Frost un Oww Connesroncexr Montreal, May 2.
The recent session of Parliament was the shortest in a number of years, and, on the whole, the least Controversial. All groups in. the House fell in with the plan of the Government to complete the business {in time for the official delegations to be present at both the Coronation and the Imperial Conference. The legislation included measures for the establishment of trans-Canada air for the revision of the capital "structure of the Canadian National Railways, for the prevention of the enlistment or Canadian citizens foreign wars and for the control of the traffic in the implements and materials of war, under the heading of, which foodstuffs are included.
While T mentioned above that the Opposition groups in the House operated with the Government in expediting business, it must be added that there was a, real lack of sound and constructive criticism, Certainly not in the last decade has there been such a somnolent Conservative group Ju the House, and its leader, Mr. Bennett, as T have mentioned in earlier letters, appeared to have little of his former fire and enthusiasm, From the corner of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation came rather less" sound criticism than usual, Often the suggestions and amendments from CCF. members Jost support because of the way in which they were worded, or the manner in which they were introduced. It would appear to your cor-Fespondent that both Mr. Bennett and Mr. Woodsworth might reasonably step down from the Jeadership of their groups, and allow some] younger men to try their hands."
The opening of the St. Lawrence River navigation season was not without event, for it was the first year since 1918 that a passenger liner won the honour of being the first arrival at the port of Montreal. The Duchess of York steamed in on the morning of April 19, after_a speedy and uneventful crossing. She found plenty of ice in the river, but it was for the most part slong the shore and did not offer any' difficulties. missioners for the earliest arrival. Winter "had not entirely left the river, however, for on April 22a heavy snowstorm struck this district, and made the first sailing a chilly eral business has continued {0 broad-fen. oltt-on almost every front, The upswing has been marked by a. substantial increase. in railway carloadings,. and also' by an encouraging betterment of railway revenues.
"Retail. business Is showing activity resulting from the coming of spring, and the resumption of outdoor acti" vities, Both sales and collections are reported to be ona higher level than Inst year, which in. turn was considerably' better than 1035. Tu the field of industrial activity the most marked improvement has been in the so-called "heavy" industries, Tron and steel plants and other allied industries such as the engineering trades are busier than they have been for years. In many cases employees ave been called back, and shops Jong idle have been furbished up and reopened, In the process much machinery has been found to be out of date, and this in turn has created a demand for the machinery. trade The position here is such that many concerns are unable to fill orders without abnormal delay, and this in turn leads to an attempt by buyers to bulld up their stocks which for
minimum, years "have "been carried at a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.