Hon. ARTHUR MEIGHEN (Minister of the Interior):

Mr. Speaker, with the consent of the House, I desire to introduce a Bill to amend the Forest Reserves and Parks Act. Although notice has been given, yesterday being a holiday it does not appear on the Order Paper to-day. In view of the necessity of the Act being considered at an early date in order that the reductions from the Forest Reserves for the purpose of Soldiers' settlement may be made available in the following month, I would like time to be saved to the extent of three or four days by having the introduction gone on with to-day. The purpose of the Bill is to take from certain of our forest reserves some areas that have been inspected and found fit for agricultural purposes. I therefore beg to move, with the consent of the House, for leave to introduce Bill No. 125, to amend the Dominion Forest Reserves and Parks Act.

Motion agreed to and Bill read the first time!

Sir THOMAS WHITE (Minister of Finance) :

moved:

That a Special Committee of the House consisting of Messrs. Nicholson (Algoma), Stevens, Reid (Mackenzie), Douglas (Strathcona), Davis, Hocken, Sutherland, Fielding, Davidson,

Nesbitt, McCoig, Sinclair (Queens', P.E.I.), Devlin, Vien and Euler, he appointed for the purpose of Inquiring forwith as to the prices charged throughout Canada for foodstuffs, clothing, fuel and other necessaries of life, and as to the rates of profit made thereon by dealers and others concerned in their production, distribution and sale; also as' to rentals of dwelling houses in industrial centres of Canada and rates of return of capital invested therein, with power to send for persons, papers and records, examine witnesses under oath, engage accountants and other necessary assistants and to report to the House from time to time the result of their inquiry with any recommendations they may make with a view to effecting a reduction in such prices and rentals.

Mr. F. S. CAHILL (Pontiac):

Would the Government state if they have anything new in regard to the strike? It is important to the House. The hon. the Minister of the Interior (Mr. Meighen) is back from Winnipeg.

We have a very reassuring telegram this morning from Senator Robertson at Winnipeg, who reports that the condition is greatly improved there to-day. He says that the railway mail clerks, 110 in number, who went out at first, returned within the time limit given them to return, and that there are numerous applications, very largely from returned soldiers, for positions in the post office. Further, a great many of the employees of the city have returned to work; the clerical staff has returned in a body. The whole situation is so greatly improved that he purposes to leave for Ottawa to-morrow morning.

Mr. McKENZIE:

It is understood that a delegation waited upon the Prime Minister yesterday. Will the right hon. gentleman tell the House if he reached any conclusion with them?

Sir ROBERT BORDEN:

We spent nearly the whole day-from ten o'clock in the morning until seven o'clock in the evening -endeavouring to arrive at an arrangement which would compose the differences between the employees and employers, or, failing to arrive at an agreement, we strongly urged that the questions in difference should be submitted either to an investigation by a Royal Commission or to arbitration. There was an approach towards an agreement, but no agreement was finally

reached. A great many proposals on one side and the other were put forward, and the final result, about seven o'clock in the evening, was that the employers made a proposal in writing which, I think, was furnished to the press, and which was to be submitted by the representatives of the labour organizations to the men in Toronto. I believe it was so presented, but the men did not see fit to accept it. The chief question under discussion yesterday was the granting of a week of forty-four hours, and it was upon that question that the employers finally decided to offer arbitration. We endeavoured to have the offer accompanied with some other conditions which possibly might have made it more acceptable, but it was presented finally in the form which has been made public. I understand that a considerable number of men have gone out on strike in Toronto to-day.

Mr. BUREAU:

Is it proposed to change the number of judges, or make a change in the salaries in British Columbia?