asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will state the present position of the negotiations for the proposed joint loan to Persia for the purpose of promoting the restoration of order; and what guarantees have been secured that the money advanced will be properly applied?

The present position is that the British and Russian Governments are on the point of advancing the sum of £400,000 jointly to the Persian Government. The only conditions are in respect of interest, repayment, and security, which I hope will be settled in a few days' time. The expenditure will be controlled by the Treasurer-General. A large portion of it is required for the payment of overdue salaries. We have stipulated that some of it is to be earmarked for the Province of Fars.

Will the hon. Gentleman not consider whether the time has now arrived that a more vigorous and determined policy should be pursued for the protection of British traders in Southern Persia?

That is a very general question, and I do not think I can go into it.

Does the hon. Gentleman not think that the time has come to employ a few British officers from India, who have some knowledge of cognate conditions, to assist the Swedish officers, who have no knowledge of them, to carry out the policy?

That is a very big question of policy which does not arise out of the original question.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that an immense amount of insecurity is felt at the present time in consequence of the neglect of the Government to give protection to British traders?

I do not think that feeling of insecurity is justified. If the hon. Member will be kind enough to refer to the statement made on the adjournment, about five weeks ago, he will find that we have considerable hopes of a great improvement in Southern Persia.

When will the Government come to the House for authority to advance this money?

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will put down a question.

asked whether the British Government continues to support what remains of the six-Power finance group in imposing upon China the conditions encroaching upon the administrative independence of China, on account of which the Government of the United States has withdrawn its support from the American section of that group; whether China will be left free to borrow on any terms satisfactory to lenders; and whether, before the completion of any agreement for a loan involving the consequences indicated, this House will be informed of its full terms and conditions?

On 3rd March certain proposals in connection with the conditions of a loan were made to the Chinese Government by the representatives of the six Powers. These proposals had the unanimous approval of these representatives (including, of course, the United States Minister) acting on instructions from their Governments. The British Government have since then had no intimation of any kind from the Government of the United States that their attitude towards the loan had changed, and I have no information about it except what I have read in the newspapers. My own view of the conditions on which loans should be made in the best interests of China and of the investing public will be found in the White Book, No. 2 (1912), and I have no further announcement to make.

Will the hon. Gentleman answer the first part of my question as to the British Government continuing its support?

I think it is completely answered in the first part of the reply.

It has not been answered at all. Is the hon. Gentleman not in a position to answer the last part of the question?

The last part of the question is also answered in the reply I have given. If the hon. Member will refer to it he will see that it is so.

What reason has America for withdrawing from this six-Power group?

That does not arise out of the question.

I will put this question down again on Thursday next.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs a question, of which I have given private notice, namely: Whether his attention has been called to the fact that the Government of the United States of America has announced the withdrawal of its support to the six-Power Chinese Loan, and that the American Section of the six-Power group has withdrawn from participation in that loan; also whether he is aware that an agreement has been provisionally signed by a representative of a Franco-Belgian syndicate and a Chinese Government representative for the establishment of an industrial bank for China having certain valuable privileges and opportunities calculated to place Franco-Belgian financial and commercial interests in a predominating position in China; and whether, in view of these facts, he will take the necessary steps to place British finance in an equal position of freedom to negotiate with China to that now enjoyed by France and America?

I have no information in regard to the agreement referred to as having been provisionally signed by representatives of a Franco-Belgian syndicate and of the Chinese Government for the establishment of an industrial bank for China. As regards the rest of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Westmeath to-day.

asked the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether, with a view to increasing the seating accommodation of the Chamber, he will consider the advisability of placing cross benches on the floor of the House, as is already done on the floor of another place?

Although the demand for such accommodation appears recently slightly to have increased the First Commissioner regrets that he is not able, in view of what has hitherto been the generally expressed opinion of the House, to adopt my hon. Friend's suggestion.

In view of recent events, are not cross benches more necessary than ever?

I have said so in the answer I have given, "the demand for such accommodation appears recently slightly to have increased."

Will the hon. Gentleman suggest to the First Commissioner of Works that there should be some recommendation whereby the whole of the scats in the House might be considered as part of the House?

I do not think the question of which seats should form part of the House is one for the First Commissioner to determine.

asked when it is proposed to issue the terms of the competition for the new Government buildings in Edinburgh; and whether he can say who has been appointed to adjudicate on the results?

The First Commissioner is unable at present to fix a date for the issue of the terms of the competition. An assessor has not yet been appointed, although negotiations on the matter are in progress.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the governors of Raine's Secondary School, St. George's-in-the-East, have allocated to pupils from a private venture school certain scholarships which, under the scheme of Raine's School, can only be given to scholars of a public elementary school; and what action he proposes to take?

My right hon. Friend has called the attention of the governing body to the matter referred to in the hon. Member's question, and understands that the provisions of the scheme will be strictly observed in the future.

asked whether some teachers in elementary non-provided schools are obliged, when appointed, to offer gratuitous services as organists, choristers, Sunday school teachers, and so forth; and, whether, in order to secure liberty and leisure for teachers and to prevent them being sweated into working for clerical managers and others without payment, the President of the Board of Education will, in the next edition of the Code, insert such provisions as will terminate these abuses?

Perhaps my right hon. Friend may be allowed to call the hon. Member's attention to Article 15 of the Code, under which it is provided that a teacher shall not be required to perform any duties except such as are connected with the work of a public elementary school.

Will the Department put some penalty, or threat of a penalty at any rate into into the Code, in order that this may be enforced where it is not now enforced?

If the hon. Member will call attention to any breaches of the Code they will be considered.

asked when the promised scheme for pensions for secondary teachers will be completed?

The hon. Member will be aware that my right hon. Friend has asked the Departmental Committee appointed in connection with the Elementary School Teachers (Superannuation) Acts to undertake a further inquiry relating to the establishment of a system of superannuation for teachers in schools and institutions not being public elementary schools or universities or university colleges aided by the Board of Education. My right hon. Friend is not in a position to say when the Report will be ready.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, having regard to the law requiring all insurance companies to submit to an actuarial investigation of their affairs every five years, to the Treasury Minute of February, 1891, emphasising the importance of frequent actuarial investigation of the Irish Constabulary Force Fund, and to the fact that this fund has suffered a loss of £5,000 on sale and of £75,346 on depreciation of the securities in which it is invested, if he will explain why the frequent actuarial investigation which the Treasury deemed necessary twenty-two years ago has not since been carried out; whether any other fund managed by the Treasury, and suffering loss and depreciation, is left like this uninvestigated; and, in view of the facts that 90 per cent. of the contributors to this fund, whose property it is, are dissatisfied with the present wasteful management, and that Parliament has undertaken to keep the fund solvent, whether an actuarial investigation of it will now be ordered and the actuary's Report presented to Parliament?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer these questions. An investigation has already been ordered; the question of presentation will be considered in due course when the Report has been made.

When is the report expected?

The investigation is going on at the present moment, and the Report will be made without delay.

asked what proportions of the Road Improvement Fund have so far been expended upon or allocated to surface improvement, widening, cutting off dangerous corners, and new road construction, respectively?

The Grants made by the Road Board up to the present time for road crust improvement works amount to £997,191; for widenings (including the improvement of corners and curves) to £85,391, and for new road construction (including road diversions and new bridges) to £85,814.

Is the hon. Gentleman able to give a separate figure for the item of cutting off these corners? Has anything whatever been expended in that direction?

I gave the figures, including the improvement of corners and curves.

My question was whether the hon. Gentleman is able to give a separate figure in respect of cutting off dangerous corners. Is he able to say whether anything at all has been expended by the Road Board in that direction?

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will put a question down on that specific point.

Has anything been done in cutting hedges and dangerous corners, as promised by the Chancellor of the Exchequer?

I should think a great deal has been done, but I cannot say what amount of money has been expended on that particular matter.

asked what are the present amounts standing to the credit of the Development Fund and Road Improvement Fund, respectively; and whether and to what extent additions will be made to either during the coming financial year?

The total sum paid into the Road Improvement Fund in respect of Carriage Licences and Motor Spirit Duties up to 28th February was £2,998,343. Grants and loans to an aggregate amount of £2,687,000 have been indicated (including £997,191 formally made) by the Road Board to highway authorities and £521,871 has been actually paid out under Grants. With regard to the Development Fund the cash balance is £296,743, and in addition there are invested funds amounting to £2,500,000. I am unable to anticipate the intentions of my right hon. Friend with regard to the coming financial year, but under the existing law the Road Improvement Fund will receive the proceeds of the Petrol Duty, and also the revenue from Carriage Licence Duties over and above the receipts in the standard year 1909.

Can the hon. Gentleman say, as asked in this question, what is the amount at present standing to the credit of the Road Improvement Board; and can he also say why so large a sum as £2,000,000 has been invested out of the Development Fund and not expended on many matters of urgent importance that are being asked for in regard to rural roads?

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman would put down a question as to the reasons, which are not asked in this question. I would direct his attention to the fact that one of the duties laid on the Commissioners is to have regard to the state of the labour market.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sentences involving the infliction of the cat have been passed on convictions under the recent Criminal Law Amendment Act; how many of such convictions were in cases of complaints by wives against husbands; and how many of such convictions or sentences have been reversed on appeal?

I have no complete information on the subject. Convictions under this Act or any other Act are not reported as they occur to the Home Office; and full Returns are not available until the end of the year when the Annual Judicial Statistics are compiled. I find on inquiry that in the London prisons one sentence of whipping under the new Act has been carried out.

Are not floggings ordered reported to the Home Office, including the one set aside last week?

No. The floggings which take place in prisons are all reported to the Home Office, but not floggings which take place under the orders of the Court.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how many of these sentences are upon procurers, and whether the special object of passing the Act was not to get at that class of offenders?

Perhaps my hon. Friend will give me notice of that question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the German Government contemplates putting a tax on all gambling operations in American and foreign securities as listed on the Berlin Bourse, owing to these transactions having increased during the past few years and to their having been a direct cause for the depreciation of industrial and home securities; and whether he will consider the advisability of some similar steps being taken with regard to the London Stock Exchange, with the object of protecting British securities, which have likewise been affected for many years by the international gambling operations in American and foreign securities?

I have no information to the effect stated in the first part of the question, and, as at present advised, I should deprecate action tending to restrict operations in this country in respect of foreign securities.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that seven Bills drafted by the Governor of New York State with the object of introducing Stock Exchange reforms were introduced on 5th February, 1913, into the State Senate, New York; whether he is aware that Wall Street Stock Exchange has adopted a rule against so-called bogus sales; and whether he will cause official inquiries to be made in New York and lay full particulars of these Bills, as well as the Stock Exchange rule, upon the Table for the benefit of the House?

I understand that seven laws affecting corporations were recently enacted in the State of New Jersey, but I have no information as to the Stock Exchange rule to which reference is made. I will take steps to obtain a report on both subjects, and will communicate the result to my hon. Friend.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will inform the House what steps the Board of Trade have taken to satisfy themselves that the "Olympic" as now strengthened is structurally sound and in every way seaworthy?

The alterations made in the "Olympic" have been carried out under the survey of the Board of Trade surveyors at Belfast, and these surveyors have to be satisfied that the vessel as altered is in every way fit for the intended service before the vessel again carries passengers.