States Labour Boards which became applicable to railways in Canada, and which by the way it is stated were given in. that country for political purposes, which in the end did not answer the purposes for which they were granted.
What they mean in totals in this country can be seen by the Canadian operating pay roll having increased on the Government lines alone from $40,606,170 in 1917 to $95,727,117 last year. The Minister of Railways intends to have a conference between the managers of the railways and the employees to arrive at some scales of wages which will be fair both to the latter and the country, but at the present time the employees do not show an overwhelming desire to accept lower wages, mainly owing to the high cost of living.
The logic of events will, however, force them to do so; for not only do the present rates appear to be excessive in many instances, but the railways were allowed to increase their passenger and freight rates, yet this not only did not bring any relief, but actually led to less travelling.
A Furtaer Cueox.
It may be said that the state-owned lines are not under the direct control of the Government; they ure managed by a corporate body nominated by the Government and free from Parliamentary _interference, though, of course, in the last analysis it is answerable to Parliament. The huge deficit caused so much consternation among the members of the House that it was proposed that it should have greater control and the proposition will most probably be carried that a Special Parliamentary Committee will be appointed to act in close ce-operation with the corporate body. Whether this will be another case of too many cooks has to be seen.
More Money Wantep.
Canada, however, has not only this railway trouble to face, but also the provision of a revenue larger than any previous one. Over $582,000,000 is the estimated expenditure for this year. This is 300 per cent. greater than the expenditure before the war; nearly 200 per cent. more than that of the year before last; and what is still more important more than $60,000,- 000 in excess of the total revenue of the present fiscal year. is may mean that there will a be deficit of $100,000,000.
The Financial Minister has yet to introduce his budget, so at the present time it would serve no ful purpose to report the alleged taxation which may be imposed to raise more money. The Budget
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.