Hon. HUMPHREY MITCHELL (Minister of Labour):

Might I ask my hon. friend a

question first? Would he give me the source of his information?

Mr. DIEFENBAKER:

\es; it is a weekly news letter.

Mr. MITCHELL:

I should like to have

the name of the source of information, I think that is a fair question.

Mr. DIEFENBAKER:

Surely, if it will

help the minister. It is "Trend." Now, what is the answer?

Mr. MITCHELL:

My friend should take

it in the light of whence it comes. There is no truth in the statement printed in "Trend."

Mr. SPEAKER:

I have allowed the hon. member to state his question and read the information on which he bases it, which was rather long. It certainly is a question which should be placed upon the order paper. The hon. gentleman has asked for a declaration of policy. In this connection I should like hon. members to observe the rulings I have already given in regard to asking such questions on the orders of the day. Such questions must conform to the rules of the house as they have been laid down and practised from year to year.

Mr. D. K. HAZEN (St. John-Albert):

I should like to address a question to the Minister of National Defence for Naval Services (Mr. Macdonald). It arises out of an article that appeared in the Telegraph-Journal of Saint John, New Brunswick, on March 9 last, This article reported that Saint John is to lose the Royal Canadian Volunteer Reserve training centre that has been established there for about two decades and is now known as His Majesty's Ship-

Order.

On the orders of the day:

Mr. H. R. JACKMAN (Rosedale):

I should like to ask the government a question based on an item in to-day's Globe and Mail:

Sweden To Take Hand in Broad After-War Air Route Expansion

Stockholm, March 11.-A new Swedish company, known for short as Sila, has been formed to develop Sweden's intercontinental air routes after the war

especially those to the United otates. Backed by Swedish shipping companies, industries and banks, a minimum capital of

30,000,000 kroner (about $7,500,000 at par) has been guaranteed. Agreement has been reached between Sila and the existing government-owned Aero Transport which was organized in 1924. Before the war Aero Transport had air routes in Scandinavia as well as to European points. Sila's aim is to build up intercontinental sir traffic in collaboration with Aero Transport which has put its technical organization and experienced management at Sila's disposal.

In view of the importance of air transportation and the fact that many of our men in

Mr. SPEAKER:

Order. I have listened to the hon. gentleman's question and I think I know what it contains. I suggest that it should be placed upon the order paper.

Mr. GORDON GRA^DON (Leader of the Opposition): I think, Mr. Speaker, you are taking a pretty severe attitude-

Order.

Mr. GRAYDON:

After all we have not asked very many questions before the orders of the day are called. I think they are all on matters of urgent importance, at least in the minds of the hon. members who ask them. I would ask you, sir, to grant at least a little more latitude and leniency in reference to the few questions that are being asked from time to time.

Mr. SPEAKER:

The question asked by the hon. member deals, as I understood, with the closing of a naval establishment. That surely

The Budget-Mr. Gray

is a matter not requiring an immediate answer, and certainly such an answer could not be given by the minister without some consultation with his advisers. It is a question which I think ought to be placed on the order paper. When matters are of immediate urgency and a reply is necessary because otherwise the incident to which the question relates would evaporate over a period of forty-eight hours and hon. members wish to know what the position of the government is in regard to such matters, I think it is proper to ask such questions on the orders of the day. But when hon. members ask questions which must necessarily be referred to the departments in order that a reply may be given, the position is different. I have every desire to give as wide latitude as possible to hon. members; nevertheless I am bound by the rules, and therefore I must ask that these questions be considered in the light I have indicated and be placed on the order paper.