Mr. A. B. Patterson (Fraser Valley):

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask a question of the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

Would the minister advise the house why Oregon potatoes are being used in the camp at Abbotsford, British Columbia, where the Hungarian refugees are presently housed, when British Columbia potatoes of equal or better quality are available through either the British Columbia coast vegetable marketing board or the British Columbia interior vegetable marketing board?

Hon. J. W. Pickersgill (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration):

I do not know

whether the statement is true or not, Mr. Speaker, but I will find out whether it is.

Mr. E. D. Fulton (Kamloops):

May I ask

the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration if he is in a position to make the statement to the house which was promised in his absence by the acting minister, the Minister of National Health and Welfare, regarding negotiations between this government and the government of Ontario concerning the sharing of costs for reception arrangements for Hungarian refugees?

Hon. J. W. Pickersgill (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration):

I noticed that the Minister of National Health and Welfare, who is incidentally not the acting minister and was not while I was away, said I was preparing a statement. I do not think he said I would give one, and I could not give one that would be within the rules of brevity. The premier of Ontario indicated in the legislature the other day that this was not an urgent matter.

Mr. Fullon:

It may not be an urgent matter to the premier of Ontario, but I should like to ask the minister a supplementary question because some of us here regard it as rather urgent. When may we expect a review of 82715-76

the situation by this government in the hope that this government will accept its full responsibility and not try to pass the buck to the provinces?

Mr. Pickersgill:

That is not a question, but this government is not trying to pass the buck to anyone and has always accepted its full responsibilities in this field.

Mr. Elmore Philpott (Vancouver South):

May I address a question to the Minister of Public Works. Is it true that two fine statuary figures representing Truth and Justice, made 36 years ago by the great Canadian sculptor Walter Allward, are still in storage in Ottawa? If so, would the government consider a request by the British Columbia centennial committee to make use of these figures in front of the public building which is to be erected in Vancouver for next year's celebration?

Hon. Robert H. Winters (Minister of Public Works):

The answer to the first part of the

question is yes; these two figures are in storage in Ottawa.

Mr. W. M. Hamilton (Notre Dame de

Grace): Truth and justice have been in storage for the last 20 years around here.

Mr. Winters:

They were put in storage by a Conservative government, I may say. It is we who have uncovered them. These two figures were designed as part of a statue, and before using them alone as free-standing figures the location would have to be considered very carefully. That would restrict their use somewhat. But there has been quite a revival of interest in these two particular statues and we would be glad to consider the request of my hon. friend along with the rest.