1. The two post offices in the city of Sherbrooke are independent post offices, neither being a. branch of the other. The letter rate is fixed by statute, and not under the control of the government, and the rates charged in Sherbrooke are in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

2. The answer to the second question is : No.

1. What amount was paid last year to the government ot Manitoba for interest on the school trust fund ?

2. Was the total amount claimed by the government of Manitoba paid ? If not, how much was deducted, and for what reason ?

1. The amount paid to the Manitoba government on account of interest, &c., on the Manitoba school lands fund for the fiscal year 1903-1904 was as follows :-

Interest on the credit balance of the fund on 30th June, 1904. . $31,290 60 Balance revenue, other than principal moneys, and interest on sales, for fiscal year 1903-1904. 43,934 26

Total $75,224 92

2. The total amount claimed by the Manitoba government has not been paid. There are two amounts, in regard Vo which a settlement has not yet been made.

(a.) The sum of $81,342.17 being the total amount of the costs of management from the time the fund was formed in 1879 to the 30th June, 1904. The reason that it has not been settled is on account of the difference of opinion between the provincial government and the Auditor General as to the mode of treating these costs.

(b.) The government of Manitoba contends that the loan of $30,000 made to the province in 18(9 and 1884, and which, in accordance with the provisions of Act 41 Vic., cap. 13, was repaid out of the first proceeds of sales' should now be paid over to the province.

BUILDINGS LEASED BY THE GOVERNMENT. Mr. SAM. HUGHES asked :

1. How many buildings or portions of buildings in the city of Ottawa have been leased by the government for public purposes since the 1st of January, 1904 ?

2. Where are such buildings or portions thereof located, and who are the lessors ?

3. What rental has the government stipulated to pay for the use of these buildings or portions thereof ?

4. By what branches of the public service are these buildings occupied ?

5. In the preparation of the leases did -the government stipulate, in each case, that the

Mr. WORTHINGTON.

lessor or lessors should pay taxes to the municipality of Ottawa ?

6. If such stipulation was not included in any lease, what was the exemption, and why was it made ?

i. In the event of the government deciding to lease further buildings in Ottawa for public purposes, or to renew existing leases when they expire, is it the intention of the government to insist that the lessor or lessors must pay municipal taxes on such buildings ?

Hon. OH AS. HYMAN (Acting Minister of Public Works) :

1 & 2. The following premises were rented by the government since 1st January, 1904 : Building on Queen street, owned by and leased from Jas. W. Woods ; two flats and store room in the Corry block, on Rideau street, owned by and leased from Jas. A. Corry ; two rooms in building, 193 Sparks street, owned by and leased from Slater & Sherwoqd ; two rooms in Orme block, 176 Wellington street, owned by and leased from J. L. Orme & Son.

3. Building on Queen street, at $5,300 per year ; flats and store room in Corry block, at $4,600 per year ; rooms in building, 193 Sparks street (Sherwood & Slater), at $45 per month ; rooms in Orme block, 176 Wellington street, at $250 per annum.

4. Jas. W. Woods' building, on Queen street, occupied by the Railway Commission; flats and store room in Corry block, occupied by the Georgian Bay Ship Canal Survey, by the Ottawa River Works staff, and the Hydraulic Survey of the Department of Marine and Fisheries ; rooms in buildings, 193 Sparks and 176 Wellington streets, are occupied by the Interior Department.

5 & 6. In the case of the Railway Commission lease, it has been stipulated that the lessees shall pay taxes. In the other cases, it being only for rooms and for a comparatively short period, no stipulation has been made about taxes.

7. This matter is now under the consideration of the government.

1. What is the total importation of merchandise for home consumption into Canada for the current fiscal year to December 31, 1904 ; also the importation from Great Britain and from the United States respectively ?

2. What is the total exports and the exports of home products for the same period, and also the exports of home products to Great Britain and the United States' ?

1. The total importations into Canada of merchandise for home consumption for the current fiscal year up to December 31st, 1904, was $123,043,650. For the same period, the importations of merchandise from Great Britain amounted to 828,923,454, and from the United States to $74,739,987.

2. The total exports of merchandise exported from Canada for the current fiscal

year up to December 31st, amounted to $118,438,246. Total exports of merchandise

borne products-for the same period, amounted to $113,229,216. Total exports of merchandise - home products - to Great Britain, $63,072,205, and to the United States to $38,077,738.

Mr. A. MARTIN asked :

Is it the intention of the government, in consonance with the resolution of the Fruit Growers' Association of Prince Edward Island, approved by the other organizations in Canada, to maintain its usefulness to the growing needs, the fruit industry demands ?

Hon. SYDNEY FISHER (Minister of Agriculture).

On the passage of the Act to providp for the marking- and inspection of packages containing fruit for sale, known as 1 The Fruit Alarks Act, 1901,' it became necessary to organize a staff for the administration and enforcement of the Act. The organization was placed, by the Minister of Agriculture, under the control of the Commissioner of Agriculture and Dairying, Dr. James W. Robertson, and became known as the fruit division of his branch.

In addition to the enforcement and administration of the Fruit Marks Act, the fruit division was charged with the supervision of the packing and transportation of fruit, particularly in cold storage and cool chambers, and the marketing of the same ; and this brought the work of the division in close connection with the cold storage and extension of markets divisions, which, having been organized principally for facilitating the transportation and promoting the sale of dairy products, were in charge of the chief of the dairy division, Air. J. A. Rud-dick, under the Commissioner of Agriculture and Dairying for several years prior to the retirement of the latter.

Upon the retirement of Dr. Robertson, and the abolition of the office of Commissioner of Agriculture and Dairying, Air. Ruddick was appointed dairy commissioner, the work of the cold storage and the extension of markets divisions being continued under him ; and owing to his close relations with the work of the fruit division, as above stated, it was deemed advisable to place the work of the latter division in his charge as well. The chief and other officers of the fruit division have been retained in office with the same duties as formerly, which they will hereafter perform under the dairy commissioner, as they formerly did under the Commissioner of Agriculture and Dairying.

It is the intention of the Alinister of Agriculture to make the work of the department, both in the fruit division and at the experimental farms, commensurate with the needs of the fruit industry of Canada.

Hon. CHARLES FITZPATRICK (Minister of Justice).

There are two judicial districts, one constituted by an Act of the British Columbia legislature in 1903, and the other similarly constituted in 1904. No appointment has been made to the bench for either district.