Sir WILLIAM MU LOCK.

Rubbish.

Sir WILLIAM MU LOCK.

Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman is entirely misstating the facts if he means by ' hon. gentlemen opposite ' the government.

Sir WILLIAM MU LOCK.

Well, I do not pretend to be more astute than, or even as astute as a very large number of the members of this House, but when the hon. gentleman admits himself that he wovild not have discovered the hidden meaning in this clause and that all those around him would not have discovered it, surely he will be charitable to another weak member of humanity who was likewise not able to discover it.

Sir WM. MU LOCK (Postmaster General).

Last spring the Mexican government agreed with the Canadian government to grant a subsidy of $50,000 in gold towards establishing two lines of steamers between Canada and Mexico, one on the Pacific ocean and the other on the Atlantic. The Canadian government, in pursuance of that understanding, asked and obtained a vote from this parliament of $50,000 last session, and the Mexican government did the same. I understand that the Department of Trade and Commerce invited tenders for both services, and received tenders ; but the tenders were quite in excess of the total sum of $100,000 gold voted by the two governments.

Sir WILLIAM MU LOCK.

Mr. John

Sharp entered the service on the 22nd September, 1891, as a porter. But he is a man of unusual ability and gives promise of being a good clerk. The promotion is entirely upon merit and because of Mr. Sharp's special efficiency. He is altogether too good a man to be kept in the rank of a porter.