1. Is J. K. Smith an employee of the wartime prices and trade board? If so, what is his position?

2. When was he appointed, and by whom?

3. Is he bilingual?

1. Yes. He is regional director of highway transport control (goods).

2. Mr. Smith commenced duties on May 1, 1942, and is on loan from the Montreal board of trade, and was appointed by order in council.

3. No, but Mr. Theberge, the associate director, is bilingual.

1. What representations have been made to the government or any of the ministers thereof to the effect that the reduction in the value of gasoline coupons in the maritime provinces has interfered with the existing methods of transportation?

2. (a) What is the number of people in the maritime provinces affected as above; (b) the number of such who would be assisted in their occupations if the passenger services on railroads were reinstated?

Mr. HOWE:

My officers report that they cannot answer this question in its present form. It is suggested that if the competing routes were mentioned it might be possible to do something with regard to it.

Mr. SPEAKER:

In the meantime, dropped.

Mr. CARDIFF:

_

1. Have the Wartime Housing Limited established or arranged what is known as a millwork committee?

2. What millworking establishments in Ontario are represented on this committee?

3. Is it a stipulation that contractors whose tenders are accepted for the erection of houses must confine their purchases for doors, windows, interior and exterior trim to these particular firms at a set price?

4. Does this action exclude the participation of others in supplying such material and eliminate competition?

5. Could not lower prices be obtained by purchase in the open market?

Questions

6. Has the Wartime Housing Limited authority to set prices for such material?

1. No.

2. Answered by No. 1.

3. No.

4. No.

5. There is no restriction which prevents any contractor working for Wartime Housing Limited to purchase in the open market provided that the price at which he wishes to purchase is lower than the price approved by the timber controller's office. No contractor has yet stated a desire to purchase above the price approved by the timber controller's office. Permission would not be withheld could he furnish an adequate reason for such an unusual procedure.

6. In the interest of low cost, Wartime Housing Limited sets a ceiling price at which millwork can be purchased, this ceiling price being the price that Wartime Housing Limited itself, through the timber controller, can purchase the millwork and deliver it to the contractors. If a contractor can purchase the millwork at a lower figure than the ceiling price approved by the timber controller's office, then upon his application in writing to purchase at a lesser price, he is granted the privilege. No contractor yet has ever been refused the right to purchase his millwork at lower costs than the approved ceiling price. There have been only two or three cases that contractors have asked for permission and permission was not withheld.

1. Was a contract recently awarded by the Wartime Housing Limited to the Russell Construction Company Limited of Toronto, for construction of houses at Welland, without tender?

2. If so, why were not competitive tenders called?

3. What are the prices being paid or to be paid to the Russell Construction Company Limited for each type of house and how many of each ?

4. What building contractors have built or are building bouses at Welland for the Wartime Housing Limited to date, and what was the price paid or to be paid these contractors for each type of house and how many of each?

5. Is it the practice of Wartime Housing Limited to invite tenders from a preferred list of contractors or to call public tenders?

6. If invited from a preferred list, on whose instructions was such action taken?

1. Yes.

2. Tenders were taken twice in the past year on Welland projects. The results of handling

these projects in that locality by this method' was unsuitable for the present project. Previous projects have been much too slow. The presence on the grounds of the present contractor makes calling tenders even more difficult at this time.

3. There are no fixed prices on these houses. The house types are as follows:

Type HI and H2.... . 62 houses-A finish

64 " -B U

62 " -C it

62 " -D it

250 houses ,

Type Hll and H12.. , 12 houses-A finish

12 " -B U

14 " -C it

12 " -D it

50 houses

4. (a) Russell Construction Company, Toronto; R. Timms Construction Limited, Welland.

(b) Projects at Welland are as follows:

Project Scope Unit Prices

No. 1 80 HI and H2.. $1843 00 A finish

1843 00 B "

1843 00 C "

20 H12 $2468 00 A finish

2468 00 B "

2468 00 C "

No. 2 35 Hi and H2.. $1773 00 A finish

1773 00 B "

1773 00 C "

15 H12 $2350 00 A "

2350 00 B "

2350 00 C

No. 3 43 Hi and H2.. $1758 30 A finish

1758 30 B "

1758 30 C "

17 H12 $2332 75 A finish

2332 75 B "

2332 75 C "

No. 4 75 Hi and H2.. $1806 24 A finish

1791 59 B "

1791 59 C "

1825 96 D

52 Hll and H12 $2326 63 A finish 2306 98 B "

2306 98 C "

2340 47 D "

23 H21 and H22 $1983 07 A finish

1973 19 B "

1973 20 C "

1992 83 D "

Questions as Orders for Returns

5. Wartime Housing Limited welcomes tenders from qualified bidders and solicits them. In a great many cases, tenders are advertised for.

6. There is no such thing as a preferred bidder or a preferred list in Wartime Housing Limited. The difficulty is to get bona fide bids from qualified bidders and Wartime Housing Limited is constantly endeavouring to widen the competitive field rather than restrict it.

Mr. RALSTON:

The matter is being

referred to the government for consideration.