Mr. SPEAKER:

I have the honor to inform the House that I have received the following letter from His Excellency, the President of the French Republic.

Le president de la Republique.

- Paris, le 14 mars 1923.

Monsieur le President,-J'ai lu avec une vive emotion le compte rendu des debats de la Chambre des communes du Canada, relatifs au don d'un terrain sur le plateau de Vimy que la Republique frangaise a fait au Dominion du Canada.

Les idees qui y ont ete exprimees par tous les ora-teurs attestent les liens etroits qui unissent la France et le Canada et qui se resserreront chaque jour davan-tage.

Veuillez agreer, monsieur le President, 1 assurance de ma haute consideration,

A. Millerand.

Monsieur le President de la Chambre des communes du Canada.

%

The President of the Republic,

Paris, France, 14th March, 1923 Mr. Speaker,-I have read with deep emotion the debates of the House of Commons of Canada regarding the gift of a tract of land on the plateau of Vimy tendered by the French Republic to the Dominion of Canada. The ideas expressed by all the speakers bear witness to the close ties of friendship uniting France and Canada which are daily growing stronger.

Kindly accept, Mr. Speaker, the assurance of my highest regard.

A. Millerand.

Mr. SPEAKER:

Although the motion is not in writing I will put it by unanimous consent of the House.

Hon. W. S. FIELDING (Minister of Finance) :

Mr. Speaker, If I can have the unanimous consent of the House for the proceeding, I should like again to draw attention to the desirability of having an interim supply bill. On the assumption that there will be no objection to my doing so I may say that the procedure which I had asked the House to take yesterday was, I am assured, in accord with the established practice of the House. It had been contemplated that we should move concurrence in all the votes already passed in supply and then ask for a vote of one-sixth of the remainder. Hon. gentlemen opposite suggested that the motion for one-sixth should apply to the concurrence as well. As a matter of precedent, I think my own contention was the right one. But I am much more concerned to get the business done than to stand on any ceremony, and therefore I have asked the officials to prepare the resolutions so that they shall apply to one-sixth of the concurrence as well as to one-sixth of the votes. I have discussed this matter with the hon. ex-Minister of Finance (Sir Henry Drayton) who concurs in the motion I am now making. If the House is content that I shall take this course, I therefore move that the Speaker leave the chair and the House go into Committee of Supply in order that I may move the first resolution.

Motion agreed to and the House went into Committee of Supply, Mr. Gordon in the chair.

International Labour

Mr. FIELDING:

I beg to move the following resolution:

Resolved, that a sum not exceeding $36,339,861.93, being one-sixth of the amount of each of the several items not yet voted as set forth in the Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending 31st March, 1924, laid before the House of Commons at the present session of parliament, excluding the amount of the second item of resolution 141, "Ottawa New Departmental Building, $500,000," be granted to His Majesty, on account, for the fiscal year ending March 31st., 1924.

Resolution reported, read the first and second time, and concurred in.

Mr. FIELDING:

I beg to move:

That one-sixth of each of the resolutions reported from committee of supply, from the 20th February last to the 23rd March instant, inclusive, forming a total of $8,385,196.32 be now concurred in.

Hon. W. S. FIELDING (Minister of Finance) moved:

Resolved that towards making good the supply granted to His Majesty on account of certain expenses of the public service for the fiscal year ending March 31st 1924, the sum of $44,725,058.25 be granted out of the consolidated revenue fund of Canada.

Right Hon. ARTHUR MEIGHEN (Leader of the Opposition):

Mr. Speaker, I wish to refer to a return brought down yesterday by the Minister of Labour. In the first place, I draw his attention to the fact that the return does not comply with his. undertaking of the 23rd and his statement of the return yesterday. Obviously it does not contain all the correspondence. It does not contain the first communication to Mr. Pacaud, now of the High Commissioner's office, asking him to represent Canada. That would be an important element of the return, as it contains the instructions. I would point out also that the request which finally resulted in the appointment of Mrs. Carruthers was received, not late, as stated by the minister, but on the 6th of March, the meeting not being held until the 10th of April, and that the communication asking for Mr. Pacaud was not by cable, as stated by the minister, but by letter. It would appear, therefore, that there was plenty of time for another appointment. But I wish to impress upon the minister the fact that the return is obviously incomplete, possibly the most important letter of all not being included.