Mr. Speaker:

May I be permitted to present the first report of the select committee appointed on October 9, 1951, to consider with Mr. Speaker the procedure of this house for the purpose of suggesting any changes that may be desirable to assure the more expeditious dispatch of public business.

The report is as follows:

Your committee held a meeting on Thursday, the 11th instant, and after consideration of the various proposals advanced with respect to changes in house procedure, more particularly those relating to the hours of sitting, recommends as follows:

1. That the following new hours of sitting be given a trial on an experimental basis during the next two weeks:

(a) For the week commencing on Monday, the 15th of October, Mr. Speaker take the chair at 1.30 o'clock, p.m., on each sitting day and adjourn the house at 7 o'clock, p.m., without question put, unless the closure rule (standing order 39) be then in operation: and, unless otherwise ordered, the hour set aside for private and public bills under standing order 15 be from 6 o'clock, p.m. to 7 o'clock, p.m., on Tuesday and Friday, instead of the present hour of 8 o'clock, p.m. to 9 o'clock, p.m.

(b) For the week commencing on Monday, the 22nd of October, Mr. Speaker take the chair at 2 o'clock, p.m. on each sitting day, and adjourn the house at 10 o'clock, p.m., without question put, unless the closure rule (standing order 39) be then in operation; except on Wednesday when the hour of adjournment will be 6 o'clock, p.m.; with provision for the usual intermission from 6 o'clock, p.m. to 8 o'clock, p.m.; and, unless otherwise ordered, the hour set aside for private and public bills under standing order 15 remain as at present.

2. That toward the end of the second week your committee consider the results of the two weeks' experiment and bring in further recommendations based thereon.

Mr. W. G. Weir (Portage-Neepawa):

Mr. Speaker, by leave of the house I beg to move, seconded by the hon. member for Grenville-Dundas (Mr. Casselman):

That the first report of the select committee appointed on October 9, 1951, to consider with Mr. Speaker the procedure of this house for the purpose of suggesting any changes that may be desirable to assure the more expeditious dispatch of public business and presented this day be now concurred in.

Hon. J. J. McCann (Minister of National Revenue):

I with to table the report of the Department of National Revenue for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1951. So far as export of petroleum and pulpwood regulations are concerned, none having been promulgated since the last return was made no report will be made regarding this item.

Mr. J. L. MacDougall (Vancouver-Burrard) moved

for leave to introduce Bill No. 2, to amend the Dominion Day Act and the Victoria Day Act.

Explain.

Mr. MacDougall:

Mr. Speaker, you will

recall that during the last session of the house I performed a similar duty, and I received some justifiable criticism from various members of the house because I apparently seemed too anxious to have this legislation passed by this body. I believe it was the general consensus of opinion then that some time should elapse so that public reaction to the bill could be ascertained by the members of the house. Since that time public reaction certainly has been duly ascertained.

Explain.

Mr. MacDougall:

Now we find that, according to the Gallup poll, 73 per cent-

Explain.

Mr. Speaker:

Order. I would ask the hon. member merely to explain the bill.

Mr. MacDougall:

I have got that bit of information on the record. Thank you very much.

Mr. Speaker:

I think the hon. member has explained the bill.

Motion agreed to and bill read the first time.

Proposed Legislation INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

Mr. Stanley Knowles (Winnipeg North Centre) moved

for leave to introduce Bill No. 3, to amend the Industrial Relations and Disputes Investigation Act (voluntary revocable check-off).