Mr. A. E. ROSS (Kingston City):

I gave notice last night that I would ask the Minister of Railways a question in regard to a certain statement made in the house that private companies were paying 16 and 17 cents an hour. Inasmuch as there is a private company in my constituency I should like to know whether that statement is true and what companies are paying such low wages.

Hon. R. J. MANION (Minister of Railways) :

The hon. gentleman intimated last night during the discussion that he intended to ask this question, and just this minute the hon. member for Vancouver South (Mr. Maclnnis)

has sent across to me a letter which deals with the matter. The letter does not name any of the equipment companies which, so far as I know, would be interested in this work. It does name a small company, the Equipment Manufacturing Plant of Saint John, New Brunswick, which would not be affected, directly at any rate. However, in the meantime, in 'order to have the facta clear and to be able to assure the house that we shall be in a position effectually to carry out what I promised last evening to do, namely, to endeavour to see that fair wages and hours are involved in any of this work, I took the matter up with the president of one of the large equipment companies

I tried to get in touch with a second one but did not succeed-and I also discussed it this morning with Mr. Hungerford of the Canadian National Railways, who was before the special committee. I am authoritatively informed that in any contract let by the Canadian National Railways in connection with equipment the following clause is inserted, and has been throughout the years:

The workmen and labourers employed by the contractor in or about the works shall be paid such rates of wages as may be currently payable to workmen and labourers engaged in similar occupation in the districts in which the said works are being constructed.

Which covers the point. While I am informed that there has not been in the past at any rate- any such clause in Canadian Pacific contracts, the same labourers and workmen do the work and the same working conditions and rates of pay apply. However may I just close my statement by saying that the government will insist, so far as any of these contracts are concerned, on having a fair wage clause inserted. As the Minister of Justice has pointed out to me, at any rate the matter would come under the bill he has just introduced. Irrespective of that, the government undertakes to see that this clause is incorporated.

Mr. EULER:

The bill might not be passed. ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE

Hon. P. J. VENIOT (Gloucester):

Hon. R. C. MATTHEWS (Minister of National Revenue):

This is the first time this matter has been drawn to my attention. Unfortunately I was away during the whole month of January; I was not in the house in January or February. I can assure the hon. member that I shall look into the matter and bring it up again.

Mr. OLOF HANSON (Skeena):

I would like to ask a question of the Minister of Agriculture, but as he is not in his seat, I would ask the Prime Minister to answer the question which is based upon the application of the Pacific coast halibut fishermen to come under the marketing board. The question is: Has

the council acted upon the recommendation of the marketing board to have the Prince Rupert halibut fishermen come under the marketing act, and if not, when might such a decision be expected from the government?

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

The question is probably a little out of order for the reason that it is not competent to inquire what action council has taken until

that action is indicated by an order that may be passed. I may say for the information of the hon. gentleman that the question of determining the extent to which the parliament of Canada may exercise its jurisdiction over halibut or any other fish caught and dealt with within the boundaries of a province is one matter; interprovincial and national trade can be dealt with by the marketing act. As I am informed, the department is now obtaining the opinion of the law officers of the crown as to the extent to which the order sought may be made and still be within the competence of this parliament under the provisions of the marketing act. I think some definite action will be taken just as soon as that opinion is obtained, which will be within a day or two.