Mr. M. J. COLDWELL (Rosetown-Biggar):

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister of Transport (Mr. Howe) inform the house why TransRadio news broadcasts are to be prohibited over Canadian stations? Does the minister consider that the cancellation of contracts with this friendly news service will encourage confidence in the official Canadian Broadcasting Corporation news bulletins?

Hon. C. D. HOWE (Minister of Transport):

My hon. friend was good enough to give me notice of this question, which notice reached me only a minute or two ago. It is not my understanding that Trans-Radio news has been prohibited. The matter is one that was dealt with by the board of governors of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation at their meeting last Saturday, and the information that has reached me is that both the British United Press and Trans-Radio news service have had their permits cancelled as of July 1 with the understanding that if they can show before that time that their news source is accurate, new permits will be issued. There are three sources of news in Canada, the two organizations I have mentioned and the Canadian

Press. There has been some trouble over news being put out in an unduly alarming form and many complaints have been received from radio listeners in this connection. There has also been difficulty in ascertaining the exact ownership of Trans-Radio news. The owners are believed to be two gentlemen in the United States. This organization puts out bulletins with a London date line, but we have not been able to find its London offices or London sources of news. All these matters are to be examined into and if these organizations can show their bona fides, permits will be restored.

Hon. R. B. HANSON (Leader of the Opposition) :

These news bulletins have to pass

the censor here, do they not? Does the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation constitute itself a censor of British news, through whatever channel it may come?

Mr. HOWE:

As a matter of fact the news is not censored before it is issued. TransRadio news comes in over the radio to the different distributing points. I am not suggesting that it would not be possible to censor this news, but as a matter of fact the machinery does not operate in that way. The particular station is held responsible for the news it broadcasts, and is responsible to the censor if alarming or untrue statements are put out. The censor does not attempt to censor news coming from legitimate sources in London and elsewhere. This would not be done in any case unless we had reason to believe that messages were being put out under a London date line which did not originate in London.

Mr. HANSON (York-Sunbury):

That is

another thing.

Hon. R. B. HANSON (Leader of the Opposition) :

I suggested the other day to the

Minister of National Defence (Mr. Rogers) that efforts should be made to open recruiting offices in the northeast portion of New Brunswick. I understand that that suggestion is already in effect. I have received word from Campbellton to the effect that there are a substantial number of recruits there. It is requested that they be permitted to do some preliminary training in the town of Campbellton, instead of being rushed off to some other part of the province or possibly to Aldershot, Nova Scotia. Could the minister tell me upon what principle this thing is handled? Are orders given by the district officer commanding, or is he directed from Ottawa?

Hon. NORMAN McL. ROGERS (Minister of National Defence): Instructions go out

from the adjutant general to the district officers commanding. I have no information on the particular matter raised by my hon. friend. I appreciate the importance of having early training done in the localities in which men are enlisted, and I shall be very glad to look into the matter.

Mr. E. E. PERLEY (Qu'Appelle):

I should like to direct a question to the Minister of National Defence (Mr. Rogers) which is somewhat similar to the one just asked. I have received resolutions from local branches of the Canadian Legion, particularly the ones in Moosomin and Indian Head in Saskatchewan, asking that as far as possible armouries in the province which are now closed should be opened and used in organizing and training the veterans home guard. They ask also that these units should be properly equipped for emergency. Is the minister giving any instructions along these lines?

Hon. NORMAN McL. ROGERS (Minister of National Defence): I shall be glad to take note of this question. My hon. friend will realize that the armouries that might be opened would probably be in places where units of the veterans home guard would be localized. I shall be glad indeed to see if this suggestion can be carried out.