asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he is in a position to state in what number of cases of applications to fix fair rents under the Land Act of 1881, the Land Commissioners having made an order under the 19th section of the Act for the erection of labourers' dwellings, such orders have been complied with, and the number of cases in which steps have been taken to enforce such orders?

In the absence of my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary, I may be allowed to answer the Question. The Local Government Board find that orders respecting labourers' dwellings have been made by the Irish Land Commission under Section 19 of the Land Law Act, 1881, in 132 Poor Law Unions. In the case of 11 of these Unions, however, the Returns received are in an incomplete state, and will probably not be ready for a few days. They show that 87 orders have been made in those 11 Unions, but further details are wanting. In the case of the 121 Unions where the Returns are complete, 743 orders were made. Of these, 466 have been complied with, 310 in due course, and 156 after steps had been taken to enforce obedience. The remaining 277 have not yet been complied with. In 45 of these latter cases the necessary steps have been taken by the Sanitary Authority to enforce obedience to the order; in 225 cases no steps have been taken; and in seven cases the period of six months authorized for carrying out the order has not yet expired.

asked, whether it was a fact that in the county represented by the hon. Baronet (Sir Charles Lewis) no orders had been made for the erection of labourers' cottages, nor even a scheme formulated, while in every other county in Ireland labourers' cottages had been built?

said, the Return did not distinguish between the different counties, and therefore he could not answer the Question of the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether it is the intention of the Department of Science and Art to provide a house in the Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, for succulent plants; whether such a structure has been both planned and estimated for by the Department; and, whether it is a fact that letters approving of, and stating the necessity for, such work being carried out have been received from the Department at intervals during the past 30 years?

The desirableness of such a structure has been recognized, and plans and estimates have been prepared for it by the Board of Works; but other more pressing improvements have taken precedence, which have entailed a considerable outlay.

asked, whether much additional space is required in Professor M'Nab's laboratory at Glasnevin; and whether, in consequence of the annually increasing number of students, and the inconvenience occasioned because of the limited space afforded, steps would be immediately taken to remedy the requirements of the case?

The laboratory has been found sufficient till recently; but as the number of students is increasing, I will see what steps can be taken, in concert with the Board of Works, to enlarge it.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the number of cases listed in County Antrim for hearing in the Land Court is at present unusually large; what number of cases have been placed on the list since September last year; if he can say when the next Land Commission Court will sit in that county; and, if he is unable to give an exact date, does he think that the number of cases awaiting adjudication is so great as to warrant his drawing the special attention of the Land Commissioners to the accumulation of unheard cases in County Antrim?

(who replied) said: The Land Commissioners inform me that the number of cases in the County Antrim now waiting to be heard is 2,120, of which 371 have been lodged since September last. They expect to be able to appoint a Sub-Commission to sit in that county in November.

said, he had no doubt that the long interval which had elapsed since the last sitting of the Sub-Commission in the County Antrim was due to pressure of business elsewhere. He had no doubt that the question of appointing more Sub-Commissioners would receive the consideration of the Government.

asked, Whether it is correct that four captured British sealing schooners have been brought to Port Townsend by a United States tug, and that they are to be put up for sale on August 22; and, whether any arrangement is likely to be arrived at with the United States Government and that of the Dominion of Canada for the purpose of preventing illegal fishing, and the indiscriminate destruction of seal fish by Canadians in Alaskan waters?

(who replied) said: We have heard that four British schooners, seized last year in Behring's Sea, are being taken from Sitka to Port Townsend for sale by the United States Marshal. Her Majesty's Minister at Washington has been instructed to request the United States Government to postpone the sale, pending a settlement of the question as to the legality of the seizures. Negotiations are in progress for the protection of the seal fisheries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, If his attention has been called to a number of letters in The Standard newspaper describing the outrageous conduct of drunken soldiers and sailors thrust into railway carriages at Willesden Junction; and, whether he will take steps that will prevent the recurrence of such action on the part of the railway officials, whereby the safety of passengers is endangered?

I have made some inquiry into the matter referred to, and I find that three out of 47 discharged soldiers, for whom special accommodation was provided, escaped from the observation of the station officials at Willesden Junction, and got into an ordinary compartment, where they misbehaved themselves. They were taken from the train at Tamworth and brought before a magistrate, who imposed a trifling fine on account of their previous good character. There has been communication between the Horse Guards and the Railway Company, and steps will be taken to prevent the recurrence of such annoyance, and attendants at refreshment bars will be cautioned not to serve the men.

asked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether the Secretary of State for India is aware of the grave dissatisfaction which is felt in India, particularly among the native population, in consequence of the proceedings of Sir Lepel Griffin, late Governor General's Agent to the Central Indian Feudatory States, while in charge of the Central Indian Agency, especially is respect to the State of Bhopal; whether he is aware that the female Ruler of that State is alleged to have been subjected by Sir Lepel Griffin to serious indignities as follows:—

"Abusing the Nawab Consort in a public Durbar in the Begum's Palace and in the Begum's presence;

"Requesting the appointment of a Secret Agent, whose existence was not to be made known to the Viceroy or the Agent's (Sir Lepel Griffin's) subordinates;

"Making private visits to the Begum's daughter against the Begum's vehement protests, and at a time when the Agent was aware of domestic disagreement between the Begum and her daughter;

"Compelling the Begum to pay the debt of a certain pensioner, and to make certain contributions against Her Highness's expressed objections;

"Compelling the Begum to dismiss two faithful old servants of the State, and to deport them from Bhopal;

"Violating Act 9 of the Treaty securing the Begum in her rights, interfering with the internal affairs of the State, and compelling Her Highness, out of the State Treasury, to re-imburse a Turkish trader 6,851 rupees for goods alleged by him to have been stolen from him;

"Compelling the separation of the Begum from her husband for eight months, that is, until Lord Dufferin intervened;

"And, refusing to transmit to the Governor General, Kharitas, setting forth Her Highness's grievances and her defence, addressed by the Begum to Lord Dufferin;"

whether the Secretary of State has seen certain letters alleged to have been written by Sir Lepel Griffin to the Begum from May, 1881, to May, 1886; whether it is true that Sir Lepel Griffin has been appointed Resident at the Court of His Highness the Nizam of Hyderabad; and, whether, considering the dissatisfaction which has been caused by the proceedings of Sir Lepel Griffin in his relations with Native States, the Secretary of State will take any action in the matter?

(who replied) said: The Secretary of State is aware that dissatisfaction has been expressed by certain vernacular newspapers and pamphlets in India with regard to Sir Lepel Griffin's proceedings while in charge of the Central India Agency, in respect to the Bhopal State; but no Memorial, either from the Begum of Bhopal or any other person, complaining of Sir Lepel Griffin's proceedings has ever been received by the Secretary of State; and he believes that the view the Government of India have taken of the charges so preferred through the Press is that they have no foundation in fact. With regard to the specific indignities to which the Begum is alleged to have been subjected by Sir Lepel Griffin, the Secretary of State has no information except that the late administrative measures as conducted in Bhopal have met with the approval of the Government of India. As for certain letters alleged to have been written by Sir Lepel Griffin to the Begum, the Secretary of State has no official information. The selection of an officer for the post of Resident at Hyderabad is within the discretion of the Governor General; and no report of any selection has yet been made.

You say the Government have no official information. Has the Government any information to communicate to the House?

No, Sir; the Secretary of State, I am informed, has no information on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether Sergeant Major Hounsel, of Enniskillen, attended an Orange demonstration in that town on July 12; and, whether officers of the Army are allowed to go to party demonstrations provided only that they are in plain clothes?

As regards the Sergeant Major, I called for a full Report of the circumstances after the hon. Member gave me a photo of the platform; but it has not yet been received from Ireland. As regards the second paragraph of the Question, the Regulation is that no officer or soldier can attend apolitical meeting in uniform; and if he be in plain clothes he may not attend one in barrack quarters, camps, or their vicinity.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to a confession relating to a burglary committed at Edlingham Vicarage, in the County of Northumberland, in 1879, for which two men were in that year convicted; and, if so, whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

Yes, Sir; my attention has been called to what purports to be a confession in this case; and I have authorized the Treasury Solicitor to take a statement from the man who is alleged to have made the confession, in case he be willing to make such a statement.

asked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether his attention has been drawn to the treatment of coolies described in a despatch issued at Calcutta on the 5th of May, 1888, from the Secretary to the Indian Association to the Secretary to the Government of India, wherein it is stated that—

"Since the passing of the now Emigration Act, in 1882, the mortality in the tea gardens has largely and steadily increased. The death-rate, which followed a downward course from 1878 to 1881, began to rise in 1882, when it was 37·8 per 1,000. In 1883 there was a further rise to 41·3; and in 1884 it arose to 43·2:

"In 1884 the death-rate among children in tea gardens had risen from 39·7 to 14 per 1,000. While the death-rate increased, the birth-rate gradually fell; in 1882 it was 39·7 per 1,000; in 1833 it was 34·3; and in 1884 it further decreased to 32·7 per 1,000;"

and, whether any steps are being taken by the Government of India to see that effect is given to the assurance made in 1883 by Mr. Elliot, then Chief Commissioner of Assam—

"That no exertions will be wanting on the part of the civil and medical staff of the Assam Commission to wipe out the blot on the administration, of which this terrible mortality is the cause?"

(who replied) said: The Memorial of the Indian Association referred to has not been received at the India Office. In November, 1886, the Secretary of State requested the Government of India to watch narrowly the working of the Emigration Act of 1882. In 1885 the rate of mortality sank to 36·8 per 1,000, and in 1886, notwithstanding the prevalence of cholera, it was only 39·8. The Secretary of State is confident that the Government of India will take due notice of the representations made by the Indian Association; and will not hesitate to enforce, wherever necessary, the adoption of such measures as will lead to the greater health of the labourers in the Assam tea gardens.

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If he is able to give any further information concerning the expulsion, by the French, of the Rev. John Jones from Mahé, one of the Loyalty Islands; and, whether there are any Papers respecting the case which he will lay upon the Table of the House?

I regret to say that the French Government adhere to the position they have taken up, and there is no hope of their re-admitting Mr. Jones to Mahé. They have the right, if they please, to expel a foreigner. It should be stated that nothing has been proved to the satisfaction of Her Majesty's Government in any way affecting the character of this gentleman, who, they believe, has carried on a Christian and meritorious work. Papers on the subject will be given if the bon. Member chooses to move for them.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been drawn to the following paragraph in The Kerry Sentinel, of August 1—

"Some years ago a man, named Edmund Walsh, was evicted from his holding, at Gale, by Lord Ormathwaite, for failing to pay an exorbitant rack-rent. The exact circumstances under which Forhan became the owner of Walsh's evicted farm some time subsequent to the eviction are not known, but Forhan was, ever since he took the farm, regarded as a landgrabber, and to a certain extent treated as such;"

whether he has any information as to the character of the treatment here referred to; whether, in consequence of it, Forhan had been afforded police protection; and, whether that protection was being still afforded to him at the time of his murder?

(who replied) said: The Inspector General of Constabulary reports that Thomas, not Edmund, Walsh, was evicted from his holding in April, 1883, for non-payment of three years' rent. Forhan took the farm about 10 months afterwards, and was thereupon treated as a landgrabber and Boycotted. No one would buy from him; no one would work for him; no one would associate with or even speak to him. In consequence of this he had police protection for about a year, when at his own request it was withdrawn. This personal protection was not subsequently renewed; but police patrols ambushed occasionally at night in the neighbourhood of Forhan's residence.

asked, if the hon. and learned Gentleman would state what protection the Government were prepared to extend in future to persons living under such circumstances?

remarked that each case must depend upon the circumstances. It was obviously impossible to make any general statement.

asked, if the Solicitor General was award that it was shown in evidence before the Bessborough Commission that the Poor Law valuation of the farm was £22, and that the rent was £66; whether it was not the fact that the tenant, before the eviction, offered to pay the rent less the law costs; whether the National League in the district was suppressed about a year ago, and that the full powers of the Crimes Act were applied; and, whether the Government did not agree that the suppression of the League tended to the promotion of crime instead of preventing it?

said, he had no special information as to the fact relating to the eviction. If the hon. Gentleman desired he would inquire.

asked Mr. Solicitor General for Ireland, When the shorthand writer's Report of the proceedings at the inquest on the late Mr. John Mandeville will be in the hands of Members of this House?

The entire of the shorthand writer's notes of the proceedings at the inquest of Mr. Mandeville have not yet been received. I am, therefore, unable to state the exact date at which they will be in the hands of hon. Members; but I can assure the hon. Member that every effort is being made to expedite the preparation of the Returns?

asked, in view of the letter published that day from the hon. Member for East Cork (Mr. Lane), that Dr. Ridley, late Surgeon of Tullamore Gaol, told him he was perpetually in friction with the Prisons Board about the treatment of pri- soners under the Crimes Act, the Solicitor General for Ireland had any objection to lay all Correspondence between the Prisons Board and Dr. Ridley on the Table, as well as a note of any verbal communication made by the Board to Dr. Ridley?

asked, if the hon. and learned Gentleman had any information as to why the hon. Member for East Cork (Mr. Lane) had not been examined before the Coroner?

said, he was not able to give any information to the House with reference to the Question of the hon. Baronet. The shorthand writer's notes, and everything which was given in evidence at the inquest on Mr. Mandeville, would be laid on the Table. If the hon. Member (Mr. Sexton) required any additional Papers, he must ask for them in the usual way.

inquired, whether it was not a fact that the hon. Member for East Cork would be examined at the inquest on Dr. Ridley, on Wednesday?

said, that might be so; but he had no specific information on the subject.

asked Mr. Solicitor General for Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the Memorial from the Irish civil bill officers, praying that the salary allowed them under the Civil Bill Act should be increased; whether it is the fact that at present a civil bill officer is only paid £10 a-year, together with the small fees for service paid by litigants; whether he is aware that several of the County Court Judges have publicly commented on the desirability of improving the position of the civil bill officers, and that all the County Court Judges are in favour of such a course; and, whether, in view of the difficulty of procuring respectable officials for so small a salary, he will consider the advisability of revising a rate of wages fixed at a remote period when the circumstances of the county were wholly different?

My attention has been called to this matter by the Question of the hon. and learned Member. There would be a difficulty in increasing the amount of the fees, having regard to the desirability of keeping down the cost of Civil Bill proceedings, and no increase of the annual salary could be made without the consent of the Treasury. I shall, however, be glad to consider the matter in detail, with a view to seeing whether anything can be done.

asked Mr. Solicitor General for Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the Report of a Committee of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland drawn up in March last, and complaining, amongst other things, of the Rule made by the Master of the Rolls and the Vice Chancellor preventing any action set down after July 14, and any Motion set down after July 19, from being heard before November, notwithstanding that the Long Vacation does not begin before August 8; whether a copy of this Report was sent by the Incorporated Law Society to the Judges; and, if so, with what result; and, whether, in view of this expression of opinion by the Incorporated Law Society as to the inconvenience of the Rule in question, he will submit to the Master of the Rolls and the Vice Chancellor the advisability of abrogating it?

I have no official information as to the matters referred to in the second paragraph of the Question. In answer to a former Question, I stated the objects with which the notice referred to had been issued for many years by the Master of the Rolls, by his predecessor, Sir Edward Sullivan, and by the Lord Chancellor, and I then stated that the matter is not one in which the Government have power to interfere.

Does the hon. and learned Gentleman say that, no matter what Rule is made by a Judge, the Executive have no power to interfere?

The Executive have no power to interfere with any Rule made by a Judge for the facilitating of the business of his Court.

asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether any information, either official or private, has now been received as to the failure in Switzerland of the compound Rubini cartridge, having a loose brass ring, issued for trial with the new magazine rifle, in consequence of the loose brass rings, in which the bullets are seated, blowing forward; whether any information has been received as to the determination of the Swiss Military Authorities to abandon or to adopt the particular pattern of cartridge in question; and, whether any inquiry has been made?

I have heard, incidentally, that the Rubini cartridge has not been altogether successful in Switzerland; but I have no official knowledge on the subject. Experiments with this cartridge have been made for the War Office for the purposes of the new magazine rifle. The new rifle is not dependent on this cartridge; but the best cartridge for its purpose which can be discovered will be used.

asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether there is any, and what, Rule in regard to paid Government officials taking out patents; whether Patent No. 14,803, applied for on November 15, 1886, was granted to Sir Frederick Augustus Abel for a manufacture of smokeless explosive, he being at that time chemist to the War Office; and, whether he is still chemist to the War Office, patentee of a smokeless explosive, and at the same time Chairman of a Committee appointed to report upon the merits of various explosives submitted to the War Office as suitable for Her Majesty's Service?

A War Office official, before taking out a patent, is required to have the sanction of the Secretary of State. In November, 1886, Sir Frederick Abel, then chemist to the War Department, patented a smokeless explosive; and he states that he did so for the purpose of reserving to the War Department the right of making and using it. Sir Frederick Abel has ceased to be War Department chemist; but he is president of the Committee on Explosives, which would decide on the merits of explosives submitted to the War Office.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether, on July 23, 1885, while Dr. M'Cabe was a member of the Prisons Board, a Circular (No. 328) was issued by the Prisons Board to the Governors of prisons in Ireland with reference to the recommendations contained in the Report of the Royal Commission on improving the dietary of prisoners; whether the following occurs in that Circular, a copy of which the Governors were specially instructed to hand to the prison doctors:—

"Having regard to the fact that Class II. diet, as it stood before the addition of two pints of milk in Ireland, had remained for some years in operation in English prisons, and that it has been found sufficient to maintain the health of English prisoners; if the medical officer considers the two pints of milk unnecessary he will be good enough to state whether he considers the original diet for Class II. sufficient;"

whether he is aware that it is stated in the Report of the Royal Commission that—

"Due consideration ought to be given to the fact that the condition of such prisoners in Ireland is, in many cases, and especially in Dublin, different from that of the same class in England, their previous habits, the quality of their food, and their generally low physical condition of health, rendering them more susceptible to the effects of prison discipline;"

whether Dr. M'Cabe was present at the meeting of the Prisons Board where the Circular (No. 328) was adopted; and, whether the result of that Circular has been to induce medical officers of prisons to go counter to the Report of the Royal Commission?

(who replied) said: The General Prisons Board state that the Circular relating to prison dietary referred to by the hon. Member was issued in 1886, not in 1885. Dr. M'Cabe was then medical adviser to the Board, but was not a member of it, and was not present at the meeting of the Board when the Circular was adopted. The Circular invited the medical officers to state their opinions and their experience of the effects observed while the new diet was in use. They were not requested to report in favour of the old diet. The result of the Circular has not been to induce medical officers to go counter to the recommendation of the Royal Commission—the recommendation in question was that two pints of milk daily should be added to the diet—that is, 14 pints weekly. Of this weekly ration 11¾ pints are still issued, and 1½lb. of bread was given in place of the remaining 2¼ pints of milk, in consequence of its being found in practice that the milk did not form a desirable combination with soup, which is issued at dinner three times weekly.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the report of the proceedings of a meeting of the Downpatrick Board of Guardians, as published in The Down Recorder of July 28, and to a letter read at that meeting from a number of ratepayers in the Killough Division of the Downpatrick Union; whether these ratepayers complained that no Division in Ireland, similarly situated, is so highly valued, and requested the Board to send their valuator to re-value the Division, and "equalize it with the rest of the Union;" whether Colonel Forde, the Chairman, stated, in reply, that the Commissioners could not reduce the valuation, as they had power only to increase it; and, whether he will take steps to relieve the ratepayers of this Division from the excessive rates and cess which such a valuation causes to be imposed upon them?

(who replied) said, the reply to the inquiry in the first paragraph of the Question was in the affirmative. The Chairman's observations would be seen, by reference to the newspaper report, to have solely referred to rates which might be put on in cases of the erection of new buildings. The case was one for the consideration of the Commissioners of Valuation, who gave attention to such cases annually at the proper time. The instructions of the Commissioners were acted on by the Guardians.

Do I understand the hon. and learned Gentleman to say that it is within the power of the Valuation Commissioners to vary the valuation?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether it is the fact that Mrs. Barker, a British subject residing at Aleppo, who was violently dispossessed of her house there by a dragoman attached to the Turkish Governer of Aleppo, remains unable to recover possession of her house and compensation for the injuries she has suffered, because the Turkish Court refuses to carry out the judgment it has pronounced in her favour; whether the Turkish authorities, on being appealed to to require the Court to enforce its sentence, reply by advising Mrs. Barker to bring an action against the Judges of the Court; and, whether Her Majesty's Government, considering the long and oppressive denial of justice from which this lady has suffered, will represent to the Turkish Government the hardship of the case (which was brought to their knowledge more than a year ago), and will endeavour to obtain due redress and better security for British subjects living in the Sultan's dominions?

Mrs. Barker brought an action against Jed in the Aleppo Court for recovery of her house; it was decided in her favour by the Court of First Instance and Court of Appeal. Jed then appealed to the Court of Cassation at Constantinople. That Court was ready, on the 31st of January last, to give judgment on either party making application for it, and Mrs. Barker was advised by the Embassy to appoint an agent to do so. This advice she has not followed, and consequently Sir William White took the only step open to him, and requested the Minister of Justice to recommend the settlement of the case to the Court of Cassation. With reference to the criminal proceedings at Aleppo, Mrs. Barker complained that her adversary had bribed the members of the tribunal; but the opinion of the Embassy and Consul General at Constantinople is that unless she can succeed in proving this, she must appeal to a higher Court, and that, as the accused is not a British subject, Her Majesty's Government would not be justified in interfering against the sentence of the Aleppo Court.

asked the Secretary of State for War, How many vacancies for Roman Catholic Army chaplains there are at present, and how soon the authorities intend filling them?

My reply, on the 24th of February last, to the hon. Member for East Donegal (Mr. Arthur O'Connor) still holds good; that is, it is not proposed to commission at present any more Roman Catholic chaplains, as there are no stations vacant at which there are sufficient troops of that denomination to justify such an appointment.

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, When the owners of the Mary Mark, may expect the payment to them of the compensation awarded by the arbitrators seven months ago for the destruction of their vessel by the Spanish man-of-war some four years since?

I am not surprised that dissatisfaction is felt on account of the delay in the payment of the compensation in this case. Her Majesty's Government have done what they could to hasten it; and on the 4th of this month they heard that the money was in the hands of the Spanish Minister of Marine. Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires was at once instructed by telegraph to receive and transmit it, and I think that it may be expected to arrive immediately.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is a fact, as stated by Mr. Blunt in The Freeman's Journal, that Dr. Kinkead, surgeon of Galway Prison, was summoned before the Prisons Board in Dublin, and cautioned by Mr. Bourke, the Chairman of the Board, regarding Mr. Blunt; whether Dr. Kinkead was forbidden to take Mr. Blunt into hospital, except in the case of serious illness, or threatened with the interference of another doctor if he should so remove Mr. Blunt; and, whether Dr. Kinkead ever received directly or indirectly either from the Chief or Under Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, or the Prisons Board, or any member thereof, any instructions as to how he was to treat prisoners, political or others?

(who replied) said: The allegations contained in Mr. Blunt's letter referred to in the Question are without foundation. Dr. Kinkead received no instructions in the matter other than those which he had before him in the ordinary Prison Rules.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If it is true, as stated in the Cork daily papers of Tuesday 24th instant, that Mr. Gardiner, R.M., was again absent from the Cork Police Court. That in his absence Sir George Penrose tried the case of Thomas Ahern, who was charged by Sergeant Knox with coming up to him in a threatening manner in Patrick Street with a walking stick in his hand; whether the report correctly states that it was sworn that while the prisoner was

"Walking in Patrick Street the sergeant came up and kept staring at him; then after a little time he asked the sergeant if he thought he was either a robber or murderer, and told him if he had any charge against him to make it,"

and for this he was arrested. That Sir George Penrose then said—

"You appear to be a very bad boy. The police would not be doing their duty if they passed you by without staring at you. You are fined 40s., or a month;"

whether Sergeant Knox, who stared at the prisoner, has been on several occasions incarcerated in a lunatic asylum; whether the report is true that in the next case tried, an Artilleryman, named Michael Seward, was charged and convicted of having assaulted an old man named Thomas Weston and attempting to commit an indecent assault upon his grandchild, and that the same magistrate fined him 30s., or 21 days; and, if the circumstances are as stated, whether the attention of the Lord Chancellor will be directed to the conduct of the magistrate, and the sentences imposed by him in these instances?

(who replied) said: Ahern was drunk and disorderly in the public streets of Cork, for which offence he was arrested by Sergeant Knox by order of his Head Constable. Ahern was brought up at the Police Court on July 23, the Bench consisting of two local magistrates, the Resident Magistrates being engaged on duty elsewhere. The accused was fined 40s., or one month's imprisonment with hard labour. There were 11 previous convictions against him for drunkenness and assault. There was no such matter sworn to as that alleged in the second paragraph. The remarks attributed to one of the magistrate are substantially correct. Sergeant Knox has not been on several occasions incarcerated in a lunatic asylum. He was, upwards of seven years ago, in one for some days through a paroxysm of grief owing to a serious domestic affliction; but the Resident Medical Superintendent of the asylum stated that he could not discover the slightest trace of insanity, and the sergeant was discharged. He is reported by his officers to be a very good policeman. Michael Seward, a Militiaman, was charged with being drunk and assaulting Thomas Weston. The assault was a trivial one, and there was no previous conviction against the accused. He was fined for drunkenness 10s. and for assault 20s. No such charge as that of having attempted to commit an indecent assault appears to have been made against the accused.

inquired if the hon. and learned Gentleman had not seen the report that the man was fined for an in- decent assault as well as for an aggravated assault upon an old man?

said, his information differed entirely from that which the hon. Gentleman had been supplied with. No such charge appeared to have been made against him.

asked the hon. Member for the Knutsford Division of Cheshire, Whether any, and what, decision has been arrived at as to the superannuation to be granted to the men who have for many years been employed at Battersea Park, and who have been dismissed by the Metropolitan Board of Works since that Body has taken over the control of the Park?

(who replied) said: The only men formerly employed at Battersea Park to whom the Board is legally empowered to grant pensions are those who would have had a right to a pension if they had continued to serve under the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Works. All the men who had such right, and who have been discharged by the Board since Battersea Park came under its control, have had pensions granted to them. With respect to the discharged men who had no such right, it is clearly beyond the Board's statutory authority to make any pecuniary provision for them.

asked the hon. Member for the Knutsford Division of Cheshire, What explanation the Metropolitan Board of Works can give of the cause of the further disastrous flooding that took place in the Isle of Dogs on the afternoon and evening of Monday, July 30; whether the flooding was chiefly due to the fact that the capacity of the main sewers proved insufficient to take off the water; and, what steps the Board proposes to take in order to prevent the recurrence of such a calamity?

(who replied) said: The flooding in the Isle of Dogs on Monday was due to the torrential storm of rain which occurred on the evening of that day, and at a time when the tide was rising; under quite different conditions, therefore, from the flooding on the 26th of June last, about which the hon. Member asked a Question at the time. Both the temporary engines were working their hardest the whole time, all the engineers, stokers, and flap-keepers being on the spot, and everything that was possible having been done by them. I am quite unable to say what steps the Board can take to effectually meet such a great emergency as that of last Monday. The matter will require much consideration.

asked, if the Board would take the matter into consideration, in order to see if the floods could not be prevented in future?

said, they would have great pleasure in doing so. The difficulty was that the basement of many of these houses was below high-water mark.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been given to Rule 12 of the Rules of the Belfast and County Down Railway Servants' Provident Society, established 1st July, 1888, which directs that—

"All persons at present in the service of the Company, being males, in receipt of wages, shall become members of this Society, and also all such persons hereafter entering the service of the Company;"

whether Rule 3 directs that each member shall submit to a certain deduction from his wages; whether the Registrar of Friendly Societies has refused to sign the Rules; and, whether the imposition of such Rules upon any servant of the Company against his will is legal?

said, this was a Question for the Treasury.

said, he had put it upon the Paper three times, and he would be glad to know who would answer it.

I answered a Question a few days ago upon this subject. My answer was that the Registrar of Friendly Societies had refused to sign the Rules; and I think the hon. Member will see that a Society whose Rules have not been certified by the Registrar is in no sense under his control, and he has no power over it.

Then I will ask the Home Secretary what steps he proposes to take to prevent an open violation of the Truck Act?

I do not gather from the Question that there was any violation of the Truck Act; but if there is the Inspector will look into it and report.

Is it not a violation of the Truck Act to make a considerable deduction from the wages of the men?

Not necessarily. I have recently had to decide that point in a London case. Fines are not illegal.

I do not refer to fines. I will put another Question to-morrow.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he is aware that the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland has served a writ of summons on his tenant, Mr. Hugh Ferguson, Chairman of the New tow nards Board of Guardians, for recovery of one and a-half years' old rent up to May 1 last, notwithstanding that Mr. Ferguson is entitled to the benefit of the fair rent from May, 1887, and that the Lord Lieutenant's County Down tenantry usually paid their rents only once a year, and were never called upon to pay a half year's rent; whether Mr. Ferguson offered to pay his rent less a reduction similar to that given to Mr. John Boyd, a tenant on the same estate, and his offer was replied to by the service of a writ of summons for the recovery of the old rent; whether, on the County Down estates of the Marquess of Down-shire, Baron Trevor, Colonel Fordo, Lord Annesley, and the Lord Lieutenant, upwards of 1,200 applications to fix fair rents were made before November 1, 1887, thus entitling the tenants to the benefit of the fair rents from May 1, 1887; whether he is aware that these landlords have since then exacted payment of the old rents; whether, in County Down alone, upwards of 3,000 of these applications made before November 1 last are still unheard, and the general practice has been to exact the old rents from the tenants; whether on the estate of Mr. Joseph Harvey, County Wexford, decrees were obtained by the landlord at Ross County Court for recovery of the year's old rent, besides costs, in cases where the tenants were entitled to the benefit of the fair rent for the entire year; whether, on the estate of Elizabeth Maybury, in County Cork, Patrick Moroney, of Goggin's Hill, Ballinhassig, whose rent is £116, and gross Poor Law valuation £58, made application to the Land Commission to fix his fair rent on September 24 last, which entitled him to the benefit of the fair rent for the year running from March 25, 1887; whether a writ of summons was served on the tenant on May 11 last for the year's old rent due on March 25 last; whether an offer to pay a fair rent on account pending the fixing of a fair rent was rejected by the landlord; whether notice to have judgment marked on June 11 last was served on the tenant; whether, notwithstanding the production of doctors' certificates, and affidavits made by his wife, his solicitor, and the parish priest who attended him, that the tenant was dangerously ill and unfit to make affidavit to defend the action, judgment for the whole rent and enormous costs was obtained against the tenant, who died a few days afterwards; and, what relief he proposes to give to the tenants in these cases, and in hundreds of similar cases which can be supplied to him, where landlords are stringently exacting payment of the old rents?

(who replied) said: I understand that it is the case that Mr. Ferguson received last month a writ of summons for one and a-half years' rent, he having refused to pay the years' rent to November, 1887, unless it was reduced to 14s. an acre, making it about £37 instead of about £62 a-year. The agent offered to reduce it to £1 an acre, which would be £53 a-year. He further pointed out that he required payment of one year's rent, only the additional half-year having been included as a matter of form; and that, as Mr. Ferguson must be well aware, there was no analogy between his case and Boyd's, the latter's land being of much poorer quality. With regard to Paragraphs 3, 4, and 5, it is stated that there are about 993 fair rent applications which were made on the estates of the land owners named prior to November 1, 1887, together with many others on other estates in the County Down, which have yet to be heard. The old rents are being generally collected, though not in all cases, on the understanding that when the judicial rent has been fixed, the tenants shall be refunded the amount of any deduction made. On the estate of Mr. Harvey two tenants who had applied to have judicial rents fixed, and whose cases have not yet been heard, were applied to for a half-year's rent to September 29, 1887. They took no notice of the application. The landlord then obtained decrees against them for the year's rent to March 25, 1888, the County Court Judge ordering the half-year's rent to September to be fixed in May, and the half-year to March in October next. The landlord gave these tenants 15 per cent reduction on the half-year's rent so paid in May, and he states that he did not charge them with costs. With regard to Paragraphs 7 and 11, there does not appear to have been any tenant named Patrick Moroney on Mrs. Maybury's estate; but, assuming that it relates to the case of Patrick Loomey (now deceased), it appears that a writ of summons had been issued against him while the hearing of the application made by him in September last to have a judicial rent fixed was still pending. The widow is not aware that judgment, with costs, was obtained—if so, her solicitor has not informed her. She is of opinion that the case will come before the Land Commission to fix a fair rent. As regards the last paragraph of the Question, I have to point out that the Act of last year makes the reduction of rent retrospective, and entitles the tenant to deduct from the accruing rent any sums paid by him in excess of the reduced rent.

asked Mr. Solicitor General for Ireland, What quorum is necessary when a Grand Jury is deciding in fiscal matters; and, can a presentment be passed by a majority which is not 12 or more?

I assume, from the Question of the hon. Member, that the legality of some particular action on the part of some Grand Jury is questioned; and I do not think that I ought to give an opinion on a matter which may be the subject-matter of decision in a Court of Law. If the hon. Member will place on the Paper the state of facts to which his Question relates, I will then be able to see whether I can give him an answer.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether it is true, as stated in The Times, that a serious accident occurred to a mixed train near Kincraig, on the Highland Railway, on Thursday morning last, owing to a goods waggon leaving the rails and pulling other vehicles along with it; whether the train was marshalled with 17 waggons, two vans, and four passenger carriages in that order; whether, in Reports of Inspectors of the Board of Trade on accidents of a similar nature to mixed trains, the attention of Railway Companies has repeatedly been drawn to the serious danger of placing passenger carriages in the rear of waggons; and, whether, having regard to the persistent neglect of the recommendations of the Board of Trade by Railway Companies, especially in Scotland, in this matter of placing goods waggons and trucks first in the marshalling of mixed trains, he will include this matter among those on which he proposes to obtain compulsory powers for the Board next Session?

, in reply, said, he had directed an inquiry to be made into the accident. He had no information as to the way in which the train was made up. On the 25th of August a Circular was sent out by the Board of Trade to different Railway Companies, calling attention to the danger of making up mixed trains, and especially when they were made up as in the case named in the Question. He would certainly consider the expediency of obtaining compulsory powers for the Board of Trade with reference to this practice, which, he believed, was by no means uncommon among Railway Companies.

asked, if the right hon. Gentleman was aware that the danger of marshalling trains in this way was much increased when a large number of trucks were loaded by the owner and the couplings defective?

said, that might be so; but it depended on the condition of the trucks.

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether there is any truth in the statement that a British Protectorate is to be extended over North Borneo, Sarawak, and Brunei; and, whether it is distinctly understood that the Treaty of 1824 does not apply to Borneo?

The question of a British Protectorate over the three States referred to is the subject of negotiations which are not yet completed. It is distinctly held by Her Majesty's Government that the Treaty of 1824 between Great Britain and the Netherlands has no application to Borneo.

Are the negotiations proceeding with Holland?

No, Sir.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether his attention has been called to the present state of the harbour at Newcastle, County Down; whether he is aware that the pier is now in ruins, and that it is impossible to bring with safety any vessel into the harbour; and, whether, considering the loss to trade, and the loss and danger to the poor fishermen who live there, he will advise a grant to be given to put into repair the quay of this favourite summer resort?

I beg to ask the hon. Gentleman to consider this. Before I was dismissed from the Inspectorship of Fisheries by Earl Spencer, at the instigation of hon. Gentlemen opposite, I was carefully considering—

Order, order!

The pier in question was handed over to the Grand Jury in the year 1854. I understand that it was damaged by a storm in the year 1868; but all liability for the expense of repairing it attaches to the Grand Jury.

Is the hon. Gentleman not aware that the Grand Jury protested against the handing over of the pier in the condition it then was?

My experience is that Grand Juries, when piers are constructed, object to them being handed over to them.

I wish to say, on my own behalf and on behalf of hon. Friends around me, that I hope the hon. Gentleman (Mr. Johnston) will soon be appointed a Fishery Commissioner again.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he is aware that there are certain leases of houses in Castlewellan, County Down, wherein the lessor has provided that if the lessee, his heirs, or assigns harbour or give a night's lodging to an "attorney-at-law," the rent shall be increased to a penal amount therein mentioned; and, whether he will introduce a clause into the Solicitors Bill, to relieve "attorneys-at-law" from such exclusive treatment without exposing the tenants of these houses to the imposition of any such penalty for giving a night's lodging to members of this branch of the Legal Profession?

(who replied) said: I was certainly not aware of the facts referred to by the hon. Member; and I have never, in the course of my professional experience, come across leases containing any clauses at all analogous to those to which he has called attention. As regards the suggestion contained in the second paragraph, I am afraid that parties to leases must be allowed to enter into their own contracts, no matter how peculiar their views may be; and I do not see my way to suggest special legislation dealing with these particular leases.

Is it fair to have attorneys Boycotted in this fashion?

If the hon. Gentleman asks me my private opinion, I say certainly not.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether it is a fact, in reference to the clause in the Local Government Bill enabling County Councils to borrow money for the purpose of making advances to promote emigration, that the Government of Victoria has addressed a remonstrance to the Colonial Office, on the Motion of the Honourable Duncan Gillies, Premier of Victoria, warning them against the deportation of paupers to the Colony in question?

(who replied) said, that no such communication had been received at the Colonial Office.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the following paragraph which appeared in. The Nottingham Evening News of July 31, headed A chat with a Nottingham Surgeon, in which, referring to the death of Mr. John Mandeville, the writer says:—

"He proceeded to explain that prison bread is a diabolical concoction of chopped wheat, with the cuticle cut into lance-sharp particles for the purpose of inflaming the internal coatings of the stomachs of unhappy prisoners;"

and, whether there is any truth in the above allegation and description of prison bread?

(who replied) said: No, Sir; the statement is entirely devoid of foundation.

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether, in a despatch dated February 2 last, the Chilian Government, in reply to written representations made by Mr. Fraser, Her Majesty's Minister resident in Chili, declared that the Government of Chili—

"Would limit itself, so far as the creditors of Peru are concerned, to faithfully carrying out the Treaty of Peace of October 20, 1883;"

whether, on February 28 last, Sir Julian Pauncefote addressed a letter to Mr. P. Nickalls, a jobber on the Stock Exchange, to the effect that a telegram had been received from Her Majesty's Minister in Chili reporting that, if the opposition to the Chilian Loan was withdrawn, the Chilian Government will negotiate at once for a settlement of the difficulties arising out of the recent contract between the Committee of Peruvian Bondholders and the Government of Peru, known as the Grace Contract, and, later, as to the other matters in difference in relation to their claims; whether Mr. Fraser was again instructed by the Foreign Office to obtain the withdrawal by the Government of Chili of its objections to certain clauses of the Grace Contract, which the Chilian Government contended were in conflict with the Treaty of Peace between Chili and Peru of October 20, 1883, and, in consequence of Mr. Fraser's appeal, a Protocol was signed in Santiago by Mr. Fraser and Senor Matte, the Chilian Minister for Foreign Affairs, on April 11 last, and whether in the said Protocol it was expressed that Chili required that the Treaty of Peace with Peru be maintained in its integrity; whether Her Majesty's Government has information that the President of Chili, in his Message to Congress, dated June 1 last, stated, with reference to the claims of Peruvian creditors against Chili—

"That the Representative of Her Britannic Majesty in Chili had put forward a request, and this request decided the Chilian Government to give its final answer on this matter in the despatch of February 2 last;"

and, whether, in view of this ultimatum, and in view of the serious consequences to British subjects and their interests which will follow any misunderstanding with this friendly Power, Her Majesty's Government will lay upon the Table of the House all correspondence and documents relating to the matters in question?

The statements referred to in the first three paragraphs of the Question are correct. No copy of the President's Message to Congress has yet reached Her Majesty's Government. There is nothing in the Chilian Note of February 2 to indicate that it was final in its character; and, as a fact, further communications have recently been taking place with the Chilian Government on the subject. In reply to a Question asked by the hon. Member for North Aberdeen (Mr. Hunter) on the 15th of June, he was told that the proposals made by Chili being confidential, they could not be laid on the Table.

inquired, when the Foreign Office would receive the text of the address of the President of Chili?

replied, that sometimes the newspapers received earlier information by telegraph than did the Foreign Office.

would point out that this address of the President of Chili was delivered on June 1, and that it could come by post. Would the right hon. Gentleman answer the last paragraph of his Question?

said, that the hon. Member knew that it was unusual, and would be inconvenient, to lay correspondence upon the Table while the negotiations were going on—and they were going on.

asked if, when the address was received, it should appear that the President's decision was final, the negotiations would still go on?

said, the question had passed through many phases, and it had entered upon a new phase since the address was delivered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to the opinion expressed by Mr. Justice Wills, in his recent Memorandum as to the accommodation for prisoners in the Metropolitan Police Courts, to the effect that the accommodation is wholly insufficient to protect children and respectable women, who may in many cases have been arrested in error, and ought never to have been detained, from exposure to the most degrading companionship and moral contamination; and, whether he will, at the earliest moment, take steps to secure separate accommodation for child prisoners, and to carry out the recommendation of Mr. Justice Wills that—

"At Courts where many women are brought up every day in the year, there should be some provision for the effectual separation of the sexes, and for the custody of women by a warder of their own sex, as well as some possible escape for respectable people, who may be innocent, from intolerable humiliation and torture?"

I have stated more than once in this House what steps I am taking to carry out the recommendations of Mr. Justice Wills, and of the Committee over which he presided, as to accommodation for prisoners in the Metropolitan Police Courts. The Report was no sooner published than I placed myself without delay in communication with the various authorities, by whose agency a better accommodation for prisoners awaiting trial could be secured. The particular recommendations referred to in the Question, with regard to the better protection and accommodation of children and women, are now being urged forward by me with a view to their being carried as far as possible into effect.

asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether an order has lately been issued to the effect that all Battery Sergeant Majors, Quartermaster Sergeants, Colour Sergeants of Infantry, and Troop Sergeant Majors of Cavalry, who are not in possession of a first-class certificate for educational attainments, are to be considered ineligible for further promotion; and, whether a second-class certificate has hitherto been regarded as sufficient; and, if so, what is the reason for the change?

Hitherto it has been the rule to require a second-class certificate of education on promotion to Sergeant, and no higher test has been demanded for subsequent promotion. Now, however, the ranks of Warrant Officer and Quartermaster sergeant carry such advantages and have such duties that, considering the general state of education in the country, it has been thought that a higher standard might fairly be required for promotion to those ranks. It is also hoped that the Regulation may induce better educated men to enter the Army. Accordingly, from the beginning of 1889 the first-class certificate will he required. This will give candidates time to prepare. I may add that the test is only about equivalent to Standard VII. in the Board Schools, which many boys reach before the ago of 14.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If, since July 1 last, the number of the police force at Doombeg, County Clare, has been increased to nine; if at the suppression of the National League the number was increased from five to eight; if the sergeant of the force at Doombeg swore at the Petty Sessions at Kilkee that his district was perfectly quiet and peaceable; if no crime or outrage has been committed in Doombeg parish for the past five or six years; if, on June 30, four or five of this extra force got drunk in barracks; if the sergeant and three of the men had a free fight; if this row was reported to the authorities by the sergeant; and, if so, has any investigation been held in reference thereto; and, if the Government will make inquiries into these allegations, and, if true, will they reduce the police force there to the normal numbers?

(who replied) said: The District Inspector of the country reports that no increase whatever has been made in the number of the police force at Doombeg since July 1. Two men were added in November, 1887, and one in February, 1888, making a total of eight, at which the number at present stands. He is not aware that the sergeant made at Kilkee Petty Sessions any such statement as that ascribed to him. Within the past five and a-half years 16 outrages have been reported from Doombeg; and in the present year extensive preparations were made for violent resistance to the Sheriff. He believed there is no ground for the allegation that the men miscon- ducted themselves on June 30. He was at the station himself on the following day and saw no trace of any such occurrence, nor was there any Report made to him on the subject. He is of opinion that the present number of men there is absolutely necessary.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is true, as stated by the Amalgamated Operative Bakers of the various Trades Unions in Ireland, in a Petition presented to this House on July 12, that the law relating to Sunday labour in bakeries is rendered inoperative in Dundalk and other towns in Ireland, owing to the fact that the onus of setting it in motion rests with the operatives, who can only take action at the risk of instant dismissal from their employment; and, if so, whether the Government can do anything to keep this law from remaining a dead letter in many towns in Ireland?

(who replied) said: From the Reports before me it appears that the law relating to Sunday labour in bakeries has been violated in Dundalk, and in certain other towns in Ireland. The Government will consider what steps should be taken to enforce the provisions of the Act.

asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, If the Treasury has decided to take any action on the recommendation made by the recent Royal Commission in reference to the completion of Rosslare Harbour, County Wexford; whether his attention has been drawn to the Resolution passed by the Grand Jury at the late Assizes, urging the necessity for speedily granting a small amount of Government aid to prevent a stoppage of the works at Rosslare, which would lead to the closing of the railway between Rosslare and Wexford, and would involve great loss and inconvenience to the country and to the town of Wexford; and, whether he is aware that the large sum of money (over £200,000) already ex- pended, and a portion of which was raised locally, on the understanding that the Government would complete the harbour, will be practically lost unless Government aid is at once forthcoming to finish the works?

, in reply, said, the facts were as stated in the Question of the hon. Gentleman. General Sankey, of the Irish Board of Works, had been at Rosslare; and he (Mr. Goschen) saw him on Friday last, when he reported on the condition of the harbour, and the necessary expenditure which might be required. The hon. Member was probably aware that when the Royal Commission which had recently inquired into the question of Irish Public Works reported on this harbour, they recommended the amalgamation of the Rosslare and Wexford Harbour Boards. The Government regarded this amalgamation as a sine quâ non for any assistance to Rosslare; and it would be for hon. Members and others to exercise their influence to promote this amalgamation.

asked, whether, while the Treasury was considering the larger question of dealing with the harbour, it would be possible to make a small grant for the purpose of continuing the works, which otherwise would be stopped within a few days?

said, as soon as the Treasury knew there was a disposition to promote the amalgamation they would be prepared to make a grant; he was quite aware of the urgency of the matter, and it was engaging the attention of Her Majesty's Government.

, asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether he is aware that the total actual export trade from Trinidad to Venezuela showed a falling off for 1887 of nearly 50 per cent as compared with 1885, or nearly 70 per cent. as compared with 1884, declining from £102,145 sterling to £33,816 sterling; whether the value of goods "in transit" (not amenable to the 30 per cent. additional duty) was included in the amount recently stated; whether, in 1884, when the additional duty was temporarily taken off, food stuffs exported to Venezuela increased by nearly £30,000 value —namely, from £72,566 to £102,145 sterling; whether the Government have received the Returns for the first six months of the present year; and, if so, whether the amount is less than that of the previous six months; and, whether having regard to the disastrous results which must ensue to the West Indian Colonies from further delay in arriving at an arrangement with Venezuela in relation to the various questions now in dispute, Her Majesty's Government can hold out any hopes of a speedy settlement being arrived at?

(who replied) said: From a Return furnished by the Government statist, the figures quoted in the first paragraph of the hon. Member's Question appear to be correct. The answer to the second and third paragraphs is in the affirmative. The Returns for the first six months of the present year have not been received. All negociations with Venezuela have been suspended, in consequence of the interruption of diplomatic relations by the late President Guzman Blanco; and no overtures for their resumption have been received from the new President.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether pensions are ever granted, or can legally be granted, to medical officers of unions or dispensaries in Ireland under the Poor Law or Medical Charities Acts for other reasons than physical or mental incapacity, or length of service and age; whether Dr. O'Connor, medical officer of the Ballycastle (County Antrim) Union and Ballycastle Dispensary, has recently resigned the latter office, and has been granted a pension of £98 per annum and allowed to retain the former office; on what grounds did he receive the pension on resignation of his dispensary; and, if there is any precedent for the course pursued in Dr. O'Connor's case—namely, of being allowed to resign and receive a pension for one office, and being allowed to retain the other?

(who replied) said: The grounds upon which medical officers of workhouses and dispensary districts may be superannuated are correctly stated in the Question. Dr. O'Connor's superannuation allowance has not yet come before the Local Government Board for their consent; but they understand the arrangement set forth in the Question has been made. The Board are not yet aware of the precise grounds upon which Dr. O'Connor was superannuated. As regards the dispensary, the course mentioned is not unprecedented; but the Board would require very full information before they consented to it, and Dr. O'Connor's case will be fully considered when the matter comes officially before them.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether it is the case that much additional space is required in Professor M'Nab's laboratory at Glasnevin; and, whether, in consequence of the annual increase of students and the inconvenience occasioned because of the limited space afforded, steps will be immediately taken to remedy the requirements of the case?

, in reply, said, that until recently there had been sufficient accommodation; but the number of students was increasing, and he was informed that his right hon. Friend (Sir William Hart Dyke) would see that steps were taken in consequence.

asked, Whether the providing of additional space had not been recommended in the last two Reports, so that the want was one of long standing.

ventured to say that that was the case. He understood that attention would be given to the matter.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, What progress is being made with the trial of Scotch coal already sent for the Navy; and, whether the Admiralty will avail themselves of the present Naval Manœuvres, and the presence of a portion of the Fleet in Scotch waters, to still further test the capabilities of Scotch coal?

(who replied) said, all the trials of Scotch coal had shown that it was not so well suited for use in the ships of the Navy as Welsh coal. One of its defects was density of smoke, which was a serious disadvantage in Naval Manœuvres, when it was the object of contending Fleets to keep their movements as secret as possible.

asked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether notices connected with any Bill to acquire property for street improvements in London during the next Session of Parliament require to be given by November next; and whether, as the London County Council cannot give such notices, he will consider the propriety of bringing before the Metropolitan Board of Works the desirability of drawing up a scheme of street improvement for next year and giving the necessary notices, although its powers and duties for carrying it into effect will have expired, or whether he will consider some other arrangement whereby street improvements next year may be effected?

In the case of a Bill to be promoted during the next Session of Parliament, conferring powers of compulsory purchase of property for street improvements in London, it is necessary that the notices should be given in November next. As regards any scheme of street improvement for which there is an urgent necessity, it does not at present appear to me that there would be anything to preclude the Metropolitan Board of Works from giving the necessary notices; although it would, of course, rest with the County Council of London, as the successors of the Metropolitan Board of Works, to determine whether they would proceed with any measure which the Metropolitan Board of Works might introduce.

asked the Postmaster General, Whether he is about to make any further arrangements for facilitating the transfer of letters directly from the railway station pillar boxes to the railway Post Office travelling vans; and, whether there is any, and what, reason why the system for this purpose, which has been successfully in operation on the Continent for many years past, should not be adopted in this country?

, in reply, said, a Departmental Committee had recently been inquiring into the subject of extra postal facilities, including the matter mentioned in the Question, and he hoped very shortly to be able to announce their decision.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If, in view of the extracts from the Departmental Inquiry into the shooting of three men at Mitchelstown on September 9 last now furnished to Members of this House, the Government will also furnish Members with copies of the shorthand writer's report of the proceedings at the inquest held at Mitchelstown containing the sworn evidence of the officials present at the proceedings of September 9?

(who replied) said: The right hon. Gentleman the Chief Secretary has already stated, in reply to former Questions, that the Government cannot consent to lay on the Table the documents referred to. I may add that the hon. Member appears to put his Question under a misapprehension. No extract whatever from the Departmental Inquiry has been presented to the House.

May I ask if the paper showing the diagram of Mitchelstown Square and the police barracks is not an extract from the Departmental Report?

No; I am informed that it is not.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he is aware that the county cess in Ireland is nominally collected by men who are known by the name of barony constables, who are paid by a poundage rate of 1s. in the £1 in 17 counties and of 9d. in the other 15; whether he is aware that the taxes are actually collected by deputies who receive, on an average, about 4d. in the £1, and who are required to give ample security, equal in nearly all cases to that given by the baronial constables; and, if he will introduce a Bill at the earliest opportunity so to amend the Grand Jury Laws as to enable the farmers to save £30,000 a-year, which is now voted by the Grand Juries for the payment of these barony constables, by providing a more economical mode of collecting county cess in Ireland?

(who replied) said: I have no information as to the matters of fact referred to in this Question, Grand Juries not being under the control of the Executive Government. With regard to the last paragraph, the Government cannot undertake, in the present time and in the present state of Public Business, to approach the question of the legislation suggested by the hon. Member.

asked, whether the Government would, at an early date, facilitate a Bill for the purpose of giving the Local Government Board power, through its auditors, to inspect the accounts of the Grand Juries, and surcharge them in cases of excessive expenditure?

said, no doubt the matter would receive careful consideration.

asked, whether several of these collectors getting this high poundage had not, as in a particular case in Kerry, neglected to prosecute landlords who were their relatives when those landlords failed to pay the cess?

said, he had no information on the subject.

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, having regard to the long time that the Currency Commission has been sitting, to the great importance of the questions submitted to it, and to the serious financial consequences to India of the continued depression in the exchanges, he will give the House some assurance that the Report will be issued before the House adjourns for the Recess?

asked, whether the right hon. Gentleman can hold out any hope that the Report of the Currency Commission will be presented to the House before the Adjournment?

asked, if the right hon. Gentleman is able to give the House any information as to when the Report of the Gold and Silver Commission is likely to be presented; and, whether it may be expected before the close of the Session?

, in reply, said, he had communicated with the Chairman of the Commission. He had his authority to say that, although a long time had elapsed since the Commission had been appointed, the question being of an extremely intricate character, it was not possible to arrive at an early conclusion. They hoped to be able to report in the course of the next two months.

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether it is a fact, as stated in the newspapers, that the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, after having offered to place a statue of the late Earl of Shaftesbury in Westminster Abbey, required the payment, in the first instance, of £400, and afterwards of £250, for the privilege of permitting its erection; whether this demand has hitherto had the effect of preventing the erection of the statue; and, whether he will consider the propriety of amending the Westminster Abbey Act, so as to render the demand of such fees in the future illegal?

asked, whether the right hon. Gentleman would consider the propriety of amending the Westminster Abbey Act, so as to prevent the erection of any more statues in the Abbey and the consequent disfigurement of the interior of the church?

I cannot give the right hon. Member for Whitehaven the assurance which he desires. No doubt the Abbey is extremely crowded, but I understand that the Dean and Chapter now exercise considerable discretion with regard to the erection of additional monuments. I have no reason to doubt that the allegations contained in the Question of the hon. Member (Mr. Summers) are correct; but in the absence of the Dean of Westminster from England I am not in a position to make any authoritative statement on the question. I am, however, informed that the customary fees for the erection of statues in the Abbey are applied in aid of the Fabric Fund; and I do not think I should be justified in asking Parliament to prohibit such contributions from being obtained for the maintenance and repair of the Abbey, as has been the practice from time immemorial.

asked, whether the First Lord would not suggest to the authorities of the Abbey that it would be as well to wait for a little time after the death of an individual before placing his bust in the Abbey, seeing that there was no power of real discrimination as to the enduring merits of any person until some years after his death?

The duties of the Government are sufficiently onerous as they are. I would be stepping beyond my duty if I sought to interfere with the discretion which, I think, has been well exercised by the authorities of the Abbey.

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, If he will afford facilities for bringing on a Motion for which Notice has been given, and now stands for Monday next, for moving for an Address to Her Majesty the Queen, praying Her to order the release of Mr. John Dillon and other Members of Parliament now imprisoned in Ireland? The hon. Gentleman stated that the Motion had originally been put down for last Thursday, and had been adjourned until that evening.

I am sure the hon. Gentleman will see that it is not in my power to offer the facilities he asks for.

I wish to express my regret at the answer of the right hon. Gentleman, in view of the great interest which the matter excites in England and Wales, and I shall take an early opportunity, if I possibly can, of bringing it before the House.

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether he can now give the House any assurance that the Tithe Rent-Charge Recovery and Variation Bill will not be taken until the Committee on Corn Averages has made its Report?

I am not able to give the hon. Gentleman the assurance he desires, as I remain of opinion that, whatever may be the Report of the Corn Averages Committee, it is necessary, in the public interest, that the Tithe Bills should be passed.

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether Mr. Buckle, editor of The Times, came to see him in reference to the allegations against Members, along with the proprietor of that journal, or separately; and, what were the date or dates of the interviews?

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer stated on Thursday last, at my request, that I had not seen Mr. Buckle at all with reference to this subject.

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether he can now inform the House what course the Government intend to take with respect to the Employers' Liability for Injuries to Workmen Bill?

, in reply, said, the Government would have been very glad if they could have seen their way to have disposed of the Bill before the close of the present Sitting of the House. He agreed that the discussion in the Standing Committee ought to lead the House to expect that a comparatively short discussion of the Report would be necessary in the House; but it had been represented to the Government that it would be for the convenience of hon. Members who took an interest in the question, and especially to those who were known as Labour Representatives, if the measure were postponed until November. On the responsibility of those hon. Members, and to meet their wishes, the Government had consented to adopt that course.

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether Her Majesty's Advisers have yet completed their Report on the subject of Royal Grants?

asked, when the Government intend to redeem the pledge repeatedly given that a Select Committee would be appointed to inquire into the subject of Royal Grants?

The communications that are passing between Her Majesty's Advisers and Her Majesty on the subject of Royal grants have not yet been concluded; but I hope to be in a position to make a statement to the House on the subject in the early part of the next Session.

asked, whether the right hon. Gentleman did not announce some weeks ago that a Report had been presented to Her Majesty on the subject?

said, that was the case; but the communications between Her Majesty and her Advisers were still proceeding.

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, If he can explain why, after the Small Holdings Committee was appointed on the Motion of the Government, no steps have been taken to call it together, and enable it to decide whether it is to meet in the autumn or to attempt to do anything in the present Session of Parliament; if steps will now be taken to bring together the Members of the Committee; and, with whom it rests to take the initiative?

The Small Holdings Committee was appointed at such a late date in the Session that it was useless for them to meet for the examination of witnesses; but I am informed that the Committee will meet this week for the appointment of a Chairman.

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, If the Government will consider whether the Burgh Police and Health (Scotland) Bill might possibly be settled, and the waste of a day saved, by applying to the other burghs the provisions of section 15, by which the larger burghs are enabled to adopt the Act, in whole or in part, at their option?

The Burgh Police and Health (Scotland) Bill is a Consolidation Bill, and it would be most unsatisfactory to give it a permissive character, and thus perpetuate differences of constitution and administration in Scotch burghs.

asked, whether the First Lord of the Treasury still persisted in his intention to compel Scotch Members to consider a Bill of the vast dimensions of the Burgh Police and Health (Scotland) Bill on Wednesday; and whether he would not consent to take the Bail (Scotland) Bill on Wednesday and the rest of the time for his own purposes, and give the Scotch Members an assurance, upon which he was sure they would all gladly rely, that in the autumn he would give them a real, good Scotch week, if necessary all to themselves, in order that they might be able to work off their Bills in a decent, reasonable, and Christian fashion?

said, he would be exceedingly sorry to force hon. Members from Scotland to consider any measure, if they were not themselves in the great majority desirous to do so. He was told that that was the case; but the hon. Member would have an opportunity on Wednesday to make his protest; and if it should turn out that that protest was shared in by the great majority of Scotch Members, certainly the Government would not insist upon proceeding with the Bill on Wednesday. But an opportunity would be afforded on Wednesday to pass a measure which, he understood, was very much desired, and which was mainly of a consolidating character.

said, the Bail (Scotland) Bill would be put down first on Wednesday.

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether he proposed to proceed with the Mortmain and Charitable Uses Bill before the adjournment?

said, he hoped to be able to do so.

asked, when it was proposed to proceed with the Railway and Canal Traffic Bill, which had come down with three Amendments from the House of Lords?

said, he hoped it might be taken to-morrow.

desired to know whether the County Courts Consolidation and Amendment Bill would be proceeded with?

replied in the affirmative.

said, he hoped to be able to deal with the Sea Fisheries Regulation Bill and the Merchant Shipping (Life Saving Appliances) Bill before the end of the Session.

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether it was true, as had been reported, that in the event of the Members of Parliament (Charges and Allegations) Bill being passed, the inquiry would not be commenced until the beginning of November?

I have received no intimation at all, Sir, on that matter. If the Bill is passed, it will rest with the Judges themselves to settle what course they will take.

asked, if it was true that Mr. Justice Day had resigned; and, if so, whom it was proposed to put in his place?

I have no information upon that point.