): To ask the hon. Member for Chorley, as representing the First Commissioner of Works whether his attention has been called to the crowded state of the grass used largely by children in St. James's Park; and whether he will reopen the adjoining ground on which the new grass has now become thoroughly established, at any rate during the summer school holidays.(Answered by Lord Balcarres.) During the month of August the ground in question will be thrown open to children only.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether property tax is charged on the residences of the clergy of all denominations in Ireland; if not, what exceptions are made, and what is the reason for such charge not being made.(Answered by Mr. Victor Cavendish.) Property tax is assessed on the residences of the clergy of all denominations in Ireland. No exceptions are made to this assessment, but the Schedule A assessment is discharged (except in so far as it covers any head rent or other annual charge from which, the income-tax can be deducted) in those cases where the residence is occupied rent free, and without the power of letting, by a clergyman or minister whose total income, exclusive of the annual value of the house, does not exceed £160 per annum.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state why the Government printers in Scotland have not yet completed the printing of the Deer Forest Return and Dr. Dettner's Report on the Public Health and Insanitary Gondition of the Island of Lewis.(Answered by Mr. Victor Cavendish.) Copies of the Deer Forest Return were delivered to the Vote Office this morning. I am informed that Dr. Dettner's Report is now in proof.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can arrange that, with a view to assist in reafforesting Ireland in conjunction with Government effort, planting for profit, or reclamation and partial planting of uncultivated land shall be one of the purposes for which loans may be made under the Land Improvement Acts.(Answered by Mr. Victor Cavendish.) Loans for purposes of planting to afford shelter can be made under the Land Improvement Acts. Loans for planting for other purposes can be made to owners of land, leaseholders, and occupiers, but it will require legislation to place tenants for life in the same position. Such legislation cannot be contemplated at this period of the session.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that according to the Returns of the Registrar-General the infant mortality per 1,000 births has increased in the year 1904 as compared with the average of 1901–3: in Fulham from 143 to 152; in St. Pancras from 145 to 150; in Bethnal Green from 150 to 157; and in Southwark from 161 to 174; while in Poplar the rate has decreased from 158 to 154: whether in Poplar much more out-relief is given to nursing mothers than in other parishes, and whether the decreased death-rate is attributable to this cause; whether Southwark had last year the highest infant mortality in London; whether the Local Government Board will inquire in those districts in which infant mortality is on the increase as to what obstacles are placed by boards of guardians in the way of parents seeking medical relief for their infant children, and in particular whether it is the practice to grant such relief as a loan; and whether the parents who apply are required to appear before the board of guardians or a committee.(Answered by Mr. Gerald Balfour.) I believe that the figures are substantially as stated in the Question. I am unable to say whether more outdoor relief is given to nursing mothers in Poplar than elsewhere. The place in London which in 1904 had the highest infant mortality, according to the annual Return of the Registrar-General, was Shoreditch. There is no evidence, so far as I am aware, that guardians are unwilling to afford medical relief to necessitous parents who are unable to provide such relief for their children. From inquiries which have been made it would appear that it is not the usual practice in London to give medical relief on loan, or to require parents to appear before the guardians or a committee. Even where this is done, the information before me does not point to the conclusion that persons properly entitled to receive relief are thereby deterred from applying for it.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board if he will consider the expediency of arranging for a Return to be kept of the number of licences issued to professional chauffeurs and to male and female motorists respectively.(Answered by Mr. Gerald Balfour.) I presume that the hon. Member desires that when persons apply for licences they should give information on the points referred to, and that the particulars should be recorded in the registers kept by the local authorities. The arrangement would involve some difficulty, and I am not at present aware of any sufficient reason for adopting it.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can inform the House what action has been taken by the various local authorities under the Licensing Act, 1904; what number of licences have been reported to the confirmation authorities; and what number of licences have been refused and what number renewed by these authorities.{Answered by Mr. Secretary Akers-Douglas.) I am not yet in possession of the information desired. I have, however, made arrangements for collecting it as soon as it is available, with a view to tabulating it and presenting it to the House in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that, owing to the absence of protection for the men imported to work for Messrs. T. and J. Harrison, shipowners, of the port of Liverpool, from molestation and intimidation by union pickets, these men are unable to venture into the streets of Liverpool, several having already been assaulted when attempting to do so, and that in consequence it has been found necessary to provide food and lodging for them on the dock premises; and whether he will direct such steps to be taken as will enable these men to pursue their lawful avocations.(Answered by Mr. Secretary Akers-Douglas.) The responsibility for the protection of the men employed by Messrs. T. and J. Harrison rests with the local police authorities of Liverpool. I have communicated with the chief constable of Liverpool, and he reports that extra police have been employed in the neighbourhood since the strike began on 28th June; that they have prevented all interference with the men at or near their work, and that though more than half the men now employed by Messrs. Harrison are not housed in the docks the number of assaults at a distance from the dock has been, in his opinion, small.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether the Department undertakes to redirect letters to travellers on business or pleasure on receiving notice; or whether the practice is confined to householders.(Answered by Lord Stanley.) The Post Office does not undertake the redirection of correspondence for a person temporarily leaving home, with whatever object and whether a householder or not, unless the house be left uninhabited, not, as a general rule, in any case where private redirection can be arranged. The regulations on the subject will be found at page 22 of the Post Office Guide. If the hon. Member has any specific case in view and will be good enough to give me particulars, I will have inquiry made.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether he will consider the advisability of issuing to those postmen who have served for twenty - one years, with unblemished character, a similar decoration to that granted to members of the Army and Navy after completing twenty one years service, and similar to the service badge granted to the various police forces throughout the country.(Answered by Lord Stanley.) Established postmen who have served for twenty years, with unblemished character, are entitled to four good-conduct stripes, each carrying increased pay of 1s. a week, awarded at intervals of five years. Moreover, after twenty-five years unblemished service, they are eligible, on retirement, for the award of the Imperial Service medal, granted by His Majesty the King. It does not appear to me that any further decorations or badges are needed.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether he has yet been able to secure premises in Wapping suitable for the establishment of a post office west of Wapping Bridge.(Answered by Lord Stanley.) I regret to say that the circumstances are still the same as they were a year ago, when I informed the hon. Member that no suitable premises were available.

To ask the Postmaster-General if he will state when the Report of the Postmaster-General will be issued, and can arrangements be made for the Report to be issued earlier in the session in future.(Answered by Lord Stanley.) My Report for the year ended March 31st, 1905, is in the hands of the printers, and will, I hope, be issued early next week. Every effort is made to issue the Report as early as possible; but the preparation of the elaborate series of statistics on which the Report is based necessarily occupies some time after the completion of the financial year.

To ask the Secretary to the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that some £115,000 was subscribed by the princes and people of India towards the erection of the Imperial Institute as a memorial of the reign of Her Majesty the late Queen Victoria, and considering that the purposes for which it was originally erected have been modified and are liable to alterations in the future, he will take steps to secure that the memorial character of the building shall be expressly preserved by means of a prominent inscription on its front adequately setting forth in English and Hindustani the circumstances which the Institute was intended to perpetuate.(Answered by MR. Bonar Law.) The matter of affixing a suitable inscription on the Imperial Institute building is at present engaging the attention of the Advisory Committee of the Imperial Institute.

To ask the Secretary to the Board of Trade if he can give the number of people employed in agriculture in the following countries:—England, Scotland, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Belgium, and United States of America.(Answered by Mr. Bonar Law.) The census classifications adopted by the various countries named are not on a comparable basis, and any figures that could be stated with regard to the number of persons employed in agriculture would be subject to so many qualifications that it is not practicable to give the particulars in answer to a Question. The hon. Member will find certain figures with regard to some of the countries named in [Cd. 2337] of 1904, pp. 436–8.

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty what was the total initial cost and when were commissioned the following warships: "Orlando," "Iris," "Hector," "Fearless," "Magicienne," "Blanche," "Blonde," "Barosa," "Boomerang," "Karrakatta," "Grasshopper," "Jaseur," "Pincher," "Beagle," "Nautilus," and "Fancy."(Answered by Mr. Pretyman) I must refer the hon. Member to the Return of vessels struck off the effective list, issued in March last, No. 74–1.

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, with reference to the sinking of the Liverpool sailing ship "Afghanistan" by H.M.S. "Cæsar," on June 3rd last, if he is in a position to communicate the details of the result of the naval inquiry; and it the necessary instructions will be given to bring about a speedy settlement of all life claims.(Answered by Mr. Pretyman.) The proceedings and results of Naval Courts of Inquiry are always treated as confidential, and this course is especially necessary when legal proceedings are pending or possible. The reply to the last part of the Question is in the affirmative.

To ask the Lord-Advocate whether, seeing that a sum of about £110,000 out of the general aid grant was carried to suspense account on March 31st this year, and that a further sum from the same source will be accumulated this year, he will say whether, under the Education (Scotland) Bill introduced this session, these sums would have been made available for educational purposes; and whether, in view of the fact that this Bill is not to be proceeded with, the Government propose to deal with this money by amending the Minute of June, 1897, as amended by that of April 30th, 1900, and place these additional sums at the disposal of the county committees, or what course it is intended to pursue.(Answered by Mr. Scott Dickson.) The balances in question would have been made available for educational purposes under the Education (Scotland) Bill introduced this session. They will now be dealt with by further Minutes of the Department, as directed by Clause 3 of the General Aid Grant Minute of April 25th, 1904, and Clause 5 of the corresponding Minute of February 16th, 1905, and these Minutes will be laid before Parliament in due course. It is not proposed to apply these balances to augmenting temporarily the sums dealt with by the Minute of June 10th, 1897, and the amending Minute of April 30th, 1900, or to any other purpose of annual maintenance expenditure, but to reserve them for the purpose of aiding certain forms of capital expenditure for educational purposes. On reference to Clause 32 of the Education (Scotland) Bill, it will be seen that this is the purpose for which these balances were destined under the Bill.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state the reason why a circular was issued by the Treasury on July 25th to the Registrars of County Courts stating that all stationery and printing material would, on and after April 1st, 1906, be supplied by the Controller of the Stationery Office; whether he is aware that many country printers would be affected if this work was taken from them; and will he state what saving, if any, he estimates will be made if this change be carried out.(Answered by Mr. Victor Cavendish.) A considerable saving of public money is expected to result from transferring to the Stationery Office the control of the supplies of stationery and printing required for the County Courts. The exact amount of the saving cannot be stated until the new arrangements have been completed, but I think it may amount to as much as £8,000 or £10,000. A large proportion of the County Courts are supplied by London firms; but where the work is now done locally there is no reason why this method of supply should not continue if satisfactory arrangements can be made as to price.

To ask the Secretary of State for India whether he has arranged to obtain from the Government of India a Return showing the quantity of salt sold annually to each of the Native States of India entitled to receive salt from the British Government on privileged terms under special treaty engagements; and will he arrange for the nature of the terms to be indicated in the Return.{Answered by Mr. Secretary Brodrick.) The Government of India have been requested to have the Return prepared which I promised in my Answer to the hon. Member's Question of June 20th, † 1905. I will ask that Government to add the further information desired by the hon. Member, if this can be conveniently done.

To ask the Secretary of State for India, having regard to the fact that in the year 1900–1901 the holdings

† See (4) Debates, cxlvii., 1093.

of 14,760 ryots in the Madras Presidency were sold in default of payment of land revenue, will he state whether the Madras Government, before resorting to these extreme measures, considered to what extent the difficulties of these ryots might be attributable to the preceding years of famine.(Answered by Mr. Secretary Brodrick.) I have no reason to suppose that the Madras Government failed to treat impoverished ryots with due consideration in collecting the land revenue in 1900–1. In the Memorandum prefixed to the Return made in connection with the hon. Member's Question of March 24th, † 1904, it is shown that the land sales in Madras are due to a great extent to causes other than stringency in coercive processes. In the year preceding 1900–1 remissions of land revenue to the extent of 29½ lakhs of rupees were given to ryots whose circumstances required relief.

To ask the Secretary of State for India, having regard to the fact that the number of defaulting ryots in the Madras Presidency whose holdings were sold fell from 14,760 in the year succeeding the famine to 4,946 last year, will he arrange for defaulting ryots to be granted a longer period before their property is dealt with, in order that they may have more opportunities for recuperation from the effects of famine.(Answered by Mr. Secretary Brodrick.) There are rules in force in the Madras Presidency for the suspension and remission of the land revenue which provide for the protection of ryots whose crops have failed, and prevent the premature sale of land for arrears of land revenue. It has frequently been explained by the Government of Madras that a large proportion of the recorded sales represent the voluntary abandonment of land by holders, and that the process of sale is not resorted to until ample opportunity has been given to the defaulter to pay the dues of the State. I feel sure that the Madras Government may be trusted to see that impoverished cultivators are treated with every consideration.

† See (4) Debates, cxxxii., 606.

To ask the Secretary of State for India what approximate margin will be left out of the proposed loan of £20,000,000 after the purchase of the Bengal Central Railway and the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway.

To ask the Secretary of State for India whether the balance of the proposed loan for £20,000,000 after the purchase of the Bengal Central Railway and the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway will be used solely for the construction of new railways; and, if so, what is the estimated annual capital expenditure; or, if not, to what purpose such balance, or portion of balance, will be applied.

To ask the Secretary of State for India whether any provision is made in the proposed loan of £20,000,000 for the purchase in 1907 of the Southern Mahratta Railway, the Madras Railway, or any other railway; and, if so, the amount of such provision.(Answered by Mr. Secretary Brodrick.) These three Questions can be most conveniently dealt with in one Answer. The Bill now before the House proposes to give power to borrow £20,000,000, "as and when necessary," for certain specified purposes or to issue stock for some of those purposes instead of borrowing direct. It is extremely improbable that any one loan for the whole £20,000,000 will at any time be issued uuder the proposed powers; there is certainly no present intention of issuing such a loan. As I explained in my reply to my hon. Member for East Perthshire on 5th June, ‡ the practice had been to give to the Secretary of State for India in Council borrowing power sufficient to enable him to borrow for some time the sums that may be required for capital expenditure and other purposes without applying to Parliament on each separate occasion. As regards the purposes for which it is intended to use the proposed powers, I am able to give the following information:—The Bengal Central Railway has already

‡ See (4) Debates, cxlvii., 701.

been purchased, so that its purchase price cannot be provided out of loans raised under the present Bill. The purchase price payable to the shareholders of the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway (which may possibly be provided under the powers proposed in the Bill) will exceed £10,000,000. It has not yet been decided whether the Southern Mahratta Railway and the Madras Railway shall be purchased, nor in what manner purchase (if decided on) shall be effected. The text of the Bill shows clearly that money borrowed under it may be applied to (1) the construction of new railways, (2) the improvement of existing railways, (3) the discharge of bonds, etc., of guaranteed railway companies, (4) payments required to be made by the Secretary of State in Council on taking over railways from companies. It is contemplated that the powers under the Bill will, in various years, be used for all these purposes. The capital expenditure on State and guaranteed railways is now at the rate of about £8,000,000 a year, but only a portion of the money is provided by direct sterling borrowing by the Secretary of State in Council such as is proposed to be authorised by the present Bill.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state the amount of the deficit for the last ten years on the working of the Dublin and Blessington steam tram line, which the guaranteeing counties of Dublin and Wicklow have been obliged to make good out of the rates, showing the loss to each of the two counties separately.(Answered by Mr. Walter Long.) The deficit in the working expenses in the last ten years was £363 7s. 2d., which was made good by the counties of Dublin and Wicklow in equal shares. In addition, the counties respectively contributed in aid of dividends in the same period:—

	£	s.	d.
County Dublin	2,933	14	0
County Wicklow	2,933	14	2

Thus the total loss made good out of the rates was:—

	£	s.	d.
County Dublin	3,115	7	7
County Wicklow	3,115	7	9

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in the case of a school in which a manual instructress is at present at work qualifying by attendance for the services of an assistant, the manual instructress will be allowed to retain her position or to qualify, if competent, for the position of assistant mistress.(Answered by Mr. Walter Long.) Manual instructresses are, on passing the King's scholarship examination, eligible for appointment as assistant teachers in schools where the average attendance warrants the employment of an assistant, provided (a) that they have given three years service as manual instructresses, (b) that during that time their work has been very favourably reported upon by the inspector, and (c) that they have satisfied the inspector as to their skill and capacity in the practice of teaching (Rule 76b, 5).

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners have concluded the purchase of the King-Harman Estate; what was the total price paid for it; how many years purchase did the price obtained represent; and what was the amount of the bonus on the sale received from the Exchequer.(Answered by Mr. Walter Long.) The sale of the entire estate has not yet been concluded. The purchase money of that portion of the estate which has been purchased is £402,012, which represents 22·9 years purchase of the rental. This amount includes cash payments, amounting to £231, on which no bonus was payable. The bonus paid in respect of the sold portion was £48,213 14s. 4d.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will reconsider the need of granting independent inquiry into the case of the Catholics employed in the Veterinary Branch of the Agricultural Department, so that they may be afforded the opportunity of submitting evidence, documentary and otherwise, as to their treatment.(Answered by Mr. Walter Long.) I have repeatedly stated that no further inquiry will be granted. The suggestion that the question of religion enters into the treatment of officials is wholly unfounded.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state how many natives recruited from the British Central Africa Protectorate for labour in the Transvaal have, up to the present time, arrived at the mines; how many have succumbed to disease, and how many have returned home.(Answered by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton.) The latest particulars in my possession show that up to February, 1905, of 2,118 natives recruited in British Central Africa, who proceeded to the Transvaal during the years 1903 and 1904, 179 succumbed to disease. I have not the separate figures as to those who have returned home. I have recently discussed the subject of this recruiting with. Sir A. Sharpe, the Commissioner for British Central Africa. He informs me that the local mortality is very high and that those who are recruited are eager to go.

To ask the Secretary of State for War if he will explain why the troops in the British Isles have been deprived during the present summer of any proper headdress to protect them from the effects of the sun; if numbers of the men have suffered from sunstroke; and if he will state by whose authority the felt hat has been abolished.(Answered by Mr. Secretary Arnold-Forster.) The new service dress cap, which supersedes the cap with cover and the sun hat, has been issued generally. This cap is considered sufficient protection from the effects of the sun in this country. The medical reports show very few cases of sunstroke during the last three months. The felt hat was abolished by authority of the Army Council.

To ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the Government has received a representation from the Convention of Royal Burghs in Scotland, dated 19th July, 1905, complaining of breaches of the Treaty of Union between England and Scotland committed in the teaching of history in State-aided schools; and whether he will take steps to see that, as a condition of their receiving national funds, all such schools in England, Scotland, and Ireland shall not in their teaching contravene the treaty obligations of the component parts of the United Kingdom.(Answered by Mr. A. J. Balfour.) The Secretary for Scotland has received a representation from the Convention of Royal Burghs complaining of certain inaccuracies in text books used in elementary schools. The matter is now engaging the attention of the Secretary for Scotland.

TO ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he is yet in a position to give to the House any assurance that the claims on the Government of Russia in connection with the sinking of British steamers have been duly acknowledged and will be paid in due course; and, if not, what steps His Majesty's Goverment intend to take to obtain redress for the owners of the destroyed steamers.(Answered by Mr. A. J. Balfour.) I think the best Answer to my hon. friend's Question is to refer him to the speech delivered by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on Monday last, in which it was stated that claims for compensation in respect of all these cases have been or will be presented to the Russian Government irrespective of any decision by a Prize Court.

To ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in view of the fact that it is to be open to the colonial representatives at a free and unfettered conference to suggest changes in the fiscal system of the United Kingdom, it will be equally open to the British representatives at that conference to suggest changes in the fiscal systems of the Colonies.(Answered by Mr. A. J. Balfour.) As I have more than once stated, the Government do not propose any limitation upon the discussions of the members of the conference. The hon. Member will no doubt note the terms of the Answer I gave in the House this afternoon.

To ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether it is contemplated, in the event of the Secretaries of State for Trade and Local Government both being enacted, that the salaries of the respective Secretaries of State for Trade and Local Government will be the same amount as those now received by the present Secretaries of State; and whether the salaries of the permanent officials will be increased to the standard of those obtaining in offices to which Secretaries of State pertain.(Answered by Mr. A. J. Balfour.) If the Bill becomes law the salaries of the present holders of the two offices in question will not be raised during the present Parliament. After the present Parliament, or in the event of a fresh appointment to the office, the salaries will presumably be raised to the usual salaries of a Secretary of State; but that will rest with the Administration to propose, and with Parliament to decide. It is intended, if the Bill becomes law, that, generally speaking, the salaries of the permanent officials should be raised to the scale obtaining in the office of a Secretary of State.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the Admiralty authorities are aware that there is no corporal punishment of men or boys in the French Navy; and whether, during the time the French ships of war are in British waters, the caning and flogging of boys on board the King's ships will be discontinued.

I have nothing to add to previous Answers I have given on this subject.

I must repeat this Question, because I never asked this Question before.

I must repeat my Answer, because I have been asked it before.

Cannot I have an Answer, Yes or No, to the last part of the Question?

It is obvious that the same regulations will continue in force.

Then the flogging will go merrily on.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what is the classification of the following brigade divisions of Volunteer Artillery: the 1st Lanark, the 1st Monmouth, the 1st Lincolnshire, the 4th Yorks, and the 3rd Kent; what would be their various purposes and objectives in accordance with their mobilisation orders in case of a raid by a foreign force on the United Kingdom; and whether he intends to fulfil the pledges given by the Secretary of State for India and himself that they would be re-armed with the discarded 15-pounder guns of the Royal Field Artillery when the latter are re-armed with the new modern 18-pounder quick-firing armament.

A revised scheme for the utilisation of the Volunteer forces for home defence is now being considered, and I am not, therefore, in a position to give my hon. friend the information he desires. As regards the last part of the Question, I have no information to give beyond that which has already been communicated to the House.

asked whether it was the intention of the War Office to destroy these brigade divisions by the want of encouragement, or to alter the whole character of the force.

That is a very wide Question. It is the desire of the War Office to apply the energy and goodwill of these brigade divisions to a purpose that would be useful in time of war, and the question how they can be made useful in time of war under the new conditions arising out of the Prime Minister's statement of military policy is now under consideration.

Will that revised scheme be published?

No, Sir.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say why it is not to be published?

We have to consider the allocation of the Volunteer forces in view of the policy which has been laid before the House by the Prime Minister. That is a very delicate and difficult matter, and I am not sure that it is advisable to set out the whole strategical disposition of the British Army in a public document.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there have been very specific mobilisation orders issued to these Volunteer corps?

I am perfectly aware of that; but there must be a change in those orders. For example, a large number of Volunteer artillery corps were appropriated to the fixed defences of London; but the whole of that scheme is now considered to be unnecessary. In view of the present strength and disposition of the Fleet, that arrangement is considered unnecessary, and therefore it is necessary to have a reallocation of the Volunteer artillery corps.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these brigade divisions have hitherto been trained as field artillery, and encouraged to be so trained by the War Office?

No, Sir, that is not a correct statement of the facts. I have over and over again, in many Answers, told the hon. Gentleman what are the facts.

Then why are they given horse allowance?

; I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that officers in His Majesty's Army, before they are considered eligible to join the Egyptian Army, or to go out to Japan to learn the language, or to serve on the staff, must, if lieutenants, pass the promotion examination for the rank above the one they hold; and that officers who are appointed adjutants and assistant adjutants of battalions at home are not obliged, if lieutenants, to have passed this examination; and whether he will take any, and what, steps to place adjutants and assistant adjutants at home on the same footing as officers seeking appointment in the Egyptian Army, or desirous of going to Japan, or wishing to serve on the Staff.

The conditions as to passing examination are imposed when officers leave their regiments for extra regimental work, because they may be serving where examinations are not held, or where facilities for attending examinations are difficult, and because the special work on which they are engaged may cause only limited time to be available for study for the examination. In the case of adjutants' appointments the above contingencies do not appear. As regards the Egyptian Army the rules are made by the Sirdar.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he will explain on what grounds Mr. G. D. Baillie-Hamilton, late of the Royal Garrison Regiment, has been promoted captain to the Royal Scots over the heads of nineteen officers who have had longer service in the Army than he has, and eleven of whom have had two or three years active service in South Africa, whilst he was in Africa only for the last four months of the war.

On the reduction of the Garrison Regiment, the Army Council decided to offer to certain captains and all lieutenants and second lieutenants transfer to the Line as juniors of their rank in the corps to which transferred. Every effort was made to ensure that captains so transferred should be either senior in total service or older than the senior lieutenants of the corps to which transferred. This officer was promoted captain before transfer, and is considerably older than the senior lieutenant in the Royal Scots.

Had not the senior lieutenant nearly double this officer's service?

; I think it would be better if questions with regard to the promotion of individual officers were referred to the commanding officer or to the War Office.

I beg to ask the Secretary for the Colonies whether he will inquire what number of Chinese coolies employed in the Transvaal at piecework rates are now receiving leas than 1s. 6d. a day.

I have no reason to believe that any Chinese coolies are earning less than 1s. 6d. a day on piecework. If the hon. Member has any evidence which he thinks trustworthy and on which he has based his Question and will communicate it to me, I shall be able to judge of the necessity of inquiring.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state how many of the Chinese on the Rand are now working at piecework rates; and how many of these are actually earning less than the guaranteed minimum of 1s. 6d. a day.

I will ask Lord Selborne to supply me with the numbers, if he is able to do so. In reply to the latter part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I have just given to the hon. Member for Cleveland.

In view of the promise made by the right hon. Gentleman, is it not his business to see that the coolies do get the minimum of 1s. 6d. per day?

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if any steps are taken to explain to the Chinese coolies, when after six months service they are offered the alternative of a piecework contract, that the acceptance of the alternative entails the abrogation of the minimum of 1s. 6d. per day which was promised them when they were first engaged.

The hon. Member is mistaken in supposing that the acceptance of the piecework contract entails any such abrogation as he refers to. The coolie by undertaking piecework secures the opportunity of earning considerably more than 1s. 6d. a day. But at any time after the expiry of his piecework contract he can abandon piecework and secure the minimum wage of 1s. 6d. for a day's work. As I have already stated to the House, Lord Selborne reports that in the case of the North Randfontein Mine the offer was carefully explained to the coolies and that they had ten days in which to consider it. I have no reason to doubt that similar precautions were taken in other cases and that the coolies fully understand the position.

Will the right hon. Gentleman get a copy of this contract?

Yes, Sir.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any communications have passed between him and the Colonial Premiers as to the meeting of a Colonial Conference next year.

No, Sir. Such communications as have passed have been of quite a general character, based on the assumption that the Resolution of 1902 would lead to the reassembly of a Colonial Conference.

Will you lay them on the Table?

Not at present.

Has no invitation yet been issued?

No, Sir.

Will a formal invitation be issued, or will it be assumed that the Premiers will come?

An invitation was, I think, issued on a previous occasion several months before the holding of the Colonial Conference.

And no formal invitation has yet been sent?

No.

How many mouths was it sent out beforehand?

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has yet received the report on the riot among the Chinese coolies at the Van Ryn Mine in the Transvaal, which took place on May 14th; and, if so, whether he will state what were the circumstances which gave rise to that disturbance.

I have not yet received the report, but I have telegraphed to inquire when I may expect it.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any decision has been come to as to handing over the commercial mole now being completed at Gibraltar to the control of the Admiralty for naval purposes; and, if this change has been decided upon, how it is proposed to satisfy the long-delayed claims of the commercial community for improved coaling and other harbour facilities.

No decision has yet been arrived at; the question is being considered by an Inter-Departmental Committee.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies what were the terms and conditions upon which able-bodied natives were recruited in Basutoland and Orange River Colony before February, 1905; what was the commission paid upon such recruiting; whether his attention has been called to the alteration of those terms and conditions in the circular of the Witwatersrand Native Labour Association, Limited, dated 17th March last; and what is the commission now paid.

Natives from Basutoland and the Orange River Colony were recruited on contracts of four months duration, but practically no natives were obtained from the Orange River Colony, as there is little or no surplus population there available for work outside the colony. The fee charged by the Witwatersrand Native Labour Association to its members for natives on a four months contract was £2. The latest information in my possession is the despatch from Lord Selborne printed at p. 49 of Cd. 2563, in which a copy of the circular is enclosed. The fee for natives recruited for twelve months, the period now fixed, was, and I believe still is, £5.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the practice of employing coloured convict labour in the gold mines of the Transvaal was first commenced; what is the number of such convicts now employed; what are the names of the mines in which and the conditions upon which they are employed; whether they work side by side with non-convicts; and whether he will consider the desirability of discontinuing this practice and employing the convicts upon Government work for the future.

I would refer the hon. Member to Answers which I gave on this subject to the hon. Member for Halifax in considerable detail on February 15th † and February 17th ‡ of last year. The practice has been in vogue since 1901. The number employed on the gold mines at the end of May of this year was 603; in 1904 there were 850, and they were employed on the Cinderella Mine and the Consolidated Main Reef Mine, and I assume are still employed there. The Transvaal Government will no doubt consider, when the accommodation in the prisons has been enlarged, whether the practice should be discontinued.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these powers were recorded for the first time in the last Blue-book?

I think that is not so, for in February I answered Questions about the practice throughout South

† See (4) Debates, cxxix., 1320

‡ See (4) Debates, cxxx. 14.

Africa, and that was long before the last Blue-book.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to the answer given on 8th July, 1905, by the Hon. MR. Carnduff in the Bengal Legislative Council to a series of questions asked by the Hon. Mr. Chandhuri, from which it is understood that the Government of Bengal contemplates appointing a member of the Indian Civil Service to the post of Director of Public Instruction as soon as it shall become vacant by the retirement of Mr. Pedler in March, 1906; and whether, in view of dissatisfaction caused by this announcement among the members of the Educational Service, and in all sections of society in India, he will state what action His Majesty's Government propose to take in the matter, in view of the effect which such an appointment would be likely to have upon recruiting for the Indian Educational Service.

I am aware that the Government of Bengal propose to appoint a member of the Indian Civil Service to succeed Mr. Pedler as Director of Public Instruction in March next. That office is not reserved for the Educational Service, and local Governments and Administrations have full discretion to fill it as may seem most for the advantage of the public service. I am not aware that the proposal has caused dissatisfaction in all sections of society in India; as regards the Educational Service, the Government of India has been informed by the Lieutenant-Governor that the arrangement contemplated will be for a period of from two to three years at most, and that he looks forward to a return at no distant date to the practice of selecting a Director from the Indian Educational Service. I do not propose to take any action in the matter.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any, and what, steps have been taken to provide for a reorganization of administrative and judicial institutions in Macedonia, as proposed in the Murzsteg programme.

Article 4 of the Mürzsteg scheme provides for the eventual reorganisation of the administrative and judicial institutions in Macedonia, but no steps were to be taken in the matter pending the pacification of the country. It has throughout the negotiations been held by His Majesty's Government that a reform of the financial administration was necessarily the first step towards a reorganisation of the judicial and other administrative institutions, and the measures which are now being urged upon the Sultan must be regarded as a necessary preliminary to such reorganisation.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Foreign Office and the other Powers regard the tithe experiment carried out last autumn in thirty villages in the vilayet of Monastir as completely satisfactory, and when it is proposed to extend it to the other villages of the three vilayets.

According to the report received by His Majesty's Government the experiment seems to have proved a marked success. It is intended gradually to extend the new system to the three vilayets, and to apply it this year to seven cantons.

I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs when further Papers as to Macedonia will be laid; and whether the Austro-Hungarian Government have yet appointed, or whether they intend to appoint, a successor to Herr von Müller as their civil agent, jointly with the surviving Russian civil agent.

The Papers are being prepared and will be published as soon as possible, but I cannot state the precise date on which they will be ready. With regard to the second paragraph, His Majesty's Government have not as yet been informed when the appointment of a successor to Herr von Müller will be made.

I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Porte has now consented to accept Lord Lansdowne's financial scheme for Macedonia; and, if not, whether any steps are being taken to obtain that consent within a short time.

The Porte has not yet accepted the proposals jointly made to it by the Ambassadors of all the five Powers. As these proposals embody reforms which do not admit of modification or postponement, a further communication has been made in this sense to the Turkish Government.

asked whether it was a fact that martial law had been proclaimed in Candia, where British troops were now garrisoned, and whether telegrams to newspapers were subject to censorship.

Yes, Sir. In consequence of an attack which has been recently made on British troops His Majesty's Government have authorised the proclamation of martial law in the Candia district, on the understanding that the civil administration and the tribunals shall be as little as possible interfered with. As regards Press censorship, we understand that it will only apply to foreign telegrams, and not to ordinary matter. I am not aware that martial law has been proclaimed in any of the other foreign spheres.

Have the representatives of the other Powers taken similar action?

replied that he had no information on that point.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will lay upon the Table the correspondence which has taken place between His Majesty's representative at Christiania on the subject of illegal trawling in Scottish waters by trawlers registered in Norway.

There is no correspondence between the Foreign Office and His Majesty's Consul-General at Christiania respecting trawling in waters off the coast of Scotland outside the three-mile limit which could be laid with any useful result.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the recently published report of the medical officer of health for Liverpool upon smallpox hospitals, in which this officer rejects the conclusions arrived at by the Local Government Board's inspector, Dr. Reece, that smallpox has been spread by means of these hospitals; and whether, in view of the importance of the question, the Local Government Board proposes to issue any further report or observations on the subject of the Liverpool smallpox hospitals.

I have seen the report of the medical officer of health. The Local Government Board propose shortly to address a communication to the Liverpool Town Council on the subject of their smallpox hospitals.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, having regard to the difficulties that have arisen as to the powers of the additional members of the county licensing committees through their not having been summoned to the preliminary meeting as members of the compensation authority, with reference to the determination of any question as to the refusal of the renewal of a licence under the Licensing Act, 1904, Section 5, Sub-section 5, he will consider the advisability of issuing a rule defining their powers in this respect.

No cases have come to my knowledge of failure to summon the borough additional members to the preliminary meeting of the compensation authority with reference to questions as to the refusal of the renewal of a licence. The right of those members to act with the authority for those purposes is clearly denned by the enactment quoted; and, as at present advised, I see no reason for making any rule in the matter.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can state, approximately, the number of persons whose position will be affected by the provisions of the Workmen's Compensation Bill now before the House.

The Bill, of course, affects both employers and workmen, but I presume the hon. Member's Question refers only to workmen. The Departmental Committee on Workmen's Compensation calculated that the employments which are wholly or partially covered by the existing Compensation Act represent perhaps about 7,250,000 of workmen, and I estimate that the workmen employed in the new employments which it is proposed to include by the Bill might number approximately 1,250,000 to 1,500,000, but only a very rough calculation can be made.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to allegations of fraud against the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States; whether any return is made under the Insurance Acts by this society to his Department; whether, in order to enable this society to operate in Great Britain and Ireland, any guarantee sum has been lodged under the Insurance Acts in this country; if so, where, and the names of the trustees, if any; and whether, with a view to protecting policy holders in Great Britain and Ireland, the Board of Trade will require the lodgment of this guarantee sum if the same has not been already lodged.

My attention has been called to the case of the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. The returns required by Sections 5, 7, and 8 of the Life Assurance Companies Act, 1870, from companies transacting life business in the United Kingdom have been duly deposited and are included in the Life Assurance Companies Return presented annually to Parliament. The society commenced business in the United Kingdom in 1869 and did not make any deposit, such deposit being required only from companies commencing business in the United Kingdom after the passing of the Act of 1870.

asked whether there was any power now to require this company to make a deposit.

No, there is no such power.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Board of Trade whether he has now been able to come to a conclusion as to the status and financial position of the Irish Provident Assurance Company; whether it is intended to take steps to safeguard the rights of policy holders; and whether he will lay upon the Table an account of his investigations, giving the history of the company.

I am not able to add anything to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member on the 27th ultimo.†

I beg to ask the Secretary to the

† See (4) Debates, cl., 619.

Board of Trade whether he has taken steps to check the misstatements made to him by the Great Eastern Railway Company to the effect that they have no through rate for pianos from Germany to Cardiff, having regard to the fact that Messrs. Thompson & Shackell, pianoforte dealers, of Cardiff, hold a consignment note which shows they were charged a rate of 43s. 4d. per ton for conveyance of a piano weighing 7 cwts. 7 lbs. from Germany to Cardiff; and whether, seeing that the rate charged to the same firm by the London and North-Western Railway Company for conveying a piano weighing 5 cwts. 2 qrs. from London to Cardiff was 57s. 9d. per ton, and also that Messrs. Flint Brothers, Limited, of Cardiff, have been charged a rate of 46s. 8d, per ton for the conveyance of fifteen casks of butter weighing 15 cwts. 3 qrs. from Parkeston to Cardiff, whereas the through rate from Rotterdam to Cardiff is only 43s. 4d. per ton, he will also grant an inquiry into the question of railway rates as operating to the advantage of the foreign trader in regard to all goods and merchandise not comprised in the inquiry already prosecuted by the Board of Agriculture.

The Board of Trade are in communication with the Great Eastern Railway Company on the subject of the rates to which my hon. friend refers. I may point out that the question of the rates on butter from Parkeston and Rotterdam to Cardiff might have been dealt with by the Committee appointed by the Board of Agriculture had it been brought before them, and the Board of Trade will await the Report of this Committee before considering whether any further inquiry is necessary.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Board of Education what are the grounds on which the Board of Education propose to alter, after this year, the dates of the payment of the annual grants payable to education authorities in respect of the elementary schools maintained by them; and whether he is aware that if such alteration be made it will cause local authorities inconvenience by having to raise sums out of the current rates previous to the receipt of the annual grant.

The hon. Member does not seem to be aware that the system of advanced payment of annual grant by quarterly instalments is only a very partial one, and covers but a small portion of the grant. The system has only been in force since the beginning of the financial year 1903–4. Long notice has been given of the discontinuance of the practice after the end of the current financial year, and I do not anticipate that local authorities will have any serious difficulty in making the small change in their financial arrangements which will be necessitated.

Is the hon. Baronet aware that municipalities, almost without exception, are desirous of maintaining the system of quarterly payments. While they appreciate the concession already made for the present year they desire it to be made permanent?

I am quite aware that some of the local authorities do desire it.

I beg to ask the hon. Member for Chorley, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether his attention has been called to the crowded state of the grass used largely by children in St. James's Park; and whether he will reopen the adjoining ground on which the new grass has now become thoroughly established, at any rate during the summer school holidays.

During the month of August the ground in question will be thrown open to children only.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieu- tenant of Ireland whether he is aware that shortly after the Congested Districts Board was constituted an application was made for an extension of the pier at Portmagee, county Kerry, where the curing of mackerel for the American market has been carried on continuously on a large scale; whether he is aware that, owing to insufficient pier accommodation, the fish has frequently to be sent by road to Cahirciveen, a distance of ten miles; and whether, in view of the fact that the extension of the pier was fully approved by the Board, steps will be taken to carry out the work.

In October, 1894, the Board decided that they would not undertake the extension of this pier without a substantial local contribution. No offer of assistance has been made, and the Board have, therefore, taken no further action.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland how many national schools in Ireland have an average daily attendance of between twenty-five and thirty pupils; how many of these have been reported by the inspectors in their reports for the year 1903 as fair, and how many as good, or with some mark higher than good.

The number of schools with an average attendance of between twenty-five and thirty is not recorded; but the number with average attendance between twenty and thirty was 1,740 on 31st December last. The Return asked would involve the expenditure of much time and labour, and the Commissioners do not see that any useful object would be served by preparing it.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if the arrangement recently made with the authorities of Trinity College, Dublin, by which the Commissioners of Intermediate Education in Ireland have reversed their regulation against publishing the results of their annual examinations was voted unanimously by the Commissioners; and, if not, will he state the numbers that voted against it, and also publish the Minutes of the meeting of the Commissioners at which it was discussed.

I will at the same time reply to the Question of the hon. Member for North Dublin. The arrangement referred to applies to the exhibition and prize lists only. The privilege mentioned is not limited to Trinity College, but will be afforded to all educational bodies which offer prizes to intermediate students on the results of the Board's examinations. The offer to furnish the written answers of the students was made by the Assistant Commissioners on the authority of the Board. There has been no precedent, as no similar proposal had previously come before the Board. The question of disclosing the proceedings at the Board's meetings is one for the Board to deal with. It will be submitted to the next meeting of the Board. The following is the Question of the hon. Member for North Dublin:—

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been directed to the correspondence between the Board of Intermediate Education in Ireland and the authorities of Trinity College, Dublin, in the course of which the former body offers to place at the disposal of the latter not only the marks obtained at the intermediate examinations by the most distinguished students and the subjects in which they have been examined, but also the written answers of the students; whether any resolution was passed authorising the secretaries of the Board to offer, in the name of the Board, to furnish those answers; whether there is any precedent for such an offer; and whether he will lay upon the Table of the House copies of the Minutes of the meeting or meetings of the Board of Intermediate Education at which this matter was discussed and dealt with.

Is it the right hon. Gentleman's view that Trinity College should be specially favoured?

No, certainly not.

It is, all the same.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can now state when the Congested Districts Board intend to distribute the lands they have on hand in the neighbourhood of the division of Annagh, Ballinasloe; how long have they been in possession of the land; and whether he is aware that the great majority of the tenants in the district are under £5 valuation.

These lands have not yet been vested in the Board, who have no power in the meantime to distribute them.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether Rule 94 (III.) of the National Board of Education, which commands Irish national school teachers to avoid fairs and markets, applies to teachers resident in rural districts who rent small farms or land, and who have stock and crops to sell at fairs or markets; and, if so, will he advise the Commissioners of National Education to withdraw the rule.

The rule applies to all the teachers without exception. I understand, however, that if a teacher finds it necessary to attend a fair for the disposal of his stock the Commissioners do not take a serious view of the matter unless such attendance is of a recurrent nature and interferes with the proper discharge of the teacher's duties. The Commissioners regard the rule as a most useful one, and do not intend to withdraw it.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the attention of the county inspector of the Royal Irish Constabulary in Sligo has been called to the fact that the Sunday Closing Act is practically ignored in that town; and whether he will communicate with the Inspector-General with the view of having the Act enforced throughout Ireland.

The police in Sligo, as elsewhere in Ireland, pay particular attention to the enforcement of the Sunday Closing Act. During the past five years the police prosecuted forty-two cases of breaches of that Act in Sligo, and convictions were had in twenty-nine cases.

What about Sunday motoring?

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Congested Districts Board have been appealed to by the fishermen of Ballydavid and Brandon Creek, county Kerry, for grants for the extension of their piers; and whether, seeing that fishing is the principal industry of the people of this district, the Board will send down an inspector to report on the fishing industry along the coast of the Dingle peninsula.

The Board cannot provide funds for the extension of these piers. It is not considered necessary to send an inspector to report on the fishing industry on the Dingle peninsula, as to which the Board are fully informed.

As the Congested Districts Board does nothing for Kerry, will the right hon. Gentleman give this matter favourable consideration?

The general question is engaging the attention of the Board, and if the hon. Member can indicate any way in which assistance can be given practically, I shall be very glad to consider it.

; Give Kerry a member on the Congested Districts Board, and then Kerry interests will be looked after.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether it is proposed to take any steps to carry out the suggestions of the Trinity College Commissioners for the purpose of facilitating the sale of Trinity College land; what rental does Trinity College receive annually from Kerry land; what price has Trinity College demanded of landlord lessees for the redemption of head rents; and will he explain what has been done with the £5,000 per annum voted for Trinity College at the passage of the Land Act of 1903.

I have already said that the questions raised in the Report of the Commission are receiving the most careful consideration of the Government. The Report shows that the rental of the college estates in Kerry is £10,699. I have no information as to the third inquiry, but in the absence of an agreement between the parties the Judicial Commissioner has power to fix the redemption price. The three yearly sums of £5,000 have been invested as prescribed by Section 39.

How soon do you expect the Board to come to a decision?

I am afraid I cannot say.

Is not Trinity College demanding from their tenants 27½ years purchase in addition to the three years bonus?

I think that is incorrect.

I have seen a public communication to that effect. It is known, too, all over the country.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the repeated demands, the latest being an unanimous resolution of the Dublin Corporation, for independent inquiry into the case of the Catholic gentlemen in the Veterinary Branch of the Agricultural Department, who, after eleven years service on high-class duties, receive salaries of £97 10s. per annum, he will now direct the Department to consent to such inquiry.

The resolution of the Dublin Corporation was one asking for the Department's observations on the resolution of the King's County Council passed at the instance of the hon. Member for the Ossory Division. The Department do not discuss questions relating to their staff with local bodies which have no functions in the matter. I have repeatedly stated that there are no grounds for any further inquiry

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Under-Secretary for Ireland, replying to the communications from the Commissioners of Intermediate Education in regard to their request for the appointment of permanent inspection, stated in December, 1902, that the Irish Government was entirely in favour of a system founded mainly on inspection as distinguished from a system founded mainly on examination; whether he can state on what grounds His Excellency refused to recommend the scheme to the Treasury; and when the change, legalised by the amending Act of 1900, will be carried into effect.

Yes, Sir; but the letter in question proceeded to refer to the fact that the statutes governing the intermediate system required the continuance of examination as the principal factor in regulating the distribution of grants to schools, and the question therefore arose as to whether the resources available for education in Ireland were so great as to justify the simultaneous existence of the two methods—examination and inspection—of testing results in one department. As to the concluding inquiries of the Question, I beg to refer to my reply to the Question of the hon. Member for North Dublin yesterday.†

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Report of the Department of Agriculture on the Sea and Inland Fisheries of Ireland for 1902 and 1903 has been brought to his notice; whether his attention has been called to the fact that pages 1 to 214 are occupied with scientific investigations, diagrams, and plates dealing with marine fauna, with noctiluca miliaris, muggiæ atlantica, pleurobrachia pileus, echinodermata, and other specimens of marine life interesting to naturalists, and only two pages to the questions of shoal fish, the present destruction of immature mackerel on the South Coast, and other matters of great practical importance to working fishermen; and whether he will advise the Department to recommend the inspectors of fisheries to give more attention to the practical side of Sea and Inland Fisheries in their next annual Report, and, if necessary, to give the scientific side in a more condensed form.

The Department's annual Reports on Fisheries are divided into two parts, Part I. being the general report of the inspectors, and Part II. the technical report of the scientific adviser. The hon. Member's attention appears to have been directed to the latter Report only. The destruction of immature mackerel off the South Coast is engaging the attention of the Department.

Our complaint is that so much space is devoted to marine biology and so little to the improvement of the South of Ireland fisheries. We want something more practical.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Constable Guinlivan, Royal Irish Constabulary, Kilmalogue, Portarlington, requested two boys, named Cummins and Foran,

† See (4) Debates, cl., 1341.

whom he met on the banks of the River Barrow, to catch him some gudgeons; that the constable took the fish for his own use, and subsequently instituted a prosecution which came before the petty sessions at Portarlington on July 26th; and whether, seeing that one of the boys, aged twelve years, was sent to Tullamore Gaol for fourteen days, and the other fined 10s. 6d., he will say what steps he proposes taking in this case.

This prosecution was at the suit of the Fishery Conservators. There is no foundation for the suggestion that the constable who detected the offence asked the young men to fish. The offenders were fined 10s. 6d. each. One paid the fine, and the other, who is nineteen, not twelve, years of age, was sent to prison in default of payment.

What was the offence of these boys?

I suppose illegal fishing,

Under what circumstances?

Who was the informer?

How can I answer that?

Is fishing for gudgeons legal in other parts of the United Kingdom and not in Ireland?

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can now state the names of the gentlemen who it is proposed are to constitute the Commission to inquire into arterial drainage in Ireland; and will he state the terms of reference.

I refer to the reply which I gave yesterday to the similar Question of the hon. Member for North Dublin.‡

As the Government never acts on the Reports of these Commissions, why keep on appointing them?

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if the Land Commissioners can give any explanation of the reductions granted by them on first-term and second-term fair rent applications for the year ended 31st March, 1905, in comparison with previous years; and how it occurs that rents fixed on the reports of their own valuers, but which do not come before the Court, are considerably lower than those fixed by the Court on the reports of the same valuers.

The percentages of reduction in rents fixed by the Sub-Commissioners or, on appeal, by the Land Commissioners, vary with the varying circumstances of cases, holdings, and districts. The rents so fixed are judicially determined, and it is not competent to me to ask the Commissioners to give any explanation of their action.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if the policy adopted by the Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests in connection with the sale of estates vested in them is to secure a price that will increase the annual income on each estate sold; and, if so, if he can take any steps to prevent a public body by such action giving an inflated value to land in Ireland at the present time.

I am informed by the Commissioners that no negotiations for the sale of estates vested in them have taken place.

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

† See (4) Debates, cl., 1340.

Ireland whether he can state the two counties in Ireland in which the new drill in connection with the Lee-Metford rifle is practiced by the police.

Wexford and Tipperary, South Riding.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland what price the Congested Districts Board paid for the Fallon Estate, county Galway.

£16,037.

How many years purchase is that? Can the right hon. Gentleman say?

No.

It is too hard a sum.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that after an inquiry into the failure of the Rural District Council of Dungannon to make an improvement scheme under the Acts, the council were informed by the Local Government Board on March 22nd last that the eighteen applicants whose names were set out in the letter had established their claims for the erection of cottages; can he say how many of these cottages have yet been built; and, if none, will he take steps to cause the work to be begun at once.

The fact is as stated in the first inquiry. On May 4th the council decided upon a scheme for forty-one cottages, including the eighteen referred to. There is no reason to believe there will be any undue delay in the erection of the cottages.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that a letter posted in Skibbereen, for Baltimore, in time for the down train leaving Cork at noon is not delivered until the following morning. I though postal officials meet the train at 2.8 p.m., and could deliver a bag for Baltimore without additional expense; and that a letter posted at Baltimore, for Skibbereen, in time for the 11.30 a.m. train is taken to Cork and sent back to Skibbereen in the evening, notwithstanding the fact that postal officials meet the train at Skibbereen and could with, out further expense take a bag from there to the post office; and whether, in view of the fact that towns of less importance than Baltimore in the neighbourhood have a mid-day mail, he will have the existing one continued during the year in Baltimore.

The facilities asked for could not be given without expense, and, as I informed the hon. Member on 7th ult., I regret that the cost of the existing posts is so high in proportion to the amount of correspondence as to preclude further expenditure Apart from considerations of expense, the correspondence available for the suggested bags between Baltimore and Skibbereen is too small to justify their institution.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he is now in a position to make any statement as to the provision of a new post office for Bangor, county Down.

In response to the advertisements which I caused to be issued several offers of sites and premises for a new post office have been received and are now under consideration.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General if any arrangement has yet been made which will facilitate the despatch of the English mails via Greenore from Derry and the surrounding counties, cities, and towns by the train leaving the city of Londonderry at 5.15 p.m.; is he aware of the convenience an extension of postal time such as proposed would afford a large part of the North of Ireland; and if he has received any representations from the districts served by the Great Northern Railway Company pressing upon his attention the desirability of the suggested postal extension.

The hon. Member is no doubt aware that I recently received a deputation on the question of establishing a mail service from the North of Ireland to England by the Greenore route. I undertook to make further inquiries on the subject, but these are not yet completed. I regret that I am not in a position to state whether or not such a service can be established.

Does the noble Lord well understand the importance of this question to those who reside in the North-West of Ireland?

Yes, Sir, the deputation made that quite clear.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the desire of a number of Unionist Members that the less contentious part of the Unemployed Bill and the Workmen's Compensation Bill should be passed into law this session; and whether he will take steps, by prolonging the session or otherwise, to attain this object.

May I ask you, MR. Speaker, whether the term "a number of Unionist Members" in the Question should not be "a number of Christian Members"; and whether there is any precedent for allowing Members to be described in a particular manner in a Question?

The phrase "members of the Unionist Party" has been frequently used; and I see no objection to it.

There is no such Party.

In reply to the Question, I have to say that I have every hope of seeing the Unemployed Bill, in its present uncontroversial form, passed into law in the course of the present session. But I do not see any possibility of passing the second Bill. I shall consider myself fortunate if I get the first.

Why not prolong the session?

Or have a Saturday sitting?