Mr. A. W. STUART (Charlotte):

Mr. Speaker, on a question of privilege, a statement was made in the house during the last forty-eight hours about the increased number of C.C.F. votes received in the recent New Brunswick election. I should like to correct that statement. In 1944 the votes received by the C.C.F candidates totalled 13,934, whereas the total number received by the C.C.F. in the same counties in the recent election was 11,131. I cannot see where there is an increase.

Mr. COLDWE'LL: Half the number of candidates.

Mr. CHURCH:

What are the total travelling expenses of all departments of the government, outside commissions and boards in relation, to federal affairs such as hotel bills and all other expenses and incidentals, connected therewith, for the last two years of record?

1. What has been expended by the govern- * ment for furniture, fittings and equipment during each of the fiscal years ending March 31, 1946, 1947 and 1948 for use in unemployment insurance and other government offices in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia?

2>. Were tenders called for such purchases?

3. If so, who were the successful tenderers and at what prices?

4, In what offices were these materials installed?

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

Mr. Speaker, I should like to say a few words about the prorogation proceedings. It is always a difficult matter to wind up the business of a session. As hon. members know prorogation is in the

nature of a ceremony and some careful preparation is required before matters can be finally arranged prior to prorogation. The other house has to conclude the business which may come over to it from this house, and the speech from the throne has to have its final printing. The deputy of the governor general will be acting for His Excellency in proroguing parliament, and it is desirable that due notice should be given to him as to the time to be present. These matters are all difficult to arrange unless the business of the house is concluded by' a definite time.

Hon. members will recall that early in the session I mentioned that if the house did not conclude its business by June 30 it would be necessary for the government to seek to have the session adjourned until September.

Mr. GREEN:

The Prime Minister did not really mean that.

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

Oh, yes; I did. What I am about to say is that I am happy that that step has not been necessary. I should like to congratulate hon. members upon the way they have expedited the business of the house so as to make possible prorogation by June 30. I think splendid progress has been made and, as I say, I am pleased that matters have reached the point where it is not necessary to consider any adjournment of the present session.

I believe it is generally the wish of all hon. members that if possible, and without sacrificing anything in the public interest, we should wind up the business of the session today.

Mr. MacNICOL:

Two o'clock.

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

My hon. friend says "two o'clock." That would suit me all right, but I want to make it clear that I should not wish to press the house unduly in the matter of time. I think by mutual arrangement it should be possible to have matters so planned as to permit prorogation at a reasonable hour in the course of the day.

Mr. GREEN:

What time has the Prime Minister in mind?

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

Most hon. members have left already for their homes. Tomorrow is July 1, and I know that several hon. members have obligations in their own constituencies which they assumed in the expectation that the house would be adjourned by June 30 at the latest.

Inquiries oj the Ministry

There is one other circumstance I should like to mention. The staffs of both houses of parliament, of the printing bureau and officials of the government generally have had considerable pressure put upon them during the last few weeks of parliament. As hon. members know, we have been sitting, not only in the afternoons and evenings but in the mornings, and on Saturdays as well. On behalf of the house I should like to express to the staffs that have had this extra duty put upon them our appreciation of the exceptionally efficient manner in which they have discharged their duties.

The house can best express its appreciation by making it perfectly apparent to the members of the staff that when July 1, Dominion day, comes, they may expect that the begin-nining of their summer vacation has been entered upon.

In seeking to arrange matters with a certain definiteness, if there are some questions which are of more importance to hon. members than others, and hon. members will let this side of the house know, we shall try to arrange to bring forward those matters immediately and leave the less contentious matters, if there are any that are still contentious, to the latter part of the proceedings.

That is all I have to say at the moment. It is intended to continue immediately with the estimates of the Minister of Finance. The next item to be taken up, as I was informed last night, is the important health program which has been announced in the house.

Mr. HOWARD C. GREEN (Vancouver South) : Mr. Speaker, I can assure the Prime Minister that the members of the official opposition will be only too glad to co-operate in bringing about prorogation today. We do not want to abandon our duty to give these estimates some consideration. We would be willing to sit right through without any recess for lunch. I should like to suggest one way of hastening the business of the house. For the last few days we have been working against a frog chorus, if I may use that expression without hurting anybody's feelings, from the government side of the house, sometimes led by one of the ministers, the refrain of which was "Carried, carried, carried." If the government members sitting behind the Prime Minister will allow the chairman to do the shouting of "carried," I am sure we shall get along much faster. After all, it is only human nature that opposition of this kind makes us all want to fight back a bit, and the result is delay; so, in the most kindly way, as the Minister of Labour would say, I suggest to

the members on the government side that they keep still today and let us get on with the business of the house.

Mr. ABBOTT:

It would be a shame to break a long-established custom of the house in that respect.

I think we might expedite the business of the house by leaving until one o'clock the question of the time of recess for lunch. Secondly, may I join in the expression of appreciation to the staff for the work they have done during the session.