1. How many employees were there in the following departments, on the first of July, 1895 : Public Works, Interior, Finance, Post Office, Justice, Agriculture, Marine and Fisheries, Mines, Customs, Railways and Canals, Public Printing and Inland Revenue?

2. How many employees were there in the said departments on the first of October, 1911?

Mr. BLONDIN:

Public Works: 1.1,587-2.4,690.-

Interior: 1. 279-2. 1,893. -

Finance: 1. Inside service, 33; outside service, 27; temporary employees, 11, total, 71-2. Inside service, 83; outside service, 29; temporary employees, 8, total, 120.

Post Office: 1. Inside service, 285; outside service, |1,726, total, 2,011-2. Inside service, 549; outside service, 4,342, total, 4,891.

Justice: 1. 345 . 2. 519.Agriculture: 1. 172. 2. 807.

Marine: 1. 2,609. 2. 7,269.

Mines: Geological Survey Department: 1. Permanent, 32; temporary, 16, total, 48- Mines Departments. Permanent, 118; temporary, 39, total, 157. The Department of Mines (Geological Survey and Mines Branch) was created April 27, chap. 29, 6-7 Edward VII.

Customs: 1. Outside service, 1,313; inside service, 33, total, 1,346-2. Outside service, 2,265; inside service, 206, total, 2,471.

Railways and Canals: 1. 6,726-2. 14,082.

Printing Bureau: 1. 431-2. 865.

Inland Revenue: 1. 479-2. 671.

1. What has been the total cost of Improving the channels from Point Roches, River Saguenay, to Chicoutimi, and during what years were such operations carried on?

2. Is it a fact that the resident engineer at Chicoutimi reports the least depth of water in the channel at low water spring tide is now 14 feet?

3. Has any official chart been published or issued of the said channel?

4. Has any official notice been issued to mariners as to the depth of water in the said channels ?

5. Is it a fact that in the case of a Quebec pilot, whose license also takes in the Saguenay, that his duties cease on arrival at the anchorage of Point Roches, eight miles from Chicoutimi, when inward bound to that port, and do not commence until the vessel has reached the same place, outward bound from Chicoutimi?

6. Is it a fact that the reason the pilots

give for such action is that the channel has not been declared officially opened?

7. Do the steamers of the Canada Steamship Company refuse to recognize the channels as other than Half Tide channels, on the ground that the depth in said channels has not been officially declared?

8. Will the channels be officially declared open this season? If not, why not?

Mr. BLONDIN:

Fiscal year. Cu. yd. Price. amount. 1907-08.. .. .. 8 $2 65 41,054 34 $14,070 781908-09.. .. . . 64,615 32$ 22,851 171909-10.. .. . . 112,609 321 37,410 931910-11.. .. . . 152,875 213 33,329 101911-12.. .. . . 184,022 32$ 165 2 50 60,292 411912-13.. .. . . 17 2 50 249,425 32$ 81,741 211913-14.. .. . . 30,600 32$ *9,769 5034,300 32$ 11,147 501914-15.. .. .. 6,006 32$ 1,951 95Total. . .. $272,564 55Chicoutimi wharf. Departmental Dredging Plant. Fiscal year. Dredge. Cu. yd. Cost. 1904-05.. .. No. 110 1,500 $ 172 50Lady Minto, etc. 141,100 31,094 781905-06.. .. No. 110 62,500 27,125 001906-07.. .. No. 116 37,800 9,639 001907-08 .. .. No. 116 101,800 29,861 041914-15 .. .. No. 116 45,840 20,406 92Total

$108,299 24Grand total

$380,863 792. The district engineer at Chicoutimi reports that least depth below extreme low water is 10 feet.3. The British Admiralty have published chart No. 1370 of the Saguenay river and approaches. This chart may be purchased from the Admiralty or Admiralty agents. A Canadian chart covering area from St. Fulgence to Chi pshaw on the Saguenay river is under preparation by the Department of the Naval Service,, and will be published in a few months. This chart may, upon publication, be purchased from the Department of Naval Service, or from the agents of the Marine Department.4. No.5. The Pilotage Regulations provide for pilotage on the Saguenay river from Tad-oussac at the mouth of the Saguenay, to Chicoutimi, and from Chicoutimi to Tad-oussac, and the fact that the department pays the pilots' board at Chicoutimi and did so off and on all last season would indicate that the pilots do go to Chicoutimi. The department has no information that the pilotage of vessels outward bound is undertaken by the pilots only at Point Ro-ches, eight miles from Chicoutimi.6. 7, and 8. No information.

1. Is the Rev. ,D. R. Macdonald still endeavouring to secure the sum of three thousand dollars, or any sum, for ballot used by the Dominion Government, claiming it is his design?

2. Has the Government paid this, or any sum, to Rev Mr. Macdonald for ballot?

3. If not, does the Government intend to pay this or any other sum to Rev. Mr. Macdonald on account of ballot?

4. Has Rev. Mr. Macdonald received any sum in the past, on account of ballot?

5. If so, how much, and when?

1. The Reverend D. R. Macdonald contends that certain devices covered by a patent issued to him, applicable to ballots used in elections, have been appropriated under the Dominion Elections Act, 1900, 63-64 Victoria, Chapter 12, and the Act to-amend the Dominion Elections Act, 1900, 1 Edward VII, Chapter 16, and that under the provisions of the Patent Act, Chapter 69 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, Section 52, he is entitled to compensation therefor.

2. The Dominion Government paid to the Reverend D. R. Macdonald the sum of $333 in the year 1902, which was no't accepted in satisfaction of the -above claim.

3. The Government will pay any legal claim which may be established under the Patent Act above referred to.

4 and 5. Answered by No. 2.

1. Is it the intention of the Government to-sell any school lands in the province of Manitoba during the year 1916?

2. Are school lands ever sold by private sale?'

1. It is contemplated holding some auction sales of school lands in the province of Manitoba during the present year, but no definite arrangements have so far been made.

2. School lands are only sold by private sale to railway companies for right of way, station grounds, and other purposes of the railway under the provisions of the Railway Act, to Boards of School Trustees for school sites under the provisions of sub-section 2 of section 39 of the Dominion Lands Act, and for the right of way of pipe lines and reservoirs in connection with irrigation works under the provisions of the Irrigation Act.

1. On what date was the contract let for the 300 transport trucks for whicSi the manufacturers were asked to quote prices on February 10?

2. Who were the manufacturers who received the orders anil what was the price paid?

1. February 12, 1916.

2. Petrolia Wagon Co., Petrolia, Ont., 150 wagons at $118 each: Adams Wagon Co., Brantford, Ont., 150 wagons at $118 each.