Mr. CALDER moved:

That the name of Mr. McGregor be substituted for that of Mr. Tremain on the special committee on Bill No. 10, an Act to amend the Soldiers' Civil Re-Establishment Act.

He said: Mr. Tremain has been obliged to be absent some time and he is not able to attend the sittings of the committee. It is suggested that Mr. McGregor should take his place.

Mr. SPEAKER:

This motion can only be entertained by unanimous leave of the House.

Mr. McKENZIE:

Might I ask the minister when we may hope to get a final report from this committee? Are they making good progress and is the end in sight?

Mr. OALDER:

The end is not in sight as yet. We are sitting practically every day two or three times a day but there is a great deal of ground to be covered. I should think that by the end of this week we would begin to see daylight, although daylight is not in sight yet.

1. Did the Government Purchasing Board call for tenders in the months of May, June and

July, 1919, respecting supplies of cedar timbers and fence posts for the use of railways?

2. If so, whose tenders were accepted, and what were the prices submitted for the different grades of timber therein mentioned?

Hon, Mr. DOHERTY:

1. No. Purchases for the Government Railways do not come within the duties of the War Purchasing Commission.

2. Answered by No. 1.

1. Pursuant to the recommendations made in the discussion in this House on the 16th April last re fibre flax production in Canada and the opinion then expressed by the Minister of Agriculture as to the importance of cleaning, standardizing, branding and marketing of Canadian flax fibre seed, what action, if any, has been taken by the Government to this end?

2. It is said that fifty per cent of the total acreage in Great Britain and Ireland sown to flax fibre in the year 1919 was seeded with Canadian fibre seed. In view of this and the need of securing a future permanent market for, our exportable surplus of flax fibre seed, have any steps been taken by the Government to ascertain the relative results obtained from use of this seed compared with results likewise obtained with:-

1st. Dutch (White flowering) seed.

2nd. Yorkshire seed.

3rd. French seed.

4th. Irish seed.

5th. Russian (Perneau Crown) seed.

3. Has the Government received from the British Government or from any one authorized by such Government or from any other Government, inquiries or request having for their objects the conservation or securing of the 1919 crop of Canadian flax fibre seed or any portion thereof? If so, what steps have been taken, or are in contemplation concerning same?

4. With a view to establishing a permanent future market for exportable surplus of Cana-ian flax fibre, has the Government given serious consideration to the need of standardization and grading our fibre? If so, what measures have been adopted? If not, does the Government contemplate action in this direction?

5. Has the Government prchased for their equipment in their experimental flax station at the Experimental Farm, Ottawa, a new modern scutching machine? If so, has the machine been installed, and what results have been obtained in its operation?

1. In order to safeguard Canadian export trade of fibre flax seed with Ireland, through the maintenance of a uniform standard in cleaning, inspecting and branding, the Department of Agriculture had made provision for the inspection and grading of the-1919 fibre flax crop. The attached circular which was sent to the Ontario Fibre Flax Seed Producers by the Fibre Division of the Experimental Farms Branch of the Department of Agriculture will give full particulars as to

the .methods to be followed in the inspection and grading of the 1919 crop.

2. The Department of Agriculture is making every effort to ascertain the relative results obtained from the use of Canadian Fibre Flax Seed in Ireland as compared with results likewise obtained with other varieties of fibre flax seed sown in Ireland.

3. No.

4. Arrangements have been made to start a grading system at the commencement of the .present scutching season, with a view to establishing grades for flax fibre and tow. A circular entitled " Notes on flax scutching and grading " has been prepared and distributed to all growers and mill-owners. A copy of this circular is attached hereto. As soon as scutching operations are under way, it is proposed to send the Flax Expert of the Department of Agriculture to visit each mill and personally set and supervise the grading of flax fibre and tow.

5. A new modern scutching .machine has been purchased by the Department of Agriculture from the Fibre Corporation, Ltd., 40 Frederick St., Belfast, Ireland, and has arrived at the Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa. This machine is now being assembled and it is hoped to have it working in about ten days' time.