Mr. W. A. TUCKER (Rosthern):

Mr. Speaker, I should like to ask a question of the Minister of National Revenue (Mr. Ilsley) based upon a circular letter which was sent out by the International Harvester Company to its dealers in my constituency. This letter is dated at Saskatoon, February 5, 1936, and reads:

Dealers: General letter No. 12. Repair

prices for ball and roller bearings, bolts, nuts, washers, screws and rivets-

Mr. SPEAKER:

I do not think the hon.

gentleman should read the letter; he should put his question directly.

Mr. TUCKER:

I must read the letter in

order to make my question intelligible. It is a very short letter.

Mr. SPEAKER:

I do not think the hon.

gentleman has a right to read a letter. He should put his question directly as to what the government intends to do.

Mr. TUCKER:

This letter indicates that

effective immediately the prices of parts necessary for duty free farm tractors will be increased 33i per cent. The letter states that this increase in price is made necessary on account of duty now being paid on these parts. Could the minister advise whether there has been any increase in the duty on parts necessary for duty free tractors? If

there has not been any increase, will the government take some action in regard to this increase in the price of parts which are so important to the farmers of western Canada?

Hon. CHARLES A. DUNNING (Minister of Finance): I know of no increase in duties whatsoever. If my hon. friend would place his question upon the order paper I would have a better chance than I have at the moment of answering accurately the latter part of his question.

Mr. TUCKER:

I spoke to the Minister

of National Revenue about the matter, and I believe he is ready to answer my question.

Mr. SPEAKER:

The hon. member should put his question on the order paper.

Hon. J. L. ILSLEY (Minister of National Revenue):

There has been no increase in

duty whatever since the new government assumed office. There is a duty imposed on the parts mentioned in the letter under other items in the tariff, but they have been in effect for several years past. If the letter is taken to mean that the increase in price is due to an increase in duty, the implication is not justified at all.

Hon. CHARLES A. DUNNING (Minister of Finance) moved that the house go into committee of supply.

Motion agreed to and the house went into committee of supply, Mr. Sanderson in the chair.

Mr. SENN:

Mr. Chairman, I have thought sometimes that the manner in which these agriculture estimates are brought down is such that they do not convey as much information to the committee as they should convey if we are to have an intelligent discussion. Quite a large sum is involved in this item, and it would add very much to the conduct of debate if the minister would state briefly why these expenditures are to be made and what particular functions are performed by this branch of the department.

Hon. J. G. GARDINER (Minister of Agriculture) :

It will be noted that the estimates submitted for the year 1936-37 show a slight increase over those of 1935-36, the total esti-

Supply-Agriculture

mate being increased by $12,484. The different purposes for which this money is to be expended are:

Communication of services, $14,050,

Equipment, acquisition and maintenance,

Compensation, largely having to do with the checking of tuberculosis in cattle throughout the country, $413,937.

Lands, buildings, acquisition and maintenance, $6,500.

Miscellaneous current expenses, $13,300.

Personal services in connection with staffs, $1,120,693.

Special personal services, $1,100.

Kents. $10,220.

Supplies, materials, printing, stationery, etc., $54,000.

Transportation of things, $6,600.

Transportation and travelling expenses of persons, $249,000.

Mr. BARBER:

Is it the intention to bring any new areas under the tuberculosis test this year?

Mr. GARDINER:

Yes. There is the new area in New Brunswick, which I think completes the bringing of that province into the district there. Then there is a new area in Ontario, taking in certain counties around Toronto, from the county of Northumberland through to the county of Halton. There are three new areas in Manitoba, and there are under consideration one or two others that have not yet been passed upon.

Mr. COLD WELL:

In view of the serious epidemic which occurred among horses in western Canada at the end of August and in September this year, has any additional provision been made in this particular estimate to deal with that matter?

Mr. GARDINER:

It is the opinion of the department that that was a disease which was due partly to conditions on both sides of the international boundary-that is, the drought conditions that have prevailed for a number of years. We do not expect that there will be any new outbreak this year and therefore there is no provision for it. Of course, that is something that would have to be dealt with at the time if it developed.

Mr. THOMPSON:

What is the policy of the government regarding the checking of tuberculosis in dairy herds throughout the country? That is a vital question to which more attention should be paid. A closer check should be kept on dairy herds, because I believe a great deal of milk offered for sale to-day comes from diseased herds.

Mr. GARDINER:

There are three different schemes for checking tuberculosis generally.

There is the accredited herd system; there is the restricted area policy in which all cattle are checked over the whole area; and there is the supervised herd plan. In connection with the first two the government pays compensation for stock destroyed, but it does not in connection with the third. All these plans are applied in the attempt to eradicate tuberculosis from dairy and other herds throughout the country.

Mr. BARBER:

I have in mind particularly the anti-tuberculosis area in the Fraser valley district. What percentage of reactors was there in the last test, or is that district cleaned up completely?

Mr. GARDINER:

I do not know that it can be said that any district has 'been entirely cleaned up, but the trouble has been reduced to such an extent in some districts that the reactors are only one-half of one per cent of the cattle tested, which shows that there has been a marked diminution in the disease in the different districts. The reduction sometimes has been from five per cent to one-half of one per cent, and in other instances from an even higher percentage. There has been a considerable reduction as a result of the policy.