To ask the President of the Board of Education if, prior to the next issue of the list of public elementary schools, he will take steps to secure the publication of revised and corrected figures of accommodation by eliminating from the measurements of floor space upon which accommodation is based such portions of the school buildings as are not available for effective teaching, and by taking into consideration the existence of a proper number of class-rooms. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) The figures of accommodation appearing in the list of public elementary schools represent the accommodation recognised by the Board, and do not in every case coincide with the accommodation available for effective teaching. I fear the burden on the ratepayers that would be caused by the condemnation of schools and class-rooms which ought not properly to be regarded as suitable for effective teaching renders such an. immediate step impossible. The Board are endeavouring to secure in all schools that not less than ten square feet of floor space shall be provided for each child, and to remove from the list unsuitable schools and class-rooms where alternative accommodation is available or, failing this, so soon as it can be secured. The difficulty of carrying out these necessary reforms with geater rapidity lies solely in the reluctance on the part of many local education authorities to provide the accommodation required for the children displaced.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to say what steps have been taken to secure remuneration for James Galvin for his services in saving the vessel which, but for his help, would have been wrecked on the coast of Kerry, near Ballinskelligs Bay. (Answered by Mr. Kearley.) The Board of Trade have obtained a statement regarding this matter from the master of the "Forest Hall," who denies that the vessel was in distress, and states that he merely asked Galvin to show him the anchorage in Ballinskelligs Bay, and promised to pay him the usual pilotage fees in and out, amounting to £5. The matter is one for decision by the Courts, and is not one in regard to which the Board of Trade have any power to intervene.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board, whether he is aware that, by general orders of 31st October, 1874, the Local Government Board prescribed it as the duty of the guardians of the poor to give directions to their vaccination officers to take proceedings in cases in which the proceedings of the Vaccination Act of 1867 had not been complied with, and that in July, 1875, the Local Government Board obtained a mandamus to compel the guardians of the Keighley union to give directions to their vaccination officer; and that in consequence of their default the guardians of that union suffered imprisonment; whether, seeing that Lord Herschell's Commission on Vaccination reported in 1896 that it is the duty of the guardians to put the law in regard to vaccination in operation, he will say whether the powers and duties of guardians in regard to such prosecutions under Sections 29 and 31 of the Act of 1867 have since been altered by statute; and, if not, whether the powers of the guardians in directing their officers in instituting proceedings under the Vaccination Acts are the same now as they were held to be in 1875 and in 1896. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I am aware of the facts referred to in the Question. Some limitations were placed by Sections 2, 3 and 4 of The Vaccination Act, 1898, on the cases in which prosecutions could be instituted under Sections 29 and 31 of The Vaccination Act, 1867, but, subject to this, there has been no statutory provision since 1896 which would affect the powers and duties of guardians in regard to prosecutions under those sections. Since that date, however, the Courts of Law have decided that it is the duty of the vaccination officer to institute these prosecutions without any directions from the guardians. When in 1898 the Order of 1874 mentioned by my hon. friend was rescinded, the provision which it contained as to directions by the guardians in cases of this kind was not inserted in the Order which took its place. That Order provided, however, that the guardians should from time to time ascertain whether the vaccination officer was performing the duties imposed on him by the Vaccination Acts of enforcing the provisions of those Acts and the duties imposed on him by the Order, and should require the due performance by him of such duties.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether he can now state the result of the surveyor's inquiries at Enniskillen on the questions of bad duties, caused by an undue proportion of female labour, and the matter i of supervision at that office, no information having yet been received by the i staff as to the result of that inquiry. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) A revision of the indoor force at Enniskillen is about to be submitted to the Treasury for authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether in view of the fact that the Indian Army is unprovided with horse or field artillery other than mountain batteries, it is contemplated, in the event of war, that the Indian Army should take the field without horse or field artillery; and, if not, what is the number of regular batteries which will be required, and from what source they will be provided. (Answered by Mr. Hobhouse.) Except in expeditions of very small importance the Indian Army never takes the field without Britishtroops. The Secretary of State has already informed the House that there are eleven batteries of horse artillery and forty-five batteries of field ' artillery now in India.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the announcement that no man shall be recruited for the territorial force who cannot accept a liability to a six months embodiment on the Army Reserve being called out, he proposes to disband or reduce such corps as the Civil Service, the Post Office, the Elswick, the Woolwich, the Dockyard, and the Railway Volunteers; and whether he proposes to discharge from other battalions all Volunteers who from being in the Government service or from the nature of their employment are unable to comply with such requirement.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether it is the intention of the Government to introduce a Bill dealing with the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Sewage Disposal. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) As I stated on Friday last, in answer to a Question by the hon. Member for the Ecclesall Division, I cannot hold out any expectation that I could introduce a Bill on this subject during the present session.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been directed to the loss and inconvenience which has been sustained on omnibus routes in Paddington through the traffic of improperly constructed vehicles; and if he can give any assurance that more stringent regulations for motor omnibuses will be enforced in respect of such points as noise, vibration, and emission of vapour. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) The regulations under which motor omnibuses are licensed were considered and approved by a Select Committee of the House of Commons, and are being strictly enforced. Unduly noisy omni buses are warned off the streets. In some places, the state of the roadway is responsible for most of the vibration and for some of the noise of these vehicles. At the same time every effort is constantly being made to improve matters, and in the opinion of the Commissioner of Police a marked improvement has been effected.

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty to what year's programme the armoured cruisers "Minotaur," "Shannon," "Defence," "Achilles," "Cochrane," "Natal," and "Warrior"

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty to what year's programme the German armoured cruisers "Gneisenau," "Scharnhorst," "Roon," and "Yorck," belong; on what dates they were laid down; on what dates they were completed; and what time was occupied in building them. (Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) The information desired is as follows—

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if he can hold out any hope that the Second Reading of the Naval Lands (Volunteers) Bill will be taken at an early date. (Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) This Bill was originally promoted by the late Government, and was reintroduced last session and again this session. On the understanding that no prolonged discussion will be considered necessary, I have hopes of being able to persuade the Patronage Secretary to give it an early place.

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the question of renewal of free kits to Naval Volunteer Reserves has been under discussion at the Admiralty for over two years; and whether, in view of the prejudicial effect that the uncertainty on this subject is having upon the recruiting of the Volunteer force, he can now state if any definite decision has been arrived at. (Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) I am informed that this question was raised about two years ago, but that no decision was then reached. The present Board has not hitherto been able to see its way to a definite decision, but the matter will not be lost sight of.

To ask the First Commissioner of Works what steps he proposes to take to secure that the new electric generating station near the Houses of Parliament and the British Art Gallery shall be constructed and worked so as to obviate injury to the fabrics of these public buildings, the art treasures therein, and the vegetation in the Victoria Tower Gardens which are about to be extended at great cost close up to the new station site. (Answered by Mr. Harcourt.) I shall do my utmost to obtain the insertion of protective provisions at a later stage of a Bill now before this House. With the opinions of Professor Church and Dr. Thorpe before me, and the knowledge lately acquired of what is happening elsewhere, I take a most serious view of the national risk which is being incurred in this matter unless precautions are adopted, according to my recommendations, to protect the Houses of Parliament, the adjoining grounds and the British Art Gallery. I hope I shall have public support in my action.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, having regard to the number of policies likely to be effected in view of the coming into operation of The Workmen's Compensation Act, 1906, and to the hardship of the imposition by law of a stamp of sixpence upon each such policy, he will, in the interests of insurers with small means, consider the advisability of providing that, as in the case of insurances against fire, a stamp of one penny shall cover policies effected against the liability cast upon all classes of employers under the Act of 1906. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) As I explained in reply to a Question asked by the noble Lord on the 22nd April, all policies of indemnity against accidents on which the annual premium does not exceed £1 are, under Section 11 of the Finance Act, 1899, treated as policies of insurance against accidents and attract a duty of no more than Id. This would seem to be sufficient to meet the case of "insurers with small means," regard being had to the rates of premium usually charged upon such policies, except perhaps in some particularly dangerous trades. The question whether, in view of recent legislation, there is a case for the further extension of the concession is, as I have already stated, engaging my attention.

To ask the Secretary of State for India whether the proposal to transfer portions of the property of the Madras Railway to another company or line, which was recently intimated to the Madras Railway Company, has been finally and irrevocably decided on, or whether facilities will be given to the proprietors of the Madras Railway Company and the people of Madras to make representations to the Government before the matter is finally decided on. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) The transfer of the Madras Railway from the present company has been finally decided on, with a view to a rearrangement of the railways in Southern India, which was considered by the Government of India and the Railway Board to be imperative on administrative grounds. Subject to the settlement of satisfactory conditions, the Southern Mahratta, South Indian, and Great Indian Peninsula Railway Companies have provsionally accepted the offers which have been made to them to include in their systems portion of the present Madras Railway.

To ask the Secretary of State for India at what dates eleven batteries of horse artillery and forty-five batteries of field artillery were added to the Indian Army. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) I have not stated that there has been an addition of eleven batteries of horse artillery and forty-five batteries of field artillery. The above number of horse artillery batteries have been on the establishment of the Army in India since 1885 and of field artillery batteries since April, 1902.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the residual capitation grant for the year ended 31st March, 1907, has not been paid to the acting principal teacher, Miss Quinn, of Ballagh School, Roll No. 5,811, Circuit No. 12, county of Roscommon; that this school remained during the term mentioned in communication with the National Board; that the grant was earned; whether the technical application of Rule No. 111, not designed to meet a ease of this description, will be held to deprive the teacher of the school of a grant which she earned; and, if so held, to whom will the grant be paid, or must it be forfeited by those interested in that school. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) In ordinary circumstances the teacher referred to would not be entitled to the residual captitation grant, but, having regard to the unusually long period, nearly a year, during which she acted as principal teacher, the Commissioners have decided to make the grant to her as an entirely exceptional case.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state if during the Chief Secretaryship of Mr. Gerald Balfour, and at the request of the Government, a report on the Irish railways was made by the late Mr. Robertson, the then Chairman of the Board of Works in Ireland; whether this Report favoured the idea of State purchase of all the Irish railways; whether it is still in existence and in possession of the Government or any of its departments; and, if so, whether it will be submitted with any other official Reports made on the same subject to the Viceregal Commission now considering the Irish railway problem. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I have no information that any Report of the nature referred to was ever made by Mr. Robertson. There is no record of such a Report either in the Chief Secretary's Office, or in that of the Board of Works.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if the Estates Commissioners have received an application on reinstatement from Michael O'Connor for a farm of land from which he was evicted, on the Crofton estate at Mohill, county Leitrim; and, if so, will the same be investigated by an inspector. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners have had Michael O'Connor's application investigated by an inspector. The holding from which O'Connor was evicted does not appear to be one to which the Land Law Acts apply, and the Commissioners can, therefore, take no action in the matter.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Congested Districts Board have purchased the estate of Major St. George French, Clooniquinn, county Roscommon; whether the property in question includes the Clooniquinn Farm, which is now in the possession of a non-resident grazier; and whether the Board propose in the near future to use their powers and allot it in sections to the holders of uneconomic holdings in the immediate neighbourhood. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Congested Districts Board have purchased this estate. It is assumed that the grazing farm referred to in the Question is the non-residential farm which is held by Mr. Timothy Rourke, junior, under lease for thirty-one years from 1902. The Board have no power under the existing law to determine the tenure in this case.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Sarah Flannery Estate, near Strokes-town, county Roscommon, has been purchased by the Estates Commissioners and resold to the tenants, and that an exception has been made in the case of one of the tenants, named James Farrell, on the grounds that he had not paid his interest in time; and whether, seeing that Farrell has since offered to pay up all arrears and is now willing to do so, he will, under the circumstances, instruct the Commissioners to give this tenant the full benefit of the Act. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners inform me that, since I answered the hon. Member's previous Question on this subject on 25th February, † they have received no application in the matter either from Farrell or the landlord. If such an application should be made to them they will give it due consideration

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the case of O'Leary v. Sherlock; whether he is aware that the Sub-Commissioners, on the application of O'Leary, who was then under notice to quit, fixed a fair rent on his holding; that Chief-Commissioner Fitzgerald, on appeal of Mr. Sherlock, the landlord, reversed the decision of the Sub-Commissioners; and that the Lord Chief Baron and Lords Justices Holmes and Fitzgibbon, on appeal by the tenant, unanimously decided in favour of the Sub-Commissioners and set aside the ruling of Chief-Commissioner Fitzgerald; and whether, in view of the fact that many of the poorer tenants in Ireland are deprived of their rights under the Land Acts, being unable to face the expenses of vexatious appeals, some method less costly than the present will be provided to enable them to secure these advantages. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I am informed that the facts are substantially as stated in the Question. The Court of Appeal ordered the landlord to pay the tenant's costs of the appeal. The decisions of the Land Commission Court under the Land Law Acts are, like the decisions of the ordinary superior courts, subject to appeal to the Court of Appeal. The Land Commission decide several thousand fair rent cases annually and very few of these cases are taken to the Court of Appeal. I am informed that the system works satisfactorily. It seems desirable that, in land cases as in other cases, questions of law should in the last resort be subject to review by the highest authority.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to a disturbance in

†See(4)Debates,clxix,1239.

the streets of Belfast on 31st May, when a labourer named Bamber, who had been imported to take the place of the dock labourers at present on strike and who was under the influence of drink, has been charged with cutting and wounding a man named Brown; and whether he will take such steps as will prevent a repetition of such an occurrence during the present dispute.

:To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to the arrest of a man named Larkin, in Belfast, on 31st May, and his detention for a period of six hours before any charge was preferred against him; whether he is aware that Larkin is now charged with stone throwing, after having himself been slashed with a knife by the imported labourer, Bamber; and whether he will take steps to prevent the arrest of persons in the future unless some definite charge is preferred against them at the time of their arrest. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) On 31st May Richard Bamber, who is an imported labourer, was arrested upon the charge of stabbing John Brown and two other men; and on the same occasion James Larkin, who belongs to the National Union of Dock Labourers, was arrested for assaulting Bamber by wounding him on the head with a stone. Larkin was charged with assault at the time he was arrested, but the charge was not formally entered until some hours later in the day. Bamber's injuries were at first believed to be more serious than proved to be the case, and until he had been treated at hospital it was not known whether a more serious charge might have to be preferred against Larkin. Both of the defendants were remanded and the cases were to be heard to-day. The police are taking all possible measures to preserve the peace.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland under what provision of the law are proceedings taken against persons who are found driving off cattle from the land of graziers; and, when the offence is proved, what punishment can be awarded. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) In some cases prosecutions have been instituted for the indictable offence of unlawful assembly, and in others of a lens serious nature, proceedings have been taken to require persons to find sureties to keep the peace and be of good behaviour. The punishment to be imposed for unlawful assembly rests with the courts which deal with the case.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether the question of improving the position of the surveyors and assistant surveyors of the staff for engineer services, which was stated as long ago as on the 27th March to be still under consideration, has now been sufficiently considered; and whether, in view of the anxiety which is felt on the subject, he will now announce his decision. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) Steady progress has been made in regard to this matter, but no final decision has yet been reached.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies when the Return of Crown Agents' Business, ordered 13th March, will be laid upon the Table of the House. (Answered by Mr. Churchill.) The Return has now been laid, and will be published to-morrow.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether grants of land in British East Africa are usually limited to 10,000 acres; whether this principle has been adopted in order to discourage large speculations in that region; and, if so, whether he can state, the grounds upon which the principle has been departed from in the case of the grant of 100 square miles of this territory to Mr. R. B. Cole. (Answered by Mr. Churchill.) The Answer to the first Question is in the affirmative. With regard to Mr. Cole's land, the Director of Agriculture reported that it was useless for agricultural purposes. The only purpose for which it appeared capable of being utilised was the collection of the wild fibre growing upon it; and, as the fibre requires expensive machinery for its treatment, it was thought necessary to grant leases of large areas in order to induce persons to embark the necessary capital.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether he can state the date of the Civil Service certificate of the recently appointed postmaster at Birr, and the date of such certificates of the senior Irish overseer applicant, and of the senior applying from the; rank of post office official for the Birr postmastership. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I regret that I can add nothing to the Answers on this subject I have already given to the hon. Member.

To ask the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the managers of the Broughton national school, Hants, have appointed as assistant teacher in that school a young man possessing no recognised educational qualifications or school experience, and formerly employed as gardener, groom, and general helper to week-end visitors; and whether he can inquire, into the circumstances of this case and will take the necessary steps to prevent the appointment and employment of unqualified persons as teachers in schools maintained out of public funds. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) I will make inquiries as to the sufficiency and efficiency of the staff employed at this school.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he will consider the advisability of introducing legislation for the purpose of empowering magistrates to sentence to imprisonment with hard labour persons who, being able to contribute, fail, on a second appearance, to comply with a magisterial order to contribute towards the support of relatives who are chargeable to the common fund of a union. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I have received representations from several boards of guardians in favour of an alteration of the law in the sense mentioned in the Question. The Royal Commission on the Poor Law have before them the subject of the contributions which should be made by persons for the support of their relatives, and I will bring under their notice the representations I have received. I do not think that legislation should be proposed on the subject pending their Report.

To ask Mr. Attorney-General whether his attention has been called to the evidence in the appeal trial of Kynoch, Limited, tendered by the manager of the Arklow factory, on 24th April; and what action he proposes to take in view of the fact that it is now established that Kynoch, Limited, have added mercuric chloride to cordite as well as mining explosives, (Answered by Sir John Walton.) I do not think the case is one in which I can properly take any action.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the three chief staff officers and the three staff officers (first class) in the Census of Production Office were in his Department previous to the establishment of the Census of Production Office; if they were not, which Department were they transferred from; and what were their positions previous to the transfer.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the action of the South Eastern Railway in reducing, since 1st May, the number of trains leaving Charing Cross and Cannon Street Stations between the hours of five and nine in the evening, and stopping at the Spa Road Station from fifteen to eight trains, at Southwark Park Station from twenty-two to eight, and at the Deptford Station from eleven to eight; whether he is aware that while the number of trains stopping at these stations after 5 p.m. have been reduced the number of trains leaving these stations for the City and West End before nine in the morning have been increased; whether he is aware the facilities for travelling by tramway or omnibus have not increased, but are the same as have been in existence for twenty years, and that owing to reducing the trains in the evening the trains are overcrowded, and inconvenience experienced by the travelling public in the parts of Bermondsey and Deptford served by this railway; and whether he will authorise an inquiry by the Railway Commissioners into the matter. (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) The Board of Trade have invited the observations of the managing committee of the railway upon the points raised by my hon. friend, and will communicate with him upon receipt of the committee's reply.

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether he is aware that a Special Commission was appointed in 1866 of a judicial character to inquiry into the various fixed engines used in the capture of salmon in the English and Welsh rivers, and into the right of the owners of the fisheries to use the same, and that the said Commissioners held several inquiries for such purposes relating to the River Wye, in the counties of Hereford, Gloucester, and Monmouth; and will he say whether any record is in existence of the claims made by the owners of the fisheries on the River Wye to use such engines, and of the judgments arrived at by the Commission; and, if the record is in existence, whether he will grant facilities for persons interested to inspect and take copies of such record. (Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) The Answer to the first part of my hon. friend's Question is in the affirmative. He will probably find the information he requires in a Return (No. 369 of 1872) to an Order of the House of Commons dated 18th March 1872, which contains particulars of all inquiries held by the Commissioners up to the date of the Order and includes certain cases of fisheries in the Wye.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether, in the new regulations with regard to income-tax, pensions will be assessed as earned or unearned incomes. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) The question is receiving careful consideration, and I shall be prepared to make a further statement upon it when the clause embodying the definition of "earned income" comes under discussion in Committee.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the losses disclosed in the working of the Irish Land Act of 1903, and the failure of that Act to distribute the untenanted tracts among people in need, he can now see his way to allay discontent and promote forbearance during the coming months by undertaking that the Land Bill to be introduced by Government next session will restore inspection in every case of sale, and will deal with untenanted land throughout Ireland and not in particular parts only. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I beg to refer to my Answer to the Question relating to Irish land legislation which was put by the hon. Member for Waterford on the 5th instant. † It would not be possible at present to indicate the lines upon which amending legislation in respect of Irish land may be introduced by the Government next session.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can say, when the representation of a labourer for a cottage and plot of land is made and the representation rejected by the district councillors of the district on the ground that the cottage is applied for on demesne land, and without giving the labourer an opportunity of being heard to prove that the land is not demesne, what is the proper course to adopt so that his representation may be fully considered. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The rural district council are not bound by the suggestion contained in the representation as to the site to be taken for any cottage. The selection of the site is entirely in the hands of the district council, and if they do not approve of the particular site suggested by the labourer he is not entitled to insist upon his suggestion being reconsidered by them.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether cables, chains, furniture, or any of the many other articles required by the Admiralty can be obtained from abroad if they are found to be cheaper than those made in Great Britain or Ireland.

† See (4) Debates, clxxv., 692.

Chain cables and anchors are made under Admiralty supervision and are never obtained from abroad. As I have already explained in reply to previous questions, special care is taken to obtain supplies within the United Kingdom of all articles of primary importance for war. It is the practice of the Admiralty to buy only from the manufacturer, and, where ample competition is obtainable in this country, I see no reason to believe that articles of similar quality could be obtained more cheaply from abroad; but foreign competition is in some cases the only weapon against rings or other combinations among the producers in this country. If the hon. Member will only wait the issue of the Return of articles purchased abroad, for which the hon. and gallant Member for Central Sheffield will move on the 20th instant, he will see exactly what articles have been purchased abroad during the first year for which the present Administration were solely responsible.

Are or are not any of these articles purchased abroad?

The Answer will be found in the Return.

Why can I never get a straight Answer?

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the Admiralty have yet decided on the compensation to be granted to a young girl who lives with her widowed mother at Saltburn, Ross-shire, and was seriously injured last summer by gunners from H.M.S. "Cæsar" during gun practice, and who, although now discharged from hospital, is unable to get about except on crutches.

I am very sorry this accident occurred. The expenses for medical attendance prior to the admission of this child to Dingwall Infirmary have been paid from public funds. I am informed that no communication on the girl's behalf has yet been received in the Admiralty, but when it is received it will be taken into consideration.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to cases that have occurred within the last few days of cartridges bursting in the rifle at Enfield; will he state the number of such cases, and say whether these cartridges were the new Mark VI.; and what steps have boon taken to put this matter right.

My attention has been called to these cases, of which there were sixty-four in the last three months at Enfield. The ammunition was in one case, made by a private firm, Mark VI., and in the other cases was specially made in Ordnance Factories to give 1,960 f. s. velocity for proof of rifles—being in other respects similar to Mark VI. The matter is under consideration, and in the meantime another Latch of ammunition is being used.

Is any mercuric chloride used in these cartridges?

was understood to reply in the negative.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can furnish any information regarding the defects in Mark VI. or other regulation ammunition; how many cases there have been during the last three months of cartridges bursting in the barrel; how many cases of blow backs; how many accidents have occurred; to what cause are these accidents attributed; and have all these defective cartridges been called in with a view to preventing further mishaps.

The investigation of defects recently found in the ammunition at Enfield is not yet completed. The number of cases of cartridges bursting in the barrel amounted to sixty-four at Enfield, and five at Woolwich. There were also four cases with service ammunition at out-stations, but full particulars are not yet to hand. A blow back is an escape of gas round the cap, and unless serious is not reported. As regards accidents, two men have been slightly injured by escaping gas at Enfield, and in two of the four cases at out-stations injuries were caused to two men. The use of any cartridges known to be defective will be stopped.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether any financial contribution has been made by the War Office since the establishment of the camp at Ballykinlar, county Down, towards repairs to the road between Tullymurry Station and the camp, rendered necessary by the damage occasioned by heavy military traffic; and, if not, whether he will authorise a grant in aid of the local rates for this purpose.

No grant has been made for this purpose, but a proposal to make a grant towards the cost of improving the road is under consideration. The usual contribution in lieu of rates, including road expenses, is made by the Treasury.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the walking-out uniforms, which it has been decided to issue to the territorial soldier at the public cost, will preserve any national or special characteristics or distinctions which they have at present.

No decision has been reached in regard to the uniform.

Cannot the right hon. Gentleman say whether a corps such as the London Scottish will retain its national characteristics in its dress?

I cannot say at this stage.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War why there is no supply of cartridges for Morris tubes at Portsmouth or Woolwich available for the National Rifle Association affiliated clubs.

The National Rifle Association affiliated clubs are allowed to draw Morris ammunition from store on payment when it is available, but the War Office cannot guarantee to have stocks always available, and when such is the case supplies must be obtained from the trade. At present the stock at Portsmouth and Woolwich has been exhausted, and further supplies will not be available until deliveries on contract are made in July.

Is it not possible to employ more men and women in making this ammunition?

No, Sir.

I bog to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to certain proceedings of Brigadier-General Carter arising out of the affairs of the garrison club at Harrismith, and what action he proposes taking in this matter; and will he undertake that the officers who signed the minute in the suggestion book of the above-named club shall not surfer in any way through the action of the General referred to.

No report of the incident mentioned has been received by the War Office. The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, South Africa, has been directed to inquire into the circumstances and render a report.

Will the right hon. Gentleman let us know the nature of the report.

I will communicate with the hon. Member on the subject.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he will state in regard to Royal Warrant, Pay, and Promotion, 1906, paragraph 1176a, Special Campaign Pensions, what benefits will embodied Militiamen and Militia Reservists who served with the Regulars respectively derive in virtue of their services in the late South African War; and whether the Government will recognise the right of Militiamen who have served the country and gained medals alongside the Regular Forces to any rewards granted under this paragraph.

Only soldiers of the Regular Forces enlisted under ordinary conditions are eligible for the special campaign pensions, the scope of which it is not proposed to enlarge.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if the Army Council has come to any decision as to the supply of horses in time of war.

The general consideration of the supply of horses in time of war to which I have alluded in previous Answers does not appear to involve any definite decision of the character suggested by the hon. Member. The supply of horses on emergency is governed by the Army Act. Apart from this there exists a system under which between 16,000 and 17,000 horses are voluntarily registered for a first call on emergency.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that in many cases the first intimation to a military unit of a prospective change of its quarters emanates from the canteen contractor supplying that unit, and that in the case of the first appointment of an officer the news is often derived from the representative of a military tailor touting for the order for that officer's uniform, he will take steps to put a stop to such leakages of official intelligence.

Every effort is made to suppress leakages of official information, and persons who have improperly given information are dealt with when discovered.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these malpractices are of very long standing, and that recent cases show that they are still very prevalent? Cannot he prohibit these brewers and tailors who indulge in the practice from being on the list of War Office contractors?

I fear I cannot control the energy of these contractors.

But surely the right hon. Gentleman can control the sources of information—the people at the War Office who give the information to the brewer and the tailor?

We always endeavour to discover the leakage and to deal with it.

Will the right hon. Gentleman endeavour to deal with it in the manner I have suggested?

I will investigate the matter.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War when he expects that the promised Return with reference to the numbers of the land forces of this and other countries in certain specified years will be presented to the House.

I am waiting for information which had necessarily to be obtained from India. I cannot therefore at present say when the Return will be ready.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether there will be a free issue of any, and what, necessaries to the territorial soldier on joining the force.

I have nothing to add to what I have already stated in debate on this point. This matter is largely one of detail, which is being carefully considered.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he can yet say whether lance-corporals will be appointed in the Territorial Force or not.

No, Sir. I shall not for some time be able to give the hon. Member any information on this point.

Are we not to be informed on this point during the discussion on the Bill?

I do not think it is a vital point.

Is it not a question affecting something like 10,000 men?

I do not know.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he can yet say whether any siege guns will be included in the artillery of the Territorial Force.

I have no information to add to that given to the hon. Member on the 27th ultimo.†

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can given an assurance that the trees and loam that are being removed from Eltham Common is not to clear the ground for the erection of military buildings.

As I have already stated clearly to the House, the felling of trees and the removal of soil on Eltham Common are for the purpose of rendering the ground more suitable for military training purposes and have nothing to do with the building proposals.

Why is military training necessary on this common, which does not belong to the War Office, and is only the size of St. James's Park?

It does belong to the War Office.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what will be the aggregate sum required for the increase of pay to lieutenant colonels; and whether this sum will be met by a Vote in the Estimates for 1907–8, or by means of a Supplementary Estimate.

Approximately the sum of £15,000 a year will be required for this purpose. Provision for this charge has boon made in the Estimates for 1907–8, Vote 1.

† See (4) Debates, clxxiv., 1307.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can now give detailed information as to the intentions of the Government respecting the amalgamation or disbandment of certain Irish Militia battalions of infantry, the future of their men and officers, the disposal of Irish Militia battalions of Artillery, the status of the North of Ireland and South of Ireland Imperial Yeomanry, and the payment of the men and officers; and whether County Associations are to be formed in Ireland as is proposed for England and Scotland; and, if so, can he outline their functions.

I hope to be able to deal with this matttr on debate this afternoon.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether in view of the fact that the Indian Army is unprovided with Horse or Field Artillery, other than mountain batteries, it is contemplated, in the event of war, that the Indian Army should take the field without Horse or Field Artillery; and, if not, what is the number of regular batteries which will be required, and from what source they will be provided.

Except in expeditions of very small importance the Indian Army never takes the field without British troops. The Secretary of State has already informed the House that there are eleven batteries of Horse Artillery and forty-five batteries of Field Artillery now in India.

Will the hon. Gentleman answer my Question, which is—Are there any batteries of Horse and Field Artillery belonging to the Indian Army?

I do not quite understand what the right hon. Gentleman means. He is perfectly aware that there are no native batteries of Artillery, Horse or Field. But there are in India, available for campaigns in India or on the frontier, those numbers details of which I have already given.

Perhaps since he told my hon. friend the Member for Blackpool that he was totally misinformed in asking this Question, the hon. Gentleman will now say whether the Indian Army, which is not the British Army in India, has any Horse or Field Artillery.

No, none, and never has had since the Indian Mutiny.

Then it was not my hon. friend the Member for Blackpool who was misinformed, but the hon. Gentleman himself.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can now state if he has any information concerning a new line of steamships, cargo or otherwise, which it is proposed to run between Germany and Canada in the event of a favourable tariff arrangement being arrived at between those two countries; and, if not, whether he will cause inquiries to be made.

I have nothing to add to my Answer to a similar Question on 30th May.†

Will the right hon. Gentleman make further inquiry?

I have no objection to doing so, but I do not think the result is likely to add to my Answer.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Secretary for the Colonies has sanctioned the following railway schemes in Ceylon, namely, the branch line from Aresawella to Ratuapura, and the survey of a branch line from the main north line to Manaar to connect with India; and whether he is aware that the Ratuapura extension is urgently needed in view of the large

† See (4) Debates, clxxv., 68.

areas opened and to be opened for rubber planting on the line, exclusive of tea already in bearing, and that the Chamber of Commerce have expressed the opinion that this extension will be profit earning from the day it is opened for traffic.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is in the negative. A fresh survey is about to be made of the line to Ratuapura, and the question of connection with India is still under the consideration of the Indian Government.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any decision has now been arrived at as to the financial responsibility for the repatriation of Chinese coolies.

If the hon. Member's Question refers to repatriation on the expiration of contracts the payments will of course be regulated by law, but if he desires information as to the repatriation of coolies under what is known as the repatriation notice I can add nothing to my reply to the hon. and gallant Member for East Down given on the 15th of May. †

How soon can we get the information?

I presume the hon. Gentleman is referring to the second of the two alternatives. I do not quite know, but the Government in the Transvaal are at present carrying on the arrangement exactly as it has been.

Is this Government to continue to bear the financial responsibility or the Transvaal Government?

The cost of the repatriation of the Chinese who avail themselves of the special conditions offered to them by the Government will of course be met by this Government so long as the arrangement continues.

† (4) Debates, clxxiv., 951–2.

I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies whether the guaranteeing by His Majesty's Government of a £5,000,000 loan for the Transvaal formed part of some general arrangement or understanding between His Majesty's Government and the Transvaal Government; and, if so, what are the terms of such arrangement or understanding, and what matters or subjects does it cover.

No, Sir.

I beg to ask the Under-secretary of State for the Colonies whether any arrangement or under-standing has been come to with the Transvaal Government with reference to the future control of Swaziland; and, if so, what are the terms of such arrangement or understanding.

No, Sir, no arrangement has been made other than that set forth in the letters patent of the Transvaal constitution and the Order in Council of 1st December, 1906.

I beg to ask the Under-secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Zulu prisoners sent to St. Helena are to be confined to gaol or to be allowed freedom of movement in the island, and generally be treated as political prisoners.

The native chiefs in question have been removed under the Colonial Prisoners Removal Act, 1884, and will, therefore, be convicts in status; but every effort will be made by His Majesty's Government agreeable to the law to relieve their confinement from all harsh conditions of labour, and from all restraints not necessary to their safe custody.

Will their wives be allowed to accompany them?

It is not customary to allow persons serving as convicts in status to be accompanied by their wives.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the report of the discussion which followed the statement of Sir Robert Bond on the subject of the Newfoundland fishery has been omitted from the minutes of proceedings of the Colonial Conference recently issued to Members; whether he is aware of the reasons of this omission; and whether it is intended to issue an unexpurgated edition of the minutes for the information of hon. Members.

At the same time may I ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if, at the private discussion on Sir Robert Bond's statement at the recent Colonial Conference referred to in the Blue-book, Sir Robert Bond made any statement other than that published in the Blue-book; if so, if such statement was accompanied by any dramatic incident or contained any heated expression; and if the Colonial Office will put the House in possession of a full Report of all that took place in connection with the discussion in private on the subject of Newfoundland.

The conversation which followed Sir Robert Bond's statement on the subject of the Newfoundland fishery at the recent Colonial Conference was not published because the members of the Conference agreed that such publication would be contrary to the public interest as it related to negotiations which are pending with a foreign power. I may add, with reference to a similar Question of the hon. Member for the Ramsey division, that the discussion was not attended by any dramatic incident and did not contain any heated expression.

asked whether copies of the correspondence that passed between the Colonial Office and Sir Robert Bond had been sent to the Press, and, if so, whether any explanation could be given of the fact that the Daily Mail, alone of the London newspapers, did not publish the correspondence.

I have no relations with the Daily Mail.

asked whether anything else of equal importance had been suppressed in the Blue-book.

I think that discussion was the only discussion which was not printed in extenso in the Report of the proceedings, and the reason was that it referred to foreign affairs and affected other countries besides Great Britain.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not admit the allegiance of his own followers who own the Daily Mail?

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if Sir Robert Bond wrote a letter to the Colonial Office emphatically denying having admitted to a representative of the Daily Mail that the report in that newspaper concerning the discussion on Newfoundland was substantially correct; and, if so, if the Colonial Office will publish Sir Robert Bond's letter.

The correspondence to which my hon. friend refers has already been made public.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on what date the posts in Meridi, recently occupied by the Congo Free State troops, were evacuated.

My right hon. friend has not yet received a reply to the inquiries which he has made on this subject in accordance with the promise given to the hon. Member on 28th May.†

Can the hon. Gentleman say when he will probably have the answer?

No, Sir.

† See (4) Debates, clxxiv., 1471.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the United States Government have notified that the new customs regulations made under the commercial agreement with Germany are to apply to all foreign countries so far as United States ports are concerned; and whether the evidence of British Chambers of Commerce as to the value of exported commodities will be accepted by the United States Customs officials equally with the evidence of German Chambers of Commerce.

Informal assurances have been given that the same administrative regulations made under the commercial agreement with Germany shall apply to all foreign countries, and that power to give certificates of value allowed to German Chambers of Commerce will be allowed to any bodies which may receive official authority to grant similar certificates. My right hon. friend is consulting the Board of Trade as to making arrangements in this country to fulfil the conditions required.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information respecting the riots in China; and whether any steps have been taken to protect the interests of His Majesty's subjects in the disturbed districts.

Telegraphic inquiries have been made of His Majesty's Minister at Peking. He states that His Majesty's consul at Amoy reports that the surrounding country is free from disturbance, and that His Majesty's consul at Swatow states that the accounts in the newspapers of local disturbances have been exaggerated, and that there has never been the slightest occasion for uneasiness. The rioters were dispersed at once by the Chinese authorities.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether negotiations are proceeding or pending between His Majesty's Government and the French Government for the exchange of the Now Hebrides for Sierra Leone.

No, Sir.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether it has been decided to extend the international police supervision in Morocco; and, if so, how many additional British officers will be appointed.

The Answer is in the negative.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, having regard to the fact that Great Britain, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway have expressed their determination to continue the North Sea fisheries investigation for another year, he will ascertain if either of the other Powers who wore party to the original scheme, viz., Russia, Holland, and Finland, intend to continue to participate in the investigations.

My right hon. friend would refer the hon. Member to the reply which he gave him on the 5th instant. † The matter is not yet definitely settled, and the decision of the Powers in question will be ascertained when they are ready to make it known.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he can furnish the House with information as to the instructions issued to the consular service by the Foreign Office; whether a merchant in the United Kingdom applying for assistance to a British consul on the Continent is referred to the Board of Trade instead of being communicated with direct; if so, whether ho can give any reasons for issuing such an instruction; and whether he has, in drawing up these instructions, taken into account the success of the consular service of the United States.

The Answer to the second part of the Question is in the negative. It is desirable that British traders should, before addressing inquiries

†See(4)Debates,clxxv.,668

to His Majesty's Consular officers, ascertain from the Commercial Intelligence Branch of the Board of Trade whether the information is available there. Consular officers supply this branch with information in order that it may be generally and quickly available. When a Consular officer receives a direct inquiry from a British merchant he forwards his reply through this branch, which transmits it to its destination after taking note of its contents for the benefit of British trade in general. The arrangement has been in force for some years. We are always ready to profit by the instructions of other countries.

asked whether the hon. Gentleman had taken into account the complaints of many merchants that this method did not facilitate the direct communication of complaints.

Yes, that fact was taken into account, and, after consideration of the circumstances, this arrangement was allowed to stand good as the best for British trade in general.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of fatal and other accidents that happened in London, for the six months ending April, 1907, through omnibuses, cabs, and other vehicles drawn by horses.

The total number of street accidents to persons and property in the Metropolitan police district, known to the police to have been caused by horse-drawn vehicles during the six months ended 30th April last, is 9,951, of which 903 were due to omnibuses, 346 to tramcars, and the remaining 8,702 to other vehicles. Seventy-one of these were fatal accidents, five of which were due to omnibuses, and four to tramcars; and there were in addition 2,892 cases of personal injury, 211 of which were caused by omnibuses, and 77 by tramcars.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Homo Department whether his attention has been called to a note as to the practice of the Home Office in dealing with criminal petitions, issued as an Appendix to the Papers relating to the case of George Edalji, in which it is stated that it is useless to attempt to re-try at the Home Office, on paper, cases already heard in open court before a jury, that the Home Office cannot hear counsel, does not see the witnesses and cannot judge of their demeanour, and has no means of arriving at the truth by means of cross-examination, and that therefore, any attempted re-trial of the case would necessarily be inferior in every way to the original trial; will he say whether the Committee who recently considered the case of Mr. Edalji were in any better position for enabling them to re-try the case than is the Home Office; and, if not, whether he will advise the appointment of a Committee to hold a public inquiry into the whole circumstances of the case, with power to hear witnesses and to call for papers and records.

Yes, Sir. I am fully aware of the Memorandum to which the noble Lord refers, which correctly states the position. Sir Arthur Wilson and his colleagues did not attempt to retry the case of Mr. Edalji. They consented to examine the documents in the possession of the Home Office and to report to me. My correspondence with Sir Robert Romer, which has appeared in the Press, shows that I should have been glad to appoint such a Committee as the noble Lord suggests, but I had no power to do so.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the want of regularity and uniformity in applying the Factory Acts to the fish trade, as illustrated in the contraventions of the Act reported in respect of five firms in Aberdeen since September, 1906, which led to no proceedings; and whether, in order to allay the uncertainty which exists in the trade, and to prevent honourable firms being penalised for doing their best to carry on their business within the law, he can say whether the Factory Acts are or are not to be uniformly enforced upon this trade.

I have had the whole question of the application of the Factory Act to the fish-curing trade under my consideration. Certain difficulties have been brought to my notice which were not raised by the industry when Section 41 of the Act was being settled, and I have directed an inquiry to be made during the present season into the conditions of the industry both as regards these points and also as regards other matters connected with the industry, including sanitary conditions which have been engaging the attention of my Department. The proceedings against the firms mentioned in the Question have been dropped pending the inquiry.

Is the Act to be applied or not?

I take it it will be applied, but discretion will be exercised. Perhaps the hon. Member will put another Question down in more definite terms.

Will the inquiry be extended to the fish-curing stations in Scotland?

I think so.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been called to the case of the conviction of a boy, fifteen years of age, for the theft of biscuits valued at 3d., and the sentence of fourteen days hard labour for such theft passed at the Town Hall, Carlisle, on the 31st ultimo; and if, having regard to the fact of the theft being a first offence, he can take steps to remit the remainder of the term of imprisonment.

I have made inquiry into the case to which I understand the hon. Member to refer, and I find that the facts were not as represented in the newspapers. The defendant was eighteen years of age, not fifteen; he was of bad character, and he had been guilty of theft before. In the circumstances I see no reason for advising a reduction of sentence.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to a number of petty robberies committed by boys in Manchester, and to their punishment by strokes with the birch rod; whether he is aware that the boys are children of poor parents who reside in districts where there is little facility or space for wholesome games and recreation; and, as one of the birched boys, who stole some biscuits and chocolate, is but eleven years old, whether he will consider the advisability of introducing legislation to prevent the infliction of birching in such cases.

I find on inquiry that in the case of juvenile offenders convicted of stealing, birching has been used in Manchester to a considerable extent as an appropriate punishment instead of fine or imprisonment. I may point out that it is usually poor people who suffer from the depredations of boys, and they have to be protected. I am not prepared to bring in the Bill suggested by the hon. Member, but I hope that the additional facilities afforded by the Probation of Offenders Bill now before the House may diminish the number of cases in which punishment is necessary.

In this case the theft was from a large warehouse not owned by poor people.

I think birching is a very useful form of punishment, and, honestly, I deem it better than sending a boy to gaol or imposing a fine on parents who cannot afford to pay.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Lord Chamberlain has yet taken any steps to withdraw his prohibition of the production of The Mikado.

The Lord Chamberlain has the matter under his consideration at the present time.

How soon will the Lord Chamberlain be able to give a definite answer as to what his action will be?

If the hon. Gentleman will put the Question next week I will endeavour to answer it.

In view of the serious loss and inconvenience suffered by innocent parties all over the country, will the right hon. Gentleman suggest to the Lord Chamberlain the desirability of making haste?

I have no doubt the Lord Chamberlain is losing no time. I will certainly confer with him on the subject. I think my hon. friend may assume that action will be taken, and taken as soon as possible.

Will the right hon. Gentleman communicate with the Secretary for Foreign Affairs and get him to ask the Mikado of Japan whether he really objects? I am sure he does not.

I desire to ask if the order of the Lord Chamberlain was in consequence of the visit of Prince Fushimi, and did the order emanate from His Majesty the King?

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, considering the losses resulting to the owners of the copyright of The Mikado, and to owners and lessees of theatres, and others, under arrangement to produce it, and having regard to the public uncertainty and inconvenience caused through the recent action of the Lord Chamberlain in the matter, the Government will introduce a Bill providing that, after the granting of a licence for the production of a stage play by the Lord Chamberlain, the licence shall not be withdrawn unless the play has been materially altered.

No, Sir. The Government are not prepared to introduce legislation of the kind suggested.

Has the right hon. Gentleman no remedy to propose to meet these very serious losses?

I think the hon. Gentleman rather overrates the matter. I certainly cannot bring in such a Bill as he suggests.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is a certain performance at a theatre in London which, from any point of view, is distinctly offensive to the German Kaiser?

I am not aware of it.

It is quite as bad as The Mikado.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, pending the passing of the Criminal Appeal Bill, or independently thereof, he will require a proper and formal record of the evidence given upon the trials of prisoners at quarter sessions to be made by the presiding chairman, and safely preserved; and that such evidence should no longer be permitted to depend upon rough pencilled notes of the chairman, as is shown to have been done at the trial of the Edalji case.

Judges and chairmen of quarter sessions take notes of the evidence for their own guidance in summing up. I have no authority to issue any instructions in this matter. In any case the quickest way of acheiving the hon. Member's object lies in the speedy passage into law of the Court of Criminal Appeal Bill, which provides for the taking of a shorthand note.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in connection with the recent charge made by his Department against Messrs. Kynoch for the use of a sterilising ingredient in the manufacture of certain explosives, if he can state when and to whom did Messrs. Kynoch state that they declined to admit that the ingredient was there at all.

Messrs. Kynoch stated in two letters to His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Explosives, dated 19th December, 1906, and 4th January, 1907, respectively, that there was no unauthorised ingredient in the explosives which had been seized.

said the question he had asked was whether Messrs. Kynoch had ever stated that a certain ingredient was not used in the manufacture of certain explosives.

The certain Ingredient in question is mercury, and mercury is unauthorised. They stated in these letters that there was no unauthorised ingredient in the explosives.

Are not the Homo Office deciding this case before it has been decided judicially?

The hon. Gentleman has put a question to me, and I have to answer it as well as I can. The Court of first instance gave judgment in favour of the Home Office, and that judgment was confirmed by Court of quarter sessions. Messrs. Kynoch have appealed on a technical point of law, whether the mercury was not such an infinitesimal quantity that the law ought not to apply. I am advised that the law is perfectly clear against Messrs. Kynoch on that point.

asked whether the manager to Messrs. Kynoch at Arklow had stated that no mercuric chloride was added to the cordite, but only to the mining explosive.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been called to the evidence in the recent action against Messrs. Kynoch, given by Captain Thomson, His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Explosives, Dr. Farmer, Government chemist, J. M. Thompson, Government chemist, and Sir Frederick Nathan, superintendent, Waltham Abbey, to the effect that in foreign countries a solution of mercury was used for the purpose of acting as an antiseptic for gun-cotton; and whether, in view of these statements by the Home Office experts, he will state the grounds on which the Home Office hold that this ingredient is used else-where for the purpose of masking the heat test rather than as an antiseptic.

The witnesses mentioned did not state that mercury was used as an antiseptic in foreign countries; they only said they had heard statements to that effect. Captain Thomson, moreover, expressed his disbelief that the mercury was for antiseptic purposes only. The reasons why the Home Office hold that this ingredient is probably used elsewhere for the purpose of masking the heat test rather than as an antiseptic are that the explosives of two foreign firms who have abandoned the use of mercury in consequence of the rejection of their goods previously sent to this country, have since that abandonment failed to pass the heat test; and one of them has since been detected in the attempt to use another masking agent to conceal the very impure nature of their explosive.

Is it not the fact that Captain Thomson stated that this mercury was used under the regulations of the German War Office, and did not Dr. Farmer state that it was used as an antiseptic?

I understand the witnesses stated it was not used as an antiseptic.

Will the right hon. Gentleman look into the evidence?

Yes, Sir.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases during the last twenty years free pardons, in addition to monetary compensation, were granted by the Home Office to persons convicted of criminal offences.

During the last twenty years free pardons in addition to compensation have been granted in four cases, involving six persons. I may add that altogether the number of free pardons granted during the last twenty years is forty-two, involving seventy-six persons.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the drainage at Colwyn Bay has yet been linked up with the new drainage system; and, if not, will he state the cause of the delay.