to private individuals within the past four years? If so, to what persons have the said lots been sold, and for what price? 3. Who are to-day the registered owners of said two water lots, and in what proportion for each person? 4. What is the superficial area of said water lots, in arpents and in foot measure? 5. Has the conveyance of said water lots been ratified by the Governor General in Council pursuant to paragraph 2 of article 20 of chapter 34, of 62-63 Victoria? Sir WILFRID LAURIER. Stand. re 2. If so, what action does the government intend to take to put a stop to such emigration from Canada to the United States? Hon. F. OLIVER: 1. The government has no information on the subject, beyond the statement referred to, appearing in the public press. 2. Inquiry will be made as to the facts. I would like to add the contents of a telegram which has been received from Kingston, as follows: Consul Van Sant says press statement that 800 people from Kingston have emigrated to United States this year is false. Mr. MONK. This question was put on the 12th November. One of the questions could have been answered on that very day. I was told that the question had been ferred to Quebec for information on the INTEREST ON PRE-EMPTION PAYMENTS. 12th. It seems to me that the delay is unduly long unless a messenger has been sent down to Quebec on foot to get the information. Mr. BRODEUR. We have not in the department any information in regard to it. Just to please my hon. friend (Mr. Monk) we wrote to the harbour commissioners in Quebec asking them whether they could supply us with the information. We have not received that information from them so far. I am very sorry I cannot give any information to my hon. friend. Mr. LAKE: 1. Is the government calling upon all persons who hold receipts for pre-emption fees to pay interest at rate of 5 per cent on the close of each year from the date of their re amount payable for their pre-emption at the ceipt? 2. Was specific notice given to applicants for pre-emption at the time they made their entries, or subsequently, that they would be called upon to pay interest at the expiration of every twelve months? 3. Does the government consider that the average entrant for a pre-emption is likely Mr. MONK. This is a body that is under to be in a position to pay the annual interthe control of the government. Sir WILFRID LAURIER. Order. Mr. SPEAKER. The hon. gentleman cannot discuss it at this point. REPORTED EMIGRATION TO UNITED Mr. GEO. TAYLOR: 1. Is the government aware that Col Van Sant, American Consul at Kingston, Ontario, has made the following report to his govern ment: Kingston, November 18-(Special)-Col Van Sant, American Consul for this district, in a report to his government, states that this city during nine months ended September 30, has lost nearly 800 of its population through its citizens emigrating to the United States. He bases his calculations on the fact that during the nine months 110 invoices for emigrants effects were issued at Kingston and continues: As each settler's effects' certificate usually represents a family averaging four, the gain in population to the United States for the past nine months from this city and vicinity will reach 400. Add to this number moving to the States without household effects, and the loss to Kingston would be nearly double, or 800. This condition largely prevails in other towns and cities of eastern Ontario. est of $24 per annum for the outset, and does it intend to insist upon such payment? If so, what means does it propose to take to enforce the payments? Mr. OLIVER: 1. Yes. 2. No, it was not necessary to give such specific notice as the statute provides that interest shall be payable at the rate of five per cent per annum at the end of each year from the date of entry. 3. When an application is made for a pre-emption entry it must necessarily be presumed that the entrant will be in a position to carry out all the conditions prescribed by the statute in that behalf. His failure to do so renders his entry liable to cancellation. SALE OF SCHOOL LAND AT REGINA. 1. What amount of school land was sold at the last sale at Regina, Saskatchewan? 2. What amount was spent in advertising this sale, and where and how was it spent? 3 Who was the auctioneer and what is his address? 4. What amount was he paid for his services? 5. Who were the purchasers of the land sold, and what prices were paid? 6. How much land has the government sold to the Saskatoon and Western Land Company, and at what prices? Mr. OLIVER: 1. The area of school lands disposed of at the last auction sale at Regina, May 20, 1903, was 46,940 99 acres, and the price realized was $457,324.42, being an average of $9.74 per acre. 2. The cost of advertising this sale cannot be given separately, as the advertisements and posters covered the following sales held in the month of May, 1903, namely: Regina, Moosejaw, Qu'Appelle, Wolseley, Whitewood, Moosomin, Carlyle, Carnduff, Alameda, and Yellow Grass, at which sales 136,002 24 acres were sold for $1,306,091.92. The total cost of advertising and printing in connection with the above sales was $997.17. Of this sum $498.97 was in payment for the advertisements in the following newspapers, as approved by the King's Printer, namely: SCHEDULE of School Lands sold by public auction at Regina, on May 20, 1903. |