Mr. THOMAS HAY (Springfield):

I should like to ask a question of the Acting Minister of Railways, regarding a telegram I have received from D. V. Reddin, secretary of the Manitoba branch, of the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, reading as follows:

Have wired secretary Board of Railway Commissioners as follows: "Understand revision railway rates on explosives ordered by board, by order 425, dated November 13th, reducing rates, but that they not yet been put into force. Imperative to interest of mining industry, which requires all possible assistance, particularly in west, that these be put in force at once. Why is publication delayed?

Can you do anything to assist ua?

As the northern part of the constituency I have the honour to represent is deeply interested in mining development, I would ask the government if anything can be done regarding putting this order into force.

Hon. ERNEST LAPOINTE (Leader of the House):

An order was issued by the Board

of Railway Commissioners on January 22. It reads:

The board orders Shat the time within which the requirements of the said general order No. 425, as to amendments to tariffs on high explosives be put into effect be, and it is hereby, extended until the evening of Wednesday, February 3, 1920.

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

Might I ask the acting

leader of the government if the government intends to introduce any resolution or legislation respecting the treaty of Locarno.

Hon. ERNEST LAPOINTE (Leader of the House):

This matter will come before parliament in due course. As my right hon. friend knows, under the treaty the dominions are not bound until after their respective governments have accepted it or signified their willingness to come under it; so, as it is now, we are not bound by that treaty. I can assure my right hon. friend that no step will be taken by the government before parliament has been consulted in the matter.

Mr. MEIGHEN:

As the minister began

his remarks with the assertion that the matter will come before parliament, the only

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logical inference is that the government intends to introduce some legislation respecting the treaty.

Mr. LAPOINTE:

I am sure that even if the government did not introduce the matter to parliament,- some member would, because we have already'been told that it would be done. Our intentions certainly is to have the matter discussed in parliament.

Mr. MEIGHEN:

Can the minister say in what form it will be brought to parliament?

Mr. LAPOINTE:

I do not know as yet. After all, so long as nothing is done, we are not bound by the treaty. If the government thought that we should accept the provisions and the engagements of that treaty, steps should be taken in parliament, but if not, I think parliament will have to discuss the matter just the same, but in what form has not been decided yet..

Mr. MEIGHEN:

Has the government made up its mind on the subject, as to whether to ask parliament for approval or not?

Mr. LAPOINTE:

The mind of the government is fairly made up.

Mr. MEIGHEN:

What is the position of the government's mind on the subject?

Mr. LAPOINTE:

It will be known in due course.

Mr. MEIGHEN:

I presume "due course" means when there is a government-when the shattered wreck is reconstructed. May I now ask the government when parliament may expect, if not to-day, a statement as to what the intention is as regards the personnel of the government?

Mr. LAPOINTE:

The two statements of my right hon. friend are not in accord. He says there is no government, and then immediately wants to know about the personnel of that government which has no existence. Parliament, as a result of the conditions resulting from the general elections, was summoned at an early date for the very purpose of deciding who, under the conditions as they existed, should carry on the government. That question has been submitted to parliament, and parliament, on the 14th of January, gave its decision. That is only a few days ago. If the decision had been in favour of my right hon. friend, he may be sure that we would have been fair enough to give him enough time to organize his government, elect his ministers, and meet parliament afterwards. My right hon. friend knows as well as I do the conditions which existed as a result of the

elections, and which made the summoning of parliament necessary. As I have said, parliament gave its decision on the 14th of January, and the leader of the government is now actually qualifying for a seat in parliament, and it is my hope that in the very near future he will be resuming his duties here as leader of the government. Surely he is entitled to a little consideration on the part of my right hon. friend, just as my right hon. friend would have been entitled to some consideration if the decision had been in his favour. When the leader of the government comes back, which will be in the very near future, he ought to be given an opportunity to reorganize his government, and then all the information will be given to my right hon. friend. Meanwhile, the government is carrying on, and those departments which have no titular heads at the present time are being administered by other members of the government. I may assure my right hon. friend that public business is not suffering.

Mr. MEIGHEN:

Am I to infer from this rather voluminous speech that we can expect nothing in the way of information as to what the intention is as respects the personnel of the government until the Prime Minister is in his seat?

Mr. LAPOINTE:

I do not think it is fair on the part of my right hon. friend to expect that before the ri^ht hon. gentleman is in his seat.

Mr. MEIGHEN:

It may not be fair to expect it from him, but the country expects to know what the intentions are as regards the government.

Mr. LAPOINTE:

I rise to a point of order.