Hon. ALPHONSE FOURNIER (Minister of Public Works) moved:

That the report of the civil service commission respecting revision of the classification of committee clerks of the House of Commons, presented to the house on Saturday, June 26, 1948, be concurred in.

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

Mr. Speaker, perhaps I should reply to the question. For some little time past the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom has been seeking to arrange a meeting in London of the prime ministers of the British commonwealth during either the summer or the autumn months. My hon. friend will have noticed a statement by Mr. Attlee that he had not found it possible to arrange for the meeting during the summer months on account of inability to get the different prime ministers together at that time, but that he does expect a meeting to be held in October.

I presume the meeting will be similar to the meeting of prime ministers held two years ago, and that it will be one in which matters of general interest to all the nations of the commonwealth will .be discussed. I am not aware, however, that any definite agenda has thus far been arranged.

Mr. GRAYDON:

I should like to ask a supplementary question. Will the Prime Minister himself represent Canada at the October meeting?

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

Well, that is something I wish I were in a position to answer. I might say that in the correspondence with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom he was kind enough to express the wish that I might personally attend. I explained the position I was in with respect to attending any meeting in August, because of the convention to be held at that time. As to what it may be thought best to do thereafter may best be decided, I should think, after that meeting. I have expressed my desire to be as accommodating as it is possible for me to be in helping to .bring about the meeting at a time which would be most convenient for the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the other prime ministers.

Mr. POULIOT:

I should like to ask a supplementary question. Would the Prime Minister head the Canadian delegation to that conference?

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

It will not be a delegation. What is desired is a meeting of the prime ministers. Whoever is in that office at that time will, I assume, represent Canada.

Mr. POULIOT:

Mr. Speaker, in view of what has been said about the possibility of the Prime Minister himself attending the conference of prime ministers in the fall in his capacity as prime minister, would it not be just as well to cancel the Liberal convention at Ottawa, which would serve no purpose?

Mr. G. H. CASTLEDEN (Yorkton):

Mr. Speaker, I should like to ask a question of the Minister of Trade and Commerce, or, in his absence, his parliamentary assistant. The minister promised a reply last week. What government action has been authorized to compensate coarse grain growers in western Canada for losses they suffered on account of early delivery of their coarse grains last fall?

Mr. G. J. McILRAITH (Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Trade and Commerce) :

I do not know that there is much

Inquiries oj the Ministry

I can usefully add!. If I recall aright, the minister stated that an announcement in the matter would 'be made, and that the subject was under consideration. It will be a matter of policy.

Mr. CASTLEDEN:

Has a payment been authorized?

Mr. MoILRAITH: It is a matter of policy. When a payment is authorized I presume that it will be announced by the responsible minister.

Mr. CASTLEDEN:

I take it that a payment has not been authorized?

Mr. McILRAITH:

That does not follow from my remarks.