Mr. Speaker:

It is an important question; but questions asked when the orders of the day are called must be urgent, and on important questions of public concern. There is a provision in our rules for putting questions to the ministry through the order paper. That is the usual procedure. There is no provision in our rules for asking oral questions of the ministry; however, it is a custom which has grown up.

Under our rules. questions are answered on two or three days of each week. As I said before, only urgent questions on important matters of public concern should be asked at this time. A question that can wait two or three days for an answer should not be asked. I sometimes feel that too much latitude is given in the asking of questions.

Inquiries of the Ministry All I can do is to ask members of the house to try to follow the established practice in respect to asking questions.

Mr. Thatcher:

I thank you for your ruling, sir; but might I point out that thousands of cattle are not being moved in Canada today because-

Order.

Mr. Speaker:

That is why I allowed the hon. member to ask his first question. Any question as to necessary procedure I think should appear on the order paper. I felt his first question was in order and I allowed it.

Mr. Charles Henry (Rosedale):

Mr. Speaker,

I should like to ask a question of the Minister of Resources and Development. Is he in a position to give information concerning the cost of producing and distributing the national film board release "Royal Journey"?

Mr. Speaker:

Is there any urgency in. that question? I think it should be placed on the order paper.

Mr. L. E. Cardiff (Huron Norih):

I should like to ask a further question of the Minister of Agriculture, which has to do with an article in the Toronto Daily Star of March 25, where the minister is reported to have said that it was government policy to put hogs to grass in the summer and not to have them marketed until such time as a suitable market could be found for them.

Right Hon. J. G. Gardiner (Minister of Agriculture):

I did not say that; that is all I have to say. And I did not know they put hogs to grass, in any considerable numbers.

Mr. T. A. M. Kirk (Digby-Yarmouth):

should like to ask a question of the Minister of Fisheries. Has the minister seen the press statement to the effect that the Nova Scotia government is giving full consideration to the plight of the Nova Scotia fishermen, and that the Nova Scotia and federal governments are carrying on negotiations with regard to the matter? If so, will the minister tell the

Inquiries of the Ministry house what representations have been made by the Nova Scotia government, and what is the result to date of such negotiations?

Mr. J. Watson MacNaught (Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Fisheries):

would say in reply to the first part of the question asked by the hon. member for Digby-Yarmouth that I have seen the press dispatch to which reference is made.

In reply to the second part of the hon. member's question I would say that there have been informal and unofficial correspondence and telephone conversations between the minister of trade and industry in Nova Scotia and some of the federal ministers. There has also been a telegram from the minister of trade and industry in Nova Scotia to the Minister of Fisheries (Mr. Mayhew). However there has been no formal proposal from Nova Scotia.