Hon. Mr. BELAND:

Did the hon. lady

ask whether two women had been appointed?

Miss MACPHAIL:

Two women.

Mr. BELAND:

I understand that only one has been appointed.

PRIVILEGE-Mr. IRVINE

On the Orders of the Day:

Mr. WILLIAM IRVINE (Calgary East):

Mr. Speaker, I rise to a point of privilege. Yesterday afternoon, when we were discussing the situation of certain Hebridean immigrants, the hon. Minister of the Interior (Mr. Stewart) challenged the facts which I then presented. I have here a telegram from Mr. W. McD. Davidson, who is editor of the Calgary Albertan-

Mr. SPEAKER:

Order. On a question of privilege or any other question of a similar nature no writing or communication from the outside can be read to contradict statements made by members of the House in the course of a debate.

Mr. IRVINE:

Then, Mr. Speaker, may I refer to this communication without quoting it? r

Mr. SPEAKER:

What cannot be done directly cannot be done indirectly. On any day, except Friday of course-because to-day the Speaker leaves the chair without any

motion being put-when the House goes into Committee of Supply the hon. member has his remedy.

Mr. E. J. GARLAND (Bow River):

Mr. Speaker, I wish to ask the Minister of Trade and Commerce (Mr. Robb) if it is correct that last summer he held a quiet inquiry into the operations of an organization, or alleged organization, engaged at American ports in the business of adulterating Canadian grain for export. If so, what were the results of the inquiry, and when may we expect a report thereon to be tabled?

Hon. J. A. ROBB (Minister of Trade and Commerce):

I never heard of such an organization until to-day.

Mr. GARLAND (Bow River):

No inquiries, then were held last summer by the minister or by his department as to such adulteration?

Mr. ROBB:

I am not sure what my hon. friend refers to. If he would be more specific I might be able to give him the information he desires.

Mr. GARLAND (Bow River):

Perhaps I can put my question directly. Were any inquiries made by the minister or his department last summer into the adulteration of Canadian grain at American ports?

Mr. ROBB:

Mr. Speaker, last year we had a complaint from the London Com Exchange that Canadian grain reaching London was not up to standard. I met the members in their exchange hall, London, and the chairman made it clear that they had no complaints against Canadian grain reaching England from Canadian ports; their complaints were against Canadian grain reaching England through certain United States ports. We instructed the Board of Grain Commissioners -one of the inspectors went along with them -to make an actual survey of the conditions there affecting the receiving and the loading of grain going out to those ports. The chairman of the board and the chief grain inspector have gone over with the idea that they will reach there about the time the first ships arrive from Canada and from the United States. They will make inquiries and observations with a view to giving the government information regarding the condition of the grain that reaches the other side.

Supply-Railways-C.N.R.

Mr. GARDINER.: I understood the minister to say that they had asked the Board of Grain Commissioners to make inquiry in United States ports. What we desire to know is what was the result of that inquiry.

Mr. ROBB:

Well, offhand, the information that was brought back to us confirmed our own view, namely, that we have no control in the United States over grain, once it is cleared from Buffalo. It is true -the grain goes through the United States in bond, but that is for the protection of the people of the United States themselves, So it comes down to this-if grain is shipped to Liverpool direct from Canada and then from Liverpool to France and the complaint comes to us from France that it is not up to standard, we have no control over it because it had reached the Liverpool .port-beyond our country.

Mr. GARDINER:

I quite understand we have no control-

Mr. SPEAKER:

Order.