1. What is the total number of enlisted men at present in Military District number 12?

2. What percentage of the established strength of the Militia units for Military District number 12 has been actually enlisted.

3 How many are employed in headquarters

staff of Military District number 12, and at what annual expenditure? .

4. What is the total expenditure for salaries and allowances in Military distrit number 12:, for the last year?

5. What is the total expenditure for Militia purposes for the past year in Military District number 12 ?

Hon. RODOLPHE LEMIEUX (Maison-neuve-Gaspe) :

I would like to ask the Minister of Finance (Sir Henry Drayton) if he intends to proceed with his resolution to amend the Insurance Act. I just wanted to tell him that there is very strong objection throughout the country to some features of the proposed amendments.

There has been a good

deal of misapprehension throughout the country, I think, as to the nature of the proposal. With a view of removing the misapprehensions and composing the different difficulties that have been presented, a meeting will take place in Ottawa this week, when representatives of the various interests are coming together with a view of seeing whether the matter cannot be adjusted.

Yesterday the hon. member for North Waterloo (Mr. Euler) asked a question, which I see on Hansard, in connection with filing income tax returns. I am sorry I was not able to be present at the time so as to answer the question. There is no proposal to change the date on which the returns are to he made. There is, standing on the Order Paper, a Bill which is calculated, in the first instance, to remove a number of difficulties which apparently exist at present as to the real meaning of the income tax law. In other words, we are bringing down a Consolidation Bill. In the next instance, the penalties in connection with non-payment will be very materially ameliorated; but there is no intention of changing the method of getting information, nor the method under which the first billing is to be made.

Mr. W. D. EULER (North Waterloo) :

Will the proposed legislation apply to the returns for the year just passed or for this year?

Sir HENRY DRAYTON:

It will apply to any one who has been put in any position of hardship, because, after all, laws should be obeyed. Therefore, it will apply to them for the returns which we would -expect to get on April 30.

Mr. ARTHUR TRAHAN (Nicolet) :

May I call the attention of the Minister of Finance to the fact that the various forms for income tax returns have apparently not yet been distributed? I have gone to the post office at Nicolet in order to get a form for the purpose of making my return, and the postmaster informs me that, notwithstanding numerous requests on his part, he has not yet received a single form, either in English or French or bilingual. In view of this fact, would it not he proper to grant a further delay for filing returns?

Sir HENRY DRAYTON:

I am much obliged to the hon. member for drawing my

attention to this state of affairs at Nicolet. I am surprised to hear of it, and I hope no other places are in the same plight. A very large number of forms were printed and were sent out to the proper places from which distribution should have been made, and I cannot understand why forms have not gone to Nicolet. I will make inquiry this afternoon by wire. In connection with the other question raised by my hon. friend, I do not think he will find the department will wittingly punish anybody for a wrong that is not his, but a wrong on the part of the department.

. Hon. RODOLPHE LEMIEUX (Maison-neuve): Are the instructions in regard to the income tax being sent in both languages to postmasters?

Sir HENRY DRAYTON:

They are being sent out in both languages. If they have not been, I will look into the matter.

Mr. P. F. CASGRAIN (Charlevoix-Mont-morency) :

I am in receipt of a letter from certain post office employees of the city of Quebec informing me that the inspector of their district has received a communication from the minister at Ottawa to the effect that employees of the department will not have the benefit of holidays on Ascension day, Immaculate Conception, All Saints and Epiphany. I should like to know if the order was sent by the minister to the department.

Mr. SPEAKER:

This is not such a

question as ought again to be considered on the Orders of the Day. It affects a matter of policy of the Government that can be dealt with more advantageously either on a motion for Supply, or in Committee of Supply, or by putting a question on the Order Paper.

Mr. CASGRAIN:

As Ascension day

cqmes next week, it is essential that those people should know what order was given by the department.

Mr SPEAKER:

I cannot see that any public interest will suffer even if those employees do perform extra service.