asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any official reports of rioting in connection with the ejectment of villagers in Upper Egypt from lands recently acquired by the Viscomte Fortarce; and, if so, how many villagers were killed or will ask His Majesty's Agent and Consul-General for a report.

I have no information on this subject, but will ask His Majesty's Agent and Consul-General for a report.

Will it be convenient if I put down a similar question a week hence?

I will let the hon. Member know if I may.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland how many inspectors employed by the Commissioners of National Education and by the Commissioners of Intermediate Education, respectively, in Ireland are competent to examine students in the Irish language; and what steps are being taken to form a competent staff for this purpose?

Twenty-one of the inspectors employed by the Commissioners of National Education, and one of the five inspectors at present in the service of the Intermediate Education Board are competent to inspect classes in the Irish language. With a view to increasing the number of inspectors so qualified Irish must now be taken as one of the subjects of the qualifying examination of candidates for the office of junior inspector of national schools in the case of every alternate appointment.

asked whether the permanent officials in the Court of Probate, Dublin, have recently been questioned with reference to their knowledge of crime in Dublin Castle; whether Mr. Craig Davidson and Mr. Norris Goddard have been questioned; whether since the commencement of a certain criminal trial now proceeding in London one of these Dublin officials has been given indefinite leave of absence; on what plea this has been given; and whether before his departure the Director of Public Prosecutions here was put in possession of the information at that person's disposal and now has his present address?

Although I have nothing whatever to say to the Probate Court, and have no control over its officials, I have referred this question to the Chief Registrar, who informs me that no official of the Court has been questioned as to crime in Dublin Castle. The Probate Court has no connection with the Castle, and is nowhere near it. Mr. Goddard informed me, in connection with a previous question, that he has not now and never had in his custody, possession, or procurement, any evidence relating to crime committed in Dublin Castle. Neither he nor any of the officials of the Probate Court have been given indefinite leave of absence. I am not aware of any reason for addressing any questions to Mr. Craig Davidson, who is wholly unconnected with and has never been in the public service.

Can the right hon. Gentleman account for the fact that one of the permanent officials has been absent now for a considerable time and has recently been in Berlin?

No, Sir; I know nothing about his movements or the capital he has visited.

asked the total loss to local Grants in county Longford incurred by any default to meet annuities by tenant purchasers there for the year ending 31st March, 1913?

The total deduction made from the share of county Longford in the Estate or Death Duty Grant during the year ended the 31st March, 1913, in respect of purchasers' annuities in arrear amounted to £766 18s. 4d., but in no sense of the word whatever is this a total loss.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say why, if he believes this is not going to be a total loss, the deduction could not have been deferred?

I have explained over and over again that when land purchase annuities are in arrear they are of course deducted from the Grant made to the county, but when the arrears are paid off, as they almost invariably are, without any delay—at the present time county Longford is only in default of two half-yearly instalments amounting to £7 16s. 8d.—then the money is returned to the county.

asked whether the Estates Commissioners have taken any further steps to complete the negotiations with Mr. J. W. Bond, D.L., for the acquirement of the untenanted lands of Coolcraff, North Longford?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on 29th April last, to which I have nothing to add.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Estates Commissioners have made any further communication to this landlord?

No, I do not know that they have.

Will the right hon. Gentleman ask them to do so?

Yes, I will.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he has received a copy of a resolution passed by the Longford District Council asking that the powers of the Estates Commissioners be extended under the promised amending Land Bill to the seven congested divisions of Longford Union, so as to enable the Commissioners to acquire untenanted lands in county Longford to relieve congestion there; and can he hold out any hope that this will be given effect to?

I have not received the resolution referred to. The powers of the Estates Commissioners at present extend to the whole of county Longford.

asked what obstacle the Estates Commissioners are now placing in the way of the evicted tenants at Aughanish, county Limerick, being reinstated in their holdings, in view of the fact that they and the landlord, Lane Joynt, and the tenants on the estate have agreed on the purchase price of the holdings, and in addition have made up between them the £500 required by the Estates Commissioners to be lodged by them for the upkeep of the embankments on the estate, and which amount the Estates Commissioners refused to advance to them on Land Act or other terms?

The Estates Commissioners have no power to place any persons in occupation of the lands until they acquire them. As the hon. Member has been already informed, they have made their offer to purchase, and they await its acceptance and compliance with its conditions.

Has not that offer been accepted, and did not the right hon. Gentleman promise me that these evicted tenants would be reinstated by March last, and why have they not been reinstated?

The acceptance has not yet been made.

How is that?

I do not know.

asked whether the Congested Districts Board have yet received from Mr. Ryan, Mr. Stannel, and Lord Vaux maps of their estates near Newport, county Mayo, or whether offers to sell the estates through the Board have been received from them or any of them?

The estates of Mr. E. A. Ryan and Mr. C. A. Stannel have been offered for sale through the Congested Districts Board, and the necessary maps and documents have been lodged. The Board understand that the necessary documents in the case of Lord Vaux's Estate are about to be lodged.

asked whether the Congested Districts Board have yet issued an offer for the Domville estate, near Balla, county Mayo; and, if so, whether the offer has been accepted by the owners?

The Congested Districts Board have issued an offer for the purchase of this estate, and they are at present in correspondence with the owner regarding it.

asked whether the trustees of the Achill Mission estate, county Mayo, have yet expressed their willingness to sell the estate through the Congested Districts Board or have refused to sell voluntarily; and when the tenants of this congested estate may expect relief under the Land Act of 1909?

I understand that there are some legal difficulties in the way of a voluntary sale, but I hope they may not prove to be insurmountable. The Congested Districts Board are not prepared to take steps to acquire this estate compulsorily, but if maps and documents giving the necessary particulars are lodged, the Board will have the estate valued and an offer made for the purchase of it.

asked if the pay of a constable after three years' service in the Royal Irish Constabulary is only 21s. per week, and this figure has remained stationary for more than twenty-five years; if, during that period and since the last revision of pay of this force, the cost of living has risen to a very large extent; and if the Treasury have laid down any definite period of time which must elapse before the question of a further revision of pay will be considered?

I am aware of the facts to which the hon. Member refers, but the question of the pay of the junior constables is part of the larger question of the pay of the force generally, and as I have said before, it is too soon to reconsider that matter, which was dealt with in 1908. The answer to the last paragraph of the question is in the negative.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland the intentions of the Commissioners of National Education in reference to the Coolavokig (Macroom) school dispute; whether the school is to be placed in charge of the teacher, Mr. Twohig, whose advent to the place led to a riot for which thirteen men have been bound to the peace; is he aware that the reopening of the school under the control of this teacher is likely to lead to renewed disturbances; will any steps be taken by the Commissioners to independently investigate the charge against the former teacher, Mr. Galvin, and to ascertain the facts connected with his resignation; and what is the decision as to the payment of salary to Mrs. Galvin, who is not a party to the dispute, during the period that the school has been closed?

The Commissioners of National Education do not propose to interfere with the discretion of the manager in the appointment of a teacher in this case. The Commissioners are not aware that the reopening of the school under the control of the teacher whom the manager has appointed is likely to lead to renewed disturbances. The Commissioners having regard to the circumstances see no reason for investigating the charge made against the former teacher and no decision as to the payment of Mrs. Galvin's salary has yet been come to.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland (1) whether he can now give the names of the fourteen witnesses who have consented to the publication of their evidence before the Committee on Irish Finance; and (2) when he proposes to publish the evidence of the fourteen witnesses before the Committee on Irish Finance?

There is no necessity for giving the list for which the hon. Member asks. The evidence which it is proposed to publish is in the printers' hands and will be issued without any delay.

Has the right hon. Gentleman any special objection to giving the list of names?

No, Sir, except that I think if the hon. Member waits a few days he will have them. As a matter of fact, one of them is in question at the present moment.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how many witnesses altogether have consented to their evidence being published?

I have said it was fourteen; possibly it may be fifteen.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he has any objection to the publication, in whole or part, of the evidence of Mr. Thomas P. Gill, Mr. Thomas Butler, and Mr. Joseph P. Walsh before the Committee on Irish Finance?

The answer is in the affirmative.

asked whether the Inland Revenue Department have any objection to the publication, in whole or part, of the evidence of Mr. Alfred W. Soward before the Committee on Irish Finance?

The Commissioners of Inland Revenue have no objection to the publication of the evidence referred to by the hon. and gallant Member.

Will the evidence be published?

The hon. Member should address that question to the Chief Secretary.

asked the Prime Minister what was the reason of the six months' delay in ascertaining whether the witnesses before the Committee on Irish Finance objected to the publication of their evidence, seeing that a majority of the Members of this House asked him to do so in October last.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has repeatedly explained this matter. He stated to the House in May last that he did not see his way to inquire whether the witnesses had any objection to the publication of the evidence which they had given in confidence until a general desire for it on the part of the House was expressed. Although that condition was never satisfied, yet, as some Members seem to think that there was some mystery in the matter, the Prime Minister asked me on the 1st of this month to communicate with the witnesses, and I have done so.

What I wanted to ask the right hon. Gentleman was why he should wait until six months after the majority of the Members of this House asked him to approach the witnesses?

Because the Prime Minister entertained doubts as to whether a majority of the House is the same thing as a general desire.

Can the right hon. Gentleman explain, what has never been explained in this House, why a pledge of secrecy was given in connection with a public matter?

That is the mystery.

If that is the mystery the answer is this: We were very anxious that Civil servants should be at liberty to give evidence and feel themselves so.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has any objection to the publication, in whole or part, of the evidence of Sir Charles A. King before the Committee on Irish Finance?

Sir Charles King has informed the Chief Secretary for Ireland that he has no objection to the publication of the evidence referred to.

asked how many cases of foul brood in bees were dealt with in the year 1911–12 under the provisions of the Bee Pest Prevention (Ireland) Act, 1908; what was the total allocated for compensation, and how much compensation was actually paid; have there been any suspected cases of Isle of Wight disease; and, if so, what steps have been taken to deal with this disease?

During the year 1911–12 331 cases of foul brood came under the notice of the local authorities and were dealt with by them. The total amount allocated for payment of compensation was £273. Payments of compensation amounting to £36 14s. 6d. were recommended in twelve counties. Some suspected cases of Isle of Wight disease were reported to the Department during the year. Each case was investigated and suitable precautionary measures were prescribed. The Department have at present no statutory powers to enforce compliance with such measures, except in the case of foul brood.

Does the right hon. Gentleman propose to take any steps to enable the Department to deal with the matter should disease break out?

Yes, Sir, there is a Bill for England and Scotland before the House, and when it reaches Committee I have an Amendment prepared to enable it to be applied to Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the recent public announcement of an outbreak of sleeping sickness in Southern Rhodesia and a denial on behalf of the British South Africa Company; and, the prevalence of that disease south of the Zambesi being now acknowledged, whether any steps have been taken to warn intending emigrants to that territory?

I would refer to my reply to questions regarding sleeping sickness in Southern Rhodesia on Monday. There is no reason to suppose that the disease is generally prevalent south of the Zambesi.

Will the right hon. Gentleman answer the last part of the question as to the warning to emigrants?

I do not exactly know how the warning could be conveyed, and as the disease is only prevalent south of the Zambesi I am not so sure of the necessity for it.

asked whether any concessions, privileges, or rights in British West Africa were applied for by any other parties during the period covered by the correspondence with Messrs. Lever Brothers, Limited; and were they dealt with in a similar manner?

During the period referred to I received no application for any concession in British West Africa similar to that made by Messrs. Lever Brothers.

Has the right hon. Gentleman received any notification to the effect that no applications have been made, because it was understood that it was contrary to the policy of the Government to grant exclusive privileges?

No, Sir, not within my recollection.

Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman will inquire.

asked the nature and extent of all rights, privileges, or concessions, other than those relating to railways, granted or promised to Messrs. Lever Brothers, Limited, or associated firms, in any West African Colonies or Protectorates up to the present time?

The only grants which have come to my knowledge are those contemplated in Cd. 6561.

Will the right hon. Gentleman keep in view the fact that when the correspondence was published nothing definite or final had been decided upon, and can he say whether any progress has been made since that date?

I must have notice on the question of progress.

asked what licences have been granted or promised to Messrs. Lever Brothers, Limited, or their associated firms, to construct railways in any West African Colony or Protectorate?

The only promise made is that contained in the letter of 18th December printed on page 45 of Cd. 6561. So far as I am aware, Messrs. Lever Brothers have not yet made any application for a licence.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has received the statutory returns of the Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society of Australia for 1912; how they compare with those for 1889 in premium receipts, receipts of interest on funds invested, gross receipts, payments on claims and surrenders, cost of administration, including directors, gross expenditure, and sum invested for security of the insured; and, if an annual meeting is ever held, when the last one was held and how many insured persons were present at it?

The returns of the Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society, Limited, under the Assurance Companies Act for the year 1912 have not yet been received, and they are not required by the Act until the 30th June next. The last annual meeting of which the Board of Trade have information was held at Melbourne on the 22nd May, 1912, but the Board have no information as to the number of insured persons present at the meeting.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, whether he has received the statutory returns due from the National United Insurance Society, of Glasgow; what sum is shown to have been in the bank at the end of 1912; whether he is aware that all this, except a nominal balance to keep the account open, has since been drawn to keep afloat the National Assurance Collecting Society, worked by the same persons; whether those persons in either capacity have deposited security for fidelity; and, if so, with whom and of what value; and, in view of these two societies run by the same persons, accounting to different State Departments at different dates and making the same money serve as an alleged capital for both, whether he will require an actuarial investigation of the affairs of both simultaneously?

The National United Insurance Society is a registered society, and returns with regard to it are accordingly made like those regarding the National Assurance Collecting Society to the Assistant Registrar of Friendly Societies and not to the Board of Trade. The statutory return for 1912 has not yet been received, but a notice has been sent to the society requiring it to be submitted within fourteen days from the 3rd instant. The Chief Registrar has no knowledge of the other matters referred to by the hon. Member and no power to order an actuarial investigation into either society, but, on the application of the proper number of members provided by the Statute, he has power to appoint an inspector to examine into and report on the affairs of a society.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the liquidator of the Irish Provident Assurance Company has had the property of the victims of that company under his control for two years without giving them any satisfaction; whether he is entitled to retain this property indefinitely; if not, when will the Board require a settlement; whether the Board has power to substitute a liquidator for a nominee of the failing directors; and, in view of the number of poor people suffering from this particular failure, whether he will have the assets, if any, distributed without further delay?

As the hon. Member has been informed on three previous occasions, the liquidation of the Irish Provident Assurance Company, Limited, is not under the control of the Board of Trade, but under that of the Irish Courts. The Board of Trade have no jurisdiction in the matter.

Will not the Board of Trade inquire into a case which has been in Court two years?

As I have said, we have no jurisdiction, but I will ascertain if we can make any inquiry on behalf of the hon. Gentleman.

asked the President of the Board of Trade on what date, and by whom, the decision was arrived at to exclude financial publications from the library of British journals in the British Pavilion at the Ghent Exhibition; and whether this was the original intention or the result of subsequent consideration?

It was the original intention of the Board of Trade that the library in the British Pavilion at the Ghent Exhibition should be confined to trade and technical journals. The question of including financial papers was given particular consideration last month by the Exhibitions Branch when the original decision to exclude all but trade and technical journals was confirmed.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that an invitation was issued to financial journals to make application, and that when one did so there was a long delay before any reply was made? As there appears to have been some misunderstanding, will the hon. Gentleman make further inquiry?

If the hon. Gentleman will give me the details I will inquire. I was not aware of the invitation to which he alludes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the fact that the manager of the Glasgow Labour Exchange had prevented the carpenters' and joiners' trade union from inserting in their vacant book, which is kept at the exchange, a notice to members asking such members not to accept employment at a certain works; and if he will take the necessary steps to see that the trade union in question gets the full use of its books.

I will cause inquiries to be made into the statement made by my hon. Friend, and will communicate the result to him.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if the managers of Labour Exchanges are sending a card marked D/L. E. 8 to employers of labour asking them when they require workmen to state the wages they are prepared to pay, so that suitable applicants may be selected; whether this is practically inviting employers to offer less than the standard rate of wages and obtaining cheap labour to the disadvantage of trade unionists; and whether he will either cancel this card or delete from it any reference to wages?

The card to which my hon. Friend refers has been in use since the inception of the Labour Exchange system. Representations were made to the Board of Trade by the Parliamentary Committee of the Trade Union Congress in October, 1910, urging that full information should in all cases be obtained from employers notifying vacancies as to the wages they proposed to pay. Apart from this it appears to me obviously desirable that managers of Exchanges should endeavour to obtain as much information as employers are willing to give about their vacancies in order to avoid the fruitless work of putting applicants into touch with vacancies which they will not be prepared to accept.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in the case of certain skilled workmen the employers have in many instances offered much less than the standard rate and that owing to this notice having been sent out employers in trades which never offered less than the standard rate are offering less now?

There has been no change since the system first came into operation.

asked whether His Majesty's Government will be prepared to give any special assistance to the Official Receiver in liquidating the affairs of the Peruvian Amazon Company?

All necessary assistance will, of course, be given to the Official Receiver in dealing with this case, but I understand from the Official Receiver that no cause for any special assistance has so far arisen.

Is there any possibility of the Official Receiver employing Senor Arana? Can the Board do anything to prevent that?

I do not think that is at all likely.

asked the President of the Board of Trade which his attention has been called to case of Howarth v. Knowles, decided by the judge of the Salford County Court on 9th April last, in which it was proved that a scheme officially certified by the Registrar of Friendly Societies as not less favourable to the general body of workmen and their dependents than the provisions of the Workmen's Compensation Act was in fact so much less favourable that the plaintiff and other workmen who had accepted and were dependent on the scheme are left without compensation or remedy for the rest of their lives; and whether it is proposed to take any, and, if so, what, steps to amend Section 3 of the Act so as to ensure that a scheme certified by the Registrar of Friendly Societies, and on the faith of which contracting out is permitted, can be relied on by those dependent on it as a trustworthy substitute for the provisions of the Act of Parliament?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. I have seen a newspaper report of the case referred to. The case raises a point of law on the Workmen's Compensation Act which is quite new, and is undoubtedly important, and I understand that there is likely to be an appeal from the learned judge's decision. So far as regards future cases, the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies informs me that practically all the existing schemes under the Act expire on 30th June next, and that in considering the grant of certificates of renewal he will take steps to ensure, as far as practicable, that provision is made in the schemes for meeting the point raised in the case referred to.

Does the right hon. Gentleman mean to do nothing in case other schemes fall short as this one has done? Can he not possibly do anything?

My hon. Friend will see that all these schemes expire in June next, and the Registrar-General proposes to take steps to meet future cases. Therefore the difficulty will be met.

In the event of the Court of Appeal deciding against the workmen will the Registrar-General be in a position to make an alteration to meet the case?

Not until the 30th June. But I will consider the point.

asked when it is intended that the Census Records (England and Wales) of 1861 and 1871 will be transferred from the custody of the Registrar-General to the Record Office, so that they may be made available for search by the general public and for proving the age of claimants for old age pensions?

I understand there would not be sufficient accommodation at the Record Office to house the Census Records of 1861 and 1871 as the hon. Member suggests.

asked upon which day the Government will provide facilities for the Second Reading of the Representation of the People (Women) Bill?

We propose Monday, 5th May, and Tuesday, 6th May.

Will these days be immediately before the Recess? Would it not be for the general convenience of Members if these days were taken immediately before the holidays, so that hon. Members might have an opportunity of prolonging their holidays if they liked? Will that suggestion be considered?

The Government always give the most careful consideration to every suggestion put forward by my hon. Friend.

asked the right hon. Gentleman if he will give an opportunity, at an early date, for discussing the question of the construction of a Channel Tunnel?

My right hon. Friend is not prepared to give facilities from Government time for a discussion of this project.

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider that this is a question in which immense interest is taken on both sides of the House generally, and that it has not been mentioned in the House for many years; and might we not have a half-day?

asked the right hon. Gentleman if he is aware of the legal expenses connected with the sale and transfer of land; and if he will, by providing for the registration of title, simplify the transfer and thus reduce the expense of such exchange, thereby encouraging the creation of an increase of the number of owners of land?

The whole of this question is receiving the close con- sideration of the Lord Chancellor, but I can make no statement at present with regard to it.

Does the right hon. Gentleman's answer indicate that the Government intend at an early date to take some action upon the Report of the Royal Commission?

They certainly propose to take action. I think they are in consultation with various interests concerned.

In dealing with the transfer of land will the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration the fact that the cost of transferring land has been increased by his Land Taxes?

That is a matter for controversy on the Finance and Revenue Act.

Is it not a fact that a larger quantity of land has been transferred to small holders since the Budget was passed than in the preceding years?

My hon. Friend is certainly right there. The Stamp Revenue Returns certainly prove that.

asked if it is intended to give facilities for passing the Industrial and Provident Societies (Amendment) Bill during the present Session?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Prime Minister on 9th April last to a question by the hon. Member for Norwich on this subject.

asked the right hon. Gentleman if the Inland Revenue, by direction of the Lords and officials of the Treasury subject to his authority, has suggested to the Bank of England to pay coupons payable to bearer for the interest on public funds, otherwise than in full, by making without warrant of law a deduction from each coupon in respect of Income Tax not yet imposed; has he considered the effect upon the credit of the Bank and of this country of paying such coupons otherwise than in full; and have the Law Officers been consulted on the legality of such a diminished payment?

The Inland Revenue has made no suggestion to the Bank of England beyond what was contained in the circular letter of 2nd April to bankers, paying agents, etc., which was laid on the Table of the House. With regard to the second and third parts, the right hon. Gentleman is aware that the general question of the deductions to which he refers is being fully dealt with in the legislative proposals that are at present before the House.

asked the present number of surveyors and unattached surveyors of Customs and Excise, respectively, who were serving in the Customs branch and in the Excise branch at the time of the adoption of the Report of the Hobhouse Committee; the actual number of promotions to that grade since that date, and how many such promotions have fallen to the officers formerly serving in the Customs and Excise Departments, respectively?

Of the present surveyors, 198 attached and 94 unattached were serving in the Customs branch, and 398 attached and 30 unattached in the Excise branch, at the date referred to. The answer to the last part of the question is the same that I gave to a similar question put to me by the hon. Member for Blackburn on 5th December last, except that the number of the Customs men referred to is now 104.