Mr. PUGSLEY:

When may we expect

the report of the Commission issued to Sir Charles Davidson to inquire into the purchase of various materials and supplies, , submarines, etc.? It is stated in the newspapers that Sir Charles Davidson has handed a portion of the report to. among others, a clergyman, who was requested to look over it and give his opinion with regard to the purchase of submarines. It the report is ready to be handed out to private individuals, it surely ought to be submitted to this House. I have been told-I do not know how accurate my information is-that Sir Charles Davidson is ready to submit his report, and has offered to submit an interim report to the Government, but there has apparently been no expression of a wish on the part of the Government to have that report. That may or may not be true, but the min-

ister will be able to tell me when we may expect an interim report at least, giving the proceedings to date.

Sir GEORGE FOSTER:

The report is

pretty nearly concluded, and we may expect it to be finished almost any day. I do not suppose my hon. friend would take exception to the course pursued by the commissioner in trying to elicit a^l possible information in reference to a subject in which my hon. friend is interested, the purchase of submarines. In some respects a clergyman ought to be able to give information about such an engine of destruction, but whatever was shown to the clergyman was shown with an idea and a desire to elicit information from the witness in reference to some remarks or strictures that he had passed, based upon newspaper reports, and it was to complete, and to complete on a good basis, the evidence of the witness, that that portion of the report was handed to him. There was nothing improper in that.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER:

Was my hon. friend consulted by the commissioner? He seems to know a great deal.

Sir GEORGE FOSTER:

I take my information from the newspapers, and from some remarks I have heard about the House.

Mr. PUGSLEY:

My point was that if

the report is in such a condition that an interim report can be shown to private individuals, it certainly ought to be submitted to this House, because Parliament is the body which is first entitled to receive the report'of the commission and the evidence which has been taken by that commission.

Sir GEORGE FOSTER:

My hon. friend could argue that on the interim report. It was a page of tlhe evidence which was shown to this witness, in order that he might be enabled to sustain or to withdraw or restrict the statement he had made with reference to the transaction, a statement which, I understand, he made on newspaper reports.

Mr. KNOWLES:

Will the Minister of Public Works tell us how the matter stands with regard to the gathering of data in

connection with the supply of water to certain towns from the Saskatchewan river? There was, I think, a commission which undertook to gather data as to the cost, etc., of bringing water from the elbow of the Saskatchewan to different towns, including Regina and Moosejaw. The minister made come public utterance on the matter some time ago.

Mr. ROGER'S: I have not in mind at present the exact standing of the matter,. It has not been up for consideration for some little time, but I will be glad to look it up and give the hon. gentleman any information we have in the department.

Sir GEORGE FOSTER:

Before the House goes into Committee of Supply I propose to make a short statement with reference *to an item which is to be submitted in Committe of Supply-the vote for the administration of affairs under the Canada Grain Act. I do not intend to take up much of the time of the House in doing so, but I have found, in my experience, that when we get into Estimates the committee drifts off into some particular line of controversy, and the Estimates for a most important service may pass through the committee and be finally disposed of while no connected idea of what that service is ie 'brought out by the questioning or is presented to the committee. So that, just for a few moments, I beg the indulgence of the House while I refer to this grain system of ours, which, in a way, is a most wonderful and important development.

When I took charge of the department in 1911, we had the Manitoba Grain Act and part 2 of the Inspection Act, under which the grain business of the West, in so far as it came under the supervision of the Government, was carried out. Besides that legislation, there had been examinations and reports of commissions with reference to a revision or consolidation or reenactment of the Grain Acts so as to bring them more into conformity with the necessities of the situation and with the growth of production in the West. Very valuable information had been gained before that in this way, as I have said, and in 1912 Parliament entered upon the work of perfecting that legislation, and the Canada Grain Act, much as it stands now, was the Tesult of its labours. On the whole,

I think that Parliament was successful, by the co-operation of both sides of the House in a very friendly and frank way, in attaining a * legislation which has stood the test of the four of five years which have passed, and has stood it well. Some more or less important amendments were made to the Act two years ago, and with these amendments the Act stands as it was passed in 1912. Under that Act, from 1911 to the present, a very large development has taken place.

The fundamental feature of that Act, as contrasted with the Act which preceded it, was in placing the administration of the grain system in the hands of a commission, with headquarters at Fort William, instead of, as under the old method, trying to administer the Act from the department here in Ottawa. Three gentlemen were selected who, I think, have justified their choice, and who, from 1911 to the present, have been continuously and busily engaged in the administration of that Act.

Mr. SPEAKER:

I observe that there is no objection on the part of any hon. gentleman to the statement which the hon. minister is making, but I must draw the attention of the House to the fact that there is no motion before it.

Sir GEORGE FOSTER:

I think we had better go into Committee, so that I may finish my statement. I seem to have got one day behind this week.