Mr. GRAYDON:

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker, I was quite prepared, as I fancy every member of this side of the house was for some announcement by the acting leader of the government on behalf of the government at this time, but if the minister intends now to enter into the sphere of debate with reference to what took place yesterday, I think consent must be withheld.

Mr. CRERAR:

No. I think my hon. friend who is leading the opposition will upon reflection agree that this courtesy is ordinarily extended to the Prime Minister or the member of the government who happens for the time being to be leading the house. I did not feel it necessary to make the statement yesterday that the matter would come under the review of the war expenditures committee, because the resolution standing in the name of the Prime Minister (Mr. Mackenzie King) makes it quite clear that everything under the head of war expenditures may come under review.

Mr. GRAYDON:

Again on the point of order, Mr. Speaker, I do not want the minister to feel that anyone is trying to withhold the ordinary courtesies of debate so far as he is concerned, but he will have the privilege in the debate which is about to be resumed to make all the remarks he wishes to make now. I think, therefore, we must take the position that that is the time when his remarks should be made.

Mr. CRERAR:

May I say to my hon. friend that I have exhausted my right to speak on the motion.

Mr. GRAYDON:

Then surely, Mr. Speaker, this is not the opportunity of which the minister should avail himself, if he has forgotten to mention something during the debate. That privilege is never accorded. The minister is craving an indulgence that I am sure upon reflection he will not ask us to grant at this time.

Mr. CRERAR:

I still do not agree with my hon. friend the leader of the opposition.

Public Accounts

Mr. GRAYDON:

Mr. Speaker, may I have a ruling on the point of order?

Mr. SPEAKER:

It is the rule and practice that the leader of the government or whoever is acting on his behalf, if he wishes to make some explanation with regard to matters that are 'before the house, should be given the opportunity to do so. But it is not within the competence. of the acting leader of the government to enter into a new argument with regard to anything that may have occurred in the debate yesterday. I have been waiting to hear what the minister's explanation might be. I think the courtesy should be accorded to him to make a statement. I would like to know what the explanation is.

Mr. STIRLING:

Mr. Speaker, may I draw your attention to the fact that the debate on this motion has been adjourned on motion of an hon. member of this house, and surely the first thing that happens when the debate is resumed is for that hon. member to have the opportunity to complete his remarks. Surely no acting leader or leader of the government can break into a speech in this way.

Mr. MACKENZIE (Vancouver Centre):

Mr. Speaker, on a question of order may I point out to the hon. member for Yale that motions have been called. Motions might include twenty or thirty different motions. This particular motion is on the order paper but other motions can be spoken to as well as the one specified1 here. This particular motion has not been called from the Chair. If the minister's statement referred to any controversial matter of debate, my hon. friend's point .might be well taken. But if he is simply giving an explanation which is not controversial I think it would be quite in order for him to do so before this particular order is called.

. Mr. STIRLING: May I again draw your attention, sir, to the fact that the acting leader of the government in his opening remarks referred to the fact that he was dealing with the debate which is about to be resumed.

Mr. SPEAKER:

The hon. member for Yale has stated what is the practice. It might not have been heard by the house, but I did say ''Resuming the adjourned debate," and it was then open to the hon. member for Lake Centre (Mr. Diefenbaker) to continue the debate. But the acting leader of the government !Mr. Crerar.]

rose and said, if I recall it, "By leave of the house I wish to make an explanation in regard to the debate yesterday." That courtesy is usually extended;, and if the minister has an explanation to make on something which the house ought to know about, he might be allowed to make that explanation,

Mr. CRERAR:

What I wish to make clear, to remove a misconception which is in the minds of some of my hon. friends opposite, is that the estimate for the wartime information board is in the war-time appropriation; it is included in the resolution that was under discussion the day before yesterday, and in the ordinary course will go to the committee.

Mr. GRAYDON:

Once again on a point of order, I am inclined to agree with the Minister of Pensions and National Health; I believe on this particular occasion he has interpreted the rules correctly, and I am surprised at the acting leader of the government attempting, in view of the rules of the house, now to take part in a debate on a matter in which his position is very clear.

Mr. CRERAR:

My hon. friend is quite incorrect in that statement.

Mr. GRAYDON:

He is attempting, to use his owin words, to clear up a misunderstanding with respect to a debate which is pending ,and in which he has no further right to speak. That is clear.

Mr. ROWE:

He is trying to clear up what he cluttered up yesterday.

Mr. MacINNIS:

The point which the. acting leader of the government is making now is one which he should make, if he wants to make it, when the debate resumes on this matter this afternoon; that is, as a point of order; but it is certainly not a point he should be allowed to bring up now to- influence the house as an argument in this debate. It is a point of order which he is raising.

Mr. CRERAR:

It is not an argument.

Mr. MacINNIS:

This is not the time to raise it.

Mr. CRERAR:

I repeat, it is not an argument.