Mr. BORDEN:

I can tell my right hon. friend that Dr. Macdonald did take part in a provincial election in Ontario in 1902.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER:

Mr. BORDEN:

I spoke to the Deputy Speaker with regard to the election in Chateauguay, and he informed me that he did not speak on the public platform.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER:

I will leave it to him to say what he did.

Mr. BORDEN:

He certainly was in the county, but did not speak on the public platform.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER:

Perhaps not.

Mr. BORDEN:

A certain leavening has gome on very rapidly in this matter even in Canada. When Joseph Howe, James W. Johnson, Sir Charles Tupper and Sir William Young were fighting their political battles in Nova Scotia forty-five or fifty years ago, it was the custom, unless I am very much mistaken, for the Speaker to descend from the Chair and make violent partisan speeches, and to be attacked like any other member and to answer like any other member. A complete change has been brought about in that province as well as in Great Britain. My hon. friend knows that up to 1817 the Speaker in Great Britain participated in the political discussions of the House, even making violent speeches. The only question is whether we had better evolve the status of the Deputy Speaker in the same way as that of the Speaker has been evolved, or whether we had better lay down formal rules. I shall be quite satisfied to have the matter considered at the convenience of the right hon. gentleman.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER:

If I have permission to speak again, I would observe that the practice which the right hon. gentleman speaks of as having prevailed in Nova Scotia, prevailed in even stronger form in Lower Canada; for Mr. Papineau. who was really the leader of the Opposi-

tion, was Speaker of the House. I think that this debate will lead ;to the maim object I bad in view: that it will have the effect of .suggesting to the Deputy Speaker the desirability of less activity in these matters than he seems to have shown; otherwise he may be liable to be called an offensive partisan and to be dismissed. Motion withdrawn.

HOUSE OF COMMONS STATIONERY. On the Orders of the Day being called:

Mr. J. J. HUGHES:

I desire to call

attention to the quality of the stationery supplied to members of this House. I presume that the country is paying for first-class goods. Of course, if only second-class goods are paid for, we may have to' put up with the present quality. The envelopes are really no good at all, unless you wish to send an open letter. If you wish to send an enclosed letter, you have to get mucilage or wax and stick the envelopes yourself. I understand that this matter had been called to Your Honour's attention, but notwithstanding that it seems to me the quality of the stationery grows worse.

Mr. SPEAKER:

The matter was drawn

to my attention, and on looking into it, I found that the supply coming from the Printing Bureau was part of an old supply which is nearly exhausted. Samples of the new supply, both paper and envelopes, were submitted to me, and they are of an entirely different and much better grade than those which have been furnished. The envelopes are well mucilaged. The new supply is being rapidly prepared and will be furnished as soon as possible.

Mr. KYTE:

I desire to call attention

also to the quality of the blotting paper which is as little suited to the purpose for which it is designed as are the envelopes and paper. I would almost as soon use sole leather as the blotting paper of our present supply.

Mr. W. F. MACLEAN:

If there has been an inferior supply of stationery, why not discipline the officer responsible for it?

Mr. SPEAKER:

The supply of both has been on hand for some time and is being rapidly used up. My information is that better stationery will soon be supplied.

Mr. NANTEL:

This item covers the salaries of all excise employees, including the different classes of inspectors and collectors. There is an increase of $13,471.75. There are some new appointments and increases , of salaries. The salary of the exciseman is generally low; third-class excisemen start at $600. I consider that these salaries should be increased, and the increase over last year is to be applied to increasing the salaries of the lower grade officers in the department. The increase of an employee's salary is based upon a certificate from his chief that he is entitled to the increase.

Mr. McKENZIE:

Are these men in the

inside or the outside service?

Mr. NANTEL:

Outside only.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER:

When the

Civil Service Act was last revised, the gen-' tlemen who now sit on the Treasury Benches expressed the view, and put it. very strongly, that the principle of competitive examination should apply not oniy to the inside service, but to the outside service also. If there are any officers to whom the competitive examination should be applied, it seems to me that they are those in the excise service. Special qualifications are required of them, and I would ask my hon. friend if it is his intention to apply to that service the competitive examination system.