Mr. G. W. KYTE:

Would the Minister of Militia and Defence kindly inform the House when the papers relative to the taking over of the Ross rifle factory will be brought down, and whether a statement will shortly be made by the Government with reference to the manufacture of rifles in Canada?

Sir EDWARD KEMP:

The Order in Council providing for the taking over of the Ross rifle factory will be brought down to-morrow.

Mr. KYTE:

Will the Government be in a position to make a statement with regard to the manufacture of rifles in this country at an early date?

Sir EDWARD KEMP:

Appraisers are now taking an inventory of the Ross rifle factory. The Government is using the greatest possible dispatch in having the necessary specifications and patterns prepared for the making of a new rifle.

Mr. PUGSLEY:

Is the factory at present closed?

Sir EDWARD KEMP:

A certain number of men are employed in the taking of the inventory, but there is no manufacturing going on at the present time.

Mr. GRAHAM:

May I ask the leader of the House when the Public Accounts Committee will be called again?

Sir THOMAS WHITE:

I will inform my hon. friend to-morrow.

Mr. SINCLAIR:

Would the Minister of Militia and Defence kindly inform us what the policy of the Government is with regard to the salaries of inside civil servants who have enlisted? It will be remembered that when these civil servants were invited to offer themselves for overseas service they were given the assurance that their salaries would not be lower than what they were receiving in the service, and I understand that the military pay has been supplemented

in certain cases in accordance with that assurance. Those civil servants who enlisted two years ago would now be getting, if they had remained in the service, their regular statutory increase, and I wish to know whether allowance is made for that when they are given their military pay.

Sir EDWARD KEMP:

The question which my hon. friend raises was brought to my attention this morning,. My own view is that these civil servants should get the regular statutory increase, and the matter is being looked into with a view to ascertaining the exact position.

Mr. PUGSLEY:

I should like to ask a question with regard to separation allowances. in the case of civil servants who have enlisted. A return was laid upon the Table the other day giving the names of a number of members of this House who had been appointed to different positions in the Militia, some of them occupying the position of colonel, and who were receiving their sessional indemnity, the salary attached to their military position, and separation allowance as well. I am told that in the case of at least some civil servants who have enlisted the separation allowance has been refused. I would ask whether that is the case, and if so, why a distinction is made to the prejudice of the members of the Civil Service.

Sir EDWARD KEMP:

I have not heard that there has been any discrimination against either members of Parliament or civil servants in respect of enlistment in the overseas forces.

Mr. PUGSLEY:

There is a case within my own personal knowledge of the wife of a civil servant who was refused a separation allowance. She was informed by the Department of Militia and Defence that no separation allowance was granted in the case of a civil servant. We also know from the return that was laid on the Table the other day that separation allowances have been granted to the wives of members of Parliament, who were receiving both military pay and their sessional indemnities.

Sir EDWARD KEMP:

I should be glad if my hon. friend would give me the name of the person he has in mind, so that we may look into the case, and I shall then be able to answer intelligently the question which my hon. friend raises. Personally I do not see why any civil servant in the overseas forces should not be entitled to a separation allowance for his wife.