1. Has the Bank of Canada disposed of any quantities of the silver acquired under the silver purchase agreement of 1933?

2. If so, at what price was the silver sold, and at what cost was the silver acquired at the time purchased?

3. Was any silver sold to the government of the United States? If so: (a) what price was paid for the silver by the United States government, and (b) was the amount purchased paid for in United States funds?

4. Has the Bank of Canada retained in its possession any silver either in bullion or coin? If so, what quantities are now being held?

1. It was the dominion government, not the Bank of Canada which entered into the international silver purchase agreement of 1933. Under the provisions of subsection 4 of section 29 of the Bank of Canada Act, the bank was required to purchase and hold newly mined Canadian silver during the years 1935, 1936 and 1937 as and when required by the minister, provided that the amount to be purchased was not to exceed 1,671,802 fine ounces, and under subsection 3 of section 25 of the same act silver held by the minister for redemption of dominion notes was transferred to the bank on the date of commencement of business when the bank assumed liability for the redemption of outstanding dominion notes.

2 and 3. Specific detailed information covering the price at which the silver holdings of the Bank of Canada were sold, or to whom the sales were made, is not available, but the following information is summarized from the annual reports of the governor of the Bank

of Canada:

Loss on

Silver Silver silver held

acquired sold or sold

Year ounces ounces1935

3,343,604 ____ $489,3bs1936

1.671,802 .... 135,2111937

1.671,802 .... 13,8471938 6.687,208 135,746

4. According to the published statement of the Bank of Canada, as at April 12, 1939, the bank held no silver bullion and held subsidiary coin valued at $422,471.78.

1. What wras the amount of cheese of various grades, produced in Canada in 1938?

2. What was the amount of cheese of various grades, produced in Grenville-Dundas counties in 1938?

3. What are the number of farms in Grenville and Dundas counties?

1. 1,129,932 boxes of first grade, 95,883 boxes of second grade, 2,365 boxes of third grade, 601 boxes below third grade.

2. 77,367 boxes of first grade, 5,235 boxes of second grade, 33 boxes of third grade, 36 boxes below third grade.

3. According to the census of 1931 the number of farms in Grenville county was 2,218; in Dundas county, 2,350.

1. What quantity of cheese grading 94 was produced in the county of Leeds in the year 1938?

2. What quantity of cheese grading 93 was produced in the county of Leeds in the year 1938?

3. What quantity of cheese grading less than 93 was produced in the county of Leeds in the year 1938?

1. Cheese graded in 1938 as 94 score, 130 boxes.

2. Cheese graded in 1938 as 93 score, 18,825 boxes.

3. Cheese graded in 1938 as 92 score, 38.234 boxes; below 92, 5,408 boxes.

1. What action is being taken to appoint a penitentiary commission under the Penitentiaries Act, 1939, which was given royal assent on April 5, 1939?

2. Will the appointees come under the provisions of the Civil Service Act of Canada, or will they be officials of provincial governments?

3. Will the appointments be made on merit and efficiency?

4. If the appointments have not been made, what is the cause of the delay in the matter?

1. The penitentiary commission will be constituted in due time.

2. The answer to both branches of this, question is in the negative.

3. Yes.

4. The matter is under consideration.

71492-220J

34'JS

li'ur Munitions

1. Who are the members of the Canadian National Railways board of directors at the present time?

2. When were they appointed?

3. Where do the said board hold their meetings ?

4. Are such directors paid for their services? If so, through monthly or annual remuneration?

5. What amount of remuneration is received by each?

6. Apart from remuneration, have they any travelling or representation expense allowance? If so, what is the annual amount of such expenses ?

7. Have the Canadian National Railways a purchasing agent? If so, what is his name, surnames and address?

8. Does the jurisdiction of such purchasing agent extend over the whole country?

9. Does the said agent purchase the necessary ties for the construction or repair of the railways?

10. Are such ties purchased directly from the producers or vendors, or through a sub-agent?

11. If such purchases are made through subagents, what are their names, surnames and residential addresses?

12. Do such sub-agents receive a salary or a commission for their services, and what is such salary or commission?

Mr. HOWE:

Return tabled.