To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether, considering the fact that no persons already exist to teach the " Britannia" cadets cither how to work tides, or board vessels from sailing boats, or how to handle open boats under sail, he would consider the advisability of engaging two watermen to teach the cadets these subjects. {Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) It is not considered advisable to adopt the course suggested by the hon. Member.

): To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in view of the impending meeting of a second peace conference at the Hague, and the probable discussion at that conference of the question of the limitation of naval expenditure, in regard to which complete comparative figures are not available, he will take steps to obtain a Return of the naval expenditure of the various Powers that will meet at the Hague, showing the total naval expenditure in each of the last ten years of the various Powers, and their expenditure, in each of the years named, on naval construction. (Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) The Admiralty would have no objection to grant a Return of the naval expenditure of the principal maritime Powers, so far as this can be ascertained, if the hon. Member will take the usual steps to move for it.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that during the past few years letters were delivered every evening throughout the summer months in the Mill of Mey district, in Caithness, but that now this arrangement has been discontinued, and letters are not delivered until the morning following their arrival at the post office at Scarfskerry, distant about a mile to two miles from the district mentioned; and whether he will give instructions that the letters will in future be delivered in the evening during the summer months in the same way as formerly, (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I have called for a Report on this subject, and on its receipt I will communicate with the hon. Member.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board what steps are being taken to carry into effect the recommendations of the Report of the Departmental Committee on Vagrancy; whether it is possible to carry these recommendations into effect entirely by administrative action; and whether, if legislation is necessary to ensure the adoption of any of the recommendations, such legislation is in contemplation. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I am in communication with my light hon. friend the Home Secretary with regard to the recommendations of the Committee. Legislation would be necessary to give effect to some of these recommendations, but it is not intended to propose legislation on the subject during the present session.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the increase of the use of motor-cars on the highways, and the fact of the Law allowing these locomotives to proceed with only one man in charge, will he consider the advisability of removing the present restriction which requires a third man to walk or run in front of traction engines, seeing that the cost of this man is a tax on agriculturists when employing these engines for threshing and other purposes. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) My right hon. friend has asked me to reply to this Question. The requirement referred to is prescribed by Statute, and consequently could only be altered by legislation. I have caused the point to be noted, but it would not be practicable for the Government to propose legislation on the subject during the present session.

To ask the Secretary of State for India, in view of the fact that the appointments of Mr. E Candlor to the principalship of the Hooghly College in Bengal, and of Mr. W. Home to an inspectorship of schools in the same province, are temporary ones made during the absence on leave of the permanent holders, will he say what were the educational posts these gentlemen were holding at the time of their appointment to the Indian educational service; what is the length of time during which they have been appointed to act; and who are the permanent incumbents of the posts under Government which they hold. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) I understand that, at the time of his appointment to his present post Mr. Candler was tutor in the family of an Indian nobleman, Mr. Horne was tutor to the sons of the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, they had previously held scholastic posts in India and in Scotland respectively. Mr. Candler and Mr. Horne are officiating for Mr. N. L. Hallward and Mr. H. R. James, who have been granted leave, the former for twelve and the latter for eighteen months.

To ask the Secretary of State for India whether any steps are being taken to secure a reduction in the hours of labour of women and young persons in the textile mills in India; and whether he has arranged with the Government of India to invite a British factory inspector to investigate and report on the actual condition of the workers in the mills situated in the Bombay Presidency, as suggested in his reply to a deputation which waited upon him on March 14th last. {Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) The subject of the conditions of labour in Indian mills is at present under inquiry by the local governments. I think it advisable to await the completion of these inquiries, but I do not expect to alter my opinion as to the suggestion referred to.

To ask the Secretary of State for India, in view of the recent disturbances at Barisal, if he will state whether he has yet come to a decision as to the advisability of terminating the existing union of executive and judicial functions in the same person; and will he state what steps he proposes to take to ensure the better administration of law in India. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) As I promised in answer to a Question on May 24th, † I have drawn the attention of the Government of India to the subject of the separation of executive and judicial functions, and I propose to await their reply. The hon. Member may rest assured that any measures for improving the administration of the law in India are receiving full consideration, but I cannot at present make any statement on the subject.

See (4) Debates, clvii., 1415.

To ask the Secretary of State for India if he will state whether the Lieutenant-Governor, by whose orders an Indian prisoner was recently executed, has been censured for giving orders for the sentence to be carried out when sufficient time had not elapsed for an answer to the man's appeal to be received; and will he state whether he proposes to give instructions that no execution of a condemned prisoner is to be effected whilst an answer to an appeal is pending. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) I shall be prepared to make a statement regarding this case as soon as I have full information. I am at present in communication with the Government of India on the subject.

To ask the Secretary of State for India whether he is able to state to what extent the boycott movement in Bengal has affected the importation of British goods; and whether the Lieutenant-Governor of Eastern Bengal continues to prohibit in certain districts the singing of the hymn Bande Mataram, or Hail Motherland, and still orders the punishment of school boys for singing the hymn. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) The statistics of imports into Bengal show no decline in trade with the United Kingdom, the imports of cotton goods for April, 1906, having been considerably in excess of those for the same months in 1904 and 1905. As to the cry of " Bande Mataram," the intention of the local government is that it should not be prohibited except where it disturbs public worship or would cause such feeling in the Mahomedan population as would be likely to lead to breach of the peace. I am not aware that these instructions have been exceeded.

To ask the Secretary of State for War if he will inform the House whether the compulsory vaccination or re-vaccination of recruits in the Swiss Army was abolished in 1882; and, if so, whether this recognition of conscientious objection in that Army has boon followed by any increased susceptibility to small pox among the soldiers. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The compulsory vaccination of recruits in the Swiss Army was abolished in December, 1882. Recruits who desire to be re-vaccinated are allowed to submit to this operation at the public expense. I have no data which would enable me to answer the second part of the Question, but I may point out that the Swiss Army is only called out for eleven days' training in the year, and a comparison of results is therefore rendered very difficult.

To ask the Secretary of State for War on what grounds Indian law students are prohibited from joining the Inns of Court Volunteers; whether he has sanctioned this restriction; and whether he proposes to take any steps to remove this disability, which affects a considerable class of loyal British subjects. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) Indian law students are not prohibited from becoming members of the 14th Middlesex (Inns of Court) Rifle Volunteers, but it has always been the practice in the corps to endeavour to avoid taking recruits who only intend remaining in this country for so short a time as is entailed by their preparation for a call to the English Bar.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether orders have been issued for the destruction of emergency rations (tinned food) held in the London District Command; and, if so, whether these orders apply to food tinned in this country. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The emergency rations held in the London District have been destroyed, having deteriorated and become unfit for issue. They consisted of cocoa and pemmican and were manufactured for the South service and will not keep in good condition for more than a few years. They were tinned in this country.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether he would sanction the loan of a limited number of service rifles free of charge, fitted with Morris tubes, to village rifle clubs showing a reasonable membership and under responsible management. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The loan of rifles and Morris tubes to rifle clubs would involve very large issues, which could not, I regret to say, be met out of the stocks at present in hand.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the salaries of national school teachers are at present under revision; and, if so, when will the now scale be issued. (Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The salaries of national school teachers are not at present under revision, but, as I have already stated, the subject is to receive consideration. I cannot make any further statement in the matter at present.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Lake Province of British Central Africa will now be placed upon the same footing as regards labour recruitment as the southern provinces of the protectorate. (Answered by Mr. Churchill.) The Secretary of State is not aware of any reason for removing the safeguards prescribed by ordinance for the employment of labourers from the Lake Province, who require more careful handling than those of the rest of the British Central Africa protectorate; but he is prepared to ask the Commissioner for his views on the subject, if the hon. Member presses the matter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give the present duties on machinery and bar iron going into Italy from Germany and the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary for Scotland, having regard to the remarks contained on page 56 of the recently issued Report of the Local Government Board for Scotland, relative to the sanitary condition of the Island of Lewis, will he state whether any steps have yet been taken with a view to conform to tin Board's suggestion in regard to the re-organisation of the medical and sanitary staff. (Answered by Mr. Sinclair.) The subject is under anxious consideration, but I am unable to make any statement in regard to it at present

^* These are: steam engines, fixed, without boiler; steam engines, semi-fixed, with boiler; hot air, compressed air, gas, and petroleum motors (including rotary motors), all weighing more than 300 kilogs.; hydraulic machinery and water motors; haymaking machinery; fruit and grape presses; spinning machinery; machines and looms for weaving; hosiery looms; knitting machines; refrigerating machines; aerated water machines; paper cutting or perforating machines; brickmaking machines; pneumatic machines for industrial purposes; polishing machines; ventilators with mechanical movements; machines for bleaching and dyeing; machines for the manufacture of alimentary pastes; transmission gearing; machines and apparatus for the manufacture of paper and paper pulp; machines for mills; pumps for liquid manure, with, galvanised pipes.

To ask the Postmaster-General if he can say whether he will see his way to connect the trunk telephone system between Limerick and Tralee viâ Rathkeale, Newcastle West, Abbeyfeale, and Listowel; and, if so, on what terms will he do so. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) Arrangements have been made for the connection of Tralee with the trunk wire system by means of a line to Killarney. It would not be possible to serve by a single trunk line the other towns mentioned in the Question, but I will consider the terms on which a telephone service could be offered, and will communicate with the hon. Member.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether he will grant a Return relative to the working of the Wireless Telegraph Act for the twelve months ending December 31st, 1905, and the six months ending June 30th, 1906, respectively, similar to the Return ordered by the House of Commons on July 19th, 1905. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) A Return which will, I hope, afford the information desired by my hon. friend, was presented on June 14th, and will, I understand, be available for distribution to-morrow.

To ask the President of the Board of Education whether schools recognised under Clause 38, Part V., of the Education Bills as elementary schools which are part of, or held in premises of, an institution, in which children are boarded will be considered as exempt from those clauses in Part I. which provide for the appointment of teachers and general management by the local education authority, and from those clauses in Part II. which give the local authority power of control over finance. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) In reply to the concluding paragraph of the Question, I have to say that Part II. of the Bill will not be proceeded with. In reply to the rest of the Question, the reply is in the affirmative in the case of such schools under the clause as are continued as public elementary schools outside the local authority's control, and in the negative when they are continued as provided schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Return dealing with education granted on April 5th, will be ready; and whether seeing that three months have elapsed since it was granted, steps will be taken to have it laid as soon as possible. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) I am informed that the particulars asked for by the hon. Member have involved extremely difficult problems in the analysis of the educational statistics of of the several Departments concerned, it being impossible by mere extracts from ordinary statistical records to set out with any accuracy the comparisons between the educational figures of the different parts of the United Kingdom which the hon. Member desires. To prevent the Return from being very misleading, almost all the items have had to be subjected to elaborate investigation, in order to make it possible to give them upon anything approaching a true basis of comparison. Efforts are being made to have the Return ready within a fortnight.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury when the result will be published of the competitive examination for boy clerks held last May; and can he say on what date the next examination is likely to be held. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) I am informed that the result of the boy clerks' examination held on May 15th, will probably be published early next week. The next examination is likely to be held towards the end of September. The exact date will be announced within the next few days.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware of the danger to health, damage to property, and inconvenience to the general public, caused by the disturbance of dust by motor traffic; and whether he will take steps to render this traffic more responsible for this evil. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) As I have stated in answer to previous Questions on this subject, I have received complaints as to the damage and nuisance caused by the dust raised by motor cars, and I have communicated them to the Royal Commission on Motor Cars for their consideration.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board if he will state the original sources from which the stocks of lymph now used or supplied by the national vaccine establishment were derived; whether obtained in this country or from abroad; and the evidence upon which the genuineness of the vaccine derived from the animal originally yielding the same was established. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I think I must refer my hon. friend to my reply to the Question on this subject which he put to me on June 28th last,† but I may add that no lymph which, on being passed through a series of calves, is productive of appearances differing in any way from those characteristic of vaccinia in the calf is issued from the National Vaccine Establishment.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty what are the prospects of the battleship " Montagu" now ashore on Lundy Island, being floated; whether the Liverpool Salvage Company is in sole charge of the operations, or are such operations under

†See (4) Debates,clix., 1116.

the direction of the admiral; and, if the latter, will the Admiralty consider the advisability of granting to the salvage company such freedom of action as would be given them in the case of a similar casualty in the mercantile marine.

The prospects of floating the " Montagu" are good if the weather continues favourable. The local operations are under the directions of the Commander-in-Chief of the Channel Fleet, and it is not proposed to make any alterations in the existing arrangements at present.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether the rules for the reclamation of waste lands in Assam and the Central Provinces will be amended in accordance with the recommendations of the Famine Commission.

The Government of India state in their recent Resolution regarding land improvements, that after consulting Local Governments they consider the concession suggested by the Famine Commission goes beyond what is needed for any part of India. They are, however, discussing with the Local Governments of Assam and the Central Provinces the expediency of making the waste land rules in these provinces more liberal in certain respects than they now are.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, in view of the fact that the appointment of Mr. J. A. Chapman to the principal-ship of the Calcutta Madrassah is a temporary one, made during the absence on leave of the permanent holder of the office, he will say if Dr. E. Denison Ross, the late principal of the Calcutta Madrassah, has been appointed to the substantive post of officer-in-charge of the records of the Government in India; and if so, who is, at the present moment, the permanent holder of the office of principal of the Calcutta Madrassah.

Dr. Denison Ross has been appointed to the post of officer in charge of the Records of the Government of India; but he retains, in addition, the principalship of the Madrassah until a permanent successor shall have been appointed.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether, seeing that it has been customary to select a gentleman of distinguished Oriental scholastic attainments for the principalship of the Calcutta Madrassah, and that Mr. J. A. Chapman, the present holder of that office, possesses no such qualifications, but is an ex-clerk in an exchange bank, whose previous educational work has been to lecture on modern English, to commercial classes at the Presidency College in Calcutta, he will say what steps have been, or are being, taken to secure the services of an Oriental scholar for charge, whether temporary or substantive, of the office of principal of the Calcutta Madrassah; and when it is proposed to relieve Mr. Chapman of his duties, and appoint a permanent incumbent possessing the customary and requisite qualifications.

Mr. Chapman is acting for Dr. Denison Ross, who has been deputed to Simla on special duty which was expected to last for about two months, and his acting appointment will presumably terminate when Dr. Ross returns to Calcutta. As I have just stated, Dr. Ross retains for the present the principalship of the Madrassah, and I cannot as yet say when a permanent incumbent will be appointed to succeed him.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the original draft of the Chinese repatriation notice was a simple statement to the effect that coolies who wished to return to China would be able to do so at the cost of the State; whether this draft was rejected by the High Commissioner; and whether the notice eventually published was submitted to the Chamber of Mines before its approval and publication.

The original proposals for a draft were of considerable length and contained a number of detailed restrictions and precautions designed with the express purpose of giving exact effect to the intention of His Majesty's Government— namely, that coolies who earnestly desired to return to China should lie enabled to do so, but that no incitement or incentive should be offered which would be likely to provoke a general cessation of work on the mines. Lord Selborne, doubtless after full consultation with all parties concerned, proposed an alternative draft which was accepted by the Secretary of State as being an equal fulfilment of the intentions of the Government and for which we take full responsibility. The vehement opposition offered by the gold-mining industry to the posting of the resulting proclamation, shows how little they were able to forecast its effects and how unfounded is the suggestion that the Chamber of Mines was a consenting party to its publication.

asked whether these Chinamen could be told they could return home without being threatened in the process.

We are considering the question of issuing a new proclamation. As I have already told the hon. and gallant Member for the Abercromby Division of Liverpool, I hope to be in a position to give him an answer to-morrow.

May we expect Papers to be laid at an early date?

Yes, Sir, the Blue-book is far advanced in preparation.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the explanation of the superintendent of Foreign labour in the Transvaal to the effect that the words, tremblingly obey, are a stereotyped formula attached to every single official proclamation issued in China is accepted as satisfactory by His Majesty's Government; whether these words are ordinarily used in prohibitory proclamations only, and that their introduction into the repatriation proclamation was directly calculated to discourse applications for repatriation there under; and, if so, what action His Majesty's Government propose to take in regard to the action of the superintendent under whose signature and authority the repatriation proclamation was issued.

Why are the quotation marks omitted by the King's printers? It makes the Question unintelligible.

I am told that it is not the custom to permit marks indicating that words are quotations in Questions, though I confess it seems to me it would have been very much simpler in this case if these marks had been used.

Lord Elgin is informed by Sir Robert Douglas, of the British Museum, that the phrase " tremblingly obey" is commonly attached to official proclamations, and was originally used to add emphasis to an injunction. It is of such common application, however, that it has ceased to be anything more than a more form, and it is not by any moans confined to prohibitory proclamations.

May I ask whether the hon. Gentleman is aware that the files of the Pekin Gazette afford no support to the ingenious suggestion that the words " tremblingly obey" —[Cries of " Order ! "]

The hon. Member seems to be about to give some information instead of asking it.

Seeing that these words " tremblingly obey " are extremely offensive to British ears, will the hon. Gentleman take care that they are not inserted in any proclamation issued in any part of the British Empire?

If a new proclamation is issued these words will be omitted.

asked what action the Government proposed to take in regard to the action of the superintendent under whose signature and authority the proclamation was issued.

The action of the superintendent with regard to the issue of the proclamation was in every way proper and correct.

Should I be in order in asking the hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that this expression is used in proclamations such as might be issued by the most virtuous of Governments— for instance by His Majesty's present advisers.

The virtue of different Governments is a matter of opinion, and is hardly a subject for a Question.

I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies why the Crown agents for the Colonies have given notice to pay the drawn bonds of the Northern Railways of the Transvaal at ninety-six instead of 100, and what justification there is for such a proposal.

The Secretary of State is advised that ninety-six is a fair payment of their value, having regard to their average price before the war, and it should be remembered that in the Report of the Concessions Commission it was stated that there could be no obligation on the new Government to place the debenture holders in a better position than they held under the late Government (page 53 of Cd. 623.)

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the bonds of the Pretoria and Johannesburg Railway were paid off at 100? What justification is there for treating those bonds in a different manner?

That is only a variation of the original Question; I cannot suggest any convenient variation of my Answer.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can now state what stops have been taken by the Transvaal authorities to bring to justice Withaner, the manager of the compound in the Crœsus Mine, for the admitted flogging of Chinese coolies as alleged in a report made to Lord Selborne by the superintendent of Foreign labour more than two months ago; and whether any reason has been given for the delay on the part of the authorities in taking proceedings in this case.

Lord Selborne telegraphed to the Secretary of State on June 30th that the case was in the hands of the Public Prosecutor, Johannesburg, who was issuing a summons for July 2nd, and that the delay had been unavoidable.

asked whether in mines worked under conditions similar to those in the Transvaal it was possible to get the requisite amount of work out of man without some form of torture.

I must ask the hon. Gentleman for notice of that Question.

I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies whether Mr. Thomas Ratcliffe, who has taken an affidavit that he saw a Chinaman flogged in a compound since the Order prohibiting flogging was promulgated, was dismissed from his employment on the New Comet mine immediately the fact became known that he had lodged sworn information; and whether the Government propose to take any steps to protect men who report breaches in the law which are committed inside compounds.

A telegram has already been sent calling for a report, as I stated in the House in answer to Questions on Thursday and Monday last, and on receipt of the information the Secretary of State will consider whether any action should be taken.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of of State for the Colonies if he can say how it came about that, in determining what annual rent should be paid for the next twenty years by the private firm leasing the Ceylon Government pearl fisheries, the amount was based on the average net revenue for the previous twenty years, in twelve of which the fishery had failed altogether, although the Governor of Ceylon, in conformity with the opinion of experts, had stated in the dispatch of Juno 14th, 1905, that with improved and systematic culture there seemed no reason to apprehend a failure of an annual fishery in future years.

I presume that the explanation is that improved prospects will depend on the scientific culture on which the company are by the terms of the lease bound to expend from one million to three million rupees in the course of the next twenty years, and which it might be urged since the whole problem of the cultivation and conservation of the pearl oyster on these banks involves a number of any doubtful factors, may or may not prove successful.

I beg to ask the Under-secretary of state for the Colonies, seeing that the contract with the syndicate who have obtained the concession for the next twenty years of the pearl fisheries in Ceylon was so nearly concluded when the present Government took office that it was not considered possible to reconsider its terms and thus obviate the loss which it entails, will the Government now make such arrangements as will enable them to know with absolute certainty the net yearly profits made by the new limited company, and in that way ensure a more businesslike and adequate return to the Colonial revenue for these fisheries in future.

I am of opinion that the published accounts of the Company ought annually to supply the particulars referred to by the hon. Member; and we are addressing them upon this point.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will ascertain and inform the House which of the Cantons constituting the Swiss Republic have abolished compulsory vaccination, and which of them still enforce it; and whether the population of the Cantons in which compulsion has been retained show a liability to smallpox greater or less than the liability-shown by the population of the Cantons which have abolished compulsion.

Our latest information (1900) respecting Vaccination Law in Switzerland represents:—

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state what was the class and rank of the officers in the Civil Service who were responsible for the assessment of the dog tax prior to 1867, and what was the class and rank of the officers to whom the duties were transferred, which transference led to the increase in the number of dog licences issued from 445,000 to 828,000 in 10 months and to 1,362,000 in 10 years; what steps the Board took in dealing with officers who had been negligent in the discharge of their duties, and can he give a reference to any Parliamentary Paper in which the circumstances are mentioned; is he aware that the Board of Inland Revenue in their twelfth Report stated that the transfer of duties took place under an Act of Parliament passed in March, 1867, and that it was a transfer of duties from parochial to Government officers.

The transfer of 1867 was a transfer from one set of Government officials to another, viz., from Tax officials to Excise officials. I find, however, though I regret the fact was overlooked in my reply to my hon. friend on the 21st ultimo, † that under the Tax officials parochial assessors had been employed, and that their employment ceased on the transfer to the Excise. The Question relates to a past which is now very remote, and the Board of Inland Revenue are not aware of any action taken by their predecessors with reference to any neglect that may have occurred on the part of parochial assessors or collectors, nor can they give a reference to any Parliamentary Paper in which such action is mentioned. But, when the results of the Act of 1867 are cited, it should not be overlooked that, by that Act, the duty on dog licences was reduced from 12s. to 5s., and that the beneficial results that followed may have been due to their reduction quite as much as, or even more than, they were due to the change in the machinery of assessment and collection.

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that in 1862–3 influential witnesses, including chairmen of the Board of Inland Revenue, heard before the Hors-fall Committee, condemned the system of assessment and collection of taxes by parochial officers; and that the Committee in their Report recommended the Scottish system of employing Government officers, on the ground that it would confer much benefit upon the public, and effect a large saving in the cost of collection; will he say what steps, if any, were taken to give effect to the finding of that Committee; whether the system then condemned is the same as now in use; and, if not, in what respects it differs.

† See (4) Debates, clix., 362.

The Horsfall Committee, so far as I ascertain did not do more than report the evidence taken— not, apparently, being able to agree on any conclusions or recommendations.

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that both in Scotland and in Ireland the assessors and collectors of income tax, etc., are Government officers, whilst in England parochial officers are employed on the same class of work; will he say if the Acts of Parliament for this purpose are the same for the United Kingdom; and, seeing that the system has been found to work so satisfactorily in Ireland and Scotland, if he will take steps to introduce it into England so as to dispense with clerks to Commissioners, except in their capacity as legal advisers to the Commissioners sitting as a Court of Appeal.

The statement in the first part of the Question is not accurate. In Scotland only some of the assessors are Government officers, whilst in Ireland the collectors are almost wholly unestablished employees. The law is not the same for the three parts of the United Kingdom, and the system at present in force in England could not be assimilated either to that of Scotland or to that of Ireland without extensive changes in the law, which the Board of inland revenue cannot recommend.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is in a position to make a further statement as to the Inspectorate of Mines for South Wales.

Yes, Sir; and having consulted my right hon. friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, I think I am now in a position to propose an arrangement which will be satisfactory to hon. Members from South Wales. The special dangers of the South Wales coalfield require a strong inspectorate. It was for that reason that I appointed Mr. Atkinson to the Swansea district. But on account of the representations made to me as to the desirability of having a Welsh-speaking inspector in charge of the Swansea district I have decided perhaps to anticipate a recommendation of the Royal Commission and to strengthen the staff for the whole of South Wales. The Cardiff district is already in charge of a Welsh-speaking inspector. Mr. Dyer Lewis, who speaks Welsh, will be appointed as acting inspector in the Swansea district. For the two districts there will be, as now, four assistant-inspectors. Mr. Atkinson will be superintending-inspector for the combined areas. the whole of South Wales will therefore get the benefit of Mr. Atkinson's skill and experience, while nearest to the men there will be the Welsh-speaking inspectors. I hope and believe that this plan will make for increased efficiency in the prevention of accidents. I wish it to be understood that the new arrangement involves no reflection whatever on the zeal and ability of Mr. Gray, the inspector of the Cardiff district.

asked the right hon. Gentleman whether he would favourably consider the desirability of appointing one of these higher superintending inspectors for the coalfield of Lancashire also.

replied that the whole question was under the consideration of the Royal Commission, and he was not prepared to answer that Question at this moment.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the inconvenience, trouble, and expense given the recipients of rewards for delivering up lost property found in public vehicles, etc., by compelling the finders to attend personally or by proxy, at New Scotland Yard, to receive the reward; and whether he will consider the possibility of sending the amount by postal order to the address of the finder, or that it might lie handed to him at any police station by request.

It is not the case that finders are compelled to attend personally or by proxy at New Scotland Yard to receive their rewards; these rewards are always sent by post when the finder so desires.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether the conscientious objections of post office officials are respected in Switzerland; and, if the reply be in the affirmative, whether they have shown any special liability to smallpox in consequence of their exemption from vaccination.

I am not aware what is the practice in Switzerland in regard to the vaccination of post office officials, nor have I any information in regard to the experience regarding the results of that practice.

Will the right hon. Gentleman ascertain if it be not the fact that the death-rate from smallpox in Switzerland is as high in districts where vaccination is compulsory as it is in those where it is not compulsory?

IS it fair to Switzerland thus to brand it with smallpox?

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General if he will state the total amount paid by: His Majesty's Government to the German Government during the last fiscal year for the carriage by steamers of German lines of His Majesty's mails to the United States.

The. amount paid for the period in question was £1,550; but as the payments are based on periodical statistics the sum represents the correspondence which was specially addressed to be sent by German steamer when the last statistics were taken. Fresh statistics will be taken next year, and it is impossible at present to say what sum will then be payable.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether any licences for the establishment of wireless telegraph stations have been granted to the Corporation of Lloyds.

Licences have been promised to the Corporation of Lloyds for a number of stations, and will be issued very shortly. Their settlement has been delayed by difficult questions arising out of the relations between Lloyds and the Marconi Company. In connection with the matter, I take the opportunity of making an explanation. On the Post Office Estimates the other day, I thought it my duty strongly to comment on some circulars issued by the secretary of Lloyds in regard to this matter, † Since then I have received communications from the secretary stating that the circulars in question were issued in good faith. This assurance I, of course, accept, and am glad to withdraw any words which might imply the contrary.

I beg to ask the President to the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the recent appointment of a relieving officer by the Toxteth guardians, who advertised, about the 18th May, for applications, stating that candidates must not be more than forty years of age; that notwithstanding that there wore many candidates with experience of the duties and complying with the age limit, the guardians have appointed the secretary of the Claremont Liberal Club, a man forty-one and a half years of age and without any previous experience; and whether he proposes to sanction this appointment.

My right hon. friend has received some representations with regard to this appointment and has asked for the observations of the guardians on the subject. These he expects shortly to receive.

I beg to ask the President to the Local Government Board whether he will have the shorthand notes which he is having taken

† See (4) Debates, clix., 389.

of the proceedings of the Poplar Inquiry printed and circulated as a Parliamentary paper at the close of the inquiry.

As my right hon. friend has previously stated, he proposes to defer the consideration of this Question until the Inquiry is completed.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if he can state the total cost to date of the receiving house for children at 54, East India Dock Road, Poplar; and also the total cost to date of the poor law schools of the Poplar union at Hutton, Essex.

The total expenditure sanctioned in respect of the receiving home is £14,210, and in respect of the schools £156,545. I am not able to state the precise amounts which have been spent on them.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been directed to the outbreak of enteric fever at the Belmont Imbecile Asylum, Sutton; whether any delay arose in notifying the disease to the local sanitary authority; and whether the cause of the infection has been discovered.

I am aware of the outbreak referred to. There was some delay in the notification to the sanitary authority. This was due to the fact that many of the cases, especially the earlier ones, presented peculiar symptoms, and that it was not until bacteriological tests had been applied that a diagnosis of enteric fever was arrived at.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education if he can state whether teachers in Government schools in Switzerland have their conscientious objections to vaccination respected; and, if it be in the affirmative, whether this abolition of compulsory vaccination and re-vaccination has been followed by these officials showing any special liability to small-pox.

I have no information on the subject.

Will you make inquiry?

I will see if inquiries can be made.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education what is the total amount of Treasury grant paid to Welsh intermediate schools under Section 9 of the Welsh Intermediate Education Act, 1889, in the last complete year; and what is the total amount of grant paid to those schools under the secondary school regulations in the same period.

the figures are as follows:—The total amount of grant paid under Section 9 of the Welsh Intermediate Education Act, 1889, in respect of the year ending June 30th, 1905, was £22,281 3s. 7d. The total amount paid under the Regulations for Secondary Schools for the same year was £16,102 17s. 0d.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been called to the proceedings at the inquiry into the proposal to build a Catholic school at Dipton, Durham; whether he is aware that the clerk to the Durham County Council wrote a letter stating that the existing Catholic school would only be recognised for 365 scholars, although the secretary of the Durham education authority wrote that there were 507 places; whether the local education authority now seeks to compel the Catholic children to accept board school teaching; and whether he can state if the Durham County Council brought down a member of the Parliamentary bar to oppose the granting of educational facilities to Catholics in a new school which they are willing to build at their own cost; and, if so, what fee he received, and by whom will it have to be paid.

I have not yet received the Report of the Commissioner appointed to hold the inquiry, which, indeed, only took place a few days ago. Until that Report has been received and carefully considered I must decline to answer any of the Questions put to me by the hon. Member on the subject matter of the inquiry.

Has the attention of the hon. Gentleman been directed to a speech by the chairman of this body in which he said he would not rest satisfied as long as there was one denominational school in the district.

No, Sir.

I will send the hon. Gentleman a report of the speech.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the compulsory retirements at the War Office and General Post Office of abstractors, after over thirty years service, on pensions of about 12s. or 13s. per week, he will take steps to revise the rules which compel abstractors to deduct, when reckoning their service for pension, half their un-established service which merged into permanent service, so as to put them on a similar footing to those who entered the service under precisely the same regulations as to pension, and who are allowed to count the whole of their temporary service towards superannuation.

I regret that I can add nothing to the Answers which have been repeatedly given by myself and my predecessors on this subject. In particular I would refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave to Questions by the hon. Members for Woolwich and Blackburn on March 26th and May 17th last respectively.†

I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works whether he can inform the House when he expects the work of extending the Mall completed;

† See (4) Debates, clix., 839; clvii., 654

and whether it is his intention to demolish any more of the buildings in Spring Gardens in order to have a wider and a more imposing entrance from Charing Cross.

The new Admiralty building at the end of the Mall is expected to be completed by the end of 1908. The buildings in Spring Gardens referred to are not the property of His Majesty's Government and I am not aware of any proposal to demolish them, but if this is suggested it would seem to be in the nature of a Metropolitan improvement and as such is a matter for the London County Council.

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether any steps have been taken to carry out one of the recommendations of the Committee appointed in 1897 to inquire into the present system of land registration in Scotland, viz., that the substitution of a photo-zincographic for a written record should, under appropriate regulations and safeguards, be sanctioned.

No such steps have been taken hitherto. The substitution of a photo-zincographic for a written record cannot be carried out except by legislation, which is not at present possible.

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he has yet received the Report on the incidence of local taxation in the Island of Lewis; and, if so, can he state when it will be laid upon the Table of the House.

The Report has been received and will be issued as soon as possible. I am not in a position to name a date.

Is the Report in the hands of the printers yet?

I will ascertain.

Will the right hon. Gentleman see that it is not kept back purposely?

There is no such intention.

It was so last year.

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland if he will state when the Report of the medical inspector of the Local Government Board concerning the statistical data of the Island of Lewis for ten years 1895 to 1904, inclusive, will be presented to Parliament.

The Report to which my hon. friend refers does not add materially to the information already furnished, and under these circumstances it is not intended to present it to Parliament at present.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this Report would be of the greatest service to me?

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, in view of the need of land for evicted tenants and other persons, and the danger that if untenanted land be not acquired now for these purposes it may pass permanently into the hands of graziers, whether all rural district councils will be furnished with copies of the forthcoming Return of untenanted land; and whether all purchase inspectors will be instructed to visit and report upon all land of this class in the counties in which they work.

I have already informed the hon. Member that it is not proposed to distribute the Return gratuitously to local authorities, and I have also stated the course which the Estates Commissioners intend to adopt. I refer to my Answers to the hon. Member's Questions of 21st and 28th May. † The Commissioners propose in the first instance to ascertain from the owners of untenanted land which appears

† See (4) Debates, clvii., 948; clviii., 81, 88.

suitable for distribution whether they are prepared to sell to the Commissioners, and if the owners should express their willingness to sell, the Commissioners will have the lands inspected, and will intimate to the owners the prices they are prepared to give.

Will the Commissioners inquire into uneconomic holdings and untenanted lands in all parts of Ireland?

It is intended that the term of reference shall cover Ireland generally. The inquiry will not be restricted to the congested districts.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has noticed that the present increase in the numbers emigrating from Ireland comes mainly from the rural population, and is due to want of land, while large tracts are untenanted; will the Government give favourable consideration to Amendments of the Labourers Bill designed to break in upon those tracts; and will a serious effort be made next session to make those tracts available for popular use.

The Registrar-General informs me that he believes the hon. Member to be correct in assuming that the increase in the number of emigrants from Ireland in April and May came mainly from the rural population. The bulk of emigration ordinarily comes from the rural classes, and fluctuations from varying causes, including no doubt the want of land, are not unusual. There was, for instance, a considerable decrease in the month of March. I have already announced that it is the intention of the Government to appoint a Royal Commission to inquire into the problem of congestion in Ireland. That inquiry will not be confined to the western part of the country. The question of untenanted land does not appear to arise directly upon the Labourers Bill, but so far as any Amendments to that Bill are in order they will be fairly considered.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners have received an application in respect to the holding of Mrs. O'Regan, widow, Dromahane, Mallow, from which she was recently evicted, and which is now in the possession of Mr. T. Mullane, national teacher; and, if so, what steps have been taken in regard to the reinstatement of this evicted tenant.

The Estates Commissioners have received from Mrs. O'Regan an application for reinstatement, and have referred it to one of their inspectors for inquiry in due course.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners have received any information in regard to the estate of Mr. Richard Fuge Templemary, Buttevant, county Cork; and whether, in view of the fact that eight tenants have been evicted on this property, and their holdings are now in the landlord's possession and used as a grazing ranch, the Commissioners will send an inspector to the district with a view to the purchase of this property and the reinstatement of evicted tenants.

The Estates Commissioners have received five applications for reinstatement on this estate Three of these are already in the hands of the local inspector for inquiry, and the two remaining cases will be referred to him.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he has noticed that the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction has already cost, out of moneys voted by Parliament, more than £1,000,000, plus £252,639 contributed by local bodies; that in the six years since the Department was founded the area under grass, including meadow and clover, has increased, the area waste or half-cultivated has increased, and the area under tillage crops diminished; that emigration continues and now includes, in addition to agricultural workers, many on whose technical and scientific training public money has been expended; and if the committee of inquiry, now sitting, will investigate the methods which have produced these results, with a view to suggesting a remedy.

The sums which have been voted by Parliament to the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction amount to £1,000,893. This sum, however, includes the cost of the various departments and institutions which were transferred by statute to the Department, including the Fisheries Office, the Veterinary Department, the Royal College of Science, the Science and Art Museum, the National Library, the Metropolitan School of Art, and the Royal Botanic Gardens. It also includes the Science and Art grants formerly administered from South Kensington, and grants in aid of the Congested Districts Board amounting to £160,000. The contributions of local bodies are not grants received by the Department, but are amounts levied by local authorities from the rates to be expended locally upon schemes subsidised by the Department. It is the fact that since the Department was founded the area under crops has decreased, and that the area under grass, including meadow and clover, has increased; but it is not the case that the area of waste land has increased. I am informed that the increase in pasture since 1900 has been much less marked than in the preceding years. Emigration no doubt continues, but I have no information that persons are emigrating on whose technical and scientific training public money has been expended. The terms of reference to the committee include an inquiry into the Department's funds and the modes of employing them.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware how much of the £1,000,000 —a considerable proportion—has been expended on the clerical and other staffs.

I cannot say.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the tenants of the Robert Tyndall estate, Kilmacow, county Kilkenny, were negotiating for purchase and that the best offer which the landlord would make was 26·6 years purchase of present rents; whether the Estates Commissioners will consent to act as arbitrators between landlord and tenants, if requested by the tenants; whether he is aware that, on the failure of negotiations for sale, the landlord took stops to enforce immediate payment of present rents, and obtained from the courts writs for seizure, and whether he will take such steps as will safeguard these tenants from further proceedings of this nature?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that no proceedings for the sale of the estate referred to have yet been instituted before them, and they have not been asked by any of the persons concerned to intervene as conciliators in pursuance of the regulations. If such a request should be made by the tenants, and they should be furnished with particulars of the estate, they will be prepared to consider whether this is a case in which their intervention would be likely to lead to an amicable settlement.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Congested Districts Board keep a record, in tabulated form, by counties, of the area and valuation of the lands purchased by them, and the price paid for each property, showing the amount paid for occupation interest, and the amount paid for fee-simple, together with the sum expended on dwelling-houses, farm buildings, drainage, fencing, striping, or other improvements on these lands, the area and annuity of each allotted plot, with the name of the lardlord and occupier from whom purchased; whether a tabulated record by counties is kept of the area and valuation of lands which they have offered to purchase, but were unable to buy, together with the price demanded and the price refused, showing amount offered for fee-simple and amount offered for occupation interest, together with the name of the landlord and occupier in each case; and whether a similar record is kept by the Estates Commissioners; if not, will instructions be given to these Government Departments to keep such records for the information of Parliament.

The Congested Districts Board keep for their own purposes records of all the matters referred to in the Question, but they always treat as confidential their negotiations for purchase in cases where no agreement is arrived at. The prices offered in these cases are duly recorded. The price offered is for the fee-simple. No offer is made for occupation interest. Detailed information as to the estates purchased is given in the Board's annual reports. The Estates Commissioners keep records of all estates purchased by them under the Irish Land Act, 1903, and from these records are compiled the elaborate statements in tabular form appended to their annual reports. The particulars recorded comprise, by counties, the area and price of estates purchased by them, and the valuation when known. No price is paid by the Commissioners for occupation interest. Full particulars are also kept of the sums expended on improvements; also of the area and annuity of the plots allotted, and the name of the landlord and purchaser. The Commissioners also keep a record of the area of, and price offered for, all estates as to which their offer has been refused by the owner, but the negotiations in cases of this kind are regarded as confidential and the details cannot be published. The price offered is in all cases for the fee-simple interest; the Commissioners do not make advances for the purchase of tenants' occupation interest. In addition to the information given in the annual report, monthly returns are now being presented to Parliament, which give, in tabular form, by estates, the name of each purchaser of a holding, the townland, area, valuation, rent, tenure, price, amount of advance, and date of advance.

Will this information which the right hon. Gentleman says is confidential be at the disposal of the Commission about to be appointed?

I should say it would, but it would be treated as confidential, I imagine. That, however, is a matter for the Commission itself.

Would it not be important for the Commissioners to hare particulars of the offers made by unreasonable and unconciliatory landords in Ireland?

There is no reason why the Commission should not have at its disposal every kind of information it requires.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, in reference to the sale of the estate of Mr. W. Leader, Dromagh, Banteer, county Cork, for which the originating application was lodged in June, 1905, whether the Estates Commissioners have yet succeeded in procuring the reinstatement and resettlement of the evicted tenants, Denis Fitzpatrick and Mrs. Cronin; whether the landlord has yet made any offer to the Commissioners of the sale of any portion of the untenanted land in his possession, with a view to settling other deserving evicted tenants of the locality on economic holdings, and the applotment of land amongst the labourers of the locality; and, if so, what action has been taken by the Commissioners.

The Estates Commissioners inform me that they have now received their inspector's report upon the applications of the two persons mentioned, and will consider it in due course. The estate, for the sale of which proceedings have been instituted, comprises, in addition to tenanted land, 1,080 acres of untenanted land which the vendor proposes to sell to the Commissioners, and of which he proposes to repurchase 880 acres. The Commissioners have not yet ruled on the application.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Irish Land Commission are landlords of certain lands of Kilkeary, in the county of Kilkenny, held by fifteen tenants; that up to 1893 these lands were held from the Irish Land Commission by middlemen; that in consequence of the non-payment of rent by these middlemen they were ejected by the Land Commission in 1893; that a representative of the Land Commission then induced some of the occupying tenants to sign agreements to become tenants to the Land Commission at a rent which was nearly three times the rent previously payable to the Land Commission by the middlemen; that these tenants got an undertaking from the representative of the Irish Land Commission, before signing such agreements, that the Land Commission would sell to them under the Land Purchase Acts at sixteen-and-a-half years purchase of the rent so agreed on, and that the purchase agreements would be sent to them for signature; and will he say why this arrangement has not hitherto been carried out, and whether the Land Commission will now have effect given to it.

I have not yet received from the Land Commission the necessary-information to enable me to reply to this Question. The subject appears to be one of some complexity, and doubtless the Commissioners find it necessary to make detailed inquiries. I would ask the hon. Member to defer the Question for a few days.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Congested Districts Board paid for lands purchased by them, fifteen years purchase of first-term rents in 1902 and eighteen years purchase in 1906, and of second term rents eighteen and three-quarter years purchase in 1902, and twenty-one and a quarter years purchase in 1906; and, if so, can the Board explain, in view of the depression in agricultural values, how the increase of three years purchase and two and-a-half years respectively can be explained.

The facts are as stated by the hon. Member. The Question put will be mentioned to the Board at its next meeting, which will be in a few days. I have not the materials at present for a fuller answer.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that for the purposes of schemes under the Agricultural and Technical Instruction (Ireland) Act, 1899, the Cork County Council has contributed out of the rates, during the five years ended 31st March, 1906, the sum of £21,110, and Cork County Borough, for the same period, the sum of £4,335; whether he can say what specific schemes for the improvement of agriculture have been carried out in the county by the Department during that period, and what schemes for technical instruction in the county borough; and whether, having regard to the large sums contributed by the county and in view of the evidence given before the Butter Committee of this House by butter experts in respect to the dairy industry in Denmark, Canada, and the Australian Colonies, the Department are prepared to take practical steps towards the establishment of winter dairying in Ireland.

The facts are correctly stated in the first paragraph of the Question. The agricultural schemes which have been put into operation in the county are those relating to—Live Stock Improvement; Poultry Improvement; Instruction in Horticulture and Bee Keeping; Instruction in Home Dairying; Subsidies to Agricultural Shows; Instruction in Agriculture, including winter classes; and the scheme of prizes for cottages and small farms. The Technical Instruction Scheme in operation in the county borough includes instruction in some fifty subjects of Science, Art, Technology, Commerce, Domestic Economy, Lace and Crochet Making, and Art Needlework. As regards winter dairying in Ireland, a few of the County Committees of Agriculture have recently discussed the question; and the Department are prepared to do whatever they legitimately can do towards encouraging this industry.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to that Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, since the large class of holdings within the zones are not inspected on a sale, what ground is there for his hope that, on a reversal of the decision in King-Harman and Hayes, the consequential adjustments of price and bonus in completed transactions could be made; and will the Lord-Lieutenant, in exercise of his powers under the Land Act of 1903, require the Estates Commissioners to obtain and record, irrespective of zones, the information necessary for this purpose.

In the case of holdings within the zones, the prices agreed on are presumed to be equitable, consequently the question raised in the case of Hayes v. King-Harman could not, under the terms of the Act of 1903, be applied to such cases. The reversal of the decision in that case would not, therefore, affect zone cases. The Lord-Lieutenant does not propose to require the Estates Commissioners to take a form of action which was not contemplated by Parliament.

; I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland who provided the information contained in Return No. 173, presented to Parliament in 1903, and is it not customary when preparing such Returns to apply for information on the subject to the owner of the property or his representative.

I am informed by the Inspector General that the information embodied in the Return referred to was obtained by the police from the best available sources. Unless the facts were within the knowledge of the police themselves, they usually applied to the landlord or his representative, and when the facts could not be ascertained in this way they sought information from the evicted tenant.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the agent of this estate never knew of the existence of this Return till a fortnight ago when a Question was put on it to the right hon. Gentleman, and does he know that the agent declares the Return to be both misleading and inaccurate?

I do not see how I can know what is in the agent's mind, but if he will convey his views to those who compiled the Return no doubt they will be taken notice of.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that about the end of the year 1880, on the expiration of the leases of 'Catherine Walsh and James Toomey, both of North Camas, Bruff, co. Limerick, the landlord. Dr. Samuel Russell, Army surgeon, evicted them from their farms, on which they had expended considerable sums of money in draining, fencing, and levelling, portions of which were cut out bog; is he aware that the landlord's plea for so doing was his alleged desire of farming the lands for himself; that, under a promise of restoring thorn at no distant date, he induced them to take a small amount of compensation, but afterwards gave the farms in question to a planter named Paul Rourke; is he aware that Rourke is only an eleven months' tenant; and will he say whether the Estates Commissioners have received applications for reinstatement from those evicted tenants, and will they send an inspector to make inquiry on the subject.

The Estates Commissioners inform me that they have received from the persons named applications for reinstatement in evicted farms now in the occupation of a msn named Rourke. The cases will be inquired into by the local inspector in due course, but in the meantime the Commissioners have no knowledge of the facts.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the state of the Royal Canal between Longford and Mullingar; how long it is since a dredger was used on this portion of the canal; and will he use his influence to get the owners to put the canal into a workable condition.

I am informed by the Board of Control that on May 24th, when their officer last inspected the Royal Canal between Longford and Mullingar, a dredger was being used there. The Board are aware that dredging operations have been steadily proceeding on this portion of the canal for the past four years.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that of the five members constituting the Consultative Committee of Education, three represent the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction, while the National Board and the Intermediate Board have only one representative each upon the Committee; and whether, in order to stimulate greater interest in the work of the Committee, he will propose a revision of its constitution, so as to make it more truly representative of all branches of education in Ireland.

Under the 23rd section of the Agriculture and Technical Instruction Act, 1899, the Consultative Committee of Education is to consist of five members, namely, the Vice-President of the Department, and one member to be appointed by each of the following Boards:—National Education Board, Intermediate Education Board, Agricultural Board, and Board of Technical Instruction. No change in the method of constituting the Committee could be effected without legislation.

Do the Committee ever meet?

Yes, they met very recently and drew up a confidential report.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether representations have been made to him recently by the Commissioners of National Education pressing for the restoration of Treasury grants for building new schools in Ireland, and for the repair and equipment of school buildings; and whether he is able to-state the result of his negotiations with the Treasury in reference to this matter.

Correspondence upon this subject has for some time been passing between the Irish Government, the Commissioners of National Education, and the Treasury. It would, however, be contrary to usage to state the details of the correspondence. A definite conclusion has not yet been arrived at, but the Irish Government are doing all that may be possible to bring about a prompt settlement of the question, the importance of which is fully recognised.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the appointment by the Leitrim County Council of Mr. P. Curran as rate collector of the divisions of Ballinamore has been sanctioned by the Local Government Board; whether he is aware that, at the last meeting of the county council, the chairman refused to submit a motion, of which due notice had been given, to rescind the appointment of Mr. Curran and to accept instead the tender of Mr. James Kelly, who offered to do the collecting at a commission of two pence in the pound, against sixpence in the pound to be paid to Mr. Curran; and whether the chairman was entitled to refuse to put this motion to the meeting.

The Local Government Board have sanctioned the appointment of Mr. Curran. The Board understand that the chairman of the county council, on the advice of the solicitor to the council, refused to put the motion for rescinding Mr. Curran's appointment, and in the Board's opinion the chairman acted within his powers, seeing that the appointment had already been sanctioned by the Board.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received a resolution passed by the Clogher Rural District Council, and endorsed by other public bodies, urging that Clause 18 of the Labourers Bill should be omitted or amended, and proposing that farmers should be enabled to borrow money on easy terms for the purpose of improving and erecting labourers' cottages on their farms; and whether he will consider the desirability of proposing such amendments of the Labourers Bill as will meet the wishes of a considerable body of public opinion in Ireland.

The Local Government Board have received the resolution in question, the purport of which is that the amount available for the erection of labourers' cottages by district councils should be devoted to the purpose of enabling occupiers of farms to borrow money on easy terms for the improvement of their own dwellings and outhouses as well as for the erection and improvement of labourers' cottages on their own farms. The question of improving farmers' houses is entirely outside the scope of the Labourers Bill, and the suggestion as to making loans to farmers for the erection or improvement of labourers' cottages on their own holdings is not one which commends itself to the Government. In such case the important consideration that the loans should be secured by the rates would be entirely absent. I have no information that there is a considerable body of public opinion in Ireland in favour of the proposals mentioned.

asked if the fundamental policy of the Labourers Act passed by Parliament, had not been to make the Irish labourer as independent of the farmer as the farmer had been made independent of the landlord?

No doubt that is so.