Charles Hazlitt Cahan (Secretary of State of Canada)
Conservative (1867-1942)
Hon. C. H. CAHAN (Secretary of State):
I lay on the table of the house part of a return, reference No. 287, on the motion of Mr. Thompson (East Simcoe) relating to correspondence and other documents with reference to the preparation of voters' lists for the municipality of Port McNicoll. With the leave of the house, I may explain that certain documents which were called for by the order are not laid on the table for the reason that the chief electoral officer has directed attention to the Dominion Elections Act which provides, in section 76, in respect of certain documents, that they shall not be inspected or produced except under a rule or order of the superior court or of a judge thereof or other proper authority. I am laying on the table all the documents in the possession of the chief electoral officer except such as come within this section. I leave it to the house, or to the select committee which may be appointed, to call for the production of the others in the proper way. The . proper procedure the house will have to determine.