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

I am told this bill will have to stand in my name because it deals with the tariff, and I do not propose to move the first reading until the tariff items are all disposed of, which I hope will be done this afternoon. The clerk tells me that should be done before we proceed with the bill.

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

May I ask my right hon. friend, just for the sake of information, why it is that in this instance we proceed to approve of an agreement by way of a bill which is not preceded by a resolution, whereas in the case of the Statute of Westminster we simply approved of the arrangement and no bill was necessary.

Mr. BENNETT:

In 1927, I think, when the rules were amended, the necessity was removed for preceding a matter of trade by resolution, when it does not involve putting

Australian Trade Agreement

charges upon the people and things of that kind. I am informed by the clerk that this is the rule at present. With respect to the Statute of Westminster we were simply petitioning His Majesty to lay before his parliament certain legislation. In this instance a trade agreement has been arrived at which affects the future of this country, and parliament is being asked to ratify and confirm it, but it does not come into force until proclamations are issued in both countries. The only difficulty is that certain tariff items must be approved of before the bill is read the first time, and the committee on ways and means should have disposed of those tariff items first. I consulted the clerk at the table with respect to the matter, and he advised me that under the practice of this house the bill should not be proceeded with until such time as the tariff items in the agreement had been sanctioned by the committee, following which the bill to confirm the agreement will be introduced.

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

I understood my right hon. friend to say that if a bill respecting trade and commerce does not place burdens on anyone, under the rules it need not be preceded by a resolution, but I would direct my right hon. friend's attention to the fact that this bill does impose certain tariffs, and since tariffs are in the nature of taxation certainly it imposes burdens on the people.

Mr. BENNETT:

Perhaps I should have added to that sentence and said unless the resolutions had been considered by a committee of the house. These resolutions are now before the committee of the house, and the proper course is to take no further step until the committee have completed consideration of the resolutions which were placed in the votes and proceedings the other evening and proceeded with yesterday by consent of the house, for which I thanked the right hon. gentleman yesterday since it enabled us to advance practically all the items. I think there are very few items outstanding; we will dispose of those this afternoon and then take the further step in connection with the bill.

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

Then I understand that if this bill does not impose any tariffs in addition to those in the general measure there is no need for a resolution.

Mr. BENNETT:

That is it.

1. Docs the government intend to proceed with the proposed inquiry in the Department of Customs, at Quebec?

2. Was an inquiry commissioner appointed?

3. If so, who is the inquiry commissioner and

when was he appointed? .

4. If the inquiry is not to be held, what is the reason?

Mr. BENNETT:

It is not customary to

give answers to questions concerning the intentions of governments, but I can say to the hon. gentleman that the matter is under consideration.