A message from His Royal Highness the Governor General, transmitting Estimates for the yeaT ending March 31, 1917, was presented by Sir Thomas White (Minister of Finance), read by Mr. Speaker to the House, and referred to the Committee of Supply.
Sir ROBERT BORDEN moved:
Sir WILFRID LAURIER:
Mr. Speaker,
on a previous occasion, at the opening of this session, when you were nominated for the Chair, I felt called upon, while assenting to your election, to offer some criticism. On this occasion I can endorse the choice of my right hon. friend without any reservation whatever. The hon. member for Cumberland seems >to me eminently fitted for the position to which it is now sought to elect him. He has given proof, on many an occasion, that he is endowed with a just and fair mind-if he will permit me to say so, a mind so just and so fair that I have been sometimes surprised to see him sitting on that side of the House. But, now that he is to sit neither on one side nor on the other, he will have every opportunity to give effect to his better instincts. Therefore it is with great pleasure that I accept his nomination to the office of Chairman of Committees.
Motion agreed to. *
(.Questions answered orally are indicated by an asterisk.)
1. How much was received by the Government or any department, from private sources to be expended in the purchase of machine guns?
2. Have any machine guns been paid for out of these contributions? If so, how many?
3. Is it the intention of the Government to return the money so subscribed to the donors? If not, what does the Government purpose doing with this money?
1. $661,272.45.
2. A very large number of machine guns were ordered during the first twelve months of the war and considerable deliveries have been made. It is inexpedient to state the exact number.
3. It is the intention of the Government to apply to the purchase of machine guns the moneys which have been subscribed and paid in for that purpose.
Mr. SINCLAIR:
What was the postal revenue from the sale of stamps in 1914 as compared with 1915?
"Mr. CAS GRAIN: The total revenue from the sale of stamps was as follows: Fiscal
year ended March 31, 1914, $14,392,510.25; fiscal year ended March 31, 1915, $14,598,267.94.
Mr. SINCLAIR:
Why are letters from soldiers in active service arriving in Canada free of postage, stamped by the Post Office Department before being forwarded to their destination?
Mr. CASGRAIN:
This is to comply with international postal law, which requires postage on letters to and from soldiers when these have to pass from one country to another, otherwise double the deficiency in postage would have to be collected from the addressees. .
Mr. SINCLAIR:
Is it the intention of the Government to make provision for the appointment of a Minister of Munitions?
Sir ROBERT BORDEN:
No.