Mr. DONNELLY:

The right hon. gentleman has said that the expenditure is for printing and contingencies; what are contingencies?

Mr. BENNETT:

In every department of public service there are contingent accounts to take care of unenumerated items of the public service. They are unforeseen expenditures and sums of money are voted to each department for that purpose. Sometimes it happens that the unforeseen expenditures exceed those which have been foreseen. With respect to this item however there is no such condition. The truth of the matter is that there were accounts amounting to $22,532.50 which remained unpaid from the preceding year. Economies in the department however have been made to take care of the balance so that only $20,000 is necessary to provide for accounts carried over from the preceding year.

Mr. VENIOT:

Are there any details concerning the contingent accounts paid?

Mr. BENNETT:

The details are in the report of the Auditor General. The accounts have been passed by the auditors, and paid. When we reach the report of the Auditor General which involves a sum of about half a million dollars I think the house will have to adopt a very definite policy which will be spoken of when that item is reached.

Mr. BENNETT:

That amount is to pay for the printing of the second volume of the insurance report for the year ending December 31, 1929. The carry-forward from the preceding year involved some items but in this item no provision was made. The cost of printing was $11,500.

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

What is that for?

Mr. BENNETT:

First of all, this sum is to cover the expense in connection with some

temporary employees, but printing and stationery constitute the major part of it. I think it may be fair to say to the committee that the greater part of these items refers to just such incidents as that in the transaction of the public business. When we reach the large item of $500,000 I shall attempt to make a clear explanation of the whole matter.

Mr. BENNETT:

The sum of $13,000 represents an over expenditure beyond the appropriation carried forward from the preceding year; $1,710 is to take care of the payment of an assistant secretary for a period of six months, until March 31, 1931. The payment for the current year will appear in the estimates.

Mr. WOODSWORTH:

Does this newly appointed official come under the Civil Service Act?

Mr. BENNETT:

All secretaries, private secretaries and assistant secretaries do not come under the provisions of the act. That is one of the difficulties we have had on our hands during the last few months.

Sir EUGENE FISET:

Has any portion

of this $13,000 been used for travelling expenses of civil service employees and ministers? The contingencies usually include the travelling expenses of civil employees.

Mr. BENNETT:

The knowledge which the hon. member has through his experience in the Department of National Defence enables him to speak with much authority about a matter of this kind, but that entire amount of $13,000 represents an over expenditure, representing a carry over from the preceding year which diminished the estimates for the current year by that sum, and this amount of $13,000 represents exactly the amount which had to be paid out of the current estimates because of the carry over from the preceding year.

Mr. STEWART (Edmonton):

May I ask

the Prime Minister if-the salary of the assistant secretary is to be $3,400 a year? It is $1,700 for six months.

Mr. BENNETT:

It is $3,420 per year for an assistant private secretary, Mr. Lallamme.

Mr. BENNETT:

That represents an over

expenditure in the same way.

The CHAIRMAN:

Carried.