I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is now in a position to give the House any information as to the advance of the British and other relief forces towards Peking, and also with regard to the present position of the Ministers and other Europeans in Peking.

No, Sir. Communications both from the Legations and from the relief force have come to us by runner and by despatch-boat, and we have no information from either later than that we have given to the House.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty if he can state the strength and composition of the Colonial and Naval force despatched to China by the Australian colonies; whether the officers and men of this force will form part of the navy on the China station and be under the Admiral; whether they will be available for service afloat and ashore as he may determine; and under what Discipline Act will this force serve; and whether the cost of this colonial naval force will be borne by the Imperial or the Colonial Exchequer; and, if by the Imperial Exchequer, whether it will be a naval charge.

The Colonial and Naval force about to be despatched to China by the Australasian colonies consists of 200 officers and men from Victoria, 300 officers and men from New South Wales, and the "Protector" gunboat with a crew of 112 officers and men from South Australia. This force will be under the Naval Discipline Act, and available for service afloat or ashore as the admiral may determine. The cost of the Colonial force will be partly borne by the Imperial and partly by the Colonial Exchequers.

What is to be done with the men who go out without any ships?

They are to be sent out by transport, and will be available wherever wanted.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if it has come to his knowledge that papers showing that the Transvaal Government had previous to the Jameson raid been preparing for war were taken away to Europe by the Boer delegates, rumour of such a disposition of papers being current in South Africa.

I have not heard the rumours, and I have no the subject.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether directions have been, or will be, given that no undue inducements should be held out to the members of the Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand contingents to settle in South Africa at the close of the war, having regard to the urgent need of young men for the development of these colonies, and the general understanding that the contingents would return to their respective colonies at the cessation of hostilities.

It is not contemplated by Her Majesty's Government to treat members of colonial contingents differently from members of other corps. I have already informed the House that an Inter-Departmental Committee has been formed to consider the subject, but as it is evident that full inquiry on the spot will also be necessary, I propose to appoint a small Committee, consisting of Mr. Arnold-Forster, M.P., chairman, and two local members, who will examine into the subject in South Africa and report fully upon it to Her Majesty's Government.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War what there was in the nature of the country or in the operations I involved to necessitate the sufferings and privations to which the British troops under General Bundle have been exposed; who was responsible for the victualling of these troops, and what was the base from which they were supplied; whether quantities of provisions were stacked at country sidings while these troops were starving; and whether stops have now been taken to supply these troops with adequate food and other necessaries.

No official information has reached the War Office in regard to the reported privations of General Rundle's force. Such details of the campaign are not reported to the War Office, and the Secretary of State does not propose to make any inquiries of Lord Roberts on the subject.

I bog to give notice that, in consequence of the lion. Gentleman's reply, I will, on the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill, call attention to this matter, which is exciting the most painful interest in the public mind.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether any information has yet reached the War Office of the sentences of death alleged to have been passed on Captain Tossel and Mr. Solomon Gillingham, of Pretoria; if so, what was the charge, by what tribunal were they tried, what was the sentence passed, what date was fixed for its execution, and has it been carried into effect yet, or when is it intended to be carried into effect.

No, Sir.

I bog to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the fact that civil medical officers in South Africa do not get colonial allowance, though such allowance is allowed to every other person now serving in the British Army in South Africa; and whether he will take steps to remedy this state of affairs.

The civil medical practitioners engaged for service in South Africa are paid according to the special terms for which they engaged—namely, pay at £1 a day, field allowance at 3s. 6d. a day, servant's allowance, Government horse with forage, and field rations while in the field, with a gratuity of two months pay at the expiration of their contract. They accordingly receive higher emoluments than many of the officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps. The Secretary of State for War sees no reason for making any addition to their emoluments.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, having regard to the fact that code messages can be sent to South Africa via Delagoa Bay, whether it will now be possible to allow mercantile messages to be sent in code to Natal, the code employed being previously submitted and sanctioned by the competent authorities.

The question of relaxing the existing regulations in Cape Colony and Natal, which have been in force since November, 1899, is engaging the attention of the Government and of the civil and military authorities in those colonies, and it is hoped that an announcement may shortly be made on the subject.

On behalf of the hon. Member for North Kerry I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that complaints by letter and otherwise have been recently made by members of the Kerry Militia, now stationed at Gosport; and whether he will inquire into the alleged ill-treatment and punishment inflicted on men of the Kerry Militia owing to their unwillingness to volunteer for service in South Africa.

The Secretary of State for War is not aware of any complaint by letter or otherwise from any men of the Kerry Militia. As all soldiers are by regulation given facilities for making their complaints through the authorised channels, there is no necessity for any inquiry.

I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that Private R. Gillen, No. 3216, Royal Irish Rifles, who was, on the completion of six years service, discharged home with good character from the Finner Camp, Ballyshannon, on Monday, the 23rd instant, was denied the full annual bounty, and can he explain for what reason; and why Gillen's daily pay was stopped from the Wednesday previous to his discharge; and, as this man is the solo support of his mother and sister, will the stoppages be made good to him.

The man was paid up to the 22nd July, the date of expiration of his service. Authority has been given for the payment of bounty which was withheld at the time of his discharge because the amount he was to receive was uncertain.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether ho will state the number of cannon purchased in Germany during the present year, and of what type.

I have already stated that it is against the public interest to give information at the present time as regards purchases of war material.

Not even from Birmingham?

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Post-master General, whether the Postal authorities have issued an order stating that it will be impossible to allow leave of absence to any of the men of the 24th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps., who are working in the Inland Section or the E.G. District Office, to attend camp; whether men belonging to other corps have been refused leave in a similar manner; and whether, having regard to the recent appeal made by the Government to employers, urging them to use every means in their power to give leave to their workmen for the purpose of attendance at the various camps of instruction, he will in some way provide for these men to have leave in order that they may make themselves efficient in drill and other duties as Volunteers.

The Postmaster General regrets that it has not been found possible to allow leave of absence to all the men of the 24th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps engaged in the Inland branch of the Circulation Office and in the East Central District who have applied to attend camps, and it has also been found necessary to refuse a certain number of men belonging to other corps. This is partly due to the great pressure of work in the offices in question at the present time owing to the recent removal to Mount Pleasant, to the number of men who have been withdrawn for service at the front, and to the impossibility of obtaining a sufficient number of substitutes without imposing an undue strain on those members of the staff who are not Volunteers and imperilling the proper performance of their duties. It may be added that there are at the present moment between 300 and 400 men belonging to the 24th Middlesex in camp, and a further number will be similarly engaged next week.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can state the amount of the estimated expenditure on submarine vessels (in addition to those already built) for which provision is made in the latest Navy Estimates of the United States and France respectively.

During the financial year beginning 1st July, 1900, the Secretary of the United States has been authorised to contract for five submarine boats at a price not exceeding 170,000 dollars each. During the financial year beginning 1st January, 1900, the French Estimates provide £140,292 for submarine boats.

Do the French figures represent the total expenditure or only the estimates for the year?

The estimates for the year.

Arising out of the answer, may I ask whether my right hon. friend will say whether the Board of Admiralty are dealing with this matter?

I do not think the question does arise out of my answer.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has official cognizance of the fact that the Premier of Now Zealand has submitted to the Parliament of that colony proposals for providing naval and military forces for the general service of the Empire in war; whether they involve joint responsibility and expenditure by the Imperial Government and the Governments of Australasian colonies; what is the general outline of such proposals; and what has been the action, if any, taken by the Parliament of New Zealand upon them.

I have received through the Governor of New Zealand a memorandum by his Premier on the subject to which the hon. Member refers. It is in the nature of suggestions for discussion by a conference of Imperial and Colonial representatives, and not of a definite scheme. It is too long to summarise in answer to a question, but a fairly accurate summary will be found in a Reuter's message which appeared in the morning papers of 23rd July.† I have no information as to what action, if any, has been taken upon it by the New Zealand Parliament.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is in a position to indicate the date on which the Royal Proclamation calling the Australian Commonwealth into being will be issued.

Until the result of the referendum in Western Australia has been dealt with by the Parliament of the colony I am not in a position to advise Her Majesty as to the date for the issue of the Proclamation.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has received any official information as to the result of the Federal referendum in Western Australia.

I have received a telegram from the Acting Governor stating that the referendum in Western Australia has resulted in the adoption of the Commonwealth Bill by a large majority.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the attention of the Foreign Office has been called to the statements made by Mr. Grogan in a recent paper read to the Royal Geographical Society, in which he says that in the valley above the Albert Nyanza the natives had been raided and shot

Information as to violations of the frontier has reached the Foreign Office. The facts are admitted by the State authorities, who have lost no time in expressing their regret, and will punish the offenders severely if the offence is brought home to them.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that anxiety exists in the parish of Dalton-le-Dale, Sunderland, in consequence of the doubtful legality of 334 marriages which have been solemnised in the old parish church between the years 1876 and 1879,. whereas they should have taken place in the new church; whether he is aware that correspondence upon the subject has been going on for seven years, and that, though the Registrar General describes the difficulty as resulting from the illegal action of the Vicar of Dalton-le-Dale, and that, though the persons married under these circumstances are blameless, the-local ecclesiastical authorities have-demanded a guarantee of the costs of rectifying the blunder, and thereby indignation has been aroused; and whether he will take steps, by bringing a Bill into Parliament, or otherwise, to place the-legality of these marriages beyond dispute without expense or further anxiety to the parties.

I am aware of the question which has been raised regarding the marriages referred to; and a Bill has been drafted, which will, it is hoped, be laid before Parliament early next session, to quiet all doubts as to the validity of these marriages and of certain others in which similar irregularities have occurred elsewhere. I am informed that correspondence upon the subject at Dalton-le-Dale commenced as long ago as 1893; and I think it is to be regretted that the irregularities were allowed to continue so long afterwards. As regards the cost of legalising the marriages already solemnised, the secretary to the Bishop of Durham, who received a deputation from the vestry of the parish in December last, informs me that he has no knowledge of any question of this kind having arisen. The only point discussed with him was the fee which would be payable if a licence were now granted to the old church legalising the celebration of marriages there in future.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that Mr. Frank Hill, a gasworker living at Hyde, was fined by the magistrates for not sending his child to a school, since declared by the Board of Education to be too far from the parent's home; that, on refusing to pay the fine, Mr. Hill was arrested in his own house, marched through the streets in the daytime, searched at the police station, and locked up in the cells until the money was paid; and that Mr. Hill's cottage was well stocked with household effects upon which the police could have distrained, which they refused to do; and whether he will take steps to censure the police for this arrest and detention of Mr. Hill, and to refund to him the money he had to pay as fine, seeing that the Board of Education has justified him in claiming free education at a school within reasonable distance of his house.

I have already gone carefully into this case. Mr. Frank Hill was fined for not sending his child to school, and on refusing to pay was duly arrested after several warnings from the police. The arrest was legal, and he was detained only fifteen minutes. The police state that there was nothing in the house on which distraint could be levied. There is no ground for censuring the police for their action in the matter; and as to the fine, the proceedings which led to it were perfectly regular. In view, however, of what subsequently happened I am consulting the Board of Education as to whether it might not be possible to remit the fine.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that a Nonconformist minister in Blackpool himself testified that he saw furniture worth £15 in this man's house?

I have the statement of the inspector of police who visited the house twice. He informs me there were no goods that could be distrained upon.

It was the Rev. W. Evans, of Blackpool.

I know him perfectly well. He has written me several letters.

I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works whether he will consider the desirability of providing the park keepers with long waterproofs in place of the present short capes.

The matter is under consideration, and I will let my hon. friend know the result later on.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the outlay involved in the burial of dead bodies washed ashore on the coast of seaboard counties; whether he has received a memorial on the subject from the county council of Anglesey; and whether he will take steps to obtain a contribution from the Exchequer to lessen the loss which now falls upon the ratepayers of the county, or take other necessary steps to remedy the grievance under the present law.

The attention of my right hon. friend has been called to the subject to which the hon. Member refers, and he has received a memorial from the Anglesey County Council respecting it. It has, however, always been considered that counties enjoying the many benefits which the possession of a sea-coast confers may fairly be called upon to meet charges such as the one in question, and it is not likely that the Treasury would be willing to make any contribution as suggested. Moreover, legislation for the purpose would be requisite.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether the National Telephone Company have intimated to the Postmaster General that they agree, in terms of Section 3 of the Telegraphs Act, 1899, to it being made a condition of their licence that they will not give preference to any person within the area specified in the licence by the Postmaster General to the Corporation of Glasgow, and will not within that area, as a condition of giving a service, require any person to grant any facility except for the purposes of supplying telephonic communication to that person; whether they have claimed, in respect of coming under this condition, that the permissive powers to open streets in certain burghs within that area now hold good for the whole term of their licence, and further, that their licence be extended from 1911 to 1913, so as to terminate at the same time as the licence to the Corporation of Glasgow; whether the company have issued a print of an agreement with subscribers in the Glasgow area, dated 18th June, 1900, under which the intending subscriber must bind himself as a condition of receiving a connection from the company not to subscribe to any exchange telephone system other than that of the company, or use at any of his premises any telephone instruments in connection with any such other system, and the company thus propose to give favour of preference to persons in the Glasgow district who do not join the Corporation Telephone Exchange as against those persons who do join that exchange; and what steps the Postmaster General is prepared to take to secure that the company shall not obtain privileges under last year's Telegraphs Act, and at the same time refuse its obligations.

The National Telephone Company have stated to the Postmaster General that they are willing that the conditions mentioned in the question shall be made a condition of their licence. They have also undertaken to prove to the satisfaction of the Postmaster General that they have incurred, or contracted to incur, material expenditure in laying underground wires in certain burghs in the Glasgow area, and have acquired powers for the purpose under agreements with the local authorities. The Postmaster General is not aware that the company have at present claimed that the powers given by their agreements with local authorities in the Glasgow area will hold good during the period of the licence granted to the Corporation of Glasgow, and that their licence will be extended for the full period of the corporation licence; but, when the conditions to be observed on the part of the company have been duly complied with, they will, no doubt, claim that they are entitled to the advantages specified in Section 3 of the Telegraph Act, 18a9. The Postmaster General's attention has been drawn to the form of agreement now being offered by the company to their subscribers. There is some doubt whether the condition mentioned by the hon. Member can be held to be a breach of the undertaking not to give preference to persons in the Glasgow area, but there is another condition in the agreement form —that as to giving way-leaves for the wires of other persons—which would unquestionably be a violation of the undertaking not to require any person to grant any facility except for the purpose of supplying telephonic communication to that person. Any breach of the new conditions which the company are to accept as conditions of their licence will, when those conditions are legally in force, render the company liable to the same penalty as a breach of the original conditions—namely, the termination of their licence.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he will reconsider his decision not to grant a Return of the running powers of each railway company of the United Kingdom over the lines of other companies, and of the working arrangements between the several railways, in similar form to the summaries in the Book of Railway Junction Diagrams, formerly published by Mr. J. Airey, of the Railway Clearing House; whether he is aware that, prior to the taking over by the Railway Clearing House of Mr. Airey's copyrights, such information was accessible to traders and the public; and whether the Board of Trade have in their possession the materials for making such a Return, or whether they are dependent upon the goodwill of the railway companies or the Railway Clearing House for the necessary information; whether he can state the grounds on which the railway companies and Railway Clearing House base their refusal to furnish the requisite information; and whether, seeing that it has been represented to him that such information is under certain conditions of importance to traders, he will, in case of the persistence of the railway companies to refuse to traders and the public particulars as to the powers conferred upon them by Parliament, in the interest of the public, take further steps with the object of obtaining for the public the information sought for by the Motion.

I am aware that the information desired was formerly accessible to traders and the public, but the Board of Trade are information by the companies that a statement of statutory running powers possessed by them at any given date could not be permanently relied upon for accurate information, inasmuch as many of the powers so possessed are not exercised, while some are exercised but partially, and others only intermittently, according to varying requirements. The Return which my hon. friend asks for would therefore be obviously misleading, and it appears to me that the better course is to adopt a sug- gestion made by the companies, which is, that traders desiring information on the subject of running powers should apply to the railway company in question for such information. If it is found that the railway companies do not furnish information when requested to do so by persons interested, I will, of course, be happy to give further consideration to the matter.

Does the answer imply that the Board of Trade will give the information?

If the traders, on applying to the company, fail to get the information, then I will give the matter attention.

Then the Board of Trade have not the information?

No, Sir.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if he will state what have been the total expenses of the guardians in the unions of Wellingborough and Kettering in respect of public vaccination in each of the three years ending 31st December, 1897, 31st December, 1898, and 31st December, 1899; and what have been the amounts of the fees to public vaccinators and vaccination officers; and what have been the expenses of prosecutions under the Vaccination Acts in each of the three years named in the said unions. The following questions also appeared on the Paper:—

To ask the President of the Local Government Board if he will state what have been the total expenses of the guardians in the unions of Keighley and Dewsbury in respect of public vaccination in each of the three years ending 31st December, 1897, 31st December 1898, and 31st, December 1899; and what have been the amounts of the fees to public vaccinators and vaccination officers; and what have been the expenses of prosecutions under the Vaccination Acts in each of the three years named in the said unions.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board if he will state what have been the total expenses of the guardians in the unions of Leicester and Market Harborough in respect of public vaccination in each of the three years ending 31st December, 1897, 31st December, 1898, and 31st December, 1899; what have been the amounts of the fees to public vaccinators and vaccination officers; and what have been the expenses of prosecutions under the Vaccination Acts in each of the three years named in the Leicester and Market Harborough unions.

Perhaps I may be allowed to reply at the same time to this question and to the two following ones which stand in the names of the hon. Members for the Keighley and Harborough Divisions. The Local Government Board are not in possession of the information asked for. The expenditure of boards of guardians in relation to public vaccination is shown in the Local Taxation Returns, but these Returns are made up for the twelve months ending in March. The Returns for the year ended March, 1898, have already been published. Those for the following year will be issued in a few days, and the Returns for the year ended at March, 1900, will appear in due course.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that boards of guardians pay their accounts quarterly, and that these figures are obtainable from the boards of guardians? I have obtained them myself. Is the right hon. Gentleman also aware that the Local Taxation Returns, which will be issued in a few days, will only give the expenses of the new system of vaccination for three months from the commencement of the Act, whereas what I ask for is three full years expenses up to the end of 1899.

I am not aware of the fact referred to, but I would point out that Returns affecting only three unions are asked for.

I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether he is aware that Mr. Alexander, the sheriff clerk of the county of Bute, is a partner of, or has a pecuniary interest in, the firm of J. T. Wilson and Alexander, who carry on the business of law agents in Rothesay in the office of the sheriff clerk; and that the process accounts due to the firm are charged in the name of the other partner, and are taxed by the sheriff clerk, who is also auditor of court; and whether all this is in accordance with the position and tenure of office of the sheriff clerk.

I am informed that the Mr. Alexander, sheriff clerk of the county of Bute, has a pecuniary interest in the firm named. I am informed that inasmuch as the firm has never had a process in the Sheriff Court (which class of work alone is prohibited), it has never had a process requiring taxation. The sheriff informs me that he is quite satisfied with the arrangements made in the sheriff clerk's office and with the way the work has been performed therein. I see no reason to differ from him.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the last Report of the Fishery Board for Scotland (Part I.) shows that, owing to the vigilance of the Carnoustie coastguard, the masters of five trawlers were found guilty and fined for trawling within prohibited waters in Carnoustie Bay, Forfarshire, last August; and, in view of the services thus rendered to the Scottish line fishing industry, will he consider the expediency of giving instructions for similar vigilance to be exercised at other coastguard stations on the coast of Great Britain and Ireland.

I am not aware that the coastguard at Carnoustie had instructions differing from those under which the coastguard generally act. Vigilance is enjoined upon all officers and men in carrying out their instructions.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the population of the Aughrane estate, in Killeroran Division, Mount Bellew Union, is 2,583, the valuation of whose holdings is only £3,330 3s.; whether he is aware that a portion of the best lands of the division are let on the eleven months system; and whether, as the Bagot estate, which is now in the Court of Chancery is to be offered for sale, will he have the division scheduled so as to enable the tenants to purchase through the Congested Districts Board.

I have no information as to the estate referred to in the first part of the question, but as it is stated to be in an electoral division which is not scheduled as congested within the meaning of Section 36 of the 54 and 55 Viet. cap. 48, there is no legal power to extend the provisions of this enactment to the division.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the hardship caused by the existing regulations for the transport of dogs from Ireland to Wales; and whether, following the precedent of last year, he will so far relax the restrictions as to allow an owner on production of a veterinary surgeon's certificate to bring his dog from Ireland to Wales.

My right hon. friend desires me to say that his attention has been called to the matter to which the hon. Member refers, but he regrets that he does not see his way to relax the existing restrictions in the manner suggested. The arrangement made last year did not work very satisfactorily; very few persons availed themselves of it, and the fact that there is every reason to believe that rabies no longer exists in Great Britain, appears to my right hon. friend to make it more than ever his duty to take every possible precaution against its re-introduction from Ireland, where, unfortunately, cases still occur from time to time.

On behalf of the hon. Member for North Kerry, I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state what quantity of land is held by Captain R. Leslie, D.L., of Tarbert, county Kerry, in his own possession, and how many labourers' cottages, if any, have been erected by the local authority on the land in Captain Leslie's possession; and whether Captain Leslie has been a consenting party to the erection of labourers' cottages on his lands.

The clerk of the rural district council! states that the quantity of land held by Captain Leslie in his own possession is 452 acres, the valuation of which is £274. The number of labourers' cottages erected by the local authority on this land is six. Captain Leslie has, so the clerk states, consented to the erection of two of these cottages.

On behalf of the hon. Member for North Kerry, I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state if Mr. S. E. Collis, of Tiereclea, Tarbert, county Kerry, has recently been appointed to the Commission of the Peace; whether Mr. Collis was at any previous time a magistrate; and, if so, why has he been appointed now a second time; and on what grounds and on whose recommendation was Mr. Collis recently appointed a magistrate.

Mr. Collis, who had been an active magistrate for twenty years, resigned his Commission of the Peace in 1893 in order to become a candidate for a county office which he obtained. That office having been abolished by the Local Government Act, he was last year re-apppointed to the magistracy on the recommendation of the Lieutenant of the county, who considered him a fit and proper person to be a magistrate.

On behalf of the hon. Member for North Kerry, I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that in a case of trespass between Mr. Warden and another, heard at the Sneem Petty Sessions, county Kerry, the local district inspector of police took part on the side of Mr. Warden, who is a local landlord; whether it is usual for police officers to act in this way on a private trespass summons; and, if the matter be denied by the local officer, will the constabulary authorities grant an inquiry into the case.

I am not aware of any case in which the District Inspector of Constabulary acted improperly.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that in several places on the west coast of Ireland a destruction of wild birds is being carried on; and, if this practice is not in accordance with the regulations issued, whether he will direct that greater vigilance should be exercised by the proper authorities for its prevention.

The destruction of wild birds in the close season would, of course, be illegal, but from reports received from the Constabulary it appears there is no destruction of wild birds in the west of Ireland, as suggested in the question. The Constabulary are fully instructed to enforce the Wild Birds Protection Acts, and I believe they are vigilant to prevent any contravention of the law in this respect.

I beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland whether complaints were made to the police, or reports made by the local police or any of them to the authorities, to the effect that the man Smith, since convicted of the murder of the Rev. Mr. Hudson, was in possession of arms and a danger to the public safety; did Constable Langrille, of the Clarina Petty Sessions District, make such a report in the autumn or early winter of last year; and is he aware that Langrille so stated at the trial of Smith; can he say what steps, if any, were taken to control the man Smith, and, if none were taken, can ho explain on what grounds, and if such reports were received by the authorities; and can he state whether such reports have since been mislaid, and if it is the intention of the Government, in consequence of the local feeling occasioned by this murder, to hold an inquiry into the conduct of the police authorities immediately responsible for the peace of the district.

No complaints were made to the police, and no reports were made by them of the character mentioned in the first paragraph. Constable Langrille stated at the trial that he had made inquiries respecting the discharge by Smith of a firearm in the yard attached to his house in September last, rather incautiously, and that he reported that Smith was duly licensed to keep arms. Neither the constable nor any other person reported that the possession of arms by Smith was a danger to the public safety. No stops were taken by the police to control Smith. The discharge by him of a firearm in September of last year was not considered a sufficient reason for recommending the withdrawal of his arms, licence. The reports made by the police respecting this incident, which were not of a formal character, were not mislaid. They were not furnished to headquarters, and were destroyed with other documents, by the local police as being of no value. It is not the intention of the Government to hold an inquiry, as suggested in the last paragraph of the question.

If this man Smith had been a Nationalist instead of a supporter of the Government, would he have been allowed the arms?

Order, order!

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that the highest rate of interest—namely, 5 per cent.—is charged by the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland on advances of public moneys for public libraries, and the construction of fishery piers and harbours, and can he explain why these particular items are so weighted with a maximum period of repayment of twenty-five years.

The maximum period in both cases is that fixed by 1 and 2 Will. IV. cap. 33, s. 40. The interest, in cases where the security of local rates is given, follows the rate fixed by the Treasury for such loans under the Public Works Loans Act of 1897. That rate is at present 3½ per cent., not 5 per cent. Where the security of local rates is not given, the rate of interest on pier and harbour loans would be, under 46 and 47 Vict. cap. 26, 3½ per cent.; under 9 Vict, cap. 3, 5 per cent. As a matter of fact, however, no loans have for many years been made under either of these Acts.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland why labourers' cottages, erected by order of the Land Commission, bearing rate of interest 3½ per cent., are required to be paid for in twenty-two years, while, at the same rate of interest, for the cottages erected by boards of guardians fifty years are allowed for repayment.

The two classes of loans are made under different Acts and on different security. Clearly, better terms can be allowed when loans have the collateral security of the rates. The maximum of fifty years is not always granted even in this number of loans having been made for a period of thirty-five years.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that Mr. Joseph Gibson, postmaster at Ballygowan, county Down, after several reprimands, walked on 7th July and also on 12th July at the head of an Orange procession, and whether, this same gentleman having been previously reprimanded for having appeared in public in a similar way, he will now consider his conduct with a view of having an assurance from him that he will not take part in future in such processions.

The sub-postmaster referred to by the hon. Member did, it has been ascertained, walk at the head of an Orange procession on the 8th and 12th of July last. An anonymous complaint was made in 1898 that the sub-postmaster had taken part in Orange processions, and it was then pointed out to him that it was undesirable that an officer in his position should take a prominent part in such demonstrations. He has now given an assurance that he will refrain from so doing in future.

Will the right hon. Gentleman see that it is carried out?

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state when the inquest on the Irish gold ornaments, which has been ordered by the Treasury, is likely to take place.

It has recently been ascertained that the words of the patent of 10 Charles II., granted to the Irish Society for the plantation of Ulster, are large enough to vest in the society the right to treasure trove. Under these circumstances it will be necessary to consider whether the Crown has any interest in the controversy and whether such proceedings as may be taken should not be instituted by that society.

On behalf of the hon. Member for Cambridge University (Sir Richard Jebb), I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in view of the fact that the Bill to amend the law relating to literary copyright has been submitted to two separate Select Committees of the House of Lords, has twice been passed by that House, and has also received the approval of authors, publishers, chambers of commerce, and other bodies interested in copyright property, Her Majesty's Government will consider the expediency of themselves introducing legislation on the lines of that Bill.

My hon. friend will understand that I am very reluctant to give pledges at the end of the session about work in another session; that reluctance is increased in the present case from the fact that the Government have no information at present as to how a Bill is viewed in the colonies which very greatly affects those colonies.