Mr. SPEAKER:

I have the honour to inform the house that I have received the following message:

Ottawa, 1st July, 1938.

Sir,

I have the honour to inform you that the Hon. L. A. D. Cannon, acting as deputy of His Excellency the Governor General, will proceed to the Senate chamber on the first of July, at one o'clock, for the purpose of proroguing the present session of parliament.

I have the honour to be, sir,

Your obedient servant,

F. L. C. Pereira, Assistant Secretary to the Governor General.

Right Hon. ERNEST LAPOINTE (Minister of Justice):

Before the orders of the day are called I wish to make a statement concerning the bill to amend the Penitentiaries Act which was adopted by this house unanimously but will now fail to be placed on the statutes of this session. The government is disappointed and I, personally, am sorry, indeed very sorry. When I stated in this house on my responsibility as Minister of Justice that I needed the proposed change for the proper administration of penitentiaries, the right hon. the leader of the opposition (Mr. Bennett) declared that he waived all his objections to the bill because of that statement.

What I regret more particularly is that this legislation involving a social question of momentous importance, has been rejected in another place on a straight party vote, and, if I read the reports aright, because of a question of persons.

All I may add is that this postponement of a needed reform, apart from being detrimental to public interest, and increasing to a dangerous degree the difficulties of my task, will not serve any useful purpose, not even that which seems to be at the basis of the adverse vote.

I repeat that I am very sorry and I feel that the seriousness of the situation they have created is not realized by those who have brought it about.

Dominion Day

Right Hon. R. B. BENNETT (Leader of the Opposition):

I think, in fairness to all parties, the minister has overlooked the fact that according to the press reports this morning the reason was also given that there had not been ample time for the study of that report or the bill itself. I think it is well to bear that in mind as one of the reasons given.

Mr. J. FRED JOHNSTON (Lake Centre):

There is a matter of importance that- I should like to bring to the attention of the house. The calendar reminds us that this is the first of July and I could not help thinking as I came up to the buildings this morning how little had been done in this capital city to commemorate the event of this day. Walking along the streets I saw scarcely a flag in evidence.

Mr. STIRLING:

Oh, yes; there were.

Mr. JOHNSTON (Lake Centre):

Very

few. As one turns the comer at the Rideau club he finds the flag of the great republic of the United States displayed over the main entrance in such a way that he cannot help seeing it. I think that this building, the houses of parliament, should have been decorated to-day.

Mr. BLACKMORE:

Hear, hear.

Mr. JOHNSTON (Lake Centre):

We, as

Canadians, do too little in that regard, though we sometimes criticize other people for doing too much of that sort of thing. According to the press, in the city of Kingston the national convention of fascists is taking place to-day, and it occurs to me that perhaps we have not done enough in the past to educate our youth to a realization of exactly what this confederation means to the young people of the country. I trust that when the first of July comes around next year, there will be in this capital city more evidence of our remembrance of Canada's national birthday.

The house in committee of supply, Mr. Sanderson in the chair.

Mr. STEWART:

Would the minister give

us some information as to the nature of the

work being done at Miramichi bay, $75,500 for dredging, and at Tracadie harbour, $40,000. As to the latter, I should like to know if that will complete the work at Tracadie harbour?

Mr. CARDIN:

This is to provide for

widening to a width of 200 feet and deepening to a depth of 22 feet at low water the present channel in the Miramichi bay.