Sir ROBERT BORDEN moved:

That as the time for receiving Petitions for Private Bills, and the time for presenting Private Bills without an additional charge will be curtailed by the adjournment of the House, be it resolved, That Petitions for Private Bills be received by the House if presented on or before the 10th of May next, and that the time for presenting Private Bills without the payment of the additional charges provided for under paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection 3 of rule 89 be extended until May the 24th next and June the 21st next respectively.

Sir ROBERT BORDEN:

I expect to lay on the Table of the House to-day the Bruce report and the Baptie report. To do so it is necessary to take the only copy that is at present in the Department of Militia.

Mr. PUGSLEY:

Is it intended to utilize any portion of the $500,000,000 for the purpose of building war vessels in Canada? I do not mean battleships, but destroyers and submarines. I think it is most important that this should be done, and I think it would be of interest to the House and the country to have some information on the subject. The terms of the Bill are quite broad enough, I am sure, to permit of this being done, and it would appear to be in the public interest.

Sir ROBERT BORDEN:

I think it would be undesirable to make such a statement as my hon. friend suggests. I may say that communications of a highly confidential character, of which I have privately informed the right hon. leader of the Opposition, have passed on the subject, and I shall be very glad to acquaint my hon. friend privately with what information is available.

Mr. MACDONALD:

In the ordinary

course it would not be possible for members to discuss this vote when we reassemble unless an opportunity were afforded by the Government for us to do so. Will we be able to discuss this on the Militia Estimates?

Sir ROBERT BORDEN:

I would not be disposed to interpose the slightest objection to full discussion of the subject. As a matter of fact, there was some suggestion yesterday that the Government were averse to criticism and were not desirous of supplying information. On the contrary, I stated when I first presented this war appropriation to the House that I was ready to give all available information" asked for, and I have already given a good 'deal of information that was not asked for-some which is in my possession I have not yet had an opportunity to give. We shall be very glad to have a discussion. I do not think that under the rules of the House hon. gentlemen opposite would be precluded from bringing up the discussion of this subject bn the Militia Estimates.

[Sir Wilfrid Laurier. 1

Sir WILFRID LAURIER:

You will bring on the Militia Estimates as early as possible?

Sir ROBERT BORDEN:

I shall.

Sir ROBERT BORDEN moved:

That the recommendations of the Honourable the Speaker, laid on the table of the House on the 6th instant relative to the promotion of Mr. A. C. Campbell to the position of Associate Editor of Debates and Reporter, of Mr. Harry E. Oliver to the position of Debates Reporter, and of Mr. D. L. Desaul-niers to the position of Chief Translator, and the appointment of Mr. L. Boulet a'S Chief of Pages, be confirmed.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER:

With reference to the two last named appointments, Messrs. Desaulniers and Boulet, I have no observation to make. I would simply ask as to the others, Messrs. Campbell and Oliver, if this promotion is in accordance with any recommendations coming from the Debates Committee. Mr. Campbell is a very valuable officer, of that I have personal knowledge. But we have a Debates Committee which is supposed to take some cognizance of these matters.

Sir ROBERf"BORDEN: I am informed by the clerk that it comes through the regular channel, that the Debates Committee is not alluded to in the Civil Service Act, and I do not think there is any recommendation from them. As far as I am concerned, I know nothing about it except that this motion was put in my hands in the ordinary course.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER:

The matter had better stand. It can be taken up at the next sitting.

Mr. MARCIL:

Will the Prime Minister give an explanation of how the appointment of Mr. Desaulniers - was brought about?