Hon. J. A. MacKINNON (Minister of Trade and Commerce):

Mr. Speaker, I wish to lay on the table copies of the draft international wheat agreement which is intended to serve as an agenda for the forthcoming international wheat conference in London commencing March 18. In older that members of the house may have ready access to this document, I would suggest that it be printed in Votes and Proceedings.

Mr. D. F. BROWN (Essex West):

Mr. Speaker, I should like to address a question to the Minister of Reconstruction and Supply. Is it the intention of the government to close the community centres established in connection with the wartime housing projects?

Right Hon. C. D. HOWE (Minister of Reconstruction and Supply):

Mr. Speaker, I had prepared a statement on this subject. Perhaps if I read it I shall have answered the hon. member's question.

When Avar workers' houses were being built by Wartime Housing Limited during 1941 and 1942 it was considered desirable to develop community centres in the larger projects. The tenants of these houses generally were engaged in the same war industry, and in many instances recreational facilities were not available. It was felt that community activities would increase morale, and reduce absenteeism. Experience in the operations of some thirty-three of such community centres proved the wisdom of this course of action.

Circumstances have changed since then. The tenants of the larger wartime housing projects are no longer working in single industries. Ever since repatriation commenced, imcancies in the war workers' houses have been filled exclusively by veterans. It is found that in some community centres a relatively small percentage of the people living in wartime housing units are taking advantage of the facilities. It is also found that the community centres are servicing not only a portion of the tenants of war workers' houses, but also other people who live in private houses within the same district.

The cost of operating community centres amounts to approximately $150,000 per annum, or between nine and ten dollars per housing unit in the municipalities in which there are community centres.

This field of social service work is not one for the dominion, and moneys spent for this purpose may well be questioned. A start must be made in finding a more suitable, and more permanent, form of management for these community centres. We will be discussing the situation with the municipalities involved, in an attempt to find a mutually satisfactory method wherebv the dominion may withdraw from this field. We hope it will not be necessary to cl-ose these community centres, because in many localities they are providing a valuable service. I cannot suggest

Inquiries of the Ministry

a standard method for working out a mutually acceptable arrangement with the municipalities. In some cases the community centres are on land owned by the dominion. In other cases the land is owned by the municipality. In other cases the operation of the community centre is subject to an existing agreement with the municipalities or other parties. The municipalities can be assured, however, that every effort will be made to find a solution if it is believed that the continued operation of the community centre is desirable.

I may say that the information which was broadcast through a number of communities that the community centres are to be sold is entirely unauthorized. That information was sent out by an employee of Wartime Housing without the knowledge either of his senior officers or of myself. There has been no discussion at any time which would indicate a policy leading to the closing of these centres.

Mr. J. M. MACDONNELL (Muskoka-Ontario):

I should like to address a question to the Minister of Agriculture. Like other hon. members I am receiving communications from my riding indicating that there is an urgent shortage of feed for hogs and cattle. I should like to ask the minister whether there is any likelihood of these farmers who are in such need having something more substantial than hope with which to feed their hogs and cattle?

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

For some time there has been difficulty in moving grain from western Canada to the lakehead and from the lake-head to eastern Canada, and this has been increased by the storms we have had recently both in the east and west. Some days ago the government issued an order giving priority in the use of box cars for the shipment of grain as against the shipment of other commodities. The announcement to that effect was made by the Minister of Transport (Mr. Chevrier). Everything is being done at the present time by the railroads that can possibly be done to move grain eastward, and we expect that it will be moved in sufficient time to take care of any shortages that may exist.