Mr. AMES.

On the principle of a new broom sweeping clean, we look to the hon. minister (Mr. Prefontaine) to improve on his predecessors, not necessarily to accept the system that he found in use.

Mr. PREFONTAINE.

That is why I made inquiries of the managers of large concerns as to their system.

Mr. MONK.

As to the list of those from whom the department purchased, can the minister, the next time his estimates are under consideration, lay that information on the table ?

Mr. PREFONTAINE.

I suppose the hon. gentleman (Mr. Monk) will find it in the Auditor General's Report.

Mr. MONK.

We have there a list of those who have sold to the department, but not of all those who have endeavoured to sell. If there is a regular list, we are entitled to see it, of course.

Mr. PREFONTAINE.

There is no regular list. Mr. Desbarats makes his list himself, consulting, of course, the officials of the department as to the reliability of the firms. Where he finds that he does not get bottom prices he tries elsewhere. Of course, we try to purchase from Canadian firms wherever possible. If the hon. gentleman (Mr. Monk) has a list to suggest, I am sure he will take it into consideration.

Mr. MONK.

I do not complain of the names, but wished to know if there was a regular list. If the list in the Auditor General's Report is the only one-

Mr. PREFONTAINE.

There are some on the list of the director who have never succeeded in selling five dollars' worth to the department.

Mr. AMES.

I hope the hon. minister can assure us that there exists no preferential list, for I have received a communication from a leading firm in my own city in which they state that they are not on the privileged list and do not supply anything to the department. If I can assure them that there

is no such list-

Mr. AMES.

Mr. PREFONTAINE. I have known parties to complain that they made no sales to the department, and, on looking up their names, have found that they were supplying more than any other.

Mr. LALOR.

I understood the minister to say that he found a list in the department, and had since added names to it.

Mr. PREFONTAINE.

The engineer sent me a list, for approval, of people from whom he asked tenders, and I suggested some other firms in addition to that list. I suppose he has added those names.

Mr. LALOR.

I understand that the question asked by the hon. member for Jacques Cartier (Mr. Monk) was whether the list would be brought down.

Mr. PREFONTAINE.

I did not say there was a list in my department. I understood that the director of the works in Sorel had a list before him. In making such large purchases of supplies, where you have an expenditure of $200,000 or $300,000 a year, it stands to reason that the director will have a list of firms from whom prices would be asked. Of course he must have some knowledge of the dealers, and be in a position to ask them for prices.

Mr. HENDERSON.

What are the special qualifications for getting on to this list?

Mr. PREFONTAINE.

To be an honest and straightforward merchant.

Mr. HENDERSON.

Then are we to understand that all those merchants in Montreal whose names are not on the list are dishonest ? I hope the gentleman does not mean to insinuate that those whose names are not on that list cannot qualify.

Mr. PREFONTAINE.

There are other qualifications.

Mr. MONK.

I would like to draw the hon. gentleman's attention to page 274 of the Public Works Report where there is an analysis of a new construction under way during that year. I understood from his remarks a moment ago that next year this new consltruction account will be more complete, and that we will have credited to each dredge and each tug the expenses for that particular construction.

Mr. PREFONTAINE.

The hon. gentleman is not a manufacturer, he does not know bookkeeping as well as his neighbour (Mr. Henderson). There will be in the books of the department at Sorel entries made to justify the expenditure on every dredge, whatever it may be. But it would be improper to put all those details in a report.