Right Hon. L. S. ST. LAURENT (Acting Prime Minister): Mr. Speaker, before moving the adjournment of the house until four o'clock I have to fulfil a promise I made to the leader of the house (Mr. Mackenzie) before he left last week, and that was to express his thanks and my own to all hon. members for the cooperation which has been extended to us in fulfilment of the generous declaration of the hon. leader of the opposition (Mr. Bracken) before the Prime Minister left for his trip to Paris, that members would be disposed to be as helpful as possible in taking care of the business that would have to come before parliament. I do not think I can do better than communicate to the house the notes which the house leader left with me before he went away. He wished to say:
"With the indulgence of the house, always so courteously and generously given, I should like to make a few remarks before we prorogue.
"Outside the session of 1910, which was mainly engaged in acrimony"-I was not here then, so I take no part in that note- "this has been one of the longest sessions of the Commons of Canada." It has certainly been one of the most fruitful.
"I should like tO' utter a word of thanks in the first place to the leaders of the parties opposite, the leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition, the leader of the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation and the leader of the Social Credit group, for their spendid cooperation without any curtailment of their responsibilities of constructive criticism.
"I should like to thank the chief government whip, the hon. member for Macdonald (Mr. Weir), and his assistant, the hon. member for Compton, (Mr. Blanchette). Also the chief opposition whip, the hon. member for Grenville-Dundas (Mr. Casselman); the whip of the C.C.F. party, the hon. member
for Winnipeg North Centre (Mr. Knowles); and the whip of the Social Credit party, the hon. member for Bow River (Mr. Johnston). I should like also to thank the various provincial Whips for their splendid cooperation.
"This year we have established a record in the number of committees of this house. There have been nine standing committees of the house, actively functioning. There have been six special committees of the house, who have all rendered great and devoted service. I should like to thank the chairman and the members of these committees for their assiduous and sustained attention to the work of parliament, and to congratulate them upon the results of their labours. I should like also to thank the staff of the Commons, the Sergeaateat-Arms, the messengers, and the boys who were so alert and aware in attending to our requests for papers and documents and the exchange of those friendly notes which make the work of parliament so pleasurable.
"Also, if I may, a word to these painstaking and patient and very efficient reporters of our debates, the staff of Hansard. I should like also to thank the clerks at the table for their unfailing courtesy.
"I should like at this time to say a word of thanks to Mr. Golding, the hon. member for Huron-Perth, for his devoted services as chairman of the committee of the whole, to which so much of his time has been devoted; and also, with the permission of the house, to thank the Deputy Speaker, whose benevolent neutrality has adorned his position.
"Last of all, Mr. Speaker",-I am reading from the leader's notes, but I know all hon. members would wish to be associated with it- "I should like to be permitted to convey to you, the thanks of this House of Commons for your gracious courtesy, for your splendid custody of the privileges of the house, and of the house itself, and for your unflagging industry in the high office which you adorn."
May I, without announcing any other business, now suggest that the sitting be suspended until 3.50 p.m. this day.
