Right Hon. L. S. St. Laurent (Prime Minister):

Mr. Speaker, I now table copies of further correspondence with the provincial premiers with respect to amendments to the British North America Act. Perhaps it would be desirable to have them printed as an appendix to Hansard, as was done before; and if you would so order, sir, I believe that would meet the wishes of most hon. members.

Mr. Speaker:

With the approval of the house I shall make the appropriate order.

(For text of further correspondence, see appendix, page 1319.)

Mr. James Sinclair (Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Finance):

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Finance I wish to table the Public Accounts of Canada and the report of the Auditor General of Canada for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1949.

It is regretted that copies for general distribution are not yet available, but they should be available within a few days.

Right Hon. C. D. Howe (Minister of Trade and Commerce) moved

the first reading of Bill No. 133 (from the Senate), respecting the application of a national trade mark to commodities and respecting the true description of commodities.

Motion agreed to and bill read the first time.

1. How much additional freight was paid by the wheat board on wheat shipped to Fort William and Port Arthur from points tributary to Vancouver during each of the crop years, from 1939-40 to 194849. inclusive?

2. During the same crop years, what surpluses accrued to the wheat board through lower freight rates from points tributary to Port Churchill on wheat shipped to the Port of Churchill?

Mr. Mcllrailh:

Additional Additional freight paid freight paid

1. Wheat crop gross net1939

$2,015,615.44 $2,015,615.441940

3,543,171.31 3,543,171.311941

1,027,883.68 1,027,883.681942

896,073.57 896,073.571943

940,181.74 852,167.831944

1,664,226.17 1,660,651.48

Note: During the war years from 1939 to 1944 the ocean shipping was such that only a very small quantity of wheat could be exported through Pacific coast ports. Under these circumstances substantial quantities of wheat were moved eastward from delivery points having a freight differential in favour of Vancouver.

Additional Additional Wheat crop freight paid freight paid

account gross net1945

$ 150,353.46 $ 66,434.471946

361,019.79 21,331.801947

686,184.63 16,674.741948

396,708.73 24,084.76

Note: From August 1, 1945, to date, the bulk of additional freight paid on the eastern movement of wheat from delivery points in

Questions

the Vancouver freight rate area has been recovered in board sales. The principal recoveries were from the United Kingdom and from the agricultural supplies board in respect to feed wheat shipped eastward.

2. Crop account

1939 $ 9,760.22

1940 1,129.44

1941 -

1942 -

1943 -

1944 -

1945 859.45

1946 47,615.59

1947 31,063.04

1948 46,658.69

Note: The figures shown above deal exclusively with the freight saving on wheat shipped to Churchill as compared with the freight which would have been paid on the same wheat had it been moved to the lake-head. These figures do not take into account the diversion charge paid to elevator companies in respect to Churchill shipments. From August 1, 1939, to July 31, 1949, the Churchill diversion charges were as follows:

From August 1, 1939, to July 31, 1940, lb

From August 1, 1940, to July 31, 1947, 1

From August 1, 1947, to date, 1 per bushel.

The following table shows diversion charges paid by the board on wheat shipped to Churchill:

Diversion

Crop year Crop account Premiums Paid

1939 $ 5,707.77

1940 . 457.24

1941

1942 -

1 942

1944

1945 703.03

1946 48,187.81

1947 55,120.78

1948 63,108.86