Mr. GERMAN:

The state of New York

has no more jurisdiction over it than the province of Ontario. The federal government of the United States and the federal government of Canada control navigation on the St. Lawrence.

Mr. GERMAN:

I desire to say one word

with reference to what has been stated by the hon. member for West York. He suggests that the Hydro-Electric Power Commission should be allowed to go on immediately and construct the Morrisburg dam and develop electrical power at that point. I do not know that anyone who desires electrical power so far as Ontario is concerned will seriously object to that, but the great obstacle in the way is the United States government. They will not agree to the Hydro-Electric Power Commission putting a dam across the river to the American territory at Morrisburg for the purpose of developing American power. So that will stop that proposition at once. I think the government have been delaying this matter too long. I quite agree with the leader . of the opposition that we have too many commissions. I think all that was necessary was to have a board of engineers, three on each

Supply-Railways and Canals

side, to supervise and inspect the figures prepared by Mr. Bowden and Mr. Wooten, the Canadian and United States engineers who made the report to the International Joint Commission. It seems to me that all that is now necessary is to have those figures checked up to see if they are correct, and find out that the work will not cost more than the estimate made in that report. If it will not cost more, then go on and carry out the project.

Mr. GERMAN:

It can be developed under the proposition recommended by the International Joint Commission just as quickly and easily as it can be developed by building the dam at Morrisburg, because it will take no longer to build a dam at the foot of the Long Sault rapids than it would take to build a dam at Morrisburg, and all the dams and locks could be constructed concurrently; so that five or six years should see the completion of the work after the plans and specifications were provided and the contractors told to go ahead and do the work.

Mr. GERMAN:

Ontario will not pay for it. It is a fact that electrical power can be developed, as outlined in the report of the International Joint Commission, and sold at the switchboard of the power house at a cheaper figure than power is to-day being sold by the Hydro-Electric Power Commission at Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Mr. W. M. GERMAN (Welland):

I beg

t,, move that the following bills from the

Miscellaneous Private Bills, and that rule 103 be suspended in reference thereto:

Bill No. 260 (W6 of the Senate), intituled: "An Act for the relief of Elgin Caughey".

Bill No. 261 (X6 of the Senate), intituled: "An Act for the relief of Alma Ducharme Mullins."