The sun., 1919-08-13
S. F. TOLMIE TAKES
SEAT IN CABINET
He Is First Live Stock Breeder
to Fill Portfolio of Ag-
riculture.
By a STAT Correspondent. of THE Sun

OTTAWA. Aug. 1.-THE new Minister
of Agriculture, Hon. S. F. Tolmie, was
sworn In this morning by Supreme Court
Justice Sir Lou Davies. acting for the
Governor-General. who is East to well
come the Prince of Wales. DR.. Tolmie
represents Victoria city in Parliament.
having been elected in 1917. He is a
livestock breeder on n large scale and
is the first of that branch of agriculture
to be head of the department. British
Columbia now has two Ministers In the
Cabinet.
Sir Robert Borden has stated his in
tention of continuing that representa-
ton of the west coast province, to winch
it is entitled by reason of its Importance
and loyal support of the Government
The other Minister. Hon. Martin Burrell,
may retire, and either III. w. Stevens OF
Vancouver, or r. F. Green Of Kooteney
will be appointed to the Ministry.
No announcement is forthcoming as
to the successor to Hon. F. B. Carvell,
former Minister of Public Works. now
chairman of the Railway Commission.
But 1t is the policy of the Prime MInia-
ter to continue the COALITION principle OF
yernmen There has Been some talk
in Ontaria of a Conservative party con-
yention, but the idea has been given no
encouragement from Ottawa.
The die hard element OF the ConserVa-
tive party, led by Hon. Robert Rogers
in the west. and the Toronto Conserve
tive associations, found little support In
recognized circles Of the Unionists Or
g~anization. The situation will tend 10
clear itself in this respect in the oye-
elections in the near future.
MacIean Likely Candidate.
Sir Douglas Hazen OF New Brunswick
has been in Ottawa recently out no
word Is passed that he or n other Con-
observation-disclosures will be chosen. Hon.
A. X Maclean, the member for Halifax
along with Sir Robrt Borden, is a likely
man for the post. He is now a Minister
without a portfolio. Sir Robert Borden
is about to leave for st. Johns to well
come the Prince Of Wales. and Will be
absent from Ottawa for ten or twelve
days. .
Sir Herbert Ames has been appointed
a director of the League of Nations. He
liz member of Parliament for st. Antoine
division of Montreal, n head OF the
Canadian Patriotic Fund which raised
s47. 900, 900 for protection and help OF
the soldiers during the war. He Is IA
miliar with French as well as English.
The duties of the office will have to do
chiefly with the finances of the league,
estimates, revenue anu dSseSSiHeHtS' Son-
troll over the expenditures of the sec
retariat and pension system for the staff
of the league. For the present Sir Her
bert will retain his seat In Parliament
Army Nearly DemObilized.
Rehabilitation has so far advanced
that the Department of Militia has closed
eleven of the twenty-one dispersal areas
created to handle returned soldiers. II
"a expected that Portland, Me-. will be
discontinued as a receiving base
for disabled soldiers this month. 1t has
been an important port Of service in
that work..
So far S.76S entry grants nav been
made for soldiers in the Western Prov
inches under the Soldiers Settlement
Board. Many of these men have been
able to nance themselves, but a fair
proportion have awaited themselves Of
the loans provided for them.
By Provinces the grants were Mani
toba, s5S Saskatchewan, 1,l24 Alberta,
l,702; British Columbia, "a. In April
there were 346 entries on crown lands,
4eS in May, S13 in June and 941 In
July. About one hundred and fifty men
have gone into the P~orcupine forest re-
serve in north Ontario. and the Provin-
cial Government is proceeding to con-
struct roads and bridges In the district.
The Minister of Railways has ordered
an inquiry into the explosion at the
Government elevator at Port Colborne,
The loss of property is estimated at ST.
zoe. 900. Ten men lost their lives.