I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can state how much money has been spent up to 31st December last, or other convenient date, on secret contracts or secret purchases in connection with the South African war; and can he state when purchases or contracts are kept secret from this House who determines or advises the prices to be given, particularly under the following heads —namely, conveyance of troops, arms, ammunition, food, forage, tentage, tools and engines, railway material, clothing and bedding, hospital stores, animals, and saddlery and harness.

I am afraid I cannot give the information asked for by the hon. Member in the first part of his question. Terms of contract are settled, generally speaking, by the Director of Contracts in consultation with the military authorities concerned, and subject to the concurrence of the Financial Secretary and Secretary of State where the importance of the matter requires it. The chief exceptions to the above rule are the conveyance of troops by sea, which rests mainly with the Admiralty, and the purchase of horses, which rests with the Inspector General of Remounts.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War will he say if the War Office refused to send home for interment at Berrington, near Shrewsbury, the body of Arthur Dodd, one of the Shropshire Yeomanry, who recently died of pneumonia at Aldershot, and if a subscription for the purpose had to be collected in his native village.

There was no refusal on the part of the War Office to send home the body for interment. Private Dodd's friends were informed of his death, and an undertaker representing them came to the barracks and asked permission to remove the body for burial. Permission was granted and the body was removed. The undertaker asked no question as to the War Office defraying the expenses, nor has any communication been received from the man's friends on the subject. On application, the usual amount, representing the cost of burial at Aldershot, will be paid by the War Department.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether ho can inform the House upon what terms and conditions Yeomanry regiments will this year be called up for their annual training.

I will deal with this question on introducing the Army Estimates.

Will the Report of the Yeomanry Committee then be in the hands of hon. Members?

I cannot say. It has, however, been laid on the Table.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that several members of the Hampshire Yeomanry were attested and sworn in at Winchester on 12th February, when it was intimated to them that they would be required to join in three or four days, whereas they have not been required to join yet; whether he is aware that, although several of these young men gave up their employment to join the Yeomanry and are consequently without funds to pay for their board and lodging, on their applying at Winchester for a portion of the pay due to them since 12th February they were informed that they could receive no pay before joining; and whether, considering the pecuniary difficulties in which they are involved, orders may be given that these men should at once receive the pay due to them since 12th February.

The officer commanding the Hampshire Yeomanry paid the men their expenses and informed them that they would be entitled to draw their pay from the 12th. Instructions have been sent to this officer to carry out the regulations under which men should be regularly paid after being medically examined and attested from the date of attestation.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether any information can be given as to the disposal of books and papers sent out to men serving at the front in South Africa, and especially to the wounded in hospitals, whether any further parcels can now be sent, and how and to whom they may be addressed.

Parcels intended for individuals can be sent as heretofore, addressed to the man at his unit in South Africa. Parcels intended for distribution should be addressed to the Officer Commanding the Army Service Corps at Cape Town, marked for the use of the unit or hospital for which they are intended. They should be sent through the Embarking Staff Officer at Southampton, carriage paid to that port.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether any, and if so how many, of the Imperial Yeomanry raised in the midland counties of Ireland are yet at the front; whether promises were made to some of these men that their services would be rewarded when the Boer farms came to be distributed as spoils of war; and can he state whether any of these men have already left the forces to settle in the country.

There is no information available to show how many men of the six Irish companies of the Imperial Yeomanry came from the midland counties of Ireland, or whether any of them left the force to settle in South Africa. Nothing is known of the promises alluded to, but it is contemplated that opportunities for settlement in these countries will be afforded to eligible men.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether non-commissioned officers and men of His Majesty's Reserve regiments of cavalry, on determining their engagements, will be invited to re-enlist on terms similar to those offered by the Royal Warrant of 23rd February, 1901, to soldiers now serving in the Royal Reserve battalions of infantry, or whether they will be discharged on completion of their year's service.

The non-commissioned officers and men in question will be allowed to re-enlist under the terms of the Royal Warrant of the 31st March, 1900, issued as a special Army Order on the 28th April of that year.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if his attention has been called to the case of Private James Ramsey, 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who, although the time for which he enlisted with the colours, as well as his reserve time, has expired, is still at the front in South Africa; and whether immediate steps will be taken to have him sent home; and, if not, will he explain why he is detained.

The Secretary of State's attention has not been called to this case, nor is there any reason why it should be so called. The man in question is liable under the terms of his attestation for Section D of the Army Reserve to serve on till the 10th of July next, unless demobilisation is ordered before that date.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if he can state how many engine-room artificers and stokers have been induced during the current financial year to join the Navy; whether only 55 per cent, of the engine-room artificers, and only 59 per cent, of the number of the stokers, authorised by Parliament have been obtained; and whether, in view of the difficulty of obtaining proper supplies of men for these branches of the service, the conditions of employment will be revised and improved; whether the Admiralty advertised in December last for applications for assistant engineers for the Navy, distributing such advertisements throughout the various seaports for the purpose of ensuring applications; whether more than three applications were received; how many engineers were passed into the service in consequence of such advertisements; and whether any improvement in the conditions of service of engineers is contemplated.

Two hundred and fifty engine-room artificers and 1,566 stokers were entered between 1st April, 1900, and 16th February, 1901. On the 1st instant 97 per cent, of the engine-room artificers voted by Parliament, and 98 per cent, of the stokers, were borne. There is not any difficulty experienced in obtaining sufficient men of both these ratings on existing terms. During a great part of the year restrictions have been placed on recruiting in order to keep within the numbers voted and to ensure the entry of only specially desirable men. The Admiralty caused advertisements to be inserted in two papers only—namely, The Engineer and Engineering—in December last for candidates for assistant engineers for temporary service in the Navy. Several applications were received, but only three were accepted as suitable. These three passed the required examination and were entered in the service. No alteration of a special nature is at present contemplated in the condition of service of engineers, but with a view to any improvement which is desirable in the best interests of the Navy, these officers, in common with all others, have their conditions of service always under consideration at the Admiralty.

I should like to ask if the failure of engine-room artificers to join is due to the nature of the test applied in the dockyards, it being gauge-making rather than practised engineering?

Probably the candidates are better able than the Admiralty to say what has prevented them from joining.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether any information has been obtained from the Governments of Bombay and of the Central Provinces, since the close of last session, as to any projects for the construction of reservoirs or embankments on the Nerbudda or Tapti rivers, with a view to the protection of the western part of the Central Provinces and of Gujerat from drought and famine; and, if no proposals of this kind have yet been made, will he take steps to ensure that early attention be given to this matter.

I have received since the end of last session a Report from the Bombay Government in which it is stated that an irrigation tank is under construction which will irrigate a largo tract of country adjoining the Tapti river. The Government of India have most carefully considered the question of the extension of irrigation wherever practicable, with a view to the prevention of famine; and I will forward a copy of the hon. Member's question and of my answer to India.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any official information to the effect that the German authorities in China are extorting from the local authorities sums of money without consultation with the representatives of the other Powers; and, if not, whether he will make inquiries upon this point.

We under- stand that fines have been inflicted in certain cases by the German military authorities, but this would be a matter within the discretion of the Field Marshal Commanding-in-Chief.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether all the claims for compensation for losses suffered by British subjects during the disturbances in Samoa have now been received by the Foreign Office; and whether any of these claims have been settled; and, if not, can he state the cause of delay.

It is not known that there are any claims for compensation for losses suffered by British subjects during the disturbances in Samoa other than those received and noted at the Foreign Office. None of these claims have been settled, the arguments of the British and American Governments in relation to the military operations in Samoa not having yet been presented to the arbitrator. With regard to claims not occasioned by the military operations His Majesty's Government are in communication with the German Government.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can state when the Papers relating to the administration and financial condition of Crete, promised on the 11th of December last, will be laid upon the Table.

I very much regret the delay that has taken place. The Papers are being prepared aid upon the Table as soon as possible.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he will grant the Return showing the results of the expenditure on the supply of electricity by local authorities on the Paper this day.

I think that the time has come when a Return giving the expenditure on the supply of electrical energy is desirable. The form of the Return suggested by my lion, friend is, I think, capable of improvement. I will consider the matter and communicate further with him.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has satisfied himself that the vibration of the traffic on the Central London Railway is a cause of injury and annoyance to owners and occupiers of the property adjoining the line of route; and, if so, whether he is prepared to advise Parliament to protect the property in the neighbourhood of the proposed now electric lines either by means of improved construction and traction or by compulsory purchase of such property.

With reference to the first part of the hon. Member's question an expert committee is sitting to inquire into the matter, and until it reports I am not in a position to express any opinion. With regard to the second part, the Bills dealing with the new electric lines have been introduced in another place. I understand it is probable that a proposal will be made to refer to a joint committee the consideration of several questions affecting them. Should such proposal be made I hope this House will agree to it.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the evidence given before the Arsenical Poisoning Commission as to the similarity of the symptoms of poisoning from arsenicised beer and from plumbism, and that Professors Oliver and Thorpe have reported that beer is largely taken in the Staffordshire Potteries as an antidote to plumbism; and whether many of the reported cases of plumbism in the four last months of 1900 were cases of arsenical poisoning.

Having made in quiry into this matter I find that during the last four months of 1900 three cases reported as cases of plumbism were considered by the Medical Inspector of Factories and Workshops to be really cases of arsenical poisoning, and were excluded from the Returns of lead-poisoning. The cases are always carefully scrutinised for mistakes in reporting, and there is no reason to think there were any other such cases not detected.

Has the right hon. Gentleman received any complaint as to the character of the beer supplied by the local breweries?

No, Sir.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that provision is made for the defence of poor prisoners in Germany, France, Denmark, the United States, Scotland, and several of our colonies; also that the Bar council have recommended in favour of making similar provision here, and whether he intends taking any steps in the matter.

I do not see my way to take any action in this matter.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the death of George Benton, which took place on 1st February at Messrs. Hooton's factory, Nottingham; and will he inquire whether the planing machine by which Benton was crushed to death was erected before or after 1st January, 1896, and whether, in view of the terrible nature of the accident, ho will consider the advisability of applying the provisions of Section 9 of the Act of 1895 to all self-acting machines irrespective of the date of the erection of the factory.

Inquiry is being made into this case.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what date the proposed draft special rules, suggested to employers in a Home Office circular of December, 1899, and put before the employees in August, 1900, which have recently been formally circulated as proposed special rules, were communicated to the workpeople employed in the pottery trade.

The first draft of the rules was published in the newspapers circulating in the pottery district immediately after it had been communicated to the employers. There is no provision in the Factory Acts requiring that the rules should be formally proposed to the workpeople in the same way as to the employers; but any person interested can be (and has been) supplied with a copy for the asking, and I have directed the inspector for the district to furnish copies of the rules as now proposed to representative workpeople.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if he can state the average poor law valuation per head of population in England, and what is the highest and what the lowest valuation per head.

In 1899 the amount of rateable value per head of the estimated population of England and Wales was £5 10s. 8½d. There are no very recent figures which would give the information asked for in the latter part of the question; but in 1894 the highest amount of rateable value per head of the population according to the Census of 1891, of any poor law union in England and Wales was—excluding the City of London, the circumstances of which are exceptional—£14 5s. 8½d., and the lowest £2 1s. 6d.

I beg to ask the President of the Loca1 Government Board if any Report has yet been received from the Departmental Committee appointed in 1899 to inquire into the use of preservatives and colouring matter in food.

The Report has not at present been received, but I understand that it is in preparation.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he will consider the advisableness of appointing a Committee of the House to consider the administration of local authorities under the various Housing of the Working Classes Acts, with the view to further assisting authorities in their efforts to deal with the problem.

As I intimated in answer to the hon. Member yesterday, I am considering the whole question.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the legal expenses of counsel representing the various London local authorities in connection with the recent inquiry into the abortive regulations proposed by the London water companies will have to be borne by the London ratepayers, or whether it is within the competence of the Local Government Board to give the costs of the inquiry against the water companies.

The Local Government Board have no power to require the water companies to pay the costs referred to in the question, and I may add that if I had such powers I should not consider they ought to be exercised in this case.

Has the right hon. Gentleman any idea as to what the costs are likely to amount to?

No, Sir; of course not.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been directed to the constitution of the last parish council of Great Saughall, and to the circumstances under which the outgoing chairman was reelected, whereby a majority was given to the party defeated at the election of parish councillors; and whether he will take steps to prevent this occurring again.

I am aware of the circumstances of the case referred to in the question. The matter is not one in which the Local Government Board are empowered to take action; but they have expressed their opinion that as the outgoing chairman of the parish council was a candidate for reelection he could not properly act as chairman of the meeting of the council during the election, and I trust that in future this opinion will be acted upon.

I beg to ask the Vice-President of the Committee of Council on Education whether he is now prepared to say how far it may be found practicable to carry into effect his suggestion of July last, made during the discussion in the Standing Committee on Law of the Elementary Education Act, 1900, under which schools would not be required to mark the registers for purposes of averaging attendance on occasiorrs upon which the number of children present might be much reduced by reason of the inclemency of the weather.

The Board of Education are now considering how far, in circumstances such as are described in the question, the managers may be relieved from the existing obligation to mark the registers and formally open the school.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether there has vet been a reduction of county court fees, in accordance with the promises on the subject, last made by the late Secretary to the Treasury and the late Attorney General.

A Committee has inquired into this subject, and a revised Fee Order will come into operation on the 1st April next. The result will be a considerable reduction of the fees in the class of case which the Committee considered to call for relief.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if he can inform the House of the average time of transmission of telegrams between London and New York, London and Paris, and London and Berlin.

The Postmaster General is not in a position to give the time of transmission of telegrams to New York, as the business is in the hands of the companies. As to the time between London and Paris and London and Berlin, he has had the telegrams of the 26th examined. The wires on that day were working well, and he finds that for the twenty-four hours the average time from the handing in of the messages at the counter to their receipt at the place of destination was thirty-two minutes in the case of Paris and thirty-five in the case of Berlin. In the busiest hours the time was longer, especially in the case of Berlin, where, however, he hopes to improve matters by the laying of an additional cable which is now being manufactured.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether, seeing that the auxiliary sorters at Mount Pleasant are now being called upon to sort at the rate of 1,000 in thirty minutes, with twenty-five mis-sorts allowed, and that the majority of these men are only occupied for about forty-five minutes per week upon sorting, he will consider the advisability of modifying the test; and can he say what is the present penalty in case of failure as regards the above-mentioned test.

Auxiliary sorters are not required to sort at the rate mentioned. That rate has for many years past been regarded as the test of efficiency for the established sorting staff, but it has not hitherto been exacted from the auxiliaries. No penalty for inefficiency in sorting on the part of these auxiliaries has been imposed. It has been reported, however, that serious inconvenience involving delay to correspondence was being caused by the slow and incorrect sorting of some of them, and steps have been taken by means of additional teaching and practice to afford them an opportunity for improvement. If it should be found, however, that, notwithstanding these facilities, any auxiliary sorter is unable to attain to a reasonable proficiency, it may become necessary to dispense with his services.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether his attention has been called to the fact that the newly appointed postmaster at Llandrillo, Merionethshire, is an innkeeper holding an innkeeper's licence; and whether it is in accordance with the Post Office regulations for a postmaster to be an innkeeper.

The person recently appointed sub-postmaster of Llandrillo, Merionethshire, is an innkeeper, but the appointment was made conditional on his giving up that business and providing unlicensed premises for the post office. It is not the practice of the Department to appoint to such posts persons holding a licence when other eligible candidates, equally suitable, can be found. In this instance it was not considered that, apart from the licence, any of the other candidates was: as suitable as the one appointed.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state, approximately, when the sale of the White Estate, near Bantry, which was decided on some years ago, will take place.

The solicitors having carriage of the proceedings state that the rental for sale of the holdings on this estate will probably be settled in the course of a month. A request under the 40th section of the Act of 1896 can then be issued.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the case of two brothers named Morris, who were lately sentenced to one month's imprisonment, with hard labour, at the petty sessions of Plumbridge, North Tyrone, though they themselves had been assaulted and beaten by the complainants, on the occasion which was the subject of the order; and whether he can state if a memorial on their behalf has been presented to the Lord Lieutenant; and, if so, when will his decision in the matter be made known.

The discharge of the two prisoners referred to in this question was ordered by the Lord Lieutenant on Wednesday last.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state how much of the £40,000 grant-in-aid for erection of labourers' cottages in Ireland under the Land Act of 1896 has been passed to the credit of the Local Taxation Account for the Unions of Granard, Longford, and Ballymahon, in the county of Longford, and at what periods are these sums paid over.

The total payments to the 31st March, 1900, under Section 5 of the Land Act of 1891, as amended by the 39th section of the Act of 1896, has been as follows:—to Granard Union, £291 4s. 6d.; to Longford Union, £494 0s. 8d.; and to Ballymahon Union, £779 2s. 4d. The distribution of the grant in respect of each financial year takes place about the end of March.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that every railway station in Ireland is in charge of a train constable, whose duty it is to take notes of arrivals and departures of persons by train, particularly those prominently engaged in Irish political life; how long this system has been in operation; and whether it is proposed to continue it.

The lion. Gentleman has, I think, been misinformed. The statements in the question are devoid of foundation.

I have not been misinformed. I know it from personal observation.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that, contrary to a promise made in this House in June, 1896, that recruiting for the Royal Irish Constabulary would be discontinued, recruiting for that force is going on again; can he state the number of men called up during 1900, and the number yet required to keep up the force; and will he lay upon the Table of the House a Return showing the general distribution of these men throughout the country for the years 1899–1900.

I am aware that recruits are being enlisted for the constabulary; this is done to fill normal vacancies occurring in the force by retirements, deaths, etc. No promise was given in 1896 of the nature indicated in the first paragraph. The number of recruits admitted in 1900 was 620; the current rate of waste is about 46 men per month. In answer to the last paragraph, I would refer the hon. Member to the table at page 76 of the volume of Irish Criminal Statistics for 1899, which has been presented to Parliament and which shows the distribution of the force at the end of September, 1899.

Are we to understand it is the intention of the authorities in Ireland to keep up the numbers of the Royal Irish Constabulary?

There has been a considerable reduction in recent years. We propose to keep the force at its present level.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state the amount of the contribution from Imperial sources to Irish local authorities in aid of local rates for the years 1898 and 1899.

I think my hon. friend will find the information ho desires at pages 16 and 17 of Parliamentary Return No. 337, and page 12 of Return No. 336, both of last year.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state the number of prosecutions in the Castlebar Petty Sessions District for the alleged trespass of cattle on the public roads during the years 1897, 1898, and 1899, respectively.

The number of prosecutions for the offence mentioned was seventeen in 1897; fourteen in 1898; and twenty nine in 1899, resulting in fifteen, twelve, and twenty-nine convictions respectively.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state the number of prosecutions in the Pontoon, Bally vary, and Turlough police sub-districts within the Castlebar Petty Sessions District for the years 1897, 1898, and 1899 respectively, and the result of each prosecution; and, whether he can also state the number of times that the police in these sub-districts made seizures of illicit whiskey, or the material for its manufacture, for which no person was made amenable, together with the date of each such seizure.

The information desired in the first paragraph is being prepared, and will be sent to the hon. Member when complete. I have forwarded to him a statement in answer to the second paragraph; it contains a number of dates which could not conveniently be read in the form of a reply to a question.

I beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland if his attention has been drawn to the decision in the King's Bench Division in Ireland, in the case of King (M'Intyre) versus The County Court Judge and Justices of the County Donegal, in which it was decided that when the voting of the magistrates on the bench at licensing sessions is equal no adjudication on the matter at issue has taken place; and, whether this decision applies to cases heard at petty sessions courts in Ireland when the Bench is equally divided.

The King's Bench decided in the case mentioned that where the justices are equally decided on the question of the truth, sufficiency and validity of an objection to the granting of a licence lodged under the third section of the Licensing Act of 1883, no adjudication can take place. Whether the same result would follow in any other case will depend upon the wording of the statute on which the preceedings are grounded.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether representations have been received by the Irish Government from the Roman Catholic priests and people of Portadown requesting the removal of Mr. T. D. Gibson, R.M., from that district, as the Roman Catholics, owing to his decisions in party cases at Portadown petty sessions, had lost all confidence in his impartiality; and whether the Government will have him removed to some other district and appoint another resident magistrate in that district.

Representations have been received by the Irish Government requesting the removal from Portadown of Mr. Gibson, the resident magistrate stationed there. These representations have received my own personal attention, and I am satisfied that the imputations of partiality brought against Mr. Gibson are not borne out by the facts. Both he and the District Inspector of Constabulary, against whom, I may mention, complaints have also been freely made, have a difficult and trying duty to discharge at times in Portadown, the great bulk of the population of which is Protestant, and I have no reason to believe that either of these officers has discharged his duty otherwise than in an impartial manner. It is not the intention of the Government to remove Mr. Gibson from Portadown.

Did you not get this information from the police?

No, Sir; I have personally gone very carefully into the whole question.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state if the Return moved for and allowed on the 16th day of last July respecting Bankruptcy, Ireland, has been prepared; and, if not, when it may be expected.

The Return in question was laid on the Table on the 6th December last. If the hon. Member has not obtained a printing order in the usual way he should now do so.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Department of Agriculture is aware that prosecutions have been taken by local authorities in the north of England against alleged excessive water in Irish butter; and whether, in view of the fact that no standard has yet been legally established to define the percentage of water in butter, the Department will take steps to protect the interests of Irish agriculturists.

The Department is aware that prosecutions under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts have been instituted by the local authorities in the north of England for alleged excess of water in Irish butter. The question of the desirability of fixing a legal standard, or standards, as to the percentage of water in butter, is engaging attention, and the Department is in communication with the Board of Agriculture in Great Britain on the subject.

Will the right hon. Gentleman answer the last part of my question?

I have done so. I have said the Department is in communication with the Board of Agriculture on the subject.

Will steps be taken to prevent prosecutions?

The percentage of water admissible appears to be a matter of doubt, and the Departments responsible for protecting the interests of agriculture are in consultation with a view to arriving at a satisfactory conclusion. No more can be said at present.

But—

Order, order! The question has been fully answered.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if representations have been made to the Irish Government or the constabulary authorities by the Roman Catholic priests and people of Portadown, county Armagh, requesting them to establish a police barrack at Edenderry, Portadown being an Orange quarter in the town whore repeated attacks have been made upon Roman Catholics passing through that district; and will he explain why the promise of the county inspector of police for the county of Armagh to have a barrack established in that district has up to the present not been carried out; and if the Government will establish a barrack at Edenderry in the immediate future.

Representations have been made to Government in favour of the establishment of a police barrack at Edenderry, Portadown. There is no suitable house in the locality at present available for the purpose. The station will be formed as soon as practicable.

Is it not a fact that no difficulty is experienced when a site is wanted for a police hut in county Donegal?

Order, order!

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state how many Roman Catholics and how many Protestants there are in the county of Wicklow, how many Roman Catholic magistrates and how many Protestant magistrates in the county; also the number of Roman Catholic and Protestant magistrates appointed for the county Wicklow since August, 1895.

According to the Census Returns of 1891 there were at that time 49,238 Roman Catholics and 12,644 Protestants of various denominations in the county Wicklow. The number of magistrates in the county is 134, of whom 108 are Protestants, twenty-four are Roman Catholics, and there are two whose religions are not known. Twenty -three Protestant magistrates, four Roman Catholic, and two whose religions are unknown have been appointed since August, 1895.

Has the right hon. Gentlemen included in the list the justices who are ex-officio magistrates by reason of their being chairmen of local councils?

I must ask for notice of that.

I beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland whether his attention has been called to the judgment in the King's Bench Division on 26th instant in the appeal case of District Inspector Rice, R.I.C., v. Halpin, confirming the decision but giving no costs. Is he aware that Judge Gibson characterised the power of magistrates in respect to cases in which they can impose upon defendants the obligation of giving security to be of good behaviour as unjust; and whether in view of the Lord Chief Justice's opinion that the law should be altered so as to conform to the law of England as altered by the Summary Jurisdiction Act, 1879, the Irish Law Officers of the Crown will take the necessary legislative steps for such alteration.

I have not as yet been able to obtain an authentic copy of the judgment of the Court, but from the daily press it would appear that the remarks of both the learned judges were applied to the inability of persons required to give securities to keep the peace and be of good behaviour in Ireland to give evidence before the magistrates on their own behalf as they are enabled to do in England under the 25th section of the Summary Jurisdiction Act of 1879. I would undertake to introduce a short Bill forthwith to assimilate the law in the two countries in this respect if hon. Members from Ireland would give an assurance that they would treat it as an unopposed measure.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state on what grounds have the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland paid William O'Callaghan, of Churchtown National School, Buttevant, on the scale of £64 per annum, while his predecessor's salary was £127 per annum; and whether, if this provisional salary is increased at the final fixing of teachers' salaries, the difference will be refunded this teacher.

Mr. William O'Callaghan was assistant teacher in Churchtown Male National School up to the 31st March, 1900. He was promoted to the rank of principal teacher on the 1st April, 1900, and in accordance with the rules sanctioned by the Treasury last year he was granted provisionally as his initial income as principal his former income as assistant—namely, £64. The amount of income of his predecessor was £129 per annum, and was based on his average income for the preceding three year's. This income was personal to the predecessor of Mr. O'Callaghan. In all cases in which initial incomes are fixed, on final revision, at rates higher than those at which they were provisionally fixed, the difference will be paid from the 1st April, 1900.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the money known as the balance of residual grant, which teachers in Irish national schools get before 1st April each year, is meant for the financial year ended 31st March or for the year ended 31st December.

The year meant is the financial year.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the sum of £1,596 6s. 7d. due for the maintenance of patients in the Limerick Lunatic Asylum from the 1st of January, 1899, to the 31st March, 1899, and certified by the Local Government Auditor as due in respect of capitation grant for pauper lunatics maintained in the asylum for the period stated, will ultimately have to be paid out of the rates if the Treasury do not pay it; and, if so, seeing that these patients who are entitled to rate-in-aid will be entirely supported out of the local rates during the period stated, and that a similar state of things exists with regard to other lunatic asylums in Ireland entitled to this rate-in-aid, whether he will take steps for the payment of this capitation grant.

The question of the payment of the grant in aid of the maintenance of pauper lunatics for the period mentioned has formed the subject of correspondence between the Irish Government and the committee of management of the Limerick Asylum. I am afraid I cannot add to the views of Government already expressed.

Will the Gentleman take any this money paid?

The hon. Member misunderstands. The grant is always calculated on the figures of the preceding year. What has happened is this. The financial year, which ends in March, has been substituted for the calendar year, which ends in December, and the first quarter of 1900 takes the place of the first quarter of 1899. The figures of 1900 are more favourable, and the asylum has therefore gained by the change.

Is there not a great deal of dissatisfaction among the Asylum Boards generally on this matter, and have not financial experts—

Order, order! The hon. Member is now entering on a debate.

I beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland whether he will lay upon the Table of the House a copy of the judgments delivered in the Court of Appeal, on Monday last, in the case of the Wexford County Council against the Local Government Board.

Yes, this will be done.

Will it be available for distribution among the Irish Members?

After it has been laid on the Table of the House.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that a man was killed recently at Clones railway station, county Monaghan, owing to the state of the island platform there, and whether he can state what course he intends to take to get this island platform improved, and thereby avert further loss of life.

I have made inquiry as to this case, and am informed that the unfortunate man's death did not occur owing to the state of the island platform. The Board are, however, in communication with the railway company as to the platform and the level-crossing at this station.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his predecessor promised to look into this matter, and that nothing has since been done?

Order, order!

I beg to Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that several harbour boards, including Dublin and Belfast, have frequently and publicly expressed their disapproval of the constitution and the working of the Irish Lights Commission; and whether, in view of those facts, the Government will consider the advisability of re-forming and reconstituting the Irish Lights Board.

Yes, Sir; such representations have from time to time been made. As I have already informed the hon. Member, His Majesty's Government do not, as at present advised, contemplate the introduction of a, Bill dealing with the constitution of the Irish Lights Board.

In view of the reply of the right hon. Gentleman, may I ask why legislation is delayed when everyone interested is anxious that the Board should be re-formed?

I cannot do that in answer to a question.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether his attention has been directed to the proposed abolition of the coastguard station at Ramelton, county Donegal; whether he is aware that the said station has been in existence for over 100 years; that in former times a trade in contraband goods carried on through the port at Ramelton necessitated the keeping of a staff of seven officers at the station; and that a considerable trade is still carried on between Ramelton and foreign and home ports; and can he explain the reasons of the proposed abolition of the station.

It is proposed to abolish this station in consequence of a report from the Board of Customs that its retention is no longer necessary from a revenue point of view, and the Admiralty do not consider it necessary to maintain it for other purposes.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether a memorial from the priests and people of Eyeries, county Cork, has been forwarded to the Secretary, General Post Office, Dublin, showing the necessity that exists for a Sunday service to Eyeries; whether a resolution from the District Council, Castletown Be re, also has been sent; and whether, in view of the importance of Eyeries as a fishing station, he will see that this want is supplied.

A memorial was received from the residents of Eyeries last year asking for a Sunday postal service, and the District Council of Castletown Bere forwarded a resolution supporting the request. From the inquiry which was made it was found that the cost of the service in the district already greatly exceeded the revenue from the correspondence, so that the expense of providing a Sunday post was not warranted. The Postmaster General regrets that in the circumstances he would not be justified in complying with the request of the inhabitants.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that this is a very important fishing station which is attended by a number of American buyers? The cost would only be small.

I understand that it is a very important fishing station, but the postal business connected with the fishery is very small and, if I remember rightly, does not pay half the present cost of the service.

But what about the public convenience?

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether his attention has been called to the rate of wage given to the letter carrier in the town of Schull, county Cork, and whether ho will have it increased.

The attention of the Postmaster General had not been called to the rate of wage given to the letter carrier at Schull, county Cork. According to the official records, the wages paid are in accordance with the usual scale for the duty performed, which occupies loss than an hour and a half daily; but inquiry is being made into the matter.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if he will I explain why the rural messenger between Crossroads branch post office, Killy-gordon, county Donegal, and the town-land of Sallywood, only delivers to a few houses in the townland of Ballinacor the letters in the morning delivery, and then proceeds to serve the townlands of Portobello, Kilcaddon, and Carrickshandrum; and, after serving these townlands, returns and serves the remaining portion of the townland of Ballinacor about ten o'clock in the morning; is he aware that the said townland of Ballinacor is only a few yards from the branch office at Crossroads, and is the first townland the messenger enters in the morning; and, seeing that representations have been made to the Secretary of the Post Office at Dublin complaining of the present arrangements for delivery of letters in the townland of Ballinacor, and that school teachers have complained that they do not get delivery of their letters before ten o'clock, and are thus precluded from making returns by the next post to the Offices of National Education, and that the present postal arrangements in the district impose unnecessary labour on the messenger, whether directions could be given to him to proceed on his outward journey along the county road through the centre of the townland of Ballinacor.

The route followed by the postman from the Crossroads post office to Sallywood has been the subject of careful consideration, and the present arrangement, by which a large majority of the letters are delivered on the outward journey, is undoubtedly the best for the general convenience of the public. The postman is not overworked, and the circumstances do not justify an alteration of the post.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if he can state when the building of the new post office at Enniscorthy will be commenced.

The Board of Public Works report that they hope to be able to begin the new post office building at Enniscorthy in May next.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he can state when the Irish Land Purchase Bill will be introduced.

I am afraid I can give no information to the hon. Gentleman.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury upon how many occasions in the fourteen years 1887 to 1900 has the debate on the Address been finished to admit of the second Wednesday in the session being open for private Members' Bills.

I rise to order. I wish to know if this is not a question dealing with facts which appear on the journals of the House, and which are as accessible to the hon. Member who asks the question as to the Leader of the House? I wish to know, too, in regard to the insinuation it is meant to convey, whether—

Order, order! The hon. Member is now commenting on the motives of the hon. Gentleman who asks the question. As to his point of order, I may say that if this question had been brought to my notice I think I should have said that the Clerk was justified in refusing it, on the ground that it asks for information not in the special possession of Ministers, and which can be obtained out of Hansard by the hon. Member himself.

Are not questions of this kind constantly asked in order to draw in an easy way public attention to an important subject?

I quite admit that an effort is frequently made to make a speech by means of a question, but that is irregular.

Is it not true that resistance to; form of question—which is frequently used— generally conies from those who anticipate that the answer will be inconvenient to them?