Mr. HARTIGAN:

Apparently a great

many members who have discussed coal subventions know very little about the matter, and particularly about the fundamental principles. A good definition of coal subventions would be that the subventions are paid to enable the Canadian producer of coal to obtain at current competitive rates business which otherwise would be beyond his reach. What difference does it make about the set-up of the company? What difference does it make about administrative costs? Take the wheat grower of the west. What difference did it make to us when wheat was sixty cents, because we were still paying $2 and $2.25 for a bag of bran in Cape Breton? Members from the west talk a great deal about coal subventions and ask whether the employee gets the benefit. It is axiomatic that if subventions enable the producer of coal to reach a market which would otherwise be beyond his reach, the labouring man must profit; he must get more, labour because of this new business.

Supply-Mines-Fuel Board

The hon. member for Rosetown-Biggar and others spoke of the great amount of money that had been paid in coal subventions. This is about the tenth year that coal subventions have been in effect. They originated in 1928-29, although they were in effect to a small extent for a few years before. In those ten years the large amount paid in coal subventions which hon. members opposite have been accentuating was $13,994,379.90. That was the total spent in coal subventions all over Canada in the past ten years. Is that a tremendous amount when we pass millions and millions of dollars to assist wheat for just one year?

Mr. HARTIGAN:

The hon. member knows that it is paid as subventions on traffic and not to labour.

Mr. HARTIGAN:

There is one other angle I should like the Postmaster General to bear in mind. As he must know, a great number of people in a large mining community are not so greatly interested in receiving their mail. It may be convenient for some of these people who receive only periodicals and an occasional letter to call at the main post office and get them: at the same time these people are depriving the vast majority of a daily delivery of mail. As I have said, if the department would instal the service and deliver the mail to those who have already equipped their doors with receptacles, the others would follow suit within a day or two.

Mr. HARTIGAN:

For a number of years Glace Bay has been looking for an extension of its town delivery. It is a large mining centre, with a population of about thirty to thirty-two thousand, and there is a partial system now installed which is working very well. Glace Bay is one of the best revenue producing cities which the department has. I understand the reason why the system has not been extended is that quite a number of the people have not fitted their doors with slots or receptacles in order to get the mail. I want to take this opportunity to point out to the departmental heads as well as to the minister that the people of Glace Bay have been promised this mail service for so many years that they have almost given up hope of getting it; and while quite a number have put in the slots or receptacles necessary for containing the mail, a great many others have not. I do not think it is fair to withhold the service from those who have equipped their doors, and I believe that if the department were to instal this service, say, any time to-morrow, those who have not equipped their doors to receive mail will do so within two or three days. They realize that the central portions of the town are efficiently served in this respect, but they say, " What is the use? We won't get it." I appeal to the minister to have the system installed, and I will guarantee that these people who only need to be convinced will certainly instal with alacrity their part of the equipment.

Mr. McLARTY; My understanding is that the only reason why the delivery system has not been installed was that it was required that fifty per cent of the residents along the route would instal slots in their doors. The purpose of the requirement is obvious. Without it, the mail carrier has to go round to the back-door; this results in inconvenience and delay in the mail, and it is unfair to those who do instal equipment. This is a matter in connection with which the department has

to observe some rules. We shall be glad to give consideration to the representations of the hon. member.

Mr. HARTIGAN:

He did not suggest that.