Mr. BERTRAND (Laurier):

A few days ago another question was asked by the hon. member for Cumberland (Mr. Black) concerning the steamer Princess Helene. I did not have the answers ready and therefore asked that the question be made an order for return. I find that the answer is ready and I therefore ask that I be permitted at this time to file the answer to that question.

1. Has the ferry steamer Princess Helene been taken off bay of Pundy service, Digby-Saint John, for a period from April 26 to May 18 this year?

2. Is there a contract for conveying the western mail to and from Digby, Yarmouth and such points via this route?

3. What provision has there been for conveying the mail when the Princess Helene is off duty during this period? Has it resulted in delays?

4. What is the contract price per year for conveying such mail and for subsidy for operating the steamer?

1. Yes, for annual overhaul.

2. Yes. Contract with Canadian Pacific Railway under order in council P.C. 1473 of 6th March, 1945.

3. During suspension of ferry service mails usually conveyed by the steamer have been routed by railway. This results in delay in some instances.

4. Contract price is 50 cents per mile. Actual payment made during fiscal year ending 31st March, 1948, was $13,500.

No subsidy is paid.

1. What are the names and addresses, by provinces, of the holders of export permits for live poultry to the United States for the years, 1945, 1946, 1947 and to date in 1948?

2. What quantities of live poultry were exported by each permit holder, by months, in the years 1945, 1946, 1947 and to date in 1948?

Mr. McILRAITH:

Return tabled.

1. When was Dimitri Dontzow, now a resident of Montreal, admitted to Canada?

2. What was he doing during the second world war and in what countries was he working and for whom?

3. Is he now engaged in work for the government; if so, what?

4. Has he taken any steps towards securing Canadian citizenship and, if so, what action has been taken thereon?

Mr. GIBSON (Hamilton West):

Return tabled.

Mr. JEAN FRANCOIS POULIOT (Temis-couata):

Mr. Speaker, it is unusual but I have a correction to make in the minutes of proceedings and evidence of the standing committee on railways, canals and telegraph lines which studied the Bell Telephone bill. The committee has reported to the house that it will not sit again, and therefore this is the only way I can make the correction.

On page 48 of the proceedings, speaking to Mr. Macaulay, I am reported as follows:

Mr. Pouliot: Make it the best you can and

I would be satisfied with your answer, because you have a nice face.

I never said that. I paid a much higher tribute than that to the gentleman. I said "because you have an honest face," which is a great tribute to this man.

Inquiries of the Ministry

Mr. G. K. FRASER (Peterborough West):

I should like to direct a question to the Minister of Finance. Has any consideration been given to allowing exemption from income tax for donations to memorial funds and arenas in the different towns and cities across the country?

Hon. DOUGLAS ABBOTT (Minister of Finance):

Mr. Speaker, this is a question of law. Under the Income Tax Act as it stands, donations for charitable purposes are exempt from income tax. The question as to what is or is not a charitable donation has been determined by a long line of cases and I think it is pretty well known. I understand that there have been some administrative directions that contributions to purely local undertakings which might qualify as charitable undertakings would not be allowed. That was discussed by officials of the department of my colleague, the Minister of National Revenue, and myself, and it was decided that charitable donations include donations to undertakings which may be of a purely local character. Whether an individual memorial hall is eligible or not I am not going to say here; but I do say that donations of that kind can be, and in a good many cases would be, proper donations for charitable purposes and as such deductible for income tax purposes.