Mr. McLENNAN.

It did occur some years ago, under the regime of the late administration, and seems to have hung fire somewhere between the departments and the-courts. For some years nothing was done and the case stood in abeyance until a repetition of this species of illicit traffic in recent years caused public opinion to become alive to the importance of stamping it down. The proximity of the island of St. Pierre, Miquelon to Cape Breton has facilitated smuggling operations between the two places, and it is therefore of great urgency that offenders should be taught to respect the law. In order to' do this, it is considered advisable to start in with the original offender and have this case pushed to the end. Hence it is that I call for the papers at present. The prosecution was entered into by the Customs Department under the late government, but it would seem that a very important witness on that occasion conveniently disappeared, which for the time set the case at rest, but it appears that in recent years evidence has become available which is calculated to throw some light upon this mysterious matter, and public opinion calls for a further probing of the case. I believe that important evidence which was not available on the first occasion is available now, and I hope that the department will take the case up where it seems to have dropped. When last heard of. I believe it was in the hands of the agent of the Department of Justice at that time in Halifax. Who that gentleman is I cannot recall, but the papers are in that office now and should be available. While I agree with the lion.

Mr. MCLENNAN.

I am glad to learn that it is the intention of the Postmaster General to transfer the mail carrying service in the county of Inverness from the present carrier to the Inverness and Richmond Railway. As this is an important portion of the county which I represent, I would like to know how it is intended to carry the mails on the trains. Does the hon. Postmaster General intend to have them sorted by mail clerk, and delivered as is ordinarily done, or merely as baggage in the baggage car ? I can tell the hon. gentleman that this is a most important part of the community, that there are three very thriving mining towns springing up in the county of Inverness along this very route. I hope that the delivery will not be made in such a fashion that the change will be regarded by the people as a retrograde step. For the last thirty-five or forty years, the mail has been delivered twice in every twenty-four- hours along this route. I am sure that anything short of a delivery by mail clerk from the train would be considered by the community over this long distance, fifty-eight miles, as a step of a retrograde character. I did not have an opportunity within the last week or two to discuss this with the Postmaster General. 1 did talk it over with the gentleman in charge of the railway mail service, but he was not very clear then as to the manner in which the mail service in this connection was going to be canned out. And I would like to learn what is intended ? _

Mr. MCLENNAN.

I hope the Postmaster General will not apply the suggestion of the hon. member for Peel so far as the county of Inverness is concerned. It is a large farming county, and I am afraid the people of that county are not so altruistic as the people of the county of Peel are represented to be, who are willing to walk two or three miles to post a letter in order that one of their number may be adequately paid for keeping a post office. I would also remind the Postmaster General that the county of Inverness has special claims upon his attention; and I desire to tell him that, like my hon. friend from Victoria, I propose laying siege to him before the session is over in order to get more post offices. In answer to a question I asked in the House last year, he gave the very gratifying answer that .$5,000 a year was saved in the postal service of Inverness since 1896, as compared with a like previous period. With that satisfactory record I hope the hon. gentleman will give the people of that county better postal accommodation.

Mr. McLENNAN.

It is 140 miles long and 50 miles wide.

Mr. MCLENNAN.

Mr. Chairman, with regard to the expenditures in Inverness county for these schools and for medical attendance, I beg to say that the sum of $150 has been set aside to pay for medical attendance. There are two Indian reserves in the county of Inverness. One of these physicians attend the Indians on each reserve, and $150, at my suggestion, has been divided between them. Hence it is that so many names appear as receiving money from this government for medical services in Inverness. The whole amount does not exceed $150. I do not know how it is in other counties, but that is what holds true in the county of Inverness. With regard to the schools, I can only say that the government, at my suggestion also, built a very fine school there at an expenditure of $700 or so, and I may say, as the hon. minister said in regard to the schools in Ontario, the public inspector visits the Indian school just as regularly, and is bound to do so, as he visits any other school in the county of Inverness. The teacher also must be licensed, holding a provincial license, as the gentleman in charge of the Indian school now does. Sometimes I regret that the young Indians in that school are making such progress that they are very greatly adding to my correspondence. While I am up here they write to me and make known their wants like ordinary mortals in that county.