of the General Commanding the Division. This morning I received a further letter from him, and, if the House will permit me, I will read a few short extracts from 81 i

this letter and the telegrams which accompany it. The letter is dated March 4:

You may like to have a copy of these telegrams. The episode which called them forth was the rushing of a German trench and its subsequent destruction. The enemy had been very active in front of us, and a night reconnaissance made it clear to me that we had an opening. For various reasons, it was inadvisable to occupy the trench, so J got leave to rush it and pull down the parapet. Crabbe and Papineau led the party, the latter being our bomb thrower. They both showed very great

dash and ran the Teutons off their legs

Nothing could have been more spirited than the way the men went in.

The messages wrhich Colonel Farquhar enclosed were as follows:

From the Irish Fusiliers: "Well done

P.P.C.Li.1.''

From the Second Army through the Brigade Major of the Fifth Corps: The following message from the Fifth Corps: The corps commander has great pleasure in transmitting to you following message from Second Army: "The army commander wishes you to express to the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry his appreciation of the grand piece of work performed by them this morning.''

From General Plumer: " Please give my

heartiest congratulations to the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry on their gallant and useful exploit."

From the officer commanding the 3rd King's Royal Rifles: "Best congratulations on splendid achievement last night. Please tell us how you do it."

From 1st Canadian Division: " Heartiest

congratulations on success last night."

From Sir John French, Commander in Chief: " To Colonel Farquhar, commanding Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry: I heartily congratulate you and your gallant men on your successful operation this morning. Please express to Lieutenant Crabbe and the party he led my great appreciation of their services."

From General Snow: " Well done P.P.C.

Congratulations on your splendid work."

From the Twenty-eighth Division through the Brigade Major: "Twenty-eighth Division wire hearty congratulations."

Sir WILFRID LAURIER:

The intelligence which has just been conveyed to the House by my right hon. friend the Prime Minister arouses our sorrow and also our pride and gratification that we have this testimony to the good work done by our boys at the front. May I be permitted to say, I was touched to hear the name of Papineau mentioned as among those who have done so well. And the House will be gratified to know that the gentleman who is the bearer of this name is a great-grandson, of one who did good work in his day, and in his own way, for freedom in Canada. The words of praise of Gol. Farquhar, I am sure, are a deserved tribute. It has been my personal privilege to know a good many

of those who have held the office that he held, and it is due to him to say that in his tact, kindness and good judgment, as well as in his constant desire to do his duty, he was the equal of any of his colleagues.

Mr. W. A. BUCHANAN (Medicine Hat):

I desire to draw the attention of the Prime Minister to a matter of some importance. I refer to the failure to pay the members of the Northwest Mounted Police who have volunteered for active service. They are not being treated on the same basis as other officials of the Government. Tt has been represented to me, and I am in sympathy with the representation, that they should receive their full pay while on service with the forces at the front. I bring the matter to the attention of the Prime Minister with a view to ascertaining the possibility of something being done in the direction I have indicated.

Sir ROBERT BORDEN (Prime Minister):

I will look into the matter to which the hon. gentleman refers. At present I am not aware of any member of the Mounted Police being engaged in active service. Several members of the force made application to get their discharge in order that they might serve at the front. That is the only aspect of the matter that has been brought to my attention.

Mr. BUCHANAN:

There are members of the Mounted Police now in the fighting line in France who are British army reservists, and who have gone to the front in that capacity. It is felt that they ought to be treated the same as other officials of the Canadian Government.

Sir ROBERT BORDEN:

The matter has not been brought to my attention so far as I recollect. I will make inquiry with regard to it.

Mr. E. M. MACDONALD (Pictou):

In

view of the sad intelligence which comes daily to Canada of the loss in action of our boys at the front, I would ask the Minister of Militia if he could tell us whether the whole of the first contingent have gone across the Channel. I do not want information that it would be improper to give to the House and the country. I would also ask him, in view of the statements I have

seen in the press in regard to the appointment of Colonel Seeley to command the Canadian troops in France, whether the department here were consulted with regard to his appointment, and what is his command or status.

Regarding the^ first contingent, the first division has gone to the front and the Princess Patricias. At least three of the regiments, the Strathcona Horse, the Canadian Mounted Rifles, the Canadian Royal Horse Artillery remain as details under Colonel Seeley. He has in his brigade also some British troops, the King Edward Horse, a British corps, not Canadians, and it is unnecessary that Canada should have been consulted about the appointment of a brigadier to command the division. I was absent in the West at the time the matter occurred and am not familiar with the details.

Mr. MACDONALD:

Where is his command?

Major 'General HUGHES': When we last heard of it, in England.

Mr. W. F. CARROLL (South Cape Breton):

I desire to ask the Minister of

Finance if he has had drawn to his attention the enormous , increase in fire insurance rates in eastern Nova Scotia. This increase amounts to 30 per cent of which notice has been given within the last few days. I will give the minister more formal notice of the facts in connection therewith.

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

The matter has not been drawn to my attention, but I will make inquiries of the Insurance Department and see if any representations have been made on the subject.