Mr. SCHAFFNER moved:

That the first report of the Select Standing-Committee on the official report of the Debates, recommending- that it be granted leave to sit while the House is in session, be concurred in.

Mr. SCHAFFNEK moved:

That, in accordance with the recommendation contained in .the eighth report of the Select Standing Committee on Miscellaneous Private Bills, the charge of $200 levied1 on Bill No. 88, letter X of the Senate, intituled, an Act to incorporate the Manitoba and Saskatchewan Bible Society, he refunded.

Mr. TURRIFF:

How much was paid to the Victoria Transfer Company, of Victoria, B.C., for services rendered to the various federal departments at that city for the years 1912-13, 1S13-14, 191415, 1915-16?

Mr. CASGRAIN:

Customs Department:

Year.

1912- 13

1913- 14

1914- 15

1915- 16

Marine Department:

Year. Amount.

1912- 13 $ 76 20

1913- 14 ' 72 011914- 15

199 321915- 16

96 95

Militia and Defence Department:

Year. Amount.

1912- 13 nil.

1913- 14 $ 82 801914- 15

1,183 821915- 16

1,988 76

Naval Service Department:

Year. Amount.

1912- 13

$331 051913- 14

473 301914- 15

330 401915- 16

112 15

Public Works Department:

Year. Amount.

1912- 13 $ 8 70

1913- 14

85 301914- 15

179 051915- 16

13 33

Amount. . nil.

. nil.

[DOT] $136

. 91

Post Office Department:

Under per- Under tem-manent porary Total,

contract. arrangement.

1912- 13..

1913- 14..

1914- 15..

1915- 16..

The service to the railway stations is performed under permanent contract, service to the different wharves under temporary arrangement. Owing to the frequent changes in the running of the steamers and the consequent irregularity of the service, it is not possible to make permanent contracts for the services between the post office and

the wharves.

These services at Victoria have Been operated in this manner for over fifteen years.

1. Has R. Robson Black been appointed inspector of Cadets in Nova Scotia? If so, at what date?

2. What has been his military experience, his personal or technical qualifications for such position, his rank, and his rate of pay?

3. How much has he been paid for such services since his appointment?

1. He has been detailed to perform the duties, temporarily, of Organizer and Inspector of Cadet Corps, Military District No. 6, from the 18th January, 1916.

2. Prov. Lieut. (Supy) 14tli Hrs, 24-8-11, G.

O. 111-15. (Detailed temp, as O.I.C.C., 6th Div., 28-1-16, M. O. 66-16). Qualifications: Lieutenant, Infantry, M. O. 485-15. Captain, Infantry, M. O. 542-15. Field Officer, Infantry, M. O. 21-16. Pay $5 per diem; allowances, $1 per diem. Total, $6 per diem. This is the ordinary pay of an Inspector of Cadets (see Article 470, P. & A. Regulations, 1914.)

3. To 31st March, $444.

1. Has a right of way through the Okanagan Indian reserve been purchased by the Canadian Northern Railway Company?

2. If so, what was the price?

3. When was the money paid?

4. To whom was it paid?

1. Yes, by the Canadian Northern Pacific Railway Company.

2. $4,695.15.

3. 28th September, 1914.

4. To the Department of Indian Affairs; $4,219.19 was paid out by the department to individual Indians for improvements on

right of way, and $475.96 was placed to the credit of band funds.

Mr. H. H. STEVENS (Vancouver):

I would like to draw the attention of the Government, particularly of the Minister of the Interior, to a rather serious matter in connection with a statement alleged to have been made by the American Consul in Vancouver. I shall read a despatch from Portland, Oregon, that appears in a Vancouver paper, which will explain the situation pretty fully:

Portland, Ore., April 18.-The charge that American labourers are being induced to migrate to Canada on the promise of lucrative employment and then are forced by the pressure of the authorities and of the circumstances by which they find themselves surrounded to enlist in Great Britain's overseas army, is made by the United States Department of Labour Bureau of Immigration in a bulletin which was issued here to-day by the local immigration commissioner.

Quoting from the report of the American consul-general at Vancouver, B.C., the bulletin says:

" Special efforts are being made to induce every foreigner of military age to enlist for the overseas service and it is practically impossible for an American to secure employment in any capacity. Several thousands of Americans have gone from British Columbia to the United States during the past year, a majority of whom went for the reason they were unable to do business or secure employment and some because of the endeavour on the part of the authorities to enlist them for military service."

Then the grossly false and misleading statement is made that thousands of men are idle in Vancouver, and that a propaganda is being carried on in the United States to induce Americans to emigrate to Canada for the ostensible purpose of securing employment, etc. The statement made by this American Consul-General at Vancouver that the Canadian military authorities are using undud pressure to force foreigners to serve in what he calls Britain's overseas army I characterize as absolutely false. I wish to draw the attention of the Government to this statement, and to the indignation of the people, particularly of my own city of Vancouver, in regard to the matter. An editorial appearing in the Vancouver World of April 19, referring to this despatch, is in part as follows:

There is only one course for the citizens of British Columbia to pursue in the case of Mr. Rjbrt E. Mansfield, the American consul here -that is demand his immediate recall.

In asserting that American labourers are being induced to come to Canada on the promise of lucrative employment and are then

forced by " pressure of the authorities " to enlist in what he ' erroneously styles " Great Britain's Overseas Army," the American consul states what is absolutely false, what he must know to be false and what is an insult to every true Canadian. The World yesterday invited Mr. Mansfield to explain his assertion, but he declared he had "nothing to say."

* So far from labourers being invited to enter British Columbia, they have been specifically barred out.

The American Consul knows this fact as well as any one. That he should make such a statement as "a propaganda is being carried on through the press and other channels in the United States to induce Americans to migrate to Canada for the ostensible purpose of securing employment ", but really in order to be pressed into " Great Britain's Overseas' Army ", is so preposterous that it carries its own refutation with it.

The people of Canada-and of British Columbia in particular-are always glad to welcome the official representatives of our great neighbour to the South. Almost without exception they have upheld the traditions of their office and conducted their affairs with fairness and courtesy. It has been left for Mr. Mansfield to asperse this country and to misrepresent conditions here in the most glaring fashion. His recall will be the best solution of the very painful situation in which he has placed himself.

I wish to bring this matter to the attention of the Government and to ask if any steps have been taken, or any representations made to the Government at Washington. with a view to securing a correction of these statements, which are grossly misleading and libellous, so far as the province of British Columbia is concerned, and, I believe, are wilfully and maliciously false.