The House met at 2:00 p.m.

Prayers.

MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister without Portfolio.

HON. I.P. DAWSON (Minister without Portfolio): We have in the Ladies' Gallery today a group of very fine women from all over the province. They are here today to attend the May Bennett conference, Social Credit Women's Auxiliaries of the province. I'm sure the Members would wish to welcome them here.

MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Esquimalt.

MR. H.J. BRUCH (Esquimalt): In the tradition of the famous explorers Lewis and Clark, we have a group from the Lewis and Clark College in Oregon making their annual visit to the British Columbia Legislature. We have 36 students, a member of the board of directors, Mr. Hal Templeton, and Professors Bowmer, Sullivan and Ansten in the gallery today and I wish the Members would make them welcome.

MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Yale Lillooet.

MR. W.L. HARTLEY (Yale-Lillooet): Mr. Speaker, I would like the Members to welcome a group of students from far-distant Princeton. They are headed with a former classmate of the Leader of the Opposition, Frank Kelly, and Jim Clark. I would like you all to give them a warm welcome.

MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Skeena.

MR. D.G. LITTLE (Skeena): Mr. Speaker, we have in the gallery today a young couple, and with Pat Connelly we also have a girlfriend, Miss Dwyer. We have him sitting in the Speakers' Gallery and she is in the Ladies' Gallery up there, Mr. Speaker, whoever managed to do this. I'm sure the assembly would want to extend a welcome to these people, and also be on the best behaviour today.

MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable the first Member for Vancouver-Burrard.

MR. H.J. MERILEES (Vancouver-Burrard): Mr. Speaker in the gallery today we have representatives of a committee to advance the cause of mass rapid transit in the lower mainland of Vancouver, and I ask the Members of the House to give them a warm welcome.

Introduction of bills.

AN ACT TO AMEND THE MORTGAGE BROKERS ACT

MR. SPEAKER: The Lieutenant-Governor transmits herewith a bill intituled An Act to Amend the Mortgage Brokers Act and recommends the same to the legislative assembly. Dated at Government House February 21, 1972.

House in committee on Bill No. 35, An Act to Amend the Mortgage Brokers Act. On the recommendation of the committee Bill No. 35 introduced read a st time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting after today.

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SUMMARY CONVICTIONS ACT

Hon. Mr. Peterson moves introduction and first reading of Bill No. 33 intituled An Act to Amend the Summary Convictions Act.

Motion approved. Bill No. 33 read a first time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the first sitting after today.

Orders of the day.

House in committee of supply. The committee rose, reported progress, and asked leave to sit again.

HON. L.R. PETERSON (Attorney General): Mr. Speaker, I would ask leave of the House to table some documents and make a short statement concerning the Frederick Quilt inquest.

Leave granted.

HON. MR. PETERSON: Mr. Speaker, I have over the weekend read the three volumes of the transcript of evidence in the Frederick Quilt case. A number of the Members have indicated an interest in the transcript and as a result I proposed to table it. I am also providing copies of the three volumes to be given to the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. After discussing the matter with our supervising coroner Glen MacDonald today, I am asking that anyone who has any additional relevant evidence that's not contained in the transcript in these proceedings to communicate directly with the supervising coroner Mr. MacDonald, to make that evidence, if any, available to him for consideration in the case. So I would ask that the three volumes be tabled, Mr. Speaker.

MR. D. BARRETT (Leader of the Opposition): Will the Attorney General permit a question?

HON. MR. PETERSON: Yes.

MR. BARRETT: Do you intend to take the matter further after your review?

HON. MR. PETERSON: It would be premature to try and determine at this point in time what the future action might be. It will depend on results of current investigations as to the cause of the injuries in this case. It will depend on whether additional relevant evidence is made available to the senior coroner. And so I cannot attempt to guess as to what the outcome might be.

MR. BARRETT: Who is conducting the current investigation of the injuries? Coroner MacDonald?

HON. MR. PETERSON: Coroner MacDonald will be conducting an examination of the transcript. He like myself has read the transcript over the weekend but he will be studying it in detail also receiving representation from anyone who wishes to make such representation. That's why I'm causing copies of the transcript to be given to the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. The other investigations are not being

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conducted by Mr. MacDonald.

MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Vancouver Centre, the first Member for Vancouver Centre.

Mr. Capozzi withdraws bill intituled Tenant Equalisation Grant Act standing in his name on orders of the day.

Hon. Mr. Bennett moves adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

The House adjourned at 5:59 p.m.