Mr. Robert Fair (Baffle River):

I should like to direct a question to the Minister of Finance or the Minister of National Revenue. Will the additional $500 exemption from income tax for persons over sixty-five years of age, provided for last year, be continued in 1949?

Hon. Douglas Abbott (Minister of Finance):

It is a permanent part of the law, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. C. C. Miller (Portage la Prairie):

I wish to direct a question to the Minister of National Revenue. This being the minister's birthday, before I ask my question I should like to congratulate him wholeheartedly, and also to suggest to him, to you, Mr. Speaker, and to the house, that it is also the birthday of the hon. member for Calgary East (Mr. Harkness), although they are not twins. In olden days ministers of the crown on such auspicious occasions used to hand out amnesties and so on. I am suggesting one in the form of a question. Will the minister consider extending the time for filing income tax returns in western Canada, by reason of the bad condition of roads and the delay there will be in the spring breakup?

Hon. J. J. McCann (Minisier of National Revenue):

I thank the hon. gentleman for his good wishes. On an occasion of this kind, Mr. Speaker, gifts usually come to the one who is celebrating a particular event. In the matter of making income tax returns, I am sorry that we do not feel at the present time that there is any great necessity for extending the date beyond the statutory one of April 30.

Mr. F. S. Zaplitny (Dauphin):

I should like to direct a question to the Minister of Agriculture. I have recently received complaints from poultry producers to the effect that bone meal and meat meal products are difficult to obtain. Would the minister care to indicate the reasons for the apparent shortages, and indicate what the present prospects for future deliveries are?

2108 HOUSE OF

Inquiries of the Ministry

Right Hon. J. G. Gardiner (Minister of Agriculture):

The hon. member was kind enough to send me a copy of his question. The reply is as follows:

The supply of these products depends directly upon the demand for meat products and the supplies of livestock going to meat packing plants. At the present time supplies are about equal to demand. For some months the general situation in regard to bone meal has been that supplies have been adequate to meet demand.

In regard to meat meal, supplies in relation to demand were short about six weeks ago. Since that time supplies and demand have leveled off and weekly market reports have quoted gradually declining prices. This indicates that the supply is now just about equal to demand. While there may have been local shortages at certain times, this is the general picture across Canada. Indications for the next few weeks are that supply and demand will be approximately equal.

Mr. Pearkes:

I wish to address a supplementary question to the Minister of Agriculture. Can he tell me what the situation is with regard to fish meal? I understand that a similar shortage exists in that type of meal.

Mr. Gardiner:

I shall have to take the question as notice. Because of the fact that the two meals are more or less interchangeable,

I assume that the position is about the same.

I will get the correct information.

Mr. E. B. McKay (Weyburn):

I wish to direct a question to the Minister of National Defence, a copy of which I have sent to him. What plans has the government made to mark suitably the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the founding of the Royal Canadian Air Force?

Hon. Brooke Claxion (Minister of National Defence):

This anniversary will take place on April 1. Arrangements have been made for press displays and a number of radio programs, and for that we are indebted to the co-operation of newspapers, national advertisers, and others. There will be an investiture of air force personnel at government house and in other places across the country, and at every air force station, establishment and auxiliary establishment there will be ceremonies of one type or another.