1. What is the depth of the Fraser river at the C.P.R. bridge at Mission?

2. How many piers are there in this bridge, and what is the total space taken up in the channel of the Fraser river by the piers?

3. Since the construction of the bridge, how many yards of rocks have been dumped at the piers?

4. What effect have these obstructions had on the channel of the river?

5. Are the C.P.R. granted exemption from dyking or any other taxation on the Mission-Huntingdon branch line?

Mr. FOURNIER (Hull):

'

1. 24-36 feet.

2. (a) Twelve; (b) 136 feet.

3. 4 and 5. No information.

1. Have negotiations been undertaken by the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide regular mail and transportation service for the veterans settled under the Small Holdings feature of the Veterans Land Act (a) at Regina; (b) at Saskatoon? If so, of what nature and with whom?

Questions as Orders for Returns

2. What steps have been taken to secure priority for purchase and installation of telephone equipment on behalf of veterans on small holdings at Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert, where the nature of the veterans' occupation makes the installation of such service necessary?

1. How many subsidies have been granted under the Cold Storage Act, 1907 ?

2. To whom were the subsidies granted?

3. For what purpose was the subsidy granted

in each case? ,

4. What was the amount of the subsidy in each case?

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

I should like to reply to a question which was asked two days ago by the hon. member for Peel (Mr. Graydon) with respect to the contributions of various nations under the UNRRA agreement. It was mentioned at the time that this information was being prepared by the Department of External Affairs. It has been prepared and it was intended to include it in a complete report on UNRRA which will be presented to the house, I hope within a few days. In the meantime I have the information which my hon. friend has asked for and it might be placed on Hansard. This is statistical information and in connection with it I would draw the attention of the house to the follawing facts.

It will be noted that Australia, Canada, the Dominican republic, Iceland, New Zealand,

the United Kingdom and the United States of America have made a second contribution to UNRRA. Canada, the Dominican republic, Iceland and the United Kingdom have completed their contributions; the United States has paid in $750,000,000 out of its second contribution and the second part of $600,000,000 is in process of authorization.

Of the invaded countries, which are only expected to contribute to the administrative expenses of UNRRA and not to the operating fund, four, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Poland and Yugoslavia, have made contributions of supplies produced in their country.

The contributions to administrative expenses were only set at the meeting of UNRRA which took place during the month of March, and therefore as of the end of that month few countries had had time to make their contributions to administrative expenses. This explains the amounts which appear as yet unpaid in the largest number of cases, particularly in the second group of countries; those which were invaded were only expected to contribute to the administrative expenses of the organization.

It may also be worth noting, as indicated in thfe last note to the tables, that the amount paid or available is over eighty per cent of the total authorized or in process of authorization for UNRRA. With the completion of the second contribution of the United States of America, Australia and New Zealand, this percentage will be raised to almost ninety-five per cent.

The statistical information follows:

Operating and Administrative Contributions of Governments Members of UNRRA Authorized or in Process, by Country as of March 31, 1946

Country Contributions-Total (In U.S. Dollar Equivalents) Total .... $3,670,799,021 Paid or Available $2,973,638,423 In Process-* Due in 1946 $697,160,598

Contributions of Non-invaded Countries (Oper-

ating and administrative)- -Total 3,656,465,110 2,967,328,423" 689,136,687Australia 76,800,000" 38,400,000 38,400,000Bolivia 108,238b 31.746 76,492Brazil 30,195,000* 20.000.000 10,195,000Canada 138,738,738" 138,738,738 Chile 2,179,312b 2,179,3i2Colombi a 2,427,312b 1.219,907 1,207,405Costa Rica 406,500" 97,718 308,782Cuba 6,061,000" 1,235,000 4,826,000Dominican Republic .... 1,400.000" 1,400.000 Ecuador 156.500b - 156.500Egypt 4,346,833b 70,000 4 276.833El Salvador 135,250" 8.750 126.500Guatemala 15,250"' 8,750 6,500Haiti 55,250" 48,750 6,500Honduras . 115.000" 58,750 56,250Iceland 1,409,306"" 1,402,806 6,500India 24.562.072" 24,042,072 520.000Iran 338,100" 338,100

Milk

Operating and Administrative Contributions of Governments Members of UNRRA Authorized or in Process, by Country as of March 31, 1946-Continued

(In U.-S. Dollar Equivalents)

Country Total

Iraq 231,250"

Liberia 20,250"

Mexico 3,692,500"

New Zealand 16,952,000*

Nicaragua 135,250"

Panama 415,250"

Paraguay , 44,949"

Turkey a

Peru 1,032,500"

Union of South Africa 18,265,000"

United Kingdom 624,650,000*

U.S.A 2,700,000,000*

Uruguay 546,000"

Venezuela 1,030,500"

Paid or Available 17,500 18,750

1.148.000

8.476.000 128,750 142,083

18,649

646,538

4.130.000 624,650,000

2,100,000,000

505,000

684,166

In Process- Due in 1946 213,750

1.500 2,544,500 8,476,000

6.500 273,167

26,300

385,962

14,135,000

600,000.000

41.000

346,334

Contributions of Invaded Countries-Total*... 14,333,911

6,310,000 8,023,911

Belgium 305,000

Byelorussian S.S.R 65,000

China 1,525,000

Czechoslovakia 515,000'

Denmark 5,293,161'

Ethiopia 15,250

France 1,300,000s

Greece 152,500

Luxembourg 15,250

Netherlands 475,500

Norway 91,500

Philippines 15,250

Poland 1,355,000'

Ukrainian S.S.R 195,000

U.S.S.R 2,790,000

Yugoslavia 243,500'

175,000

875,666

385.000'

18,750

8.750 1,300,000s

87.500

8.750 262,500

52.500

8.750 1,225,000'

1,750.666

152,500'

130.000

65.000

650.000

130.000 5,274,411'

6.500

65,666

6.500

195.000

39.000

6.500

130.000

195.000 1,040,000

91.000

" Includes both first and second contributions.

" Council's administrative allocation for 1946 included pending government's legislative action.

* No operating contribution authorized as of 31st March, 1946.

d Amount of contribution not determined as of 31st March, 1946.

* Excludes payments in local currencies to defray local expenses of UNRRA missions.

' Includes value of contributed supplies.

8 Includes advance payment of $80,000.

" The amount paid or available is over 80 per cent of the total authorized or in process. With the completion of the second contribution of the U.S.A., Australia and New Zealand, this percentage will be raised to almost 95 per cent.

Mr. J. A. CHARLTON (Brant):

I should like to direct a question to the Minister of Agriculture. Owing to representations made by the- Milk Producers' Association and the increased costs of production, would the minister not consider continuing throughout the summer months the winter rates of subsidy on milk?

Hon. J. G. GARDINER (Minister of Agriculture) :

The question which has just been put by the hon. member has been submitted to me, and one has also been put on my desk by the hon. member for Springfield (Mr. Sinnott) relating to the same matter. I think I should answer both at the same time. The question put by the hon. member for Springfield reads:

Will the hon. Minister of Agriculture restore the 55 cent milk subsidy to dairy producers?

The position in regard to milk subsidies is that a subsidy is paid both in the winter and summer months. There is a subsidy on whole milk of 55 cents in winter and 35 cents in the summer months. The time at which the change is made is 12 o'clock on the night of the 30th day of April to cover the new dairy year. There has been no change made this year, so that the suggestion here that we restore the 55 cents milk subsidy is scarcely an accurate way of stating the position. The order governing the subsidies has been exactly the same for the last two years, and the new order will make it the same for the next twelve months. In other words it is just a seasonal reduction from 55 to 35 cents.

It is hardly necessary for me to say that if there are to be seasonal subsidies there is no possibility of having the same subsidy in the

Wheat

summer months as in the winter months. To ask anyone to continue the winter subsidy into the summer months would be asking something illogical if we are to base the decision on production costs

There may be some reason for saying that we should have a flat subsidy throughout the year. In that event we would have to take into consideration winter costs of production as well as summer costs and average the two to arrive at the proper figure for a subsidy for the whole twelve months. In giving consideration to this matter, which I have already said the government intends to do, it will not be a question of returning in the summer months to the winter subsidy, but it will be the question whether we should have a flat rate throughout the year and in determining that question consideration would have to be given to both winter and summer production costs to arrive at an average figure.

Mr. GRAYDON:

The minister spoke of the costs of production in the summer months as compared with the winter months, but is it not a fact that the production costs this summer to the farmer will be higher than they have been in other summers?

Mr. GARDINER:

That is a question that would have to be considered in arriving at a figure. There are two different groups of producers of whole milk. One is part of the group living close to cities, and this group place emphasis on the importance of winter production. They breed their stock and conduct their whole business with the idea of supplying milk at a time when the costs are high. I understand that this group will not be satisfied with a flat rate throughout the whole year, so there has to be a discussion with both groups-those who want a higher winter rate and those who want a flat rate throughout the year. I have some doubt whether any decision would satisfy both groups.

Mr. GRAYDON:

You could increase both rates.