Mr. T. H. STINSON (Victoria, Ont.) moved:

That the fourth report of the select standing committee on miscellaneous private bills be referred back to the said committee for further consideration.

Mr. SPEAKER:

May I observe that the report as presented and tabled yesterday was not within the provisions of standing order 111, which defines the powers of committees to deal with private bills of which they do not approve.

Right Hon. R. B. BENNETT (Prime Minister) moved:

That Messrs. Dorion, Fiset, Gardiner, Gordon, Jacobs, Jones, Lennox, Mackenzie (Vancouver Centre), Stewart (Lethbridge), be a committee to investigate from its inception the Beauharnois project for the development of hydroelectric energy by the use of the waters of the St. Lawrence river so far as the matters referred to are within the jurisdiction of the parliament of Canada, and without restricting the generality of the foregoing words in par-22110-1571

tieular to investigate the matters referred to in the speech made in the House of Gammons by Mr. Robert Gardiner, the bon. member for Acadia, on the 19th day of May, last, as reported on pages 1731-1740 of Hansard, and to report from time to time their observations and opinions thereon; with power to send for persons, papers and records.

Mr. SPEAKER:

This should be received as a notice of motion.

Mr. BENNETT:

No, 1 have a right to make the reference now.

Mr. SPEAKER:

With the consent of the house.

Hon. ERNEST LAPOINTE (Quebec East):

May I ask the right hon. gentleman what is the authority that will determine whether the matters referred to are within the jurisdiction of the parliament of Canada? Will the committee decide as to the jurisdiction of the parliament of Canada?

Mr. BENNETT:

The hon. gentleman has stated a question which is always a difficulty in a matter of this kind. I take it that the committee will have to decide that, but they will be assisted by counsel and no doubt eminent counsel will represent the parties. Therefore I think there will be no difficulty, but the hon. gentleman realizes that I was very anxious that we should not be trespassing upon other jurisdictions, hence these words:

Within the jurisdiction of the parliament of Canada.

Mr. LAPOINTE:

Would the provinces be permitted to be represented on the committee if their jurisdiction came into conflict with that of this parliament?

Mr. BENNETT:

The provinces in the

first instance might have a watching brief, but if it were felt that there was a trenching upon the powers of the provinces, they would undoubtedly have a right to represent to the committee their views with respect to the matter. That is my personal opinion. It is for the committee to decide as to that.

Mr. SPEAKER:

My remark, when the

resolution was read by the Prime Minister, that it should be received as a notice of motion, is based on standing order 45 which reads:

Forty-eight hours' notice shall be given of a motion for leave to present a bill, resolution or address, for the appointment of any committee-

And so on.

Ministers oj the Crown

Mr. BENNETT:

This is a matter of reference arising out of my speech the other day when I said that I would move it on motions at an early date. This is not the appointment of a committee; it is an order of reference.

Right Hon. W. L. MACKENZIE KING (Leader of the Opposition):

Seeing that it

was the 19th May that the Prime Minister promised to grant this committee, I think we might give him the unanimous consent of the house so as to enable the committee to get to work at once.