Mr. G. A. CRUICKSHANK (Fraser Valley):

May I direct a question to you. Mr. Speaker: in view of your ruling that in future no exhibits be allowed in the house, does the decoration worn today by the hon. member for Stanstead (Mr. Hackett) come under that ruling?

Mr. J. G. L. LANGLOIS (Gaspe):

I wish to direct the following questions to the Minister of National Defence. First, has his attention been called to an article in Time for April 19, on H.M.C.S. Magnificent, and is this article based on information received from the Department of National Defence? Second, are the statements in the article correct?

Hon. BROOKE CLAXTON (Minister of National Defence):

In answer to the first question. Mr. Speaker, I would say that the article is partly derived from facts given to the correspondent of Time by the press officer at National Defence headquarters. These were not fully or correctly reported, certain of them having been lifted out of their context, while certain other information gathered from other sources is incorrect.

In answer to the second question, I would say that most of the statements in the article are not true, and because they are misleading and because of the possible effect on the services, I should correct them.

The article says:

Because budget economies have hit the air divisions hard, less than half of its 125 pilots are fully qualified.

There are 130 pilots in the Royal Canadian Navy, not 125 as reported. Economies had nothing whatever to do with the proportion of pilots who are qualified. Although trained as pilots, there are 38 pilots who have not yet been fully trained for carriers; twenty-nine per cent, not fifty per cent as reported.

The article goes on: ,

Its pilots are R.C.A.F. trained. For their flying service they may choose the navy if they prefer. Few do, for there is no special flight pay to attract men to the navy's air arm.

The fact is that there is a combined R.C.N. R.C.A.F. training schedule, whereby the R.C.A.F. trains pilots for the navy up to "wings standard," and the navy provides advanced operational and deck-landing training. But both pilots and observers enter the R.C.N. before training: neither is transferred from the R.C.A.F. during any stage in the training, as stated in Time. Contrary to Time, aircrew in the R.C.N. receive flying pay at the same rate as aircrew in the other two services-that is, $30 per month additional.

The article states that the two squadrons "will have an operational strength of only 18 aircraft against a regulation 40." The figure 40 is wrong. In addition to the 8 Sea Fury fighters and 10 Firefly IV fighter-bomber-reconnaissance aircraft of the latest operational types borne on H.M.C.S. Magnificent, there are at present 8 Sea-Fire fighters and 10 Firefly I fighter-bomber-reconnaissance aircraft at Dartmouth.

There are two more squadrons at Dartmouth, composed of miscellaneous types, for aircrew training and other necessary services.

In addition to the Sea-Furies now on H.M.C.S. Magnificent, we are awaiting delivery of a further number which have been on order for some time to provide reserves and spares for the fighter squadrons. Sea-Furies have an announced cruising speed of 300 miles per hour and a top speed of over 450 miles per hour. They are among the most modem and effective carrier-based planes. The use of jet-propelled aircraft from carriers is still in the experimental stage, and the purchase of the Sea-Furies is in line with the policy of keeping abreast of the best available equipment.

I should add that there is a steady need for additional officer personnel in the fleet air arm. The requirements are graduation from Royal Roads, Royal Military College or a university, for permanent officers, and senior matriculation for short service commissions.

Vocational Training Co-ordination Act

Mr. T. J. BENTLEY (Swift Current):

I should like to direct a question to the Prime Minister. Will he inform the house if the government proposes to introduce at this session any legislation with respect to co-operatives such as was promised in the 1919 platform?

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

I shall have to look up the 1919 platform.

Mr. KNOWLES:

May I send a copy over to the Prime Minister?

Mr. SPEAKER:

Order.

Mr. J. H. FERGUSON (Simcoe North):

I should like to address a question to the Postmaster General. Is it the practice of his department to give the preference, everything being equal, to returned soldiers in the appointment of postmasters in suburban areas? If so. why was a man who came here eleven years ago from Ireland given a preference at Phelpston, Ontario, over a flying veteran who served for five years in the recent war?