To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the now battleship " Africa," while out for her trials, was only saved from running on the rocks at the Lizard by the engines being put full speed astern; and, if so, has any inquiry been made into the matter, and with what result. (Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) The engines of H.M.S. " Africa" were reversed during her trials on account of her getting into proximity to the shore in a fog. It is not proposed to make any further inquiry into the matter.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the mails from Sliddery, in the Island of Arran, now do not leave Lamlash till after 3 p.m., instead of at 11.30 a.m., as formerly; whether letters, consequently, are not delivered in Glasgow until the following day; and whether he can see his way to restoring the previous arrangement. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) The alteration in the service from Sliddery referred to is the usual summer arrangement for the steamers between Lamlash and Ardrossan, and has been in operation for several years. I understand that, although the correspondence from Sliddery should reach Glasgow in time for delivery the same day, it occasionally, owing to loss of time on the way, arrives too late for the suburban post. I will make inquiry as to the possibility of effecting an improvement in the service.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether His Majesty's Government will afford opportunity for consideration by the House of any proposals they may make with a view to the establishment of responsible Government in the Transvaal and Orange River Colonies before taking definite action on the Report of Sir West Ridge-way's Commission. (Answered by Mr. Churchill.) I must ask the hon. Member to address himself to the Prime Minister, who answered a somewhat similar Question on the 25th ultimo.†

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty how many merchant vessels of fourteen knots speed or under, and how many of over fourteen knots took part in the recent eight days naval manœuvres; and whether the insurance policy taken out covered these vessels

† See (4) Debates, clix, 665.

exclusively, or whether other ships were included. (Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) The Reports of the numbers of merchant vessels taking part in the manœuvres have not yet been received. There is no speed limit named in the insurance policy.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether he can agree to the erection of a letter-box at Cleggan on the mail car route between Creeslough and Carrigart, county Donegal. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I will send the hon. Member an answer after I have made inquiry on the subject.

To ask the Postmaster-General if any decision has been come to as to whether the post office at Winton, Bournemouth, shall be constituted a salaried sub-office; and whether he can give any information as to when the present vacancy will be filled up. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I have now decided that the post office at Winton, Bournemouth, shall remain a commission sub-office, and steps are being taken to fill the appointment.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners have yet made provision for Thomas Flanagan, Clonag-hadoe, an evicted tenant upon the estate of Mrs. Adair, Mountmellick, Queen's County, the remaining portion of which is now before them for sale; can he say whether the Estates Commissioners are prepared to sell Flanagan's farm to the planter who has come into occupation since 1901; and, if so, how they propose to deal with the evicted tenant's claims. (Answered by Mr. Bryce.) I informed the hon. Member on May 17th that the Estates Commissioners had referred Mr. Flanagan's application to one of their inspectors for inquiry. His Report has not yet been received, and in the meantime the Commissioners are unable to come to a decision in the case.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners have received an application for reinstatement from Pat Fahy (Frank), who was evicted on the Clanricarde estate in 1886; whether the Estates Commissioners have made inquiry as to how the evicted farm is now held; and whether the present holder is willing to take compensation and sell to the Estates Commissioners, or what provision they intend to make for Fahy. (Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The Estates Commissioners inform me that they have received from Patrick Fahy an application for reinstatement as evicted tenant. The application states that his former holding is in the occupation of another tenant. The Commissioners will have inquiry made into the case in due course. They are not aware whether the present tenant is willing to accept compensation for the surrender of the holding, but if Fahy cannot be reinstated in that holding the Commissioners will consider his case in connection with the distribution of untenanted land which they may acquire for the purpose.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state if the tenant who is at present in occupation of the holding of the late Mrs. Kate Sexton, of Holdenstown, county Kilkenny, is a permanent tenant; if so, what steps, if airy, have been taken by the Estates Commissioners to restore the representatives of Mrs. Sexton to an equivalent holding. (Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The Estates Commissioners inform me that they have no knowledge as to the tenure upon which the evicted farm in question is held by the present tenant. Miss Celia Sexton, sister-in-law of Mrs. Kate Sexton, has lodged an application for the evicted farm, and the Commissioners have had the case inquired into by one of their inspectors. They have not, however, yet ruled upon the application.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if, owing to the discrepancy which existed in the numbers between the Returns issued subsequent to the passing of the Land Purchase Act, 1903, and the number of applications lodged by or on behalf of evicted tenants for reinstatement in the county Kilkenny, he will cause a Return to be issued of those evicted who are entitled under the Act to be reinstated, and that the necessary particulars will in each case be given so as to enable those tenants or their friends to lodge applications in due course. (Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The Estates Commissioners inform me that applications have been received from 141 persons seeking reinstatement as former tenants or representatives of former tenants of holdings in county Kilkenny. These applications will be inquired into and reported on by an inspector in due course; but, until each case has been ruled on by the Commissioners, they will not be in a position to particularise how many of the applicants come within Clause (d), Section 2 (1), of the Act. It appears, however, from the particulars shown in the applications themselves, that at least nine of the applicants do not come within the terms of that clause. A Return such as the hon. Member desires does not appear to be either practicable or needed.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state if the Estates Commissioners have yet approached the tenant in occupation of the holding of Samuel Caldbeck, Waring's estate, Kilmanagh, county Kilkenny, who expressed his willingness to surrender the holding to Caldbeck on getting reasonable compensation; if not, what steps, if any, have been taken to provide Caldbeck with an equavalent holding. (Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The Estates Commissioners inform me that they have received from Samuel Caldbock an application for reinstatement in a holding on the Waring estate. The Commissioners have not approached the present occupier of the evicted farm, but they intend to have Caldbeck's application inquired into in due course by one of their inspectors.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state the exact position in which the scheme for connecting Malloranny and Belmullet by steamer service, under the Marine Works Act of 1902, now stands; and if he will state who or what is responsible for the delay in carrying out a scheme decided upon over three years ago.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if any of the marine schemes proposed to be carried out three years ago in the county of Mayo, under the Marine Works Act of 1902, have been abandoned; and, if so, whether it is intended to expend the money available by the dropping of these schemes in the county of Mayo where railway and other transit facilities are so much needed. (Answered by Mr. Bryce.) I understand that two schemes, under the Marine Works Act, for county Mayo wore proposed by the late Government, one relating to harbour works at Innishlyre, and the other to a steamer service between Belmullet and Tonragee, near Mulranny. Difficulties in regard to both schemes arose while the late Government were still in office, with the result that both were suspended. His Majesty's present Government have had both schemes under consideration, as also the question of railway extension to Belmullet and of transit facilities in the district generally. The whole question is still engaging the earnest attention of the Government, but it is one of much complexity, and I do not anticipate that I shall be in a position to make a statement on the subject for some time to come.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners have approached Mrs. Perry-Knox-Gore, the owner of the Crannagh farm at Ardagh, Ballina, county Mayo (which it was proposed some time ago to dispose of by public auction), with a view to the purchase by the Commissioners of the Crannagh farm and the occupied portion of the Perry-Knox-Gore property; and, if so, with what result. (Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The Estates Commissioners inform me that no proceedings for the sale of the property referred to have been instituted before them and they have not yet approached the owner upon the subject of purchase, but are now about to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether the Liverpool contractor who holds the Belfast contract for meat is the person chiefly responsible for changing the condition of tender from Home-bred to Home-killed; and whether a Yorkshire farmer obtained this contract, which is supplied by an American firm. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The Answer to the first part of the Question is in the negative. As regards the second, the contract was obtained by Mr. Boddy, as the hon. Member was informed on the 25th ultimo. The quality of the meat is excellent.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether any general regulation with reference to the shooting of pigeons has been issued by the General in command of the British troops in Egypt: and, if so, whether he can state the terms of the regulation, and the date on which it was issued. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) Lord Cromer in a telegram dated the 14th ultimo, addressed to my right hon. friend the Member for the Berwick-on-Tweed Division, stated that the order hitherto existing in Egypt has been that no pigeon-shooting was to take place without the consent of the Omdeh of the village, and that, since the Denshawai incident, the General Officer Commanding in Egypt was about to issue orders forbidding the shooting of pigeons in the future, but I am not aware of the terms of the order or the date of its issue.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can arrange that on August Bank Holiday there may be no artillery practice on Dartmoor. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) Instructions have been issued to the commandment, artillery practice camp, Okehampton, that there is to be no firing on Easter Mondays, Whit Mondays, or August Bank Holidays.

To ask the Secretary of Hate for War whether the furniture and all necessaries for the officers' quarters and mess, in Kilkenny, which were usually supplied by local firms, are now supplied from London and other outside places; and, if so, whether, in the interest of local trade and industries, he will see that the old order is reverted to, and such orders given in Kilkenny. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The furniture previously obtained locally was presumably that purchased by officers privately before quarters and mosses were furnished at the public expense, Furniture is now obtained by public tender and supplied as Government equipment to quarters and messes. I do not propose to change the system now in force.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Colonial Office have received any representations as to the position of the tinned moat trade in New South Wales; and whether he can say if he has any official information that the system of inspection in operation in Australia is so rigorous and careful that the occurrence of any abuse is impossible, and that consequently there has been no complaint whatever as to the excellence of the article supplied by the Australian trade. (Answered by Mr. Churchill.) Since the hon. Member's Question was put to me on July 2nd, a letter has been received from the Agent-General for New South Wales pointing out that special care is exercised by the New South Wales Government that only healthy beasts are slaughtered for food, and both in freezing and canning works every precaution is taken to ensure that cleanly methods are adopted. All animals intended for human food are, first of all, inspected alive in the sale yards by Government veterinary experts. These inspectors are either veterinary surgeons or have passed a thorough examination in the detection of diseases both in live stock and meat. Subsequently the carcases are inspected in the slaughter-houses which are also under Government control. In transit, in shops, and other places, frequent inspections are made, and these extend in every instance to the whole premises and to all meats or parts of the carcase. Not only this, but the utensils and appliances, in addition to the blood, offal, etc., are inspected, and were any breach of the regulations regarding cleanliness to occur, the licence to such premises would be at once withdrawn. The Government inspectors have to make weekly reports with particulars of the numbers of cattle slaughtered. Not only has every slaughtering establishment to be licensed but every person intending to slaughter cattle for food has to give twelve hours notice to the inspector to enable him to be present, a penalty of £5 being inflicted for every head of cattle which has been slaughtered without proper notice having been given. The laws against slaughtering for food of any cattle that are in any way diseased are strict; and if an inspector finds the milt or spleen of any slaughtered animal to be diseased, he causes the on the carcase to be removed and destroyed under penalty of a fine from £10 to £50. Any person taking such beast to slaughter is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, with or without hard labour, and any one attempting; to sell such diseased meat is liable to a long term of imprisonment. In the establishments where meat is being prepared for canning, etc., the regulations are especially strict. I desire to correct a mistake which was unfortunately made in my Answer to the hon. Member's Question on July 2nd. I then stated that no tinned meat was exported from New South Wales to this country. I should have stated that no boneless meat was exported. Tinned meat is imported from New South Wales and also from Queensland in considerable quantities and in smaller quan- tities from South Australia and Victoria. I understand that in the principal works in Australia where the preserved meat industry is carried on the beasts are killed purely and solely for preserving purposes, and only the finest parts of them go into the tins.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that, by the action of the South African Customs Convention, certain new duties were simultaneously passed and became law throughout British South Africa as from mid-day on May 25th last, and that a duty of 6d. per pound was placed on skimmed condensed milk which had hitherto entered South Africa under a duty of 2s. per case, valued at 12s. 6d., whereas the new duty imposed is 24s. per case; that the trade in this article, almost wholly in the hands of British merchants, averaging from 30,000 to 40,000 cases per month, is in danger of destruction, and that, contrary to the established practice, no previous intimation was given of the proposed increase of duty, and no provision made for the clearance at the old duty of shipments in transit, approximating 35,000 cases, which will be prohibited entrance except at the new duty; and, if so, will he use his influence with the Colonial Governments to permit shipments in transit at the time of the imposition of the extra duty to be admitted at the old rate. (Answered by Mr. Churchill.) The Secretary of State is aware of the increase of duty alluded to by the hon. Member. Representations as to the hardship of collecting the new duty on cargoes in transit were communicated to the South African Governments, and collection was postponed till July 1st subject to sufficient proof being given that importations prior to that date were kept within the limits of contracts entered into before May 20th on which date the increased duties provided for by the new Customs Convention came into force.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, when desiring to bring fully to the notice of His Majesty's Government the subject of the relations between the Government of His Highness the Rajah of Sarawak and that of the Sultan of Brunei, both under British protection, any question, or any application for information, shall be made to the Foreign Office or the Colonial Office. (Answered by Secretary Sir Edward Grey.) All questions arising in connection with the relations between the States of Sarawak and Brunei are dealt with by the Foreign Office

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can give the number of second division clerks who were appointed temporarily during the last five years in the first instance to Irish Government Departments; and whether he can give the number of these second division clerks that were afterwards made permanent in the Departments to which they were originally assigned for temporary duty. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) During the period July 1st, 1901, to June 30th, 1906, I am informed the forty-four second division clerks were assigned for temporary duty in Irish Government Departments. Of these, twelve were afterwards made permanent in the Departments to which they were originally assigned.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury what is the average age of officers of Excise when called upon to attend the examination for supervisorship, and what proportion of those who present themselves secure promotion; whether in view of the course of study which success at the examination entails, the Board of Inland Revenue will adopt the course introduced by the Board of Customs in similar circumstances and give six months notice of the date of the examination, and at the same time indicate the officers who will be called upon to attend; whether he can state when the next examination will be held, and also say how far down the seniority list of first class officers the summons to attend will be extended; and whether he will give instruction that so far as is practicable future examinations, both for the supervisorship and the inspectorship, be held in the spring so as to avoid the necessity for a course of close study during the summer months. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) (1) The average age of officers attending the examination for the supervisorship is forty-four. (2) Roughly speaking about one-third of the number of candidates are passed. (3) As long a notice as possible is given of the date when the next examination for the supervisorship will be held. In view of the uncertainty of requirements, as resulting from the vacancies that occur, it would be difficult to give as much as six months notice, or to indicate the officers who will be called upon to attend. (4) So far as the Board of Inland Revenue can tell at present, an examination for the supervisorship will be held early in the spring of next year, but it is impossible to state how far down the seniority list the summons to attend will be extended. (5) I understand it would not be practicable, as a general rule, to hold the two examinations in the spring of the year.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider the advisability of introducing a public measure to compel all port sanitary or borough council authorities to inspect imported food, including tinned products. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) My right hon. friend has asked me to reply to this Question. I have now under consideration the expediency of proposing legislation for the purpose of amending, the law in relation to food inspection.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider the advisability of extending the-powers of the Railway Department of the Board of Trade in regard to complaints by individual traders, respecting rates, facilities, and contracting out of liabilities previous to an appeal to the Railway Commission; and whether any arrangement can be made to cheapen the cost of proceedings before the Railway Commission. (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) The whole matter is engaging my careful attention, but I am not at present able to make any statement on the subject. I am fully aware of the desirability of securing as cheap arid expeditious a means of dealing with traders' complaints as the circumstances of the case permit.

To ask the President of the Board of Education, the financial Resolution for the Education Bill having been passed, if he can now give any indication as to the probable distribution of the money. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) As stated by me on the introduction of the Education Bill, and in Answers to various Questions put to me since then in the House, the general principle upon which the Board of Education will proceed in the ultimate distribution of the new grant will be to have regard both (a) to the actual increase of local burden consequent upon the Bill, and (b) to the amount of the education burden in the area. In regard to the first of these points the Government are of opinion, as I stated on April 9th, that it is not possible to lay down any detailed scheme for the distribution of the grant until some reliable estimate can be formed of the probable additional burden accruing in individual areas through the operation of the Bill, and this cannot be obtained until we have had some experience of the arrangements that are made under the Bill between local education authorities and the owners or the trustees of voluntary schools. But there can be no doubt that, taking the country as a whole, the sum named in the Bill will considerably more than cover the total liabilities that can reasonably be expected to accrue to the local authorities generally in respect of the new burden of the structural repairs of those voluntary schools which are taken over, and in respect of sums paid by way of rent or otherwise on the taking over of those schools, or in the shape of new annual charges of sinking fund and interest for the erection of any new council schools that may be erected in lieu of existing voluntary schools. In regard to the second of the two points named above, it is clear that any scheme of distribution of the Exchequer grant, which is to have regard in some equitable manner to the total burden borne by a locality in respect of elementary education, must involve some readjustment of the existing Exchequer grants in aid of elementary education. For these reasons the Chancellor of the Exchequer has decided that there should be a comprehensive scheme of allocation of all State grants in aid of the local burden in respect of elementary education throughout England and Wales. An amalgamation of the existing grants for elementary education, which are now threefold, annual grant, free grant, and special aid grant, and are paid on various very complicated bases and at different dates, is, on other grounds, eminently desirable; and the Board have, for some time past, had it in contemplation to attempt some such administrative reform as this, and also to reform the extremely tangled scheme of " school years," delayed payments, and quarterly instalments, at present attaching to the grants generally. From these various considerations, therefore, the Government are of opinion that the best mode of dealing with the matter is to prepare a scheme by which all existing grants for elementary education, together with the new grant of £1,000,000 sterling, shall be newly distributed, having regard especially to the two points hereinbefore named, and that, as such a scheme cannot, for the reasons above stated, be prepared until information is available as to the arrangements made respecting transfers of schools under the Bill, it shall be made the subject of a Bill to be introduced next year.

To ask the President of the Board of Education what is the number and what the religious character of the schools promoted by persons other than local education authorities, and sanctioned by the Board of Education under Section 8 of the Education Act of 1902. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The number and religious character of the new voluntary schools promoted by persons other than local education authorities, and sanctioned by the Board of Education under Section 8 of the Education Act, 1902, is—forty-five Church of England; fourteen Roman Catholic; two Wesleyan; four other undenominational. This is irrespective of certain enlargements which have been sanctioned.

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty what has been approximately the maximum and minimum number of men employed in the Royal Dockyards since 1900, inclusive; and what is the approximate number contemplated by the Admiralty at the conclusion of the present financial year; or, if this figure cannot be given, whether he can state the number now employed. (Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) The maximum number of men employed since 1900 is 35,676, and the minimum 27,000, which is the number borne at the present time the numbers to be borne at the end of the year have not been determined.

To ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that in a recent application under the Allotments Act for land (extending to thirty acres, and valued at £15 11s. per annum), at Achscrabster, in the county of Caithness, the legal and other expenses connected with the valuation of this small piece of land were as follows: Arbiter's fee and expenses, £17 1s. 5d.; fee and expenses to the clerk to the Reference, £47 2s. 6d.; cost of the solicitors for the proprietor, £25 15s. 1d.; compensation to the tenants (£15 6s. 5d.), and their expenses (£4 2s. 5d.) together £19 8s. 10d.; cost of the solicitors representing the parish council, £3 5s. 8d.; outlays incurred by the county clerk, £21 12s. 1d.; making a total of £134 8s. 7d.; and whether the Government will introduce legislation to amend the Allotments Act so as to make the incurring of such expenses impossible in the future. (Answered by Mr. Sinclair.) The expenses connected with the Achscrabster I allotments are correctly reported by the hon. Member. The rent, however, is£18 9s. 6d. per annum, not £15 11s. Undoubtedly the total amount of the expenses is out of all proportion to the magnitude of this transaction, and a simpler and cheaper procedure is necessary to any large extension of the allotments system. Until Parliament has had an opportunity of considering the Bill amending the Crofters Act, which is now under preparation, I am unable to give any pledge as to legislation.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he has received copies of a Resolution from the Vaynor and Penderyn Rural District Council, recommending that the payments made under the Agricultural Rates Act to spending authorities should be based on the average of the rates collected during the three years immediately preceding years to that in which payments are made, and not, as now, on the one year basis; and whether he intends taking any action in connection with the matter. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I have received copies of several Resolutions from local authorities to the effect stated in the Question. The Act requires that the annual payments made under it shall be based on the amount of the rates raised during the year 1895–6. I could not undertake to propose legislation to alter it in this respect.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he has received a petition from the Merthyr Board of Guardians praying that a committee of inquiry be set up to report upon the present system of assessing coal raised in the country for the purpose of rating and to fix a national basis for assessment purposes, and what action he purposes taking. (Answered by Mr. John Hums.) I have received a copy of a Resolution passed by the Merthyr Tydvil guardians on this subject, and I am aware that complaints have been made as to the different methods adopted of ascertaining the rateable value of coal mines. The Royal Commission on Local Taxation referred to the matter in their final Report, and recommended special means for dealing with the valuation of these and some other properties. I do not think it necessary that a committee should be appointed, as suggested by the guardians, but the mode of valuing coal mines will not be lost sight of when the Government are considering the subject of valuation.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that certain American beef companies who import meat into this country state they do so at a loss and pay no Income-Tax upon their turnover; and whether he will institute inquiries regarding this matter. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) The matter is one to the importance of which the Board of Inland Revenue are fully alive, and every care is taken by them to secure the assessment of the companies to Income-Tax on their true English profits. In the case of an appeal by an American firm against an Inland Revenue assessment in 1903, the firm in question succeeded in proving to the satisfaction of the District Commissioners, by means of a full disclosure of the accounts of the whole of their business, that the trading of the dressed beef department, from which the bulk of the English trade is drawn, had resulted in a loss.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Great Southern and Western Railway Company of Ireland, disregarding the practice prevailing with the English railway companies to charge agricultural machines, implements, and other exhibits transferred from one agricultural show to another, at half rates at owner's risk, if such articles are certified by the exhibitor to be unsold, charge in respect of such articles full rates; and whether he is prepared to use his influence to put an end to this treatment in the interests of agriculture. (Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The Department of Agriculture are informed that the arrangements as to charges for the carriage by railway of agricultural machines, implements, and other exhibits, from shows in Great Britain differ somewhat from those which apply under like circumstances in Ireland. In England it appears that such exhibits are charged at full rates going to shows and at half rates when returning, upon being certified as unsold. Unsold exhibits conveyed from one show to another are charged at half rates. In Ireland exhibits going to shows are charged at full rates, as in Great Britain, but are carried back free if certified as unsold. The traffic from show to show is charged full rates in Ireland. The Department are not aware that exception has been taken by any Irish exhibitor to this procedure as adopted on the Great Southern and Western Railway, but it would seem that an English firm, which some time ago exhibited implements at an Irish show, objected to being charged full rates when the goods were carried by railway to another show in Ireland. Traffic of this kind from show to show in Ireland is stated to be very small, and the Department have no information to show that Irish exhibitors are desirous that the system of charging adopted by British railway companies should be substituted for that now in operation in Ireland. The Department are also given to understand that the charges for the carriage of agricultural machines and implements as a whole are lower in Ireland than in Great Britain. In these circumstances it does not appear necessary to make any special representation to the Irish railway companies on the subject.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland when the promised Return, giving detailed particulars of payments by the Department of Agriculture to the Irish Agricultural Organisation Association, and to officials of that organisation, will be issued. (Answered by Mr. Bryce.) I am now prepared to give this Return if the hon. Member should formally move for it.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state how many members of the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society have been nominated by the department to membership of the Agricultural Council and Board of Agriculture, respectively; and whether he will say who was the founder of the Agricultural Organisation Society. (Answered by Mr. Bryce.) I am informed that of the thirty-four members of the present Council of Agriculture nominated by the Department, eight are members of the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society, and that of the four members of the Agricultural Board nominated by the Department, three are members of the Society. The Society was founded by Sir Horace Plunkett.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received a memorial from fishermen and others asking for the construction of a boat-slip at Maghery Bay, between Burtonport and Portnoo, county Donegal; and whether he is prepared to accede to the request of the memorialists. (Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The memorial in question represented the need for a boat-slip or harbour at Maghery Bay to accommodate a large number of luggers and small fishing boats. The memorial has been placed before the Congested Districts Board, who have decided to postpone consideration of the project, as the probable cost of a suitable work would be beyond the moans at their disposal. The Board understand that no harbour that would be safe for luggers in bad weather could be constructed at such an exposed place under a cost of £10,000, and probably this sum would be largely exceeded. Even a slip, with protecting break water which would be useful for small boats, would cost about £3,000.

To ask the First Lord of the Treasury, in view of the facts that the value of the Bank of England stock has of late years declined from 342 to 284, or equal to £60, and that the values of limited bank shares have hardly depreciated during the same period owing to the existence of Leeman's Bank Act of 1867, which protects these stocks from bear operations, what steps does His Majesty's Government intend to take to protect the Bank of England stock and other trust securities; and whether the Government will adopt the same effectual legislative measures to apply to all these stocks as Leeman's Act does with limited bank shares, in order to stop a continuance of the systems of bull and bear financial gambling operations in fictitious shares, with the object of protecting the interests of bonâ fide shareholders. (Answered by Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman.) I doubt if Leeman's Act produces all the effect that the hon. Member attributes to it, and I am not prepared to take the action that he suggests.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received from the Galway Urban District Council and other local bodies in Ireland copies of Resolutions asking the Government to extend the provisions of the Labourers (Ireland) Bill to the labourers and artizans of urban districts, so that the same facilities be granted to urban councils which are proposed to be granted to rural district councils; and, if so, will he say what action the Government propose taking. (Answered by Mr. Bryce.) Resolutions to the effect mentioned have been received. In reply to the concluding inquiry I beg to refer to my Answer to the similar Question of the hon. Member for West Kerry on June 21st. †

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the attention of the Board has been called to the Report made by the Italian Minister of Marine to the Chamber of Deputies in which the new scheme of naval training in the British Navy is condemned: and whether he will lay upon the Table a translation of such parts of the Report as deal with the new scheme of naval training.

My attention has been called to the memorandum and I have taken steps to obtain a copy of it, but until this is received I must defer replying to the last part of the hon. Member's Question.

On behalf of the hon. Member for East Northamptonshire, I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what has been the result of the investigations he instituted into the circumstances of the march of the first brigade of the Buffs from Lydd to Dover, which was alleged to have resulted in several casualties of a serious nature.

† See (4) Debates, clix., 374.

The report of this case which has been received shows that the man who died in Dover hospital from valvular disease of the heart on April 11th did not march with the detachment, but was sent from Lydd to Dover by train on the 10th. The marches were as follows: April 10th, Lydd to Shorncliffe 16 miles. Halts of 5, 10, 10 and 20 minutes respectively. Weather cool, N.E. wind. No men fell out. April 11th, Shorncliffe to Dover Citadel. Left Shorncliffe 8.55 a.m., arrived Citadel 12.15 p.m., distance about 9 miles. Hales of 5, 10, 10 and 5 minutes respectively. Weather hot and close, S.W. wind. A private fell out near Dover Rifle Range after descending a long decline, and was sent in by a cart to Station hospital, Western Heights, where he died the following morning. He had two years' service, had never served abroad, had done the previous day's march without apparent fatigue, and had not complained of feeling unwell before starting. The General Officer Commanding is of opinion that the marches were mot of excessive length, that they were carried out at the pace laid down in Regulations for large bodies of troops, that the halts wore amply sufficient, and that care was taken that the men obtained food and refreshment on the march. The conclusion to be drawn is that the man referred to died from the effects of the abnormal heat wave, to the effects of which he had a predisposed susceptibility. This is the opinion of the Army Medical Officer and is borne out by the fact that no other men of the detachment fell out except one man with the baggage guard. Two men also reported sore feet the following day, but none of these went to hospital. I am satisfied that the officers of this battalion and the army medical officers were not in any way neglectful of the comfort and welfare of their men, and I much regret that the unfortunate death of this young soldier should have given rise to the exaggerated reports in the Press that two men had died as the result of the march, that numbers of men had fallen out, and that there were numerous sufferers in hospital.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his atten- tion has been called to the deficiency in transport in connection with the Bloemfontein garrison; whether he is aware that when the Artillery brigade goes into camp the rest of the force are practically left without any transport at all; that such waggons as are available are of different patterns and not interchangeable in their parts; and that one battalion of infantry has no mobilisation equipment whatever; and whether he will take steps to remedy such deficiencies at an early date.

There is no deficiency of transport in connection with the Bloemfontein garrison, and the hon. Member must to under a misapprehension as to the rest of the force being left without transport when the Artillery Brigade goes into camp. The transport wagons are the local pattern buck wagons and are in every way satisfactory. All the Infantry battalions in South Africa ire in process of being completed with mobilisation equipment.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what is the number of reservists belonging to each of the four regiments A the brigade of Guards.

The strength of the Army Reserve of the Brigade of Guards on July 1st, 1906, was as follows:—

Regiment.	Section "A"	Section "B"	Section "D"	Total.
Grenadiers	39	2,487	347	2,873
Coldstreams	81	1,970	189	2,243
Scots	55	1,331	207	1,593
Irish	45	420	1	466
Total	223	6,208	744	7,175

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what is the average annual cost per man of the rank and file to the Grenadier Guards, taking men with the colours and in the reserve together for the purpose of striking the average.

The average annual effective cost of the rank and file of the Grenadier Guards, on the lines indicated, is about £29 10s. per man.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what is the annual cost of maintenance of a battalion of the Guards including and excluding reservists, respectively.

The annual effective cost of maintenance of a battalion of Foot Guards (other than the battalion of Irish Guards which has a specially high establishment) is approximately £59,000, including a share of the depot, but not including reservists. The cost of the reservists of the Foot Guards, exclusive of the Irish Guards, is at present about £7,000 per battalion. The reserve of the Irish Guards has not yet attained its full proportions.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what is the annual cost of upkeep of the following units; a field battery, Royal Artillery, on lower establishment, a battery of the Lancashire Militia, Field Artillery

The annual effective cost of upkeep of a battery of Royal Field Artillery on lower establishment is £13,000, and that of a battery of the Lancashire Field Artillery Militia £6,500. The cost to the public of a horse artillery battery of the Honourable Artillery Company is approximately £1,100; but I am not in a position to state what further expenditure may take place from the funds of the Company.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he can now state the names of the Militia battalions with which the experiment of training recruits, for six winter months is to be tried.

The following are the Militia battalions selected for experimental training of six months (for recruits) and of six weeks for trained men.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether His Majesty's Government have considered any fresh arrangement for the Australian mail service to come into force when the present contracts terminate?

The Postmaster-General has invited tenders for the performance of the England-Australia mail service after January 31st, 1908, but the tenders have not yet been received.

asked if the agreement reported in to-day's paper as having been come to by the Federal Government in any way affected the contract that might be entered into by the Homo Government.

I must ask for notice of that Question.

I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies whether the Secretary of State has received a letter from General Botha asking the Government to take drastic action to bring to an end the employment of Chinese in the Transvaal gold mines: and, if, so, what reply has been given to the letter; and whether the correspondence will be included in the forthcoming Blue-book on South African affairs.

The Secretary of State has received a letter from General Botha urging that unless the outrages committed by the Chinese coolies can be effectively stopped the labourers should be repatriated in the interests of public tranquillity. The reply to this letter is on its way to South Africa and will be included in the forthcoming Blue-book.

I bog to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies how many white men (approximately) were employed in the Transvaal mines when the Government took office; and how many are now in employment there.

The number of white men employed in the Transvaal gold mines when the Government took office was about 18,150: the number employed on May 31st was 18,309.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state the number of Kaffirs employed in the mines in the Transvaal on April 30th, 1906; the number of Kaffirs employed in the said mines before the war broke out; the number of Kaffirs, other than those employed in the mines, employed in the Transvaal, whether by the Public Works. Department, the military authorities, in domestic service, in trade, or otherwise, at the present time; the number similarly employed before the war.

93,739 was the number of Kaffirs employed in the Transvaal Gold Mines on April 30th. There is some uncertainty as to the numbers prior to the war the report of the Transvaal Labour Commission quotes the Government Mining Engineer's statement that 107,827 were employed on gold mines in July, 1899; of these 91,484 were at work. Subsequently the Mining Department published the figures 107,482 as representing the coloured labour for the Witwatersrand Gold Mines with a statement that the figures for other districts were not known. The number of Kaffirs in other employment than Gold Mining in Labour Districts on April 30th appears to have been between 85,000 and 90,000. I am not in a position to give the numbers before the war, but the numbers in other employment were much fewer then than now.

Has there been any change in the rate of wages since the war?

There was a distinct and serious reduction of the rate of wages paid to the Kaffirs in the Witwatersrand area after the war, but I am informed that the rate of wages has now been raised to the pre-war level.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the number of outrages committed by Chinese coolies during the months of March, April, May, and June; and how many Chinese coolies are at present in prison in the Transvaal as a result of crimes, outrages, and other breaches of the Law.

The following are the returns of convictions for March, April and May:—

	March.	April.	May.
Common assault	55	73	48
Assault with intent	12	6	4
Murder	0	17	6
Housebreaking by day	8	27	20
Housebreaking by night	1	22	1
	76	145	79

The returns for June are not yet available. The number of Chinese coolies in prison on May 31st was 1,311.

asked whether the Government had published a Return of the outrages committed by natives during the present year.

No, Sir. I do not think the figures are available with anything like the same degree of accuracy in regard to the natives. These returns involve great expense and trouble. We endeavour to supply Returns for the information of this House when the House calls for them. There is a considerable proportion of crime among the Kaffir population.

Will the hon. Gentleman lay the information before the House?

If the hon. Gentleman desires to have a Return he is fully acquainted with the proper procedure.

Has the Government any information of any other working population one-fiftieth of whom are in gaol?

I must ask for notice of that Question.

I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that a meeting has been held at Pretoria under the auspices of the Labour Party, and also a mass meeting at Bramfontein, at which Resolutions were passed calling for the repatriation of the Chinese coolies; and whether, in view of these Resolutions, he proposes to take any action to give effect to the growing feeling in favour of such a policy.

The Resolution of the meeting of the Transvaal Independent Labour Party at Pretoria of May 9th, which has been received by the Secretary of State, is a Resolution in support of the action of His Majesty's Government with regard to Chinese repatriation. I have not received the Bramfontein Resolution.

I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State fur the Colonies whether the Colonial Office has received any confirmation of the alleged discovery of the mutilated corpse of a white man in Mesini's kraal.

Yes, Sir, a telegram from the Governor states:— " Body found of white civilian bicyclist foully murdered by Mesini's order. Head, arm, and leg missing and trunk disfigured by most horrible mutilations.

Will the hon. Gentleman tell us how many mutilated bodies of Kaffirs have been found in the kraals?

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether the Swadeshi movement in Bengal has led to the importation from Austria, Germany, Belgium, and other non-British sources, of Foreign goods which are stamped by Indian Native importers with the Swadeshi stamp, and sold, in preference to better goods of the same descriptions, which were formerly supplied from Britain.

I have seen a statement to this effect in the newspapers, but I have no definite information as to the extent to which this dishonest practice prevails, or the degree of success attending it. Imports of British goods into India during the twelve months ending March 31st last show no falling off, but on the contrary a considerable increase on those of previous years.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether the natives of India who recently assaulted Mr. Earle, a British planter in the Ranikhet district, and left him for dead, have been brought to justice; and what was the result of the trial of certain natives of India for the murder of Mr. Goss, a British planter, of Darjeeling.

I have no official information as to these cases, but I believe that the first case is still under investigation, and that in the second case an appeal is pending against the sentence of transportation for life which was passed on a servant of the deceased who was convicted of the murder.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to the fact that the annual publication known as " The Moral and Material Progress of India" contains a great deal of matter that has already appeared in official publications, and that much of the information contained in it is out of date before it appears; and whether, under these circumstances, he will consider the desirability of repealing the section in Act 21 and 22 Vic, under which this publication is issued, so as to save the expense now annually incurred.

The wording of the Act, under which these Reports have to be laid annually before Parliament, shows that they were intended to present in a convenient shape information collected from other Reports already published, and to form a permanent record, systematically arranged and easily referred to, of the administration of Indian affairs. I have reason to think that they fulfil this purpose, and I do not as at present advised see any reason for repealing the section quoted in the Question.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether he has yet communicated with the Government of India with regard to the importance of allowing more time for the annual Budget debate in the Viceregal Council; and what steps have been taken in the matter.

I am discussing this subject with the Government of India, and I can assure my hon. friend that I am sensible of its importance.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if there is any intention to further reduce the British garrison in Egypt, in view of the fanatical feeling existing in that country and in the North of Africa generally.

The Answer is in the negative.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any official information showing that the Manchurian port of Dalny is closed to all except Japanese goods.

His Majesty's Ambassador at Tokio has been informed by the Japanese Government that pending the completion of the necessary arrangements, Dalny is not yet open to foreign vessels. There is, however, no discrimination of any kind in favour of Japanese merchandise. Foreign merchandise is as free to enter Dalny as Japanese articles, and foreigners availing themselves of the opportunities afforded are as free as Japanese to send their merchandise thither. The coastal junk trade with Dalny has been reopened, and the export and import duties in the leased territory have been abolished since June 30th.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps His Majesty's Government intend to take in view of the failure of the Ottoman Government to provide for the expenses of administration and the payment of salaries in Macedonia.

In reply to this Question I must refer the hon. Member to the statement made by mo in the debate in this House on the 5th instant,†and to the Answer to the hon. Member for Northamptonshire.

On behalf of the hon. Member for East Northamptonshire, I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in the event of the renewal of negotiations for the increase of the Turkish Customs duties, His Majesty's Government will consider the advisability of obtaining more adequate guarantees for effective reform.

The attitude of His Majesty's Government on this subject was explained in my speech in this House on the 5th instant,† to which I have nothing to add. As my hon. friend will have gathered from what was said on Thursday, what is most urgently required to secure reform is that the present deficits should be supplied. This and other conditions necessary to maintain and carry on the reforms are now being considered.

I bog to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps His Majesty's Government intend to take in view of the non-compliance of the porte with the demands relating to the Macedonian Gendarmerie, that were presented in March and renewed in June.

His Majesty's Government intend to press for the fulfilment of the demands relating to the Macedonian Gendarmerie in conjunction with the other Powers.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs

† See Col. 324, et seq.

whether he has any information in- regard to a German syndicate having presented an application to the Persian Government for a railway concession from Khanikin, over the Turco-Persian frontier, to Kermanshah in Persian territory.

I have nothing to add to the Answer given to the hon. Member for the Montgomery District on June 13th, to the effect that I could give no information.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign. Affairs whether he is in a position to give the date and place of meeting of the Turco-Persian Boundary Commission in regard to Pasova.

The Answer to this Question is in the negative.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps the Government intend taking to enforce the Treaty of Paris with regard to the Russian troops in the Aland Islands.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member for the North Blackpool Division of Lancashire on the 28th ultimo, to the effect that we have no information to slow that the Russian Government contemplate any breach of the provisions of the Treaty of Paris by fortifying the Aland Islands, or maintaining or creating Military or Naval establishments there.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Channel Fleet will pay a visit to a Russian port before compensation has been paid for all the British merchant vessels sunk during the late war.

I have nothing to add to the statements which I have already made in this House on the subject of the visit.‡

‡ See col. 327, et seq.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Government is giving any pledge to the French Government in connection with the Ethiopian Railway in Abyssinia which will stop a railway being built in British Somaliland from Berbera to Harrar via Hargeisa.

The agreement has been provisionally initialled, but will not be signed until the Emperor Menelik has had an opportunity of expressing his views. In the meantime, no statement can be made on the subject.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to a recent case under the Workmen's Compensation Act, in which the judge of the Southwark County Court reduced an allowance to an injured workman of 15s. per week to 1d., in order to induce him to undergo a surgical operation, which his employers stated would, in their opinion, have the effect of remedying his injuries; and, if so, whether he will consider the desirableness of introducing in the Bill now before Parliament such provision as will relieve an injured workman from the necessity of incurring the risk of further injuries by undergoing, at the dictation of his employers, surgical operations to which he objects.

I am informed by the deputy judge by whom this case was decided that he reduced the allowance to the workman, not for the reason suggested by the hon. Member, but because he was satisfied on the evidence that the workman was at the time quite well and able to work. The Act does not empower an employer to require a workman to undergo any surgical operation, and I see no, reason, therefore, to introduce any Amendment such as the hon. Member indicates.

I beg to give notice I will ask the Prime Minister if he will grant an early day to consider the conduct of this extraordinary Judge.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the inquest and verdict at Hammersmith upon Frederick Barnard, who was killed by a vehicle at Beadon Hill; will he say what was the ago of the deceased and whether he was in the act of collecting tram and 'bus tickets; and will he say how many serious accidents and deaths have been brought about by this advertising device since its inception; and whether the Government will take the necessary stops to put an end to this dangerous form of advertising.

Frederick Barnard, a child of four years, was killed at Hammersmith by a vehicle while picking up tram tickets in the roadway. Two fatal, accidents and seven resulting in personal injury have to the knowledge of the police boon brought about by this cause within the Metropolitan Police District. The question of the legality of these advertisements is now under consideration and will, it is hoped, be decided at an early date on a case stated by a magistrate.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Homo Department whether his attention has been directed to the remarks of Mr. d'Eyncourt, the stipendiary magistrate at Clerkenwell, in dismissing a charge preferred by the police against Mrs. Helen Hitchcock of behaving in a disorderly manner and using obscene language in Upper Street, Islington, on June 26th, and particularly to the magistrate's comment on the alteration of the charge from one of solicitation to one of disorderly behaviour; and whether he will cause an inquiry to be made into the action of the police constable who arrested Mrs. Hitchcock and of the inspector who took the charge at the police station.

My attention has been called to the case, but I find that there was no alteration in the charge; what the magistrate pointed out was that from the first the charge was not one of solicitation, but of disorderly conduct. (A charge of solicitation can only be brought against a person known to be a prostitute, which was not the case here.) The magistrate tells me that though he discharged the woman, he believes the officer acted honestly and from no improper motive; and the Commissioner of Police, who has made inquiry into the facts, reports that he is of opinion that the officer was not to blame. I think, however, and in this opinion the Commissioner concurs, that the case is one that should be referred to the Royal Commission.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Edward Guerin is a British subject; and whether he is to be extradited to France on the charge of being convicted of larceny in that country.

Edward Guerin has been committed to prison to await extradition to France. He has, however, applied for a writ of habeas corpus and a rule nisi has been granted. The question of his nationality will be decided on that application.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that the county magistrates in the West Hiding Court, Skyrack Division, at Leeds, on June 26th, refused to entertain the case of an applicant, Mr. Samuel Priestly, for a certificate of exemption from vaccination on the ground that the certificate of the child's birth produced, and obtained from the local registrar for 3d., was not sufficient, and demanded, as a preliminary to trying the case, that a birth certificate costing 2s. 6d. should be produced; and will he take steps to obtain some alteration in the procedure at this Court.

The 3d. certificate mentioned in the Question is not a certificate of birth, but only a certificate of registration. As I informed the hon. Member for the Wycombe Division in answer to his Question on March 28th, it has been held by the High Court that magistrates are entitled to require a certificate of birth, unless some reason is shown why it cannot be given. I have no authority to intervene in the matter.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention had been called to the refusals of the Porth, Glamorganshire, magistrates upon two occasions to grant a certificate of exemption from vaccination for the child of Mr. William Griffiths, 71, Penygraig Road, Penygraig; and whether, in face of the fact that Mr. Griffiths had been prevented from making an application at the Ystrad Court on June 18th, and met with the same treatment at the Pontypridd Court on June 21st, making four appearances at the Courts without result, he proposes to take any action to protect the rights of the citizen under the conscientious objection section of the Vaccination Act.

The Justices at Porth twice considered applications from Mr. Griffiths, but were not satisfied that the applicant conscientiously believed that vaccination would be prejudicial to-the health of his child. At Ystrad and Pontypridd the Court refused to review the decision of other magistrates. I have no authority to take any action in the matter.

What steps can Mr. Griffiths take to get his case before the Courts? He has a real grievance, for he is a conscientious objector.

replied that the present state of the law gave rise to-some friction, and he could only suggest that the hon. Member should induce the Government and Parliament to alter it.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has made inquiries with reference to the case of Mrs. Hunt, of Exmouth, who has been committed to Exeter Gaol for contempt of Court in not removing a stall which she has held for thirty years on Exmouth beach; and, if so, what is the result of his inquiries.

I understand that Mrs. Hunt has been committed to prison for refusal to comply with an order of the County Court. In these circumstances I regret to say that I can take no action in the matter, as I have no power to interfere with the procedure of a civil Court. Mrs. Hunt can always apply to the Judge and will no doubt obtain her release if she undertakes to obey the order.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the prosecution of a cab driver named Simmons at the Marlborough Street police court on June 29th, when the magistrate, imposing a fine of 40s. with £5 5s. costs, informed counsel for the defence that he declined to reduce the amount on the ground that it was not the accused person but the trade union to which he belonged that was to pay; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter.

My attention has not previously been called to the case. I have consulted the learned magistrate who tried the case, and he informs me that in fixing the costs he paid no regard to the question who would be responsible for their payment; but when the defending barrister protested against the costs on the ground that they were excessive for a poor man he replied that as the barrister was instructed by the Cab Drivers' Union it was probable that the expense would not fall on the defendant. The question of the amount of costs to be imposed in any given case is by law left to the discretion of the magistrate.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he is in a position to state what is the amount of national capital embarked in State railways in Germany, and what interest the net receipts return thereon; and further, what allowance is made from gross earnings for depreciation and sinking fund, as also how many miles of track are worked by the State, and how many passengers were carried last year, and what was the total tonnage of goods hauled.

According to the latest returns available (March, 1905) the amount of National capital embarked in State railways in Germany (including narrow gauge lines) was £686,300,000 and the percentage of net working; receipts to capital was 5·9 per cent. The ength of such railways was 31,600 miles, equivalent to a track mileage of about, 69,900 miles. The number of passengers carried in the year 1904–5 was 984,785,000, and the tonnage of goods, (inclusive of the weight of live stock) 382,203,000 tons. The net receipts of German State railways are paid into the Treasury and the published returns do not indicate any allowance for depreciation or sinking fund.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the total private capital embarked in British railways; what interest the net receipts return thereon; and what allowance is made for depreciation and sinking fund; and also how many passengers were carried last year, and what was the total tonnage of goods hauled.

The railway companies are not required to state in their returns to the Board of Trade the amounts carried to depreciation and sinking fund accounts. As regards the other points mentioned, the total paid-up capital of British railways at the end of 1905 was £1,088,421,000; the proportion borne by the net receipts to the paid-up capital was approximately 4 per cent.; the number of passengers carried last year, exclusive of season ticket holders, was 1,197,502,000; and the total tonnage of goods hauled was 461,162,000 tons. The hon. and gallant Member will find this information, with other particulars, in the Return Cd. 2948, a copy of which I have caused to be sent to him.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade what stops he proposes to take to carry out the Reports of the Select Committee on Workmen's trains.

It would not be practicable to legislate on this subject during the present session; but the whole question is engaging my earnest attention. I have been in communication with the railway companies on the subject of recent complaints made. I propose to inform the House of the result when the Board of Trade estimates are reached.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if any inquiry has been held into the cause of the explosion of the Great Northern Railway Company's (Ireland) locomotive engine boiler at Armagh, on May 16th last, when the engine-driver and fireman wore severely scalded; and whether he can say what was the cause of the firebox end of the boiler exploding.

The accident in question was reported to the Board of Trade. No formal inquiry has been held into it, but the Board have received from the railway company full particulars of the nature and causes of the accident. These particulars I shall be prepared to show to the hon. Member.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that, although the rules of the Metropolitan Asylums Board strongly discountenance the making of personal inquiries at infectious hospitals by the friends of patients and state that all inquiries must be made in writing to the medical superintendent, delay frequently occurs in answering such inquiries, and information is not given either to the nearest relative or to the certifying medical attendant as to the diagnosis of the case after admission; whether he is aware of instances in which, from misunderstanding or ignorance of the rules, or other causes, relatives of patients receive no official information whatever during the whole period of detention of the patient; and whether, as the removal of patients is practically compulsory, he will cause a circular to be issued to the Metropolitan Asylums Board, and other similar authorities outside the London area, prescribing forms for brief reports to be sent to relatives at prescribed and frequent intervals, whether formally applied for or not, and for a report on the diagnosis and bacteriological examination of the case to be sent to the medical practitioner by whom the case was certified.

The managers of the Metropolitan Asylum District have, as I am informed, no reason to believe that delay frequently occurs in answering letters of inquiry concerning patients in their hospitals, nor have I received complaints on the subject. I understand that the certifying medical practitioner is always informed by the medical superintendent of the hospital when the latter does not agree with the certified diagnosis of the case. Notice of the arrival of a patient at a hospital of the managers is always sent to the parents or other nearest known relative or friend. Extracts from the Regulations are printed on the notice, and these show that inquiries as to the condition of the patient may be made in writing of the Medical Superintendant, who will send an early reply, and that, should the patient become dangerously ill, notice will be sent to the nearest known relative or friend with an intimation that the patient may be visited. I believe, too, that as regards the hospitals of local authorities outside London, it is the general rule to give notice where the patient is dangerously ill. As at present advised, I do not think there is sufficient ground for adopting the suggestion in the last part of the Question, which would involve considerable expense as well as labour to those concerned, I think that the object which my hon. friend has in view will be sufficiently met by the public attention which will be drawn to the matter by his Question.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he intends to suggest to the local authority concerned the desirability of taking legal action against the Metropolitan Asylums Board for omitting for fourteen days to notify the outbreak of enteric fever, in fact, until there had been more than fifty cases; and whether he can say why the Metropolitan Asylums Board did not use the ordinary test for enteric fever which would have taken but a few hours.

I am informed that the facts are not quite what my hon. friend supposes. I understand that the first notification of the cases of enteric fever at the Belmont Asylum was made twelve days after the earliest manifestation of illness amongst the inmates, and that the number of persons who had been then attacked was ten. At first the patients were supposed to be suffering from influenza. When, however, suspicion arose that the disease was enteric fever the necessary apparatus for applying the test referred to in the Question was obtained, and samples were sent to the bacteriological laboratory of the Asylums Board. On the same day that the real nature of the disease was ascertained as a, result of the bacteriological test notification was made. I do not propose to suggest to the local authority to take proceedings against the Asylums Board in the matter.

Is not twelve days a very long period to elapse before notifying a serious outbreak of this kind?

Yes, but I am informed that the Board will make the necessary arrangements to prevent the possibility of a recurrence of such delay.

Do I understand the right hon. Gentleman to say that the Board had not the necessary apparatus for applying the tests, but had to obtain it?

I do not think the Answer means that, for I believe they had the apparatus. Indeed, I am certain they had, but if the hon. Member will put down his Question I will inquire further.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if his attention has been called to the death, from motor car accidents, of John Waterhouse, killed at Bamber Bridge June 29th; of a child, six years old, killed at Plymouth Juno 30th; of a girl killed at Battersea July 1st; and of a boy killed in Cambridgeshire July 3rd; and whether he proposes to take any steps to secure to local authorities fuller powers to control motor traffic within their respective areas.

My attention has not been called to the particular cases mentioned. The question as to what amendments, if any, should be made in the Motor Acts and the Regulations under them is included in the reference to the Royal Commission, and I believe that their Report will be made very shortly.

Is it intended to refuse the local authorities control over this traffic?

No, but I think it would be unwise and injudicious for us to make any alteration until the Commission has reported —which I hope it will do in a few days.

Are we to draw the inference that you will not sanction new regulations?

I do not think any such inference can be drawn from my Answer. All I suggest is that we should reserve these and other points until the Commission has reported.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if his attention has been called to the existing scale of fees for primary vaccination by the several boards of guardians; and whether, in view of the financial burden imposed on them, he can take immediate steps to alter the scale of fees and cost of administration of the Vaccination Laws.

Yes, Sir, my attention has been called to this subject, and it is receiving my consideration at the present time

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether, with a view towards checking the migration from the land of its able-bodied population, he will consider the advisability of granting powers to the county education authority to liberate from school attendance, at the age of twelve, all boys who, with their parents' consent, wish to follow the pursuit of agriculture or horticulture as a means of livelihood, whereby they would gain on the land greater facilities for acquiring a more practical knowledge of their work than they could otherwise do by attending school where the instruction given can only be of a theoretical nature.

The local education authorities in rural districts already possess, and the great majority of them already use, very considerable powers of the kind desired by the hon. Member. I am informed that in about two-thirds of the rural areas of England and Wales children can leave school at twelve years of age on passing a standard well within the competence of the average child of that age. There are also special provisions, such as that which is known as the Robson By-law, which can be adopted with the same objects in rural areas. Moreover, the Board of Education are giving special attention to the improvement of practical instruction in rural schools, and to the improvement of special courses for teachers in rural elementary schools enabling them to give instruction specially suited to rural conditions. I do not think, therefore, that, until there has been time to gauge the effects of these recent developments, the Board or Parliament would be well advised to interfere further, in the direction suggested, with the work of our schools in rural areas.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether Clause 35, sub-section (b), of the Education Bill empowers a local authority to arrange for the systematic inspection of children by medical officers appointed for that purpose; and, if so, whether, with the view of affording some guidance or assistance to the authorities adopting this clause, he contemplates the formation, of a medical department in connection j with the Education Board.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave on June 14th to an identical Question put to me by the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydvil.†

Is it the intention of the Government to make it compulsory on the local authorities to appoint medical officers to inspect the children?

No, Sir.

Why not?

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether, in the event of a school becoming a State-aided, and non-rate-aided school, contemplated j under the amended form of Clause 4, the certificated teacher or teachers working in such school will be permitted to remain in recorded service under The Teachers' Superannuation Act, 1898.

The Answer is in the affirmative.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether the Denbighshire local education authority have declined to pay to the head teacher of Llanelian National School a salary which is, in the opinion of the Board of Education, adequate; and, if so, what steps the Board proposes to take in the matter.

The Answer to the first paragraph of the Question is in the affirmative; and to the second, that the matter has only just been brought to my notice, and I am now communicating with the local education authority upon the matter with a view to obtaining a satisfactory settlement.

† See (1) Debates, clviii., 1144.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education who will receive and administer grants payable to State-aided schools.

The persons recognised by the Board of Education as the responsible body of managers of the school will receive and administer the grants payable in respect of any State-aided school.

Who are these persons to be?

I cannot answer that. They will have to be responsible persons.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether a teacher who has been permitted I to give and has undertaken to give special religious instruction under Clause 4 of the Education Bill may be dismissed if he afterwards refuses to give that instruction?

The various conditions under which a teacher's tenure of office might probably be brought to an end by a local authority which has appointed him would depend, presumably, upon the terms of his agreement or contract. It is therefore, quite impossible to give a general reply applicable to all such incidents in the future. But the correct reply to the point, which I imagine to be the real kernel of the hon. Member's Question, would seem to be that careful regard must be had to the provisions of Section 7 of the Bill in the drawing up and signing of any such agreement or contract whether by the applicant or by the appointing authority, so that there may be no infringement of the clause either in the terms of that document or in its enforcement should any such contingency arise as that suggested by the hon. Member.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education if it is proposed to omit any clauses in Part III. of the Education Bill?

The hon. Member will find on the Order Paper to-day Amendments in my name proposing the omission of Clauses 25, 30, and 34 of the Bill.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education if he will explain the procedure to be followed by a local education authority where extended facilities are demanded, explaining in particular the number of public inquiries which should be held in order to ascertain whether a ballot is necessary; whether the results of the ballot have been vitiated by the unavoidable absence of some person entitled to vote; and whether further public school accommodation is desired by those who have asked for extended facilities.

I must refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Melton on July 2nd, to which I have nothing to add. †

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether a vacancy in the teaching staff occurring in a school to which extended facilities have been granted, it will be permissible for the local education authority to take steps to ascertain that the teacher engaged to fill the vacancy is able or willing to give the special religious instruction allowed in that school.

If the word " whether " be substituted for the word "that," in the Question, after the word " ascertain," the Answer is in the affirmative, assuming State-aided schools to be excluded from consideration. But, if the word " that " be retained, and if I rightly interpret the purport of the hon. Member's Question in that shape, the Answer is in the negative.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education how it is proposed to enforce the undertaking or contract of a teacher, express or implied, to give religious instruction, having regard to the words of Section 7 (1) of the Education Bill.

† See reply to Colonel Walker, Lancashire, Widnes ((4)Debates, clix., 1427).

It is no part of the duties of the Board of Education to arrange or to enforce contracts between teachers and the local authorities who appoint them, nor to give legal advice to either parties beforehand on the remedies open to them for breaches of contract. Presumably any contracts that are drawn in accordance with the law will be subject to the usual legal sanctions, and it will be for both parties to take care that no contracts are entered into which would be contrary to any provisions of the law in regard to what may and what may not in future properly be required as obligatory duties of candidates for teaching posts.

Are not existing contracts to be continued after the new Act comes into force?

I must ask for notice of that Question.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether the agreement or minute of appointment under which teachers are now employed by local education authorities embodies or includes an undertaking to give religious instruction.

In the great majority of cases I believe such an undertaking, either express or implied, is included; but this is not necessarily the case, and no doubt there are many instances to the contrary.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury what was the cost to the country of printing, publishing, and circulating Volume 4, Appendices to the Report of the Royal Commission on London Traffic; and whether he will consider the possibility, in the interests of economy, of adopting some other method of publishing and making known this matter to persons interested.

The cost of printing, including paper, of the volume in question was £1,552. There are no special charges for publishing and circulation, as this work is let out to sale agents. I will reply to the last part of my hon. friend's Question in my Answer to his next Question.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury what was the total cost of the whole eight volumes of the London Traffic Commission Report and Appendices; how many copies were printed; how many were sold and what amount was received for them; how many were distributed officially; how many are left on hand; and what steps, if any, he proposes to take to prevent a repetition of such expenditure.

The cost for printing and paper of the whole eight volumes was £6,380. In addition, I am informed, the Ordnance Survey incurred expenditure in preparing and printing maps amounting to £1,400 to March 31st last. The number of copies of all the volumes printed is 14,000. Of these 4,022 have been sold up to date, and the net amount received for them, after deducting the sale agents' percentages, is £2,637. I think it would be premature for me to make any statement in reply to the last part of my hon. friend's Question until the Report has been issued of the Select Committee which is now considering the subject.

asked if the hon. Gentleman could state how many hon. Members cared to have their bookshelves littered with this rubbish.

I have no information at this moment, but if the hon. Member desires I will have steps taken to find out.

It is £8,000 wasted on rubbish.

I beg to ask the hon. Member for North Norfolk, as Chairman of the Committee of Selection, whether it is proposed to transfer the fifteen Members already added to the Grand Committee on Law, in respect of the Fatal Accidents (Scotland) Bill, to the Grand Committee on Trade to which that Bill has now been transferred by Resolution of the House.

Yes, Sir, and the notices have been or will immediately be sent out.

I beg to ask the Prime Minister whether, in view of the facts that the ex-Governor of Ceylon commenced the negotiations for a lease of the Ceylon pearl fisheries, that a lease was granted to a syndicate, of which the ex-Governor was a member, and by the syndicate sold to a company of which the ex-Governor is a shareholder and director, he will grant a full inquiry by Commission or otherwise into the whole circumstances, correspondence, and documents leading up to these transactions, by which the Ceylon Government have transferred to a private company a valuable property of the Colony for inadequate consideration.

In his dispatch of 9th May, which has been laid before the House, the Secretary of State, who is cognisant of the circumstances connected with the leasing of the fishery, has recorded the opinion that the lease appears to him to have been drafted with a sincere desire to safeguard to the utmost, the property and interests of the Colony. It has also been stated in the House that a careful study of the Papers shows that Sir West Ridge way acted throughout in good faith and with integrity. I therefore see no grounds for granting a special inquiry.

I beg to ask the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that the Foreign Office Vote occupied all the sitting last Thursday, he will find another day for Scotch Estimates.

I will see if it is in any way possible to give more time. But I am bound to say that I cannot hold out any very strong hopes of being able to do so.

I beg to ask the Prime Minister upon which day he proposes to take into consideration the Lords' Amendments to the Wireless Telegraphy Bill.

I cannot tell the hon. Member on what day these Amendments will be considered. I believe the hon. Member is not quite correct in speaking of " these Amendments." There is only one Amendment, to substitute " 9 " for " 15," orvice versaas the case may be—I forget for the moment.

I beg to ask the Prime Minister whether, considering the protracted character of speeches and the importance of the subject, he would allocate an additional day for the debate on the proposal of the Secretary of State for War.

Army Supply has already been discussed on five days this session, and I am afraid it is impossible to give a further day in addition to Thursday next.

I beg to ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland whether his attention has been called to a meeting in Ulster Hall, Belfast, on July 1st, and to a sermon delivered by the Reverend R. D. Patterson, who warned His Majesty that by his conduct to the Roman Catholic party since he came to the throne he had excited suspicion, alienated the affections, and strained the loyalty of thousands of his most valuable subjects, and that he must cease at once coquetting with the Church of Rome or else his throne would rock; and whether he proposes to take any action with regard to this sermon.