Mr. BRETHEN:

What is the area of the property?

Mr. BRETHEN:

The initial selling price

of the property in 1907 was $40,000.

Mr. BRETHEN:

Does the minister assume any responsibility for the damage?

Mr. BRETHEN:

I understood the minister to say that this money is given to reimburse the licensees for expenditures made on the property.

Mr. BRETHEN:

In connection with this question of a pre-audit brought up by the Minister of Finance, I would like to ask if he has given any consideration whatever to a system whereby we might have a reduction somewhat along the lines they are practising in the country to the south of us. It does seem to me, taking everything into consideration, that they are making more headway

there in the matter of economy and reduction of the national debt than we are making in this country. I know they have certain advantages that make their position much easier, but when we take into consideration that they have reduced their national debt by some $4,000,000,000 since the war, with an anticipated reduction in taxation this year of some $400,000,000, and with some of their industrial concerns calling upon President Coolidge to call a halt in this economy campaign because they fear it is hurting sales it does seem to me that we might make more progress than we are doing by the adoption of some different system. I do not believe that under our present system of administering the departments that we are ever going to make very much reduction in our national indebtedness. I would like to draw the attention of the minister to this matter and see whether we could not provide some different method whereby we might make some more noticeable reductions in our national indebtedness.