I desire to call the attention of the government to an article appearing in the press to the effect that under the Empire Settlement Scheme adopted by the parliament of Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand have received some 11,000 immigrants, while only 130 have gone to Canada. I wish to ask whether these figures are correct, and why Canada as is indicated by the article, is not co-operating with the Mother Country with a view of getting immigrants partly at the Mother Country's expense.

Supply-Re-establishment

Hon. CHARLES STEWART (Minister of Immigration):

I cannot give my hon. friend the information he seeks with respect to numbers, but I might say that this week the Deputy Minister of Immigration is leaving for the Old Land for the purpose of arranging co-operation with the Overseas Settlement Board for this year. Futt explanation will be given when the estimates of the department are brought down.

Sir HENRY DRAYTON:

Is there any assurance that the money will not be all gone before the deputy gets there? The system has been in operation for quite a long time.

Mr. JACOBS:

Knowing who the deputy is, we would not be surprised.

Sir HENRY DRAYTON:

Before these estimates are considered, I find on looking at page 87 that the details of this particular vote are in the same form as the details in connection with the vote for Agriculture. When we were considering the estimates last, the government, led at that time by the Minister of Finance (Mr. Fielding), promised to furnish the proper details for the Civil Government votes.

The CHAIRMAN:

The item we are considering is not the Civil Service Commission vote, but item No. 27, Soldiers' Civil Reestablishment, salaries and contingencies.

Mr. GRAHAM:

I might say in reply to my hon. friend, in order that there may be no misunderstanding, that the Minister of Finance has asked to have the particulars given, so far as Civil Government is concerned, as they were given last. year. There has been quite a departure in the last four years, but we will not argue about that now. The Civil Government estimates for any department will not be taken up until such time as the Estimates are placed before the committee in the form desired.

Civil government-Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment- salaries, $29,200; contingencies, $10,000.

Sir HENRY DRAYTON:

This is Civil Government again.

Hon. H. S. BELAND (Minister of Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment):

In the case of Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment, the civil government vote is very small. It comprises only seven or eight employees. Most of the salaries in this department are usually paid

out under another item in the Main Estimates for salaries. In this instance perhaps my hon. friends will not insist upon the details being printed as will be the case with the other departments. The employees are the deputy minister, the assistant deputy minister, supervisor of expenditure, chief clerk and assistant secretary, head clerk, principal clerk, storekeeper, and one librarian; that is all. The total vote for salaries for the next fiscal year is $29,200. That shows a slight reduction as compared with last year, on account of the services of one employee being dispensed with. The draughtsman, who was needed in former years, is no longer required.

Sir HENRY DRAYTON:

What was his salary?

Mr. BELAND:

It was $2,040. The difference between this year's vote and last year's is not so much as the amount I have just mentioned, on account of statutory increases being granted to some of the employees. I shall be glad to give the salaries of the officials I have named. Deputy minister, $6,000; assistant deputy minister, $5,000; supervisor of expenditure, $5,000. These three are receiving the same salary as last year-no increase. The chief clerk and assistant secretary gets $3,480, which includes a statutory increase of $120; head clerk, $2,880; principal clerk, $2,280; storekeeper, $2,400; librarian, $560. The position of senior draughtsman is done away with, as well as the allowance of $600 for private secretary. That is all that is contained in the civil government list of this department. Hon. gentlemen may say that it is a very small list compared with the amount which is paid out in salaries in this department. That is true, but it has been customary ever since the department was constituted to pay only these few officials under the civil government vote.

Sir HENRY DRAYTON:

We desire to stand by the principle which was conceded by the government the other evening, but in this case the item is small and we can carry the details in our heads. I think we can all understand the brief explanation that has been made. The item shows a reduction, and so far as I am concerned I am perfectly willing to let it go through.

Mr. BOYS:

Have the services of the senior draughtsman been dispensed with, or has he been transferred to another department?

Mr. BELAND:

His services have been dispensed with.

Mr. BELAND:

This item is considerably smaller than the vote last year. The amount expended up to the 31st of December, 1922, was $46,495. We expect that this year we shall be able to meet the requirements for the purpose indicated, with $30,000. The amount is required for new fixtures and improvements to leased property. We are spending a very small amount in this regard. Last year we spent $9,000, and this year up to the first of January last only $1,500 has been expended. The balance of the vote is required for new equipment in machinery and furnishings for hospitals and sanatoria, insignificant additions to the capital expenditure, such as the purchase of a table for a hospital, or some smaller piece of furniture. This item is small, and shows a big reduction as compared with last year.