1. What is the present status of the Bell Telephone Company's application for an increase in rates in Ontario and Quebec?

2. Have any interim increases been granted?

3. Are increases in telephone rates being sought anywhere else in Canada outside of Ontario and Quebec?

4. If so, where, and what is the status of each such application?

Questions

1. The Bell Telephone Company's application for an increase in subscribers' rates in Ontario and Quebec is being heard by the board of transport commissioners.

2. None by the board of transport commissioners.

3. Yes. In British Columbia. (Subject to jurisdiction of board of transport commissioners).

4. The application of the British Columbia Telephone Company for an increase in subscribers' rates was heard by the board of transport commissioners commencing in the early part of January, 1950, and judgment of the board therein was reserved and has not yet been delivered.

1. Will the government consider establishing a hydro plant at Miles canyon on Yukon river for the purpose of generating electricity and the erection and operation of a smelter at that point for the smelting of silver-lead ore and concentrates now being produced in Yukon?

2. Is the government aware that at present all ore and concentrates produced in Yukon have to be transported to the coast of Alaska, and from there further long distances for smelter treatment, chiefly in the United States of America?

1. Some consideration has been given to the establishment of a hydroelectric plant at Miles canyon for generating electricity for general purposes. The power requirements are now under consideration.

2. Yes.

HALIBUT FISHING SEASON Mr. Green:

1. Has the international fisheries commission requested that the halibut treaty be amended to give the commission power to regulate the halibut fisheries, for instance, by splitting the season?

2. Has the United States government signified its willingness to amend the treaty?

3. Have any recommendations been made by the Department of Fisheries to the governor in council that the treaty should be amended?

4. If not, for what reason were recommendations withheld?

5. Has the commission supplied the Department of Fisheries with data indicating that some 4,000,000 pounds more halibut could be taken annually if the treaty was so amended?

6. Did the commission in 1949 hold open hearings at all principal fishing ports?

7. Was the consensus of opinion in favour of extending the season?

8. Has the United States government informed the commission that under the present treaty they have no power to split the season?

1. Yes.

2. Yes.

3. No.

4. The proposed amendments to the treaty were varied in kind, and among them were proposals which, if sanctioned, would involve the halibut commission directly in the regulation of the halibut fishery for economic and marketing purposes as well as for conservation. This would mean a significant change in the original terms of reference to the commission. Strong differences of opinion have been expressed by different sections of the Canadian industry on the desirability of this extension of power to an international commission. Discussions with the fishing industry are still being held with a view to achieving some reconciliation of these views.

5. No data have been supplied, but in our estimates this year we are asking for additional funds to provide our share in increasing the commission's scientific investigations into this question.

6. Yes.

7. Yes, but not under the formula of the split season as proposed by certain sections of the fishing fleets.

8. Yes.

1. Has an agreement been reached between Canada and the United States for the conducting of a location survey for a railway connection between a Canadian railway point and Alaska?

2. If so, what are the terms of such agreement, and does the territory to be surveyed include the Peace river block and the eastern slope of the Rocky mountains?

3. If no agreement has yet been reached, what is the status of negotiations between Canada and the United States with respect to this matter?

1. No.

2. Answered by No. 1.

3. There have been no negotiations.

1. Who is the dominion fire commissioner?

2. If the person filling this position at the present time is not permanently appointed thereto, how long is it since there was a permanent, full-time dominion fire commissioner?

3. When will a permanent, full-time appointment to this post be made?

4. What is the total staff of the dominion fire prevention branch?

Orders for Returns

1. The position of dominion fire commissioner is now vacant, but the duties of the position have been performed, so far as possible, in an acting capacity, by Sergeant E. Scholfield, who is a member of the R.C.M.P.

2. Sergeant E. Scholfield is not permanently appointed to the position of dominion fire commissioner, which was rendered vacant by the death of the former permanent full-time incumbent, Mr. W. L. Clairmont, on April 24, 1949.

3. The civil service commission has conducted a competition for filling the position, and an appointment is expected to be made shortly.

4. The total number of positions in the fire prevention branch of the department of insurance is two.

Mr. Garson:

Mr. Speaker, having discussed this question with the hon. member for Winnipeg North Centre I think that I should reply orally as follows:

We have had a number of representations made to us by individual judges, and by one group of judges, requesting salary increases or changes in pension provisions. Several of the individual judges writing to me have marked their letters "confidential", and some are not so marked. One of the most carefully considered requests for salary increases has come from the county and district court judges of Ontario, who certainly did not mark their material confidential; and, after discussing this matter with the hon. gentleman who asked the question, it was thought that we should not put in the letters from the individual judges, but that I should table a copy of the correspondence which has passed between the committee representing the county and district court judges of Ontario and myself.

This correspondence is lengthy, so I shall treat the question as an order for a return and table the return at once.

Return tabled.

1. How many people are employed by the Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation?

2. Of these, how many are (a) male temporary employees; (bj female temporary employees; (c) male permanent civil servants; (d) female permanent civil servants?

3. How many employees receive more than $3,500 per year?

4. What are their names, duties, home office, salaries and travelling expenses for 1949?

5. How many offices are operated by Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation?

6. Where are they located?

7. Does the Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation pay the rent and upkeep on all these

offices?

8. If not, who does pay it?

9. What is the average cost of collecting rents of all Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation properties?

Mr. Prudham:

Return tabled.