Mr. J. R. MacNICOL (Davenport) moved for leave to introduce Bill No. 2, respecting the Jack Miner National Wild Life Day. (Mr. Bracken.] He said: I deem it a high privilege to move the introduction of this bill, seconded I may say by another great friend of the late Jack Miner, the hon. member for Cochrane (Mr. Bradette), which proposes that April 10 be proclaimed as The Jack Miner National Wild Life Day. It would seem to me that April 10 is a fitting day on which to initiate and proclaim such an act. At that time of the year all varieties of insectivorous birds return to Canada from their winter resting place in the south. Everyone knows the value of insectivorous birds to the country's production. At the same time these great wild fowl, the Canada goose, and ducks as well, are leaving their southern winter home and flying back to our own* Arctic ocean area to nest. I cannot do better than quote what the late and celebrated Irvin S. Cobb said with reference to the la,te Jack Miner, because many words at this stage of the bill would be superfluous. Mr. Cobb said of Jack Miner that he was "the greatest practical naturalist on this planet." He was indeed the greatest conservationist of wild life on this planet, and in his memory I am very happy to move the introduction of this bill. I heard Jack Miner say on more than one occasion: "I am not so much interested in the number of spots on the woodpecker's tail as I am in the preservation of the species." That was his life work-' conservation. He was Canada's greatest conservationist, and April 10, when the birds are coming back, would be a fitting time for schools, humane societies and other organizations interested in wild life to inform their pupils or members of the value to Canada of wild life conservation. < Motion agreed to .and bill read the first time.

Mr. RODNEY ADAMSON (York West) moved for leave to introduce Bill No. 3, to amend the Railway Act. He said: This bill is identical with the one I introduced at the last session of parliament. It merely extends the power of municipalities adjoining or contiguous to cities, but which are in fact physically part of the same metropolitan area, to pass by-laws dispensing with the statutory sound warning, by bell and whistle, at specified level crossings within the confines of the said municipalities. It confers the same power on urban municipalities which may be designated as townships or villages as on those designated as cities or towns, which have this power by authority of the Railway Act as it now reads. Dominion Elections Act The amendment does not constitute a blanket authority, as every crossing covered by such enabling legislation must be inspected by the board of transport commissioners, who must be satisfied with the safety measures provided at each crossing so designated. Motion agreed to and bill read the first time.

Mr. ROBERT FAIR (Battle River) moved for leave to introduce Bill No. 4, to amend the Dominion Elections Act, 1938'. He said: This bill is exactly the same as bills I have introduced on other occasions, seeking to amend the Dominion Elections Act, 1938. The purpose is to remove the disqualification imposed on inmates of institutions for the poor where such persons are disqualified from voting at a provincial election. The removal of this disqualification will enable all such worthy persons to vote at federal elections whether they are qualified or not to vote at provincial elections. The paragraph proposed to be repealed reads: (k) dm any province, every person who ds an inmate of an institution which is maintained by any government oir municipality for the housing and maintenance of the poor, if such person is by the law of that province disqualified from voting att an election of la member of the legislative 'assembly of that province, and did not serve in the military, naval or air forces of Canada in the war of 1914-1918. The disqualification, which I am trying to have removed is one that should have ceased tc operate many years ago. We are supposed to be moving into a new world, and the fact that some people have been or are housed in any institution maintained by a municipality, county or province, should not disqualify them from voting at a dominion election. There are now only three provinces that adhere to the old law-Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Ontario-and they ought to be modernized by parliament so far as the Dominion Elections Act is concerned. Motion agreed to and bill read the first time.

Mr. ROBERT FAIR (Battle River) moved for leave to introduce Bill No. 5 to amend the Canadian Wheat Board Act, 1935. He said: This bill also is one that has been introduced before. It was talked out at the last session. I do not know what its fate will be this session, but the purpose is to amend the Wheat Board Act of 1935. Under that legislation the wheat board is at present restricted and the board has to use the facilities already available for the sale of wheat, as provided by the Winnipeg Grain Exchange. In my opinion, and in the opinion of every farmer organization as well as of many other organizations in western Canada, this is not desirable, nor is it in the interests of the Canadian people as a whole. I should like to have the support of the house in order to have this bill carried at the present session. Motion agreed to and bill read the first time.

Right Hon. W. L. MACKENZIE KING (Secretary of State for External Affairs) moved for leave to introduce Bill No. 6, to amend the Department of External Affairs Act. He said: When the Department of External Affairs Act was passed in 1912 it was provided tJhat the position of Secretary of State for External Affairs should be filled by the Prime Minister. That section still remains. The purpose of this bill is to revoke the section so that the position of Secretary of State for External Affairs may be filled by any member of the government. Motion agreed to and bill read the first time.

INITIAL PAYMENTS FOR 1946 CROP On the orders of the day:

INCREASE IN MAXIMUM PRICE On the orders of the day: Mr. F. S. ZAPLITNY (Dauphin) I should like to direct a question to the Minister of Finance. In view of the widespread protest The Address-Mr. Bracken

from the prairie provinces against the proposed two-cent increase in the price of gasoline, effective to-day, would the government he prepared to reconsider its action and rescind the order permitting such an increase?