Mr. LEGER:

The reason I asked the question is that in the past year a certain amount was voted for dredging and breastworks in the Aldouane river in the county of Kent, N.B., to facilitate the taking by the farmers of mussel mud for fertilizing purposes from the bay up the river. I understand that there is much dredging yet to be done, and there is no other way of getting that fertilizer transported the five or :six miles to where it is used except by water. By doing a little dredging, the farmers can get their oyster shell and mussel mud fertilizer from the bay onto the wharf built some years ago. Only a small amount will be necessary to do the work in this river, and the same also applies to the St. Charles and St. Louis rivers. There are certain parts of the St. Louis river, near the mouth, where the land is flat, and some dredging was done last year and the year before so that at low water boats could get through. I understand that last fall the channel had filled up in some places, necessitating further attention from the Government to facilitate fishing. My desire is to facilitate as much as possible the work of the fishermen who have long distances to go, and also to help the farmers to get as much fertilizer as possible. There may be no recommendation by the district engineer on this subject. He has spent a good deal of money in the past on these rivers, and if the minister called his attention to it a certain amount might be spent on this work.

Mr. LEGER:

The work is on the beach and it is three miles away from the " sawdust wharf." Are these the only items recommended by the district engineer for the county of Kent? The sum of $800 seems to be a pretty small provision to meet the public works which have not yet been completed in that county. For example, Richibucto Cape, Buctouche Beach and Kouchi-bouguac Beach breakwaters yet remain unfinished. There is also Little Gully breakwater, for the construction of which a large sum was voted three or four years ago. A large amount of material in the shape of stone and timber and other stuff was hauled to the spot and left there. This winter part of the stone was hauled to Richibucto Cape breakwater, a few miles away, and the timber was hauled away for firewood. There are lots of works needing attention along the shore, and I hesitate to believe that the reason why these works have not received attention is because of the change made in the representation from the county of Kent.

I prefer to think it is due to war-time necessities.

Mr. LEGER:

Does this item include dredging in small rivers?

Mr. LEGER:

The money expended last

year was devoted to painting part of the front of the building; the sides and the back of the building were left unpainted. What I am now urging is that all the painting should be finished, and the present wooden sidewalk leading to the building, which was laid many years ago and is in a bad state of repair, ibe replaced by a concrete pathway.

Mr. LEGER:

I thank the minister.

Mr. MteKENZIE: I wish to remind the

minister that in my riding, at the mouth of the arm of the sea called the Little Bras d'Or a very large amount of money was spent in dredging, in the years 1908, 1909 and 1910, and some of the work is still unfinished. What is left unfinished consists of ridges here and there through the channel. It is a splendid channel in some places, but these ridges constitute a danger to shipping. I think a very small amount of money would finish up the work. If the minister has not a report on it, I would like him to get a report of the exact condition of that work, as I do not think it is available to navigators.