Mr. SPEAKER:

I have the honour to

inform the House that I have received1 the following message from the Senate:

Resolved that a message be sent to the House of Commons by one of the clerks at the table to acquaint that House that the name of the Hon. Mr. Murphy has been added to the list of the members of the special committee appointed to inquire into the claims of the Allied Indian Tribes of British Columbia.

First report of the committee appointed to consider Bill No. 105, to amend the Food and Drugs Act, 1920.-Mr. Howden.

BELL TELEPHONE-GRAND TRUNK RAILWAY CONTRACT Hon. CHARLES A. DUNNING (Minister of Railways and Canals): I promised to lay

on the table some information for the hon. member for South Toronto (Mr. Geary) respecting the agreement between the Bell Telephone Company of Canada and the Grand Trunk Railway Company of Canada, of 1913,'which I now do.

Hon. J. A. ROBB (Minister of Finance) moved:

That the name of Mr. Laflamme be substituted for that of Mr. Rheaume on the select standing committee on banking and commerce.

Mr. W. E. TUMMON (South Hastings):

I have the honour of presenting to this House, Mr. Speaker, a copy of a resolution passed by the city council of the city of Belleville, also a copy of a resolution passed by the council of the town of Deseronto, praying that this House do not grant renewal of the charter of the Montreal, Ottawa and Georgian Bay Canal Company, known as Bill No. 78.

1. What year was the present car ferry established between Cape Tormentine, New Brunswick, and Borden. Prince Edward Island?

2. How many trips did this car ferry make annually from the year it was placed in service to December, 1926?

3. How many passengers were carried annually during the same period?

4. How many tons of freight were carried annually during the same period?

5. How many head of live stock were carried during the above mentioned period?

6. How many bags of mail were carried during the said period?

7. How many automobiles were carried during this period?

8. What have been the losses or profits of the operation of this car ferry, annually, since its being put into operation?

1. 1917

2. 1917, 50; 1918, 1,011; 1919, 1,444; 1920, 1,638; 1921, 1,506; 1922, 1,642; 1923, 1,543; 1924, 1,584; 1925, 2,050; 1926, 2,486.

3. Records prior to 1924 no longer available: 1924, 52,271; 1925, 61,292; 1926, 63,603.

4. 5 and 6. As this is a car ferry handling trains across the Strait, without breaking bulk or transshipment, no record is kept of freight or mail passing through.

7. No records prior to 1923: 1923, 1,562; 1924, 2,395; 1925, 3,368; 1926, 4,299.

8. There is no profit and loss account connected with the operation of the car ferry. The revenues from passengers and freight are train revenues and so accounted. Cost of operation of the'car ferry service is given in separate statement attached.

1. How many cars of grain were unloaded in the port of Vancouver during the months of September, October, November, December, and January, in each of the years 1922-23-24-252G, and January, 1927?

2. Has the attention of the government been called to certain evidence recently given before the railway commission that some 2,500 cars of grain were being held back from forwarding to the coast owing to congestion at that point and for lack of shipping?

3. Have any steps been taken by the government to secure shipping for the removal of grain freely offered for shipment via Vancouver? If so, what?

1. Department of Railways and Canals-

Cars of Grain Handled by Canadian National Railways to Vancouver, B.C.

Month 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927Sept

Oct 73 308 466 437 590 53 552 343 598 2,244 140 2,746 3,827 1,690 839 40 1,160 1,777 1,689 3,646 652 855 2,420 822 Nov

Dec

Jan

1,683

1,874 4,749 3,790 9,242 8,312 1,683

2. The Canadian National railway management reports that on account of the large volume of tough and damp grain moving to Vancouver and the limited drying facilities, it was necessary to inaugurate some system for the purpose of avoiding blockade of grain and the consequent possibility of advantage being taken of the situation by speculators in moving grain to Vancouver without at the same time making provisions for steamship accommodation. The arrangement was originally advocated 'by the Vancouver harbour commissioners, grain trade at Vancouver and terminal railways. Cars are not accepted for shipment to Vancouver except on permit from the railway company. This is considered to be the only satisfactory method for shippers and carriers alike. The control of the situation is not in the hands of the Canadian

National railways, but rather in the capacity of the elevator to dry and handle shipments and also the number of available ships.

3. The Canadian Government Merchant Marine take the maximum quantity of grain offering for their steamers sailing from Vancouver.

Department of Trade and Commerce-

1. September, 1922, 143; October, 1.192; November, 1,373; December, 2,211; January

1923, 2,260.

September, 1923, 151; October, 2.216;

November, 2,203; December, 4,803; January,

1924, 5,179.

September, 1924, 293; October, 2,722;

November, 3,413; December, 2,914; January

1925, 2,831.

September, 1925, 371; October, 5,427;

November, 6,938; December, 4,334; January

1926, 6,888.

September, 1926, 168; October, 4,582;

November, 3,651; December, 4,085; January

1927, 3,464.

2 and 3. No information.

1. How many motion picture films were im-poi ted into Canada during each of the years 1922 to 1926, inclusive, and from what countries ?

2. What is the rate of duty on the said films ?

3. Does the Department of Customs exercise any supervision or censorship over the said films so as to prevent the entry to Canada of motion pictures, (a) of an obscene character; (b) calculated to prejudice the public mind against Canadian and British sentiment; (c) of an aggressive pro-foreign type including propaganda antagonistic to Canadian interests; (d) falsely interpreting Canadian life?

4. How many motion picture films were produced in Canada during the same period and how often were they exhibited?

5. Has the government considered the advisability of having a careful detailed survey made of the motion picture films exhibited in Canada?