I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can inform the House who is to command the allied forces in their march upon Peking, and give any information regarding the advance. May I also ask, as a supplementary question, whether there is any truth in the statement that the advance of the allies on Peking has been delayed by the serious un preparedness of the British contingent.

As I told my hon. friend yesterday, we have no further information on the points raised in his original question. With regard to the supplementary question of which he gave me private notice, we certainly have no information of the advance of the allies being delayed by the dilatory preparations of the British contingent. On the contrary, our last information from General Gaselee, which I gave the House, was that he hoped shortly to advance, and anticipated the co-operation of the allies.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the assistance of Her Majesty's Government has been sought to enable Chang Chih-tung, the Wuchang Viceroy, to obtain a loan of 500,000 taels required for the military and other expenses of the Vice-royalty; and, if so, whether, in view of the protection afforded to British subjects by the troops of Chang Chih-tung, Her Majesty's Government will give the guarantee asked for.

We are not in possession of facts as to the purpose for which this loan is required and to which it may be applied, but we are making further inquiry. I am not in a position to make any statement.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it is usual for a sailor in the Royal Navy, on leaving the training ship as a boy for a man-of-war, to pass through the several gradations of ordinary seaman, trained man, able seaman, and subsequently to undergo a course of gunnery training in the school for that purpose; whether untrained men not above the rank of ordinary seamen have been drafted from the Channel Fleet for service in China; and, if so, how many; and will these untrained men be placed on active service on shore without any previous qualification for taking the field, or will any steps be taken that they should be fully trained and instructed in musketry before their employment in active service.

I think the hon. Member has made a confusion between gunnery and musketry. All seamen entered as boys have naturally to pass through certain grades in the course of their service and receive the training prescribed for such grades. The course of the question must not be confused with instruction in musketry, in which all first-class boys are trained. No boys or men untrained in musketry would be drafted to ships on stations abroad. The men and boys sent to the China station have been drafted in the ordinary way.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India what will be the composition of the force of the third Indian Brigade now placed under orders for China, and will it consist of British or native troops; will the expenses of this force also be borne by the Imperial Exchequer; and what steps will be forthwith taken to supply this further depletion of the defensive forces of India.

The composition of the third Indian Brigade now under orders for China will be four native infantry regiments. The expenses of this force will be borne by the Imperial Exchequer. As the Reserve of the native Army was below the fixed establishment, I have authorised a temporary addition to it of 4,000 native infantry.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether ho can state approximately the number of men who have joined the Yeomanry, Militia, and Volunteer forces since the-invitation that was made to members of those forces to volunteer for service in South Africa; whether, in view of the part played by the Militia and Volunteers on that occasion, and the excellence of their record in South Africa, the commanding officers of the various battalions will be ordered to parade their men to invite volunteers for service in rescuing the Legations in China; and whether the Yeomanry, Militiamen, and Volunteers now serving in South Africa are liable, under the terms of their engagement, to be sent to China for such service.

The number of men who have joined the Militia since 1st December last is about 28,000; with regard to the Yeomanry and Volunteers, although I know that largo numbers have joined, I cannot give figures, because the War Office only receives complete Returns once a year. My noble friend, however, proposes to ask for more frequent Returns. There is no present intention of sending members of these forces to China; certainly no attempt will be made to send any there under the terms of their enlistment for South Africa.

Are the men in South Africa liable to be sent there?

No.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury under what headings will the expenses of the Royal Commission on South African Military Hospitals be included in the Estimates; and will details of the main items of the expenses connected with this Royal Commission under definite headings be furnished.

The expenses of the Royal Commission will be charged on the Vote for temporary Commissions. The answer to the second paragraph of the question is in the affirmative.

Will an item for whitewash be included?

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether documents have been discovered during the search of the Government Offices at Pretoria, affecting certain Members of the House of Commons and other politicians who have taken a prominent part in the agitation in this country in favour of the Boers; whether there is any information which, he can give to the House on the subject without detriment to the public interest;: if such documents have been, found, whether they will be laid before Parliament; and whether Her Majesty's Government are in possession of any correspondence between British Members of Parliament and Transvaal authorities; and, if so, whether it can be laid upon the Table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any letters have been found at Pretoria from Members of this House of a compromising character; and if so, whether he has any information, to give to the House upon this subject.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the correspondence discovered at Pretoria, among other papers of the Transvaal Government, which is alleged to be treasonable, and to involve Members of this House and other British subjects, will be laid upon the Table forthwith.

Perhaps I may be allowed at the same time to answer all the questions on this subject. When the Boer Governments fled from Bloemfontein and Pretoria, they left behind them in the archives a mass of private correspondence. This correspondence has been under examination by the British authorities on the spot, and by the last two mails I have received instalments of it, but I am informed that there is more to come. The portion that I have seen is all previous to the outbreak of the war, and consists chiefly of letters passing between British subjects at the Cape and persons in the two Republics, but it includes copies of two letters purporting to have been written by an English M.P. Her Majesty's Government have also in their possession copies of letters and an extract of a letter purporting to have been written by two other M. P.'s. Two of them were dated just before the outbreak of war; the other is a request, couched in a form which is certainly open to criticism, for information respecting the administration of martial law. The most interesting feature of the South African correspondence is the general admission of substantial grievances, and of the necessity for reform. There are, however, some suggestions that President Kruger might make temporary concessions and wait for a re-action in this country. I observe that the hon. Member for Mcrthyr Tydvil speaks of the correspondence as treasonable. I am, of course, quite unable to give a legal opinion; but so far as my personal opinion is concerned, the letters ascribed to British subjects in this country are not treasonable, but they are not proper letters to be written by British subjects when Her Majesty's Government were engaged in difficult and important negotiations. I propose to send them in the first instance to the alleged writers, and to ask if they desire to offer any explanation. Her Majesty's Government will wait their reply before deciding on the question of publication.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, among these archives, copies of the Rhodes-Chamberlain (Hawksloy) correspondence were found?

No, Sir; there is no such correspondence.

Oh, oh !

There is no such correspondence—there never has been.

Why don't you produce it?

There is nothing to produce.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether it will be possible, in the final settlement in South Africa, to give favourable consideration to the case of those Englishmen, settled in the Orange River Colony, who have suffered imprisonment and the confiscation of the whole of their stock and goods, because they refused to take up arms against their fellow-countrymen in the war.

The question raises a very difficult point, on which we have to be particularly careful, in order not to create precedents which might hereafter be extremely inconvenient. Above all, we have to preserve a distinction between the cases of those who suffered by war in Her Majesty's possessions and those who suffered when resident in a foreign country to which they had voluntarily gone. At the same time, I may say personally that I have the greatest sympathy with those in both the Orange River Colony and the Transvaal who have suffered on account of their loyalty. The only answer I can give to the question is that the matter is under consideration, but no statement can at present be made as to the manner in which such cases will be dealt with or whether any compensation can be obtained.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War if he can now give the number of admissions for and the number of deaths from enteric fever at Bloemfontein for the weeks ending 8th, 15th, and 22nd Juno; and also if he can give the number of admissions for enteric fever and the number of deaths from that disease at Kroonstadt for the weeks ending 25th May, and 1st, 8th, and 15th June.

The figures are as follow:—

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the treatment of certain members of the Canadian contingent, who had been invalided home, at Shorneliffe Camp from 1st to 8th June, during which time they were without any proper accommodation and rations; and will he state who was responsible for such treatment.

I presume the hon. Member is referring to certain allegations which appeared in the newspapers at a time corresponding to the dates he gives. A telegram of inquiry was sent to Shorncliffe on the subject, and the following answers were received from the officer commanding the Provisional Battalion, to which the Canadians are attached:— (1) By telegraph, on 12th June—

"No grounds for any complaints; Canadians here are very angry at reports in papers, and came to me yesterday and asked for permission to write to contradict them, which, of course, by the regulations, I could not give.—KELLY."

"The Brigade-Major, Shorncliffe.

"With reference to the inquiries of the Adjutant-General as to the housing, feeding, and granting of furloughs to noncommissioned officers and men of the Royal Canadian Regiment and to certain paragraphs in newspapers stating that they were not being well treated exactly the same as other soldiers in the battalion.

"All who wish to go on furlough have had one granted them. In one ease the man returned in two or three days, having spent his money, and will consequently be in debt for the next two months. The non-commissioned officers and men of the Royal Canadian Regiment were much annoyed at the paragraphs in certain papers which stated they were not well treated: and the senior asked to see me, and said they were quite satisfied and asked for permission to write to the newspapers to contradict the reports about them.

(Signed) "C. H. KELLY, Colonel

Commanding Provisional Battalion."

"Shorncliffe, 13th June, 1900."

"I fully bear out the statements and opinions of Colonel Kelly. I not so very long ago personally saw and conversed with some of the men and they gave me the impression of men who were quite contented with their position and surroundings.

(Signed) "H. HALLAM PARR, Major-

General, Commanding

South Eastern District.

"Shorncliffe, 13th June, 1900."

May I ask the Under Secretary whether ho has received a statement sent to him, not founded on any newspaper report, but written by one of the men themselves, detailing exactly the ill-treatment they have experienced. If he has not received it will he let me send him a copy of it?

I do not think the testimony of one man would outweigh the general testimony of the others. I did not give one paragraph of Colonel Kelly's letter, because it reflected on the newspaper press of this country, but in that paragraph Colonel Kelly said that the Canadians had told him that there was one grumbler amongst them to whom they attributed all the paragraphs.

Is the hon.Gentleman aware it was stated in that letter that——

Order, order ! The hon. Member cannot enter into details.

I will put a further question on the subject.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether any and what kind of warlike stores were purchased abroad for the purposes of the campaign in South Africa; and what is the total estimated sum paid or to be paid for such purchases up to 31st December, 1899.

Certain purchases of warlike stores have been made abroad, but these bear a very small proportion to the purchases made at home. For example., we have purchased—

Will the hon. Gentleman answer the last paragraph on Monday?

If hon. Members can defer their questions till Tuesday, that will enable the officials at the War Office to have the Bank Holiday.

Is it a fact that largo contracts have been concluded with Hungarian firms for the supply of foreign flour, and will the hon. Gentleman endeavour to give all such orders possible to the English flour-milling trade?

Not forgetting Sheffield.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether, seeing that in the official table of casualties since the beginning of the war in South Africa up to and including 28th July, the total losses are reported as 36,559 officers and men, and that this number includes 1,044 officers and 24,058 men, a total of 25,102, sent home as invalids, it can be stated in these Returns in future what number of officers and men sent home as invalids have died or have recovered, or are still invalids, in order to give an accurate return of the actual losses due to the war.

Yes, Sir. This information will in future, so far as possible, be given in the weekly statement of casualties. It is hoped that the figures can be prepared in time for inclusion in next week's table.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether the pigeon post so useful in the siege of Ladysmith was organised by the War Office or by private enterprise; whether his attention has been called to a letter offering to organise such a service, received from Mr. A. Hirst by the War Office, but which was not answered, and whether the service was afterwards accepted by Sir George White without orders from the War Office; and whether there is any intention on the part of the War Office to organise a service of carrier pigeon communication from the north of Europe towards the British coast.

The pigeon post established at Ladysmith was organised, under the authority of the General Officer commanding, by Messrs. Hirst and Wright, to both of whom the success which attended the working of the system was largely due. The pigeon post was made use of and supervised by the Intelligence Department during the siege. No letter from Mr. Hirst offering to organise a carrier pigeon system can be traced in the War Office. A training establishment for homing pigeons is about to be established at Aldershot.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War if he will state what is the establishment of the new field batteries now stationed at Aldershot, and what is their actual strength in horses and guns.

The hon. and gallant Member probably refers to the batteries whoso formation was begun on the 28th July. I have no detailed information of their strength, but I understand that they have about one-third of their establishment.

Does the hon. Gentleman suggest that the guns are ready?

You can hardly expect that, when the formation of the batteries was only begun four or five days ago.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether colour sergeants, on the completion of twenty-one years service, become entitled to a pension of 2s. 6d. a day for life; whether it is in the power of a commanding officer to refuse to recommend for discharge men on the completion of the term of twenty-one years, and to compel them after they have earned pensions to serve for the small sum which constitutes the difference between the pay and the pension; and on what grounds can a man be compelled to prolong his service in the Army on the completion of the term during which he engaged to serve and after he has earned his retiring pension.

In reply to the first paragraph the man is, subject to certain conditions as to the quality of the service, entitled to the pension. During war or when the Reserves are called oat a soldier may he detained with the colours for a period not exceeding twelve months beyond the date of expiration of his term of service.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether the huts at Bulford Camp have been ordered to be ready by 1st November to hold the Militia at present under canvas there, and whether it is intended to keep them under canvas until then, bearing in mind that the weather is severe on Salisbury Plain; and whether, seeing that these huts cannot possibly be finished by the contractor, although he is receiving the assistance of the Engineer Militia, by 1st November, it is intended to keep the Militia under canvas during the winter until they are ready; and if not, whore it is proposed to accommodate them; and, as more huts are still to be built by the winter, can he state where it is proposed to accommodate the troops until they are ready, also whether the huts in course of erection at Bulford Camp will be solidly built on proper foundations, and what provision will be made for hospital accommodation at Bulford Camp.

The huts in course of erection at Bulford are for the field artillery, and will, it is hoped, be completed by 30th September. The question of huts for the Militia is a complicated one, into which I am not prepared to go in any detail. But I can assure the hon. Member that it is not the intention of the Government to keep the Militia in tents after the camping season is over, nor to house them in insufficient or insanitary buildings.

Is it within the knowledge of the War Office that there is any ground for the allegation that these huts cannot possibly be finished by the contractor by 1st November?

The first half of the huts will be completed long before, but I cannot undertake to say whether the second half will be. As I have said, the question is a complicated one and depends on the movements of the Regular forces as well as of the Militia, but the Government have taken such steps as will prevent any inconvenience arising from overlapping.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has yet heard whether the War Office will accede to the request of the City Council of Sheffield, on the recommendation of the Watch Committee, that rifles be lent and practice ammunition be issued for the use of the City Police Force, and their preparation to augment the national forces in the event of invasion.

I understand that the War Office are not prepared to grant special facilities to members of police forces over and above those afforded to members of rifle clubs affiliated to the National Rifle Association under the scheme which has recently come into operation. There does not appear to be anything to prevent members of police forces availing themselves of this scheme.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the ammunition hoists on board nearly all the ships in the Navy are hand hoists, while those of foreign navies have in addition electrical hoists; if so, can ho state the reason for our ships not being provided with electrical hoists.

The ammunition hoists in the British Navy are generally hydraulic for heavy guns, and hand for medium and light guns, electrical hoists being fitted only in a few ships Foreign navies have adopted electrical hoists in many cases. The advantages and disadvantages of the two systems, and the conditions under which they should each be used, depend on a variety of circumstances which are too numerous to be dealt with in reply to a question; but as a general principle it is considered that it is not wise to introduce complicated machinery, involving periodical repairs and additional expenditure of fuel, when the work can be done equally well by hand.

I beg to ask the irst Lord of the Admiralty if he is ware that inconvenience is caused to those tendering by invitation to the Admiralty for the supply of steam coal by the delay in notifying them whether their tenders have been accepted or otherwise; and if he can in future arrange to obviate the delay.

The inconvenience which may be caused to firms tendering by delay is fully recognised, but the question of the allocation of the orders requires careful consideration. Tenders are always dealt with as speedily as possible.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can explain the circumstances under which, as stated in the Report of the Committee of Public Accounts on the Navy, out of a batch of six new pattern 12-inch guns, on which considerable sums have been paid as instalments, only one, and that eight months in arrear and defective, had been accepted.

The whole question referred to by the right hon. Baronet is still under consideration, and until it is decided what action is to be taken, it is not desirable to make any further statement or explanation. I may add that, so far, no inconvenience to the service has been caused by the delay in question.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has ascertained the cause of the rising of the natives of Ashanti.

No; and it will not be possible to form a definite opinion as to the causes of the rising until further information can be obtained when, order has been restored.

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can state the amount collected from the duty on the importation, of cocoa butter since its imposition to 31st July, 1900, and the amount it produced between 1st August, 1899, and 31st July, 1900.

The amount of revenue collected from the duty on the importation of cocoa butter from the 1st August, 1899, to 31st July, 1900, was £3,231, and for the whole period since the imposition of the duty (7th August, 1896, to 31st July, 1900), was £14,033.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he can state to what countries the increased export of British coal has mainly gone, and, in particular, what governments or countries have increased their purchases of coal suitable for naval use; and if such export has increased the cost of coal for the Royal Navy or reduced its supply.

The increase in the exports of coal, coke, and fuel from the United Kingdom during the first six months of this year over the exports in the first six months of 1899 was 1,073,000 tons. The increase, however, was not general among the various countries to which the coal, etc., was sent, there having been decreases in the exports to some countries amounting in the aggregate to 970,000 tons, and increases to others to the extent of 2,043,000 tons. The principal increases were to Germany, 405,000 tons; Holland, 451,000 tons; and France, 810,000 tons. I am informed that the total exports of coal from Wales in the six months January to June, 1900, show a decrease of more than 400,000 tons compared with the same period of 1899. The increase in the cost of fuel for the Royal Navy, therefore, cannot be attributed to increased export of the kind required.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if it is practicable to determine at the time of the shipment the purposes for which coal exported abroad is to lie used; and if he can state approximately the proportion of coal exported foreign which is sent to British possessions, to British subjects resident abroad, and to coal depots in foreign countries for the supply of British-owned steamers. I beg also to ask the President of the Board of Trade if ho can state the decreases in the exports foreign of coal from Cardiff and Newport in June and for the first six months of this year respectively, as compared with the corresponding periods of 1899. I beg also to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that no steam navigation or other coal was shipped from Cardiff to Calais during the first six months of this year, and that no coal of any kind was cleared from any South Wales port to Calais during that period with the exception of one cargo of 740 tons from Newport in June last; and if he will cause inquiries to be made as to shipments of this kind.

I am unable to say for what purposes coal exported to foreign countries is to be used, nor what proportion is to be utilised by British subjects. I will obtain and communicate to the hon. Gentleman information as to the amount of coal exported to British possessions, and as to the decrease in exports from Cardiff and Newport in the first six months of this year as compared with those of the corresponding period of 1899. The Customs records do not enable mo to say what quantities of coal are exported to particular foreign ports.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the inconvenience resulting from the absence of arrangements for a gold assay at the Sheffield Assay Office; and whether ho will promote or assist whatever legislative or other measure may be required for the purpose of making it unnecessary for gold articles manufactured at Sheffield to be sent to other towns in order that they may be assayed and hall-marked.

No, Sir; my attention had not been called to this matter. Silver articles may be assayed in Sheffield, and I should have thought the manufacture of articles made of gold was comparatively very limited in that city. I cannot, of course, promise any legislation, but I can assure my right hon. friend that I shall be happy to give my best consideration to any evidence produced to prove that Sheffield is placed at a disadvantage in this respect.

I beg to ask the Vice-President of the Committee of Council on Education if he can state the totals of the voluntary subscriptions to the Church schools for the years 1897, 1898, 1899, and 1900 respectively.

The figures for the statistical years ending 31st August were:—1897, £630,169; 1898, £583,613; 1899, £600,286. The returns for 1900 are not yet complete.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board how many calves are kept by the Department as reservoirs of lymph for vaccination purposes; how many of the animals so used are sold annually as food for the people; and where the sales take place.

The average number of calves now vaccinated weekly at Lamb's Conduit Street is seventeen. All the calves from which lymph has been collected are within the next few days slaughtered under veterinary supervision, and the calves passed on veterinary authority as sound are sold in the Central Meat Market, Smithfield.

I bog to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether, seeing that the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown, based on the case of Bramble v. Lowe, by which he has justified the action of the Board in treating vaccination officers as servants of the Board and not as subject to the directions of the guardians, referred only to prosecutions under Section 31 of the Act of 1867, the opinion of the Law Officers has been taken on the extension of this practice of ousting the power of the guardians to direct the proceedings of their vaccination officer to prosecutions under Section 29 of the Act of 1867; and whether he will give the opinions of the Law Officers as a Parliamentary Paper.

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension in supposing that the Local Government Board have treated the vaccination officers as their servants. As the Board explained in their circular of the 21st October, 1898, the power and the duty of taking proceedings are vested in the vaccination officer under the Vaccination Acts passed prior to the Vaccination Act, 1898, without any Order of the Board or direction from the guardians. The opinions which the Law Officers have given to this effect referred to prosecutions both under Section 29 and Section 31 of the Vaccination Act, 1867; but the hon. Member must be aware that it would be entirely opposed to the established practice to publish these opinions.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that the minimum fees fixed by the Vaccination Order, 1898, press heavily on the local ratepayers at Wigan and other places; and that there was paid in the town of Wigan for the year ending Lady Day. 1898, £516 9s. 5d.; for the year 1899, £433 5s.; for the year 1900, £1,541 7s. 7d.; and whether, in view of these charges, he will consider the whole matter with a view of placing them on a more reasonable basis.

We have not got the figures for 1900 which show the increase in expenditure at Wigan, but the establishment of a system of domiciliary vaccination has necessarily added to the cost of vaccination, as the duties of the officers have in consequence been very consider- ably increased. Moreover, the amount of the fees to some extent depends on the number of successful vaccinations, and I am glad to say that this number has been largely augmented since the Vaccination Act, 1898, came into operation. In the Wigan Union there was an increase of about 60 per cent, in the number of successful vaccinations in 1899 as compared with 1898. I have, however, received other representations on this matter, and I am, as I always have been, willing, to consider whether an alteration should, be made in the minimum fees prescribed by the Vaccination Order; but I think we should have some further experience before determining whether this course ought to be adopted.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that the Poplar Board of Guardians propose to spend about £150,000 in building a pauper children's village at Hutton, and that the Poor Law Schools Committee recommend in their Report that pauper children should not be kept as a class apart and aggregated in large numbers, and whether the proposed departure from the recommendation of the Poor Law Schools Committee has been sanctioned; and, if not, what steps he intends to take to induce the Poplar Board of Guardians to adopt the alternative methods of dealing with the children recommended by the Poor Law Schools Committee.

The Poplar Guardians propose to provide new accommodation at Hutton to replace the "barrack" schools at Forest Gate. Plans and estimates have not yet been submitted to the Local Government Board, and I am not in a position to state definitely what the new buildings will consist of or what the cost will be. I understand, however, that the girls and the boys under ten will be provided for in cottage homes, and the older boys in blocks. The Local Government Board have expressed their willingness to assent to the purchase of the site, and the details of the scheme will be carefully considered when the plans are submitted.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the question in dispute between the Local Government Board and the Treasury, in reference to the pension of Miss Bryant, the late matron of Her Majesty's prison, Carmarthen, has yet been settled; and, if so, whether he will state the result; and whether he is aware of the fact that, pending the settlement of the question, Miss Bryant is inadequately provided for.

The decision has not yet been given in the case referred to in the question, but I hope that this will be done in the course of the next few days.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware of the increasing losses imposed upon local authorities having within their districts cemeteries belonging to other local authorities owing to the exemption of such cemeteries from re-assessment; and whether, in the next session of Parliament, he will propose that Section 15 of the Burial Act of 1855, which provides for such exemption from reassessment, should be repealed.

I have no doubt that the result of the enactment referred to in the question is that lands used as burial grounds are in certain cases assessed at a lower rate than would otherwise be the case, and that whore this is so some loss occurs to local authorities. I cannot give any undertaking about legislation next session.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the fact that during the year 1899 thirty-eight sewage overflows discharged sewage into the Thames on its northern side within the London area; and, seeing that such discharges of sewage are liable to take place whenever the rainfall exceeds one-tenth of an inch, and that the existing obligations of law compel local authorities to admit the combined drainage of sewage and water to their sewers, whether, in the next session of Parliament, it is his intention to introduce a Bill to enable the local authorities to keep separate, if they desire to do so, the sewage and the water drainage of their districts.

No, Sir, my attention has not been called to the facts referred to, and I have no information to show how far they are as suggested in the first paragraph of the question. With regard to the second paragraph, local authorities have the power to provide, and they have in some instances already provided, separate systems for sewage and water drainage. The further legislation suggested on the subject would, it appears, raise questions of considerable importance which would involve heavy expense. As I stated in reply to the last question, I am not in a position to give any pledge with regard to legislation next session.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to a recurrence of pollution of the River Thames, near the sewage pumping stations at Halfway Reach and Barking Reach; and whether he will cause the necessary steps to be taken to obtain an abatement of the nuisance as a precaution against danger to health of those engaged upon the river.

I have made inquiry on this subject, and I am informed that it is the recent hot weather which is mainly responsible for the nuisance complained of in the part of the river referred to in the question. I learn from the London County Council that they are fully intent on further improving the condition of the river, and that they have undertaken several large works with that object. The Local Government Board have no power to take or to cause any steps to be taken in the matter.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether in the Thorne Union workhouse the services are taken alternately by the vicar of Thorne and by some Nonconformist ministers; whether the majority of these inmates of this workhouse are entered as members of the Church, of England; whether in the Beverley Union workhouse there are any Church of England services on Sundays: whether in both these cases the guardians have declined to appoint chaplains, as required by the regulations of the Local Government Board; and whether he proposes to take any steps to remedy this state of things.

I find on inquiry that the answer to the first paragraph of the question is in the affirmative, and to the second in the negative. There has been no paid chaplain at the Thorne workhouse since 1879, or at the Beverley workhouse since 1881, and hitherto we have received no complaint on the subject. In reply to the last paragraph, I have directed a communication to be addressed in the first instance to the guardians in each case, pointing out the duty which rests upon them as regards services on Sundays, and asking for their explanations as to why that duty has not been performed.

What will the right hon. Gentleman do if the explanation of the board of guardians is not satisfactory?

I am not prepared to answer that.

I beg to ask Mr. Attorney General whether railway companies who have issued tickets to passengers for particular trains are bound to provide seats for those passengers in the respective classes of carriages for which they have paid; and what remedy there is against railway companies for the overcrowding of carriages.

The answer to the first paragraph of the question is in the affirmative, subject to this qualification, that the contract of carriage may be made conditional upon there being room in the train. Most railway companies have a bye-law with this object as to tickets issued at intermediate stations Railway companies are responsible for any overcrowding of carriages due to default on their part or on the part of their officials. It was said by Lord Blackburn in the House of Lords in the case of the Metropolitan Railways Company v. Jackson (reported in the L.R. for 1878, 3 App. Cas. p. 193) that a pas- senger is entitled to be carried in a carriage with reasonable accommodation, and that the company ought to take reasonable steps to prevent passengers getting into carriages already full. The remedy is by action, in which, as it was pointed out in the case already referred to, the prosecutor may recover for any damage sustained by him in consequence of overcrowding duo to default on the part of the company or their servants.

I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works what progress has been made in acquiring property needed for the isolation of the National Gallery.

The purchase of property, with a view to creating a clear space not less than 40ft. wide, to the west of the National Gallery, has been agreed to, in principle, by the Government and the vendors; and negotiations are now in progress as to the settlement of the price to be paid. The purchase should be shortly completed.

I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works if he has yet appointed an Inspector of Ancient Monuments in succession to the late General Pitt-Rivers.

It has been thought advisable not to make any appointment immediately, so that some indication may first be gathered of the probable effect of this year's legislation for the extension of the Ancient Monuments Protection Act. The appointment is vested by statute in the Treasury.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that the present Swine Fever (Movement) Orders, whereby a licence is required to be obtained for the transmission of fat pigs for slaughter, are causing not only inconvenience but also loss to farmers in Somerset; and whether he will withdraw these Orders.

My right hon. friend asks me to say that he is well aware of and much regrets the inconvenience and even loss which is occasioned by the Order to which the hon. Member refers; but inasmuch as no fewer than thirty-two outbreaks of swine fever occurred in the infected area during June, it became urgently necessary to take steps to prevent the conveyance of infection to other districts. The position, which has somewhat improved since the Order was made, will lie constantly kept in view, and the Order revoked at the earliest possible moment consistently with safety.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether counter clerks and telegraphists in the East Central and Metropolitan District Offices received additional risk allowance whilst performing overtime, both before and after the Tweedmouth Committee; and whether the Secretary to the Post Office has now withdrawn this right; and, if so, whether the Postmaster General will direct that all officers entitled to receive risk allowance shall receive this allowance whilst in the performance of overtime, in accordance with the past practice of the Department.

It appears that a misunderstanding has arisen with regard to the payment of risk allowances at certain district offices, and arrangements are now being made to adjust such cases as are found to come within the reservation made by the Tweedmouth Committee.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that passengers between London and Scotland whoso luggage is paid for and booked through to stations in Scotland are surcharged on reaching Scotland according to the higher scale for excess luggage for that portion of the journey that is performed on the Scottish lines; and whether he will urge on the Scottish railway companies the necessity for the removal of this inconvenience.

The point raised by the hon. Member shall be brought to the attention of the Scottish companies. It is most desirable that there should be uniformity of practice among all the companies with regard to this matter.

On behalf of the hon. Member for South Monaghan, I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the attention of the directors of the Great Northern Railway Company has been called by the traders of Castleblayney and neighbourhood to the injury done to meal, floor, bran, and other feeding stuffs which is delivered in the stores of that company owing to the swarm of rats that infest the place; and if he will take any steps to compel this railway company to protect the property of the traders who have to frequent their line from the rats.

I will draw the attention of the company to the substance of the hon. Member's question.

On behalf of the hon. Member for South Monaghan, I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that a number of tramps have been frequenting the workhouse of Carrickmacross during the past years, and that members of this class attempted to burn that workhouse recently; whether the inspector to the Local Government Board of Carrickmacross district has reported upon this tramps nuisance, and suggested any remedy, or will he ask a report from him on this subject; and whether, seeing that casuals to workhouses do not work, but walk from workhouse to workhouse, which are built so near to each other that it is recreation for them, he will consider the advisability of compulsory amalgamation of workhouses, which would be an inducement to make able bodied tramps work if they had longer journeys from one workhouse to another.

I have already stated that it is probable a large number of the admissions to the Carrickmacross workhouse belonged to the tramp class. Three persons of this class were recently sent for trial to the assizes charged with an attempt to set fire to the dormitory of the workhouse. As respects the second paragraph, I have nothing to add to the statement made by me on the 26th July. If the guardians desire to confer with the Local Government Board inspector on the subject, he will be instructed to attend before them at any time they may appoint. With reference to the third paragraph, I do not think, having regard to the requirements of the deserving sick and poor, that it would be advisable to close workhouses merely for the purpose of imposing on tramps longer journeys in travelling from one workhouse to another. If amalgamation on general grounds is desirable, and can be carried out without hardship to the sick and destitute, the Board will at all times be glad to further the wishes of the local authorities in the matter.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if his attention has been directed to a resolution passed at the annual meeting of the Donegal National Teachers' Association, held at Stranorlar on Saturday, 28th July, wherein complaint is made that when it is considered necessary to introduce industrial subjects into schools, adequate provision is not made for supplying the necessary apparatus from some definite source, as too many inroads are made on the incomes of the teachers in supplying the children free for the most part with school requisites, and in keeping the schools furnished with maps and other appliances; and whether the necessary requisites on the Commissioners' school list under heading "For Use in Schools only and not for Sale to Pupils" should be supplied gratis to National schools on the recommendation of the inspector, as the teachers in many cases have to provide these at their own expense.

The resolution referred to does not appear to have been received. The question of making an equipment grant as an aid to local expenditure, with a view to encourage manual instruction under the new scheme, is receiving consideration by the Com- missioners. The proposal to provide schools with the ordinary apparatus for collective teaching free of cost is not one that can, at present, be favourably entertained.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that 2,500 voters have been struck off the voters' list in Waterford City for nonpayment of poor rates since October last because the rate notices were not served until about April, and that the people concerned did nut know that they should be paid before 1st July; whether he can say who is responsible in this matter; and whether he will take steps to save the 2,500 people concerned from being disfranchised through no fault of their own.

I am informed that some 2,700 persons have been omitted from the voters' lists prepared by the town clerk for the borough of Waterford, by reason of non-payment of rates. The rate notices referred to in the question were posted in April as stated, and the notices calling attention to the necessity for payment of the rates required by Section 30 of the Registration Act, 1850, were duly kept published from the 5th June to 1st July. All statutory requirements were, I understand, complied with. There are no steps which it is competent to the Government to take in the matter.

On behalf of the hon. Member for East Mayo, I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that in the Knockaduff electoral division of Belmullet union, county Mayo, under the adjustment order of the Irish Local Government Board, a rate has been struck of £1 4s. in the £, which, under the provisions of the Irish Local Government Act, must be borne exclusively by the occupiers; is he aware that the rate so struck is made up of an accumulation of arrears extending over a number of years, and that more than two-thirds were the portion originally due by the landlords; and whether, having re- gard to the fact that since this rate was struck a large amount of the arrears have been collected and credited to the union at large, instead of the division of Knockaduff, which is still liable for the entire rate, and in view of the poverty of the district, he will use his influence with the Local Government Board to grant the request of a memorial forwarded by the ratepayers of the Knockaduff electoral division, who are eighty-three in number, with rents varying from £2 to £4 per annum, to relieve the occupiers of a greater liability for the payment of this rate than that to which they were originally subject, and to permit of the payment of this reduced sum by instalments.

It is not a fact that a rate of £1 4s. in the £ has been struck in the electoral division mentioned. The rate amounts to 9s. 11d. in the £ on land and 12s. 3d. in the £ on other hereditaments; but it must be remembered that no rate was struck in the county Mayo for the second half of the last financial year owing to the state of the accounts of the county council, and the whole rate was carried forward into the current year's estimate, which accordingly covered a period of eighteen months, The current rate includes 5s. 10d. in the £ under the adjustment order of the Board for the clearing off of old liabilities due by the division, but this special rate will be confined to the present levy alone, and the next half-year's rate will therefore be 4s. 1d. on land and 6s. 5d. on other hereditaments, and this, as already pointed out, is one-half of an eighteen months rate. For years past insufficient rates were struck by the guardians for the division, and they failed to complete the collection of such rates; it was accordingly inevitable that a balancing up of the account would find the division heavily in debt. The Board have received the memorial referred to, and have informed the county council, in reference to a proposal made by them on the subject, that they will offer no objection to the amount collected before the appointed day being credited to the division. There is no power to comply with the suggestion that the rate, or portion of it, be paid by instalments.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these people are under the impression that they are being taxed twice over for the same matter?

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to-the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if the Coleraine Board of Guardians received any recoupment in respect of medicines purchased by them during the period immediately prior to and ending on 30th September, 1899; on what date did the Local Government Board approve of the appointment by the guardians of their analyst; was any recoupment made in respect of medicines purchased during the said period, but used before the appointment of the analyst, and was any recoupment made for the said period to the guardians in respect of any medicines which the analyst for any reason was unable to certify; and will he state whether it is within the power of the Local Government Board in exceptional circumstances, such as the late appointment of an analyst, to dispense with his certificate of analysis in a proper case.

Recoupment in respect of the full amount claimed as the cost of medicines, etc., for the half-year ended 30th September, 1899, was allowed to the board of guardians of the Coleraine Union. The analyst was appointed on the 26th August, 1899, and made his analysis of the drugs in use within the half-year, thereby enabling the guardians to obtain recoupment in respect of all medicines supplied during that period. The Local Government Board are not aware that the analyst was unable to certify in respect of any medicines obtained during the half-year. Samples of all the medicines supplied are taken and submitted to the analyst, and his certificates in the case of Coleraine Union were satisfactory. It is not within the-power of the Board to sanction recoupment until the guardians obtain a certificate from an analyst recognised by the Board, as required by Article 36, paragraph 4, of the Board's dispensary rules, dated 24th February, 1899.

On behalf of the hon. Member for South Monaghan, I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that inconvenience is caused to the people of Doagh, Corlea, Greaghlone, and neighbouring townlands, owing to the letters for that district being sent viâ Shercock, instead of from Carrickmacross as heretofore; whether he is aware that the route from Carrickmacross to Greaghlone was established upon the guarantee of Mr. Francis Lambe, which cost him £6 per annum for some years; whether he will restore the delivery of letters direct from Carrickmacross to Greaghlone which worked so well and conveniently to the people of the neighbourhood; whether he is aware that the new messenger from the Shercock route refused to deliver letters to Mr. Patrick Murray Doagh and Mr. Owen Lambe, and if he can state what steps he intends to take in reference to this postman; and whether he will refund the money paid by Mr. F. Lambe in establishing this postman's route from Carrickmacross to Greaghlone.

It appears that some inconvenience has been caused to the inhabitants of the townlands referred to by the hon. Member, owing to letters for the district being sent for a time via Shercock, instead of from Carrickmacross as formerly. The post from Carrickmacross was extended to Greaghlone in February, 1891, under a guarantee of £5 4s. 4d. a year from Mr. Francis Lambe, but the guarantee was dispensed with in June, 1892, when the service 'became self-supporting. The delivery of letters direct from Carrickmacross to Greaghlone has now been restored. Some letters for Mr. Patrick Murray and Mr. Owen Lambe were not sent out for delivery, because arrangements for extending the free delivery to their houses had not then been completed; but a delivery on three days a week has now been established. The Postmaster General does not see any reason for refunding to Mr. F. Lambe the money paid by him under guarantee.

On behalf of the hon. Member for South Monaghan, I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that confusion exists in the district of Doagh and Greaghlone owing to the changes made in the delivery of letters; whether he is aware that no postman admits these and several other townlands as being in his radius; whether he is aware that a letter was posted on 16th July in Middlesbrough for Mr. Patrick Connors, Doagh, Carrickmacross, which letter if sent by the usual route via Carrickmacross and Greaghlone would have been delivered on 17th July, but was not delivered until 24th July, and that several letters posted in Carrickmacross for Mr. Owen Lambe, Doagh, did not reach him for almost a week, although posted within a couple of miles of his house; and whether he will put a stop to the present confusion in letter delivery by arranging for a messenger direct to Greaghlone from Carrickmacross, as was the case since 1892.

The Postmaster General regrets that there has been some confusion in the district of Doagh and Greaghlone, near Carrickmacross, owing to a misunderstanding as to the new arrangements for delivering letters. It appears that the letters referred to by the hon. Member were sent to a local post office without proper instructions having been given for their delivery, and thus sustained delay. Serious notice will be taken of this irregularity, and instructions have now been given for the direct service from Carrickmacross to Greaghlone to be resumed.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in view of the fact that the Prevention of Corruption Bill, introduced by the Lord Chief Justice, has passed through the House of Lords, and that the principle of the Bill has received the approval of the Association of Chambers of Commerce of the United Kingdom, of the Congress of the Co-operative Societies, and of numerous chambers of trade, trade associations, and trade protection societies throughout the country, Her Majesty's Government will consider the expediency of themselves introducing legislation, at an early opportunity, for the purpose of dealing with the evils against which the Bill is directed.

In answer to the right hon. Gentleman, I am bound to say that this Bill comes before us with very high credentials, but I can hardly commit myself to any promise of Government legislation without further con- sideration than I have been able to give to the matter.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury what was the number of Private Bills relating to localities in England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, respectively, introduced during the last session of Parliament.

I am informed that the figures arc—for England 213, for Scotland 34, for Ireland 14, and for Wales 30.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury in what order he proposes to take the business on Monday.

The first business will be the remaining stages of the Colonial Stock Bill and of the War Loan Bill; then we shall take the Lords Amendments, and then the Appropriation Bill.

I wish to call the attention of the First Lord of the Treasury to the order in which the Votes to be taken on Report of Supply have been placed on the Paper. I am aware that the Leader of the Opposition asked for some further opportunity for discussion on the Colonial Office Vote, and that is the Vote which is first put down on the Paper. It will, however, be more in accordance with the usage of the House if the Votes which wore "guillotined" in Committee are taken first on the Report stage. I asked the Loader of the Opposition whether he still desired that this Vote should be put down first, and my right hon. friend told me that he had no desire that it should be so.

The hon. Member must confine himself to something in the nature of a question.

I think the right hon. Gentleman understands my question. I believe the order could be changed even now on a motion by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury.

The hon. Member speaks not only for himself, but also, I understand, for the Leader of the Opposition.

I never do anything without the approval of my Leader.

As the Leader of the Opposition asked that the Colonial Office Vote should be put first, and I formally assented, I do not see how I can put it back in the absence of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Stirling Burghs. Cannot some right hon. Gentleman opposite move it?

We cannot. It must lie done by the representative of the Government.

The natural course would have been to have followed the usual practice of taking Votes which have not been discussed. An hon. Member informs me that on the previous evening the Loader of the Opposition said that ho supposed the course which would be taken by the Government would be to put down the so-called guillotined Votes first.

Of course I am bound to accept that as the view of the Leader of the Opposition. It comes upon mo as a great surprise, because it will be remembered that he complained of the short discussion on the Colonial Office Vote, and asked me whether I could not give another opportunity for discussing it. Of course if he has now altered his opinion, and if he thinks the discussion on last Wednesday was sufficient, I should be glad to meet the wishes of the hon. Member. I gather the right hon. Gentleman is commissioned indirectly to state that.

I have not the permission of the Leader of the Opposition to express his opinion. I only expressed my own view, and stated what I have been told by an hon. Member.

This is rather a perplexing position in which we find ourselves in the unexpected absence of the Leader of the Opposition. The best thing is to let the Colonial Office Vote be taken sub silentio, and then we might get on to the other Votes.

Speaking only for myself——

Order, order ! The hon. Member has no right to speak for himself or for anybody else, as there is no question before the House. May I point out that the first Order of the Day, "Supply (25th July) Report," cannot be put into another place on the Paper except by the general consent of the House on a motion by the Government? To postpone it to another day would be contrary to the Sessional Order, which requires all outstanding Report of Supply to be disposed of to-day. Nothing can be done except to call it on, and then it may be disposed of as quickly as the House thinks fit.