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

At a meeting of the Joint

Parliamentary Cbmmittee for the Parliament Building yesterday it was decided to invite certain members of this House and the Senate to inspect the building for certain purposes. I beg therefore to move:

That a committee of four members of this House be appointed to act with a like committee from the Senate for the purpose of assisting the Joint Parliamentary Committee for the Parliament Building in the allocation of the space in the new Parliament Building between the two Houses and also allocating certain space to various members and officials of the respective Houses.

Mr. D. D. McKBNZIE (Leader of the Opposition):

I quite understand that this motion is not debatable, but I should like to state to the Prime Minister that this Bill strikes me as being of very far-reaching effect and of the greatest possible importance, and I fear it is being introduced at too late a stage in the session. If it could possibly stand over until another session I think it would be more satisfactory to Parliament and to the country.

Sir ROBERT BORDEN:

The Naturalization Act of 1914 was based upon a resolution reached at the Imperial Conference of 1911. That resolution had for its purpose the fixing of uniform standards of naturalization throughout the various Dominions of the Empire, and the granting of certificates of naturalization Which would be effective, not only in the country in which they were granted, as was the case previously, but throughout the whole Empire.

The Act passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom on that occasion was adopted in Canada after a great deal of

correspondence and negotiation, and I understand it has also been adopted in Newfoundland. It was to be brought before the parliaments of Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa immediately before the war, but I understand that owing to the war the measure has not been proceeded with in those countries. The purpose of this Bill is to render our Act uniform with that of the United Kingdom, and its provisions are framed with that object. I do not think we have departed in any important respect whatever from the principles embodied in the Imperial Act of last year. My hon. friend suggests delay, but I do not think that a fair examination of the Bill will support any reason which could be advanced therefor. It is extremely important that the Act should he made uniform with that of the United Kingdom, and it is also of the utmost importance that the proposals to which I have very briefly alluded, and which will be found in the provisions of the Bill, should be carried into effect in this country at the earliest opportunity. [DOT]

Motion agreed to and Bill read the first time.

Mr. BURNHAM:

Is it a fact that the Government is paying 29J cents an hour to labourers on the Trent Canal, in the vicinity of Peterborough, while the current rate for the same district and work is unversally 4*5 cents per hour?

1. The rates of wages now paid on the Trent canal in the Peterborough district- for casual labour-30 cents per hour; permanent labour, $2.60 per day.

The Department of Railways and Canals has no information showing that the current rate for this district is 45 cents per hour.

The question of increase in wages is now under consideration by the department.

1. Who is the Deputy Minister of The Soldiers' Civil Re-Establishment Commission?

2>. Wlj^t is his salary?

3. Has he any Military record? If so, what?

4. What were his qualifications? '

[DOT]5. Is it a fact, that medical, legal and other officials are employed by the said Board, who have had no overseas military record? If so. what are their names, and what salary is paid to each?

1. Frederick Gerald Robinson.

2. $6,000 per annum.

3. No.

4. Experience previously gained as an executive officer of the Military Hospitals Commission, in which capacity he was brought into close contact with all phases of the work of the department. Mr. Robinson has been engaged in the executive direction of commercial enterprises for a number of years, giving him an intimate knowledge of conditions in all parts of Canada.

5. No administrative medical officials are employed at head office of the Department of Soldiers' Civil Re-Establishment, who have no overseas military record.

No legal officials are employed by the department.

The only other administrative officials employed at head office who have no overseas military records are: F. G. Robinson, deputy minister, salary $6,000 per annum; E. H. Scammell, assistant deputy minister and secretary, salary $4,000; Major L. L. Anthes, C.E.F., director of the Information and Service Branch, salary $2,500; W. E. Wilford, C.E.F., (ex-Pte.) chief purchasing agent, salary $3,000 per annum; J. H. W. Bower, general superintendent engineering branch, salary $3,900 per annum.

Note; Those whose names are followed by the letters C.E.F., saw service in the Canadian Expeditionary Force but not overseas.