Mr. J. G. TURGEON (Cariboo):

Mr. Speaker, I rise to a question of privilege. I would not do this did I not feel that it should be done in justice to the members of the committee on the defence of Canada regulations. My question of privilege is with respect to an item which appeared in the Ottawa Journal of this morning, and which is to the same effect as one published in the morning Citizen. It says:

Plan to Register all Firearms

J. G. Turgeon (Liberal, Cariboo) said Thursday night the House of Commons militia study committee, of which he is secretary, had recommended to the government a national registration of all firearms by September 15.

That is completely and utterly untrue. No such statement was ever made by me. The Liberal party study club on militia matters never discussed at any time the defence of Canada regulations, and never discussed, even incidentally, the question of the registration of firearms. As every hon. member knows, the recommendation relating to the further registration of firearms was presented to the House of Commons yesterday by the chairman of the committee on the defence of Canada regulations, and anything done with respect to firearms was done by that committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, I should like to direct a question to the Minister of Mines and' Resources (Mr. Crerar). I received by air mail yesterday a lengthy letter from an organization called the "Council of Austrians in Great Britain", among whose patrons are: His

Grace the Archbishop of York, His Lordship the Bishop of Chichester, Viscountess Rhondda, the Right Hon. A. Duff Cooper, M.P., Mr. D. N. Pritt, K.C., M.P., and others, drawing attention to the fact that among the Austrians and Germans transported from England to Canada are a number of anti-nazi civil internees. The organization states:

We are most anxious to know about their fate and to ascertain that the welfare that has been carried out for them by refugee organizations in this country-

That is Great Britain.

-should be continued in Canada.

They implore me to press for discrimination as between the nazi prisoners and quite a different kind of refugee of Sudeten, Czech, Austrian and German anti-nazi sentiments.

Will the government give immediate attention to this matter?

Hon. P. F. CASGRAIN (Secretary of State):

Mr. Speaker, among the people who came here from England recently there would appear to be some people in the category of which my hon. friend has spoken. These people are in separate camps. I am given to understand that some liaison officer of the British government will be coming soon to Canada and the matter will be submitted to him upon arrival by the department.

Unemployment Insurance

Mr. CLARENCE GILLIS (Cape Breton South):

May I be permitted to direct a question to the Minister of Public Works and Transport (Mr. Cardin) arising out of a telegram I received yesterday from Mr. Silby Barrett, international board member of district No. 26, United Mine Workers of America, setting out that 450 miners in the River Herbert and Joggins district, Cumberland county, Nova Scotia, are working only two days a week, due to lack of orders for coal.

I understand that a copy of this telegram was sent to the minister. Orders for coal to that section come largely from the Canadian National Railways. Is the department familiar with the situation as described in the telegram, and if so, can any action be taken for the purpose of alleviating distress in that particular district?

Hon. P. J. A. CARDIN (Minister of Public Works and Transport):

I have not seen the telegram to which the hon. member refers, but I shall see the officers of the department in about half an hour and I will look into the question.