Mr. SPEAKER:

I have the honour to inform the House that I have received notification of a vacancy having occurred in the representation of the electoral district of Cape Breton North and Victoria consequent upon the acceptance of an office of emolument under the Crown by Hon. D. D. McKenzie, the sitting member therefor, I have accordingly issued my warrant to the Chief Electoral Officer to make out a new writ for the election of a member to the said electoral district.

1. Has the government received a report with respect to the wreck of the SS. Trader in March, on the rocks dumped off the end of the jetty on the north arm of the Fraser river, British Columbia, built by the government ?

2. If so, was the wreck due to the failure of the department to provide a proper light at the end of this jetty, and is the vessel a total loss?

3. Is it a fact that the said jetty has been without any light for three months or any other lesser period and that there is no mark or communication at the end of the said jetty to show the entrance to the channel of the north arm of the Fraser river.

4. Has the government a report on the wrecking or grounding on or about Thursday, March 15. of three tugs with booms of logs at a point on Sea Island about one mile east of the said jetty?

5. Has the government taken steps to provide a proper and sufficient light at the end of the said jetty and to otherwise properly protect the entrance to the said channel for navigation ?

1. The Department of Marine and Fisheries has received a report of the wreck of the Trader.

2. The vessel was stranded 300 yards west of the jetty at noon on March 16th during what the captain in charge described as a furious W.S.W. gale. Consequently the wreck was not due to the absence of a light.

3. The edge of the channel is 400 feet from the jetty. The department has maintained since 1905 range lights to mark this channel. The outer light was carried away on January 21st last by the tug Gleeful, the report of which did not reach the department until January 31st. Instructions to rebuild were wired February 2nd.

4. No.

5. Yes. ,

1. Has the government received a report regarding the wreck of the SS. Alaskan with the loss of all its crew, near Pachena Point on the Pacific coast, in January last?

2. Has the government, on acount of economy or otherwise, reduced by 50 per cent or any other amount, the strength of the unwatched lights on that coast or any part of it and thereby reduced the visibility of the said lights?

3. If such or any other reduction has been made, were the changes published to master mariners, so that they would not be fooled by the changed lights?

4. Does the government pay to the Pacific Salvage Company $30,000 per year or

5. Is the SS. Algerine a seaworthy vessel, suitable for the purpose for which it is employed by the government ?

6. Did the United States SS. Snohomish rescue the crew of the SS. Tuscan Prince which ran on to the coast of British Columbia?

7. Is it the intention of the government to provide proper and efficient coast protection for British Columbia by having an ocean-going tug similar to the said SS. Snohomish, or by having any other suitable class of tug, for assisting the mercantile marine in storms or times of peril on the sea?

1. Yes.

2. No.

3. Answered by No. 2.

4. The government pays the Pacific Salvage Co. Ltd. the sum of $10,000 per annum to maintain a wrecking plant at Victoria, B.C., for service on the B.C. coast.

5. Yes.

6. No. The crew of the Tuscan Prince were rescued by the crew of the government life boat, stationed at Bamfield creek.

7. See statement by Minister of Marine and Fisheries on Pages 1725 and 1726 Unrevised Hansard.

Mr. MILLAR:

Can the hon. Minister of

Trade and Commerce (Mr. Robb) inform us

Sup pi y-H a ilwa ys-C .N.R.

when we may expect the announcement of the appointment of the proposed grain commission and whether the trade will be represented on that commission.

Mr. ROBB:

The matter is now under consideration, and all interested in the production and sale of grain will be represented.

Hon. E. M. MACDONALD