Mr. CARDIN:

There is the station at Cobourg, where last year the expenditure was $300; that is a volunteer station. The same amount, $300, was expended at Goderich; Long Point is a seasonal station and the expenditure amounted to $5,000, the same amount being spent at Point Pelee. The expenditure at Port Stanley and at Southampton was $300 in each case.

Mr. GEARY:

Are there no stations on Georgian bay?

Mr. CARDIN:

There is Southampton.

Mr. GEARY:

No, that is lake Huron.

Southampton and Goderich are both on lake Huron, but I am talking about the upper part of t'he lakes.

Mr. CARDIN:

I think those are all.

Mr. GEARY:

Then I am sure the minister would like to know that towards the end of the last navigation season there was a good deal of dissatisfaction over the lack of facilities for life saving on the upper lakes. There was a bad storm; the ice came on, and as the minister probably saw in the press there was some loss of life and a large destruction of shipping property. Would it not be advisable to consider the situation along the north shores of Georgian bay, lake Huron and lake Superior? One would think there would be need for these stations.

Mr. CARDIN:

I shall be glad to look into the situation, but representations have been made to us that we should dispense with most of these stations. However, I am quite prepared to look into the particular case mentioned by my hon. friend.

Mr. ROSS (Kingston) :

It does look in

some cases as though this money has not been expended where it is most necessary. Cobourg is on a coal route, but at the end of the lake we have had wrecks of these coal boats running from Oswego every year, and it looks as though something further might be done. If a station were put on the islands or somewhere towards the head of the lakes

it would be more in proximity to a greajt many wrecks. I think that should be kept in mind, as at certain points there are always wrecks. Most of the wrecks at the head of the lake occur during the fall, and I think one is more necessary there than even at Cobourg. Around the Thousand Islands a number of wrecks are always occurring among the coal running boats.

Mr. ROBINSON:

What expenditures have been made during the last two or three years at the Point Pelee life saving station? I was down there two or three years ago and I understand that recommendations had been made that the track should1 be extended to the inside of the bay so that the lifeboats could be launched on the calmer side of the point in case of storm. There have been times when it has been very difficult to launch the boats during a storm.

Mr. GOTT:

I should like to add just a word here. There are very poor facilities for getting to the shore and back to the light house station. I think application was made to the department for better equipment, and I should like to ask the minister if he would not give serious consideration to providing better equipment for that crew. There should be some kind of launch provided rather than a rowboat. They have some distance to go, and sometimes the storms are very severe.

Mr. CARDIN:

These representations have been considered, and I will be prepared to look into the situation in that particular place.

Mr. MACDONALD (Richmond):

Is it the intention of the government to place anything in the estimates this session for the life saving station at Scatarie island?

Mr. CARDIN:

According to the information which I can obtain, this station is adequately equipped. We have provided practically everything we can provide, but in view of the interest my hon. friend, is taking in this matter I shall be pleased to consider the suggestion that he has made.

Mr. MACDONALD (Richmond):

I am pleased to note that the minister is interesting himself in the condition of the life saving station at Scatarie island. I visited Scatarie island in 1926, a short time after the ship Ringhorn grounded off that coast and five lives were lost. I had a conversation with the captain and he told me that he remained on the ship all night. He could see the people on the shore as they built fires, and he waited all night for some method of bringing his people ashore. I claim that we should at least

Private Bills

have a gun on this island in order that a line might be fired on board ship. Had such provision been provided for the island at that time, these five lives would have been saved.

I also visited the life saving station at that time. I understand that the members of this station are volunteers, only receiving pay when they go out on a life saving trip. I looked over the boat, and it was not seaworthy. It had been in the quarters for years, and I know that no man would risk his life in ordinary weather in the lifeboat that was provided for Scatarie island, let alone go out in a storm to take a crew off a ship. I am bringing this matter to the attention of the department because more lives have been lost on Scatarie island during the last ten years than on any other part of the Atlantic coast. It is known to-day, like Sable island, as one of the graveyards of the Atlantic. I bring this matter forcibly to the attention of the government, that human lives could have been saved if the proper equipment had been installed at that point.

I also wish to bring to the attention of the government the question, and inquire whether they have any additional information regarding it, as to the fog whistle or signal on the western coast of Scatarie island. I brought this question up some time ago.

Mr. CARDIN:

I am informed that inquiries were made regarding this matter, and our information is that everything is in good order, and that the fog alarm is functioning regularly. That is the information we have in the department, having made inquiries.

Mr. MACDONALD (Richmond):

We know that the fog alarm is functioning regularly, but the point is that ships sailing in a westerly direction cannot hear that fog horn two miles from the light. The fog whistle is at the lighthouse at Scatarie island. I have an article here from the Halifax Chronicle, the Liberal organ of my friends from the province of Nova Scotia I will read a paragraph:

Scatarie has been the graveyard of many a staunch ship, and according to seamen of Main-a-Dieu, this barren coast will claim many another victim, unless a new system of signals is inaugurated.

The fishermen claim that when approaching that island in a westerly direction, sailing from Louisburg to Scatarie island, they cannot hear that fog whistle two miles from the station. On the eastern side they can hear it for ten or twelve miles, but every wreck that has occurred on that coast during the last tea years has occurred on the western side of the island, as a result of thick fog, and not being

able to hear the fog whistle. In view of what has happened during the last few years I think the minister should make a very thorough investigation, and should at least inquire of the fishermen on that coast, who are the people concerned.

Mr. CARDIN:

I will do so.

Item stands.

Progress reported.