I should like to draw attention to a matter raised in starred question No. 40 in to-day's Order Paper in the name of Deputy Egan complaining that so-and-so had received no reply to letters written to the Department of the Minister for Finance, October 6th, 27th, and November, 15th, 1924. I am glad to say that that is not a general complaint, but I suggest to the Minister for Finance that in regard to letters addressed to his Department Deputies should not be placed in the position of getting communications from their constituents drawing attention that they wrote to the Finance Department a dozen times and failed to get an acknowledgment. I think that every citizen who has a claim against the Government and every Deputy who writes letters should get attention from the Department, as they are entitled to. I have a few cases of people making claims and getting no reply or receipts of any sort to their letters. I ask the Minister if he will see that when the House is adjourned, probably for six or eight weeks, there will be no neglect or holding back of replies simply because Deputies are not in a position to ask questions that might be answered after 24 hours' notice. I personally have that grievance against one Department, and that is the Department of Finance. It is the only one there is any complaint about. I hope the Minister will see that we get replies in a reasonable time during the period over which the House will be adjourned.
