1. What bus routes in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario have been cancelled or modified?

2. What different bus routes are operating in each of the said provinces at the present time, rnd of what mileage is each such route?

Mr. HOWE:

1 and 2.

(a) Total route miles operated by bus companies in 1941: Ontario, 7,587; Quebec, 8,725.

(b) Estimated bus miles per year saved by curtailments and abandonments to date July 1, 1942: Ontario, 2,527,402; Quebec, 1,769,962.

The above figures are exclusive of city curtailment because the service in most cases parallels street car lines, and because the problem is met by modification rather than abandonment. *

In order to answer in detail the above question it would be necessary to require complete statistics from 125 bus operating companies in each province, the great majority of these having multiple routes.

1. Will the government order a military court of inquiry into the drowning of the cadets from Brockville, in the Rideau canal, Ottawa?

2. Will a public civil inquest be held into the matter?

3. Will pensions be given the next-of-kin?

4. Who ordered these men to swim the canal, and what life-saving appliances, or live-saving guards and equipment were there on duty as precaution ?

5. Who were the officers in charge, and had they canoes or boats near the scene in case of accident?

6. What life-saving facilities had the city of Ottawa there?

7. What life-saving equipment has the city of Ottawa, the government or the Ottawa improvement commission?

1. A court of inquiry has been convened on the order of the adjutant-general and is at present sitting at the city of Ottawa.

2. This is a matter which comes within the jurisdiction of the attorney-general of the province of Ontario.

3. This is a matter which comes under the Department of Pensions and National Health.

4. 5, 6 and 7. These are all matters which in so far as they are relevant are the subject of investigation by the military court of inquiry mentioned in paragraph 1.

1. Are there any practical farmers on the wartime prices and trade board?

2. Will the government appoint an advisory agricultural committee to assist the wartime prices and trade board?

1. The wartime prices and trade board consists of twelve members, all of whom are civil servants or officers of government agencies. Two members of the board are senior officers of the Department of Agriculture.

2. Advisory committees representative of various branches of agriculture have already been appointed. Others are being selected and will be announced in the near future.

1. Are all orders in council, instructions, rules and regulations of the wartime prices and trade board equitably enforced in Canada?

2. For what classification of offences were prosecutions made to the number of 150, as set

Questions as Orders for Returns

out in sessional paper No. 341, as follows: Nova Scotia, 8; New Brunswick, 1; Quebec, 22; Ontario, 96; Manitoba, 6; Saskatchewan, 8; British Columbia, 9: and on whose recommendation for prosecution?

3. Are the regulations enforced as strictly in the eight other provinces as they are in Ontario?

4. Was it necessary to engage special counsel?

Mr. ILSLEYU

1. Yes.

2. (a) Classification of prosecutions for alleged offences against regulations of The Wartime Prices and Trade Board, to June 15, 1942:

Rationing

Rental Price and Total regulations ceiling hoarding OthersNova Scotia

8 7 1 . .New Brunswick

1 1 . .Quebec

22 10 7 5 Ontario

96 76 1 17 2Manitoba

6 . . 3 2 1Saskatchewan

S 5 2 1 British Columbia

9 6 1 2 [DOT][DOT]150 105 14 28 3

(b) On recommendation of officers of the board and officers of the attorneys general.

3. Yes.

4. Yes.

Mr. KIRK:

Due to the increased cost of living since September, 1939, has the government or Post Office Department given consideration to, (a) the matter of increasing salary of postmasters; (b) granting to postmasters a cost-of-living bonus?

Mr. MULOCK:

(a) No. (b) A cost-ofliving bonus has been granted postmasters.

Mr. KIRK:

Due to the increased cost of living and operating expenses since September, 1939, has the government or the Post Office Department given consideration to, (a) the matter of increasing the amount paid to mail couriers (apart from the 5 per cent increase to take care of increase in price of gasoliue) who have been awarded mail contracts prior to first 5 per cent increase in cost of living and subsequent 5 per cent increases: (b) the matter of paying a cost-of-living bonus to mail couriers?

Mr. MULOCK:

(a) and (b). Prices paid under mail contracts are determined by public tender and are therefore not uniform.

New contracts are regularly being awarded at prices based on present conditions.

In the case of contracts awarded when operating conditions were normal, at the request of the contractor consideration is given to the reinvitation of tenders for such

contracts and the awarding of a new contract at an equitable rate based on existing conditions. The holder of the old contract is not excluded from tendering for the new contract.