Sir ROBERT BORDEN:

I have examined the special report of the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery in respect to the election for the electoral district of the Yukon Territory, and I have spoken concerning it with the jight hon. gentleman who leads the Opposition. It seems the proper course to refer the returns to the Select Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections. I, therefore, move:

That the Special Return of the General Returning Officer to the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery for Canada concerning the election of a candidate to serve in the House of Commons for the Yukon Territory be referred to the Select Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections with power and authority to consider the same and the several documents therein alluded to and to report their conclusion and determination thereon to this House.

Sir ROBERT BORDEN (Prime Minister) :

Having regard to the gravity of

the conditions which are confronting the Allied nations at the present time, and with the view of informing hon. members of this House in a confidential way as to certain matters upon which it is advisable that they should be informed, and as to which confidential information in regard to military exigencies could not properly be given in an ordinary session of the House, I have conferred with the right hon. gentleman who leads the Opposition as to the holding of ia secret session of this House. The conclusion I have reached in conjunc-

tion with my colleagues is that such a session should he held in the immediate future. It will he possible when that session is held, to explain much more in detail the reasons on account of which I think it is desirable. I therefore, move:

Resolved that the sitting of Wednesday next, the seventeenth day of April, instant, shall he a secret session until the House shall then otherwise order, and that all strangers be ordered to withdraw during such secret session ;

Provided however, that this Order shall not affect the privilege enjoyed by members of the Senate of being present at Debates in this House.

Resolved further that a message be sent to the Senate acquainting their Honours with the terms of this Resolution.

Under ordinary conditions, it is most unusual that a secret session of either House of Parliament should be held. However, during the past two years secret sessions of the British Parliament have been held on several occasions. There were two in the spring of 1916. There were two, I think, in the spring of 1917, one of which was held about the time my colleagues and I were leaving England. There was a secret session held by the British House of Commons in the month of December last and another in January. It seems desirable that under existing conditions the same course should be followed here on this occasion.

Rt. Hon. Sir WILFRID LAURIER:

The Prime Minister, as he stated, did me the honour of consulting me last Saturday 'as to the advisability of holding a secret session of this House. The Government must, of course, take the responsibility in regard to a matter of this kind as they are in the possession of information of which the public is not aware, and it is fotr them to decide as to the advisability of conferring with Parliament in regard to it. It is also for them to decide whether, as a result of that, it will be possible to give the information to the public. But of course, all this is upon the responsibility of the Government, who have knowledge of which the public is ignorant, and which they consider the public should not have, at all events, at the present stage. Under such circumstances there can be no objection to the course the Government have decided to take. I can add to what has been said by my right hon. friend that not only has the British Parliament had secret sessions, but the French Parliament has had secret sessions on one or two occasions.

Hon. F. B. CARVELL (Minister of Public Works) :

I desire to call the attention of the House to the fact that work has been recommenced on the new parliament building, and I would consider it a very great pleasure if the members of the House would take an early opportunity of visiting the premises for the purpose of acquainting themselves with the general layout and making any suggestions which to them may seem proper with a view to expediting completion, and which might be acted upon by the committee having charge of the reconstruction. I regret to say that it does not look as though the building would be completed for the next session of Parliament, unless very radical changes are made in the present method of construction. If it meets with the convenience of hon. members I would suggest that either to-morrow ot on Wednesday, between the hours of 1.30 and 3 o'clock, I shall be on the premises with as many of the officials as possible in order to conduct hon. members over the building and explain the general layout and proposed arrangements. I also extend this invitation to the press. I think that an hour, or an hour and one-half, could be very profitably spent and might result in speeding up the work, to the advantage of the country at large. I will leave the matter of the date and hour open, awaiting suggestions from hon. friends on either side of the House, but I repeat that either tomorrow or Wednesday, from 1.30 to 3, would suit me admirably.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER:

May I take this opportunity of asking my hon. friend whether it be true that the Government have decided to erect a house on the cliff, between the cliff and the present building, for a lodgement for the Speaker?