I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Colonial Office have made or received any estimate of the additional amount of taxation that would in the future be paid by the gold-mining companies, taking the 1898 profits as a basis, if the suggested additional tax of five per cent, be levied on their profits, and they receive the benefit of the £600,000 per annum from the cancelling of the dynamite monopoly.

His Majesty's Government have not finally decided as to the future treatment of the dynamite monopoly, and I am unable to answer hypothetical questions as to the effect of proposals which may be modified in important particulars. I may say, however, that Sir David Barbour estimates that a tax of 10 per cent. on profits would produce about £500,000 when the mines are in full work.

Arising out of that reply, may I ask whether that would not be a saving of £350,000 per annum to the gold-mining companies?

That is one of the hypothetical questions which I must decline to answer. But I do not think that the hon. Member's arithmetic is correct.

Did not Sir David Barbour suggest that the dynamite monopoly should be cancelled? And as that means a relief of £600,000 a year—

^* : Order, order! The right hon. Gentleman has answered the question on the Paper.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies it he has any official information showing the gold mining companies and the dividends they paid in 1898, which were equal to their nominal capital alluded to by Sir David Barbour in his Report; and further, if bearing in mind the statement that these profits will largely increase in the course of a few years, whether he will advocate the imposition of an annual war tax in addition to the suggested 10 per cent. tax for revenue purposes to be earmarked for a certain number of years for partly defraying the cost of the war.

The answer to the first question is in the negative. If the profits increase as the hon. Member suggests the tax proposed by Sir David Barbour would, of course, produce a larger amount in proportion. His Majesty's Government have not yet come to a final decision as to the exact amount to be levied on profits, but it will be the same percentage in all cases.

I think I am right in saying that I have received no reply as to whether the right hon. Gentleman would advocate the imposition of a new war tax. I say, advocate.

The hon. Member has not had a specific reply, and the Colonial Secretary is not prepared to say what he will or will not advocate.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will state why the Report of Sir David Barbour on the finances of the Transvaal, which was dated the 29th March, 1901, was not presented to Parliament till June, 1901; whether this Report was submitted, before its presentation, to Lord Milner for his observations thereon; and whether it has been presented in the form in which it originally left as a draft or provisional Report Sir David Barbour's hands; or whether, and, if so, what, parts of it have been altered or eliminated at the suggestion of Lord Milner or the Colonial Office.

(1) I wished to discuss the subject with Lord Milner before deciding to present the Report. (2) The answer is in the affirmative. (3) It has been presented in the form in which it left Sir David Barbour's hands. There was no draft report.

I beg to ask the Secretaryof State for the Colonies whether provision since 30th June is to be made for the expenditure of moneys for the public service in the Cape Colony without legislative authority; whether the payment of money without Parliamentary assent is in accordance with the law of the colony; if not, why Parliament has not been summoned to authorise such expenditure; for how long it is intended that this invasion of the constitutional rights of the people of Cape Colony is to continue; and whether he proposes to instruct the Governor to refuse his sanction to the illegal expenditure of money by the Executive Government of the colony without the sanction of Parliament in accordance with the principle laid down by Lord Granville in 1869.

I am afraid I shall have to trouble the House with a lengthened reply, but the importance of the question justifies it. I am informed that, in the absence of Parliamentary provision for expenditure after 30th June, the Ministers of the Cape Colony intend to recommend the Governor to issue warrants to meet such expenditure. There is no specific prevision in any Cape statute for the issue of such warrants. Ministers consider that the issue of warrants as proposed should receive the sanction of the Secretary of State, on the ground of public exigency consequent on the unprovoked invasion of the colony by the forces of the two late Republics. The Ministers have recently advised the prorogation of Parliament beyond 30th June owing to he unsettled condition of the colony arising from war and rebellion. They consider that it is not yet possible to fix a date for the assembling of Parliament, but hope it will be early in October. In their opinion it is practically impossible for Parliament to meet at present. Travelling in many districts is unsafe. A considerable number of members are in Europe. Others are actively engaged in fighting invaders and suppressing rebellion, and there are several vacant seats which cannot be filled owing to the existence of martial law. So far as Ministers have been able to ascertain the opinion of members, it is, irrespective of party, adverse to a meeting of Parliament until a more settled state of things prevails. This opinion being strongly held by Ministers, they have advised the Governor accordingly. The Governor informs me that, concurring in the view of Ministers that Parliament cannot assemble at present, he has acted on their advice and has prorogued Parliament till 27th August. He states that when they advise him to issue warrants to cover public expenditure he will do so under such conditions and restrictions, if any, as it may seem necessary and advisable for him to impose. He considers that he would not be justified in allowing the ordinary work of administration—the defence of the colony, and the measures being taken to combat the plague—to come to a standstill, and that if any action in this regard be held to be illegal he must rely upon obtaining an indemnity from the Cape Parliament in due course. For myself, I have to add that the proposed action of the Governor appears to me to be warranted by the public exigency of the moment and by the unprecedented situation which has arisen, and that I do not see any reason to dissent from the course which the Governor proposes to adopt on the advice of his Ministers, who fully recognise their responsibility to their Parliament in the matter. The principles laid down by Lord Granville in 1869 do not apply in this case. In September, 1868 the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos had laid it down —

"that cases of supreme emergency may arise, when it may be impossible to adhere to the strict and proper rule without detriment to the public interest, and when the Government at home takes upon itself the responsibility of sanctioning such expenditure. Such are cases where a service voted requires more money than has been voted, or where some wholly unforeseen contingency arises of too urgent a nature to allow of the required expenditure being previously submitted to Parliament for their sanction."

Cases of this kind must be dealt with by the Governor on the responsibility of his Ministers, and he must exercise his own judgment upon a careful consideration of all the circumstances brought under his notice by those Ministers. Lord Granville subsequently, in 1869, expressed the opinion that the particular case on which he was asked to decide was not one of unforeseen emergency, but he excepted from the general rule which he laid down cases "of absolute and immediate necessity, such, for example, as the preservation of life," which exception completely covers, in my view, the present case.

I am much obliged to the Secretary of State for his full reply to my question, but there are two points that I should be glad to be satisfied upon, and that the House, I think, would be glad to be satisfied upon. As I understand, these warrants are entirely appropriation warrants. Taxation is levied and imposed by statute, and, therefore, the Government warrants only affect appropriations. I should like to ask whether there is not a statute in Cape Colony which prevents or forbids the use of these warrants beyond the sum of £200,000, which is the amount of all the contingency service grant.

I should not like to reply to this without reference, but I do not think there is any statute which prevents action such as I have suggested; and such action has, I may say, been taken on a previous occasion.

I quite admit that, on a previous occasion; but I will put it down on the Paper, whether it was the statute of 1892 or a further statute of 1896. I should like if the right hon. Gentleman would state whether I am right in saying that taxation is levied by Act of Parliament, which requires no annual renewal, as in our own case.

Yes, I think that is so.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now lay upon the Table of the House the correspondence between Mr. Hawksley, the solicitor of the Chartered Company, and the Colonial Secretary, after copies of the cablegrams kown as the Rhodes-Hawksley-Harris Correspondence between July and December, 1895, dealing with the alleged complicity of the Colonial Office in the plot against the Transvaal, which had been shown to the Colonial Secretary at his request, and returned to Mr. Hawksley.

No, Sir.

Arising out of that answer, I wish to ask whether that correspondence is still in existence or not.

^* : Order, order! The question on the Paper is a simple one, and the right hon. Gentleman answered "No." That is a full answer.

With great respect, Sir, I want the correspondence alleging the right hon. Gentleman's complicity in the raid.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether any further despatches will be I published With reference to the share taken by the 8th Division in the recent operations in South Africa, and to the services rendered by any particular officers who may have been mentioned by the General in command.

A despatch has just arrived from Lord Kitchener, and wal shortly be published.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether a man named Spoelstra was tried by Court Martial at Pretoria on,26th April, 1901, charged with giving a letter to a man named Van Rooyan, to be carried by him to Holland; whether Spoelstra was found guilty and sentenced to pay a fine of £100, and to be treated as a military prisoner.

Spoelstra was conwicted of evading the censorship regulations in order to transmit for publication a letter containing false, malicious, and defamatory statements concerning the conduct of the forces in South Africa. He was sentenced to hard labour for a year and a fine of £100, or, in default of payment, a further term of six months. The year's imprisonment was remitted by Lord Kitchener.

Has Reuter's correspondent been tried for circulating false news?

^* : Order, order!

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that a notice, signed by Major-General J. G. Maxwell, has been published in the Government Gazette , Pretoria, on 17th April, 1901, declaring that, in consequence of the numerous instances of evasions of the censorship regulations by individuals carrying letters, all persons are strictly pro- hibited from carrying letters by rail or road, or from giving letters to other persons with a view to their being so carried or delivered, and that any person contravening such notice would be dealt with under martial law; and whether all letters coming from the Transvaal are censored.

The Pretoria Gazette quoted contains the notice referred to. All letters coming from the Transvaal, except consular correspondence, are liable to military censorship, though they are not necessarily subjected to it.

Has the right hon. Gentleman any objection to the Pretoria Gazette being supplied to the library?

I cannot undertake that the Gazette shall be supplied constantly, but as to this particular number I see no objection.

Yes; let us see what you are doing.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the Mr. Adrian Hofmeyr who was permitted to visit the concentration camps in the Transvaal is the same individual as the clergyman of that name who was expelled from the ministry of the Dutch Reformed Church for immorality, and whose statements as to his treatment by the Boers were characterised by General Baden Powell as fabrications; and whether he can explain why permission to visit these camps was accorded to him and refused to Miss Hobhouse.

I must refer the hon. Member to my reply to a similar1 question put by the hon. Member for Montgomeryshire on Friday last †to which I have nothing to add.

That hon. Gentleman did not ask if this was the

† See page 259.

same individual, nor did he ask why permission to visit the camps was given to this person and refused to Miss Hobhouse.

I have no knowledge of what permission the South African authorities may have given to anyone to visit the camps. I cannot speak in any way as regards what are stated in the question as facts.

Is it the same person?

In view of the suggestion that permission was given to a man of this character to visit the camps and refused to Miss Hobhouse—

^* : Order, order! The hon. Member is making comments on the question.

No, Sir; I was going to ask whether, in view of the facts, the right hon. Gentleman will send to South Africa and make inquiry as to what is the reason.

I refuse to make any inquiry into the matter.

I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman, with perfect courtesy, if he is willing to make any inquiry whether this Adrian Hofmeyr is the same—

^* : Order, order! That is the same question that the right hon. Gentleman has already answered. The right hon. Gentleman has said he will not make an inquiry, and there is an end of the matter.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War it he can give any recent information as to the number of white persons in the various concentration camps in South Africa and the rate of mortality among them; also as to any regulations which may now have been adopted for releasing from confinement in the camps those women, and children who may have friends in Cape Colony willing to receive them.

^* : No recent information has yet been forwarded from South Africa. Lord Kitchener states that women, children, aged folk, and reliable men who have proper means, of support outside will be allowed to leave.

Thanks to Lloyd-George.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can state the number of men, women, and children now confined in the concentration camps at Irene, near Pretoria; whether the rations are supplied by a contractor, and is any special food supplied to children; and, if condensed milk is obtainable in Pretoria, will he see that the military authorities provide for an adequate supply to children up to the age of seven or eight years.

^* : On 30th April there were 892 men, 1,242 women, and l,569 children. The rations are Government issues, but extras can be purchased from a contractor. Condensed milk is available, and the military authorities are alive to the necessity of maintaining an adequate supply for children.

Are not these rations as good as those supplied to women and children in Ireland, who are boycotted by the United Irish League?

^* : Order, order!

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether His Majesty's Government have received from Lord Kitchener any, and, if so, what indication of his views as to the probable duration of the war in South Africa, or when it may be practicable to withdraw the major portion of the military forces at present there.

^* : I am in constant communication with Lord Kitchener, but any views which a Commander-in-Chief may express while we are in a state of war cannot properly be published.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can state what ammunition, if any, the Boers succeeded in taking on the 12th June in the engagement near Wilmans-rust with the Victorian Mounted Rifles, when two pom-poms were captured, and two officers and sixteen men killed, and four officers and thirty-eight men wounded.

I have no information.

Will you ask Lord Kitchener?

[No answer was returned.]

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he will state what is the average cost of fodder per horse per week in South Africa.

It is impossible to state the average cost of horse rations per animal per week in South Africa without elaborate calculations as to the cost of transport.

How much does it cost to keep a mule?

I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether it is the intention of the Committee, which is sitting at the present time in reference to the procuring of suitable horses for remounts for the Army, to ask the opinion of horse-breeders in Ireland; and, if so, will he state what steps he intends to take to procure the attendance of such horse-rearers.

It is proposed to call witnesses with regard to horsebreeding in the United Kingdom. It has not as yet been settled whom to call or when to call them.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the Reports of the Committees on Military Education, Remounts, and the Army Medical Staff appointed by him will be published.

These are Departmental Committees, and I cannot at present make any promises with regard to their Reports.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether I he is aware that in the spring of last year the mounted infantry section of the Inns j of Court Rifle Volunteers (generally known as the Devil's Own) was, at the request and with the sanction of the Government, increased to a company, and is at present over 150 strong and is fully equipped and efficient; whether the putting into force of the recent Royal Warrant, which provides that all Volunteer companies of mounted infantry shall be disbanded or merged into squadrons of the Imperial Yeomanry on the 31st October next, would involve an immediate disbandment of this company and a severance of its connection with the Inns of Court Volunteer Corps, leaving it open to individual members to enlist or riot to enlist in the Imperial Yeomanry; and, seeing that this company is recruited from a class who, from the nature of their engagements, are unable to join the Imperial Yeomanry, whether, in order to prevent the risk of losing their services, the Government will take steps to ensure the continuance of this and similar mounted companies in their present form.

The number of different forces in Great Britain is already large, and it was held very desirable that the various units of auxiliary mounted troops should be maintained and drilled on the same footing. I think it would be highly desirable I that this company should be incorporated with others in a regiment of Imperial Yeomanry.

On behalf of the hon. Member for West Carmarthen, I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, seeing that a recent Army Order requires all subalterns of Volunteers to pass an examination in musketry before promotion to rank of captain, and that at the present time there is only one three weeks course held for such officers during the spring of each year, additional classes of three weeks duration will be held in September and October at the Hythe School of Musketry for officers who desire to obtain the rank of captain.

Any Volunteer officer can pass the examination in musketry for promotion if he attends to the instruction which he will receive from the adjutant, the instructor of musketry, and the non-commissioned officers of the permanent staff, and it is not therefore essential that a Volunteer officer should go to Hythe in order to pass this examination. The formation of two courses annually at the School of Musketry for Yeomanry and Volunteer officers, instead of one, will be taken into consideration when the opportunity arises.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, in view of the fact that the vessels of the Moss Line of steamships of Liverpool are employed in carrying His Majesty's troops and stores between Liverpool, Gibraltar, Malta, and Egypt, can he state what steps he has taken, if any, to see that the fair wages resolution of the House of Commons of 1891 will be carried out so far as the firemen employed on the Moss Line are concerned, having regard to the fact that this company do not pay the current rate of wages of the Liverpool district.

The owners of all ships carrying troops or stores under the Regulations for His Majesty's Transport Service, are bound by Article 1, which provides that "the wages paid… shall be those generally accepted as current in each trade for competent workmen, or in the case of seamen, those current at the port and date of entry." No complaint as to underpayment has been received from the crew of any vessel of the Moss Line under engagement with the Admiralty, but due attention would be given to any such representation. By Clause 115 of the Merchant Shipping Act agreements for wages are signed by each seaman in the presence of a Board of Trade superintendent, who ascertains that each man understands it before he signs it.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he can say in what manner the chain of a boat of H.M.S. "Repulse," the breaking of an officially-stamped link of which resulted in the death of a seaman in Lough Swilly on 13th May, was tested at Chatham; and what steps have been taken to give effect to the recommendation of the coroner's jury that better supervision should be exercised at Chatham in issuing fittings.

Inquiry has been made with regard to the chain referred to in the question, and it appears that it was submitted to, and successfully withstood, a proof strain of 4⅝ tons, which is the test prescribed by Act of Parliament. In view, however, of the character of the fracture in this case, special inquiry is being made into the circumstances under which the chain was passed into the Service. The attention of the dockyards has been called to this particular case and to the necessity for exercising the greatest care in the making and testing of such chains.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether his attention has been drawn to a resolution passed unanimously at a meeting of the Irish Hierarchy, held in Maynooth College on the 26th instant, in which they complain that notwithstanding the repeated promises of the Government to make adequate provision for the spiritual needs of Roman Catholic sailors in the Royal Navy, no such provision has yet been made, and further state that they deem it their duty to advise Roman Catholic parents not to allow their children to join the Navy until such suitable arrangements shall have been made; and whether the Admiralty will reconsider the question of appointing more Roman Catholic chaplains to the Navy as unanimously demanded by the Irish Catholic bishops.

The following Question also appeared on the Paper on the same subject—

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is .aware that at the annual meeting of the Roman Catholic bishops at Maynooth a resolution was passed condemning the Government for their neglect in not taking steps to give Roman Catholic sailors in the Navy the opportunity of having their spiritual wants attended to by having Roman Catholic chaplains on board the ships; and whether, in view of the promises made, he will take steps to have Roman Catholic chaplains attached to ships which carry Roman Catholic sailors.

My attention has not been called to the resolution passed by the Roman Catholic bishops forbidding boys to enter the Royal Navy. The views of the Admiralty with regard to the appointment of Roman Catholic chaplains to His Majesty's ships were fully stated by me in the discussion upon the introduction of the Navy Estimates, and also in answer to a question by the hon. Member for East Donegal on the 26th February last.† I have nothing to add to what I then stated.

Arising out of that answer, may I ask whether the Admiralty will take steps to ascertain what are the precise views of the Irish bishops on this matter?

Those views, I take it, are set forth in the ques-

†See Debater [Fourth Series], Vol. xci., pages 743, 996, and 1152; also Vol. lxxxix., page 1189."

tion. If the hon. Member wishes to draw attention to the specific resolution. I shall be happy to examine any document forwarded to me.

But why cannot the Admiralty take steps to ascertain precisely what is required by the bishops?

^* : Order, order! The hon. Member is repeating the question. In thus persisting he is acting contrary to the rules of the House.

I wish to ask whether the right hon. Gentleman can hold out any hope of finding an opportunity to discuss the motion which stands in my name calling attention to the relative strength of British and foreign naval fleets now in the Mediterranean.

I conceive that a certain part of the motion, but only a part, can be covered by the debate on the Shipbuilding Vote on Friday next. As to the other part of the motion, if the House finishes, as I have no reason to doubt it will, the Finance Bill in the course of to-morrow, I shall put down the First Lord of the Admiralty's Vote for Wednesday, on which the whole question may be considered.

Which part of the motion could be debated on the Shipbuilding Vote?

It is only an obiter dictum of mine; the matter must rest with the Chairman of Committees and not with me; but looking at the terms of the motion, the hon. Gentleman will see that the general shipbuilding programme cannot be dissociated from, the position of the Mediterranean Fleet.

^* : I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he can now state on what date it is proposed to further discuss Admiralty Votes, and especially the Shipbuilding Vote. May I assume that the arrangement to take the Navy Votes on Friday still holds good?

Yes, Sir.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to the questions recently raised in the Bombay Legislative Council with reference to the staple of Indian cotton and the bad condition in which it is brought to market; whether he is aware that attention has been drawn to the same matter in the recent inquiries relating to famine and land revenue collections in Guzerat; and, seeing that a large proportion of the people in that province, who have suffered from the drought, are dependent upon the cultivation of cotton and its preparation for sale, whether he will consider the desirability of instituting inquiries on the spot by experienced men with the view of ascertaining the causes of the deterioration in this product, and what steps should be taken to improve the condition of this agricultural industry.

I am aware that of late years the question of encouraging the cultivation of long-stapled varieties of cotton in India in place of short-stapled varieties and of otherwise improving the quality of Indian cotton has attracted attention in India. Both in Bombay and in Upper India experiments are being conducted by the Agricultural Department, and efforts are being made to induce the ryot to grow improved varieties. Also, I have recently asked the Government of India to inform me whether any further measures can be taken to improve the quality of Indian cotton, but at present I do not consider that any special inquiry is needed, over and above what has been done by Government.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he has received any recent information as to the British expedition against the Mad Mullah, and can he State what is the number of the British troops engaged in the campaign; whether any officers, troops, or camp followers from India are taking part in the inland marches of the expedition, and what is the distance from the base of the operation on the coast to the Mullah's stronghold; whether the expedition is under the direction of the Foreign Office or of the Colonial Office; and whether the political agent of the Government of India at Aden or Berbera has taken part in the arrangements of the expedition.

Information was received on the 22nd June and communicated to the daily papers of the 25th June, to the effect that the Mullah had been defeated and was in flight. The British force had returned to Bohotele to await instructions. There are no British troops engaged in the campaign; the force consists of a native levy of 1,500 Somalis under British officers, with 50 Indian Punjabis as instructors, under Major Beynon. There are also a number of tribal spearmen. With the exception of these Punjabis there are no Indian troops or followers with the expedition. The distance from the base at Berbera to Samasa where the Mullah was defeated is approximately 190 miles. The expedition is under the Foreign Office. The Somaliland Protectorate is now administered by the Foreign Office through Colonel Sadler, His Majesty's Consul General at Berbera. Papers relating to the expedition are about to be laid.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he has received any official reports showing that the First Chinese Regiment was guilty of looting during the recent operations in North China, and that a number of soldiers deserted with their booty; whether this regiment was raised in Hong Kong; and whether His Majesty's Government pro- poses to continue enlisting Chinese for Army service.

Nothing is known of any such looting or desertions. The regiment was raised in Wei-hai-wei and has done its duty admirably. In reply to the third paragraph, no change is intended.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can now give the tenour of the report of the chaplain of H.M.S. "Flora" on the condition of Welshmen in Patagonia, and will it be laid before Parliament.

Information has reached the Foreign Office from more than one source as to the circumstances of the Welshmen in Patagonia, and the Foreign Office is in communication with the Colonial Office with a view to bettering their condition. I do not think that it would be advisable to lay the report mentioned on the Table.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Arbitration Convention dealing with the Waima case has been brought before and has received the sanction of the French Chambers, and can he say when he expects that the ratifications will be exchanged.

His Majesty's Ambassador at Paris reports that the Chamber of Deputies passed on the 28th (ultimo) the Bill approving the Convention. The Bill will now go before the Senate.

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can give the estimated total amount of the claims to be allowed during the current year in respect of abatements to the poorer income taxpayers.

The amount of income tax to be allowed in respect of abatements in the current year (1901-2) is estimated at £6,000,000.

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can state how much was produced by an income tax of 1s. 4d. in the pound at the time of the Crimean War.

The rate of income tax was 1s. 4d. in the £ in the years 1856 and 1857. The net produce of the tax was £15,726,000 in 1856, and £16,047,000 in 1857.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he can now give any details as to the appointment of the Committee in reference to the merchant serivce.

I am not in a position to add to what I have already said on the subject.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the matter will be gone into this session or not?

I am afraid I cannot make any statement at present.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he can state what numbers of the Board of Trade Journal are printed weekly; whether a distinct account is kept of the cost of production and receipts from the sales; whether it shows a profit or a loss, and, if so, of what average weekly amount; and whether the Buyers' Guide to Merchants, Manufacturers, and Shippers, contained in the journal, marks the Board of Trade's preference for the firms named in it.

It has not been the practice to give the details for which the hon. Member asks, but I understand that the journal does not quite pay its expenses. The answer to the last paragraph of the question is in the negative.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he is now in a position to explain the discrepancy in the figures relating to the foreign export of coal from Cardiff for May 1900 and 1901, as supplied by the Customs to the proprietors of Browne's Export List and to the Board of Trade, respectively.

The figures showing the coal exported from Cardiff in May, 1901, supplied to the Board of Trade by the Statistical Office of the Customs, and quoted by me in reply to a previous question of the hon. Member, were correctly compiled in the usual way from the entries made by exporters within three days of clearance. The figures supplied by the local collector of Customs to the proprietors of Browne's List have hitherto been compiled from the ships' manifests, but steps have now been taken to secure the preparation of the figures for this list on the same lines as are adopted in the Statistical Office.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether, having regard to the hardship, both to pupils and their teachers, which would arise from the discontinuance of classes affected by the judgment in the Cockerton case, he would, pending legislation upon the subject, be willing to entertain an application made to him by a school board, under the provisions of the Local Authorities (Expenses) Act, 1887, for the sanction of the Local Government Board of expenses to be incurred in connection with such classes, so that such expenses could not after such sanction be disallowed by the district auditor.

As my hon. Friend is aware, the Government propose to introduce a Bill at once to deal with this matter, and I should hope that the passing of the Bill would remove any difficulty as regards the future. With regard to expenditure of the kind referred to which has already been incurred, or which it may be thought necessary to incur before Parliament can come to a decision on the Bill, I can only say that I will give consideration to any application which may be made to me under the Act mentioned in the question if I am informed of all the circumstances of the case.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the rapid and comparatively recent development of traffic by motor-car in the United Kingdom, both in town and country, the increased and increasing power of these vehicles, the speed at which many of them are habitually driven, and the serious accidents which have recently occurred; whether he is aware that the provisions for the safety of the public, by regulations or by Act of Parliament, against danger from such traffic were devised while the system was still in its infancy, and may probably be insufficient at the present time; whether, under these circumstances, the Government will reconsider them with a view to their amendment; and, in particular, whether he will consider the advisability of requiring some test or certificate of efficiency from persons desiring to drive motor-cars before they are permitted to do so.

I am aware of the development of traffic by motor-car and of the existing regulations on the subject to which my right hon. friend refers. I am receiving various suggestions for the alteration of these regulations. both from local authorities on the one hand and from those interested in the use of these vehicles on the other. I am carefully considering all the representations made to me on the subject, but I am not prepared at present to make any announcement. I may, however, say that so far as I can learn the danger does not arise from the motor-cars being driven by incompetent persons. On the contrary the drivers appear to be usually skilful, but, I regret to say, the pace often considerably exceeds that allowed by the law.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether there is any obligation to fill in the forms of Agricultural and Produce Returns for which £3,700 is asked under Sub-head D of the Tote for the Board of Agriculture, or any means of checking their correctness when filled in; Whether he will state how many forms are sent out and how many are returned filled up, and what steps are taken to trace those which are not returned or to correct the statistics founded on those Returns by the allowance of any and what percentage of error or otherwise, and whether he will consider the desirability either of insuring accuracy in these Returns or of ceasing to spend money on their collection and supervision.

The Agricultural and the Produce Returns stand on a different footing. The Agricultural are obtained from the occupiers, while the Produce Returns are supplied by selected estimaters, representative men in each district paid out of the Vote for the Board of Agriculture. There is no legal obligation to fill in the Agricultural Returns, but I am glad to say that 97 per cent. are filled in, and any apparent inaccuracy or omission is challenged by the officers of the Inland Revenue. Of 516,066 occupiers. 500,650 made Returns in 1900. In the small percentage of cases where a Return is riot made the Inland Revenue officers make the best estimate they can, based on local knowledge and inquiry. The fact that the Returns are annually rendered is itself a check upon inaccuracy and omissions, and though perfect accuracy cannot be expected when the number of Returns is so large, it is much greater, it is believed, than is obtained in any other country.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the fact that the Workmen's Compensation Extension Act comes into operation on 1st July, and of its importance not only to the employers of agricultural labour, but to the small employers of gardeners and casual labourers, he will state what steps have been or are to be taken to give publicity to its provisions for the benefit of those concerned.

A special leaflet was widely circulated last autumn to Agricultural Societies, Chambers of Agriculture. and Farmers' Clubs, and agricultural and other newspapers, and in addition a copy was sent by the Inland Revenue officers to each occupier of twenty acres and upwards. A further notice was sent early last month for insertion in local newspapers, and this has led to a considerable demand for additional copies of the leaflet.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture if he can state whether the Departmental Committee to inquire into the standard of water legally allowable in butter is yet appointed; if so, who are the parties appointed to serve on it, what are their qualifications, and where will the inquiry be held.

The Committee will consist of: Right Hon. Horace Plunkett, Chairman; Professor Thorpe, Principal Chemist of the Government Laboratories; Sir Charles Cameron, Medical Officer of Health and Public Analyst of Dublin; Professor Thomson, President of the Institute of Chemistry; Major Craigie, an Assistant Secretary of the Board of Agriculture; Mr. George Gibbons, an agriculturist well known in the west of England; Mr. Kearley, M.P.; Mr. Christopher Dunn, Chairman of the Cork Butter Market Trustees; Mr. Anderson. Secretary of the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society; and I hope to obtain the services of Mr. John Gilchrist, a well-known Scotch butter-maker. It will, of course, be for the Committee itself to decide where their meetings shall be held.

Will not the right hon. Gentleman in the public interest add to the Committee someone directly connected with the Irish butter industry who will represent the views of the trade?

There are already four representatives of Ireland on the Committee. I trust the representation of Irish interests entirely to the Chairman.

Yes; but we want a representative of the Irish butter trade.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he can explain why the arrangements for a second delivery and collection of letters at Westleton, Suffolk, promised on the 21st of March of the present year in reply to a memorial forwarded on the 21st of October last, have not yet been carried into effect.

An unforeseen difficulty arose in carrying out the revision of the postal services at Westleton which was sanctioned in the month of March. It has been arranged, however, for the new service to be commenced to-day.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he can state when it is intended to issue the new revision at the Wolverhampton post office, which has now been under consideration for more than two years; and whether he will make the scheme retrospective, in view of the fact that some of the officers awaiting this revision have been at their maximum rate of pay for more than nine years.

The proposals for a revision of the indoor staff at Wolverhampton were received at headquarters early this year. They have involved many inquiries, which are now completed, and the Postmaster General hopes shortly to come to a decision upon them.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether any report has yet been made by the Local Government Board inspector upon the representations made to the Lisburn District Council from the electoral divisions of Magheramesk.

The local inquiry in this case was only held on the 12th instant, and the inspectors' report of the inquiry has not yet been received.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will say what has been the result of the Local Government Board inquiry held on 7th January, 1901, in the case of representations made from Crumlin and Cargin, in April and June, 1900, to the Rural District Council of Antrim.

The Local Government Board inspector has recommended the erection of three cottages in the Crumlin electoral division and of seven cottages in the division of Cargin.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware of the fact that Maria Smyth, a native of Newcastle-on-Tyne, became insane on her visit to that town in 1900, and has since then been confined in the district lunatic asylum, Sligo, at the expense of the ratepayers of Sligo and Leitrim; and whether steps will be immediately taken to have her removed to Newcastle-on-Tyne, to which she is chargeable.

The facts are not quite accurately stated. This woman is reported to have been born at Newcastle-on-Tyne, but her parents were natives of Sligo, and the family returned to Sligo twenty years ago. She was legally committed to the Sligo Asylum and there is no power to remove her therefrom.

Will the right hon. Gentleman reconsider this case?

It is not a question for my reconsideration. It is one of the law as it stands.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will inquire into the case of the principal teacher of Mohober national school, Roll No. 7,048, District No. 43, whose salary has not been fixed in accordance with the principles laid down in the new rules of the National Education Board; whether steps will be taken to allay the discontent that prevails over the country with regard to the fixing of salaries; and whether a Committee will be appointed to inquire fully into the rules made by the various teachers injuriously affected by the new rules.

Notification has been given to the managers of national schools that the cases falling under Rule 43 of the new rules have not as yet been dealt with by the Commissioners. This rule provides that cases where, in the judgment of the Commissioners, any of the rules would operate inequitably will be specially considered.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when the Commissioners are likely to take action?

No, Sir; but it is evidently a question to be dealt with as speedily as possible.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether Michael M'Guinness, at present an inmate of Sligo Lunatic Asylum, is properly chargeable to that institution, seeing that he spent the greater portion of his lifetime in Scotland; whether he is aware that M'Guinness's committal to that institution was ordered by the sheriff of Lanarkshire on an affidavit sworn by an illiterate person, whose mark or that of a witness is not attached, and whether inquiries will be instituted with the view of having M'Guinness removed to the Govan Lunatic Asylum.

^* : The reply to the first inquiry is in the affirmative. M'Guinness, who is a native of Sligo, was absent in Scotland for only sixteen months. The answer to the second paragraph is also in the affirmative, except that the deposition of the deponent, who was M'Guinness's sister, was witnessed by the sheriff's substitute. The committal to Sligo was legal.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that purchasers under the Ashbourne Act, and having sold their farms in divisions prior to 1896, the new purchasers have to pay on one recoverable order to the Irish Land Commission, instead of each purchaser having a recoverable order showing the amount of the instalment due to the Irish Land Commission, and whether he will direct that each purchaser shall receive from the Irish Land Commission a recoverable order, no matter whether the purchase took place before the passage of the Land Act of 1896 or not.

^* : The third subsection of Section 38 of the Act of 1896, whereby the Land Commission are enabled to apportion annuities, is not applicable to the case of sub-division with consent given prior to the passing of the Act of 1896. The Land Commission cannot, therefore, issue separate receivable orders in such cases where no apportionment has been made.

Cannot the right hon. Gentleman see his way to amend the law in this way? There would be no opposition to it, I believe. It would be a great advantage to the tenants of Ireland who purchased prior to 1886.

^* : I will consider the point, but, of course, I am unable to give any pledge to introduce legislation.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state if the Board of Agriculture are taking any steps to see that the farmers of Ireland are getting pure sulphate of copper for potato spraying

^* : The Department, by means of a leaflet which is being largely circulated, advises farmers to purchase pure sulphate of copper, and to demand a guarantee of purity from the vendor. The Department, as pointed out in the leaflet, has arranged to have samples of the sulphate of copper analysed on payment of a fee of 3d. each sample.

Could not the Department analyse these samples without any charge, and thus encourage the farmers in a matter which is of such great importance to the country?

^* : I cannot entertain that proposition.

On what ought the money of the Department to be spent if not on—

Order, order!

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state when the Report of the Royal Irish Constabulary Commission will be laid before the House.

^* : No date can, at present, be fixed for the presentation of the Report.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is now in a position to grant the Return relating to the Royal Irish Constabulary, which stands on the Notice Paper this day.†

^* : The Return will be granted, but the hon. Member must bear in mind that its preparation will occupy several weeks.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he carp give the number of Government vessels engaged for the prevention of steam trawling on the Irish coast and their respective stations, and say whether they are propelled by steam, what is their maximum speed, and what is the maximum speed of the steam trawlers they have to capture when found trawling on the Irish coast.

^* : There are two such vessels, one with a speed of 14 and the other of 10 knots. They have no fixed stations. The maximum speed of steam trawlers is about 9½ knots, I understand.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the

† The following is the return referred to: "Royal Irish Constabulary.—Return showing the names, ages, religion, rank, and length of service of members of the Royal Irish Constabulary who were injured while on duty during the past twenty years; the name of the county to which each member was regularly attached. and the name of the county in which the injury was inflicted; the amount of compensation claimed and awarded in each case, and the name of the public authority, court of law, or otherwise, which made the award; the source from which the payment was made; the hature and extent of the injuries, and how caused; the duties, whether ordinary or special and their nature, upon which such members were engaged when injured; the names of members retired as result of injuries, and the amount of pension, if any, in each case; the names and similar particulars of unsuccessful claimants, and the amounts claimed."

Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that a scheme of co-operative railways for rural districts known as the National Society for Neighbourly Roads of Iron has been successfully operated in Belgium; and, in view of the fact that over 1,000 miles of rural lines so constructed are at work and paying dividends, whether the Government will consult with the Irish Department of Agriculture, and consider the advisability of introducing a similar system in Ireland.

^* : The Department is aware that the Belgian system of constructing and administering local light railways has been working successfully. The subject will be examined into, but the suggestion in the question would probably involve legislation.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the inhabitants of Belturbet have always enjoyed a right-of-way along the river Erne at rear of the military barracks in Belturbet; and can he state for what reasons and under what authority the commanding officer of the 140th Battery Royal Field Artillery has recently put a guard on the pathway and refused to allow the public to use it.

^* : The commanding officer at Belturbet disputes, I understand, the existence of this right-of-way, and negotiations are contemplated by the urban district council with a view to arriving at a satisfactory settlement.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that civil bill officers in Ireland are annually required to return for presentation to Parliament a list of cases in which ejectments have been served by them, cases in which replevins have been served, and cases in which other civil bills have been served; and. seeing that on certain estates in Ireland ejectments for non-payment of rent are served not by the civil bill officers but by estate bailiffs, so that the Parliamentary Return is defective as to the number of cases in which ejectments have been served and not entered for hearing, will he take steps, by legislation if necessary, to have all ejectments in future served by the civil bill officers of the various districts.

^* : The reply to the first paragraph is in the affirmative; to the second in the negative.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that an inquiry into a new scheme of cottages for the Clonakilty rural district was held on the 28th of August last; whether the Provisional Order has yet been issued; and, if not, whether the district council or the Local Government Board is responsible for the delay; and will steps be taken to have the work commenced at as early a date as possible.

^* : The Provisional Order has been prepared and a copy sent to the District Council for perusal.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state the name of the district inspector of the Royal Irish Constabulary on whose report Sergeant Sheridan and Constable Mahony were recently discharged from the force by the Lord Lieutenant, and what was the nature of the report, and if he is prepared to lay a copy of it upon the Table of the House.

^* : I have already stated, in reply to a question addressed to me by the hon. Member for East Mayo, that these men were discharged from the force by his Excellency, not on the report of any official, but because the respective accounts of the transaction given by them in their evidence against Ryan were so conflicting and unsatisfactory that they could not with public advantage be retained in the force. The reports forwarded by the official superiors of the men were confidential documents and cannot be produced.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his predecessor said that in cases of dismissal an inquiry should be granted if asked for?

^* : No, Sir; I think the hon. Member has been misinformed. When the Lord Lieutenant discharges a member of the force in the exercise of his power no inquiry is held.

I shall raise the question on the right hon. Gentleman's salary.

Has the right hon. Gentleman a list of the convictions obtained by these officers?

Is Ryan still in the service of the Government?

I beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland whether he has received a resolution from the Irish Trades Congress calling for the appointment of working men to the magistracy; and whether it is intended to extend the principle of appointing working men to the magisterial bench in Ireland, in view of the fact that working men have been appointed in England with satisfactory results.

^* : Perhaps I should reply to this question. Applications and recommendations for the Commission of the Peace are made in the case of boroughs to the Lord Lieutenant, and in the case of counties to lieutenants of counties. Both the Lord Lieutenant and the Lord Chancellor are always desirous of making suitable appointments.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that working-men magistrates have been appointed in England? Will he not favourably consider a proposal to appoint some in Ireland?

^* : It is altogether outside my province. It rests with the Lord Lieutenant and the Lord Chancellor.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state the grounds on which the Local Government Board have called on the medical officers of Castlerea Union to discharge a new duty of attending to the empty cases in which the medicine contractors supply medicines; whether the doctors are entitled to additional remuneration for this new work, and what is the saving to the Treasury by relieving the contractors of this duty and placing it on the union officials.

^* : The regulation referred to applies to all medical officers of dispensaries. These officers are responsible for the safe custody of the drugs and other articles in the dispensary, and the caretaker, or other responsible person, is instructed to securely pack the empties for return to the contractor. The Board do not consider that the medical officer is entitled to extra remuneration on this account. The packing cases are the property of the contractor, and the saving effected by returning them to the latter is a saving to the ratepayers. There is no saving to the Treasury.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that a clerkship in the Land Judges' Department has been filled by the appointment, without examination of any kind, of a Mr. Mander, and can he state by what authority this appointment has been so made; is he aware that Mr. Dickenson was appointed to the post of Assistant Examiner of Titles in the same department, although he had not the qualification prescribed by law of having been a barrister or solicitor of at least six years standing, and will he say whether the Treasury have sanctioned, or intend to sanction, these two appointments.

The case of Mr. Mander is under con- sideration. Mr. Dickenson's qualifications for appointment were those required by the 15th section of 21 and 22 Vic. cap. 72—namely, he had filled an office in the Land Judges' Court for a period of five years.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary a question of which I have given him private notice, namely, whether his attention has been called to the resignation of the Most Rev. Dr. Walsh, Archbishop of Dublin, of his seat on the Board of National Education in Ireland and to the public statement of his Grace as to the condition of confusion and chaos in the office of the Board, and whether he is prepared to institute such a public inquiry as is demanded by his Grace.

; Yes, Sir; the Lord Lieutenant received this morning with great regret the letter in which the most Rev. Dr. Walsh tendered the resignation of his seat on the Board of National Education. There is nothing, my noble friend informs me, which suggests a connection between the resignation and the statement recently communicated to the press by Dr. Walsh. Any further communication addressed by Archbishop Walsh to the Lord Lieutenant on any subject affecting matters of education will receive his most anxious consideration. No such communication has been received.

The right hon. Gentleman no doubt received the newspaper cuttings I sent him to-day embodying the Archbishop's reasons. Will the right hon. Gentleman sanction the public inquiry?

What I endeavoured to convey to the hon. Member was that the Archbishop's letter only reached the Lord Lieutenant this morning. The letter deals only with the resignation. I have overlooked any statement made in the press, but I think that the Government might be allowed to await some formal communication from the Archbishop.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state what steps, if any, have been taken by the Great Southern and Western Railway Company in regard to the construction of the railway line from Fermoy to Cork, under the provisions of the Fishguard and Rosslare Railway Act, of 1899.

I understand that no works have yet been begun. I am in communication with the Company and the Irish Government on the subject, but I am not in a position to make any statement at present.

May I repeat the question in a fortnight's time?

I have promised to communicate with a colleague of the hon. Gentleman as soon as I am in a position. No doubt a question will be put down.

Is it not a fact that the Bill was only passed on the strength of the promise to make this line? Was any definite period fixed for completing it?

I cannot carry dates in my head. I must have notice.

Then may I ask—

Order, order! The hon. Gentleman has stated that lie must have notice of further questions.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that the female supervisor in the Belfast post office recently searched the persons arid lockers of two female telegraphists because her sister had lost her purse; and that the purse was afterwards discovered in the locker belonging to the supervisor's sister; and whether it can be stated upon whose authority the search was conducted, and for what reasons two telegraphists of unblemished character were subjected to it.

A female telegraphist at the Belfast office recently reported that her purse was missing from the cloak room, and the female supervisor on her own authority invited some of the female telegraphists on duty to turn out their pockets and show the contents of their lockers. This they did voluntarily, and there was no search in the sense implied in the question. The action of the supervisor was not directed personally against the two officers referred to in the question, as the rest of the staff would have been similarly invited to turn out their pockets had not the purse been found. I understand that the telegraphist whose carelessness led to the incident made ample apologies for the annoyance caused to the officers concerned.

May I ask if the Post Office rules allow any lady to order people under her to turn out their pockets?

^* : Order, order! That does not arise out of the question.

With all respect, Sir, may I remind you of what the right hon. Gentleman told me? He said that what was stated in my question was true, namely, that this supervisor did order the clerks under her to empty their pockets.