I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, with reference to the disposition of the ships included in the Return of Vessels struck off the Effective List, whether there has been any modification of the policy of the Admiralty since the publication of the Return.

There has been no modification whatever in the policy of the Admiralty.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can now state what action he intends to take with reference to the protection of the foreshore on the War Office land at Hythe between the Dymchurch redoubt and the musketry ranges, and especially with regard to the portion of the foreshore where the sea broke through during last winter.

† See(4) Debates, cxliv., 1010.

Measures are being taken to protect the foreshore in question by means of groynes, but no final decision on the subject can be arrived at until the result of the observations which are being taken of the action of the sea is ascertained.

asked if something would be done before next winter.

I take it the hon. Member thinks the foreshore is in serious danger. That is just what we are watching to ascertain.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether general instructions have been given to generals commanding districts to substitute peat moss litter for straw for litter for the artillery and cavalry horses; whether this applies equally to districts which have within easy reach a plentiful supply of home-grown straw; and whether any economy thus obtained is not neutralised by the necessity of increasing the allowance of oats to the horses in substitution for the straw.

Instructions have been given to General Officers Commanding to substitute peat moss litter for straw as bedding for Army horses at the principal military stations, where the supply of peat moss is more economical than that of straw, according to the respective scales of issue. The instructions given apply equally to all districts concerned; the cost involved being the determining factor as to whether peat moss litter or straw should be used for horse bedding. It is not anticipated that the economy thus obtained will be neutralised by any necessity for increasing the allowance of oats in substitution for the straw.

Is not this peat moss mainly made in Germany?

And Holland?

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he is aware that the Amir has been erroneously described as Siraj-ul-millat-wa-ud-din in a Parliamentary Paper; whether he should have been set out as Siraju-'lmillat wa'd-din; whether he is aware the name Habibulla is a contraction for Habibu Allah; and will the authorities see that this matter is at once put right to avoid further confusion.

I am informed on high authority that the transliteration of the Amir's title indicated by the hon. Member may be considered more correct, as a matter of scholarship, than that, Adopted by the Government of India. The same authority informs me that the transliteration of the Amir's name indicated by the hon. Member is less correct than that adopted by the Government in India. It is not proposed to take any action in the matter.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can state under what circumstances a pugilist, named Lewis Wright, lost his life at London Fields on Saturday; and whether any arrests have been made in connection with the case.

Lewis Wright was stabbed, and the person who is alleged to have committed the crime is in custody.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the fact that a man concealed himself in a house in Gravesend last week, and after shooting dead one man and injuring one woman succeeded in escaping; and whether he can state what steps have been taken by the police to secure the murderer.

Yes, Sir. The murderer was found on Tuesday morning, but he committed suicide before he could be handed over to the police.

May I ask whether, in view of the fact that Irish Members are expected to condemn crime in Ireland, English Members have done anything in that direction?

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can state the total number of cases of rape, attempted rape, indecent assault, violation of girls under thirteen years of age, defilement, desertion of children, concealment of birth, procuring or attempting to procure abortion, abduction, unnatural crime, and bestiality, reported to the police in England during the past twelve months; in how many cases did prosecutions follow; and how many convictions were obtained.

The figures for the year 1903, which are the latest available, will be found in the annual volume of the Criminal Judicial Statistics. They are too long to quote separately. The figures for 1904 are not yet complete.

Does the right hon. Gentleman say the figures are too long to quote separately?

Yes, Sir.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the police authorities have received complaints as to the maiming of horses in the Birmingham district; and whether, in view of the fact that valuable horses have been found with their manes and tails cropped off, he will state what steps the constabulary authorities are taking to discover the perpetrators of these outrages.

I may refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for South Down yesterday.† This was that in the neighbourhood of Solihull, which is in the Birmingham district, the manes and tails of three horses were cut on the night of the 19th instant, and that a man was arrested on the following day and is now in custody on the charge of having committed these offences. I have no further information.

asked if the Government did not think special legislation necessary to deal with outrages of this kind.

I do not think it necessary.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in England last year there were seventy-eight cases of killing and maiming cattle? Is it not necessary to bring in a Bill to put down these atrocities?

Is the Constitution suspended in Birmingham and the district, or is this state of affairs the result of the fiscal campaign of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for West Birmingham?

Do jurics deal fairly with these cases in England?

I believe the administration of justice in England is sound.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the open sale of immoral literature is largely on the increase in London; whether any censorship or supervision is exercised; and will this matter have the attention of the Government.

This matter is under the constant supervision of the police, and they inform me that they believe that at no time has there ever been less trafficking in immoral literature in London than there is at present. The

† See page 326.

police, I may add, would be very glad to receive any information respecting the open sale of such literature, in order that they may be able to take proceedings.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can state the number of suicides in London and England for the last year, distinguishing the sex and the number under twenty-one years old.

From the Returns furnished by Coroners for insertion in the Criminal Statistics, it appears that in London, in 1904, 513 persons committed suicide, of whom 385 were males and 128 females. In the whole of England and Wales 3,421 persons, of whom 2,598 were males and 823 females, committed suicide during the same period. I regret that I have no information as to the ages of these persons.

asked how many of the cases were certified to have been caused by poverty?

I am afraid the Returns do not show that.

And how many were due to drink?

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there will be a Treasury prosecution in the cases of the fatal accidents that occurred at Markyate and at Colnbrook.

The prosecution in the Markyate case is being conducted by the Hertfordshire police, who are employing a very competent counsel, I have consulted the Director of Public Prosecutions, and I agree with his view that nothing would be gained by taking the case out of the hands of the police. By the Colnbrook case I presume the hon. Member refers to the fatal accident to a woman named Haines who was killed by a motor-car driven by one Hendasyde. Hendasyde has been committed for trial to the Buckinghamshire Assize on the charge of manslaughter. I have not yet had time to ascertain all the circumstances of the case, but when I have been able to do so I shall be happy to inform the hon. Member whether I think it necessary to direct the Public Prosecutor to take up the case.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he can give any statistics of the number of motor-cars and motor-cycles at present in use in the United Kingdom, compared with the figures in the previous four years.

Motor-cars were not required to be registered until January 1st, 1904, and I am not aware of any statistics as to the number in use prior to that date. The only statistics I have on the subject are those contained in the Return moved for last year by my hon. friend the Member for the New Forest Division. This showed the number of motor-cars and motor-cycles registered up to January 1st and April 1st, 1904, respectively.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he can give the number of the convictions under Sections 1 and 6. respectively, of The Motor-Car Act, 1903, and the number of occasions on which the sentences have been imprisonment or a fine exceeding £10.

With regard to the number of convictions under Section 1 of the Act, I may refer to the Answer I gave yesterday † to a Question put to me by the hon. Member for the Barnstaple Division. I have no information as to the number of convictions under Section 6.

† See page 318.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he can state the total number of motor-car accidents that have been reported this year; and how many have been fatal accidents.

I am not able to state the number of motor-car accidents reported this year, but I am informed that the number reported during the last twelve months outside the Metropolitan Police District, but including the City of London, was 1,346. My information does not show how many of these cases were fatal. As regards the Metropolitan Police District I may refer the hon. Member to the table of particulars given by my right hon. friend the Home Secretary in answer to a Question, by the hon. Member for the New Forest Division on April 19th † last.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Board of Trade what quantity of Spanish sugar was admitted into this country during each of the last three years.

No sugar was imported into this country from Spain in 1902 or 1904. About 100 tons were received in 1903.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Board of Trade whether, having regard to the fact that on April 19th no countervailing duties had been fixed with respect to any additional countries, he will explain what are the reasons for issuing the Order in Council of April 3rd prohibiting the importation of sugar from Spain; whether any representations were received from the Belgian, German, or French Governments on the subject; and whether it was in deference to such communications the Order in Council was issued.

The Order in Council prohibiting the importation of

† See (4) Debates, cxlv., 586.

sugar from Spain, from and after April 3rd, was issued in consequence of the importation of an appreciable quantity of Spanish sugar enjoying an indirect bounty during March. The Answer to the remainder of the Question is in the negative.

Can the hon. Gentleman suggest any reason for this proclamation? Was it because sugar was falling and the Government wanted to put it up again?

The Order in Council was issued in fulfilment of an obligation under which we were placed by the Convention.

Do I understand a decision was come to with regard to Spanish sugar?

Yes.

At what date?

A year or two ago.

Why was it not acted on at the time?

The hon. Gentleman is asking for information which has appeared in the papers. By the terms of the Convention we were not bound to issue the Order until an appreciable quantity of sugar had arrived.

I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he is aware that in the urban district of Failsworth, with a population of over 15,000, there is no resident magistrate: and that in the adjoining urban district of Droylsden, with a population of over 12,000, there is no resident magistrate; and whether he will take steps to remedy a state of things in those districts which is causing great inconvenience to the inhabitants.

I have made inquiries and I find that, with the possible exception of the chairman of the Droylsden Urban District Council no county magistrate is actually resident within the areas referred to. I have been in communication with the Lord-Lieutenant of the county and I understand that he is about to recommend to me, for appointment to the county bench gentlemen residing in each of the urban districts in question.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Lord-Lieutenant has been written to by the Members for the Division, who have got no answer?

I understand that is so.

I beg to ask the Lord-Advocate whether he is now in a position to state when the Scotch Education Bill will be proceeded with.

I am anxious that the Bill should be proceeded with as early as possible, but I regret that in view of the state of business no further progress can be made until after Whitsuntide.

I beg to ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland whether he is aware that in the proceedings for contempt of Court against a man named Molloy recently in Ireland, counsel for the Attorney-General appeared to argue against Molloy; and will he say whether his appearance was directed by the Attorney-General; and whether, in view of the fact that the proceedings referred to were between private persons, he will say whether there is any precedent for such intervention by the representative of the Crown.

The Attorney-General's counsel, by the direction of the Solicitor-General, appeared for the governor of the gaol, a public official who had been served with notice, and simply argued that the governor's action was legal. In this the Court concurred. The representative of the Crown frequently appears for public officials in cases initiated by private parties, in which those officials are sought to be made liable for their official acts.

What counsel appeared in this case?

My counsel.

What was his name?

Was it not the right hon. Gentleman's son?

Yes, Sir.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state what were the special qualifications possessed by Mr. Arthur M'Clintock that induced the Government to appoint him to the office of public trustee under the Land Act of 1903; what were his place of education, previous occupations, and experience of finance; and what are the names, place of education, salaries, and previous experience of the two persons since appointed without competitive examination in the Department.

I beg to refer to the Answer which I gave to the hon. Member's Question of Monday last.† Mr. M'Clintock's previous occupations have been already stated. As to the other particulars asked for, I must request the hon. Member to await the Return which is being prepared by order of the House on his Motion.

The right hon. Gentleman has not answered that part of my question as to Mr. M'Clintock's special qualifications.

Yes, on a previous occasion.

† See page 86.

I can assure the right hon. Gentleman he has not.

That is a matter of opinion.

No, it is a matter of fact. You are afraid to answer it because it is a case of jobbery from beginning to end.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the test case submitted to Mr. Justice Mere-dith by the Estates Commissioners on the true construction of Section 5 of the Land Purchase Act of 1903 has been heard in the absence of the tenant purchaser; and whether no notice of the hearing was served upon him, although Mr. Justice Meredith directed that it should be done.

The case referred to is still sub judice, and, following the invariable practice, I must decline to discuss it through the medium of a Question.

It has been argued in the absence of the tenant.

I have nothing to do with that. It is a matter for the Judge, and I have no right to discuss his action.

At any rate, that is what has taken place.

On behalf of the hon. Member for North Roscommon, I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether District Superintendent Supple and a number of police visited several houses on the De Freyne Estate on Friday last and searched them for arms; if so, at whose application did the Lord-Lieutenant issue his warrant for this search, and on what grounds was the search deemed desirable; and what is the last occasion on which firearms were used in a distur- bance or in connection with outrage in this district.

The Answer to the first inquiry is in the affirmative. The warrants were issued on the application of the police authorities. I must, decline to state the grounds on which the search was deemed necessary. The last occasion on which firearms were used in connection with outrage in this locality was in 1877.

I beg respectfully to ask will the right hon. Gentleman give some reasons why these irritating searches are made when no outrage has been committed for nearly thirty years?

I must respectfully decline to give reasons.

Then at the earliest opportunity I shall bring up the question of the different treatment meted out to the North of Ireland.

Is it not the fact that the searches are made simply for the purpose of preserving the game on Lord de Freyne's estate.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can say when the arrangements for the sale to tenants of the Gore Booth Estate, situate in Lavagh, near Tubbercurry, county Sligo, will receive the sanction of the Estates Commissioners; whether he is aware that the only evicted tenant on the estate, John Quinn, has entered into an arrangement with the present occupier of his farm, Edward Layng, and that the latter agrees to surrender the farm on being paid a cash compensation; and whether, seeing that this agreement has been duly signed by both parties, and that all classes in the district are anxious for an amicable settlement of this question, steps will be taken to have it finally settled and the tenant reinstated.

A detailed inspection of the holdings has yet to be made before advances can be sanctioned. As to the remainder of the Question, I beg to refer to the Answer which I gave to the hon. Member's Question of April 17th†.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if the attention of the Lord Chancellor has been called to the conduct of Mr. Higgins, J.P., in attending at and refusing to desist from taking part in a proclaimed meeting at Carrowkeel; and whether he can say if the Lord Chancellor intends to deprive Mr. Higgins of his commission of the peace.

I have referred this Question to the Lord Chancellor. Mr. Higgins has not been prosecuted for or convicted of any offence in connection with this occurrence; and the Lord Chancellor informs me that he has no machinery to institute an inquiry in the matter, nor would it be in accordance with the practice of his Department to attempt to do so.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that at Gurteen Petty Sessions on 5th May, when a summons for trespass was being heard against Patrick Costelloe on account of his cattle having strayed on to another man's land from his farm, on which a great part of the walls had been maliciously thrown down, one of the magistrates told him in open Court that his proper course was to give up the farm; and, if so, whether he proposes to take any action in the matter.

As far as I have been able to ascertain, the remark mentioned, if made, did not come from any member of the bench, but from some person in Court.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of

† (4) Debates, cxlv., 313.

Ireland whether he is aware that 432 eviction notices under Section 7 of the Land Act of 1887 have been filed during the quarter ending March 31st, 1905; and, if so, whether, in view of the declared intention of Parliament by the Land Purchase Act of 1903 to facilitate the system of occupying ownership in Ireland, he will consider the propriety of introducing legislation to repeal this section, under which a number of occupying tenants are deprived of their status under the Land Acts.

It is not proposed to introduce legislation of the character suggested.

Is it the intention of the Government to allow this alarming state of things to continue? Will the right hon. Gentleman not promise legislation early next session in order to do away with these anomalies?

I think I had better make no promise of legislation for next session.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state how many cases of sacrilege have been, reported to the police in Ireland for the year ending April 19th, 1905, giving the numbers for each of the four provinces.

Nine; namely, five in Ulster, three in Leinster, and one in Connaught. There was no case in Munster.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the medical certificates of chastity in the Anderson case were dealt with by the Inspector-General of the Royal Irish Constabulary and retained in his office; and, if so, why these documents in the chain of evidence were not forwarded to the Under-Secretary, by whom the order for dismissal was signed.

My hon. friend is under a misapprehension. The recommendation to dismiss was made by the Inspector-General on November 30th, 1903, and approved by the Under secretary on December 3rd; and orders on it were issued on December 4th. The medical certificate was not received by the Inspector-General until January 3rd, and it was forwarded to the Under-Secretary on January 22nd, who approved of the letter, dated January 23rd, which the Inspector-General addressed to Anderson's solicitor, declining to reopen the case.

Is it not the fact that after the medical certificates had been submitted, the Inspector-General wrote absolutely declining to reopen the case?

I have said so.

Is there any medical certificate to show that the constable did not attempt a criminal assault on this woman?

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the fact that a man named William Coote has paid damages in settlement of an action for boycotting in county Tyrone, he can now state if Coote is to be retained in the commission of the peace; and whether it is intended to prosecute him for boycotting and inciting to boycott.

As I have already stated in answer to a previous Question upon the same subject, Mr. Coote paid no damages in settlement of the action referred to. He did, before trial, and by way of settlement, agree to make a contribution towards the costs of plaintiff in the action, but on the under standing that all further litigation on the subject was to cease. Subsequently, a second action was instituted in reference to the same matter, and, as an appeal is now actually pending from the decision in the second action, I must decline—until the appeal is determined—to make any further statement in the matter.

Is the right hon. Gentleman sure the second action does not refer to a totally different matter?

It is a different plaintiff.

I think the right hon. Gentleman will find he is mistaken.

I will inquire again.

Will the magistrate be suspended meanwhile?

No; that would prejudge the case.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether a number of the agricultural tenants of Lord Ardilaun, at Killarney, have been prevented by the landlord from purchasing their holdings, though the largest portion of the estate (which was at the time owned by the late Mr. Herbert, of Muckross) was sold to the tenants; and if the Estates Commissioners have received any communications from Lord Ardilaun or his representatives as to a sale of the unsold portion.

This estate has not come before the Commissioners. They have received no communication from Lord Ardilaun on the subject, and have no knowledge of the statements made in the Question.

I am personally aware of the facts. Can the right hon. Gentleman do nothing to compel Lord Ardilaun to sell?

As the estate is not before the Commissioners, obviously the Executive Government cannot compel a landlord to deal with his property if he does not choose to do so.

His deer are eating the tenants' crops and he will neither sell nor give them protection.

Why not shoot the deer and eat them?

I will go down there.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state whether the untenanted portion of the estate of Major Boyle, situate at Oldrock, near Ballymote, county Sligo, has been sold within the past two years to a non-residential grazier; if so, will he give the name of the purchaser, and say whether any public money has been advanced for the purpose of perfecting the purchase.

No such sale can be traced.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the agreement for the purchase of the O'Conor Estate, situate in Floughena, near Ballaghadereen, county Mayo, which was mutually agreed to by landlord and tenants alike, has yet received the sanction of the Estates Commissioners; and, if so, will he say what arrangement, if any, has been made for the reinstating of the orphans of the late Thomas Durkan, the only evicted tenant on the estate.

I beg to refer to the Answer which I gave yesterday † to a similar Question put by the hon. Member for East Mayo.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state in whose name the account books devised after the passing of the Local Government Act are registered or copyrighted; in whose name the account books required by the Public Bodies Order, 1904, are registered or copyrighted; whether any profits have accrued, or will accrue, in either case to any official of the Local Government Board; and when the copyright in the first set of account books expired.

†See page 337.

I have already informed the hon. Member that the prescribed forms of account have not been copyrighted. If any forms have been copyrighted by a member of the Local Government Board's staff, the Board have no cognisance of the fact. Such forms are not the prescribed forms, and there is no obligation on local bodies to use them.

Why were the copyrighting facilities given to Dr. Ellis refused to the clerk to the county council?

said he knew nothing as to that.

Will the right hon. Gentleman give me a straight answer—has he asked Dr. Ellis if he is deriving any royalties privately from the sale of these books?

In view of the Answer I have given it was not necessary to put such a Question to him.

The whole transaction is a public fraud.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been directed to the fact that, in the Parliamentary Return, circulated last week, on all outrages and other offences of an indictable character in Ireland, there were committed in Ulster 33 per cent. of the offences against the person, 38 per cent. of the offences against property, 35 per cent. of the offences against the public peace, omitting alleged threatening letters, and 45 per cent. of all other offences; whether he is aware that, of the indictable offences in Ulster, 42 per cent, were committed in Belfast; and whether, if these figures be correct, he will state what special steps will be taken to more strictly enforce law and order in the province of Ulster.

The facts are correctly stated in the Question, save that as regards offences against the public peace, omitting threatening letters and notices, only 23 per cent. occurred in Ulster. The Parliamentary Return referred to does not include the Dublin Metropolitan Police district. At the last census the population of Ireland (excluding Dublin) was 4,076,304. The population of Ulster was 1,582,826, or 38·8 per cent. The percentage of outrages in Ulster is less than this in three out of the four classes alluded to in the Question. Taking the four classes in globo, only 32 per cent. ocurred in Ulster. As I have already pointed out, the figures indicate that no special steps are necessary for the enforcement of law and order in Ulster.

Will the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to give any Member of the Irish Party half-a-dozen specific cases of so-called outrage on private property, so that we may test the accuracy of the police report?

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state how many acres of untenanted land in the county of Limerick have been purchased by the Estates Commissioners and the names of the estates in which it is situated.

No untenanted lands have yet been purchased, but the Commissioners are negotiating for the purchase of 1,638 acres.

Where?

I cannot say without further inquiry.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state the number of tenants who have bought, or agreed to buy, their holdings in the Western Parliamentary Division of the county of Limerick; the number of applications made by evicted tenants for reinstatement in their holdings there; how many of these have been reinstated since November 1st, 1903, by the landlords; and how many of them have been reinstated by the Estates Commissioners, or given equivalent holdings, since the same date, and the names of such tenants in both cases.

The records of the Commissioners are not kept by Parliamentary Divisions. Agreements for purchase have been received from 1,565 tenants in county Limerick. Two hundred and sixty-four applications of evicted tenants for reinstatement have been received, and of these four have been reinstated by the landlords, but none by the Commissioners. Three other tenants, who had not made application to the Commissioners, have been reinstated by the landlord. I will procure and forward to the hon. Member the names of the tenants reinstated.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can say why it is that, under Rule 194 of the Commissioners' Code, building grants for adjoining boys' and girls' schools cannot be made unless there is an average attendance of fifty pupils in each school, while, under revised Rule 186, amalgamation of boys' and girls' schools shall not take place where, in the opinion of the Commissioners, the average attendance would be over thirty, but for the operation of Rule 127 (b).

The Commissioners do not make building grants for new separate schools for boys and girls unless there will be an average attendance sufficient for the employment of a second teacher at each school. They continue, however, to make grants to existing separate schools for boys and girls with averages between thirty and fifty, and they have so far relaxed their requirements that they do not insist upon amalgamation unless the average at either school falls below thirty.

asked why the alteration had been made in the figures of the average attendance.

I ought to have notice of that.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the sale of the estate of Mrs. Hester Nevins, of Mountshannon, in the county of Limerick, to the Estates Commissioners has yet been completed; if so, what is the area of the same and the purchase price; how much untenanted land is on the estate; how is it worked at present; whether it is yet divided into allotments for the evicted tenants; if so, have the Commissioners decided to whom to give them; what is the area of those allotments; and when will the evicted tenants be put into occupation of them.

The sale of this estate, which comprises 367 acres of untenanted land, has not yet been completed. Pending completion of the sale, I am unable to give the other information desired.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in framing the new regulations for the Estates Commissioners, care will be taken to provide that the funds available from time to time under the Land Act, 1903, shall be applied to carrying out purchases in the order of priority of such purchases, and without giving any preference to any purchaser or class of purchasers.

The matter has been considered, and the regulations I intend to publish will deal with it.

But will priority be given to sales to the Land Commission or Congested Districts Board over sales between landlord and tenant?

I think it would be more convenient to await the publication of the rules, but it seems to me priority should, generally speaking, be given according to date of application.

asked if a fresh loan was to be issued under the Bill.

said he was not in a position to answer that Question.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can say if the Estates Commissioners have purchased the property of Mr. Lauder, at Clonfanlough, Ballinahoun, King's County; whether there is any untenanted land or grass land let on the eleven months system on this estate; and, if so, do the Estates Commissioners intend to allocate these lands amongst the small holders so as to make the uneconomic holdings on this estate into economic holdings.

The estate has been inspected and reported on, but further inquiries are necessary. There are 581 acres of untenanted land on the property, with the distribution of which the Commissioners will deal in the event, of their acquiring the estate.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can say when the Report of the Trinity College Commission will be circulated as a Parliamentary Paper.

The Report will be circulated to-day.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he has received a copy of a resolution passed at a meeting of the Mallow Rural District Council and Board of Guardians, drawing attention to the inadequate postal service between Buttevant and Liscarroll and Churchtown; and, if so, whether he will now arrange for a mail car service to meet the increasing needs of the district.

As I explained to the hon. Member by letter a few months ago, the improvement desired in the post to Churchtown and Liscarroll could not be carried out without causing serious hardship to the postman who now conveys the mails from Buttevant, and I do not think the improvement is so urgently required as to warrant such a step.

Do the postal authorities intend, in order to preserve a private vested interest, to inflict great inconvenience and loss on the public?

If the hon. Member likes to put it in that way—yes.

I beg to ask the Home Secretary whether a day can be given for the Workmen's Compensation Bill before the adjournment for the Whitsuntide holidays.

Can the right hon. Gentleman make a general statement regarding the course of business?

On Monday next it is proposed first to take the Third Reading of the Finance Bill. There are two formal stages of money Resolutions. I believe the Secretary for the Treasury has already informed the House that another Consolidated Fund Bill is necessary; and it is proposed, therefore, to set up Committee in Ways and Means as the second order, then to take the Loans Bill and Report of Vote 10 for the Navy. On Tuesday the Speaker proposes to announce to the House his intention of retiring from the Chair. After that, Supply, the Board of Trade Vote, will be taken. On Wednesday the Scottish Churches Bill will be introduced under the ten minutes rule, and it is proposed to take the Motion for the holiday adjournment. On Thursday there will be the election of the new Speaker.

When will the vote of thanks to Mr. Speaker be moved?