Mr. CROSBY.

I fear I misunderstood the minister, and if the minister will be good enough to set the matter right, I feel it will make us all feel happier and we can go on better. I ask this for my guidance. Like every other member, I have a tendency and desire to be courteous and fair to the ministers of the Crown, but at the same time I do look for strong lessons in courtesy and kindliness, and even sympathy, from ministers of the Crown to members of the House. I hope the minister will in a few'words set this at rest and let us go on.

Mr. STAPLES.

I think the member for Halifax (Mr. Crosby) is taking good ground when he raises this question, and I wasi hoping the Minister of the Interior would retract the statement he threw across the House to the member for Dauphin. The minister is a westerner, and probably outside of this House he would be in the habit of using western expressions that would not be thought, anything of in the west. I think as a member of this House, it was a dirty slur he cast when he made the statement that he apologized to the Douk-hobors because he had classified the member for Dauphin with them. I have known the member for Dauphin for a great many years, and orftside of his western spirit, Mr. CROSBY.

which is very noticeable, he is the last man who would cast a slur that would in any way reflect on the character of an hon. member of this House. I do not believe it is yet too late to raise the point of order, and I ask the minister to retract the statement he made reflecting on the character and associates of the member for Dauphin. There is no doubt the Minister of the Interior had in his mind, he has admitted tonight when he made that statement before six o'clock, we who know the member for Dauphin, and he who knows him, knows what he had in his mind when he made the statement across the floor that his Bill, which is now before us for discussion,1 was wide enough for the member for Dauphin and all his relatives to come in' on. *

Mr. OLIVER.

I beg my hon. friend's pardon, I did not say relatives.

Mr. STAPLES.

Until the minister acts the man and withdraws what he said, I for one do not intend clause 1 to pass.

Oh, oh.

Mr. STAPLES.

If an hon. member on this side made the same statement as the Minister of the Interior made, you would rise to a man, and ask him to retract, but if an hon. member on this side had made that statement we as his colleagues would go to him, and ask him for the dignity of this House to retract it. Hon. gentlemen opposite when a minister casts a slur on a member on this side pound their desks. If the minister will say he did not mean anything more, if he will explain what he did mean or retract the words that in his opinion were offensive, we will proceed with the business of the House.

Mr. OLIVER.

My hon. friend says he knows what was in my mind when I replied to the hon. member for Dauphin.

Mr. STAPLES.

I said I had an opinion of what was in your mind.

Mr. OLIVER.

And wanted me to apologize for that which he thought was in my mind. Before I apologize I will ask him to tell the House what he thinks was in my mind so I will know what I am apologizing for.

Mr. CAMPBELL.

I have no desire to be a football between my Liberal friends and my own partisans in a question of this kind. I feel that the Minister of the Interior was acting a part far beneath the dignity of his office when he threw the slur across at me which he did throw, but for that reason if he has not the manliness and the gentlemanliness to get up and withdraw the sentiment that he put into my mind, I have no desire, and I would ask my hon. friends on this side to take no

further notice, because a man of that kind is absolutely beneath contempt.

Mr. OLIVER.

Mr. Chairman

Mr. DEPUTY SPEAKER.

I am afraid the closing words of the member for Dauphin are not in order, and I would prefer that he withdrew them.

Mr. CAMPBELL.

I have no desire, as I think you know, at any time to contravene the rules of this House, but you must know, from what you said a few moments ago you must feel, that the provocation has been very great, and that while my words are not parliamentary they are absolutely just, but being unparliamentary I must withdraw them on your ruling.

Mr. OLIVER.

I would like to say that there' seems to be some misunderstanding on the part of mv hon. friend from Macdonald (Mr. Staples) as to what was in my mind when I answered my hon. friend from Dauphin. I cannot tell what he thinks was in my mind. I presume he thinks it was something that was very bad.

Mr. EDWARDS.

Withdraw your words and never mind what was in your mind.

Mr. OLIVER.

I will not withdraw any words at the call of any bully inside or outside the House.

Take it back.

Mr. EDWARDS.

As I was speaking before the Minister of the Interior got up 1 infer that his word ' bully,' refers to me, and I ask him to withdraw it unreservedly.

Mr. DEPUTY SPEAKER.

If the minister has referred to any member as a 'bully,' of course it would be unparliamentary, and'I ask him to withdraw.

Mr. OLIVER.

If my hon. friend from Frontenac considers that I applied the word to him