Sir ROBERT BORDEN:

I shall, of course, be very happy to hear any suggestions the right hon. gentleman has to offer in that regard, but I would like to make this observation: The incident which seems to have provoked the first disturbance in the city of Quebec is an incident which has occurred hundreds, if not thousands, of times in other parts of the country, and has had no such results as those which' occurred on Thursday last. That might perhaps be borne well in mind.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER:

I do not know how the law has been observed elsewhere, but I take especial interest in the city of Quebec, as I happen to be one of its representatives in this House, and, in my humble judgment, the law will be observed there as in other parts of the country.

Sir ROBERT BORDEN:

Mr. J. A. CURRIE (North Simcoe):

Did I understand the right hon. leader of the Government to say that a date will be fixed for a debate on the Quebec riots?

Sir ROBERT BORDEN:

I merely said that to-morrow a fuller statement would be given after we had received official reports.

Mr. CURRilE: Might it not be well to fix, say, Thursday for the debate? Otherwise, I wish to give notice that on Thursday next I shall move for leave to adjourn the House for the purpose of discussing this matter.

Hon. RODOLPHE LEMIEUX:

I ask the Acting Minister of Finance whether, at the reauest of various boards of trade and business corporations, he is extending the time within which the income tax returns have to be made? I noticed in the financial press last week that a movement was on foot for' that purpose, and as a great many people do not fully understand the operation of the Act, I think if my hon. friend would grant a further delay it would be all the better.

Hon. A. K. MACLEAN (Acting Minister of Finance):

No further delay has been proposed; in fact, it would be hardly possible. However, upon request, we shall be pleased to consider any suggestion for reasonable delay.

Mr. DOHERTY:

The purpose of the

measure which is intended to be based on this resolution is to obviate an inconvenience that has arisen at different times in the past, and that presents itself perhaps, [DOT]more acutely at the present moment. As the members of the House are aware, a quorum of the Supreme Court consists of five of its members. Whenever by reason of circumstances it is not possible to unite such a number of the members of the court, while it is still possible for the court to proceed with four members only, the result of such a proceeding is not found [DOT]to be satisfactory in practice. That litigants reaching a court of ultimate appeal should find themselves face to face with a court so constituted that it may possibly divide evenly, with the result either that the judgment appealed from may be con-

side red standing or affirmed, or a rehearing be ordered is obviously not desirable. The purpose of this measure is to make it possible, when by reason of illness, .uinavoid-able absenoe, or other sufficient cause, five judges are not available for the holding of . the term, for the Chief Justice of the Supreme Co.urt or the senior puisne judge, in his absence, to call an ad hoc judge to fill the place of the judge who may be prevented from taking part in the sittings of the court by any of the causes which 1 have mentioned. This power, I think I can safely say, is vested in the Chief Justice of all the provincial courts; certainly that is the case in the province from which I come. We propose to empower the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, or, in his absence, the senior puisne judge, to call in as an ad hoc judge first the judge of the Exchequer court, or if that judge for any reason should not be available, then a judge of the superior court of any province.

M>r. LEMIEUX: Any of the judges of

the Exchequer Court?

Mr. DOHERTY:

As at present constituted, there is but one judge of the Exchequer Court, with an assistant judge. This measure does not propose to call in the assistant judge of the Exchequer Court, but the judge of the Exchequer Court, or if he is unable to act, a judge of the Superior Court of any of the provinces. The reason the measure had to he premised by a resolution is simply that it makes provision that where an outside judge is so called in he shall toe paid his travelling expenses and the ordinary per diem living allowance which is allowed under the general law to any judge who is called upon to serve at a place other than the place of his residence.

Sir SAM HUGHES:

I understand there is no provision in the Supreme Court Act for retiring#a judge with superannuation after a certain period of service.