Questions And Answers Circulated With The Votes Halifax Telegraph Staff Mr. PARKER (Halifax) To ask the Postmaster-General whether expert male telegraphists of many years experience at Halifax have been compelled to perform sorting duties owing to alleged decline in telegraph work; whether an advertisement appeared in the Post Office-Circular of 14th May, 1907, for three female telegraphists to be attached to the Halifax staff; and, if so, whether the Postmaster-General will explain the reason for compelling male telegraphists to leave their own work for the reason of telegraphic decrease whilst adding to the staff' by the number of three women. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.)I informed the hon. Member in December last of the circumstances which rendered it impracticable to allot a full day's telegraph work to each of the male sorting clerks and telegraphists at Halifax who, before 1896, were employed mainly on telegraph work. Those circumstances remain unchanged. The three additional female sorting clerks and telegraphists are required for working the call wires in connection with trunk telephone circuits, a duty which is never assigned to the male staff', and which does not form part of the ordinary telegraph work of the office. South-West London Postal District-Vacancy For Overseer Mr. W. T. WILSON (Lancashire, Westhoughton) To ask the Postmaster-General whether a vacancy exists in the class of overseers in the south-western district, London, in connection with the telegraphists attached to the Admiralty; and, if so, in view of the stagnation in promotion, whether steps will be taken to fill the vacancy. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Burton.) I am in communication with the Admiralty on the subject. Drainage Of Kingston Barracks MR. HICKS BEACH (Gloucestershire, Tewkesbury) To ask the Secretary of State for War whether the reconstruction of the drainage at Kingston Barracks has yet been started upon; if so, how much of the work has already been carried out; and whether the soldiers are still forced to use urinal tubs, which have to be removed by hand. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The drainage is still under reconstruction, and has not yet been completed. In the meantime the temporary arrangements mentioned for the use of urinal tubs at night must be continued. Rating Of Woolwich Arsenal MR. BELLAIRS (Lynn Regis) To ask the Secretary to the Treasury, having regard to the fact that the value of War Office land, buildings, and machinery at the Ordnance Factories at Woolwich was £2,272,320 on 31st March, 1906, according to the accounts of the Royal Ordnance Factories, whether he can state what sum was paid in rates in respect of these factories in the past financial year. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) The amount paid for rates in respect of the Ordnance Factories at Woolwich for the past financial year was £17,855. The figure given by the hon. Member (£2,272,320) as the capital value on 31st March, 1906, of the Ordnance Factories at Woolwich includes also the factories at Enfield, Waltham, and Birmingham. Fusel Oil MR. HADDOCK (Lancashire, North Lonsdale) To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the amount per proof gallon that imported plain spirit contains of amylic alcohol (fusel oil); whether he is aware that this spirit never matures, and is said to be sold, coloured and flavoured, to represent brandy, rum, and British distillations; and, if so, whether His Majesty's Government will take any steps, by legislation, to prevent this. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) The Board of Customs inform me that imported plain spirits are not examined with reference to the amount of fusel oil that may be present and that they have no information on the subject. They have no knowledge of such spirits being sold, coloured, and flavoured to represent brandy, rum, and British distillations subsequent to delivery out of official custody. Conveyance Of Mails To Carndonagh And Clonmany MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.) To ask the Postmaster-General if he can state how much is paid the Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway Company for the conveyance of mails to Carndonagh and Clonmany; if he is aware that dissatisfaction exists in those towns and districts owing to the late arrival and delivery of letters; and what steps, if any, he proposes taking in the matter. MR. SLOAN To ask the Postmaster-General what was the time of arrival and delivery of letters in Carndonagh, Culdaff, and Malin Head, county Donegal, Ireland, on the mornings of the 17th to the 25th, both dates inclusive, of the present month, together with the time of arrival and delivery of letters in Buncrana and Moville, neighbouring towns, on same dates; and if he can state how much was paid for conveyance of letters per mail ears to Carndonagh and Clonmany, and the time of arrival and delivery of letters previous to the opening of the railway from Buncrana to Carndonagh. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I am endeavouring to arrange for the earlier running of the train which conveys the mails to Carndonagh and Clonmany; and when I have made inquiry on the particular points referred to by the hon. Member I will communicate with him. Appointments To Board Of Agriculture Messengerships SIR SAMUEL SCOTT (Marylebone, W.) To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, how many appointments have been made to permanent messengerships since January, 1906, at the Board of Agriculture; and what was the occupation of the individual men prior to appointment. (Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) No appointments have been made to permanent messengerships in the Board of Agriculture since January, 1906. Income-Tax Paid On Incomes Of Less Than £700 Per Annum MR. PIKE PEASE (Darlington) To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the approximate average rate of income-tax paid by persons earning less than £700 per annum. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) As no general distinction has hitherto been made for the purposes of income-tax between "earned" and "unearned" incomes, there are no statistics upon which a calculation of this kind could be based. Sugar Trade Between India And Mauritius SIR CHARLES DILKE (Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean) To ask the Secretary of State for India if he can explain to the House the reasons given by the Government of India for the apparent failure of measures defended as likely to improve the trade with India of Mauritius, and the decline in the importation of Mauritius sugar from £1,550,000 in 1904 to £1,174,000 in 1906, compared with the rise in the import from Gorman v and Austria-Hungary from £1,013,000 to £3,090,000 in the same period. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) I presume that my hon. friend refers to the remarks made by Mr. Baker, the finance member of the Viceroy's Council, in the Budget statement of last year as to the effects of the experimental imposition by the Government of India of countervailing duties on bounty-fed sugar. The duties ceased to operate at the end of 1903, as Austria-Hungary and Germany, the chief competing countries, had joined the Brussels Convention. I do not find that the causes of the fall in the import of Mauritius sugar were specifically treated by Mr. Baker. In the Government of India's Trade Review for 1905–6, the failure of the beet crop of Europe in 1904, and the abundant yield of 1905 and 1906, are mentioned as explanatory of the import figures of the last three years. Appointments To India Office Messengerships SIR SAMUEL SCOTT To ask the Secretary of State for India how many appointments have been made to permanent messengerships at the India Office since January, 1906; and what was the occupation of the individual men prior to appointment. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) Five appointments to permanent messengerships at the India Office have been made since January, 1906. Four of the men appointed were pensioned soldiers, and one was a pensioned sailor. Conditions And Hours Of Labour In Bombay Textile Factories MR. PIKE PEASE To ask the Secretary of State for India if he has now received the Report from the Government of India as to the conditions and hours of labour in the textile factories of Bombay; and when it is probable that the Report will be published. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) I would refer my hon. friend to the Answer I made yesterday to a similar Question.† Moria Labourers' Cottage Schemes Mr. SLOAN To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that a scheme for the building of fifty labourers' cottages by the Moria Rural District Council was confirmed by the Local Government Board's inspector last March; that the inspector recommended that eleven other applications, which the council had rejected, should be added to the number already mentioned, which the council promised to do; and whether, in view of the fact that many of these applications have been lodged with the council since 1901, he will take stops to have the scheme which the Local Government Board confirmed carried out forthwith. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The inspector's order provisionally authorising the erection of the fifty cottages included in the council's scheme was made on 11th April, and, as no petition against the order has been lodged within the prescribed period, the Local Government Hoard are about to confirm it. The inspector has no power to insert in the order the eleven other applications referred to, as these wore not included in the council's scheme. He suggested, however, that they should be dealt with in a new scheme which the council propose to make. The council agreed to the adoption of this course, and the applicants have been given an opportunity of lodging frosh petitions. Duke Of Abercorn's Donegal Estate-Delay In Completion Of Sale MR. FETHERSTONHAUGH (Fermanagh, N.) To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners are in a position to complete promptly the sale of the Donegal estate of the Duke of Abercorn to the tenants; whether the title has been ruled on, and all requirements of the Commissioners complied with; and can he say what has † See page 66. caused the delay in completion of a sale so long pending. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The documents as to the vendor's title in this case have only recently been lodged, and, until the title has been duly investigated, the Estates Commissioners will not be in a position to sanction the advances. Selection (Standing Committees) Sir WILLIAM BRAMPTON GUKDON reported from the Committee of Selection; That they had discharged the following Member from Standing Committee C (added in respect of the Vaccination Bill): Mr. Flavin; and had appointed in substitution (in respect of of the Vaccination Bill): Mr. William Harvey. Report to lie upon the Table. East India Revenue Accounts Ordered, That the several Accounts and Papers which have been presented to the House in this session of Parliament relating to the Revenues of India be referred to the consideration of a Committee to the Whole House.—( Mr. Whiteley.) Resolved, That this House will, upon Thursday next, resolve itself into the said Committee.—( Mr. Whiteley.) Destructive Insects And Pests Bill Lords Read the first time; to be read a second time upon Monday, 10th June, and to be printed. [Bill 217.] Telegraph (Money) Considered in Committee. (In the Committee.) Resolved, That it is expedient to authorise the issue, out of the Consolidated Fund, of any sums not exceeding in the whole £6,000,000 for the purpose of the Telegraph Acts, 1863 to 1906, and to apply the provisions of The Telegraph Act, 1892, to the raising of such sums.— ( Mr. Whiteley.) Resolution to be reported upon Monday next.