To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state the total number of inmates in the Irish unions and district asylums, respectively; and can he state the total cost to the country of providing for the same during the last financial year, distinguishing between the two sets of institutions. (Answered by Mr.Birrell.) —

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the condition of a public, road between Ballynahinch and Spa, county Down, and to the fact that an application was made to the rural council, and supported by the county surveyor, to have this road steam-rolled, but was refused by the council; and whether, in view of the fact that in the present state of this thoroughfare accidents to vehicles of every description frequently occur, he will cause inquiries to be made with the view of having this road repaired. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Local Government Board have been informed that the road in question is not in good repair, and that the rural district council have refused the county surveyor's application that the road should be steam-rolled. The Board, however, are unable to take any steps to investigate the matter until they receive an appeal from the Down County Council, under Section 82 of the Local Government Act of 1898, complaining that the rural district council have failed to perform their duty of keeping the road in good condition and repair.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that three and a half years ago an agreement was made for sale to the tenants on the Manor Shamrock estate, county Fermanagh; that the Estates Commissioners have been collecting from the tenants interest on the purchase money at the rate of 3½ per cent. which they pay over to the agent of the estate, and by him distributed among the owners, thus entailing on them the cost of collection, besides the owners losing all interest on the bonus of 12 per cent. to which they are entitled on the purchase money; and whether, in view of these facts, he can state the cause of delay on the part of the Estates Commissioners in advancing the purchase money. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners are unable, from the particulars given, to identify the estate in question as one in regard to which proceedings are pending before them. If the name and address of the owner should be furnished to them they would have further search made.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can say whether the inspector of the Estates Commissioners has inquired into the case of Mrs. Mary O'Dea, of Farbert Island, who was evicted from her holding at Glin, in the county of Limerick, in the year 1899; and, if so, what action do the Commissioners propose to take in the matter. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners have fully inquired into Mrs. O'Dea's application and have decided to take no action upon it. The applicant's late husband was not an evicted tenant. He occupied the holding in question under a temporary letting by the Land Judge, and when the property was sold he was afforded an opportunity of purchasing the holding, but failed to take advantage of it. The holding has since been sold under the Land Acts to the present occupiers.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the inspector was sent down last January to report with reference to the Ely evicted tenants; and whether anything has since been done to put those tenants back in their homes. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners inform me that they have had an inspection made of the untenanted lands on the Ely estate, but have not yet found it practicable to adopt a scheme for the distribution of the lands, and in the circumstances the Commissioners advised the agent of the estate to let the land for the present season in order to avoid loss. The evicted tenants and others to whom it may eventually be decided to allot holdings will receive due notice of the fact.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the agent on the Faithley estate, South Wexford, is using the arrears of rent to deter tenants from entering the Land Court; whether he is aware that, in the case of a tenant named P. Bowe, who served an originating notice and who owed only £11 arrears, the agent has threatened proceedings for the recovery of £150; and whether he can, by legislation or otherwise, do anything to protect tenants in the exercise of their legal rights. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Land Commission are unable to identify the case of P. Bowe as one which has come before them. The mere fact that arrears of rent are due does not preclude a tenant from applying to have a fair rent fixed by the Court.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury how long it is since the attention of the Treasury has been directed to Section 2 of The Purchase of Land (Ireland) Act, 1891; and how soon does he expect that the consultations of the Treasury with the other Departments interested will result in the formulation of rules or regulations to enable the section to be made available by those for whose benefit it was intended. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) The hon. Member called attention to this matter by his Question on 22nd April. The Treasury shortly afterwards addressed communications to the other Departments concerned, but have not yet received all the information necessary for a decision.

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty how many destroyers were in Home waters on the 1st June; and how many of these would have been actually ready for sea at twenty-four hours notice on that date. (Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) I must refer the right hon. Gentleman to my reply of yesterday to the hon. Member for the Andover Division of Hants. †

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he has any information as to the amount of shipping registered in the United Kingdom and flying the British flag which is owned and controlled by foreign capital. (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) The Board of Trade have no definite information on the subject to which the hon. Member refers. It is, of course, well known that a considerable amount of tonnage under the British flag is controlled by foreign capital, and also that a considerable amount of tonnage under foreign flags is controlled by British capital.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he can state the value of the goods imported from the United Kingdom into Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa in a recent year which are not subject to import duties under the tariffs at present in force, but which would have been dutiable if imported from a foreign country. (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George). The value of the imports into Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa from the United Kingdom of articles which, under the tariffs at present in force, are not subject to duty, but are dutiable if imported from a foreign country, in the latest years for which the information is available in each case were as follows: —

	£
Canada (year ended 30th June 1906)	241,000
New Zealand (1905)	449,000
South Africa Customs Union (1906)	3,655,000

† See page 1215.

The existing Canadian tariff did not come into operation until November last, but the figures given represent the value of the imports which would not have been dutiable if that tariff had been in force during the year 1905–6.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board if he can state how many of the 670 rural district councils of England and Wales have, during the last financial year, received from the local taxation account through their county councils one-half of the salaries of their inspectors of nuisances and medical officers of health. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I cannot state the number of cases in which during the last financial year, county councils actually repaid to rural district councils half the salaries of their sanitary officers; but on the 31st March last the number of cases in rural districts in which the officers were acting under conditions entitling the councils of these districts to such repayment was, as regards inspectors of nuisances, 614, and, as regards medical officers of health, 635.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the Departmental Committee on Municipal Accounts have finished their investigations; and when their Report is likely to be published. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I understand that the Committee have nearly completed their labours, and that they hope to be able to send in their complete Report in the course of the next few weeks.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he will consider the advisability of meeting the wishes of local authorities desiring an extension of the period for the repayment of loans when the money borrowed is to be, or has been, expended upon the erection of schools, which are obviously intended to last for more than thirty years. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) The general practice of the Local Government Board has been to allow a period not exceeding thirty years for the repayment of loans for buildings. I have had occasion to consider the matter, and it does not appear to me that there is any sufficient reason for allowing a longer period in the case of schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will issue a circular to recorders and chairmen and deputy-chairmen of quarter sessions, as well as to clerks of the peace, pointing out the desirability of a permanent record of the evidence being made and preserved in all criminal trials, and recommending them at once to make the necessary provision; and whether, if there be an objection to make this recommendation to unpaid chairmen of quarter sessions, he will do so to recorders and others holding office under the Crown upon the nomination of the Secretary of State. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) As the notes taken by chairmen of quarter sessions and recorders are sufficient for their own purposes, I cannot ask them to bear the very considerable expense of having the evidence taken down in shorthand, and at present the law makes no provision for defraying such expenditure from public funds. As I have already said, the matter will be set right by the Criminal Appeal Bill.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the naval contributions of Cape Colony and Natal, amounting to £85,000 a year, are to be spent on the purposes of purely local defence in South Africa; and whether the Colonies in question propose to make any contribution towards the general expenses of the British Navy, which guarantees them against foreign invasion.

I am afraid I cannot give my hon. friend any information beyond that which he will find in the Report of the Conference (Cd. 3523), page 479–480. The Admiralty are awaiting the formal communication from the Colonial Governments which may be expected as the result of the discussion.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the rule under which the Admiralty awarded such large contracts to Kynoch, Limited, was the one under which the lowest tender secured the contract; and whether he can state if Kynoch, Limited, have been struck off the list of Admiralty contractors.

It is not usual, nor is it considered desirable, that information as to prices should be made public. As the whole question of mercuric chloride is under consideration it is premature to make any statement on this subject.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the statements sent to his Department by commanding officers respecting the proposed training of soldiers for employment in civil life contain complaints against trade unions, and will be issued as a Parliamentary document; whether he can state the extent to which officers have attempted to carry out the suggestions made to them on this subject; and whether he can take steps to provide that ex-soldiers shall not be used for forms of civil employment at less than the recognised rates and conditions established by the various workmen's organisations.

In accordance with the promise given in another place on May 29th, † a Paper will very shortly be laid on the Table of the House containing a Report on the steps being taken to provide technical instruction to soldiers. These Papers will give the information asked for in the former part of the Question. As regards the latter part of the Question, the employment of soldiers after their return to civil life is subject to the ordinary conditions of labour over which the War Office has no control.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he proposes to make any, and, if so, what, provisions in the case of members of the existing Volunteer forces with many years service, who, being unable to comply with the terms of enlistment in the proposed Territorial Army, or who may be ineligible for such enlistment under any new conditions about to be imposed, are thereby, and without any fault of their own, deprived of the opportunity hitherto held out to them of obtaining in the case of officers the long service decoration, and in the case of men a long service medal.

This matter is not being lost sight of and, while I am not at present in a position to make any definite statement on the subject, I can assure the noble Lord that every consideration will be shown to the cases to which he refers.

When may an Answer be expected?

I cannot give a definite day.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War why, in view of the fact that most of the tinned meat for the Navy is bought from Australia and New Zealand, it is found necessary to buy most of the tinned meat for the Army from the United States of America.

The contracts for the supply of tinned meat for the Army are placed after competition without

† See (4) Debates, clxxiv., 1064.

regard to the country of origin. But in order to extend, if possible, the area of supply an officer has been sent out by the War Office to Australia, New Zealand, and South America, as to the capacity of establishments in these countries entering into the field of competition to supply our needs.

May I ask why British sailors are fed on good British meat while the soldier has the doubtful product of the Chicago stockyard?

I cannot answer for the Navy.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether any moneys voted for Volunteer purposes have been or will be paid over to public schools for the support of cadet corps or instruction of cadets in shooting.

No moneys voted for Volunteer purposes have been or will be paid over to public schools for the support of cadet corps or instruction of cadets in shooting.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies on what date it is expected that the Transvaal Loan Bill will be discussed in the Transvaal Parliament.

I do not yet know the date.

I presume it will not be introduced into this House until the Bill has been debated in the Transvaal Parliament?

Of course not. It cannot be introduced into this House until it has been passed by the Transvaal Legislature.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Return prepared by the Transvaal showing the number of persons of different nationalities confined in Transvaal prisons on 30th June, 1906, states for what offence the prisoners had been sentenced; and, if so, whether he can state what proportion of the total number of British Indians in prison had been sentenced under the Peace Preservation Act for attempting to enter the Colony in order to carry on trade there.

The Return does not give the particulars for which the hon. Member asks, and I have no information as to the number of British Indians imprisoned for contravention of the Peace Preservation Ordinance, but I will inquire.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that on the 7 th March last the skipper of the "Endeavour" (W.K. 621) reported to the fishery officer at Wick that, whilst five miles S.E. by S. off Wick Bay, their nets came foul of the dan of the Norwegian trawler "Campania," causing the loss of six nets of the "Endeavour"; whether, in anchoring her dan on ground where fishing was going on, the "Campania" violated Article 17 of the North Sea Fisheries Convention of 1882; and whether he proposes to make representations to the Norwegian Government with the view of securing redress for the fishermen for the loss of their nets.

No, Sir; we have no information on the subject. Norway is not a party to the North Sea Fisheries Convention; but if the hon. Member will supply. full particulars of the complaint, my right hon. friend will be happy to consider the matter.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will grant a Return showing the limits placed on municipal borrowing in the different States of the United States, and also in Germany and France and Italy, if any legal limit exists.

My right hon. friend is advised that the information would not be of sufficient utility to justify its being procured officially and presented to Parliament.

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that forms requiring a return of income for 1908 are now being sent out in Scotland by the assessors of taxes by virtue of the powers under Section 30 of The Customs and Inland Revenue Act, 1890; and whether, in the event of the proposals in the Finance Bill with regard to differentiation becoming law, a second set of forms will have to be sent out and returned.

Yes, Sir. The usual forms are now being sent out and supplementary forms will have to be issued, if and when legislative effect is given to the new proposals. It would not be practicable to hang up the whole machinery pending the passing of the Finance Bill.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in January, 1905, the Home Office inspectors refused to sanction the manufacture of an explosive now know as Abbcite, at Arklow, Ireland, whilst at the same time giving permission for its manufacture at Kynochton, Essex; if so, will he state what justification the inspectors had for their preference; and can he state on what day was the policy of discrimination in favour of Essex abandoned by the Home Office.

This explosive was tested at Woolwich on the 30th December, 1904 and six days later, on 5th January, 1905 a definition of the explosive was sent to Messrs. Kynoch containing conditions that it should be manufactured at the Kynochton factory, because that was the factory at which the sample was made which was actually tested. Six days later, on 11th January, 1905, the firm requested that the definition might be amended so as to permit manufacture at Arklow. His Majesty's inspector thereupon requested the firm to submit a sample of this explosive which had been manufactured at Arklow, in order that they might be satisfied that the manufacture of it was fully understood there. Four days after that, on 16th January, the firm sent in an explanation upon which the Department yielded to their request, and on the 17th they were informed that the definition of the explosive would be so amended as to permit the manufacture at Arklow without any further tests. The consequent formal application to be allowed to manufacture was made by the firm seventeen days later, on 3rd February, 1905. On 9th February a draft amending licence was sent for their observations and was returned by them on the 17th. The licence was signed and sent to the firm on 3rd March, 1905. On 11th February I made an Order putting this explosive, whether made at Arklow or at Kynochton, on the list of explosives permitted to be used in fiery or dusty mines. It will be seen, therefore, that the action of my Department caused no delay whatever in the production of the explosives at Arklow.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he proposes to institute any proceedings against firms engaged in the fish-curing trade, in respect to violations of Section 41 of the Factory Act, pending inquiries on the operation of this section; whether he can state how long the inquiry will last before a Report is presented; and whether the Report will be laid upon the Table before the Home Office takes any action inconsequence of the inquiry.

So far as Section 41 is concerned, the inquiry will be confined to the one or two points on which the difficulties referred to in my previous Answer have arisen; as regards any violations of the section that may be reported outside those points, proceedings will, of course, be taken in proper cases. The inquiry will be made during the present season, but I cannot say exactly how long it will take, or when I shall receive the Report of the chief inspector. I will lay the Report on the Table of the House. Any alteration of the terms of Section 41 would, of course, require legislation.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet arranged for a heading in the published accounts of railway companies, which will show what subscriptions have been paid by the directors out of the corporate funds.

I am proposing, under the powers given by Section 32 of the Rail-way and Canal Traffic Act, 1888, to call upon the railway companies to include in the returns forwarded to the Board of Trade under the Railways Regulation Act, 1871, a statement showing in detail the subscriptions or donations to institutions or associations not under the direct control of the companies, and not for the exclusive benefit of the companies' servants.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he can state what are the principal differences in the character of the articles included under the term of manufactures in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and the United States, respectively; to what extent these differences vitiate the comparison of the exports of manufactures from those countries; and what would be the value of the exports of manufactures from the three foreign countries mentioned in a recent year if the classification were uniform, and the same as that of the United Kingdom.

In both the French and German trade statistics certain articles were excluded from the category of manufactures which are classed as such in this country, the principal of these articles being metals and certain semi-manufactured metal goods, combed and carded wool, and certain building materials; whilst in France thrown silk and oilcake are also excluded, and in Germany crude chemicals. On the other hand, oils are classed in this country as raw materials, and in Germany as manufactures. In the United States, tobacco, which is grouped with articles of food and drink in this country, and timber and lumber, mineral oils and coke, which are classed as raw materials in this country, are classed as manufactured articles. Making allowance for these and other minor differences, it appears that if the classification adopted in this country were adopted in the countries named, the exports in 1905 (the last year for which the figures are available) of manufactures from France would have been, roughly, £126,000,000 sterling instead of £110,000,000 sterling; from, Germany £214,000,000 sterling, instead of £191,000,000 sterling; and from the United States £101,000,000 sterling, instead of £127,000,000 sterling. The exports of manufactures from the United Kingdom in 1905 were £273,000,000.

I beg to ask the Postmaster - General if he will state whether the contract for the conveyance of the mails between Wick and Lybster, in the county of Caithness, has been re-let to the present contractor at an increased sum; and if he will explain why the mails; should not be more expeditiously conveyed by rail instead of by road as at present.

The contract for the mail service by road between Wick and Helmsdale recently expired; and, although the service was advertised, the railway company were not prepared to submit a tender within the time laid down. As the matter was urgent, it was necessary to accept a tender from the former contractor, at a higher rate, for a service by road; but a separate contract has been made for the Wick and Lybster section in order that, if at any time the railway company made a satisfactory offer, that part of the service could be transferred to them. I am now in communication with the company on the subject.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education when he intends to submit and cause to be printed and circulated his proposals with reference to secondary schools; and when the revised Code will be printed and circulated.

I hope both these sets of regulations will be presented next week or the week after.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will state what part of the Alness River, Ross - shire, ex adverso a part of the Coul estate, is let for salmon fishings by the Commissioners of Woods and Forests to Mr. S. C. Munro for a term of ten years from Martinmas 1900 at a rental of £6 per annum.

The part of the river included in the letting to Mr. Munro extends up stream on the right or west bank for rather more than half a mile from a point rather less than half a mile above Alness Bridge.

I beg to ask the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether, seeing that there has now been published the evidence taken at various public meetings in Ireland, held to inquire into the adoption of a brand for Irish-cured fish, he will state when the official Report on the subject will be issued; whether he is aware that the estimated value of herrings presented in Scotland for the Crown brand last year amounted to £493,622, being an increase of £14,517 on that of 1905, although the actual number of barrels branded was considerably less; whether his attention has been called to the Report of the inspector sent to Stettin, Libau, and other continental ports, and in particular to his statement, at page 298 of the Report, that more Crown-branded herrings had been sent to Russia, because the brand was considered as affording a better guarantee than could be obtained in the case of unbranded herrings; and whether these facts will be taken into account in drawing up the Report on the demand put forward for a brand for Irish-cured fish.

My hon. friend has asked me to answer this Question for him. The Report referred to is in the hands of the printer, and will, it is hoped, be ready for issue in a week or ten days. The figures given in the Question are those published in the last Annual Report of the Fishery Board for Scotland, and are, I believe, correct. It is also stated in the same Report that the proportion of barrels which received the highest brand as compared with those of the lower grades was greater in 1906 than in the previous year, and partly in consequence of this the total money value was greater, although the actual number of barrels branded was less. The Department have considered the interesting Report of the Assistant Inspector of the Scottish Fishery Board referred to, and in the preparation of their inspector's Report on the question of a brand for fish in Ireland account has been taken of the facts that the demand for the Crown brand in Scotland is declining, and that Irish-cured herrings without a Government brand obtained nearly double the price of the highest grade of Scottish Crown - branded herrings in the markets of Germany and of Russia.

I beg to ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland whether the Crown will take any further action in the case of a charge of unlawful assembly preferred against certain persons at the last Castlereagh Petty Sessions, on the hearing of which the Bench refused to grant an adjournment to enable the Crown solicitor—whose absence appeared to be due to the action of those engaged for the defence—to be present, proceeded with the hearing of the charge in the absence of this official, and refused, notwithstanding the clear prima facie case made out by the prosecution, to take information and return the accused for trial; and whether, having authorised the prosecution, he intends to send up a Bill to the grand jury at the forthcoming assizes.

I beg also to ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland whether his attention has been called to the observations of Mr. Heverin, solicitor, on Thursday last, in court, at Ballintubber, county Roscommon, when he stated that the people of Roscommon were not lawless, although they had been described as such by carrion crows, and that they had it on the authority of Lord Denman, a member of the Government, that cattle driving was not a serious offence, and that thereupon the accused were acquitted; what action, if any, he proposes to take; and will he send up a Bill to the grand jury at the forthcoming Roscommon Assizes.

I can answer this and the following Question together. The facts are that summonses were issued against certain persons charging them with unlawful assembly, as stated in the Questions. These summonses would in ordinary course have come on for hearing at the last Ballintubber Petty Sessions, held on Thursday last, the 6th instant, and the Crown solicitor was prepared to attend, and had made arrangements for all the Crown witnesses to do so. On Wednesday morning, however, Mr. Heverin, solicitor for the accused parties, telegraphed to him asking him to consent to an adjournment to the next petty sessions. To this request the Crown solicitor, acting under instructions from the Government, consented. The district inspector in charge of the case was then at once informed of the adjournment which had been agreed upon, and told that he need not have the principal witnesses for the Crown in attendance. Late on that evening the solicitor for the accused telegraphed withdrawing his request for an adjournment, but it was then too late to alter the arrangements which had been made. On the following day an application for an adjournment was made by the district inspector. The solicitor for the accused persons opposed this application, although he had himself asked the Crown to consent to it on the morning before. The magistrates refused the application for an adjournment, and the case was heard in the absence of the Crown solicitor and of the principal Crown witnesses. In these circumstances the magistrates refused to receive information. The evidence in the case has since been submitted to me, and I have directed that a bill against the defendants shall be sent up to the grand jury at the next assizes, as I do not think that the decision of the magistrates under the circumstances can be accepted as conclusive. I have no information as to the observations which may have been made by the solicitor for the defendants.

Will the right hon. Gentleman undertake that either he or the Solicitor-General will prosecute in one of these cases so as to show that the Government are firm in their determination to suppress these raids?

I will consider that.

I beg to ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland whether, in cases where justices, for improper motives or owing to intimidation, refuse information in clear cases of unlawful assembly, it is his intention to exercise his power of sending up bills of indictment to grand juries against the offenders; and whether he has in any case hitherto exercised this power.

I have no means of ascertaining the motives which actuate justices in their decisions, nor am I aware that they have been subjected to intimidation in any case. In deciding whether or not I shall send up bills of indictment to grand juries where justices have refused informations I am guided entirely by the evidence available, and not by any speculations as to the motives which actuated the justices.

Surely the right hon. Gentleman does not intend to send these cases direct to the Court of Appeal?

Certainly not. The proper tribunal is a Judge and jury.

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can say when he intends to introduce the measure amending the Public Works Loans Act to enable the district councils in Ireland that borrowed money to put the Labourers (Ireland) Act in force previous to the passing of the Act of 1906, to pay back the amount of the outstanding loans on the same terms as acquired by the district councils in Ireland under the 1906 Act.

I hope to be able to introduce a clause dealing with this matter in the Public Works Loans Bill of this year.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if the Local Government Board auditors find that the work connected with the preparation of lists of voters and jurors is more expensive and less efficiently performed by county officers than it was, prior to 1899, by union officers; is he aware that complaints on this subject are numerous, and that many boards of guardians and district councils have adopted resolutions calling for the repeal of Section 83 (7) of the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898; and whether he will give favourable consideration to this suggestion.

The auditors of the Local Government Board have not made any representation to the effect suggested in the first part of the Question. In the opinion of the Board there are no grounds for supposing that the work is less efficiently performed by county officers, though no doubt there has been some increase in the cost owing to the increase in the work caused by the preparation of the list of local government electors. Some resolutions to the effect mentioned have been received, but there does not appear to be any sufficient reason for repealing the provision referred to. The persons who are in the best position to prepare the voters' and jurors' lists are the officials who prepare the rate-books, namely, the county secretaries.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received from local authorities in Ireland resolutions approving of some of the recommendations of the Irish Poor Law Commission; and whether, in view of the unanimity of those resolutions on the points with which they deal, he can promise legislation next session on this subject.

Resolutions to the effect mentioned have been received. As to the possibility of legislation, I would refer to my Answer to the Question put by the hon. Member for South Sligo on 6th May. †

† See (4) Debates, clxxiii., 1314.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Local Government Board for Ireland have appointed any additional inspectors in connection with the working of the Labourers Acts; if so, what qualifications do they require; was the fitness of each ascertained by competitive examination; were clerks and assistant clerks of rural district councils, having practical knowledge of the working of the Acts, afforded an opportunity of competing for these appointments; if not, can he say why; and will they be afforded such opportunity in future.

The Local Government Board have appointed three additional inspectors for duty in connection with the Labourers Acts. No competitive examination was held. As to the remainder of the Question, I would refer to the Answer which I gave to the similar Question put by the hon. Member for North Leitrim on 17th April, †

Can the right hon. Gentleman say who are the additional inspectors?

I have not got the names.

How were they appointed—on whose recommendation?

The appointments were open to any person who chose to apply and the Commissioners examined the applications, made selections from them, and submitted the names.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state the total cost, for salary and travelling expenses respectively, of Mr. J. D. Bell, while engaged in the inspection and valuing of the Bann and Lough Neagh drainage district; and what is the total amount of money given as a free grant for the drainage of the Bann.

The cost referred to in the first part of the Question has not

† See (4) Debates, clxxii., 941.

yet been fully ascertained. No free grant has been given for the drainage of the Bann; the matter has not yet been determined.

Was not £139,000 advanced for the drainage of the Bann, and not a shilling can be got to relieve the people in the valley of the Barrow?

There has been a fresh Report, and the whole question must be reconsidered.

Have there not been three separate sums for travelling expenses this year at the rate of £45 per month?

I cannot say.

Has not the £139,000 advanced for the drainage of the Bann been long since repaid to the Treasury?

I should like notice of that.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the Report of the county surveyor of Queen's County, stating that, during the month of September last, serious injury was caused by floods from the Barrow to the road and a portion of the embankment above Tinnahinch Bridge, and suggesting that, with a view to avoiding the danger of damage in this locality caused by floods, the river course, which has silted up below the bridge, should be cleared and widened for some distance down the stream, and stating that, by the advice of the Local Government Board, the question was brought under the notice of the Arterial Drainage Commission; whether he is aware that the county council have no authority to provide a remedy; and will he say what steps he purposes to take in the matter. I beg also to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord - Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received copies of resolutions adopted at a public meeting held at Portarlington on 30th May, 1907, for the purpose of promoting the drainage of the River Barrow; whether he is aware that the Arterial Drainage Commissioners, in their Report dated 23rd February, 1907, stated, in reference to this river, that the basin of the Upper Barrow suffered more from floods than any other part of Ireland, and that the condition of the district might be described as deplorable, and that the case of this river differed from others in Ireland once similarly circumstanced, in that no expenditure by the State had ever taken place, although the task of clearing the main outfall was manifestly far beyond the reach of private enterprise; and whether he proposes to take any steps to provide a scheme of drainage for the flooded area of the River Barrow.

I will answer these two Questions together. My predecessor received from the hon. Member the Report of the county surveyor referred to, and subsequently made a communication to the hon. Member on the subject. I have received the resolutions passed at the meeting held at Portarlington. The observations of the Arterial Drainage Commission as to the River Barrow are correctly quoted in the Question. I have already informed the hon. Member that before deciding upon legislation in respect of arterial drainage it will be necessary to consider the recommendations of the Commission as a whole. This will obviously take a considerable time, and meanwhile it would not be practicable to consider the question of undertaking a drainage scheme for the Barrow, or any other particular river.

asked if there were not four towns in this flooded area with a total population of 11,000, without any suitable drainage or water supply, or the possibility of providing either, and could no remedy be applied to safeguard the property and lives of the people.

We really must consider the question as a whole.

Has not the right hon. Gentleman realised that if Ireland had a system of Home Rule these things would have been remedied long since?

I think that is most likely.

In view of the dropping of the Irish Council Bill will the right hon. Gentleman introduce a drainage Bill for Ireland?

Can the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that during his term of office any effort will be made to provide a remedy for an evil admitted to exist for half a century, which is increasing every year and which is ruining the health of the people and is a daily menace to their lives and property.

I can give no assurance.

No, you only drain Ireland of public money.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can now state what is the number of constabulary stations throughout the whole of Ireland from which men have been withdrawn to the extent, respectively, of one, two, and three men, and upwards, for the purpose of augmenting the ordinary police establishment of districts which are at present in a state of disturbance.

I beg to refer to my Answer to the similar Question of the right hon. Member for South Dublin on 30th May. † The figures which I then gave apply to the whole of Ireland, and there has since been no change.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland what was the number of persons who were called upon, during the twelve months ended 31st May, 1907, to enter into sureties to be of good behaviour under the Act of Edward III., or to be of good behaviour and to keep the peace under the combined authorities of that Act and the Magistrates Commission, in cases arising out of boycotting,

† See (4) Debates, clxxv., 49.

intimidation, and other offences connected with the agrarian movement in Ireland; how many such persons gave the requisite sureties; and how many were committed to prison in default.

During the twelve months ending 31st May last, summonses were issued against eighty-seven persons, requiring them to show cause why they should not be required to find sureties for the peace or good behaviour, in connection with cases of the nature referred to in the Question. In forty-nine of these cases the magistrates made the order applied for, and in thirty-eight cases they declined to do so. Of the forty-nine persons required to find sureties, twenty-four did so, and the remaining twenty-five refused and were committed to gaol.

asked if the right hon. Gentleman was aware that Chief Baron Palles in giving judgment in Dr. Tanner's case regretted that the power of sending to gaol, in default of giving sureties, men who had committed no offence was exercised, stating that it was an anomaly in the law, and also if he was aware that the present Attorney-General for England had characterised the exercise of such a power by Irish resident magistrates as an unjustifiable abuse of power.

On a point of order, may I ask if an hon. Member is entitled to put a question of this nature on the Paper without first submitting it to you, Sir?

It happens that this Question was submitted to me.

I am acquainted with the observations of Chief Baron Palles, but I have not had the advantage of reading those of the Attorney-General.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state what is the cause of the delay in completing the sale to the tenants on the Mansfield estate, near Killygordon, county Donegal, who signed agreements to purchase their holdings two years ago, and are still paying the old rent to the receiver without reducing the period of, their instalments payable to the Estates Commissioners; and will he say when the sale will be completed.

The Estates Commissioners inform me that there has been no, undue delay in dealing with this estate, the purchase agreements in respect of which were lodged in July, 1905. The advances applied for have recently been sanctioned, and the sale will now be completed as soon as possible.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in reference to the cattle drive which took place on the estate of Mr. Valentine Ryan at Thomastown, near Birr, King's County, on 27th May, the authorities were aware that the holders of the grass farms, John Gill, James Grennan, and Michael Hackett, had been written to by the Killyon Branch of the United Irish League to surrender these lands; if so, why adequate means were not adopted to prevent the forcible removal of the stock; and whether, seeing that the stock on these lands have been replaced, he will see that sufficient protection is afforded to prevent a repetition of the outrage.

The police authorities were aware that the three men named, as well as some twenty others in the district, had received letters requesting them to surrender their farms. These letters purported to come from the local branch of the United Irish League. My Answer to the hon. Member's succeeding Question deals with the matter of protecting grazing farms generally. In this particular case it was impossible to keep a large force of police stationed on every farm.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the cattle-driving conspiracy has extended to East Galway, and that holders of grass lands on the estate of Sir Henry Burke have been forced to surrender to the pressure of the United Irish League; and whether he has any official information showing that this is due to inadequate police protection.

The police authorities inform me that several cases of driving cattle off grazing farms have occurred in East Galway, and that with one exception the holders of grass farms on Sir Henry Burke's estate have surrendered the farms. These persons have refused to make any statement to the police as to their reason for surrendering the farms, and the police have no evidence that such surrender was due to pressure from the United Irish League. The police authorities have afforded all possible protection to the holders of grazing farms, and have in many cases succeeded in preventing cattle drives. It must be understood that police effort is but an adjunct to the primary duty of an owner to provide for the safety of his property. The Inspector-General informs me that hitherto the owners of cattle have done practically nothing to protect the farms. The police will continue to afford all the protection within their power, but it is obviously impossible to place a large force of police on every one of the numerous grazing farms in the country.

asked the right hon. Gentleman if he would inform the House what the Inspector-General of Police expected each individual owner of farms of this kind to do to protect his property.

No, Sir, but I think the Inspector-General is perfectly justified in pointing out that it is the duty of the people in Ireland or elsewhere to take the ordinary steps to protect their own property.

This is a most important matter. May I ask the right hon. Gentleman to indicate what protective measures he would expect them to take. Does he expect them to build a wall ten or twelve feet high?

To take the ordinary steps which owners of property take everywhere else.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is not a fact that a considerable portion of this property is scheduled as a congested area, and whether Sir Henry Burke has not demanded twenty-six-and-a-quarter years purchase from the tenants in that scheduled area? And is not that really the cause of the whole trouble?

Will the right hon. Gentleman state what are the ordinary steps which landlords are to take to protect their property?

In view of the importance of this Question, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, in the opinion of the Irish Office, this is a serious crime in itself?

Is not the main reason for these people surrending their grass farms due to the statements made repeatedly in 1903 from the then Government Bench that one of the objects of the Land Act of that year was the redistribution of the grazing ranches?

I desire to ask very seriously what the Chief Secretary for Ireland really means by using this phrase—and a very remarkable phrase I think it is—[Order, order.]

If the hon. Member has any further Question, will he put it down? He is not entitled to interpolate these observations.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the remark of Judge Wakeley, at Boyle quarter sessions on 5th June, that the present condition of county Roscommon was deplorable and not what one would expect to find in a civilised country; and what means he intends to take to re-establish peace and tranquility in this disturbed area.

May I at the same time ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the statement of His Honour Judge Wakeley, at Boyle quarter sessions, on the 4th June last, that the present condition of the county of Roscommon was deplorable, and not what one would expect to find in a civilised country; what action, if any, the Government intend to take; and if this county is now in a peaceful condition.

I have read a newspaper report of the learned Judge's remarks which seem to have had reference to cases of driving cattle off grazing farms in county Roscommon. In all such cases, in which evidence has been forthcoming, the ringleaders have been prosecuted. The police force of the county has been strengthened by the addition of 135 men, and is now regarded as adequate. This Answer applies to the Question of the hon. Member for East Down.

In how many cases have there been prosecutions of ring-leaders?

I must ask for notice of that Question.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the fact that at a Gaelic League demonstration at Ballina, on Sunday, 2nd June, Mr. P. O'Donellan said the Irish people were not in a position to face England on the field of battle, but while they were waiting for that not far distant date they should boycott everything English, from the Lord-Lieutenant down to the meanest menial and spy in his service; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter.

My attention has only now been called to a newspaper report of the speech referred to. The Question does not seem to me to convey a correct impression of the tenor of the speech. Its general purport is contained in an extract which I will venture to read—"Last year the Irish people spent over £13,000,000 on drink, and out of the duty collected on the drink bill principally the English Government was paying her officials, from the Lord-Lieutenant down to the meanest menial, and to the spy in her service. Why should they not reduce the drink bill by one half, because it would not be too much to ask any man taking two bottles of stout in the day to reduce it to one, not for the sake of any man, but for the sake of Ireland? Were they going to continue to spend £25,000,000 on foreign manufactures while they were begging from Sir Henry Robinson and others for grants for unions? In concluding an eloquent speech Mr. O'Donellan asked the people to become temperate and self-reliant until they realised their fondest aspirations."

Does the right hon. Gentleman deny that Mr. P. O'Donellan said the Irish people were not in a position to face England on the field of battle, but while they were waiting for that not far distant date they should boycott everything English, from the Lord-Lieutenant down to the meanest menial and spy in his service

Was any reference made in that speech to English margarine?

I must press for an Answer to my very distinct Question.

The extract I have read is, I think, an answer.

How much of the. £13,000,000 referred to in the speech was spent in Belfast?

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he is aware that at a Gaelic League demonstration at Ballina on Sunday, 2nd June, at which speeches in favour of boycotting were made, a recitation was given by a national school teacher; and whether it is in accordance with the rules of the National Commissioners of Education that teachers should take part in such political demonstrations.

The attendance of national school teachers at meetings held for political purposes is prohibited by the rules of the Commissioners of National Education, but I have no information as to whether the meeting referred to in the Question was a political meeting The Commissioners, however, inform me that they are at present investigating the case.

May I ask if the right hon. Gentleman is aware that Mr. Thomson, a teacher, recently made a political speech at a Unionist demonstration in Belfast presided over by Lord Londonderry?

The hon. Member must really give notice of these Questions. It is impossible for the Chief Secretary for Ireland to carry all these speeches in his mind.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Gaelic League is strictly non-political?

I have always been told so.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if it is not the fact that the National Commissioners of Education in Ireland suspended, pro tem., while the Irish Council Bill was under consideration, the rule with regard to school teachers taking part in meetings?

I must ask for notice of that Question.

Did not the right hon. Gentleman promise in this House that school teachers should enjoy in this matter the same rights and privileges as all other citizens?

Yes, Sir, I did. And I also did my best to induce the National Commissioners to alter the rule.

Was not Mr. Thomson allowed to attend this meeting under a special licence from Dr. Starkey?

I am not aware.

May I ask if it is necessary for an Irish National teacher to get specific leave to address a Unionist demonstration, and will all teachers in Ireland be allowed the same right and privilege as Mr. Thomson?

Under the rule a teacher is not entitled to address political meetings, and so long as the rule stands the teachers must submit to it.

May I further ask —

Order, order! A large number of supplementary Questions have already been asked, and it is only fair to other hon. Members who have Questions on the Paper that this should cease. If hon. Members desire to put further Questions they must put them on the Paper.

Having regard to the fact that teachers are allowed to attend meetings in England, will the right hon. Gentleman —

Order, order ! The hon. Member must give notice of that Question in the usual way.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that the Estates Commissioners for Ireland have signified their intention of transplanting evicted tenants from King's County to the lands of Raheenshane, Cloncullen, and Spitteltown, situated near Tyrrellspass, in the county of West-meath, notwithstanding the fact that there are evicted tenants in the immediate neighbourhood, one of whom was evicted from one of the farms in question; and if he will instruct the Commissioners not to make such a transfer, but to reinstate the local evicted tenants on the lands in question.

The Estates Commissions are negotiating for the purchase of the estate of R. White, which is situate in the town lands mentioned in the Question, but will not settle a scheme for the distribution of the lands until the negotiations are complete. If the Commissioners should succeed in acquiring the property, they will consider the claims of local evicted tenants.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if the attention of the Estates Commissioners has been called to the case of Mrs. Mary M'Cool, widow of John M'Cool, who was evicted from his farm in the townland of Farrigans, on the Hayes estate, near Stranorlar, county Donegal, for non-payment of rent; if so, can he say why some person, said to be representing the Estates Commissioners, who was on the estate last week, would take no notice of the claim of Mrs. M'Cool; and whether he will direct the Commissioners to send down an inspector to inquire into her claim and see that the sale of the estate is not completed until the widow is reinstated or compensated for the loss of her farm.

The Estates Commissioners have fully investigated Mrs. M'Cools application, and have ascertained that upwards of seventeen years ago the applicant's late husband surrendered the farm to his brother, who is still the tenant. The Commissioners have, therefore, decided to take no action in the matter.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the fact that extra fees for the teaching of Irish have been restored, he will restore the fees for the teaching of mathematics, so as to deal justly with those districts in which mathematics is as essential as Gaelic, and especially as teachers have been informed, when asking an increase of income, that it could be supplemented by teaching extra subjects.

The question of extra fees for mathematics is at present under consideration.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland the average annual salary and emoluments of national school teachers of the various classes and grades in Ireland; and whether, for the sake of comparison, he can furnish similar particulars for England, including Wales, and Scotland, respectively.

In the year 1904, the last for which figures are available, the average income of principal teachers in Irish national schools was £105 4s. 9d. for men and £84 11s. 6d. for women, and the average income of assistants was £73 13s. 10d. for men and £58 7s. 9d. for women. For information as to the corresponding figures for England and Scotland I must refer the hon. Member to the Ministers representing the Departments concerned

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners have recently received any further application respecting the sale of the untenanted lands on the estate of Mr. William N. Leader, of Dromagh, county Cork; has any proposal been made to exclude the townland of Dysart from the proposed sale, and, if so, on what grounds; and whether the Commissioners will refuse to sanction the purchase of these lands unless the circumstances and needs of the locality are taken into consideration and reasonable provision made for the restoration of evicted tenants, the enlargement of uneconomic holdings, and the applotment of suitable holdings amongst the deserving labourers of the district.

The Estates Commissioners have received no further communication from the owner in this case. The owner proposes to exclude a portion of the townland of Dysart from the sale, upon the ground that he himself is using 352 acres of the land, and only receives a head rent out of the remaining 239 acres. As I informed the hon. Member on 27th February, the Commissioners will, before sanctioning the sale, make full inquiries as to the wants and circumstances of people in the neighbourhood.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that on the same day that Mr. Persse's farm was cleared of sheep and cattle the farm of Mr. Palmer, near Athenry, was also cleared; and, seeing that a movement is on foot to raid another farm of Mr. Persse's at Boyhill, near Athenry, what steps are being taken to deal with this state of lawlessness. I beg also to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that on 28th May a crowd of about 150 men invaded the grass farm of Rathreddy, near Athenry, now held by Mr. Burton Persse, J.P., where they found two herds shearing Mr. Persse's sheep, and that the crowd tore up the fleeces and scattered the wool over the fields, and drove the sheep and cattle on to the high road; will he say how many police were present during the proceedings, and how many arrests were made; and has he any official information showing that the fact that Mr. Persse did his duty as a magistrate in deciding for the conviction of certain persons charged with clearing grass farms at Castle Ellen and Elphin was publicly proclaimed in the district as the reason for the outrage.

On 28th May a crowd of about 100 persons drove cattle from Mr. Palmer's farm and sheep from Mr. Persse's farm on to the public road. It is, however, not the fact that the crowd tore up the fleeces and scattered the wool. Two policemen were present. No arrests were made, but proceedings have been instituted against five men whom the police identified, and these proceedings are now pending. Mr. Persse was one of the bench of magistrates at Athenry who returned certain defendants for trial upon a charge of unlawful assembly and intimidation. This gentleman's farm at Boyhill is being constantly protected by three policemen, and arrangements have been made for speedy communication with Athenry to obtain assistance if necessary. The farm is within a mile of Athenry Police Station.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will say what sum of money was allocated under Section 38 of 3 Edward 7, cap. 37, for the portion of the financial year ending 31st March, 1904, during which the aforesaid Act was in operation; and will he say whether the entire £50,000, as provided in the section referred to, has been paid into the Irish Land Purchase Fund each year since?

Under the section quoted, the sum of £50,000 was paid from the Ireland Development Grant to the Irish Land Purchase Fund for the financial year ending 31st March, 1904, and a like sum has been paid in each succeeding year.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the proceedings at Ballintubber, on Thursday last, at the hearing of a charge against twelve men of having driven cattle off a farm; whether he is aware that no evidence was called to controvert the police evidence connecting the accused men with the offence, but the solicitor for the defence asserted that they had it on the authority of Lord Denman that the people of Ireland had reason for what they were doing; whether he is aware that three of the four magistrates on the bench refused an information, and that the fourth magistrate was a resident magistrate; whether he has made any report upon the case; and whether it is intended to take further proceedings in this case.

It is the fact that in the case referred to the majority of the magistrates refused to receive informations. The evidence in the case has been submitted to my right hon. friend the Attorney-General for Ireland, who has directed that a Bill against the defendants shall be sent up to the Grand Jury at the next assizes. The case, therefore, is still sub judice, and I do not propose to discuss the nature of the evidence or the proceedings which took place before the magistrates.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Kilmore branch of the United Irish League have passed a resolution calling upon the chairman of the Carrick-on-Shannon Rural District Council to resign his position on the ground that he declined to obey the summons of the League to adjudicate as a magistrate in the recent agrarian prosecutions at Hill Street; and what action he proposes to take to secure the proper administration of justice in that district.

I have no information in this matter beyond the fact that a newspaper report to the effect mentioned in the first part of the Question has appeared. I have no reason to suppose that the proper administration of justice will be affected by any such resolution.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the new scale of fees for Irish will be made applicable to the year ending June, 1907.

The new scale of fees for teaching Irish will come into operation on 1st July next. I regret that it has not been found possible to apply the new scale to the current school year.

What will be the amount of money required to pay the fees this year?

I cannot give the exact figures.

Has the right hon. Gentleman obtained any guarantee that instruction in Irish will not be used as a means of teaching sedition?

And will premiums be given to teach Ulster Tory Members to speak English?

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will grant the Return moved for by the Member for North Armagh, relating to evicted tenants in Ireland†so that independent inquiry may be made on behalf of parties interested into the merits of the several cases.

I propose to lay upon the Table in the course of a few days a Report prepared by the Estates Commissioners showing the result of their investigation of the cases of evicted tenants. This Report, however, will not contain particulars of individual cases, and a Return of such cases cannot be given. It must be obvious that no good purpose could be served by furnishing material for the purpose of enabling

† Return of the evicted tenants whose applications have been recognised by the Estates Commissioners as deserving reinstatement showing (a) their names and descriptions; (b) the counties and holdings from which they have been evicted; (c) the date of such eviction; and (d) the amount of rent due at the date of such eviction.

independent inquiry to be made by interested persons into the thousands of cases investigated by the Commissioners.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether under the Land Act of 1903, when estates are being purchased on which there are fishery rights, the claims of fishermen who have been tenants of such fisheries, either as tenants under lease or from year to year, and where such tenancies have been held for a great number of years, in some cases for more than a century, will be duly considered with a view to the purchase of such fisheries on behalf of the fishermen, or, failing such purchase, that their rights will be safeguarded either by granting them a lease or giving them a yearly title, which cannot be disturbed, at a reasonable rent; and whether the attention of the Irish Department of Fisheries and the Land Purchase Commissioners will be called to all such cases and an inquiry held into them if required.

The Land Commission inform me that no case appears to have arisen such as is referred to in the Question. The 99th Section of the Act of 1903 provides that the Act shall not affect sporting rights which are not in the possession or enjoyment of the vendor at the time of sale; and the expression "sporting rights" includes fishery rights. If any question relating to fishery rights should arise in connection with the sale of an estate, the Land Commission will consider the matter in connection with the section quoted and Section 13 of the Act.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the case of Mrs. Scully, a widow with a large family, who was evicted with her husband, who then lived, from a farm at Kilbreedy, county Limerick, in 1895; will he inquire if her late husband made a claim for a farm on the Mount Shannon estate at Annacoty, county Limerick; whether, on 28th January, 1905, he was present when an inspector from the Estates Commissioners attended for the purpose of marking out the farms on this estate, and drew Lot 1, a farm of about 37 acres; that the farms were drawn by lot on that date, and, her husband having died in October of that year, she got no notice of any further distribution; and whether, under those circumstances, special attention will be given to the claim of this woman.

The Estates Commissioners inform me that Daniel Scully, the evicted tenant referred to in the Question, applied for a holding on the Mount Shannon estate. As the number of evicted tenants who had applied for farms was largely in excess of the possible number of holdings to be allotted, the inspector, at an early stage of the negotiations for purchase, allowed the applicants to draw lots for the sixteen separate holdings into which it was then proposed to divide the estate, in order that the Commissioners might know whether the applicants would take the holdings which might be offered to them if the estate were purchased. The purchase was not completed until two years later, and the estate was then divided into twelve lots only. Scully had died in the meantime. The Commissioners fully considered Mrs. Scully's claim, but did not select her as being one of the most suitable of the applicants for the holdings.

Will the right hon. Gentleman answer the last part of my question?

It is rather difficult to see what special attention can be given to this woman. The Commissioners came to the conclusion she was not the most suitable applicant for this farm.

They might give her another farm.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether any orders have been issued to the Royal Irish Constabulary debarring them from making arrests or taking prompt proceedings against offenders in eases of intimidation, riot, affrays, or unlawful assemblies in connection with the grazing agitation or other agrarian disturbances; whether, in dealing with such offences, the police are prohibited from acting on their own responsibility, and are required to report all such cases and to await the instructions of Government before any action can be taken; and, if so, in view of the delay caused by obedience to such instructions and the injury to the maintenance of order in the disturbed localities, he proposes to withdraw such instructions.

It would be entirely contrary to practice to state the nature of instructions issued to the Royal Irish Constabulary. In order, however, to avoid misconception, I may say that the police have full authority to arrest persons guilty of acts of violence; but, in accordance with long established practice, they report to headquarters the facts in cases of the nature referred to in which violence has not been used, in order that the sufficiency of the evidence and the nature of the proceedings to be taken may be considered. There is no intention of altering the practice.

Is the driving of another man's cattle out of his field on to the high road an act of violence?

The police stop it; whenever they can.

Have they made a single arrest in any of these cases?

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if the cattle on the holding of a small farmer called Donnelly, on Sir Henry Burke's estate, East Galway, were driven off in the presence of a body of police; and if the Government are prepared to treat this as a serious offence.

Mr. Donnelly's cattle were driven off his farm on 30th May. Four policemen were present, but they were unable to prevent the offence Proceedings have been directed against those offenders who can be identified, with the object of having them bound to keep the peace and be of good behaviour.

Will one of the Law Officers of the Crown prosecute in these cases to show the perpetrators of the outrage the determination of the Government to stop them?

The Government are doing all they can to stop them.

And that is nothing at all.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if the cattle on the property. of Mr. Charles Clarke, Graiguenoe, Holy Cross Thurles, are now guarded by police to prevent them being driven off; and if this district is in a satisfactory condition.

Mr. Clarke's farm is frequently visited by police patrols with the object of preventing interference with the cattle on it. Mr. Clarke himself does not live on the farm. The district of Holy Cross is reported to be in a fairly satisfactory condition.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that at a recent prosecution at Ballintubbor, county Sligo, when the defendants were acquitted, one of the justices, Mr. Hanley, who attended, lives in a different petty sessions district about fourteen miles away, and that Mr Rorke, another of the same justices, lives in a different petty sessions district ten miles away from Ballintubber; if he will report this conduct to the Lord Chancellor, or what action he proposes to take.

The circumstances referred to in the Question have been brought to the notice of the Lord Chancellor, who is at present in communication with the magistrates concerned in reference to it.

Have other similar cases occurred?

Yes, several.

A large number. Has the Lord Chancellor come to a decision in any case brought to his notice?

I cannot say.

May we expect an Answer before the Prorogation?

I hope so.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland how long have the negotiations between the parishioners of Larne, the National Board of Education, and the Board of Works been going on for a grant for a now school house at Larne, county Antrim; how often has the present school house been condemned as insanitary and with insufficient accommodation for the school children; what threats have been made to the rector by the urban council, calling upon him to abolish the nuisance at once; how can the matter be dealt with when the Board of Works refuse to grant an advance of the necessary money; and will he give directions to the Board of Works to take the matter in hand at once and not drop it till the grant is made and the urban council of Larne satisfied.

The formal application for a grant in this case was made on 17th February, 1905. It is admittedly the fact that the existing school house is unsuitable and does not afford sufficient accommodation for the pupils in attendance. The delay in dealing with this and similar cases has been due to the necessity of revising the building plans and settling the scale of grants for school buildings generally. An agreement upon these points has been reached, but some details as to the plans remain to be worked out. The matter is being pressed forward, and the Board of Works expect to be in a position very shortly to authorise the manager to proceed with the erection of a new school house in this case.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that 130 sheep and lambs were driven off the farm of Thomas Corcoran, Benmore, county Galway, on 2nd July; that Corcoran took this farm from the Congested districts Board in November, 1906, against the wishes and directions of the Bullaun branch of the United Irish League; and that this fact is attributed as the reason for the outrage; and what steps are being taken.