To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the Naval Pigeon Service, organised in May, 1904, is still in existence; and, if so, what is the number of homing pigeon owners who have joined the organisation; and further, whether any practical test of the system has been made, and, if so, with what result. (Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) The Naval Volunteer Pigeon Service is still in existence, and 743 homing pigeon owners are enrolled. The system was tested during the grand manœuvres in 1906, and the results were satisfactory.

To ask the Postmaster-General if he will state the number of telegraph messengers dismissed in Dublin since the termination of the South African War, and the cause of their dismissal; the number of telegraph messengers appointed assistant postmen in Dublin since the termination of the South African War; the number appointed town postmen, and the number awaiting appointments; the number of ex-Army men appointed assistant postmen; the number appointed town postmen in Dublin since the termination of the South African War, and how many are awaiting appointments; will he say for what purpose sixty-six dummy muskets have been introduced into the Dublin General Post Office; whether, if smartness is required amongst the boys, he will consider the advisability of employing a gymnasium instructor instead of the present drill instructor; and whether he will state the remuneration received by telegraph messengers for Sunday duties in Dublin. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I will make inquiry on this subject and communicate with the hon. Member.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he has any intention of closing the workshops now under the control of the London Central Unemployed body; and, if so, could he give the reasons why these women should be deprived of this opportunity of living until some suitable employment can be found for them.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will indicate the districts in Ireland in which additional forces of constabulary are employed, stating the names of districts, counties in which situate, total number of additional police employed, and the circumstances under which, in the case of each such district, it was considered necessary to supplement the ordinary police establishment. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) Additional forces of constabulary are employed as follows:—County Clare—Districts of Ennis, Corofin, Tulla, and Six mile bridge: one head constable and sixty-five men of the reserve force. County Cork, E. R.—Districts of Newmarket and Midleton: seven men of the reserve. Counties Leitrim and Cavan—Districts of Carrick-on-Shannon and Manorhamilton: twenty-two men of the Reserve. County Gal-way, E. R.—District of Athenry: thirty-five men of the Reserve. County Roscommon—Districts of Strokestown and Castlerea: one district inspector, two head constables, eighty-three men of the Reserve, and fifty men from other counties. King's County—District of Parsonstown: one district inspector and twenty-five men of the Reserve. In all these cases the augmentation of the local police force was necessitated by the disturbed state of the district.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies on what grounds a pension in respect of service on the Gold Coast, from which service he was invalided, has been refused to Mr. T. A. Ashman on his appointment to a tide-waitership in Jamaica at a much-reduced salary.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state the rank and rates of salary of the Customs officers engaged at the large outports of Liverpool, Bristol, Glasgow, and Belfast on checking duties in connection with the tea accounts, and the average length of service of such officers; what was the grade or grades provided with Treasury sanction, in Customs General Order 25/1901, and subsequently, for similar duties in the Tea Accounts Office, London, and the salaries appertaining thereto; and whether lower section port clerks with a total length of service of less than seven years, and of corresponding inexperience, are frequently employed on checking duties in the Tea Accounts Branch of the Long Room, London. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) I am informed that the checking duties in connection with the tea accounts kept at the ports of Liverpool, Bristol, Glasgow and Belfast are performed by examining officers, first class, whose scale of salary is from £230 to £340. The average service of the officers concerned is twenty-eight and a half years. The duties in question at the four ports named are unimportant in volume, and form only a small portion of the daily work of the officers. In the Tea Accounts Office, London, the more important checking duties are assigned to clerks of the upper section of the second class, whose scale of salary is from £200 to £300, and the less important to clerks of the lower section of the second class (salary £70 to £200), and abstractors (salary £80 to £150), and assistant clerks (salary £55 to £150), the abstractors and assistant clerks having checking allowances of £30 per annum. These allowances were sanctioned by the Treasury, and communicated to the Customs department in the General Order referred to. Lower section clerks of short service are not frequently employed on the more important checking work, such employment being limited to periods of absence by leave or sickness of upper section clerks, or of exceptional pressure.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury how many promotions have been made under the paragraph of Treasury Minute, 31st March, 1891, headed promotion by selection; from and to what positions have the appointments been made; and how many such appointments have been made for exceptional merit and how many for special services.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state the number of tenements to be dealt with in the revaluation of Dublin; how many of these have been already surveyed and valued respectively; and what increase has been made in the staff of the Commissioner of Valuation to enable the revaluation to be carried out with reasonable expedition. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) I am informed that the number of tenements to be dealt with in the revaluation of

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury if he can state the total number of excise licences issued for the years ended 31st March, 1905, 31st March, 1906, and 31st March, 1907, in England and Wales, authorising the sale of intoxicating liquors by retail on the premises, and the numbers in each year authorising such consumption on the premises under the following heads, viz., publicans; retailers of beer, cider, and perry; retailers of beer and wine; retailers of cider and perry; retailers of wine; and sweets retailers (not publicans), excluding in all cases occasional licences;

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury if he will give a list of the names and addresses of the land tax commissioners in the Brixton division of Lambeth to whom a summons to attend the meeting of 8th and 9th April last was sent. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) The names and addresses of land tax commissioners are published at the time of appointment in the London Gazette. The Treasury have no complete list, and the number of commissioners in some divisions is very large. Perhaps my hon. friend will communicate with me if he has in his mind the case of any particular commissioner in the Brixton Division who has not received a summons.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether there are any financial transactions under the control or cognisance of the Treasury, other than those under the Irish Land Act of 1903, in which public money is advanced to one of two joint owners in excess of the gross value of the joint property, and the other joint owner made liable directly, and the ratepayers of the county contingently, for the repayment of this advance with interest; and can he state any other cases in which losses have arisen equal to the losses known to the Treasury to have arisen under the Act of 1903. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) As I indicated in answer to a similar Question on the 23rd May last year, I am not aware of any cases such as described in the Question, either under the Irish Land Act, 1903, or any other Act.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that in many towns in Ireland the business of the Post Office is carried on upon licensed premises, even in considerable towns where there is a choice of suitable premises; has he taken any steps to put an end to this state of things; and, if not, will he give the matter his early attention. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) As I have before stated, when questioned on this subject by hon. Members, it is the rule that sub-postmasters should not be persons licensed for the sale of drink; and it is only when no other arrangement is practicable that exceptions to the rule are allowed. There are very few cases in which the licensed business is not completely separated from the post office business.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that there is no daily delivery of letters in the townland of Bar of Slattenagh, near Kiltyclogher, county Leitrim, and that the rural postman who daily delivers letters in the adjacent townland of Towerbeg passes on his rounds by the doors of the houses in Bar of Slattenagh; and will he arrange that this postman shall deliver letters in Bar of Slattenagh, or otherwise provide daily delivery of letters there.

To ask the Postmaster-General if he is aware that the present post office premises in Castleblayney were recently bought by a Protestant named Gray in competition with the chairman of the local branch of the United Irish League; that the League has now brought pressure on the postal authorities to change the site of the post office and to purchase a site belonging to a Roman Catholic and in the occupation of a Protestant watchmaker called Flemming; that Flemming has now received notice to quit; will he say, in view of the fact that the postmistress is the wife of the chairman of the branch of the league in question, if her reports on the matter were acted on by the postal authorities; and if, having regard to the fact that Flemming can get no other premises in Castleblayney adequate for his business, the postal authorities will see that he is compensated for the loss of his business if the proposed purchase is carried out. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I am not aware of the circumstances, but I will have inquiry made and inform the hon. Member of the result.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board if he can state the number of midwives who were employed during the last or any recent period of twelve months as parish midwives; whether midwives so employed are regarded as poor law officers; and whether any order of the Board has been issued with regard to their appointment. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I am not in a position to give the information desired by my hon. friend. The midwives referred to would not usually be regarded as Poor Law officers. There is no order of the Local Government Board with regard to their appointment.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he can state the number of inquests held on persons who died in London workhouses and infirmaries during the latest year for which the figures are available; the proportion of inquests held to the total number of deaths in such institutions, and the number of inquests held on persons over sixty years of age, and the proportion to the total number of deaths over that age; whether he can say what is the general practice in regard to the holding of inquests; and what are the fees paid to medical officers and coroners in connection therewith. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I have made inquiry, but I do not find that any official Returns give the particulars desired by the hon. Member. The subject of coroners and inquests is not within my province, but I may state that the London coroners are paid fixed salaries, and that a medical man who attends an inquest on a summons from the coroner is entitled under the Coroners Act, 1887, to a fee of one guinea for attending to give evidence at an inquest at which he has made no post mortem examination, and of two guineas for making a post mortem examination and attending to give evidence thereon.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state how many national schools in Ireland, not including model schools, are open for imparting secular instruction on Saturdays; what is the percentage of children attending model schools on Saturdays; and if he can explain why these schools are kept open for two hours and a half each Saturday. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Commissioners of National Education have no Return showing how many ordinary schools are open for secular instruction on Saturdays. There is no rule which necessitates the opening of such schools on Saturdays, but managers may keep their schools open on that day if they so desire. The Commissioners themselves are managers of the model schools and these schools have always been kept open for half the day on Saturdays, with, as the Commissioners believe, a beneficial effect.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the pupils of Killowen Street national school, Coleraine, county Derry, are sometimes marched to church to attend a service after being marked present at school; if such action is carried out by the permission of the Board; and, if so, on what grounds. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Commissioners of National Education inform me that they have no information upon the subject matter of this Question

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state what were the charges brought against the Reverend J. C. Emerson Doran, in his capacity as manager of Marlfield national school, Belfast, at the inquiry held by Mr. Hynes, Chief Inspector to the National Board; and what action, if any, has been taken in the matter. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Commissioners of National Education are of opinion that no useful purpose would be served by publishing the information asked for in the Question. The Reverend Mr. Doran is not now the manager of a national school.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if, in the case of amalgamation of two schools, boys' and girls', where the girls' school has an assistant and principal but the boys' a principal teacher only, and if the attendance in the amalgamated school did not maintain an average of ninety-five, he can say whether the three teachers would be retained, or would the assistant in the girls' school in such a case have to go. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Commissioners of National Education inform me that, in the case supposed in the Question, they would continue to recognise the three teachers, provided that an average attendance of the amalgamated school of not less than fifty girls should be maintained.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the vacancy for clerk of petty sessions in Templemore, county Tipperary, has been filled; if so, seeing that the voting was even, will he say why there was not a new election; were any of the magistrates disqualified from voting; and, if so, what are their names and what were the grounds for disqualification. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The vacancy referred to was duly filled on 28th February last. Five votes of magistrates were given for each of the two candidates. Of the votes given for one candidate three were found to be invalid, and of the votes given for the other candidate one was invalid. The latter candidate was declared elected by the presiding magistrates and the election was subsequently approved by the Lord-Lieutenant. The votes disallowed in the case of the unsuccessful candidate were those of Messrs. Corcoran, Dwyer, and Hackett, and in the other case the vote disallowed was that of Admiral Fegan. In all four cases the vote was disallowed on the ground of insufficient attendances at petty sessions.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners have received an application for reinstatement from an evicted tenant, Edward Blackmore, Piltown, on the estate of the Earl of Bessborough; whether the local inspector has inquired into this case; and whether any steps have been taken to reinstate. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners received the application in question on the 13th instant only. The case will be inquired into by an inspector in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the 39th Brigade Royal Field Artillery received orders on 5th March, 1907, to leave Shorncliffe, where it had been stationed since March, 1906, and, after completing its practice at Okehampton, to proceed to Edinburgh on 23rd May to relieve the Scots Greys; whether he is aware that the order to go to Edinburgh was suddenly cancelled on 11th May, and the Brigade sent back to Shorncliffe, and whether, in view of the fact that the married officers and non-commissioned officers of the Brigade have been put to expense by this sudden change of order, in the way of changing houses, storing furniture and baggage, or transferring the same from Shorncliffe to Edinburgh, he will consider the advisability of granting reasonable compensation to such officers, non-commissioned officers, and men for the loss they have thus sustained through circumstances beyond their control. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) I am prepared to recognise that the circumstances under which the orders were countermanded are of a somewhat exceptional character, and may justify the grant of some assistance where individuals have necessarily incurred out-of-pocket expenditure to no purpose. Any applications which may be put forward through the recognised channels will be carefully considered.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty what the total estimated cost of the royal yacht "Alexandra" is, and to what service or use the yacht is to be put.

The estimated first cost of the "Alexandra" is £136,688, as shown on page 211 of the Navy Estimates for the current financial year. The new yacht is primarily intended to replace the "Osborne" and "Alberta," which are now worn out, and will be for His Majesty's general use, if he should require to visit any port of his Dominions or any Continental port into which the "Victoria and Albert" cannot enter.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if he is now in a position to answer the question whether the usual naval Manœuvres, which take place annually in June and July, will be held this year.

The naval Manœuvres will not take place in the summer, but at a later date not yet definitely decided on.

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether summer naval Manœuvres will be held this year in order to test the new distribution scheme, or whether only the ordinary Fleet exercises will take place.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he can state the extent of the damage recently sustained by H.M.S. "Dreadnought," and how long the necessary repairs will take.

The damage done to "Dreadnought" was confined to the plating of the port rudder. This plating became partly detached owing to the loosening of some of the rivets, and in consequence some of the wood filling pieces were lost. The main casting of the rudder itself is not impaired. The repairs will take from four to five days.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that the firm of Davidson and Co., Limited, Sirocco Works, Belfast, insist upon all men when entering their employment signing an agreement to cancel membership with any labourers' society or any union of which they are members, and that they shall not join any trade union while employed by this firm; can he say what is the class and the amount of work Davidson and Co., Limited, do as contractors to the Admiralty; and whether the refusal to their workmen of the right to combine in legal organisation disqualifies the firm to remain on the Admiralty list as a contractor to His Majesty's Government.

No information to the effect stated in the first part of the Question has reached me. The firm in question holds contracts for the supply of ventilating fans, but only to a comparatively small extent. In accordance with the Resolution of the House all Admiralty contractors are required to pay the wages current in the district for competent workmen. The Admiralty have no power to go beyond this.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that Davidson and Co. pay skilled labourers trades union rates, and that the unskilled labourers earn from 40s. to 50s. a week, often more than skilled labourers.

I have no information as to that.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the men went out on strike because—

Order, order. Notice should be given of any further Question.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty how many copies of the pamphlet entitled The Truth About the Navy have been distributed in the Fleet under the auspices of the Admiralty; and what is the cost to the nation of the production and circulation thereof.

Six hundred copies of this pamphlet were distributed, the exact cost being £21 18s. 7d.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will undertake that no action affecting the officers or men of the Royal Marines shall be taken by the Admiralty until the Report upon the Royal Marines, which is now under consideration, has been laid upon the Table of the House and opportunity has been given for full discussion of such Report.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member for Peterborough on the 9th April.†

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether thirty batteries of field artillery are to be supplied with bogus quick-firers at a cost of £1,000 per battery; whether the cost of the real article would be £20,000 per battery; and, if so, what explanation is there for this discrepancy in cost; and why is not the real article supplied, seeing Parliament has voted £700,000 for this purpose.

All the field batteries in the Regular Army armed with guns have been supplied with 18-pounder Q.F. guns of the latest pattern; a few batteries have not yet received the full equipment of six guns, but it will shortly be completed. There is no intention of arming the Royal Field Artillery with any other gun than that referred to above, and full provision has been made for equipping all the batteries.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War is he aware that compulsory military drill exists in many public and preparatory schools; is public money to be paid, under the Bill now passing through the House, for this compulsory military training, or will he exempt from those provisions of the Bill which propose to establish and assist rifle clubs, such clubs, corps, and battalions as have in them the element of compulsion.

The Question put by my hon. friend is similar in purport to one put by him on the 9th instant, The reply which I gave on that date would apparently need no amplification The substance of that reply was that the Government has not the least intention of introducing compulsion anywhere or of granting money with that end in view With the internal discipline of private schools, whether as regards drill or foot ball, or any other kind of exercise, the Government, of course, cannot inter meddle.

† See (4) Debates, clxxi., 79.

Is the Government paying money to private schools where compulsion obtains?

We are not paying any money.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if men serving in the Territorial Forces, ordinarily in civil employment, will be included in the Compensation Act, 1906, in cases of accidents when such men are employed in marking on rifle ranges, and if the funds of the county associations will be liable for payment of compensation under the Act; and if such is the case, will he consider the advisability of refunding the amounts of any claims awarded under the Act.

The question of the application of the Compensation Act, 1906, to the cases alluded to is now being carefully considered.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what instructions, if any, have recently been issued by the War Office as to the supply of American corned beef or other tinned, meats to the British Army. I beg also to ask the Secretary of State for War whether a Report has been sent from the War Office to officers commanding depots, stations, or establishments, stating that the American tinned meats supplied to the Army are prepared from carefully selected cattle in a thoroughly satisfactory manner and under good sanitary conditions, or in any other way guaranteeing the quality of American tinned meats.

No particular instructions have recently been issued with regard to the supply of American canned meats. But, as regards such meat now being issued to the troops, the general officer commanding-in-chief, Aldershot, was informed that the establishments in which this meat was prepared had been carefully inspected by officers specially sent to America for the purpose, and that the Army Council, in view of the reports of these officers, were of opinion that the quality and preparation of this food were in every way satisfactory.

asked whether, in consequence of the frequent cases of ptomaine poisoning from eating tinned meat, the right hon. Gentleman would give instructions that fresh meat should be obtained wherever practicable.

We do give fresh meat in the majority of cases, but in war time tinned meat has to be supplied, and consequently we are making careful arrangements.

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of avoiding the expense of sending out British officers to make inspections in America by providing the British Army with British meat?

said a great deal of British meat was used, and it had every chance; but they were not able to give it on all occasions.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that during the late war in South Africa large quantities of British tinned meat, to the extent of £80,000 or £100,000, had to be destroyed, because it was proved to be rotten?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware there is an adequate supply of fresh meat in the North of Ireland?

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War to what use it is intended to put the old War Office headquarters buildings.

This is not a matter for my Department, but I may refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a similar Question put by the hon. Member for the Barkston Ash Division on the 23rd ultimo.†

† See (4) Debates, elxxii., 1570.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the disused military barracks at Roscrea were sold at the auction which was to be held on the 17th instant; and, if not, whether it is intended to invite tenders for the buildings.

The Answer to the first part of this Question is in the negative. As regards the second, I may say that any offers to purchase the buildings and land will be considered.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether he has received the Report of Sir Hamilton Smith regarding his inquiry into the hours of labour and conditions of factory life in Bombay; and, if so, will such Report be laid upon the Table of the House.

The Secretary of State has received informally from the Viceroy an advance copy of the Report. It will be published at a very early date by the Government of India, to whom it was made. I shall take steps to lay copies upon the Table of the House.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that in a charge delivered in a recent visitation of his diocese the Bishop of Bombay has drawn public attention to the practice of the reservation of the Holy Sacrament for adoration, or of the adoration of the Blessed Virgin, or children's Eucharists, or any rites or ceremonies which have been pronounced by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council to be contrary to the law of the Church of England; and will he say whether any of such practices have occurred in churches belonging to the Government of India, or supported out of the public revenues, or have been followed by chaplains or others under the superintendence, direction, and control of the Governor-General of India in Council.

I have seen the charge delivered by the Bishop of Bombay, but I am not aware whether any of the practices prohibited in it had been customary in churches served by Government chaplains or supported out of public revenues. The Bishops in India have the authority required to deal with them wherever they prevail.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the result of the inquiry made by the Acting Colonial Secretary of Ceylon in regard to the licences or rents paid for the sale of opium; and whether the system of high licensing has now been adopted, and with what results to the Colonial revenue and the consumption of opium by the people of Ceylon.

The Secretary of State has received no official information on the subject of the first Question. During the last two years I understand the imports of opium into Ceylon have decreased and the estimated receipts from opium licences have increased.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether at the end of last century there were no licensed opium shops in the northern parts of Ceylon nor in the towns of Jaffna, Manaar, and Trincomalee ; and whether the system of licensing shops for the sale of opium has lately been introduced there.

The Secretary of State has not received any information on the subject.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that at a recent meeting of the Ceylon Legislative Council most of the non-official members voted in favour of a resolution for closing all the licensed opium shops and confining the sale of opium to medical dispensaries, on the ground that there are practically no Chinese residents in Ceylon; and whether these proposals are approved by the Government of Ceylon.

The Secretary of State has not received any communication from the governor on the subject, but his attention shall be directed to the point raised by my hon. friend.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any official information to the effect that, as soon as the pending tariff negotiations between Germany and Canada take a satisfactory course, the Hamburg-American shipping line intends to start a weekly service to Canada.

I have no information on this subject.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if the Report of the Government of Fiji on forced labour in the group of islands has now been received by the Colonial Office; and, if so, when the Report will be published.

The Report as to the alleged employment of forced labour in Fiji has been received from the Governor, and will be laid before Parliament if the hon. Member desires.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what portion of the £35,000,000 Transvaal Loan has been exclusively devoted to the British population and what portion exclusively to the Boer population; and what are the purposes for which the further loan proposed to be guaranteed by His Majesty's Government is destined.

The various headings of the loan were given in reply to a Question by the hon. Member on 16th May,† but I do not think that it is possible to make the division suggested in the first part of the Question. I cannot at present add anything with regard to the new loan to my Answer to a Question on the subject on 9th May.‡

† See (4) Debates, clxxiv., 1080.

‡ See (4) Debates, clxxiv., 355.

May I ask why the right hon. Gentleman cannot answer my Question and specify the different headings which were not specified in his reply to my former Question?

I have already said I do not think it possible to make the division suggested in the first part of the Question with regard to the allocation of the moneys included in the £35,0000,000 loan. With regard to the £5,000,000 I have said I cannot add anything to what has been already stated.

But is not the right hon. Gentleman in possession of information as to the exact way in which this £35,000,000 was applied, and if so, why not give it?

Very full accounts are of course preserved of the expenditure of the £35,000,000 loan, an expenditure for which the present Government is in no degree responsible, but I am informed it would be very difficult to pick out exactly what sums were spent upon Boers and what sums on British, out of that great sum of money. Although it is difficult, I am not sure if it were easy it would be very desirable.

May I ask whether these accounts do not show that certain sums were paid for the repatriation of Boer farmers, for restocking farms, for concentration camps, and for other purposes, and what is the objection to giving the information which has been asked for, and which in my opinion is perfectly available?

As I have said, they are not matters of which we have had cognisance during our term of office. I understand that very full information as to the expenditure of the £35,000,000 loan has already been laid before Parliament, and if that is not the case it is the right hon. Gentleman who is to blame and not we. With regard to the special classification he now recommends us to make, I have said it would be difficult and I think undesirable.

I will repeat my Question this day week in order to give the right hon. Gentleman time to obtain the information. I do not care which side is responsible.

When the hon. Gentleman repeats his Question I shall only be able to repent my Answer.

Now that there is a Transvaal Government is there any distinction of population: are they not all British subjects?

asked the Under-Secretary for the Colonies a Question of which he had given him private notice, namely, whether he could now state to the House what were the nature and extent of the disturbances, if any, to suppress which British soldiers had been employed on the Rand; whether the Transvaal authorities had themselves taken any steps to prevent or suppress the disorder, and whether the High Commissioner despatched the military before the ordinary means of preserving order had proved inadequate?

The Secretary of State for the Colonies has to-day received the following telegram from the Governor of the Transvaal:—"May 29.—Rand strike all quiet along Reef now. Miners waiting for result of ballot of engine-drivers, which will not be declared till Friday. Evidence furnished to Attorney-General was conclusive as to necessity of calling out military. You must remember the Reef is fifty miles long, and that when every town of Transvaal has been denuded of police, there were under 600 available to deal with conditions created by strike along whole Reef. It was absolutely necessary to employ either Volunteers or Regulars. It was most inadvisable to employ Volunteers, partly because many of the Volunteers are minors, and partly because Volunteers necessarily have not the discipline to stand up and be stoned without individually retaliating. I fear that if Volunteers had been used there would already have been bloodshed. Following are instances of evidences of acts of violence. On 15th May party of Afrikanders going to mine attacked by strikers, and they and police severely stoned. Wagon containing effects and bedding of these men burnt. Constant assaults on individual men who had either refused to strike or had taken place of strikers. At one time life of a miner named Botha, who had been badly injured, was despaired of, but I am glad to say that it is now believed he will recover. On 22nd May complete destruction of fencing round shafts of the Robinson Mine. On 23rd May, at Robinson Deep, strikers broke down fences round head gear, and broke into the quarters of the miners who had not joined strike, and absolutely wrecked them. The small body of police who were there were overpowered, and some of them seriously injured by the blows which they received. On 24th May there would have been a very serious affair at the Consolidated Langlaagte Mine had it not been for the fact that soldiers arrived in nick of time. Commissioner of Police, who was present, described attitude of strikers to have been most violent. They were armed with pick handles and other such weapons, and openly talked of showing violence against the police if they took any decisive action, and declared that they would tear the men working on the mine to pieces if they would not go on strike. One of the foremost men drew revolver. Police just held mob, but only just, till the cavalry appeared. The cavalry and police together were able to drive away and disperse mob without injuring any one. Commissioner of Police reports that in respect of this mob there was a large number of men who had been drinking heavily, and also that there was a large number of foreigners belonging to a distinctly dangerous class. Attorney-General has not trusted only to the reports of police, but he has himself been amongst the mines on these occasions, and could judge for himself what the temper of the strikers was, and the risk that was being run."

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when he expects to be able to present the Papers relating to the recent negotiations for the increase in the Turkish customs duties; when will there be an opportunity of discussing them; and at what date the new duties are to come into force.

I hope to lay Papers by the end of next week, and they can of course be discussed on the usual opportunities. The increased duties will come into force after 25th June.

In view of the protracted negotiations will the right hon. Baronet see that reasonable time is given for considering the Papers before the Foreign Office Vote is discussed?

I can make no statement as to the course of business, but I will represent to the Prime Minister the desire of the hon. Member.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give the House any information concerning the present state of affairs in Persia.

A recent telegram from His Majesty's Minister at Tehran reports that the situation in the provinces, which has been somewhat unsettled, is now better, and that all is quiet in the south. A popular demonstration occurred on the 25th instant at Tehran, but stops were taken to allay the excitement, which subsided.

Is it the case that the brother of the Shah is raising troops in the South, and is marching on the capital?

I must ask for notice of that Question.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any official information as to the approximate number of officers, non-commissioned officers, regular and irregular armed forces, in the service of the Congo Free State.

I can only refer the hon. Member to such statements as have been published in the Almanac de Gotha; it is impossible to give official information on such questions beyond what is given by the State concerned.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if the most-favoured-nation treatment enables British subjects to claim the same advantages in regard to Treasury and consular regulations for their exports to the United States of America as are accorded to Germany or other nations.

As I stated in reply to a Question on the 23rd instant, we understand that the concessions in respect of these matters will be for the benefit of all nations.

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that the amount to be expended in the United Kingdom for 1907–8 in respect of agricultural and dairy education is,£85,140, and that of this sum the percentage to England is 14 per cent., to Scotland 9 per cent., and to Ireland 77 per cent., and that their populations are to that of the United Kingdom as 78, 11, and 11 to 100, he will see his way next year to provide a sum which shall place England and Scotland in a position as favourable as that of Ireland.

No, Sir; I am not aware of any reason for making the change suggested.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that England and Scotland only receive 23 per cent. of the total money expended, whereas their proportion of the agricultural population is 61 per cent.?

That may be so, but it is not the province of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to suggest to heads of other Departments that they should make expenditure of public money for which they have not asked.

May I ask whether the Board of Agriculture have not repeatedly pressed for a larger grant of money?

Not that I am aware of.

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if, before presenting to the House another Budget, he will take into consideration the desirability of increasing the amount of moisture allowed to be present in low-priced tobaccos, seeing that under present conditions small manufacturers are being driven out of the trade by syndicates who rely only upon high priced and fancy tobaccos for their profits.

The present legal limit of moisture in tobacco was settled as recently as 1904 by the Act 4, Edward VII., Chapter 7, Section 3 (2), and, as at present advised, I am strongly of opinion that, quite apart from the unsettlement caused to trade by frequent alterations, it would be undesirable, in the interests both of consumers and of the Exchequer, to increase it.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that more than half the women now under detention in Holloway Prison could have been dealt with under the Inebriates Acts and sent to reformatories; and whether, in these circumstances, he will consider the advisability of calling the attention of magistrates to the provisions of the Inebriates Acts.

I am aware that a good many women in Holloway Prison have qualified for committal to an inebriate reformatory. It is, of course, for the Court to decide what is the best way of dealing with each case; but I have specially drawn the attention of magistrates to the working of the reformatory system, and have recently taken steps to ensure metropolitan Courts being made acquainted with a prisoner's previous convictions of drunkenness. I do not see that I can with advantage take any further action at present., but I think it would be well if more use were made of the powers given by the Inebriates Act.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what number of towns in Lancashire and Cheshire have agreed to allow police to assist in the checking of time cribbing, and which are the towns that have so agreed.

Four local authorities have now agreed to allow the police to assist in the checking of time cribbing, namely, Oldham, Accrington, Rochdale, and Hyde. I am in hopes that one or two others will also give their consent.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any prosecutions have been taken in respect to the 4,563 irregularities, under the dock regulations made in October 1904, discovered during the year 1906 by dock inspectors; and, if so, with what results.

Twenty-eight prosecutions were taken, of which one was withdrawn, one dismissed, and the rust resulted in convictions. Detailed information with regard to the irregularities and the action taken by the inspectors will appear in the forthcoming Annual Report of the Chief Inspector.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many aliens were excluded last year under the Aliens Act of 1905, and at what cost.

Four hundred and ninety-three aliens were refused leave to land in 1906. The actual cost of such refusals cannot be given, but the whole of the operations of the Act were covered, as I stated on 14th February last in answer to the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme, by the sum of £11,800.This figure of 493 only relates to exclusion by immigration authorities, and has no reference to the working of the Act as regards returned transmigrants and expulsions.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Inspector McCarthy, of Scotland Yard, was instructed to prepare a list of the names of the Russian delegates attending the Russian Conference recently held in London.

The Answer is in the negative.

Has the attention of the right hon. Gentleman been drawn to the remarkable statement in a paper the other day that the Inspector had told the correspondent of the Daily News that he was instructed to prepare a list of the Russian delegates attending the Conference?

I have stated what is the fact.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether prisoners are weighed on entering prison with no clothes on and are weighed when leaving prison fully dressed; and, if this is the case, will he, in the interest of accurate statistics, see that in future prisoners are weighed on entering and leaving prison similarly attired.

Prisoners are weighed both on reception and on discharge in the ordinary prison dress without cap or shoes.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why were no figures, showing the emigration of aliens, given in the recently issued Report of the first year's working of the Aliens Act; is it intended to issue the Annual Report on emigration and immigration in continuation of similar previous Reports; whether representations as to the working of the Immigration Boards, set up by the Aliens Act, have been made to the Home Office by members of the boards themselves and by certain organisations; and why there is no information on the subject in the Report of the first year's working of the Act.

My hon. friend refers to two separate sets of statistics—those obtained last year for the first time under the Aliens Act of 1905, and those previously obtained under an Act re pealed in 1905, which had until last year been included in the Annual Report of the Board of Trade on Emigration and Immigration. On page 9 of the Report under the Aliens Act, which I have presented to Parliament, the matter of alien passenger traffic outwards from the United Kingdom is dealt with, and I would refer the hon. Member thereto. He will find that there are some figures. As to the Board of Trade's Report, I understand that it will be continued— subject to the omission of the information which is now to be given in the Report under the Aliens Act—and that the Volume for 1906 is in the press. As regards the last two paragraphs of the question, the Report under the Aliens Act is a Report made by the Inspector under the Act to me as head of the Home Department, and naturally does not treat of any representations which may have been made to me and dealt with by me in that capacity.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Assistant Under Secretary of State was first appointed at a salary of £1,000 per annum; what are the functions and duties of the position; and why the salary appears on the Estimates this year for the first time.

A third Assistant Under-Secretary of State was appointed on the 2nd of May, 1906. His chief functions are to assist in the consideration of petitions in criminal cases, and in administering the Aliens Act. The salary appears on the Estimates for this year for the first time because the creation of the post was not sanctioned until after the Estimates for 1906–7 had been settled and published.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, having regard to all the circumstances of the Edalji case, including the anonymous letters, the advisers of the Government will consider the advisability of reconsidering the sentence.

I have advised the grant of a free pardon. No further interference with the sentence is within the power of the Government.

Does the right hon. Gentleman consider this man to be innocent?

I hardly think that is a proper Question to ask me. It is on a matter of opinion.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long Edalji was detained in prison, what character he bore during his incarceration, how long he was kept under surveillance after his release, and whether the surveillance was of such a character as to be prejudical to his professional prospects.

Mr. Edalji was in prison for three years after his conviction. His prison character was good. From his release in October last until the grant of a free pardon a few days ago he was under police supervision, but he was allowed to report by letter instead of personally, and there was no interference of any sort on the part of police that could be prejudicial to him.

May I ask if a free pardon means a free pardon, and whether, in the opinion of the Home Office, this gentleman is innocent or guilty?

Perhaps the hon. Member will put a Question on the Paper if he wishes a full and detailed Answer.

Will the course which the Government have taken in regard to Mr. Edalji enable the Lord Chancellor to reinstate him as a solicitor.

I do not know that the Lord Chancellor has anything to do with it.

Will this free pardon entitle Mr. Edalji to be readmitted to the roll of solicitors?

That does not come within my province.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will appoint a committee with the object of further considering the question of the authorship of the anonymous letters in the Edalji case; and whether the committee which has reported upon the matter had specific instructions to conduct an independent inquiry into the authorship of the letters or did conduct such an inquiry.

I asked Sir Arthur Wilson and his colleagues to examine the whole of the material in the possession of the Home Office and give me their opinion on the case. In their Report they say: "We have ourselves carefully examined the letters and compared them with the admitted hand-writing of Edalji." I do not propose to appoint any such committee as the hon. Member suggests.

asked whether, in view of the great similarity between this case and that of Sergeant Sheridan, the right hon. Gentleman would follow the precedent of the Irish case and have the police witnesses examined.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the number of workpeople who had their wages increased and reduced for the year 1906; and what was the computed amount of changes of weekly wages recorded.

About 1,100,000 workpeople were reported to the Board of Trade as being affected by changes in rates of wages in 1906, viz., 1,083,000 by increases and 17,000 by reductions. The net result of all the changes was a rise in the weekly wages of these workpeople of about £60,000.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the number of hours worked by trainmen on the Midland Great Western Railway (Ireland); and whether the company have given any and, if any, what explanation why men were kept on duty on goods trains on the 16th and 17th of the present month for a period of over thirty-four hours, with a less interval than eight hours for rest.

Inquiry is being made as to the hours of work to which the hon. Member calls attention, and I will inform him of the result.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the unhealthy conditions of the lodging accommodation provided by the Midland and Great Western Railway Company (Ireland) for their engine drivers and firemen at some of the stations where they are lodged away from home; is he aware that, in the case of Galway, three different sets of men have to sleep in and use the same room and hammocks every twenty-four hours; can he say what inspection, if any, these dormitories are subject to; and what steps, if any, he proposes to take to ensure that such places controlled by the company are kept in a healthy and good sanitary condition.

This matter is not one within the jurisdiction of the Board of Trade, but I will draw the attention of the railway company to the hon. Member's Question.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he can inform the House what were the amounts and value of the machinery for sugar manufacture exported from the United Kingdom during the years 1898 to 1902 inclusive, and during the years 1903 to 1907 inclusive; and, if he can say what were the figures for such exports to the British West Indies for the same periods.

I am unable to give the information asked for as no separate record is kept by the Customs Department of the exports of machinery for sugar manufacture. As I informed the hon. Member for Darlington on the 23rd instant, the question of the revision of the classification of machinery in the official trade accounts will be considered by a Departmental Committee during the autumn.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board when he will introduce the Unemployed Bill promised by His Majesty's Government.

It was proposed last year to introduce a Bill on this subject, but, for reasons which I explained to the House, the proposal was not proceeded with. I do not contemplate the introduction of a Bill at the present time.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether, as Mr. Justice Jelf considered it his duty to call public attention to what he described as a very extraordinary state of things, he proposes to make any further inquiries into the circumstances under which Mr. W. G. Ackworth, a manager of the London and Provincial Bank, was appointed treasurer to the West Ham Guardians in 1903, and into the fact that Mr. Ackworth, who admitted having paid nearly £100 in respect of his election and that the money had been all refunded to him by the head office of the bank, was still manager of his branch at an increased salary.

I have informed the West Ham Guardians that I shall consider the position of those officers whose conduct came under notice at the recent trial, and that I have instructed one of the Assistant Secretaries of the Local Government Board to report to me on the subject. One of the cases to be considered is that of the treasurer. I can only deal with it so far as his position as treasurer is concerned. I have no jurisdiction with regard to him as manager of the bank.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland was at the time a director of the bank?

No, Sir; and if I had been it would not have affected my action at all.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General if, under the rules and regulations of the Post Office, the business of a district or branch post office may be carried on in licensed premises; and, if so, will he take steps to separate the business of all branch or district post offices from such licensed premises in such a way that the business of the post office can be conducted out of sight of the licensed trade, and that distinct and separate entrances may be provided to the branch or district post offices and that part of the premises where intoxicating liquors are sold.

As I have before stated when questioned on this subject by hon. Members, it is the rule that sub-postmasters should not be persons licensed for the sale of drink; and it is only when no other arrangement is practicable that exceptions to the rule are allowed. There are only thirty-three post offices in the United Kingdom in which the Post Office business is not separated from that relating to the sale of intoxicating liquors. Such an arrangement is not sanctioned except where no other is practicable.

May we take it that no exception to the general rule that licensed premises should not be used for post offices will be made when other suitable premises can be found?

That is so.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether final arrangements have been made with the North Staffordshire Railway Company for the erection of the proposed new general post office at Stoke-on-Trent; whether there are any special reasons for the delay of over ten years since the proposal took definite shape; have the plans and estimates been arranged, or are there still outstanding questions to be settled; and whether, in case of still further dilatory proceedings by the railway company, he will consider the advisability of scheduling the land in the next Sites Bill with a view to the building being put immediately in hand by his own Department.

The site of the present post office belongs to the railway company, and the fact that the company required the site for their own use was first made known to the Department in November, 1902. The post office must be close to the station, and the orginal proposal was for a new post office to be built by the Department on ground belonging to the railway company. Plans for this scheme were first sent to the company in October, 1903; but the company demurred to the proposals, and after considerable correspondence it was at length agreed that the railway company should build the premises themselves, and let them to the Department. Plans were drawn up, and in January last the scheme was approved by the Treasury. The draft agreement for lease has been settled, and specifications for the building are now being prepared by the company. I have represented to them how important it is that the office should be completed as rapidly as possible.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that at Norwich there are four men who have been assistant postmen for over four years; that there are also a number of telegraph messengers some of whom are about twenty years of age and are regularly employed, with very short intervals, on full-time postmen's duties, and who, by not being given assistant postmen's certificates, are rendered ineligible for established appointments; whether he is also aware that telegraph messengers of seventeen years of age are sometimes employed on night duties contrary to regulation; that, when the assistant postmen desired to petition the surveyor for appointments, they were persuaded to withdraw their appeal by the inspector saying that to do so would prejudice the position of the telegraph messengers; and whether, seeing that the telegraph messengers referred to are employed doing postmen's work at the rate of 4d. an hour, and that this system has been in existence for some years, he will take steps to give these assistant postmen and telegraph messengers appointments at an early date.

I will make inquiry concerning this matter and communicate with the hon. Member.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General if he will inquire into the circumstances which preclude parcels of flowers being sent by post from Switzerland to England, which parcels can be sent to any other European country.

Flowers can be sent to this country from Switzerland either by letter post or by parcel post. On and after 1st October next they will also be admissible by sample post, provided that they have no saleable value and are not sent for a commercial purpose.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the fact that the proposed Charter for the Imperial College of Science at South Kensington contains a special provision retaining the name and the associateship of the Royal School of Mines, it is intended also to retain the title and the associateship of the Royal College of Science.

I do not think the "Associateship of the Royal School of Mines" affords an analogy in this connection. Specialised courses in mining and metallurgy, for which the name "Royal School of Mines" is sufficiently appropriate, will certainly form one of the departments of the work of the Imperial College, and provision can therefore be made in the Charter for this and for the retention of the corresponding associateship, before the governing body is established. It is difficult, however, to anticipate whether there will be any department to which the name "College of Science "or" School of Science "will be equally applicable, and it is desirable that the governing body, when established, should have an opportunity of considering this question, which is bound up with other questions of organisation which it will rest with them to decide. Moreover, the name chosen for the new institution, viz., the Imperial College of Science and Technology, may make the continued use of the comprehensive term "Science" inappropriate as a distinctive term for use in the name of any particular department.

What steps have been taken to preserve existing rights?

I think the hon. Gentleman has not fully appreciated my answer.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether he is in a position to state when the new regulations of the secondary schools under the Board of Education will be issued; whether all applications must still be sent in at least one month before the school year commences; whether the school year commences 1st August; and, if so, whether, as only one month remains for making the applications, he will consider the advisability of extending the period in which they can be made.

I hope the new regulations will be issued early next month, but I am not yet in a position to fix the date. The present regulations require that applications should be sent in not one month before the school year commences, but one month before the school session commences, which is generally towards the end of September. The possibility of making a change in this regulation is under consideration.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education if his attention has been called to a dispute between the West Ham educational authorities and their teachers, which has caused the resignation of a very large number of teachers, and, owing to the educational authority not being able to obtain a sufficient number of teachers to fill the vacancies, the teachers have in many instances had their classes increased to 100 children or more; and whether he intends to take any action in the matter.

I understand that a certain number of teachers have left the service of the local education authority. His Majesty's Inspector informs me that, so far as regards schools he has visited in the last week or two, he is not aware of any case where a class habitually consists of as many as 100 children.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been called to the Stoke-on-Trent Catholic Schools, where the correspondent has failed to call a meeting of managers for more than six months, whilst he sends in accounts and recommendations to the education committee which have never been before the managers; and whether he will call attention to this breach of regulations.

I am causing inquiries to be made into this case, and I will let my hon. friend know the result.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been called to the overcrowding at a number of West Ham schools, viz., Carpenters Road Girls' School: class-room accommodation, 170; number on roll, 224; Drew Road Boys' School: class accommodation, seventy; number on roll, 105; Hermit Road Girls' School: class accommodation, sixty; number on roll, 105; Holborn Road Boys' School: class accommodation, sixty; number on roll, 11S; S. Hallsville Girls' School: class accommodation, sixty-two; number on roll, 102; St. Paul's Girls' School: class accommodation, 125; number on roll, 154; Water Lane Boys' School: class accommodation, sixty; number on roll, 101; and whether he proposes to take any, and, if any, what, action in the matter.

Only one of the schools mentioned has recently been visited by His Majesty's inspector, viz. the Water Lane Boys' School, where there were 472 children present, formed into nine classes. The staff consists of nine certificated teachers. I am not aware of any requirements of the Code having been broken. I hope His Majesty's inspector will be able to visit the other schools very shortly.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education when he will introduce the Bill to authorise the expenditure of public money upon the creation of new public elementary schools.

I propose to ask Parliament in the Appropriation Bill to authorise this expenditure, but I cannot say upon what date that Bill will be introduced.

Does not that involve the repealing of a clause in the Act of 1870 which forbids the payment of public funds for erecting school buildings?

No, it does not involve a general repeal of the clause in the Act of 1870, but it will obviously lead to a repeal for the expenditure during the current year.

I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works whether his attention has been drawn to the damage which has been done to the old oak panelling and decorations in one of the dining-rooms in the process of restoration; and if, in any further work to be executed, he will take precautions to preserve the natural richness of the oak acquired by age, and also maintain the general decorative character of the original design of the interior of the House.

No damage or restoration has been done to the oak panelling of the dining-room. The oak has never acquired any natural richness by age. It was originally stained and then varnished. The varnish has been removed in order to allow the oak to acquire the fine tone which arises from age and waxing. There has been no interference with the decorative character of the original design of the interior of the House. Some old and dirty flock papers have been removed or replaced with the general approval of those best qualified to judge of such matters.

Does the right hon. Gentleman intend to scrape the oak work of this Chamber and whitewash the ceiling, or does he regard the House as national property?

I regard the House as national property, and I have not in the past, and I do not intend in the future, to scrape any of the oak.

I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works whether he will lay upon the Table a statement showing the various, provisions and enactments adapted in and modified by the Small Holdings and Allotment Bill, similar to those provided in connection with the Territorial Forces and other Bills.

I will consider whether it is desirable or necessary to do this—which will, of course, entail cost —but if it is desirable I will see that it is done.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that seventeen licences referred by the Licensing Bench of the city of Norwich to the Inland Revenue, authorities for compensation on 9th August last have not yet been reported upon; and whether he can take steps to expedite the award.

I hope that a decision on these cases will be arrived at in a few days.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury if he will take steps to abolish or modify the existing property qualification at present necessary for the position of Income Tax Commissioners, in order that the Land Tax Commissioners may have a more extended choice in making these appointments.

Some qualification for Income Tax Com missioners is clearly necessary, as it would not be desirable, for instance, that persons who do not themselves contribute to Income Tax should be made eligible. I am not aware, however, that the existing qualification is a cause of difficulty in securing a satisfactory body of Commissioners.

I beg to ask the hon. Member for the Elland Division of Yorkshire, as representing the Charity Commissioners, when the inquiry into the various charities connected with Holme Lacy, promised by the Commissioners in October last, and again in the early part of April of this year, will be held.

The inquiry has been fixed for the 3rd or 4th of July, as the chairman of the parish council may arrange.

I beg to ask the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) when the Report of the proceedings of the Department during 1906 will be presented.

The sixth annual Report of the Department, which covers the greater part of 1906, has now been submitted to the Lord-Lieutenant, and will be presented to Parliament in a day or two.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will grant the Return standing in the name of the Member for Mid Armagh on the Paper to-day, †

I cannot see that any useful purpose would be served by giving the Return in Question. I am not aware of any precedent for inquiring as to the amount of rates which may be paid by members of local bodies or any other class.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to a conflict which occurred on 13th May at Four Mile House, near Roscommon, between the police and a crowd who assembled to drive the cattle of a farmer, named Owens, of his land, when the police were stoned and the head constable was injured; were any arrests made or have any persons been prosecuted; and, if so, is it proposed to try them in county Roscommon?

On the evening of the 13th May a crowd which had assembled near a farm occupied by Mr. Owen was dispersed by the police. No stones were thrown at this time, but subsequently when some of the police were returning from duty, stones were thrown at them at a place a mile from the scene of the disturbance. The head constable was slightly injured by a stone. Owing to the darkness the police were unable to identify the offenders, and consequently no arrests were made.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, under the Irish Council Bill, the Lord-Lieutenant, as President of the Local Government Board (Clause 20, Subsection 5), will be controlled by the council under Clause 2 (1) and (2); and whether, as chief of the Executive Government, he will have the power (Clause 3 (2)) to annul or reserve.

† Return giving the names and addresses of each member of all Rural and Urban District Councils, Boards of Guardians, and County Councils in Ireland, with the amount of county rates paid by each member of those Boards.

The Lord-Lieutenant will not, under the Irish Council Bill, become President of the Local Government Board, and therefore the first part of the Question does not arise. The Answer to the second part of the Question is in the affirmative.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will indicate the districts in Ireland in which additional forces of constabulary are employed, stating the names of districts, counties in which situated, total number of additional police employed, and the circumstances under which, in the case of each such district, it was considered necessary to supplement the ordinary police establishment.

I will furnish with to-night's Votes a statement giving the information for which the right hon. Gentleman asks.†