Mr. WALLACE.

I presume that every vessel that called at that port is included in these figures. The 25 vessels that departed from Sorel had a tonnage of 14,3S9 tons or less than 600 tons each ; they being the same vessels that arrived, although there appear to be 4 less. That is the total business done at the port of Sorel; and it does not appear that there is any substantial increase in it. St. John, New Brunswick, had 1,197 vessels of British register as compared with 29 vessels at Sorel. Montreal had a tonnage of 964,000 tons, and Quebec 580,000 tons. Even a little place called La Have in Nova Scotia had 105 vessels of British register arriving there, and a larger number clearing from there. There are scores of places having a larger business. Sorel is not a new port in which we can -hope for any marked increase of trade that will require extra facilities. I think it owes its position largely to the fact that the minister (Hon. Mr. Tarte) has established his works there, which I presume adds largely to the population of the place and increases

its prosperity which I am delighted to hear of. How many men has the minister employed at Sorel ?

It depends on the work we hare on hand; sometimes 200, sometimes 300, and sometimes 400.

Mr. WALLACE.

And sometimes 600 or 700.

Not as much as that.

Mr. WALLACE.

I think it was stated last year that at times 500 hands were employed there. However, that may be, there is nothing at Sorel to warrant the expenditure of $265,000. The minister has not yet justified it. The shipping and the commerce of the port in no way justify this expenditure. Is that $265,000 the total expenditure from the beginning to the end ?

From beginning to end. The lowest tender was $255,000, and we suppose it will cost $10,000 or $12,000 more.

Mr. WALLACE.

That completes the job.

The whole thing.

Mr. WALLACE.

Are there buildings to be put on these wharfs ?

No. The Rutland Railway Company have stated to us in writing that as soon as these wharfs are completed they will erect an elevator and a warehouse for their trade, but at their own expense of course.

Mr. WALLACE.

The customs will probably require a warehouse there.

It will be a small amount of money.

Mr. WALLACE.

The Minister of Customs (Hon. Mr. Paterson) is not very small in his ideas of public expenditures. It is a growing time with him and he is not afraid to make the Custom Department grow as rapidly as any other department of the government. On the whole there is no justification for this immense expenditure at Sorel.

The argument of my hon. friend (Mr. Wallace), that the small trade done at Sorel does not justify this expenditure, is no argument whatever in this case. Sorel has great natural advantages, and if its trade it not larger than it is at present it is simply because there is no such accommodation as is contemplated under this vote. Not later than five years ago, I do not think there was a single dollar's worth of imports or exports at Parry Sound. There is a large trade there now, which has grown up in consequence of the accom-

modation which has been given to that locality. And so it is with Sorel, which is to-day a growing and thriving town of about 8,000 souls, at the junction of the St. Lawrence and Richelieu rivers. The Richelieu river is one of the most important of the many important rivers which we have in the province of Quebec. It is the outlet of Lake Champlain, and it waters one of the finest valleys in the world without any exception, even in the province of Ontario. It waters five or six of the best counties of the Dominion-VerchSres, Rouville, Richelieu, St. Hyacinthe, Iberville, St. John, Bagot and Missisquoi. Many years ago there was a very large and important trade at Sorel, because it was the outlet for that section of the country. That was previous to the era of railway transportation. Since the railways have been established, the trade of Sorel has gone down, and has been transferred to Montreal, which is allied with that section of country by railways. Afler the railways were built, the counties which I have named had no means of export except by railway to Montreal. Some of the lines of railway have been consolidated. The South Eastern, the United Counties, and the Rutland system are all concentrated under one management. It is manifest that a great trade must be carried on by that system of railways to Sorel if, instead of finding entrance to Montreal over the Victoria bridge, it can find a harbour at Sorel. This will be the case not only with the trade in agricultural products, which is large, but with the trade of several thriving towns on those lines of railway, such as St. Johns, St. Hyacinthe and Iberville. But above all things it is an agricultural country, productive of all cereals except wheat, as well as butter, cheese and hay. I do not believe there is a more thriving population anywhere in Canada than in the valley of the Richelieu river. It is also connected with the Canada Atlantic, the Intercolonial and the South Shore Railways. Then, besides the counties I have mentioned, all the border counties of the St. Lawrence-Ya-maska, Nicolet, Lotbiniere-will be connected by railway with this harbour. When it has the facilities which it will have when this work is completed, it must have as a natural consequence a very large trade. We know from experience that when there are good natural conditions, and the accommodation is provided which is required by the modern means of traffic, the traffic will come. The province of Quebec up to the present time has had only two harbours-the harbour of Montreal and the harbour of Quebec. These harbours are going forward by leaps and bounds, but they are not the only harbours which are showing signs of progress. The harbour of Three Rivers will be one of the most important of the Dominion in a few years, and Sorel will be another. The trade of Canada at the present time is growing at such a marvellous rate that my lion.

Sir WILFRID LATJRIER.

friend will not be surprised if we give some accommodation at Sorel for the trade, which is only awaiting the required facilities to find its way to that locality. In the maritime provinces there are ten or twelve great harbours. I do not complain of that ; on the contrary, I am delighted, and would like to see more of them. In this matter, although the expenditure seems large, there is every reason to believe that it is warranted by the condition of things existing at Sorel.

Mr. HUGHES (Victoria).

Will the elevators be built by the government ?

No.

Mr. HUGHES (Victoria).

Is it the intention of the government to build docks in all the harbours of Canada ?

Not in all the harbours, but wherever they are required.

Mr. HUGHES (Victoria).

I understood that the shipping companies and the various municipalities interested constructed their own docks throughout Canada ?