599 COMMONS
[...] man able to tell us that any petition came
in against this postmaster. There may
have been, but if so, the petitions were
sent in without the knowledge of the free
and independent electors there, and had
they known it a contrary petition would
have been sent in signed by a great many
Reformers as well as Conservatives. I
think I have given the true solution, namely,
that he was engaged in business and had
a partner in the store. Well, Mr. Speaker,
you know that in small places like that
postmasters often have other business, the
post office business is so small that it does
not occupy much of their time, and it frequently happens that they employ competent
men to assist them. I say again, I
regret that the hon. gentleman, finding himself unable to give the information, did
not
allow the motion to stand, because I would
have been able to enlighten him on many
points. His friends probably misled him.
I think possibly he would not have made
the change had he been cognizant of all
the facts.
Sir WILLIAM MULOCK. I think my hon. friend would have done
well to reserve his judgment. When he receives the papers I think he will
have occasion to change his views. A large number of his own friends
asked for it.
Motion agreed to.
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES PROVINCIAL AUTONOMY.
Copies of all correspondence between the government of Canada, or any member thereof,
and
the government of the Northwest Territories,
or any of its members, in reference to the
granting of provincial autonomy to the said
Territories, since the date of the last prorogation of parliament.
He said: The object of this motion is to
obtain the correspondence in regard to the
autonomy of the Northwest Territories that
took place since the last prorogation of parliament. We had two returns during the
last parliament, bringing down only a part
of the correspondence. The object of the
motion is to complete it.
Motion agreed to.
POSTAL BUSINESS IN THE DISTRICT
OF ALBERTA.
A return showing in detail the business done
during each of the past ten years, and also in
the aggregate during the same period, in connection with the transmission of mail
matter;
and with the issue and payment of money orders
and postal notes at each post office in the provisional district of Alberta.
Hon. Sir WILLIAM MULOCK (Postmaster General). Perhaps
my hon. friend would
600 explain what he means by the statement ' Showing in detail the
businesg done during each of the past ten years, and also in
the aggregate during the same period, in connection with the transmission of
mail matter.'
Mr. W. J. ROCHE. I want to get at the amount of
business done in that provincial district in each post office for each year.
Sir WILLIAM MULOCK. Does the hon. gentleman mean the
number of letters and the number of the various kinds of mail matter ?
Sir WILLIAM MULOCK. I would point out to him that to
give in detail what he asks for would be impossible, because there is
no account kept of each piece of mail matter that passes through
the post office. Every six months an enumeration is made of the
business of an office for a period of about two weeks, and from these
enumerations an estimate is formed of the amount of the
mail matter of different kinds mailed at a particular office. Therefore this
could only be an estimate.
Sir WIILLIAM MULOCK. The secretary of the department
tells me that they would have to correspond with every postmaster in Alberta to
get this information, and to get it as fast as the
hon. gentleman wants it. Therefore there would be considerable
delay involved in gathering the information.
Mr. W. J. ROCHE. I am anxious to get an idea of the
business done so that it may be discussed when the question of autonomy
comes up.
Sir WILLIAM MULOCK. Very well, I will give all
information we can now. But if we have to correspond to get anything, it
might be better to have a partial return made now, and give the rest
later. I would suggest that we strike out the words 'in detail' and
substitute the words 'an estimate of.'
Motion, as amended, agreed to.
INLAND AND CUSTOMS REVENUES,
N.W.T.
For a return showing the amount of revenue
collected, (1) by the Department of Inland
Revenue; (2) by the Department of Customs,
during each of the past ten years : and also in
the aggregate during the same period, at the
following points in the Northwest Territories,
viz.: Edmonton, Strathcona, Red Deer, Calgary,
Medicine Hat, Maple Creek, Lethbridge, Coutts,
Cardston and Macleod.
HON. WILLIAM PATERSON (Minister of Customs). When the
hon. gentleman says ' in the aggrogate' does he mean to have the [...]
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