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Questions And Answers Circulated With The Votes

Volume 175: debated on Wednesday 5 June 1907

The text on this page has been created from Hansard archive content, it may contain typographical errors.

Payment For Christmas Overtime In Bradford Post Office

To ask the Postmaster-General why certain Bradford postmen have not yet been paid for overtime which they worked on Friday, 28th December, and Saturday, 29th December, 1906. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.)It is not usual to pay postmen for overtime due to prolonged delivery (which as a rule cannot be checked) except on certain days of extreme pressure at Christmas time. The 28th and 29th of December were not among these days. I regret that a decision on this case has been delayed owing to the official papers having been accidentally mislaid.

Delivery Of Indian Mail On June 1St

To ask the Postmaster-General whether the Indian mail was in the hands of the Post Office before 11 a.m. on Saturday, and why no letters were delivered in the City earlier than 1.30 p.m., or newspapers before 4.55 p.m., even in cases where special arrangements for the delivery of newspapers are in existence. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) on the occasion to which the hon. Member refers the Indian mail, which came to hand after 11 a.m., was exceptionally heavy, and, notwithstanding the employment of a large additional force, it was not possible to effect an earlier delivery. So far as the City was concerned the bulk of the letters were sent out by postmen who left the General Post Office between 12.45 and 1.20 p.m., and a number of them were delivered before 1.30. p.m. The hon. Member may rest assured that on occasions, such as the one under question, all possible steps are taken to ensure the delivery of the mails as soon as possible.

Irish Evicted Tenants—Case Of John Maguire

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if the Estates Commissioners have received an application for reinstatement from John Maguire, Drumkeany, parish of Cloone, an evicted tenant on the Lauder estate, in county Leitrim; and, if so, will the same be investigated by an inspector. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners cannot trace the receipt of any application from the person referred to in the Question.

Irish Evicted Tenants—Case Of Mrs Bridget Craemar

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if the Estates Commissioners have received an application for reinstatement from Mrs. Bridget Craemar, Kiltynashinagh, Ballinamore, an evicted tenant on the Marsham estate, in county Leitrim; and, if so, will the same be investigated by an inspector. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners have inquired into this application, and have ascertained that the eviction took place in consequence of a dispute regarding the tenancy among members of the evicted tenant's family. The Commissioners have not succeeded in settling this dispute, and have, therefore, decided to postpone the further consideration of the application until they are dealing with the estate upon which the evicted farm is situate.

Protestants And Catholics In Ireland

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will cause an inquiry to be made as to the alleged grievances from which Protestants, as such, suffer at the hands of their Catholic neighbours in those counties in Ireland where the Catholics are in a majority; and whether he will issue a Return showing the number of Protestants appointed on representative Irish Boards where the Catholics are in a majority, and of the number of Catholics appointed on Boards where the Protestants are in a majority. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I do not think it would be possible to undertake the inquiry which the hon. Member suggests. The Government have no information as to the religious persuasion of members of elected bodies in Ireland, and do not propose to make any inquiry on the subject.

Sentence For Stealing Milk At Rutland

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the case of two brothers, Divers Horton and John Robert Horton, who were sentenced to three months' imprisonment each at the Rutland quarter sessions for stealing one pint of milk; and whether, in view of the character of the sentence and of the fact that one of the prisoners has never been convicted before, he will, under the circumstances, remit the remainder of the sentence, seeing that these men have already been in prison six weeks. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) No representation has been made to me in this case other than the Question of the hon. Member. I am making inquiry into it.

Grant To Cornelius Cahill, Of Clonoul, County Limerick

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can say when the Estates Commissioners will give a grant to Cornelius Cahill, of Clonoul, Croagh, in the county of Limerick, evicted tenant, to enable him to work his evicted farm, in which he has been reinstated by the landlord; and whether, seeing that there is little likelihood of an immediate sale of the estate by the landlord to the tenants, they will do so without waiting until a sale takes place. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners have asked for the landlord's consent to an inspection of the holding with a view to arranging a sale to Cornelius Cahill. If a sale should be arranged the Commissioners will consider the question of making a grant to Cahill, otherwise they have no power to make such a grant.

Guaranteed Loans To Colonies

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the precedents for guaranteeing loans to Colonies having full responsible government; and under what circumstances were each of these loans guaranteed. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) Guarantees have been given in favour of three loans raised by New Zealand and three raised by Canada.

New Zealand:—

  • (1) A loan of £500,000 in 1857 (20 and 21 Vic., cap. 51) to provide for the payment of debts due by the Colony and for the purchase of native lands;
  • (2.) A loan of £500,000 in 1866 (29 and 30 Vic., cap. 104) for the purpose of expenses in connection with the New Zealand war, immigration, and other purposes;
  • (3) A loan of £1,000,000 in 1870 (33 and 34 Vic., cap. 40) for the construction of roads, bridges, and other communications, and for the introduction of settlers.
  • Canada:—

  • (1) A loan of £3,000,000 in 1867 (30 Vic., cap. 16) for the construction of a railway connecting Quebec and Halifax;
  • (2) A loan of £300,000 in 1869 (32 and 33 Vic., cap. 101) for the purchase of Rupert's Land from the Hudson Bay Company.
  • (3) A loan of £3,600,000 in 1873 (36 and 37 Vic., cap. 45) for the construction of the Pacific Railway and the improvement and enlargement of the Canadian canals.
  • This loan was, to the extent of £1,100,00, in lieu of a guaranteed loan of that amount which had been authorised in 1870 (33 and 34 Vic., cap. 82) for the construction of fortifications, but was not raised.

    The Domicile Act, 1861—Application To China

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Domicile Act of 1861 has been applied to China, including Shanghai. (Answered by Secretary Sir Edward Grey.) The reply is in the negative.

    Boy Artificers As 5Th Class Engine Room Artificers

    To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the boy artificers promoted to the fifth-class engine-room artificers, and sent to ships abroad, have been favourably reported upon; and whether they are being borne as additional to the usual complement, or in lieu of others whose time has expired.

    ( Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) The reports have not yet been received. These artificers are borne additional to complement.

    Engine-Room Artificers In The Navy—Supply Of Candidates

    To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether any difficulty is experienced in obtaining candidates for engine-room artificers; how many of them are expected to leave the naval service on pension during the present financial year, and what proportion of this number it is proposed to obtain from engineering shops in the country; and what is the percentage of failures among those now presenting themselves for entry. (Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) No difficulty has been experienced in obtaining candidates. Taking the average of the last seven years, it is anticipated that about thirty engine-room artificers will complete time for pension during the present year. It is proposed to obtain about 30 per cent. of the number of entries required for the year from engineering shops in the country. The percentage of failures among candidates last year was twenty-six.

    Belfast Factories And The Truck Act

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the frequent deductions from the wages of employees in Belfast factories and workshops in violation of the provisions of the Truck Acts; and whether he will direct the local inspector of factories to see that the provisions of the Acts are more rigidly enforced. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) Complaints have been received with regard to the bonus system adopted in certain factories in this district, and a case was taken last year to test the legality of the system. In that case, Deane v. Wilson and Co., the High Court held that no violation of the Truck Acts had been committed. Apart from this question, which is now under the consideration of the Departmental Committee on the Truck Acts, I am not aware that there is any prevalence of truck abuses in this district; but if the hon. Member will furnish me with the particulars of any cases that have been brought to his notice they shall be inquired into.

    Regulation Of Motor Traffic

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the Report of the Royal Commission on Motor Cars, he can see his way to introduce a Bill dealing with the regulations affecting motor traffic, so that an opportunity may be given to the House of Commons and the public generally of discussing its provisions with a view to legislation next session. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to this Question. Looking to the statement made by the Prime Minister on Monday last, with reference to the business of the session, there would not seem to be any probability that time could be found for the discussion this year of such a Bill as that suggested. and, in these circumstances, it does not appear to me that there would be any advantage in its being introduced.

    Portrush Post Office Accommodation

    To ask the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been directed to the inadequate accommodation for the public and officials in the Portrush post office; and when it is proposed to effect an improvement. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) A site for the erection of a new post office has been acquired, and it is hoped that building operations will be begun shortly.

    Appointments For Telegraph Learners At Bristol

    To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that telegraphs learners at Bristol, after waiting three years for appointment, have now been asked if they are prepared to leave that office in order to secure positions upon the establishment; and whether, seeing that a competitive examination is announced to be held at Bristol in July, 1907, for the post of telegraph learners, he will state the reason for his decision to add to the staff of learners, in view of the fact that he cannot find vacancies for those already placed in the Bristol office. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) Certain telegraph learners at Bristol, whose promotion to the establishment at that office has been delayed longer than was anticipated, by reason of an unexpected dearth of vacancies, have been offered opportunities of early promotion elsewhere, but, with one exception, have preferred, to wait their turn at Bristol. The learnerships to be filled by examination in July will supply officers for appointment to the establishment, not now but some two years hence, and not affect the prospects of the existing learners.

    Vagrancy In Surrey

    To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware of the annoyance caused to the public in the county of Surrey by vagrants and, if not, whether he will ask for information from the local authorities in the county so that he may convince himself of the desirability, or not, of introducing legislation at an early date on the lines of the Report of the Departmental Commission on Vagrancy.

    To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware of the annoy-

    Strength of the Royal Artillory on the 1st May, 1907.
    Officers.Warrant officers.Non-commissioned officers and men.Total.
    Royal Horse Artillery17495,0205,203
    Royal Field Artillery9084924,25425,211
    Total: Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery1,0825829,27430,414
    Royal Garrison Artillery8948318,58819,565
    Royal Artillery Clerks22230252
    Grand Total: Royal Artillery1,97616348,09250,231

    ance caused to the public in South Bucks by vagrants; and, if not, whether he will ask for information from the local authorities, particularly of Slough and Wycombe, so that he may convince himself of the desirability of introducing legislation at an early date on the lines of the Report of the Departmental Commission on Vagrancy.

    ( Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I will answer these two Questions together. I am aware that annoyance is caused by vagrants in various parts of the country, and I do not think it necessary to obtain further information on the subject from the local authorities of the particular counties referred to. As I have stated on previous occasions, I am in communication with my right hon. friend the Home Secretary with regard to the Report of the Committee, but I do not think it will be practicable to propose legislation with repect to the matter this year.

    Strength Of The Artillery

    To ask the Secretary of State for War what was the strength of the Royal Horse and Field Artillery and the Royal Garrison Artillery respectively with the colours on 1st May. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The figures are as under, including India—

    Rates Of Pay Of The Territorial Cavalry

    To ask the Secretary of State for War whether during the first two years of the Territorial Army there will be two rates of pay in the Territorial cavalry, i.e., the rate under which the recruits of the two previous years have been enlisted and that of the recruits of the current year; and how he proposes to make this a working arrangement. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) Yes, Sir, there will be two rates of pay, as vested rights are recognised, under Section 28 (2) of the Bill, for the whole of a man's current engagement. The same conditions are not unknown in the Regular Army, and no serious difficulty need be anticipated.

    Civilian Buildings On Salisbury Plain

    To ask the Secretary of State for War what decision has now been arrived at as to the advisability of providing civilian buildings in the nature of private residences, shops, stores, etc., on Government land at Salisbury Plain (see Hansard, 14th Febuary, 1907, page 298). (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The matter is receiving careful consideration. I am not yet, however, in a position to make a statement on the subject.