Rt. Hon. Sir ROBERT BORDEN:

In reply

to the question addressed to me yesterday by the leader of the Opposition, it is my duty, but with great regret, to inform the

House that the health of Sir Thomas White has 'been seriously impaired by the enormous responsibilities and the severe, and unremitting 'labours -which have been imposed upon him in the performance of his duties since the outbreak of -war. No burdens of anything like the same magnitude have ever been imposed upon a Minister of Finance in Canada for a like period. Sir Thomas White's keen realization of duty impelled him to throw into the task his utmost strength .and: energy. His wide business experience and his great ability enabled him to render to Canada a service for which the whole country should be grateful. After my return to Ottawa about the middle of J anuary I became convinced that he required immediate and prolonged rest, and I strongly urged him to put aside his work for such a period as would bring about a thorough restoration of his health. He finally agreed to do so; and upon consulting an eminent physician he was informed of the imperative necessity that he should desist from all active work for a period of six months at least There is not the slightest doubt that Sir Thomas White would greatly desire to be relieved from his present responsibilities, but on the other hand he finds himself confronted with the duty of remaining at his post, if at all possible, until the conclusion of the war. His colleagues would gladly undertake to carry on the work of his department during the present session, in order that he may have the necessary rest; and the duties of Minister of Finance have been, during his absence, entrusted to the very capable hands of Mr. Maclean. I am not confident, however, that Sir Thomas White will find it consistent with his ideal of duty to remain absent during the session while still continuing as Minister of Finance. On the other hand, his colleagues naturally shrink from asking him to resume, at the risk of a permanent breakdown of his health, the crushing burdens which he has been sustaining during nearly four years of war. I am in correspondence with him and any further announcement will be delayed until after the Easter holidays.

Sir ROBERT BORDEN:

The attention of Sir Edward Kemp, Minister of the Overseas Military Forces, has been directed to certain animadversions which, from time to time, have appeared in the press with regard to the officers and men who are

,

employed at headquarters at Argyll House in London. Argyll House is the headquarters for some hundreds of thousands of men who are now engaged in France or in Great Britain in the military service of this Dominion. In a telegram received recently from Sir Edward Kemp he has asked me to make public the following statement, and I accordingly do so:

Of seventy-six officers and two hundred and nine other ranks employed at Argyll House fifty-five officers and one hundred and twenty-eight other ranks have seen service in the Field, the great majority of whom were evacuated owing to wounds. Sixty-four of the other ranks without overseas service are at present unfit for general service. On becoming fit they Will immediately be replaced by returnel casualties. May I direct attention to the fact that the officers in charge of this responsible work at Argyll House are men of high reputation. They are Canadian citizens whose names for the most part are household words in Canada. Generally they have abandoned occupations at great sacrifice to perform a service for their country. Heads of branches have seen service at the Front and they are continually pressing claims to be freed from onerous, difficult and exacting tasks with which they have to deal at headquarters in order that they may return to the Front.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER:

May I suggest that it would be advisable to have the

names of those men?

Sir ROBERT BORDEN:

I will get them.

Sir SAM HUGHES:

I notice that the name " Argyll House " is employed. Does

that include all the service in and around the headquarters in London?

Sir ROBERT BOtRDEN: I really do not know. I will ascertain?

Sir SAM HUGHES:

I think it will be feund that it does not.

1. Has the attention of the Government been drawn to the urgent need of more speedy

action on the part of Leave-of-Absence Boards in disposing of appeals of men who have had farm experience, and whose services will be required immediately for spring work, on the farms and for seeding?

2. Has the Government taken into consideration the rrobable need of the appointment of additional Leave-of-Absence Boards with a view tc the more expeditious disposal of appeals by men required for farm work?