To ask the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the case of Patrick Crawley, a seaman, who was discharged from the s.s. "Thyra" on 3rd August, 1903, at Pedang; whether he is aware that at the time of Crawley's discharge from the ship there was due to him as wages the sum of £23 6s. 6d.; that on the arrival of Crawley in the United Kingdom the whole of his wages had been used for the purpose of his conveyance home, and for other expenses, and that the Board of Trade accounted that he was in debt to them to the amount of £3 5s. 10d., although they had appropriated the whole of his wages; and whether he will state the disease from which Crawley was suffering.

( Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George. ) My attention has been called to the case referred to by my hon. friend, and the facts are practically in accordance with his statement. The seaman was suffering from malaria, which the Board of Trade are advised does not constitute hurt or injury in the service of the ship, and the wages therefore appear to have been properly applied towards the payment of the expenses. The excess of £3 5s. 10d. is not a debt due from Crawley, but has been paid by the owners of the "Thyra." I am considering whether it is possible to amend the law so as to minimise the hardship to the seamen in such cases.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the circumstances connected with two recent inquests at Sheffield have been brought to his notice; whether he is aware that the taking of diachylon, a powerful and poisonous drug, which resulted in the deaths mentioned above, is an increasing practice among many women, who through ignorance of the properties of the drug are doing their health serious injury; and whether he can see his way to have this drug and its preparations scheduled as a poison.

( Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone. ) Several representations on the subject of the taking of diachylon have been received, and my notice has been called to one of the recent cases at Sheffield. I am informed, however, that the Lord President of the Council, who is in charge of the Poisons and Pharmacy Bill now before the House of Lords, is advised that to schedule diachylon as a poison would not mitigate the evil which is complained of.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can give details of expenditure under the Marine Works (Ireland) Act to date, showing which works have now been completed and which are in progress; what other works have been agreed upon between the Irish Government and the county councils concerned; and what is the unexpended balance of the grant at the present time.

( Answered by Mr. Bryce. ) The following table shows the expenditure incurred up to 31st March, 1906—

No other works have yet been agreed upon between the Irish Government and the county councils, because no other schemes have arrived at the stage at which reference to county councils becomes requisite. The unexpended balance of the grant of £100,000 under the Marine Works Act amounts to £77,470 11s., but this balance includes not only the sums necessary to complete the works already in progress, but also a large sum which was provisionally set aside for expenditure upon a harbour at Innishlyre, county Mayo the negotiations as to which have been suspended.

To ask the Secretary of State for War if any money already voted by Parliament for military purposes at Wei-hai-Wei still remains unexpended; and to what purposes this money will be allotted, in view of the proposal to disband the Chinese troops.

( Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane. ) Parliament has voted the pay, etc., of the Chinese Regiment for the year 1906–7, Some of this money will be used to defray the expenses of disbanding the regiment. The balance will, I hope, be saved.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether, with a view to securing continuity of Army policy, and in order to remove misconceptions arising from the diverse interpretation of terms used in connection with Imperial defence and with the territorial organisation of the Army, he will consider the advisability of following the precedent set in 1893 by the present Prime Minister when Secretary of State for War, and authorise the publication by the department of the General Staff of a handbook in popular form, setting forth the objects and the course pursued by the military policy of the nation from the year 1870 to the present time, with special reference to the period from 1893 to 1906.

( Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane. ) The Army Book of the British Empire, to which my hon. and gallant friend presumably alludes, is in course of revision, but it is not likely to be ready for publication for some months.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to a meeting of the athletic council of the Gaelic Athletic Association held at Cork, where the chairman justified the action of the executive council of the association in refusing to allow members of the Royal Irish Constabulary and His Majesty's soldiers and sailors to take part in athletic sports under their auspices; and whether he intends to take any action in the matter.

( Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane. ) I am not aware of the matter alluded to in the Question. I do not propose to take any action.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command, has yet furnished the report of his inquiry as to the cause of the amount of punishment in the 16th Lancers during the twelve months ending 28th February last; if so, will he inform the House as to the general nature of that report; and, in view of the condition of this regiment, will he consider the advisability of appointing an officer from some other regiment to the command of the 16th Lancers.

( Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane. ) The report in question has been received, and is under consideration. As I have already informed my hon. friend, the report is confidential.

To ask the Secretary of State for War by whose authority contractors for the supply of frozen mutton to the Army were prohibited from offering foreign as well as colonial mutton; on what grounds that prohibition was made; and whether it is the intention of His Majesty's Government to maintain that prohibition.

( Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane. ) The decision to confine the supplies of frozen mutton to the Colonies was made by the War Office in 1902 on the authority of the Financial Secretary. The foreign frozen mutton, which comes from Argentina, while cheaper than New Zealand, was dearer than Australian mutton, and was considered not always satisfactory in quality. It was accordingly decided to give the preference to the colonial supplies. I am of opinion that quality and price should alone be considered on these contracts.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the number of ex-soldiers who seek poor relief, he will consider the desirability of Array pensions being paid weekly instead of, as now, monthly or quarterly.

( Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane. ) This matter is now receiving my most careful consideration.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether there are any other British troops now in Natal in addition to the remnant of the Royal Garrison Artillery; what is the composition of this additional force, if any; what is the estimated cost per diem of this force, including due allowance for the cost of housing, training, and pensioning; and how much of that daily cost is to be contributed by the Colony of Natal.

( Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane ) The 2nd battalion Cameron Highlanders has been moved temporarily into Natal. There are also the necessary departmental details. The daily cost is estimated at £245. The colony will pay all extra expenditure resulting from the move; but the normal cost of maintaining the force remains chargeable to Army funds.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the Canadian import duty on malt flour has been raised since January 1st, 1904, to an amount which is nearly four times the amount of the duty previous to that date, while the duty on other malt extracts remains at the amount fixed previous to January, 1904, and that both classes of malt extracts are imported for the same purpose, for use by bakers; whether the Colonial Office has received any communication on the subject from the Board of Trade; and whether he contemplates making any representation on the subject to the Canadian Government.

( Answered by Mr. Churchill. ) The late Secretary of State received representations on this subject through the Board of Trade, and these were communicated by him to the Canadian Government last October; and the Governor-General has reported that the matter was referred to the Commissioners who were inquiring I into the working of the Canadian Customs Tariff.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can state the area of land reserved for the natives in Natal and under the administration of the Natal Native Trust; whether the Natal Native Trust is responsible to the Natal Government or to the Colonial Office; and whether the regulations under which the natives are permitted to occupy these reserved lands are in any way subject to the approval of the Home Government.

( Answered by Mr. Churchill. ) The area of reserved land referred to is stated to consist of forty-two locations, comprising approximately 2,198,568 acres. The Natal Native Trust is a Corporation constituted by the Letters Patent of the 27th April, which gives to one of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State power to disallow and cancel any rule, order, or resolution made by the corporation in virtue of the powers conferred on them by the Letters Patent, i.e., powers to take and hold, grant, sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of land for the advantage and well-being of the natives. The regulations under which natives are permitted to occupy such lands do not come within the scope of the Letters Patent, but are provided for by legislation of the Natal Parliament.

To ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies whether he has received a report of the decisions of the Inter-colonial Customs Conference at Pietermaritzburg; and whether he will cause them to be published as soon as possible.

( Answered by Mr. Churchill. ) There has not yet been time to receive the decisions of the Conference by mail, and it will be necessary to consult the South African Governments after their receipt as to publication.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies by what legal authority martial law has been proclaimed in Natal; how long it will be continued; who is responsible for its continuance; and whether the ordinary courts of Natal are sitting.

( Answered by Mr. Churchill. ) Martial law has been proclaimed in Natal by the Governor on the advice of his Ministers. I would also refer the hon. Member to my Answer to the hon. Member for North Lambeth,† given in the House to-day. It is not possible to say, at present, how long it will be continued. The Government of Natal are responsible for its continuance. The ordinary courts of the Colony are sitting.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what proportion of the labourers from Portuguese East Africa who are employed in the Transvaal mines come from within the tropics; what is the rate of mortality per thousand of such labourers; and whether it is proposed to put a stop to their recruitment; if so, when will the prohibition come in force.

( Answered by Mr. Churchill. ) The Return received for January shows that, out of 67,989 natives from Portuguese East Africa, 2,116 came from Mozambique, and 822 from Quilimane. The rate of mortality among the labourers from tropical areas was 118·9 per 1,000 for the first ten months of 1905, according to Lord Selborsne's telegram published at page 44 of Cd. 2819, which also shows that recruiting ceased on 31st January, and will not be resumed unless the mortality Returns for the year ending 30th June, 1906, show marked improvement.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state the number of cases in which the Treasury have incurred costs or expenses by intervening under the Irish Land Act of 1903 from its enactment to the end of March, 1906; the number of these cases in which the decisions have been adverse to the contention of the Treasury; the gross amount of costs and expenses incurred by the Treasury in theses latter cases; the share of this amount due to intervention initiated under the late Government; the share due to intervention initiated under the present Government; and in what Votes on the Estimates are such costs and expenses included.

( Answered by Mr. McKenna. ) Total number of cases in which Treasury have incurred costs or expenses up to the 31st March, 1906, 20. Number of these cases in which decisions have been adverse to the contention of the Treasury, 6. Gross amount of costs and expenses incurred by the Treasury in these latter cases, £217 9s. Share of this amount due to intervention initiated under the late Government, all. To what Vote on Estimate are such costs and expenses included. Law Charge Vote (Ireland).

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that the MS. of the Chartulary of St. Thomas's Abbey, Dublin, by the late Mr. John Gilbert, is actually completed and ready for Press; and if he will agree to its being published by the Record Commission in the Master of the Rolls series, in view of the great value and historic interest of the chartulary and in view also of the fact that its publication will complete the series already commenced by the publication of the Chartulary of St. Mary's Abbey, Dublin.

( Answered by Mr. McKenna. ) I am not sure that I quite understand the hon. Baronet's Question. The Register of the Abbey of St. Thomas the Martyr, Dublin, edited by the late Sir John Gilbert, was published in 1889 in the "Chronicles and Memorials of Great Britain" Series (the Rolls Series.") The Record Commission has been extinct for more than half a century.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Lords of the Treasury have given their sanction by any warrant, order, or other document to the proposition that Mr. Milvain has a right of continuing in office as Judge Advocate-General until he attains the age of seventy, or for any other fixed period.

( Answered by Mr. McKenna. ) The War Office was informed in August last that no objection would be offered by the Board of Treasury to the retention of Mr. Milvain in the office of Judge Advocate-General until he should attain the age of seventy.

To ask the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that St. Mary's Catholic school, Bolton, was built subject to the provisions of the Act of 1902, whereby the maintenance and furnishing was to be met by the local education authority; can he state why the declared policy of the Board should be reversed whilst a school is being built; and whether, in view of the sum spent in the building of this new school, he will arrange that the provisions of the Act of 1902 as regards furnishing shall be strictly adhered to.

( Answered by Mr. Birrell. ) I am aware that the erection of the St. Mary's Catholic school, Bolton, was sanctioned at a time when the provisions of the Act were understood to throw upon the local authority, in all cases, the duty of providing the furniture for a new voluntary school. The Board have, however, recently been advised that, under a correct construction of the terms of the Act, no such obligation rests upon the local authority, and that the authority can properly decline to maintain a new voluntary school unless and until it is provided with the requisite furniture, etc., for the purposes of a public elementary school. I am, however, of opinion that, in cases where the provision of the school was settled at a time when the reverse view was held, it would be a fair arrangement if the local authority were to arrange that the cost of providing the furniture etc., should not, contrary to expectation, fall upon the managers. But whether this can be avoided, where an authority is willing to bear the expense as it has expected to have to do, raises difficult legal questions which are being carefully considered.

To ask the Secretary for Scotland if he will state briefly what recommendations contained in the Report of the Mansfield Commission he proposed to apply to the Island of Lewis and the Western Highlands.

( Answered by Mr. Sinclair. ) The present arrangements, which are based on the Report, are experimental, and it is not intended to add to them at present.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the use in passenger trains on the Loughrea and Attymon Railway, county Galway, of third-class carriages so rough and coarse as to be obviously out of date, and whether, seeing that the residents living alongside the line and the ratepayers are subject to a baronial guarantee for the payment to the shareholders of 5 per cent., he can exercise any power to induce the directors to improve the carriages with a view to the comfort of the travelling public.

( Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George. ) My attention had not previously been called to this matter; but I have forwarded a copy of the hon. Member's Question to the Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland Company, who inform me that they work the line referred to with precisely the same class of rolling stock as that in use all over their system. The company add that their third-class carriages have been improved since the date when the line was opened and the baronial guarantee to the Loughrea and Attymon Company came into force.

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will state with reference to the eleven warships reported to have been sold at Chatham on 3rd April last, the original cost of each ship and when it was launched; when it was last repaired, and how much has been spent in repairs in each case, and the price for which each ship was sold.

( Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson. ) The information asked for is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any announcement to make as to the nature of an inquiry into the subject of vivisection, and as to the date on which it may be expected.

( Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone. ) I am not yet in a position to make any announcement as to the nature and date of inquiry, but I hope to be able to do so soon after the Easter recess.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Workmen's Compensation Bill will apply to municipal employees, and whether including male and female trained nurses in the asylums for mental diseases.

( Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone. ) The Answer is in the affirmative.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he includes among inquiries now proceeding as to the extension of particulars to certain piecework trades some, such as brush-making, India-rubber balloon-making, and net-making, which were mentioned in His Majesty's Chief Inspector's Report for 1902 as already or about to be specially reported on with a view to their inclusion in the protection of the particulars sections; and whether, these Reports having been submitted four years ago, he can see his way to extending the particulars sections to these industries at once.

( Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone. ) No further Reports have been submitted with reference to these three industries, beyond a reference to net-making in the Principal Lady Inspector's Report for 1903. Brush-making is now the subject of an inquiry, and I will call for Reports also with regard to the other two.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the lymph which has been or is now being issued by the vaccination authorities is entirely innocent of any culture by small-pox.

( Answered by Mr. John Burns. ) The lymph used by public vaccinators is, I believe, almost entirely that which is issued gratuitously by the National Vaccine Establishment, and with respect to this I may refer to the Answer I gave to my hon. friend on March 23rd. †I cannot speak positively as to the source of any lymph used by a public vaccinator which he has obtained elsewhere, but The Vaccination Act, 1898. requires that it shall be glycerinated lymph derived from the calf.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the proposal of the Bournemouth Corporation to erect a small-pox hospital at Ferndown, in the county of Dorset; whether he is aware that the site for the hospital is closely adjacent to a number of small residential properties, and that the close proximity of the proposed hospital will ruin the neighbourhood as building land, to which it is admirably suited; whether, seeing that there is a quantity of vacant heath-land available in the county of Hampshire, to which Bournemouth belongs, he will say whether there is any precedent for an urban authority building such a hospital in a neighbouring county, in the teeth of the protests both of the inhabitants of the district affected and the local authorities of the county concerned; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter.

( Answered by Mr. John Burns. ) I am aware that the corporation have purchased some twenty-four acres of land at Ferndown, for the erection of a building for the reception of small-pox cases, should any occur in the borough. I understand that the building will only consist of a pavilion of a temporary character, capable of accommodating about eight patients, and that it will be from 300 to 350 yards distant from the nearest dwelling-house, and about half a mile from the village of Ferndown. The land, which is freehold, has been purchased for £750, and it is suggested that this fact indicates that there is not much demand for land for building or any other purpose in the neighbourhood. There are, I believe, precedents for the town council of a county borough building a hospital in the adjoining county, notwithstanding opposition of the kind referred to. I have ascertained that the Corporation of Bournemouth do not propose to defray the cost of the site or of the building by means of borrowed money, and, in these circumstances, I have no authority to interfere in the matter.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the statement that Lord de Ramsey has given notice to 1,000 allotment and small holders of land in the county of Huntingdon to quit their occupations in October; and whether he will cause inquiries to be made, and also put himself in communication with the local authorities with a view to their providing allotments for this large body of agricultural labourers.

( Answered by Mr. John Burns. ) I have not at present received any representation on this subject. I think the best course will be for the present holders of the allotments to place themselves at once in communication with the local authorities. If any action on my part is necessary, and application is made to me on the subject, I will give the matter immediate consideration.

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether the revision of Ordnance Survey maps of the county of Dublin will not in I future include, at the public cost, the revision of any plans on a scale larger than that of 25·344 inches to the mile, unless part of the cost is borne by the ratepayers; whether he is aware that Ordnance Survey maps of I the city of London are drawn to a scale of ten feet to the mile, at the public expense; and whether, under these circumstances, he will take steps to insure the revision of the 1·1056 scales of the county of Dublin, at the public cost, as has hitherto been the practice.

( Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) It was decided by the Treasury in 1894 that the revision of Ordnance Survey plans on a larger scale than twenty-five inches to the mile should not in future be undertaken unless the local authority agree to pay the extra cost involved. This rule has been uniformly enforced since that year, and I regret that it is not in the power of the board to make any exception in favour of the county of Dublin. The revision of the large scale plans of the city of London was carried out before 1894.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the aggregate gross liabilities of the State on 31st March last.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total sum estimated to be raised by loan in the current financial year for civil, military, and naval works.

( Answered by Mr. Asquith. ) I would ask my hon. friend to wait until my Budget statement for these figures, as I think their publication before that date is attended with some inconvenience.

To ask the Secretary of State for India. whether he is aware that two independent unofficial bodies, viz., the heads of sixteen Calcutta colleges, and the Anglo-Indian Defence Association, memorialised the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal last autumn against the proposed appointment of a member of the Indian Civil Service as the next Director of Public Instruction in Bengal, and will he say whether any answer had been vouchsafed to their representations; is he aware that the members of the Indian Educational Service in Bengal had individually memorialised the Viceroy and Governor-General of India in August and September, 1905, on the same subject, and will he say whether they had received any reply; and, if so, at what date, or, if not, will he explain why; and whether, seeing that there is a Government rule in force in India to the effect that no Government servant may memorialise the Secretary of State for India until he has presented his case and received an answer from the Government of India, he will say whether the members of the Educational Service have been effectually debarred by this delay of more than six months from presenting a petition to the Secretary of State against the passing over of all the members of their service in favour of an outsider for an appointment which had hitherto always been held by an education officer.

( Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley. ) I have no information as to the statements in the Question. The hon. Member is no doubt aware that the reasons for the temporary appointment of Mr. I Earle have been fully explained in the replies given to Questions on the subject by my predecessor on the 2nd and 10th August and by myself on the 1st March last,… that the Lieutenant-Governor, in the exercise of his discretion, has acted in what he believes to be the interest I of the public service, and that the arrangements which have been made are not contrary to the practice prevailing in other provinces of India, and are on this occasion deemed essential for the advantage of the Department.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if it is possible for county councils of counties outside the congested districts to take advantage of the insurance clauses of the Marine Works Act; and, if so, if he will state what procedure has to be followed for the purpose.

( Answered by Mr. Bryce. ) Under Section 11 of The Marine Works Act, 1902, a county council and the Board of Works may agree that any marine work, which is the public property of the county, shall be vested in the Board of Works, and shall be inspected, maintained, and kept in repair by that board out of the general maintenance fund under the Act. The section further provides that the county council shall covenant to pay such annual sum as the Lord-Lieutenant may certify to be properly payable by the council as a county contribution in respect of the work, and it is provided by Section 2 that such contribution shall not be less than 1½per cent. of the total cost of the work. In order to take advantage of these provisions, it would be necessary that a county council should pass a Resolution to the effect that they are desirous of applying the provisions of Section 11 in the case in question; that they are willing to pay the Board of Works such annual sum as the Lord-Lieutenant may certify; that they request the Lord-Lieutenant to fix the sum, and request the Local Government Board to consent to the alienation of the work, and request the Board of Works to take over the work. It would then be for the Board of Works to decide whether it is necessary, in the public interest, that they should enter into an agreement under Section 11, and if they should so decide, a conveyance would be entered into, and other legal steps taken.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant ot Ireland whether his attention Has been called to the minutes of the Committee of Council of Education in Scotland, dated the 19th of March, 1906, in which provision is made for a special grant of £1,500 towards the cost of new school buildings, or of the repair and upkeep of existing buildings in the Highlands and Islands; and whether a similar special provision will be made in the case of new schools in the congested districts of Ireland.

( Answered by Mr. Bryce. ) I am informed that the provision referred to in the Question has in fact been made, and the necessity is fully recognised of making provision for the improvement of school buildings in the congested districts in Ireland. The matter is being fully considered. I may remind the hon. Member that £35,000 is this year to be expended out of money provided by Parliament on new school buildings in Ireland, and the poorest districts will of course have a strong claim for the improvement of their school buildings.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the slip at Roads, county Kerry, is rendered practically useless through the partly submerged ledge of rock which prevents the boats reaching the landing-place; and whether the Congested Districts Board will instruct their engineer to have the ledge blasted.

( Answered by Mr. Bryce. ) In the opinion of the Congested Districts Board, it is not the fact that the landing place at Roads is practically useless. The board have made improvements to the landing place, as a result of which large seine boats are now used by the fishermen, instead of the canoes formerly used. It is considered that no reasonable expenditure would make such an exposed landing place completely satisfactory, but the board's engineer will make a further inspection, and report whether anything can be done as regards the ledge of rock mentioned.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the attention of the Estates Commissioners has been called to the claim of Mrs. Daniel Coffey, of Gurtcullinane, Beaufort, for reinstatement in the farm from which her late husband was evicted in 1885, on the J. Mahony estate, Dunloe, county Kerry; and whether, seeing that the negotiations for the sale of the estate have not yet been concluded, they will settle this matter satisfactorily to all parties concerned.

( Answered by Mr. Bryce. ) The Estates Commissioners inform me that they have made inquiries into this case and have ascertained that Daniel and John Coffey, who were brothers, were joint tenants of the holding in question. Both were evicted, and John Coffey subsequently became tenant of the entire holding, which he has now agreed to purchase under the Land Purchase Acts. It appears to the Commissioners that they cannot interfere in the matter, which is really in the nature of a family dispute.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, whether the application for reinstatement has been received by the Estates Commissioners from Daniel M'Carthy, representative of the late Patrick M'Carthy, an evicted tenant on the Trinity College estate at Fustane, Kenmare; and whether, seeing that negotiations for the sale of the estate are now in progress, this application will be duly attended to.

( Answered by Mr. Bryce. ) The Estates Commissioners inform me that they have no record of the receipt of an application for reinstatement in the case referred to.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state the dates within the last ten years on which the O'Donel estate, situate at Newport, county Mayo, has come before the Court of Chancery for sale; who were the intending purchasers on each occasion; why did not the sale come off; and can he give the name or names of the objectors to the sale on each occasion.

( Answered by Mr. Bryce. ) I am informed by the registrar of the Land Judge's Court that the estate in question has not at any time been publicly offered for sale. The learned Judge has, however, directed that the estate be offered for sale to the Congested Districts Board, and the schedule of tenancies and other necessary matters are in course of settlement.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he can give any reason why Mr. John Murphy, of Derrybrick, Lud-lough, Castlebar, county Mayo, should not be allowed a gun licence for the purpose of protecting his crops from vermin.

( Answered by Mr. Bryce. ) The power of issuing a licence under the Peace Preservation Act is vested in the resident magistrate of the district. It would be contrary to practice to state the grounds upon which the magistrate, in the exercise of his discretion, has so far refused to grant a licence.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners have received a memorial from Mrs. Catherine O'Brien, a tenant on the Fraser estate, county Cork, setting forth the means employed by the owner and his agent to induce and compel the tenants to sign purchase agreements, and if a resolution to the same effect, adopted by the Mitchelstown No. 1 District Council, has also reached the Commission; and whether, in view of these allegations, full investigation will be made into all the circumstances before any advances for purchase of this estate are sanctioned.

( Answered by Mr. Bryce. ) The Estates Commissioners inform me that they have received the memorial and resolution mentioned, and will, when dealing with the estate, give due consideration to the allegations made in these documents.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can by any means expedite proceedings in the Land Commissioners' Court in Limerick, to have fair rents fixed in the cases of farms as between landlords and tenants by the Sub-Commissioners, and to have appeals heard on similar issues in the High Commissioner's Court, in view of the arrears under both Commissions.

( Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The Land Commission inform me that a Sub- Commission Court has been almost continually employed in the county Limerick for some years, and a list containing cases from the union of Limerick and Croom is at present in course of disposal, while another list, containing cases from other parts of the county, is in course of preparation. The Appeal Court sat in Limerick in October last, and will sit there again on the 28th June. In fixing the sittings of the Sub-Commission and the Appeal Courts the Land Commission are obliged to have due regard to the claims of the different districts as well as to the time at the disposal of these courts.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, can he say if he knows anything about the negotiations for sale and purchase as between the landlords, without regard of the nominal owner, Mr. Marshall, and the tenants on the Marshall estate, Toomaline, Doon, county Limerick; and, inasmuch as under duress and pressure of arrears on this rack-rented property the majority of the tenants have consented to purchase, whilst four have declined to purchase between the Toomaline, Kilmoylan, and Moanoola sections of the estate, will the Estates Commissioners declare this estate not to be one for sale under the Land Purchase Act of 1903.

( Answered by Mr. Bryce. ) The Estates Commissioners inform me that they have no knowledge of any negotiation which may be in progress for the sale of this estate.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, is he aware that negotiations for sale and purchase have been for some time going on between Major Newenham and his tenants on his estate at Toryhill, Croom, county Limerick; and that, owing to the pressure of arrears on this rack-rented property, the majority have consented to purchase on terms on which the minority, who are in a position to resist pressure in purchasing, have refused to become purchasers; and will he recommend the Estates Commissioners to exercise their discretion of declaring the lands in question not to be an estate for sale under the provisions of the Act of 1903.

( Answered by Mr. Bryce. ) The Estates Commissioners inform me that they have directed their inspector to report upon this estate, and when the Report has been received they will consider the matters referred to in the Question.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether it has been decided to retain British troops in the Island of Jamaica: what will be the composition and the strength of this force; what will be its estimated annual cost; and by whom will that cost be borne.

( Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane. ) The garrison for which provision is made in Estmates 1906–7 is 1,790 all ranks, of whom about 350 are Europeans. The estimated cost of this force is about £136,000, and it is borne by Army Votes. Some redaction o the non-European troops, West India Regiment, is, however, in contemplation.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the convenience to the general public, he would take steps to inquire whether there could be no firing on Dartmoor on Easter Monday and on Whit Monday.

( Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane. ) Instructions have been issued to the commandant of the practice camp at Okehampton that there is to be no firing on either Easter Monday or Whit Monday.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the present system of paying Army pensions quarterly or monthly is a direct cause of thriftlessness, and an indirect cause of pauperism among ex-soldiers; and whether he can arrange for such pensions to be paid weekly through the Post Office or in any other manner.

( Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane. ) The whole question of the mode of payment of Army pensions is now receiving my most careful consideration; but I am not at present in a position to make any statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether he will lay the Report of the Departmental Committee on the Employment of ex-Soldiers and ex-Sailors, together with the evidence, upon the Table of the House.

( Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane. ) It is not usual to lay Departmental Reports, and, as this Report has not yet been made, I am not at present in a position to give a reply to the Question.

To ask the First Lord of the Treasury, in the event of the Statute Law Revision (Scotland) Bill being read a second time, what course the Government will take with reference to the commitment of the measure.

( Answered by Sir H. Campbell-Banner-man. ) I refer my hon. friend to my Answer given to-day to my hon. friend the Member for Aberdeen.†The Statute Law Revision Bill seems to me just such a measure as might well be remitted to a Scottish Grand Committee.

To ask the I First Lord of the Treasury whether any date is fixed for the meeting of the Second International Peace Conference at The Hague; and if he can tell the House the names of the British delegates.

( Answered by Sir H. Campbell-Banner-man. ) The second half of July has been proposed by the Russian Government for the meeting of the Second Peace Conference at The Hague. The appointments of the British delegates are not yet settled, but the matter is under consideration.

To ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, among the subjects to be submitted to the next Hague Conference, he can give an assurance that an international arrest of armaments will be included; if not, will His Majesty's Government propose the inclusion of that subject; and will the House be given an early opportunity of discussing the whole matter.

( Answered by Sir H. Campbell-Banner-man. ) I cannot say whether it would be practicable to make specific proposals with regard to a limitation of armaments, but the matter is one which His Majesty's Government regard with most sympathetic interest.

On behalf of the hon. Member for Down, West, I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if the offer of His Majesty's Government to repatriate the Chinese coolies employed in the Transvaal Colony, under the Chinese Labour Ordinance, at the expense of the Imperial Exchequer, has been communicated to the coolies; if so, when was the communication made; and if the Colonial Office has received any; and, if so, how many acceptances from the coolies of the offer of His Majesty's Government to secure their free passages to their homes in China.

I have as yet nothing to add to the Answer given to the hon. Member for Kirkcaldy Burghs on Monday last,† the full text of which has been published. Lord Selborne has not yet completed the drafting of the actual regulations which are to give effect to his proposals. We are expecting to receive these from him from day to day, and the Secretary of State is satisfied that no time will be lost in settling this complicated matter in strict accordance with the pledges given to Parliament.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether martial law can be proclaimed in a Colony where a state of war does not exist, and without the consent of the Home Government; and, if a state of war does exist, is it in accordance with the regulations laid down by the Geneva Convention to shoot prisoners taken in such war.

The reply to the first part of the hon. Member's Question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, I presume that the hon. Member refers not to the Geneva Convention, which deals with the treatment of wounded, but to the Hague Convention on the Laws and

…See (4) Debates, clv., 162, 163.

Customs of War by Land. This Convention is not binding when a non contracting Power is one of the belligerents. But, in any case, I am not aware that anything has been done by the Natal forces inconsistent with that and other Conventions of like nature. I would refer the hon. Member to page 28 of Cd. 1423, where the following words occur:— "Martial Law is called into being by a proclamation issued by the Governor, acting under the advice of his Ministers. It is an announcement to the public that the provisions of the civil law are inadequate to deal with the situation which has arisen, and an intimation to the military authorities that the Government is willing that exceptional measures should; be taken by those authorities to meet I circumstances with which the ordinary law is unable sufficiently to cope, and to enable persons resisting the authority of the Government, or aiding or abetting the enemy, to be arrested summarily and punished promptly. In proclaiming martial law the Government, in fact, declares itself obliged, for the protection of the community, temporarily to neglect the law, trusting to the Legislature to relieve from their liability for the consequences all those who, in obedience to the constituted authority, may have acted unlawfully in defence of the public safety." The hon. Member will perceive that neither a state of war, nor the consent of the Home Government is required for the proclamation of martial law.

Is it not the rule to suspend the civil Courts during the time martial law is in existence?

said the civil Courts were only suspended during the existence of martial law in so far as the Government might consider it necessary in order to apply the provisions of martial law. As a matter of fact, the civil Courts were working at this moment.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any sort of publicity or advertisement to capitalists was given of the intention to lease the Ceylon Government pearl fisheries; what are the names and standing of the syndicate who negotiated with Mr. Lyttelton for the lease for twenty years; and whether it was in accordance with the practice of the Colonial Office to grant a concession of this kind without inviting tenders or competition among capitalists in the United Kingdom, India, or Ceylon.

At the same time, may I ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies what are the names of the persons composing the syndicate to which the Ceylon pearl fisheries have been leased for twenty years, and with whom the negotiations were conducted at the Colonial Office; and why the lease was entered into without notice to other capitalists who might, in open competition, have offered the Government more favourable terms.

^* : The following are some of the principal members of the syndicate: —The Exploration (Rothschilds) Company, Messrs. Neuman and Co., Sir West Ridgeway, Messrs. Friedlander, Messrs. Derenburg and Co., Lord Justice Fletcher Moulton, Lord Arthur Butler, Sir J. Bonser, Sir Stanley Blois. The full list can be seen at Somerset House. The negotiations were conducted with Messrs. Derenburg. The intention to lease the pearl fisheries was not advertised, and presumably the late Government, by whom this arrangement was contracted, did not consider that the contract was a suitable one for throwing open to public tender. With regard to the last part of the hon. Member's Question, the Secretary of State desires me to say that concessions involving the consideration of many intricate details, and in regard to which the financial standing and resources of the concessionnaires are of the utmost importance, are not always to be regarded as transactions which can advantageously be dealt with by advertisement and competition.

asked why the lease was not thrown open to public tender.

^* presumed that the arguments were carefully considered by Mr. Lyttelton and his advisers at the time, and they decided that the offer which was made to them by those particular firms was one which ought to be accepted on its merits, and not exposed to the competition of other offers. He would communicate with the Secretary of State as to the possibility of laying, Papers on the Table.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether any orders have been issued in India with a view to carrying into effect the scheme of reorganisation of the War Department, as sketched in the minute by Lord Kitchener, dated January 1st, 1905; and whether he will communicate all such orders to the House, and when such communication may be expected.

The scheme sketched by Lord Kitchener in his Minute of January 1st, 1905, has not been adopted. The reforms in military administration which have been actually sanctioned will be found in the Papers already issued to Parliament. The orders therein contained are now being acted on in India.

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can now state what steps the Government propose to take with reference to the inquiry into the question of the graduation and. differentiation of the income-tax.

I shall make an announcement on the subject of the proposed inquiry in my financial statement.

I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is his intention to introduce legislation to give effect to the recommendation of the Departmental Committee on Income-Tax [Cd. 2575] that the grant of exemption or abatement by reason of smallness of income should be abolished in the case of persons resident outside the United Kingdom.

I do not propose to take any steps upon the Committee's Report until the further inquiry into questions connected with the income-tax which has been promised has taken place.

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to the inconvenience caused to friendly societies by the deduction of income-tax when such bodies are drawing interest upon investments; and, as registered friendly societies are exempt from income-tax, can he arrange so as to obviate the necessity for such deductions being made and the process involved in recovering the same.

I fear it would not be possible to make any such arrangement as is suggested, consistency with the maintenance of the system of collection of income-tax at the source.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to a sworn statement by Alfred Dixon Brown, formerly a prisoner at Wormwood Scrubbs, in reference to a confession alleged to have been made to him by a convict named Lightfoot, regarding the character of the evidence given by him, and the circumstances under which it came to be given, in the recent case of Rex v. Hugh Watt; whether he is taking steps to test the veracity of the statement; whether, if such statement be proved to be correct, he will reconsider the question of advising a modification in the sentence passed upon Hugh Watt at the said trial; and whether the Government will consent to the introduction of a clause in the Criminal Appeal Bill, making the same retrospective in its character, in order that the case of Rex v. Watt may be reviewed by the Court of Criminal Appeal.

^* : The statutory declaration referred to has been submitted to me, but I find on inquiry that such of the statements attributed to Lightfoot as can be tested are false and that no credit can be given to any of them. I am not prepared to advise any exercise of the Royal Prerogative in favour of Hugh Watt, and I cannot here discuss the provisions of a Bill now under the consideration of the other House.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it has now come to his knowledge that the Commissioner of Police is convinced that a mistake in the case of the arrest and charge of Mr. Harold Nisbet Price was made by the constables, and that he is now satisfied that Mr. Price was innocent of the charge preferred against him, and that the evidence given by Mr. Price at the police court was the true version of the facts; and whether the officer in charge of the Upper Street police station on the 11th February has been punished for his action in the matter.

^* : Yes. The inquiries made by the police have clearly established the fact that Mr. Price was innocent and that the officer who arrested him, though he acted in perfect good faith, was mistaken. The officer in charge of the station, who was guilty of a grave error of judgment in detaining him until he produced sureties instead of releasing him at once on personal recognisance, has been punished by the Commissioner.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is proposed that fishermen engaged for a season's fishing, and who are paid no wages, but are remunerated by the allocation to them of a share of the gross proceeds of the fish sold, shall be workmen within the meaning of the Workmen's Compensation Bill.

^* : The mere fact that a fisherman is paid by a share of the gross proceeds of the fish sold, is not inconsistent with the existence of a contract of service between him and the person by whom he is engaged, and the fishermen in such a case might be a workman within the meaning of the Workmen's Compensation Bill; but it would be otherwise if this mode of payment were accompanied by terms showing that the relation was in substance one of partnership rather than one of service. The circumstances in each case would have to he considered, and the facts suggested in the Question are not sufficient to enable an opinion to be formed, which would be applicable to all cases where this mode of payment is adopted.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is proposed that fishermen engaged for a season's fishing, and who are paid no wages, and contribute to the purpose of the adventure by providing nets or by bearing part of the expense of outfit or stores of the boat, and are remunerated by a share of the net proceeds of the fish sold, after deduction of the cost of stores and other expenses, shall be workmen within the meaning of the Workmen's Compensation Bill.

^* : The terms of agreement stated in this Question give rise to a strong presumption of partnership. The fishermen in the case here supposed, contributes to the capital, and is paid by a share of the nett instead of the gross profits. There are terms and conditions other than the mode of payment which might have to be taken into consideration ( e.g., the control of the adventure), but if regard be had only to the facts suggested in the Question, the fishermen would be a partner, and not a workman within the meaning of the Bill.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he would consider the possibility, in the case of the Metropolitan Police, of applying the same arrangements which obtain for the provision of a yearly holiday of two weeks (namely, a slight extension of the area of the beat for the men on duty) to the question of giving each man one day off in seven, thus conferring an immense been without any additional expense.

^* : I should be very glad if it were possible to adopt my hon. friend's suggestion but I am afraid the difficulties at present are too great. In many instances the area of the beat is already too large, and I agree with the Commissioner of Police, whom I have consulted, in thinking that a further extension cannot safely be made.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make arrangements for the accounts of the Metropolitan Police and Police Pensions Funds for the year ended March 31st, 1906, to be presented pursuant to Act 30 and 31 Vic, c. 39, to contain the outstanding debtors and creditors at March 31st last on the ordinary police establishment and police pension funds, in addition to the balance account submitted to the Comptroller and Auditor-General.

^* : I am afraid that I cannot undertake to do this; it would not be possible before the 30th instant (the latest date allowed by statute for the presentation of the Metropolitan Police accounts) to ascertain with any degree of accuracy the amounts due to the various contractors and other persons for goods supplied and work done up to March 31st. I may, however, state that every effort is invariably made to secure that, as far as possible, all payments properly chargeable against the year's income shall be made within the financial year, and that all income receivable shall be collected and brought to account within the year.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will lay before both Houses of Parliament copies of the annual estimates of expenditure and income relating to the Metropolitan Police and Police Pension Funds in respect of the financial years ended on March 31st, 1905 and 1906 respectively, compiled for the information of the Home Office by the receiver for the Metropolitan Police district.

^* : No, Sir. An animal statement of the accounts of the Metropolitan Police Fund is laid before Parliament on April 30th and the audited account of the Fund is included in the volume of Appropriation Accounts. I do not think any useful purpose would be served by presenting the Departmental Papers to which the hon. Member refers.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider the advisability of introducing a Bill at an early date to amend the provisions of the 29th Section of the Act 10 George 4, cap. 44, to enable the Commissioner of Metropolitan Police to levy the half-yearly rate warrants upon the councils of metropolitan boroughs and other places liable to the Metropolitan Police rate on April 6th and October 1st in each financial year, beginning with April 6th, 1907, instead of on the dates fixed at present for the issue of the warrants, viz., July 1st and January 1st, respectively.

^* : The Question raised by the hon. Member was considered by my predecessor in office, who came to the conclusion that there was no sufficient reason for altering the existing procedure in regard to the police rate warrants. I will look into it myself, as desired by the hon. Member; but I would point out to him that if the dates were altered as suggested it would be necessary cither to levy on July 1st, 1906, a rate sufficient to provide for nine month's expenditure or to levy on January 1st, 1907, a rate to provide for three months.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether, in view of the attitude adopted by certain justices towards applicants for vaccination certificates, he will consider the desirability of introducing legislation which shall specify the questions which justices shall put to such applicants.

I will take note of the suggestion of my hon. friend; but I doubt whether the method which he proposes would afford the best way of meeting the object which he has in view.

In reply to a Supplementary Question by Sir W. J. COLLINS (St. Pancras, W.)

said that any inquiry by magistrates as to the validity of the ground of objection would be possible.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been drawn to the notice given by Lord de Ramsay, to 1,072 allotment holders on his Huntingdon estate, that he is prepared to assist the local authority in taking over the land at present held by them; whether he has received any application from the local authorities of the district; and whether, as the notices terminating the present arrangement expire on October 12th next, he will endeavour to facilitate the application of the local authorities so as to secure to these tenants continuity of their tenure.

I have not received any application from the local authorities referred to with respect to this matter, nor has my attention been called to it. If any such application is made I will give it immediate and sympathetic consideration.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether, in view of the importance of its deliberations to many subjects of discussion, he will make representations urging the Royal Commission on Poor Law Administration to issue interim reports or interim volumes of evidence; and if he can say at what date approximately the House will be in possession of such first report or volume of evidence.

I have communicated with the Chairman of the Royal Commission on this subject, and learn from him that the Commission would gladly make any interim reports which would be of use in themselves and at the same time would not prejudge the general questions refered to them. Whether it will be practicable for them to make any such reports the Chairman is at present unable to say. He doubts the expediency of publishing evidence which is incomplete and might therefore be misleading.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the Railway Clearing House authorities have rehoused any of the persons that have been displaced by the gradual extension of their premises in Seymour Street, St. Pancras; and whether, in case of any further extension of their premises in this neighbourhood, they or the railway companies who control them will be required to rehouse the persons they may displace.

I find that in the year 1874 the Clearing House acquired under an Act of Parliament thirty-seven houses in this neighbourhood, and have at various times demolished them and built offices on the sites. I understand that in each case full notice was given to the tenants and suitable compensation made. The Act of 1874 contained no provision for rehousing, and the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1903, does not apply. I understand that the need for any further extension of the Clearing House is extremely remote. If application were made to Parliament for power to acquire additional property, the requirements of the Act of 1903 would of course have to be complied with.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the present position as to settlements of poor persons in parishes divided under the operation of Sections 1 (3), 36 (1), or 36 (2) of The Local Government Act, 1894; and whether he will propose some remedy to meet the cases in which persons have lost their settlement by reason of the division of the parish in which they were born or have derived a settlement.

I am aware that it has been decided by the High Court that if a parish was formed into two or more separate parishes by operation of the Local Government Act, 1894, persons who had a settlement in the original parish lost it, and did not acquire a settlement in any of the new parishes. I have no power to remedy this result, which can only have a temporary effect, and I could not promise to propose legislation on the subject. Where parishes have been altered or abolished by means of orders of the councils of comities or county boroughs, the Local Government Board have taken care to see that provision was made, either by the original order or by the order confirming it, to prevent any difficulty in this matter. They have also inserted provisions on the subject in any orders made by themselves whereby parishes have been altered or abolished.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the suggestions made by the Nottingham and Swansea Distress Committee that the Committees should suspend operations during the summer months, mainly owing to lack of funds; whether it is competent for a distress committee to suspend operations; and whether it is intended to so amend the Unemployed Workmen's Act this session as to on able distress committees to obtain funds either from the National Exchequer or the local rates for carrying on labour farms and other undertakings on which the able-bodied unemployed may be set to work.

I have not received any communication on this subject from the distress committees referred to. It is within their competence to determine from time to time whether applications should be received by thorn from unemployed persons for assistance under the Act. I am afraid I cannot give any intimation as to what may be proposed in the Bill which the Government have stated they propose to introduce for the Amendment of the Act.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board the date when the second audit of the accounts of the Metropolitan Water Board for the year ended March 31st, 1905, was commenced, and the probable date when the statutory financial statement will be signed.

Practically the audit has been going on since September, 1904, but in December last the books were made up in a complete form, and the audit was formally opened on the 4th of that month. The work of the audit is now finished, and the financial statement will be signed very shortly.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if any steps have been taken by the Board, and the nature of them, to issue a form of accounts, with exemplifications, for the keeping of the accounts of the Metropolitan Water Board and its officers since the Metropolis Water Act, 1902, came into operation.

Since the transfer to the Metropolitan Water Board of the undertakings of the water companies in June, 1904, the District Auditor has been in frequent consultation with the officers of the Water Board as to the systems and forms which should be adopted for the various branches of the accounts. The Local Government Board have instructed him to make a special Report to them with respect to the general system of the accounts kept, and particularly as regards the accounts relating to the collection of the water rates. The Auditor states that there is no urgent need for regulations as to the form of accounts, and that it would be better not to issue them until after the Report of the Departmental Committee on the Accounts of Local Authorities has been received and considered.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he will lay a copy of the contract between the Postmaster - General and the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company upon the Table.

I will lay the contract on the Table.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he will consider the advisability of allowing Members of Parliament to frank up to twenty-five letters a day, such letters to be handed in at the Lobby Post Office

I am afraid I do not see my way to support the suggestion of the hon. Member.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he could see his way to altering the arrangements for opening the National Gallery and Tate Gallery so that they may be open for a full day on Sunday, and from two o'clock onwards on Monday, or some other weekday which is not a general holiday.

An entirely different staff is employed on Sundays in the galleries so that the proposed change would involve a large increase of expenditure. In any case, however, a proposal to open the galleries during the morning hours on Sunday would not, I think, be in accordance with the wishes of the public generally.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether any grant, advantage, or privilege is extended by the Government to the Zoological Gardens, Regent's Park; if so, what is the nature of such grant, advantage, or privilege; and whether, in return for this, he can arrange that the public shall be allowed free admission to these gardens on one or more specified days in each week.

The Zoological Society hold their land in Regent's Park on an annual tenancy from the Commissioners of Woods. Beyond this they receive no grant, advantage, or privilege, so far as I am aware, from public sources. In the circumstances I do not see any ground on which I could press the Society to admit the public to the gardens free of charge.

What rent is paid?

Something like £300 a year I think, but I am not sure.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education if his attention has been called to the number of public elementary schools in St. Pancras which are seriously overcrowded; is he aware that several of the non-provided schools in the borough have been condemned as being unsuitable, from the point of view of structure, for the purposes of elementary education; that some of these schools have already been closed, the children who attended them being distributed amongst the other schools in the vicinity; and whether, in view of the arrears to make up in building in St. Pancras before the present requirements are met, he proposes to take any action in the matter.

My attention has been called to the facts mentioned in the Question. The Board of Education have informed the London County Council that they cannot sanction, for anything more than a strictly temporary purpose, the arrangements adopted by them for accommodating the displaced children in Council schools in which there is not adequate room for them. In some cases, I understand, the central halls have to be used as classrooms in order to meet the influx of children. The Board understand that the County Council are hastening as far as possible the provision of proper accommodation to meet the existing deficiency, and that the arrangements which have been criticised are in fact strictly temporary and will be replaced very shortly by proper provision.

I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether the Board is aware that a food exhibition is about to be held in the Crystal Palace; and whether, with a view to the enlightenment of the people of this country, in regard to the extensive practice of food adulteration, the Board will arrange to send to that exhibition samples of milk-blended butter, cocoa-nut fat, lardine, and other foreign fats now used in adulterating butter, cotton seed searin used in the manufacture of margarine, special machines from Holland for butter faking, and other articles the use of and employment of which is now known to Professor Thorpe and other highly-placed officials of the Board of Agriculture.

I have no doubt that an exhibition of the articles used in the adulteration of butter would be both interesting and instructive, but I am afraid that we must leave the matter to private enterprise.

I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether any steps have been taken for the establishment of an agricultural seed-testing station, as recommended by a Departmental Committee of the Board of Agriculture about five years ago.

No steps have yet been taken for the establishment of a Government seed-testing station, but the Aynsome Agricultural Station in Lancashire and most of the agricultural colleges undertake the work, and I doubt whether any further action on the part of the Government is needed. I may remind my hon. friend that two members of the Committee were of opinion that the case for a central seed-testing station under Government auspices was not a strong one.

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that Dr. Dittmar, in his Report on the sanitary condition of the Lews, directs attention to the fact that the township of Lurebost, consisting of 125 houses, is built on the side of a hill below the road in such a manner that the houses receive all the surface drainage from the road; and, in view of the fact that there are suitable sites on the upper side of the road, will he state whether the Local Government Board for Scotland have taken any steps to enforce the Public Health (Scotland) Acts in this township.

The whole subject of the insanitary conditions prevailing in parts of the Lews is engaging my anxious consideration; the position of the local authority is one of great difficulty, as indicated by the facts mentioned by the hon. Member; the subject involves consideration of general policy, and every effort is being made to hasten the time when some announcement can be made.

[The following Questions which also appeared on the Paper were covered by the foregoing Answer:—

To ask the Secretary for Scotland, in view of the fact that the local authorities in the island of Lewis are unable to give effect to the provisions of the Public Health (Scotland) Act, or take such action as may be necessary to remedy the insanitary state of the townships as disclosed in Dr. Dittmar's Report, will he say whether the Local Government Board for Scotland have yet considered the expediency of meeting the difficulty by taking over the public health administration of the island.

To ask the Secretary for Scotland, in view of the fact that the local authorities in the island of Lewis state that, in endeavouring to carry into effect the Public Health Acts, they have imposed a maximum rate of Is. per £, fixed by statute, will he state what steps the Government propose to take to remedy the insanitary condition of the island, which has been described in Dr. Dittmar's Report as a disgrace to civilisation.]

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that on the 16th ultimo a girl named Jessie Mackinnon, when returning home from Lurebost to Grimshader, island of Lewis, narrowly escaped drowning when passing over the river which has to be crossed when walking from one village to the other; and, seeing that the previous week a woman accompanying the district nurse to Grimshader had a similar narrow escape from drowning, will the Congested Districts Board provide the necessary sum for the erection of a footbridge over the river.

I was not aware of the facts recited by the hon. Member. If an application is made to the Congested Districts Board by the statutory authority, giving particulars upon which to found a judgment, the matter will receive their consideration.

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that the engrossing clerks in the Sasine Office, Register House, Edinburgh, who are on piece work, have been idle for long periods lately; that they have received no acknowledgment of the memorial they presented last July craving an amelioration of their alleged grievances, nor of the communication they addressed to him on February 20th last-referring to the continued idleness; whether it is the intention of the Government to grant an inquiry into the conditions of their employment; and, if so, when.

I am aware that, at certain times of the year, after the term pressure is over, the staff of engrossers cannot be kept fully employed. My attention has been drawn to the communications referred to by the hon. Member, but the petition by the engrossers cannot be considered apart from questions affecting the general administration of the Sasine Office, and I am unable at present to make any statement as to the intention of the Government.

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he will consider the expediency of making statutory provision for the granting of superannuation allowances to the officers and servants of the Melrose district asylum and of other Scottish district and parochial asylums, similar to the statutory provision made for the officers and servants of county and borough asylums in England, district asylums in Ireland, and chartered asylums in Scotland.

The suggestion of the hon. Member is deserving of consideration, but it cannot be realised without legislation, and I am unable to undertake to introduce a Bill conferring the necessary powers this session.

I beg to ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland whether it is intended to promote legislation this session dealing with Charitable Loan Societies (Ireland).

It is intended to introduce legislation if time should permit.

I beg to ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland whether he is aware of the system practised by some landlords of parcelling out their grazing tracts and selling their occupation interests to persons who are led to believe they can purchase such holdings under the Land Act of 1903; and whether, as such a system enables shopkeepers and persons already in possession of large farms to purchase those parcels, thereby debarring the Estates Commissioners from acquiring those lands for distribution amongst evicted tenants, labourers, residents in congested districts, and others, as provided in Clause 2 of the Act, he will state whether the Estates Commissioners will sanction the advance of loans to those purchasers whose action tends to render Clause 2 inoperative.

I beg to refer the hon. Member to the Answer given by my right hon. friend the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant to a similar Question addressed to him by the hon. Member on March 13th last.†

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that His Majesty's Government in 1903 obtained the consent of Parliament to a bonus of £12,000,000 on the express understanding that it would serve as a financial bridge to enable landlords and tenants to meet, and to be equally beneficial to them, and that this bonus is now being wholly appropriated by the landlords, who are at the same time extracting from purchasing tenants four and half years' purchase in excess of the average prices certified to be just under previous Purchase Acts; and whether the Government will take any steps to have the benefit of the bonus equitably divided between the parties as Parliament intended.

The

†See (4) Debates, cliii., 1114.

hon. and learned Member is of course aware that the intentions of Parliament can only be collected by means of the interpretation according to legal principles of its statutory enactments. The Irish Land Act of 1903 distinctly provides that the bonus on land purchase is payable to the vendor. It would not be possible, in reply to a Question, to discuss the argumentative matters referred to by the hon. Member.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland by what statutory or other authority does the Irish Land Commission require a holding to be valued, not in its entirety, as laid down in the Land Law (Ireland; Act, 1896, but piecemeal, as shown by the schedules in the cases dealt with; and will he obtain the opinion of any competent and independent English valuer as to the comparative merits of the two systems, valuing a holding as a whole, including the buildings essential for living on and working it, and then making any deductions to find the net value, or valuing each field separately, exclusive of buildings, and adding these and the value of the buildings together to build up a gross value.

I am informed by the Land Commission that the form of schedule referred to has been prescribed by them in pursuance of the statutory powers conferred on them by Section 1 of the Act of 1896, and, inasmuch as the matter is not within my power, I have no right to institute the inquiry suggested in the latter part of the Question. I may, however, add that, as the Commissioners inform mo, the principle which they follow of valuing lands apart from buildings was that adopted by Sir Richard Griffith in his valuation of Ireland.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland will he lay upon the Table of the House, or make available to Members requiring it, a copy of the instructions under which lay Sub-Commissioners and court valuers act, corresponding to the instructions recently issued by the Estates Commissioners to their inspectors and valuers.

The Land Commission assume that by court valuers is meant the Assessors appointed under the Act of 1903 in substitution for the valuers who, prior to that Act, inspected and reported upon holdings as to which appeals were pending. The Land Commission inform me that no instructions have at any time been issued to either Assessors or Assistant Commissioners as to the performance of their judicial functions. Directions as to administrative matters were issued for the guidance of Assistant Commissioners in July, 1897, and these directions appear in Vol. III of the Appendices to the Report of the Royal Commission on the Land Acts (c. 9107 of 1898). General Orders with regard to Assessors framed in accordance with the 89th Section of the Act of 1903 were published in the Dublin Gazette on November 9th, 1903, and also as statutory rules (No. 1117 of 1903).

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that all the £112,000,000 provided by the Irish Land Act, 1903, is, according to the official Returns and to the true value of land as officially ascertained under previous Purchase Acts, being applied pro tanto to the following purposes, namely, to pay the landlords the true value of the property sold £80,000,000, to pay the landlords in excess of the true value £20,000,000, to pay the landlords the bonus £12,000,000, and that while under the Land Act of 1896 the tenant purchasers would have paid in interest and sinking fund for property of the net value of £80,000,000 the gross sum of £137,143,857 under the Act of 1903, as hitherto worked, the tenant purchasers are, under pressure, contracting to pay for property of the same net value £178,100,000, or an increase of more than £40,000,000; and whether he will consider the advisability of taking stronger measures to counteract the gradual imposition of this additional burden upon Ireland.

Without in any way admitting the accuracy of the computations made in the Question, I beg to say that I cannot, within the limits of an Answer, undertake to argue the very intricate questions raised by the hon. Member.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if, remembering the benefits conferred upon one section of the community by the Land Act of 1903, he will see that the bonus under the Irish Workers Bill now in preparation shall be relatively commensurate with the needs and deserts of the particular class to be benefited under it.

If the hon. Member refers to the Labourers (Ireland) Bill which it is proposed to introduce shortly, I may say that I am fully alive to the various necessities of the case, and will do all I can to meet them.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the Minute of the Committee of Council on Education in Scotland, dated the 12th of March 1906, in which a grant of £10 is made on account of each school attended by Gælic-speaking children, on the staff of which there has been for not less than six months of the school financial year at least one Gælic-speaking teacher, other than a pupil teacher, who has given instruction, both in Gælic and English, to the satisfaction of His Majesty's inspector; and whether, in rearranging the scale of foes for the teaching of Irish in Irish schools, he will take into consideration this Scotch precedent.

The principle of providing Gælic-spoaking teachers for schools in districts where Gælic is spoken has my cordial approval, but, as the hon. Member knows, the matter belongs to the Commissioners of National Education as well as to the Irish Government. I will consider the suggestion which the hon. Member makes, but the system of State aid to schools in Scotland differs considerably from that followed in Ireland; the grant of £10 referred to in the Question is a payment to the authorities responsible for the conduct of the school and is applicable to the general purposes of the school. No payments of the kind are made to the managers of National Schools in Ireland, and therefore the provisions of the Minute referred to cannot be completely adopted without introducing a principle which will be new in Ireland.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Ballyfermoyle estate, in the county Roscommon, is in a congested district; whether, seeing that it has been on offer for sale to the Congested Districts Board for the past six months, he will say whether it has yet been inspected; and, if not, whether he can suggest a date on which the inspection will take place.

The estate in question is in a congested district, but the Congested Districts Board, having regard to their plans, cannot fix a time for inspecting it. There will, however, be no unnecessary delay.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the farm of James Martin, on the estate of Edward Charles S. King-Harman, at Clogher, county Roscommon, has been valued under the rules or directions to valuers, which has been since cancelled, at £5,071 as the price Mr. Martin is to pay; that the value was fixed on the basis of the holding being security for so much, and without regard to the tenant's improvements or the rent payable, or the fact that this figure leaves the yearly annuity £9 more than the tenant paid in rent for the holding prior to 1902; and whether, having regard to the new directions issued to inspectors not to confuse price with security, a fresh inspection of this farm will be ordered for the purpose of fixing a price for the landlord's interest, so as to save the tenant having to pay over again for his own and his predecessor's improvements.

The Estates Commissioners inform me that the subject-matter of the Question is still under their consideration, and that they do not think it desirable to go into the details in this House of a matter which has not yet been decided.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to a Resolution of the Boyle Town Commissioners regretting that processes have been issued by the Estates Commissioners against purchasers on the King-Harman estate for failing to pay their purchase instalments, and in view of the rate of interest demanded from these tenants, and of the effect of the rumour of the introduction of Canadian cattle upon local fairs and the sale of stock, appealing to the Estates Commissioners to put a stay on these processes; and whether he will take any action in this matter.

I am informed by the Land Commission that in every case in which a land purchase annuity or the interest on purchase money is in arrear, it is the statutory duty of the Commissioners to proceed for the recovery of the same. The rate of interest is fixed by the Act of 1903 at 3½ per cent. The Commissioners add that out of 2,923 persons liable to pay in respect of their holdings on the King-Harman estate which has been purchased by the Estates Commissioners, only forty-one were in arrear on the last gale day, and upon proceedings being taken eighteen of these have paid, leaving but twenty-three still in arrear.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland how many promotions to the rank of sergeant or acting-sergeant have been made in the county Galway during the last ten years; and how many of the persons so promoted were Protestants and Roman Catholics respectively.

I am informed by the Inspector-General that in county Galway during the ten years ending 31st December, 1905, ninety-seven men were promoted to the rank of sergeant, of whom seventy-eight were Roman Catholics and nineteen Protestants. During the same period the number of men promoted to the rank of acting-sergeant in the county was eighty-nine, of whom seventy-seven were Roman Catholics and twelve Protestants. Promotions to the rank of sergeant are made from a seniority list of all acting-sergeants in the entire force, and men are promoted according to their seniority on this list.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that a man named Broderick, who is in the employment of Air. Frank Shawe Taylor, of Moorpark, Athenry, was shot at between eleven and twelve at night of 31st March while driving to Moorpark on a ear, and that the police constable told off to protect Broderick, who was also on the car, was struck by some of the shots; whether the police have made any arrests in connection with the matter; and whether he can say what special stops, if any, the Government is taking to put down the lawlessness which at present exists in county Galway.

I beg to refer to my reply to the similar Question of the hon. Member for Mid. Armagh on Thursday last, † I have only to add that I am informed by the police authorities that there is no exceptional lawlessness in county Galway at present. An ample police force is stationed in the county, and all necessary protection is afforded to those persons who require it.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if his attention has been called to a speech made by Mr. P. J. Kelly, J.P., at a meeting hold at Loughrea, on Sunday, March 17th last, of the South Galway Executive of the United Irish League, in which he said, speaking of the division of certain farms, that, if necessary, they would be prepared to go out again with the rifle and the blunderbuss to plant the people on the soil; and whether the Irish Government is going to allow Mr. Kelly to continue to exercise the functions of a magistrate after having made use of such language.

It is presumed that the Question refers to Sunday, the 11th

† See (4) Debates, clv., 685.

of March. I have seen a newspaper report of the proceedings at a meeting held at Loughrea on that day, according to which Mr. Kelly used the language quoted in the Question. I am, however, informed that the meeting was held within doors, and that there is no evidence to show whether the language was in fact used. The matter rests in any case with the Lord Chancellor, who informs me that he has no information on the subject of the Question.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the fact that so many national schools have been condemned as insanitary in country districts, and that the inhabitants are desirous of erecting better buildings, but are in many cases unable to raise the necessary one-third of the cost, the Commissioners of National Education will in such cases consider whether they I can advance more than the customary two-thirds of the cost, provided the schools are vested in them.

^* : The Question raised by the hon. Member has already received the consideration of the Irish Government and the Commissioners of National Education. I am not, however, in a position to make a statement on the subject pending the settlement of the general question of building grants for national schools in Ireland.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can explain why the grant from the Board of Intermediate Education has been reduced; and whether, seeing that owing to the Board's regulations a constantly increasing expenditure is made necessary, he will try to have this grant remain as heretofore.

The reasons for the reduction of the grant in 1905 were fully explained in my replies to similar Questions on February 26th and March 28th.† I am informed by the Board of Intermediate Education that it would not be feasible to fix definitely the rates or

† See (4) Debates, clii., 795; cliv., 1286.

amount of the school grant, because the income of the Board, the number of students examined, and the quality of the answering, are all liable to fluctuation.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can give the names of the Sub Land Commissioners before whom the applications to fix fair rents on the holdings of the Derrygoolin tenants, near Whitegate, county Galway, on the Clanricarde estate, were heard; can he say how long these tenants or their predecessors in title were in occupation of these holdings; what was the condition of the lands when they first occupied them; whether Lord Clanricarde or his predecessors ever expended money in the reclamation of these holdings or allowed for them in rent; did they build dwelling-houses or out-offices or allow for them; whether all the improvements were the absolute property of the tenants; and what was the result of the hearing.

^* : I am informed by the Land Commission that a Sub-Commission duly delegated sat in open court at Portumna in December last and heard the applications to fix fair rents to which the Question refers. I have already stated that the Land Commission do not think it right to discuss the judicial decisions arrived at by Sub-Commission Courts. These judicial decisions are announced in open court and the results are communicated to the parties concerned, who can obtain copies of the recorded schedules in each case, and if dissatisfied can appeal as provided by law.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury what amount of quit rents and other perpetual rents payable to the Crown in respect of land in Ireland was paid to the Commissioners of Woods for the financial years 1903, 1904 and 1905 respectively; what amount of quit rent and other rents was redeemed under the Land Purchase Act of 1903 during the years 1904 and 1905 respectively; and what was the average number of years' purchase redemption paid to the said Commissioners.

The amount of quit rents and other perpetual rents paid to the Crown during the year 1903–4 was £32,813, and during the year 1904–5, £32,363. The figures for the year 1905–6 are not yet available. The amount of the rents redeemed under the Land Purchase Act of 1903 was £591 for the year 1904, and £887 for the year 1905. The average number of years' purchase paid for redemption is twenty-five.

I beg to ask the Postmaster General if he is aware that the small use made of the pillar post at Crowenstown, Westmeath, is due to the fact that it is cleared in the morning instead of the evening, causing the loss of a day by its use, and that the people whom it ought to serve are obliged,, several hours after the postman has left, to travel throe or four miles to Delvin in the evening with their letters; and if he will arrange to have the box cleared at a reasonable hour in the evening.

I find that the cost of the postal service in the neighbourhood of Delvin and Crowenstown is already very high compared with the amount of correspondence. The morning collection is made in the ordinary course of the postmen's rounds. To clear the letter box in the evening would require a special collection; and the additional expense involved would not, under the circumstances, be justified.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, as a result of a private official investigation, Mrs. Beatty, postmistress at Mountjoy, county Tyrone, was recently dismissed; whether he can state the grounds of the dismissal; and what influence was brought to bear, or what representations were made which induced the authorities to refrain from a prosecution.

Mrs. Beatty was dismissed for stealing letters. No influence was brought to bear or representations made in regard to the case.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the North Sea international scientific investigations are now sufficiently advanced to enable the Government to form an opinion as to the advisability of closing against foreign as well as British trawlers, areas such as the Moray Firth; and, if so, will he consider the expediency of recommend-the Foreign Office to communicate with other European Powers on the subject, especially having regard to the fact that at the Christiania Conference a Resolution in favour of closing such areas was carried.

I am informed that the investigations to which my hon. friend refers are not sufficiently advanced to justify the expression of any definite opinion on the question. No occasion, therefore, has arisen for considering the expediency of communicating with Foreign Powers on the subject.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury if he will grant facilities for referring the Land Values Taxation (Scotland) Bill to a Select Committee.

Yes, Sir. As this seems to be a course which the promoters of the measure would desire, and as we think it would be useful in the interests of the subject itself, we shall be ready to move that the Bill be referred to a Select Committee.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he has considered the congestion of business which has already taken place before the existing Grand Committees; and whether he proposes, on an early date, to set up a Scottish Grand Committee for the consideration of Scottish measures.

It appears to me that the Grand Committees at present constituted are not sufficient for the work, and I hope that some relief may be obtained as a result of the recommendations of the Select Committee on Procedure. When an important Scottish measure has received the approval of the House, I would gladly see it referred, as has formerly been done with excellent results, to a Scottish Grand Committee.

[The foregoing Answer also covered the following Question on the Paper:—

To ask the First Lord of the Treasury if, in order to facilitate the progress of business, he will consider the advisability of establishing a Scotch Grand Committee.]

asked if the Committee would consist entirely of Members representing Scottish constituencies.

asked how would the right hon. Gentleman get over the House of Lords.

The House of Lords has nothing to do with Scottish Committees in this House. The House of Lords may stretch its prerogatives sometimes pretty far, but it does not interfere with our Committees, and the question does not arise. I think on previous occasions there has been an admixture of English and Irish Members, but the Committees have been predominantly Scottish.

asked if the same principle would be applied to Welsh measures.

I do not know that I see any objection to the principle's being applied all round. I have not concealed my opinion, but we are dealing now with Scottish measures.