Mr. PELLETIER moved:

That a message be sent to the Senate to acquaint their Honours that this House doth agree to the amendment made by the Senate to the Bill No. 147, an Act to amend the Post Office Act, with an amendment as follows: Strike out the words * and shall not take effect

until so revised or ratified,' at the end of said amendment, for the following reason:

Because these words would have the effect of preventing the Post Office Department from collecting postage.

And as a consequential amendment the words * one cent ' be inserted in the blank between the words ' exceed ' and ' for.'

Mr. LEMIEUX:

I would like to ask my hon. friend the Postmaster General if toe has consulted the press associations about this amendment which he suggests, because I am informed that the press is satisfied, only with the proviso that the Bill shall not take effect until so revised or ratified; that is, as to the rates. In other words, the press would like to be under the control of Parliament as regards the rates, whilst the contention of my hon. friend is that he should have that control, that is, the Treasury Board.

Mr. PELLETIER:

That is the way it is intended.

Mr. LEMIEUX:

It is too late to discuss this matter, but I simply state that, as the press is most affected regard should be had to their objection, and my hon. friend should not object to maintaining the old order of things. The rates have always been under the control of Parliament. Why should my hon. friend appropriate to himself the right to dictate the rates, without Parliament having its say? It seems to me an extraordinary power, and I make the objection on behalf of the Associated Press. My hon. friend may not perhaps succeed in convincing the Senate; at all events, he is taking a risk.

Mr. PELLETIER:

It would be too bad to see this Bill fall through. It provides for an increase in salaries for the railway mail clerks, and I take the view that the Senate has no right to amend what is a money Bill. They proposed an amendment to which I agreed, and after they had voted that amendment it came down, and the gentlemen of the press asked us for further concessions, which we consented to. When the Bill went back to the Senate, the Senate went back upon its first amendment. I understand that there is some desire that this should be made right, and I am moving that a message be sent to the Senate for that purpose.

Mr. LEMIEUX:

I understand that the sections of the Bill affecting the railway mail clerks could very well stay, if this agreement is lost between my hon. friend and the Upper House. There is no connection between an increase of salaries and the rates of postage.

Mr. PELLETIER:

It is a money Bill and the Senate has no right to amend a money Bill.

Mr. LEMIEUX:

No objection has been taken there.

Mr. PELLETIER:

Yes.

Mr. LEMIEUX:

But it was over-ruled. At all events, I wish to state that the only objection to the Bill is that my hon. friend assumes powers which until now have always belonged to Parliament-Otherwise there is no objection to the Bill.

Mr. BORDEN:

This is an amendment the effect of which is to provide that certain property of the Montreal Harbour Commissioners not within the limits of the harbour shall remain as it is at present, so that there may be jurisdiction exercised by the city of Montreal in respect to taxation, as I understand.