Bill No. 80, .foir the relief of Edith Gertrude Willis.-Mr. Sheard. Bill No. 87, for the relief of Thomas Edward Dowthwiadte.-Mr. Hocken, Bd'll No. 88, foir the relief of Thomae Ferby Ga/ten.by.-Mr. Hocken. Bill No. 89, foir the (relief of Michael Joseph Courtney.-Mr. Fripp. Bill No-. 90, for the relief of Thomas Patrick O'Neill.-Mr. Steward (Lanark). Bill No. 91, for (the relief of Robert Ernest Beadie.-Mr. Douglas (Str-a-thoona).
Sir GEORGE FOSTER moved:
That the Public Accounts of Canada and the Auditor General's Report for the year ended 31st March, 1919, he referred to the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts.
Mr. FIELDING:
Is this 'the first reference of 'these volumes to the Public Accounts Committee?
Sir GEORGE FOSTER:
Yes.
Mr. FIELDING:
It is a very late stage of the session at 'which to get ithe Public Accounts Committee .at work.
On (the motion of Hon. C. C. Ballantyne (Minister of Marine and Fisheries) ithe .House went into committee on the following .proposed resolution, Mr. Bouvi® in the Chair. That it is expedient to > amend the Canada Shipping Act by repealing section four hundred and thirty-four thereof which relates to the mode of altering pilot rates for and below Quebec, and to provide that the said section shall be deemed to have been repealed on and from the twelfth day of June, nineteen hundred and fourteen.
Mir. BALLANTYNE:
Under the Canada Shipping Act, danse 434, no. alteration can he made in .the pilotage dues for the district of Quebec unless the average income for each pildt for three years had been more than $600 per year. This is a statute that ;wais framed very many years ago and we .all know (that the coist of living has very igTaaitdy increased since and especially (during the past few years. Although the pilots of Quebec have made an arrangement with ithe Department of Marine and Fisheries, and also- with the shipping interests, for the season of 1920, the object of .this resolution is to enable me to introduce .a Bill eliminating thils restriction of $600 so that if it should 'be deemed 'advisable in the future to change the tariff it can be done.
Mr. VIEN:
Will it open the door to a reduction?
Mr. J. H. SINCLAIR:
Why does the minister go back Ito Ithe 20th June, 1914?
Mr. BALLANTYNE:
I submitted this to ithe Department of Justice and they pointed out (bo me that owing to chapiter 48 which was assented ito on the 12th June, 1914, lit wouild be necessary to make this resolution and the Bill based upon it date from June. It Sb purely a technical, legal matter to conform to the regulations of the Shipping Act.
Mr. J. H. SINCLAIR:
Will i't have the effect of increasing 'the salaries of the pilots from 1914 up to the present time?
Mr. BALLANTYNE:
Mr. FIELDING:
Mr. BALLANTYNE:
Eliminate it altogether.
Mr. FIELDING:
There will be no limit? Mr. BALLANTYNE: No.
Mr. LAVIGUEUR:
Are the Quebec pilots making a demand far an increased tariff?