Mr. McILRAITH:

So that the record will be straight, I want to read an excerpt from the minister's statement as reported at page 476 of Hansard of February 17:

I trust that under the circumstances hon. members will decide for themselves whether the three questions are worth $5,000 to the recipients. I suggest that in the meantime, if

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hon. members are not willing to allow them to drop, the questions stand for further consideration.

Mr. BROOKS:

There is another item somewhere else.

Mr. GRAYDON:

Mr. Speaker, this looks like concerted action by the government to throw up a smokescreen on the question of expense.

Mr. MACKENZIE:

The official lecturer of the opposition.

Mr. SPEAKER:

Dropped.

1. Is the I. G. Farben company or any subsidiary of such company operating in Canada?

2. If so, what is the nature of produce of these companies and what are their affiliations with other companies?

1. No; investigations are still proceeding with the view of ascertaining any relations which the I. G. Farbenindustrie may have had with Canadian enterprises through affiliated or subsidiary enterprises or companies in allied or neutral countries.

2. Answered by No. 1.

1. How many houses has the Shoquist Construction Company contracted to build and/or has built for the Department of Reconstruction and Supply, and/or the Central Housing and Mortgage Corporation?

2. Where are these houses located?

3. How many types of houses are there being built and/or have been built by this company?

4. (a) What is the total amount of money paid to this company to date? (b) what is the total amount of money yet payable under the contract?

5. What is the contract price for each type of house?

6. What provision is made in each type of contract for the payment of fair wages to employees?

7. What provision is made in each type of contract for the payment of fair wages to subcontractors' employees?

8. What provision is made in each type of contract for the payment of fair wages in the case of piece work by (a) contractor; (b) subcontractor?

9. Does the contract specify that outside painting be done by brush or by spray gun or both?

Mr. MelLRAITH:

1. 300 houses for Wartime Housing Limited.

2. In Calgary, Alberta.

3. Three types.

4. (a) At February 10, 1947, $398,073.31; (b) at date, $334,377.21.

5. H.5/6-4 room (asbestos shingle siding), $1,900.41; (wood siding), $1,942.41.

H.15/16-6 room (asbestos shingle siding), $2,443.56; (wood siding), $2,491.56.

H. 45/46-5 room (asbestos shingle siding), $2,307.13; (wood siding), $2,355.13.

The above contract calls for sheet rock, masonite, asphalt shingles, asbestos shingles, rough lumber, hardwood flooring, mineral wool insulation and paper and felts being supplied by Wartime Housing Limited.

6, 7 and 8. In all cases, the main contract specifies that wages and working conditions shall conform to the requirements of provincial legislation and to current practice for the trades in the area. Subcontractors are bound by the labour requirements of the main contracts.

9. Contract specified first coat-brush; other two may be sprayed.

Mr. WHITE (Middlesex East):

I. How many tons of steel have been used each year in the manufacture of barbed wire since the inception of the wartime regulations on barbed wire?

2. What was the estimated saving in steel each year due to these regulations?

3. What has been the production, in tons, of nails in the years from 1938 to 1946, inclusive?

Mr. MelLRAITH:

1. Production of barbed wire from the outbreak of world war No. 2:

Year Production N.T. Steel Required N.T.1939 .. 12,449 16,6001910 .. 13.509 18.0121941 .. 14,105 18,806Average ... .. 13,354 17,8061942 ... 10,085 13,4471943 .. 9.802 13,0681944 .. 12,556 16,7411945 .. 11,680 15,573Totals (1942-45) .. 44,122 58,829Note: Restrictive order re production of

barbed wire first issued June 30, 1942.

2. Based on the 1939 to 1941 average, the consumption of steel for the years 1942 to 1945 inclusive would have amounted to 71,224 net tons. Actually 58,829 net tons were used during this period for the production of barbed

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wire, therefore, a total of 12,395 net tons were

made available for more essential products.

3. Production of nails: N.T.

1936 59,342

1937 62,399

1938 .-. 57.806

1939 66.493

1940 73.287

1941 82,632

1942 74.378

1943 73,563

1944 64,923

1945 70,021

1946 only 58,831 net tons produced

due to steel strike.

1. How many houses in the city of Arvida, county of Chicoutimi, Quebec, are owned by wartime housing?

2. Has wartime housing decided to sell these houses to the Aluminum Company of Canada, Arvida? If so, on what terms?

1. 334.

2. Negotiations are pending, but no final agreement has been reached as yet.

1. What firm of auctioneers have been engaged to auction off the furniture and fixtures at Camp Borden military camp?

2. Who are the members of this firm?

3. What experience has this firm had; on what basis are they paid and on whose recommendation were they appointed?

4. What is the name of the auctioneer of this company who is conducting the sales and what experience has he had?

5. Will a cost price be given of each article sold and an estimate of the selling price published before each sale?

6. What other work, if any, has been given this firm by the government since the beginning of the recent war?

7. Does this firm conform to civic and municipal by-laws applying to all auctioneers and warehousemen ?

1. No government owned property under the control of national defence was disposed of by public auction. Equipment purchased from regimental funds and not required by permanent or reserve army units was disposed of by public auction by Ward-Price Limited, auctioneers, Toronto.

2. Information not available.

3. Information regarding experience' not available. The firm was engaged on the recom-

mendation of the district officer commanding approved by command headquarters and paid on a commission basis from1 proceeds of sales.

4. Mr. Jack Miller. Information regarding experience other than through sales conducted for army units not available.

5. No.

6. None by the Department of National Defence. Employed by army units at Petawawa and in the Toronto area for sales by public auction of unit owned equipment.

7. The department has every reason to believe that the district officer commanding was satisfied that the firm operates under proper authority.

1. In what hotels has the government or the C.N.R. an investment and what is the amount in each hotel?

2. What has been the net profit of each such hotels annually during the past ten years?

3. Has the government made any studies as to the desirability from an economic point of view of a new railway hotel for the city of Montreal ?

4. If so, what is the estimated cost of such an hotel?

5. How much money has been appropriated by the government or the C.N.R. for this construction?

6. Have any architects, engineers or designers been employed by the government or the C.N.R. to prepare preliminary or other plans and specifications for a hotel in Montreal?

7. If so, who are they and what is the amount of fees or other compensation paid or payable to each of them?