Mr. SPEOULE.

Yes, but the mail goes through the central office.

Mr. PUGSLEY.

Have you not a building there?

Mr. SPEOULE.

Not that I know of; I would not say that there is not.

Mr. PUGSLEY.

Yes, I am told that there is a postal station at Parkdale, but the point I want to make is that postal stations exist in Toronto on identically the same plan as in Montreal.

Mr. SPEOULE.

What did the one at

Parkdale cost?

Mr. PUGSLEY.

An hon. MEMBEE. Let it go.

Mr. PUGSLEY.

All right, we will let it go.

Mr. SPEOULE.

But that is not an answer. If the city of Toronto, with about Mr. SPROULE.

400,000 people, returns double the postal revenue, and if that number of people seem to be well served and the cost of providing the accommodation is less than half of what it is in Montreal, do not you think there is something wrong in the principle we follow in serving the people of Montreal as compared with that adopted in Toronto? It seems to me that there must be of necessity, and if it costs so much more to handle millions less of letters and papers in one city than it does in the other and returns to the revenue only half as much, I think it might to be remodelled in some way, because there is a want of good business principle involved in it. .

Mr. PUGSLEY.

I do not know as to the revenue, but it may veTy well be that those large departmental stores that you have in Toronto, such as the Eatons, whose business amounts to millions-perhaps to a million dollars a month-and whose business is largely done through the mails, the Simpsons and the other big departmental stores, would add immensely to the volume of the postal business and that could easily be transacted with one office, because the mail matter could all be put in bags and removed from these stores. As my hon. friend referred to Toronto, I mention these postal stations to show that the same plan is adopted in Toronto as in Montreal, and that postal stations are necessary for the public accommodation. My bon. friend representing the city -of St. John (Mr. Daniel) knows that we have postal stations in that city, that we have St. John North, St. John West and St. John East, St. John East being where the main post office is and St. John West being the place at which a public building was erected a good many years ago for postal purposes. London is divided into districts, there is no inconvenience, and I presume that in Montreal it would be the same. It may be Montreal East, Montreal West, or Montreal South, according as these postal stations may be denominated.

Mr. SPEOULE.

Then I would like if the minister, at some future stage in his estimates, when we are dealing with public buildings, would give us information as to how many stations there are in Toronto, the cost of them to the country and how many there are in Montreal.

Mr. PUGSLEY.

Would my hon. friend be good enough to let that stand until the postal estimates are under consideration, because it would properly be furnished by the Post Office Department. If he would mention it then I will see that he gets the information.

Mr. SPEOULE.

Then I may be told by the Postmaster General that it is not in his department, but in that of the Department

of Public Works, and I am asking the Minister of Public Works to provide that informa'tion at some future time, when we are dealing with his estimates again.

Mr. PUGSLEY'. I will see that it is furnished. ,

Marieville public building, $17,000.

Mr. PUGSLEY.

Of this amount $10,000 is a revote.

Mr. LANCASTER.

What is this building to cost?

Mr. PUGSLEY.

The contract price is $16,300. In addition to that we paid $1,500 for the site; survey .of site, legal and travelling expenses, $340.91; fittings, furniture, lock boxes estimated at $3,500; sidewalks, fences, contingencies and superintendence, which will be in addition to the contract pi ice of $16,300.

Mr. LANCASTER.

What is the population?

Mr. PUGSLEY.

For the two places to be served it would be about 2,400.

Mr. PRICE.

What is the population of Marieville?

Mr. PUGSLEY.

It was 1,300 nine years ago, but I believe it is increasing; it has a convent, asylum, classical college, 11 stores, 4 hotels, saw-mill, foundry, straw and fur hat factory, threshing machine factory and a bank. It is evidently a place of considerable importance, and I believe it is growing quite rapidly.

Mr. LANCASTER.

What was the revenue last year?

Mr. PUGSLEY'. $1,323, customs duties $7,666, money orders issued $21,852, money orders paid $13,000.