Mr. SPEAKER:

I have the honour to inform the house that I have received the resignation of Maurice Gingues, Esquire, as member for the electoral district of Sherbrooke. I have accordingly issued my warrant to the chief electoral officer to make out a new writ of election for the said electoral district.

Mr. BENCE:

What was the cost value of the obsolete stationery and printing recovered as salvage from the equipment depots of the R.C.A.F., in each of the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, during the twelve-month period from May 1, 1943, to May 1, 1944?

Mr. MACMILLAN:

No obsolete stationery was recovered as salvage. Certain recovery from forms and maintenance schedules was effected: (a) by reduction of such forms to scratch pads; (b) through equipment depots as salvage paper. The total original cost of material (forms, schedules, etc.) so used was:

No. 7 equipment depot, Winnipeg, Man., $2,630.42; No. 11 equipment depot, Calgary, Alta., $1,689.60. Total, $4,320.02. There is no equipment depot in Saskatchewan.

1. What are the centres or districts of Ontario which have the services of bilingual employees in the wartime prices and trade board, truck division?

2. What are the names of such employees and the locations of their offices?

Mr. ABBOTT:

1 and 2. Centres in Ontario-Name of Employee.

Ottawa-Regional office, 69 Rideau St., Mrs. E. Beament, Mr. A. Renton, W. V. Kidd, L. G. Belanger, J. H. Lafreniere, E. D. Drouin, J. H. Pepin, F. Chevalier.

Cornwall-Local office, 113A Pitt St., Mr. J. R. Poirier, R. A. Poirier, M. G. Bergeron, J. A. Villeneuve, J. D. Asselin, C. Leger, J. M. St. Laurent, Y. M. Pommier.

Windsor-Local office, Canada building, F. P. Bouteiller.

North Bay-Regional office, 169 Main St., L. Lamoureux, Miss R. Thomas.

Cochrane-Local office, King George Hotel, J. M. Gauthier, J. A. Brouillard, Mrs. E. Oulette.

Kirkland Lake-Local office, Roberge Bldg., L. E. Charette.

Timmins-Local office, Ostrosser Bldg., Mrs. L. Thorburn, Miss W. Martin.

Sudbury-Local office, Northern Ontario Bldg., L. Huneault, A. Lamoureux.

1. What is the annual cost of the railway operations of the Strait of Canso ferry?

2. What is the cost of operating the ferry steamers, including maintenance, repairs of all kinds, and all operating costs?

3. What is the cost of switching engines on both sides, as well as the upkeep of the roundhouse, and all the equipment necessary for the operation carried on on both sides of the Strait of Canso?

4. What is the cost of freight haulage per ton mile from Sydney to Halifax. Sydney to Truro, and Sydney to Moncton, and the total tonnage hauled?

5. What would be the estimated cost of freight haulage with a bridge across the Strait of Canso, a new Toad alignment from Sydney to the strait, and from Sydney to Moncton, with grades reduced to possibly seven-tenths?

Questions

1. These costs are not segregated in the railway's accounts and are therefore not available.

2. 8212,000 for the year 1943.

3. See answer to question No. 1.

4. With regard to the first part of this question, the information is not available in form requested. The total tons of freight handled tver the line from Sydney to Point Tupper iboth directions) for the year 1943, was about 2,500,000 tons, which quantity, however, is much above the average over a period of years.

5. It is not considered practicable to make a useful estimate as the cost of freight hauling depends on many more factors than the gradient of the lines.

With reference to questions 1, 3 and 4, the preparation of the information called for would entail a tremendous amount of clerical work in segregating the required items from the general operating and financial statistics of the railways. This work has not been undertaken on account of the lack of qualified staff due to war conditions.

veterans' land act

1. Up to the present time, -how many parcels of land have been purchased in each province for account of Veterans' Land Act?

2. On how many parcels in each province has the board secured an option?

3. How many of these parcels are equipped with habitable buildings?

4. What is the price per acre paid or agreed on in each province for land, (a) with buildings; (b) without buildings?

5. Have any commissions been -paid ,to individuals or other agencies for securing those lands?

6. If so, at what rate, to whom paid, and what amount was paid to each?

7. Will those commissions -be included in the price charged to the settler in each case?