Rt. Hon. Sir GEORGE FOSTER (Minister of Trade and Commerce):

The object is briefly as follows: In 1912, a conference was held which resulted in the arrangement of a ten years' reciprocal trade agreement between Canada and the West Indies. That agreement has still two years to run. Transport and cable facilities were also arranged for at the same conference. It has been considered wise that we should meet together a little in advance of the time when the old arrangement would expire, to take into consideration exactly the same subjects, so what is being considered, and what will be considered, at the present conference is, first, the trade relations of the two sections of the Empire as regards preference and objects or lists of preference; second, the improvement of transport facilities, both as to passengers and freights, making them

more uniform, and, if possible, more widely distributed, and more commodious; third, the improvement of cable facilities, which have been very poor during the past year or two, and which it is necessary to have improved in the interests of trade and communication. Those are the three matters, and those alone, which are under consideration.

Mr. LEM1EUX: With your permission,

Mr. Speaker, I should like to be allowed to implement my question. I see by the press that there is quite a campaign in favour of the political annexation of the West Indies to Canada. Could my right hon. friend give the House any information he may have on the subject, or has he given us all the information?

Sir GEORGE FOSTER:

I thought I met my hon. friend's question when I explained the three objects of the conference, and said that those, and those alone, were the objects of the conference. The Government is not responsible for individual or associated campaigns, real or fictitious, for annexation.

Hon. CHARLES MURPHY (Russell):

May I ask the Prime Minister (Sir Robert Borden) whether he has received any communication from the United States Government relative to the appointment of a commission to inquire into the matter of newsprint, that is to say, into the pulp and paper question, and, if so, whether any action has been taken, and whether any papers which there may be in connection with the matter will be brought down?

Rt. Hon. Sir ROBERT BORDEN (Prime Minister):

I may inform my hon. friend

that I have no information in the matter apart from what has 'been reported in the public press.

1. Of what material is the flooring in the centre of the new Commons Chamber composed, and where did it originally come from?

2. What price was paid for the said flooring per unit of measure, or of weight?

3. What material was used to fill in the spaces between the boards in the said floor, and where did this filling originally come from?

4. What price was paid for the said filling per unit of measure, or of weight?

5. What was the total cost of the said floor laid in position, and before being covered by a carpet?

1. Teak with small ebony strips; the teak is imported from India; the ebony cannot trace origin of this particular lot, the tree is found in India, Burmah, South Africa and West Indies. This floor was purchased in the regular manner from wholesale lumber dealers by the contractor who manufactured and laid it. It is impossible to state the exact origin of the materials.

2. $1.74 per superficial foot.

3. Ebony, as answered by answer to question number 1.

4. Average cost of ebony is 20 cents a pound or 4.2 cents per lineal foot which is included in unit cost of floor as given in answer to question number 2.

5. $2,955.

1. No.

2. No arrangement has been made and there was no such suggestion.

3. 4, and 5. Answered by answer to question No. 2.