1. Has the Government seen an advertisement in the Toronto Telegram of the 4th of May, which also appeared in the other papers to the effect that ultramarine dyes have been used in the colouring of sugars?

2. Has the Government reason to believe that ultramarine dyes have been so used?

3. If so, what action, if any, has the Government taken up to the present time to prohibit the use of ultramarine dyes or other) poisonous materials in the colouring of sugar?

4. If the Government has taken any steps, when did they take them?

5. What is the scope of such action?

6. If the Government has decided to prohibit

the use of ultramarine dyes or other poisonous materials for the purpose of colouring sugar, what steps will the Government take in regard to the sugar that might be on hand in refineries or elsewhere which are coloured contrary to law? -

7. If the Government have passed an order to the effect above suggested, will they allow this sugar improperly coloured to be sold in Canada?

8. If they do allow it to be sold in Canada, will the Government insist upon it being labelled so that the public buying the sugar may not be deceived in what they are buying?

1. No.

2. Yes. During the months of December, January and February, 1916, our food inspectors made a collection of 175 samples of sugar throughout the country. These samples were analysed at the laboratory, and 169 were found to be genuine, and 6 were adulterated as containing a dye, without declaration of the fact, and in violation of the standards of sugar fixed by Order in Council on the 7th day of September, 1914, which declares that sugar which is sold as granulated, loaf, cut, milled or powdered sugar shall contain at least 99.5 per cent of sucrose, and 3hall be free from any artificial colouring matter. These six samples were found to conform to the standard, with the exception of the addition of the colouring matter.

3. The Chief Analyst of the Department has declared that sugar containing ultramarine may be regarded as being quite harmless to health, and there is no particular objection to this dye provided that its presence is declared to the consumer; in other words, as the dye is used to hide a less advanced state of refinement, this fact should be made known to the consumer in all justice to the more highly refined sugars. The six samples above re-

ferred to was bought from retailers, and they were found to come from stock bought at the same refinery. The attention of the retailers and refiners was called to the standards established for sugar in 1914, and they were warned that unless they conformed to these standards in future they would be prosecuted. The department issued Bulletin No. 343 containing the report of the chief analyst on the result of the analysis of the 175 samples, and containing also a list of the names from whom these samples were bought, the names of the manufacturers, the result of the analysis, and also remarks indicating as to whether the samples were genuine or adulterated, etc. Opposite each of the six cases - reported as being adulterated, the following remark is printed, "containing a blue dye."

4. The bulletin above referred to was printed and distributed throughout the country in the early part of this year.

5. The collection of samples made last year and the distribution of the bulletin were the first steps taken in reference to this matter, since the establishment of the standards in 1914.

6. The fact that there is in refineries coloured sugar is not illegal. The illegal act is committed when this coloured sugar is offered for sale without a declaration of the fact on the label, etc.; therefore, the department can take no action in regard to coloured sugar on hand, unless it is offered for sale without declaration of this fact.

7. The standard declared in September, 1914, does not prohibit the absolute sale of coloured sugar, provided that the fact of the existence of the colouring is declared.

8. Yes.

1. Is G. P. Dillon, Montreal, purchasing agent for the Dominion Penitentiaries?

2. If so, what is his salary?

3. Is this the same G. P. Dillon who was looking after the prisoners in the internment camps of Ontario, with the rank of Major?

4. Does he draw his salary of $3,000 as Purchasing Agent for the penitentiaries, and also his salary as major?

1. Yes.

2. Three thousand two hundred dollars.

3. Yes. Major Dillon has acted as purchaser for the internment camps, and in addition rendered valuable service in connection with transportation of prisoners and the establishing and maintenance of economy in connection with the camps.

4. No. He draws the military pay of captain for his services as purchaser for the internment camps. This arrangement has the advantage of securing the services of an exceptionally qualified purchaser, and is much more economical than would be the appointment of a separate purchasing agent for the work of the camps.

MAPLBOL AND MAPLEINE. .

1. Has the Government prohibited the sale of (a) Mapleol and (b) Mapleine?

2. If the same has not been prohibited, is it because the Government considers that the nature of these compounds conform to the law respecting adulteration?

3. What is the number of samples of (a) maple sugar and (b) maple syrup which have been analysed during the year 1915-16?

4. How many of these samples have been found adulterated?

5. Have proceedings been taken against those

found offending? -

6. If so, what is the number of such persons, and what are their names?

7. Have they been convicted and fined?

8. If so, to what amount?

1. (a) Mapleol, nothing on record; (b) mapleine, no.

2. (a) Mapleol, answered by No. 1 (a); (b) mapleine, yes. This'is an essence in no way resembling maplci syrup.

3. (a) Maple sugar, 234; (b) maple syrup, 243.

4. (a) Maple sugar, 25; (b) maple syrup, 46.

5. (a) Maple sugar, yes; (b) maple syrup, yes, in 5 cases out of 46. Under the advice of the chief analyst no departmental action w.as taken in the case of 41 samples of maple syrup which were found adulterated, because the order for collection preceded the date (May 15, 1915), at which the standards for maple syrup became legally effective.

6. 7 and 8, answered by statement attached.

The following statement shows the number and names of parties who have been convicted and fined for having in their possession adulterated maple sugar and maple syrup:

Maple sugar: S. Smith & Son, fined $25; Bauld Bros., Ltd., fined $25; Coleman & Eisener, fined $25; John Mclver, case stands; J. W. Philips, suspended sentence; J. A. Provencher, fined $25; N. Trudeau, fined $5; H. Pepin, fined $25; H. Robinson, fined $5; E. E. Biron, fined $25; P. J. Roy, fined $25; H. Brydge, fined $25; P. J. Frood, fined $25; L. Malette, fined $25; J.

S. Ireland, fined $25; A. Fedy, fined $25; W. D. Stephens, fined $25; J. Cherpaw, fined $25; Willard & Co., fined $25; S. Bourgeman, fined $25; B. H. Walsh, fined

$25; W. R. Cole, fined $25; W. H. Tricker, fined $25; Hardy & Buckanan, fined $25; Chaston & Treteau, case before the court.

Maple syrup:-The following cases are before the court: H. A. E. Morin, L. Ar-chambault, Mont La Salle Grocery, C. H. Fournier, Choquette & Frere.

1. What was the total cost to the Government in salaries, houses, rental and other expenses, over and above the pay and allowances of enlisted officers and men employed in recruiting for overseas service, from August 4, 1914, to May 1. 1917?

2. What was the total amount of money contributed by persons or organizations and not chargeable to the Dominion Treasury, which was used by the recruiting agencies of the Government in recruiting for overseas service from August 4, 1914, to May 1, 1917?

1. The- claims for travelling expenses and

transport in connection with recruiting have never been segregated from other items of war expenditure under the same headings, and to separate these charges now would necessitate wading through some hundreds of thousands of vouchers and would occupy the time of a very large staff of clerks for a considerable period. ~

2. This information is not available in the department

Mr. MARCIL:

Is it the intention of the Department of Trade and Commerce to insist upon the steamer doing the service between Camptoellton, N.B., and GaspS, Quebec, to stop at way ports both going and coming?

Sir GEORGE FOSTER:

All steamship contracts made by the Department of Trade and Commerce stipulate certain ports of call. In many cases calls are not possible in rough weather. The department insists upon calls being made when possible. No complaints as yet this year have been received relative to the steamship service between Gaspe Basin, Balhousie and Camp-bellton.

1. (a) How many rural mail delivery routes were in operation October 1, 1911, (b) and how many boxes were served on such routes?

2. (a) How many rural delivery routes were

in operation March 31, 1917, (b) and how

many boxes were served on such routes?

3. How many new post offices were opened from October 1, 1911, to March 31, 1917?

4. (a) How many new money order offices, (b) and how many new postal note offices have been opened from October 1, 1911, to March 31, 1917?

124}

1. (a) 614 rural mail delivery routes; (b) 16,015 boxes.

2. (a) 3,586 rural mail delivery routes; (b) 165,043 boxes.

3. 2,682 new post offices.

4. (a) 1,335 -money order offices; (b) 2,391 postal note offices.

1. Has Theophile Fiset, of the Parish of St. Bazile, in the County of Portneuf, been paid the sum of $1,100, the amount awarded to him for land sold to the National Transcontinental Railway ?

2. If so, when?

3. In whose name was the cheque made out?

4. If there was more than one cheque issued for the said sum of $1,100, in whose names were the said cheques issued and for what sum to each person?

1. Yes.

2. January 24, 1917.

3 and 4. One cheque was issued in the name of Theophile Fiset and Lucien Mo-rand, solicitor for the Crown.