Mr. Chevrier:

Mr. Chairman, I do not want to interrupt the hon. member, but I do not see how he can discuss box cars under the board of transport commissioners item. There was an item under which we could have discussed that, and we did discuss it quite fully. I am asking the chairman to rule that this is not an item under which we could discuss box cars. I hope my hon. friend will assist me, because after all I am anxious, in all fairness to myself and to the committee, to get on with the work. There has been no attempt at curtailing discussion, I am sure.

Mr. Argue:

Just on the point of order, I want to point out to the minister that the board of transport commissioners certainly has something to do with the box car situation because I have a clipping-I have not got it with me-which indicates that a few weeks ago this question was discussed by the freight association before the board of transport commissioners.

Mr. Chevrier:

But that is a different thing altogether. An application was made to the board of transport commissioners asking the board to impose a maximum loading order on box cars. This has nothing lo do with the movement of grain, and it is th" r ' ways that provide the box cars for the movement of grain, not the board of trao-porx commissioners.

Mr. Argue:

No, but the maximum loading-

Mr. Chevrier:

I do not want tc ge. ,uto an argument with my hon. friend tha-. will continue for ten or fifteen minute.-. If the chairman rules it is in order, I shall sit and listen.

Mr. Knowles:

Was there not something in the news tonight, to the effect that the board of transport commissioners have made a ruling with respect to box cars?

The Deputy Chairman:

Even though I

should like the discussion to be as full as possible, I think that we ought to take into consideration the fact that when the first administration item of this department was put before the committee, this matter of the allocation of box cars throughout the country was fully discussed. Today the minister says that does not come under this item. I think hon. members should refrain from referring to this matter again.

It is also true that matters concerning applications made before the board should not be discussed under this item, which is a provision for the salaries of the commissioners and the employees.

Mr. Wright:

But, Mr. Chairman, the board of transport commissioners very definitely has something to do with the allocation of box cars between the various industries in this country, for instance, as to whether they will be used for the pulp and paper industry or whether they will be sent to western Canada to be used for the movement of grain.

Mr. Chevrier:

If it will assist my hon. friends, I shall tell them that there will be an opportunity to discuss this at a later date?

Mr. Wright:

On what date?

Mr. Chevrier:

On the supplementary

estimates.

Mr. Wright:

If it is in order on the supplementary estimates why is it not in order now?

Mr. Chevrier:

Not on this item.

Mr. Wright:

Under what item?

Mr. Chevrier:

Under the administration item, just as it was discussed under the administration item before.

Mr. Wright:

If it can be discussed under the administration item on the supplementary estimates, why can it not be discussed now?

Mr. Chevrier:

The board does not deal with box cars.

Mr. Wright:

Does the minister mean to say that the board of transport commissioners has nothing to do with the loading and distribution of box cars?

Mr. Chevrier:

This is what I wanted to avoid. My friend evidently wants to draw me into a discussion which would take five or ten minutes, and that is what I wanted

Supply-Transport

to avoid. If the chairman had ruled that this item could be discussed under this vote I would have sat and listened, but I submit that the chairman has made his ruling and I think my friend should submit to the ruling.

Mr. Stanfield:

Mr. Chairman, I may be somewhat out of order too. I did not know under what item I could bring this matter to the attention of the minister. On previous occasions when the transport estimates were up, I asked the minister to give consideration to having a faster passenger train run between Halifax and Montreal. Since then I have learned from railway officials that it is not feasible, owing to the roadbed and other considerations, to run the train any faster. There are three trains that come from Halifax-