asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the statement that Dr. Howarth, the new medical officer of health for the City of London, has been voted an honorarium of 200 guineas by the insurance committee for Kent; and whether the Kent insurance committee has power to vote honorariums out of insurance funds provided by the people of this country?

I am informed by the insurance committee that the sum mentioned was voted by them in consideration of the services rendered by Dr. Howarth as medical adviser of the committee from the time when it was constituted in June, 1912, until the 25th March last. The work performed by Dr. Howarth during this time obviated the necessity of the committee obtaining alternative expert professional assistance, which would otherwise have been necessary for the administration of sanatorium benefit, and which would probably have cost much more than the sum paid to Dr. Howarth. Similar payments to medical officers of health for services of a like character have been voted by many other insurance committees, and have been approved by the Commission.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he proposes to appoint a Departmental Committee to consider the present condition and the future management and economic administration of the New Forest; and, if so, whether he will state the names of the Committee and the terms of reference to them?

The answer is in the negative.

asked if the President of the Board of Agriculture proposes to appoint a special officer at the Board to supervise the work carried on in the twelve provincial areas in England and Wales under the new live stock improvement scheme of the Board; and, if so, whether he is prepared to receive applications from duly qualified persons for the post?

Mr. E. J. Cheney, one of the Assistant Secretaries of the Board, is the officer specially charged with the administration of the live-stock improvement scheme. If, as is probable, expert inspectors are required to supervise the work in the provinces on behalf of the Board, applications from duly qualified persons will be invited by public advertisement.

asked on what conditions about eighteen acres of Regent's Park were leased to the Royal Botanic Society in 1901; whether these conditions have been strictly complied with; what are the terms of membership of that society and the number of members; and whether the President of the Board of Agriculture will consider the desirability of terminating a tenancy which reserves for the pleasure of a favoured few a considerable area of Crown Land?

The Lease (dated 17th July, 1901) to the Royal Botanic Society of London is for a term of 31 years from 5th April, 1901, at a rent of £450 per annum. The lessees are under covenant to use the premises as a Botanic Garden unless with the previous consent, in writing, of the Commissioner of Woods, not to erect any additional building or altering existing building without the like consent, and to permit all well-conducted and respectably attired persons, on payment of one shilling, to have access to the gardens during reasonable hours on not less than two days in every week during thirty-four weeks in January, February, March, April, August, September, October, November, and December, and on not less than sixteen days during May, June, and July. I have no reason to suppose that the conditions are not complied with. I am unable to give the information desired as to the terms of membership of the society and the number of members. There is no power to determine the lease so long as the covenants and conditions of it are duly observed.

May I ask whether this land was alienated from public use for the sake of the rent in 1901?

No, Sir. All that was held-by the Crown in 1901 was let on a new lease to the Royal Botanic Society.

asked whether the Crowns has received payment in the past for opening for public use portions of Regent's Park previously reserved for private use; and whether the Crown would require any payment, and, if so, what lump sum for permanently opening for public use the following portions of Regent's Park, namely, the Toxophilite Society's premises (about six and a half acres), two enclosures in the south-west portion of the park adjoining the Outer Circle road (about eight acres), and the additional land attached to the Baptist College (about four acres)?

Payment has not been made in the past for opening for public use portions of Regent's Park previously reserved for private use, as it has been practicable to open such portions without loss of revenue. As I have before stated, further land cannot be given up without adequate compensation if loss of revenue is involved, but as no offer to make compensation for the lands referred to has been received, the amount that should be required has not been considered. The land attached to the Baptist College is held under a lease that has still nineteen years unexpired, and the two enclosures referred to are held under a lease that will not expire until 1922.

asked whether the President of the Board of Agriculture will guarantee that no leases of premises in Regent's Park, renewals of which are under negotiation, shall be renewed until the leases hitherto in force have expired?

I have undertaken that negotiations shall be suspended until 1st July next, and I cannot give any further guarantee.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will assent to the Return standing on to-day's Paper in the name of the hon. Member for Houghton-le-Spring? [Return, "showing the number of Fishing Vessels of all classes, sail and steam, in England and Wales; number in each class which come under the provisions of the Workmen's Compensation Act; number of wrecks of such Fishing Vessels; number of lives lost; number of those whose relatives were benefited under the provisions of the Workmen's Compensation Act; number of accidents, together with the number of those who received benefit under the Workmen's Compensation Act; and the aggregate and the average amount received in each case under the Workmen's Compensation Act,"]—[Mr. Wing.]

As I have informed my hon. Friend, the information in the possession of the Board of Trade and the Home Office does not enable a Return of the nature suggested to be compiled.

Will the right hon. Gentleman reconsider the matter, seeing that during the past winter there was an unexampled loss of life and suffering caused by the mates and skippers not being under the Workmen's Compensation Act?

I have not got the information and figures, and therefore I cannot answer the hon. Member.

asked whether the Prime Minister is aware that whereas in 1909 25,081 tons of tinplates were imported into Canada from the United Kingdom and only 7,856 tons from the United States, in 1912, as the result of the repeal of the Canadian anti-dumping law, 8,071 tons only were imported from the United Kingdom and 45,941 tons from the United States; and whether, in view of the present depression in the British tinplate trade, the Government will make representations to the Canadian Government with a view to re-enactment of the said law?

The so-called antidumping duty in Canada is leviable by virtue of the Dominion Tariff Act of 1907, which has never been repealed. The Act, however, provides for the imposition of this special duty only in the case of imported articles of a class or kind made in Canada, and in view of the cessation of the manufacture of tinplate in the Dominion, the special duty so far as regards this article was withdrawn on 6th July, 1909. Unless and until the manufacture of tinplate is resumed in Canada, no question of the application of the antidumping clause to tinplate can arise.

As there is a very general feeling amongst the masters and men that such a representation should be made to the Canadian Government, would the right hon. Gentleman be prepared to receive a deputation from the trade on the subject?

I do not quite understand. The Anti-Dumping Clause can only come into force when tinplate is made in Canada. Tinplate is not made in Canada, therefore the Anti-Dumping Clause does not apply.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that in consequence of the action of the Canadian Government, to which he has referred, the United States have got possession of the tinplate market in Canada which formerly we possessed?

I am not in possession of the figures as to the tinplate trade of the United States in regard to Canada.

Surely the anti-dumping law was in operation? [HON. MEMBERS: "No, no."]

Is it not the fact that in consequence of the coal strike in 1912 a great deal of the Welsh tinplate trade went to America, and that it had nothing to do with the question of Tariff Reform at all?

I think that is so.