1. How many men who enlisted in the army for overseas service are there at present in Canada?

2. Of these, how many are, (a) members of the veterans guard; (b) in categories which render them unsuitable for overseas service; (c) are necessarily retained in this country for organizational or staff duties?

Mr. MACDONALD (Halifax);

1. Including those in territories adjacent to Canada, approximately 140,000 of whom probably 50,000 or more are or can be made available as reinforcements for overseas service.

2. (a) Approximately 8,500.

(b) Excluding those in the veterans guard there are approximately 50,000 who are of an age or military category such that they would not normally be sent overseas. Individuals among these may be sent overseas for special duty.

In addition, there are approximately 25,000 who, while not definitely unsuitable for overseas service, are in age groups, medical categories, or ranks such that only a limited number of them can be absorbed within establishments of the army overseas.

(c) Excluding those referred to in (a) and (b) above, there are approximately 10,000 employed on the staffs of administrative, training and servicing units in Canada.

As many as possible of these are being withdrawn for overseas service, but some will no doubt have to be retained permanently in Canada because their duties require fit general service volunteers or because of special knowledge and experience which makes it difficult to obtain suitable replacements.

1. If a soldier purchases a victory bond on the instalment plan and is posted as missing, what happens in regard to the unpaid balance?

2. If a soldier purchasing victory bonds on the instalment plan is killed before completing the transaction, what happens to the amount paid on the bond?

3. Is it refunded to the next of kin?

4. If so, is the interest allowed?

Mr. MACDONALD (Halifax);

1 and 2. When a soldier is missing or dies.

(a) If the casualty occurred prior to the end of the fifth month of the instalment period and advice thereof is received prior to the end of the sixth (and final) month of the instalment period, the assignment of pay for the purchase of the bond is cancelled retroactive to its commencement and the instalments so far deducted are recredited to the soldier's pay account. Where such advice is not received prior to the end of the sixth (and final) month, purchase of the bond would be cpmpleted.

(b) If the casualty occurred during the sixth (and final) month of the instalment period purchase of the bond would be completed.

(Note: Under article 83 F.R. & I. (Canada) the pay and allowances (except subsistence allowance) of a soldier who dies or is reported missing are credited to the end of the month in which the casualty occurs. Therefore, the purchase of a bond is completed only in those cases where the casualty occurred during the sixth month or where advice of a casualty which occurred prior thereto is received subsequent to the end of the sixth month. In the latter case, an overpayment of assigned pay results which may be recovered from any credit balance accruing in the soldier's pay account.)

3. In those cases where the death, etc. of the soldier necessitates cancellation of the assignment of pay, the deductions recredited to the pay account form part of the service estate of the soldier and are transferred to the administrator of estates for distribution to those entitled thereto by law. This procedure is in accordance with the terms of the soldier's application for purchase of the bond.

Where purchase of the bond has been completed the person entitled thereto will receive the bond in accordance with the instructions given by the soldier in his application for purchase of the bond, or if the bond is deposited with the Department of Finance for safekeeping, that department will surrender it to the administrator of estates for inclusion in the service estate of the soldier.

4. Where purchase of a bond is completed, the interest accrues to those entitled thereto, either by receipt of the bond itself, or through distribution of the soldier's service estate.

In those cases where the purchase of a bond by assignment of pay is cancelled owing to the death, etc., of the soldier, pro rata payments of interest on the instalments recredited to the pay account are not made as no authority exists for such payments, nor are they provided for in the terms of the soldier's application for purchase of a bond.

Questions

radio BROADCASTING-COMPLIMENTARY DINNER TO THE PRIME MINISTER ON AUGUST 7

Mr. DORION:

In view of the fact that, on the evening of the 7th of August next, there will he a political rally at the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, and a provincial election will be held in Quebec on the 8th of August, what means will the government take to prevent, on those two occasions, infringement of section 22, subsection 4 of the Canadian Broadcasting Act of 1936?

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

Mr. Speaker,

perhaps I had better answer this question. It evidently relates to the recognition of the twenty-fifth anniversary of my appointment as leader of the Liberal party by my fellow members in parliament who are generously tendering me a complimentary dinner on that evening at the Chateau Laurier.

Mr. GRAYDON:

It is not a surprise, then?

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

May I say to

my hon. friend that it was a surprise to me to see references in the papers to matters pertaining to this occasion of which I had no knowledge whatever. Among others was a reference to the fact that a nation-wide broadcast would be made by myself on that evening.

Mr. HANSON (York-Sunbury):

National

headquarters got the wires crossed.

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

No-if my

hon. friend will just be courteous and allow me to make my statement. I should like to have the position made perfectly clear. When I sawT in the press the statement that at the dinner there would be a broadcast by myself I immediately felt that some persons, perhaps a good many more than I had reason to feel might so regard it, might think that the occasion had been arranged from some political motive and that any address or remarks by myself on that evening would be made for purposes of furthering some political end.

I immediately ascertained who among my friends had the matter more immediately in hand. I not only spoke to them, but I put myself on record in a letter in which I stated that much as I appreciated the compliment of the dinner I felt I would have to decline to make any broadcast on that occasion, that were I to do so my own motives and the motives of the party would most certainly be mistaken. I asked that as some announcement had been made in the press to the effect that I would be broadcasting on that evening, a correction be made. I gave as my reasons not merely the possible misconstruction that might be placed on a broadcast at that time, but also my feeling that with the war at the stage at which it is at the present, I was the last one who would wish to be responsible in

any way for possible further political controversy at this time. Moreover I pointed out that there was likely to be a provincial election; in fact, a provincial election in the province of Quebec had been mentioned. It was some days ago that I spoke of this matter. Since then it has been decided to hold provincial elections in both Alberta and New Brunswick. It is natural that some persons should have minds akin to that of the hon. member who has asked this question. I pointed out such persons would assume of course that there must be something sinister and ulterior about the proposed recognition of the occasion in the manner suggested.

I have noticed in this morning's paper the following statement which I think puts the matter in its true light. I shall quote it as I believe it has been sent to the press generally throughout Canada:

A speech Prime Minister Mackenzie King is scheduled to deliver August 7 at a dinner marking the 25th anniversary of his leadership of the Liberal party will not be broadcast, it was announced last night.

The committee in charge of arrangements for the dinner said in a statement that an earlier announcement that the speech would be broadcast over the national network of the C.B.C. was made before consultation with the Prime Minister.

The statement added that Mr. King felt that any broadcast which might be made "would almost certainly be construed as having a political motive and as such might give rise to political controversy." This, Mr. King is most anxious to avoid . . . particularly at this stage of the war and at a time when elections are being held in three of the provinces of Canada.

(Elections will be held in Quebec and Alberta August 8 and in New Brunswick August 28.)

I hope that what I have said and what appears in the press will be sufficient to make perfectly clear that neither the committee in charge of this complimentary dinner nor I myself have any desire to make political capital out of this recognition by my fellow members in parliament of the 25th anniversary of my election as leader of the Liberal party of Canada.

Mr. CRERAR:

Perhaps I may be given the opportunity to add a word which the Prime Minister himself could not say because he did not know anything about it. The arrangements for the complimentary dinner for the Prime Minister were taken in hand over eight months ago. The Prime Minister knew nothing whatever about it, but from the beginning it was contemplated that it would be a proper occasion on which he might make a speech to the country over the radio. These assumptions and inferences, that this is something that has been arranged to influence the present political situation, are wholly without foundation whatever.

Questions as Orders jor Returns

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

I should like to add this word. I saw in one of the papers of this city a statement to the effect that on that occasion I was to be made a certain presentation. May I say that I had no knowledge that the presentation there referred to was being considered in relation to myself. I knew of course that some steps had been taken to have certain things done but as to any presentation to myself of the character which was mentioned in that paper I had no knowl-' edge whatever. When I saw the announcement I immediately recognized what I thought was a mischievous intent behind it and I wrote at once to members of the committee and said that I hoped no presentation of the character mentioned would be made to me on that occasion. I expressed the hope they would not feel that I was not fully appreciative of the compliment that was being paid to me and of the recognition which my party was seeking to give the 25th anniversary of my leadership, but that I would feel much happier if that particular feature of the occasion might be omitted.

1. Have any plans been made or any funds appropriated by any department of the government for the building of medical schools or colleges in the post-war period?

2. If so, what amounts have been proposed for such an expenditure within each province?

3. If such plans have been made do they provide for any increase in the number of medical students? If so, to what extent in each province?

1. What steps, df any, have been taken to prohibit the sale of gasoline for motor launches that carry passengers for hire or otherwise, which have not been licensed and have not been inspected by any federal authority as to navigation safety?

2. Who is in charge of the enforcement of navigation or other federal laws herein to protect the public travelling in this form of transport?

3. Has the Minister of Munitions and Supply any control over small motor craft, and what has been done to regulate such craft?

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE soldiers' cratuities and soldiers' insurance

Right Hon. W. L. MACKENZIE KING (Prime Minister):

Mr. Speaker, I am not in a position to give my hon. friend a definite reply to the two questions asked as both matters at the present time are still under consideration.