Mr. Speaker:

I have the honour to inform the house that I have received a message from His Excellency the Governor General, signed by his own hand, reading as follows:

Government House, Ottawa, 9th April, 1952

Members of the House of Commons:

I have received with great pleasure the address that you have voted in reply to my speech at the opening of parliament. I thank you sincerely for this address.

Vincent Massey VACANCIES

Mr. Speaker:

I have the honour to inform the house that I have received a communication informing me that the following vacancies have occurred in the representation:

Of Joseph Alfred Dion, Esquire, for the electoral district of Roberval, consequent upon his acceptance of an office of emolument under the crown.

Of Henri A. Gosselin, Esquire, for the electoral district of Brome-Missisquoi, by decease.

Of Heber Harold Hatfield, Esquire, for the electoral district of Victoria-Carleton, by decease.

I accordingly issued my warrants to the chief electoral officer to make out new writs of election for the said electoral districts respectively.

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

Mr. Speaker, as you know, standing order 56 requires that if a vacancy occurs in the office of chairman of the committee of the whole house the house shall forthwith proceed to elect a successor. In conformity with that rule I move, seconded by Mr. Howe:

That Louis Rene Beaudoin, Esquire, member for the electoral district of Vaudreuil-Soulanges, be appointed chairman of the committees of the whole house.

Hear, hear.

Mr. Si. Laurent:

I need not say, in view of the way in which this motion has been greeted by the house, that we all appreciate the experience the hon. gentleman has acquired in his role as deputy chairman of the committees of the whole and we hope he will be able to exercise in his new role the same urbanity and impartial fairness he displayed in his role of deputy chairman of committees.

Hon. F. G. Bradley (Secretary of State) moved:

That the report from the civil service commission respecting certain employees of the House of Commons, tabled on April 8, 1952, be approved.

He said: The report was presented by you, Mr. Speaker, yesterday.

Hon. Stuart S. Garson (Minister of Justice):

Mr. Speaker, on March 31 last I informed the house that I had received the report of the committee appointed to study combines legislation, which has come to be known as the MacQuarrie committee. I explained at that time that I was delaying the tabling of the report until we could get the French translation of it. I am now tabling the final report, mimeographed in French and in English.

Support Prices for Beef

I may say that in the interests of early tabling the appendices, which consist of present and past legislation, are not included in the French copy, but will be tabled later as soon as they become available. While it is convenient to have them appended to the report for ready reference, they are not necessary to an understanding of it.

It is the intention of the government after the Easter recess to introduce legislation based upon the report.

Mr. George A. Drew (Leader of ihe Opposition):

I should like to ask the minister whether the report recommends the setting up of some body to examine matters coming under the Combines Investigation Act, which body will be an intermediate stage between the investigation division and the combines branch.

Mr. Garson:

No, I do not think I would put it quite in that way.