Mr. WOODSWORTH:

I have taken that

view repeatedly on platforms an Vancouver and so far there has been no riot.

Mr. NEILL:

I have heard the hon. member on the platform there and his attitude was somewhat different from what it is here.

I want to substantiate the position which myself and other members from British Columbia have taken on this question. I have here a letter addressed to myself from a government official in British Columbia and I shall quote a sentence from it:

Youra of the 24th instant received a few days ago. Before taking up the matter of which you enquire, I am going to take the liberty of saying that your position on the oriental problem, as stated in parliament, comes nearer to being that of the average workingman than the position taken by those who presume to apeak for the labour movement.

That is written by a man whose name is as well known in British Columbia as is the Premier's and who has had a long and honourable career in organized labour.

Mr. WOODSWORTH:

Who is it?

Mr. HUMPHREY:

I endorse the remarks made by the hon. member (Mr. Neill) and I take this opportunity of supporting the amendment that has been proposed, I cannot agree with the Minister of Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment in the opinion that to withhold the franchise from the orientals would constitute a reflection on returned men for the reasons that have been stated. I do not know whether the hon. member for Comox-Albemi has touched upon the point or not, as I was not in

Elections Act

the chamber when the question was introduced; but the legislation in British Columbia was due to the united efforts of the returned men in the legislature, and the recommendations brought in by them to the effect that the franchise should not be extended to Asiatics1. It met with the unanimous approval of the legislature. It is a well known fact that this question has been the subject of considerable debate and consideration in British Columbia, and the result sought to be attained by this amendment would be endorsed by all the people of the province.

Mr. IRVINE:

I rise to a point of order. It is a rule of the House that no subject may be considered twice in the same session, and we are now considering a matter which was voted upon yesterday.

Mr. NEILL:

The unanimous consent of the House was obtained before the matter was introduced.

Mr. IRVINE:

I did not hear that permission given.

Mr. NEILL:

The hon. member was not

here.

The CHAIRMAN:

The question is on the amendment.

Mr. IRVINE:

Mr. Chairman, I want to get a ruling on my point of order.

The CHAIRMAN:

I did not hear it.

Mr. IRVINE:

The matter now before the committee was dealt with yesterday in exactly the same form, and I understand the rule of the House to be that we do not vote on the same question twice in the same session.

The CHAIRMAN:

Was not the hon. gentleman present when consent was given for the introduction of the amendment?

Mr. IRVINE:

The member for Comox-

Albemi (Mr. Neill) rose to speak, but I never heard any consent given to his moving the amendment.

The CHAIRMAN:

The committee's consent was asked if he might introduce his amendment, and consent was given.

Mr. GOOD:

If the amendment proposed

by my hon. friend from Comox-Alberni does not carry, is it likely that there will be an increasingly large number o'f orientals voting in British Columbia?

Mr. NEILL:

Not increasingly.

Mr. IRVINE:

Mr. Chairman, I still stand

by the point of order. I understood that the consent of the committee was granted to the

member for Comox-Alberni to discuss this question, but I did not hear any consent given that we should vote on the amendment again. There is a big distinction involved.

The CHAIRMAN:

Consent was given to

the hon. member for Comox-Alberni to introduce his amendment, and that carried with it the right to discuss the amendment and to vote upon it. The question is upon the amendment. .

Mr. CANNON:

Mr. Chairman, before

the vote is taken, I wish to tell the hon. member who moved this amendment (Mr. Neill) that he has all my sympathy and has had throughout the sesison, and-