Mr. SPEAKER:

I would refer the House to the usage as regards the putting of questions on the orders of the day, which will be found in'paragraph 311 of Beauchesne's Parliamentary Rules and Forms, and in Bourinot at pages 364 and 365:

When the orders of the day are called by the Speaker and before they are read by the Clerk Assistant, it is the practice sanctioned by usage but not by any positive rule, for members to make personal explanations or ask questions of the government, in reference to an inaccurate report of their speeches in the official

nwirds. nr in thp npwsnor\f*T-o [DOT] nr in sloniol oorfoin

charges made against them in the public prints; or in reference to certain remarks which had been misunderstood on a previous occasion, and which they had not before had an opportunity of explaining; or in respect to delay in obtaining returns or to the incompleteness of certain returns brought down under the order of the House; or relative to the state of public business, or other matters of public interest. But these remarks should be brief as they are only tolerated, these being no question before the Chair when they are made, and no discussion should be allowed when a minister has replied to a question nor after a member has made his personal explanation. In asking a question, a member must not attack the conduct of the government. If a member wishes to make personal explanations in reference to remarks which have fallen from another member, the latter ought to be in his place.

Although the matter has already been debated at considerable length in the House, I realize that it is of great importance. However, the question in regard to it should be brief and to the point; and when it is of a complex nature, as this seems to be, notice should be given. At all events, I am quite sure that the members of the government who have listened to the rather involved question put by the hon. member will see that it is answered to-morrow.

Mr. THOMAS CANTLEY (Pictou):

Mr. Speaker, may I ask the hon. Minister of the Interior (Mr. Stewart) if it is the intention of the government to grant on 15,000 tons of coal from Cape Breton to Montreal the same

pro rata mileage rate as he said he was willing to grant for the transportation of 25,000 tons of coal from Alberta to Ontario?

Hon. CHARLES STEWART (West Edmonton, Minister of the Interior):

Mr. Speaker, I would remind my hon. friend that the government of Canada does not fix railway rates. The freight rates on the Canadian National Railways are under the control of their board of management. They have the privilege, if they desire, of fixing a rate on the movement from Nova Scotia commensurate with the rate fixed on the other movement, from Alberta to Ontario. I wish to make it very clear that neither the federal government nor any of its ministers had anything to do with the fixing of the rate from Alberta to Ontario.

Mr. CANTLEY:

May I ask the hon. gentleman another question? Is it true that he stated in his place a few days ago that he had arranged for 25,000 tons of Alberta coal to be moved to Toronto at the current rate of $7 a ton? Also, will he make a statement with regard to the 15,000 tons of coal from Cape Breton?

Mr. STEWART (West Edmonton):

I did not say that, Mr. Speaker. I have been very careful in my answers in this House to make it absolutely clear that the government has nothing to do with the fixing of freight rates. The government is willing to use its good offices in an effort to alleviate any distress in our coal-mining districts. Let me say distinctly, as I said before, that the government had nothing whatever to do with the fixing of the rate referred to. The granting of such a rate is the prerogative of the railway company.

Mr. W. F. MACLEAN (South York):

Mr. Speaker,, the matter of questions has been referred to, I would remind the House that we have a rule which makes the debate on the Address continuous. I do not see why that rule should be perpetuated, because the questions that are put on the order paper ought to get immediate attention, although in fact usually it is several weeks before they are dealt with. I would draw the attention of the committee on rules to the desirability of revising the rule in this respect so that questions on the order paper may be answered every day in the ordinary way.

Mr. LAPOINTE:

A committee sat last

year for the purpose of revising the rules of the House.

Proposed Legislation

Mr. MACLEAN (York):

What did they

do?

Mr. LAPOINTE:

It is unfortunate that

the report of this committee was not adopted last session, for in that event the extended debate on the Address that is now proceeding would have been curtailed long ago.

Mr. W. G. McQUARRIE (New Westminster) :

Mr. Speaker, may I be permitted

to call the attention of the Minister of Immigration and Colonization to a Canadian Press cable report of a speech made by the newly appointed Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, Mr. Bruce, in London last night, in which he deprecates attacks made on Canada by some British newspapers, and says:

It peeved one to come home to see malicious articles with reference to Canada, not only in the rags of the Old Country press, but in reputable journals.

Does the minister intend to make any investigation into this matter? And if such reports are appearing in the British press, will he take steps to see that our side of the case is also presented to the British public?

Hon. CHARLES STEWART (Acting Minister of Immigration and Colonization):

Mr. Speaker, I too read the press despatch this morning to which my hon. friend refers. Up to the present I have not had my attention called to articles of this kind appearing in the British press, but I have been advised that some speeches made in this House on certain occasions have been reproduced in the English papers. I doubt whether we can take any action to prohibit that being done. In fact I doubt whether we would be warranted in attempting to interfere with the British press, which I assume is entitled to say anything it likes respecting the Dominion. Of course we have the liberty to refute such attacks, if we see fit.

Mr. DONALD SUTHERLAND (South Oxford):

Mr. Speaker, I desire to inquire of

the acting leader of the government, the Minister of Justice, whether he can give the House any information as to the nature of the legislation promised the member for Winnipeg North Centre (Mr. Woodsworth) by the Prime Minister on January 28, with respect to amending the Naturalization Act and the

Criminal Code. This promise was placed on the records of the House by the hon. member. The matter, we have been told, has been decided upon by the government, and it has been intimated that such legislation will be brought down.

Hon. ERNEST LAPOINTE (Leader of the House):

My hon. friend will ascertain the

nature of the legislation when it is introduced.

Sir HENRY DRAYTON:

Only the member for Winnipeg North Centre knows.