To ask the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware of the difficulty in arranging for teachers' houses in connection with provided schools which is caused by the fact that at least 50 per cent. of the cost of such premises is chargeable on the parish, although the whole of the teachers' salary is charged on the county fund; whether he is aware that this produces difference of treatment as between parishes where the schools arc respectively provided and non-provided, owing to the fact that deductions from salaries on account of rent are not paid to the parish in the former case, even when the teacher's house is the property of the parish, but in the case of non-provided schools are paid to the trustees of the school; whether this difference can be remedied without legislation; and, if not, whether he can see his way to introduce legislation giving power to county authorities to erect, hire, or purchase dwelling-houses for teachers and apportion the cost as between the parish and the county in such way as may be just. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) It is no doubt true that the cost of providing or renting a teacher's house for a council school must, to the extent of at least one-half, be charged on the parish or parishes served by the school. The cost of renting a teacher's house for a voluntary school is paid out of the county fund, and in both cases any reduction in the teacher's salary due to his occupation of a house rent free is credited to the county. This arrangement could only be altered by legislation, but I may point out that if the county council consider that the parish should not be charged with so high a proportion of the cost of the teacher's house, it would be open to them, in allocating, within the limits imposed by the statute, the cost of provision of council schools between the parishes and the county, to charge on the parishes a smaller proportion when a teacher's house is included than they would charge where a teacher's house is not included.

To ask the Secretary for Scotland if he will state, for the years 1900 to 1906 inclusive, the number of cows examined by veterinary surgeons under Article 3 of the Dairies, Cowsheds, and Milkshops Order, 1899, the number of cows certified under the said Article to be affected with tuberculosis of the udder, and the manner

To ask the Secretary for Scotland if he will state the number of trawlers flying a foreign flag observed fishing in the Moray Firth during the year ending the 31st December, 1906, and the nationality of the respective vessels. (Answered by Mr. Sinclair.) In 1906 thirty different foreign trawlers (twenty-nine Norwegian and one Belgian) were observed on 185 occasions.

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether complaints have been received of the ventilation in some of the British warships, more particularly with regard to the magazines and lower decks; whether the repairs and refits provided for in the Estimates for 1906–7 and 1907–8 include alterations in ventilating arrangements; and, if so, what are the names of the ships affected.

To ask the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the Monmouthshire Education Authority has established uniform rates of salaries for teachers in provided schools within the county, but declines to pay teachers in non-provided schools at the same rates; and whether he has ever advised any such discrimination between the two classes of schools. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) It is not one of the duties of the Board of Education to advise local education authorities as to the amount of salary they should pay to their teachers.

To ask the President of the Board of Education if he can say how many teachers employed at non-provided schools in Swansea have recently tendered their resignation; whether he is aware that they have taken this step at the request of the executive of the National Union of Teachers, and because for similar work they are paid lower salaries than their colleagues in the provided schools under the same authority; and whether, in the event of the resignations taking effect, and the schools being closed, the Education Board has any powers which it can exercise to compel the local authority to abandon the discrimination it now makes in the salaries of provided and non-provided schoolteachers. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) I cannot say how many teachers in voluntary schools in Swansea have resigned or what reasons have led them to take this step. The last paragraph of my hon. friend's Question, raises hypothetical questions which will require consideration in the event of the contingency to which he refers arising.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of persons in England and Wales who died intestate possessed of real estate; and what was the value of the real estate which passed upon such in testacy in each of the last ten years. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) The records of the Estate Duty Office do not distinguish between testate and intestate estates, while on the other hand the records of the principal probate registry do not contain statistics of the value of real estate. I fear, therefore, that the information for which my hon. friend asks could only be obtained by a detailed examination and collation of the records of the two departments, which would involve the expenditure of a very large amount of time and labour.

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, with reference to the thirteen Government docks and six Colonial and private docks in the British Empire that will take ships of the "Dreadnought" class, whether the Admiralty will give the corresponding figures for the docks that will take the "Lord Nelson" class, which are the immediate predecessors of the "Dreadnought." (Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) In addition to the thirteen Government docks and six Colonial and private docks in the British Empire which will take ships of the "Dreadnought" class, there are five other Government docks, two private docks in the United Kingdom, and two Colonial docks, which will take the "Lord Nelson" class. There are two other docks in the United Kingdom which might take either a "Dreadnought" or a "Lord Nelson," but the Admiralty have not sufficient information at the present time to say definitely; inquiries are being made.

To ask the Postmaster-General if he is aware that a telegraphist has been transferred from Hanley to Nottingham for departmental purposes, and that he carries his seniority with him, which acts to the disadvantage of the Nottingham staff; whether other transferred officers at Nottingham have been placed at the bottom of the class; and whether he will consider the advisability of giving monetary compensation to transferred officers, and thus avoid injustice to the staff generally. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) It is usual in cases of this kind to allow an officer transferred for departmental reasons to carry his seniority; and this course was followed in the case of the officer referred to. Officers transferred at their own request, are required to go to the foot of their new class; and this condition is definitely brought under their notice before the application for transfer is acceded to.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many appointments have been made to permanent messengerships at the Board of Trade since January, 1906; and what was the occupation of the individual men prior to appointment. (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) Nine permanent messengers have been appointed at the Board of Trade and its subordinate departments since January, 1906, viz., two ex-soldiers, one unestablished messenger, two ex-boy messengers, one postman, one waiter, one shop assistant, and one messenger clerk.

To ask the Secretary of State for War if the Committee appointed to inquire into the relations between Woolwich Arsenal and private manufacturing firms have yet reported; and whether it is proposed to publish the Report.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether the county associations to be set up under the Territorial Forces Bill will be entitled or permitted to control or vary in any way the emoluments of officers and men of the Territorial Forces. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The reply is in the negative.

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty what progress is being made with the arrangements for the provisions of vessels to show the flag in Colonial waters. (Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) I have nothing to add to my reply to a previous Question from the hon. Gentleman on 26th February last, † except that since that date the "Scylla" has been sent out to the West Indies, and the "Monmouth" has been ordered to Vancouver to embark Prince Fushimi for Japan.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Government, in releasing Mr. Edalji from confinement, decided that Mr. Edalji was wrongfully imprisoned, should not have been imprisoned at all, and was not guilty of the crime for which he was convicted. To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Government have decided that a free pardon is properly applied to a person who has been wrongfully or mistakenly convicted and imprisoned when he is released from an unjust confinement. To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there is any precedent for granting compensation to a person who has been wrongfully convicted and imprisoned, and who has been granted a so-called free pardon; and whether the Government will, in future, grant compensation to any person who has been wrongfully imprisoned, and will discontinue the use of the words free pardon in releasing an innocent person from prison. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) I will answer this and the next two Questions together. Mr. Edalji was released in October last at the end of three years because it was considered that the sentence originally passed upon him was unduly severe. This was my predecessor's decision in August, 1905, which I carried out in October, 1906.

† See (4) Debates, clxix., 1417–8

In the absence of a right of appeal to a higher court the grant of a free pardon, whether the term is considered appropriate or not, is the only means by which a person can be relieved of the consequences of a conviction, whether wrongful or otherwise. Compensation has, in certain exceptional cases, been granted to innocent persons who have suffered imprisonment, but the question of payment of compensation must depend upon the circumstances of each individual case. The reasons which have led me to advise the grant of a free pardon without compensation to Mr. Edalji are shown in the Papers which have been laid before Parliament, and I have nothing to add to what is contained in them.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passive resisters were summoned for the non-payment of a sectarian rate; how many of them suffered distraint; and how many of them suffered imprisonment for conscience sake during 1904, 1905, 1906, and the first four months of 1907. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) I fear it is impossible to give the information my hon. friend asks for. As I said in answer to a Question on 8th May, there is no legal distinction between a passive resister and an ordinary rate defaulter.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the correspondence with railway companies respecting combines will be laid upon the Table. (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George). The correspondence in question was laid upon the Table on the 25th March, and has been circulated as Command Paper 3420.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if a prohibition has been issued, and on what date, against the importation of nitro-cotton containing mercury; and whether a firm would be bound to terminate its contract on the ground of fraud if chloride of mercury had been added so as to affect the recognised heat test by which the purity of the materials is ascertained. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) I beg to answer this Question on behalf of my right hon. friend. There is no prohibition of the importation into this country of collodion cotton (i.e., nitro-cotton), whether containing mercury or not, when wet, because in that condition it is not regarded as an explosive. When dry, on the other hand, it cannot be imported, and even if imported could not be stored, without a licence; and no such licence would allow the presence of mercury. It is illegal to use collodion cotton containing mercury in the manufacture of explosives in this country, and a warning to this effect has recently been given through official channels to the manufacturers of a foreign state. It is not within my province to give an opinion on the legal point raised in the second part of the Question.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when his Department proposes to institute an inquiry into the question of workmen's fares upon the Metropolitan and District Railways, in agreement with the requests received from public and other bodies. (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) Complaints were received from the London County Council and other bodies with regard to the workmen's fares on the Metropolitan District Railway, and the matter has, on the application of the railway company, been referred to the Railway and Canal Commission as provided by the Cheap Trains Act, 1883. The matter having been so referred, the duty of inquiry falls upon the Railway and Canal Commission.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, when a statement may be expected as to the scheme of re-afforestation under consideration of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) The Commissioners of Woods and Forests have under consideration the purchase of an estate for the purposes of afforestation; but I am unable to make

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether vans used as dwellings are subject to any duty corresponding to Inhabited House Duty or the licence duty on carriages or, like motor cars, are required to be registered and to bear a reference number; and, if not, whether His Majesty's Government, with a view to more effective control over dwellers in vans by the sanitary, police, and education authorities, will introduce legislation to provide for such registration, bearing of a reference number and payment of a licence duty. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) I am informed that vans used as dwellings by the gipsy class are not chargeable with licence duty. They are trade carts, and hawkers' licences are taken. Caravans used as dwellings for pleasure, or other than trade purposes, are carriages within the meaning of the Act and chargeable with licence duty.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the number of customs watchers in the upper section has now been restored to one-fourth of the total number employed. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) The number of watchers on the upper section is now one-fourth of the total number employed at Gravesend, Tilbury, Queen borough, and the out ports.

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether the Board of Agriculture has any records of agricultural land sales; and, if so, whether he will state the acreage sold publicly and privately during the last five years. (Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) We have no official information on this subject. The hon. Member might, however, find it useful to refer to the Land and House Property Year Book, which is published annually by the Estates Gazette, and contains particulars of the sales of land by auction in the metropolis and at many of the chief provincial sales.

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, if he is aware that the prohibition to export live animals from certain Argentine ports has been removed, and that Argentine cattle and sheep will be again landed at Antwerp for slaughter, that the hides and skins in a raw state, as well as the meat, will be shipped to English markets, and that the vessels employed in this trade will frequently proceed direct to British ports to discharge the remainder of their cargo or to reload; and if he can state what steps will be taken to prevent the introduction into this country of cattle diseases through the importation of the hides and skins and through the landing of persons and cargo from off the vessels on to British soil. (Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) We have been informed of the removal of the prohibition against the exportation of live animals from Argentina. The propriety of taking further measures to prevent the introduction of foot-and-mouth disease by indirect agencies into this country from Antwerp has frequently been considered; but we are satisfied that the regulations of the Belgian Government with regard to the disinfection of the vessels and the sanitary precautions taken by them with regard to diseased or suspected cargoes afford a sufficient safeguard.

To ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland if he will state the circumstances under which Mr. Timothy Flanagan, of Corofin, county Clare, has been lodged in Limerick Prison; and whether he will inquire as to whether Mr. Flanagan's release can be ordered. (Answered by Mr. Cherry.) Mr. Timothy Flanagan was prosecuted at Corofin petty sessions for having acted as a member of the district council there, whilst disqualified, and fined £12 and costs. The fine and costs were not paid, and on failure of distress he was committed to Limerick prison for four months in default. The prosecution was at the instance of a private individual, and was not directed by me or in any way under my control. A conditional order for a writ of certiorari to quash the conviction has been granted by the King's Bench Division of the High Court, and the matter will come before the Court for final adjudication in a short time. The Lord-Lieutenant has been advised that, pending the result of these proceedings, there is no power to discharge Mr. Flanagan.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the aggregate number of empty houses in the cities and towns of this country is on the increase; and, if so, can he state the figures and to what cause or causes he attributes the increase. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I am not able to give the information desired by the hon. Member. I may, however, draw his attention to the table on page 193 of the General Report on the Census of 1901, which gives some particulars as to the number of uninhabited houses in England and Wales at each census since 1801, and the proportion it bears to the number of houses which were inhabited. The observations, however, on page 36 of the Report should be read in connection with this table.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he has received an application from the Central Unemployed Body for a further grant to enable that body to continue employing those women who are at present unable to find employment; and, if so, what was the nature of his reply. (Answered by Mr. John Bums.) The last payment to the Central (Unemployed) Body for this purpose was made on the 28th March. I have not since received any application from them on the subject.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer why owners farming their own land who have to pay income-tax under Schedules A and B can yet, when no profit is made, only get a refund under Schedule B (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) An owner farming his own land and making no profit whatever, not even anything towards rent of the land farmed, can obtain relief from the tax assessed under Schedule A, in virtue of Section 23 of The Customs and Inland Revenue Act, 1890.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the approximate amount which he estimates the Exchequer will derive from the new provision with reference to income-tax requiring all employers, whether private persons or companies, to make extended returns giving, not only the names, but the salaries of their employees. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) No, Sir. I have no data on which to base an estimate of the amount of taxable income which escapes assessment through the imperfections of the present regulations.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer what would have been the approximate gain to the Exchequer, up to 30th March, 1907, if the increased scale of death duties which he has now imposed had been imposed in April, 1906. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) Last year was, of course, a particularly favourable year for the death duties, especially as regards large estates, and I calculate that the additional revenue from the increased rates, if they had been in force in respect of all estates upon which duty was paid in that year, would have been approximately£1,500,000. The proceeds in an average full year would be considerably less than that sum.

To ask the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to a recent case in Bombay where a mill operative was fined ten rupees, practically the equivalent of a month's wages, for scraping up a small quantity of natural salt from the sea-shore, amounting to about half an ounce in weight; whether such penalties are necessary to protect the Government revenue; and, if so, whether he will press upon the Government of India the importance of rigidly limiting expenditure so that the salt tax may be finally repealed at the earliest possible date. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) I have seen mention of the case in the Bombay newspapers. I will ask the Government of Bombay to report particulars, and to say whether, in the circumstances, the fine imposed was excessive. The accused might have purchased for one-hundredth part of a penny the quantity of salt which he is alleged to have made illicitly. The salt duty has already, as my hon. friend knows, been reduced by three successive steps, at a cost to the revenues of over£3,000,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for India whether Sir James McKay attended the Imperial Conference, as representing the Government of India, at the request of that Government; and, if not, in what capacity did he attend and speak.

To ask the Secretary of State for India whether the Punjab Colonisation Bill imposed more onerous conditions as to tenure and rent on the existing colonists than they had previously been accustomed to; whether it was on those grounds that the Viceroy refused his assent to the Bill; and, if not, what were the grounds on which the Viceroy refused his assent. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) The Bill did not deal in any way with the rents of existing or future colonists. Its primary object was to repair omissions in the past procedure for making grants of land, and to prescribe a simpler procedure for future grants. It also laid down the conditions subject to which grants in future would be made, and in certain respects it applied these to existing grants. The Viceroy refused his assent to the Bill on grounds of public policy, as it had been strongly opposed for its retrospective character in the Punjab Legislative Council, and its provisions were evidently misunderstood and had created genuine alarm in the colonies.

To ask the Secretary of State for India whether the Punjab is a deficit province, that is to say a province whose revenues are insufficient to meet its total civil and military expenditure; and what is the total amount of the deficit which has to be met from Imperial funds. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) The revenue received in the Punjab has in recent years exceeded by at least one-half the civil expenditure in the province. The portion of the cost of the Army in India which is spent in the Punjab properly forms part of, and is merged in, the general military expenditure of the Government of India.

† See Debates, clxxiv., 210.

To ask the Secretary of State for India whether he can state the cause of the delay in bringing the three barristers arrested at Rawal Pindi on 2nd May to trial on 30th May; and whether, during these four weeks, they were kept in prison, although bail to the amount of£20,000 was offered. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) I am not aware why the persons referred to were not brought to trial until 30th May. Application for bail was made to the chief court of the Punjab, but was refused. As my lion, friend knows, release of a prisoner on bail pending trial is a matter entirely within the discretion of the court.

To ask the Secretary of State for India whether he has received from the Government in India any explanation of the cause of delay in arresting three barristers, on the 2nd of May at Rawal Pindi, for speaking, on the 21st April, at a public meeting in support of resolutions, to be forwarded to the Lieutenant-Governor, asking for redress in connection with land revenue and irrigation rates; whether there was any disturbance in Rawal Pindi between the 21st April and the 2nd May; and whether the only disorder occurred immediately after the arrests. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) The three pleaders were not arrested for speaking at the meeting held on 21st April, but for complicity in the riots that occurred on 2nd May. I am not aware that there were any disturbances between 21st April and 2nd May, and the riots on the latter date preceded, and did not follow, the arrests, and there has been no disorder since.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Estates Commissioners have in- vestigated the application for reinstatement by Mr. Florence Doherty, an evicted tenant on the John Mahony estate, Beaufort, county Kerry; and can he state what decision has been arrived at. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners have investigated Mr. Doherty's application for reinstatement. The holding from which he was evicted has been purchased under the Land Acts by the tenant in occupation. The Commissioners, however, will further consider Mr. Doherty's case in the event of their purchasing untenanted land in the neighbourhood.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if the Irish Local Government Board have received a memorial, signed by forty-one leading ratepayers in the Rathkeale rural district, county Limerick, protesting against the jobbery and corruption of the rural council, and praying for their dissolution and the appointment of paid officers to administer their duties for them; if he is aware that at its meeting in April one of the Nationalist members of the council stated it was corrupt, and another that it was a bad precedent for Home Rule or Devolution; if the ratepayers in this district have already suffered a proved loss of£1,200; and what action the Local Government Board propose to take in the matter. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I refer to my Answer to the Question on this subject put by the hon. Member for North Londonderry on Thursday last.†The Local Government Board have no power to dissolve a rural district council.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the correspondence which has taken place, the Estates Commissioners will reconsider their decision in the case of Charles Talbot,

† See Debates, clxxv., 93.

an evicted tenant, and arrange for his reinstatement in his original holding, or, in the alternative, will see that he is given some compensation. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.)The Estates Commissioners inform me that they have given the most careful consideration to this case, and have decided that it is not one which calls for their interference or in which any compensation could be paid.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will take into consideration the report of the ordinary meeting of the South Galway executive of the United Irish League held on 12th May; and whether he will take proceedings against those responsible for the speeches made against certain persons named at that meeting. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The meeting in question was held within doors, and the police have no evidence as to the speeches which may have been made at it.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the order of the South Roscommon executive of the United Irish League requesting another branch to take notice of the conduct of a certain grazier; and whether he will say what action he proposes to take for ensuring to the said grazier the peaceful possession of his land. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I am informed that a local newspaper contained a report to the effect mentioned in the Question. The meeting at which this order is alleged to have been given was held within doors, and the police have no evidence that any such proceedings took place. The police are taking all possible measures for the protection of the grazier referred to.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that a man has been violently deterred from placing an animal upon a grazing farm at Killasonagh, county Longford; and whether he will give assurances that this man shall be protected in the exercise of his legal rights. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The police authorities inform me that, so far as they have been able to ascertain, there is no foundation for the statement that a man has been deterred from placing an animal upon a grazing farm at Killasonagh.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state how many of the persons who attacked Mr. Payne's farm, near Ballintubber, on the 10th May were employees of the Congested Districts Board and of the Estates Commissioners; and whether he proposes to take action in the matter. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I am informed that about seventy-five labourers who were temporarily in the employment of the Congested Districts Board, and about thirty employed by the Estates Commissioners, were members of the crowd some of whom drove the cattle off Mr. Payne's farm. This fact has already been brought to the notice of the Departments mentioned. Twelve persons are being prosecuted for unlawful assembly on the occasion, and the case is sub judice.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to a resolution of the Roscommon district council to the effect that in all advertisements for supplies Irish-made goods are to be ordered, where such can be obtained, and whether he proposes to take any steps to secure that the ratepayers of the district shall have the benefit of the cheapest market irrespective of the place of origin of the articles desired. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Local Government Board have no record that any such resolution was passed by the rural district council. The rural district council are not obliged by law to accept the lowest or any tender for goods to be supplied by them, but they must be prepared to satisfy the auditor that in accepting a tender which was not the lowest they acted in the best interest of the ratepayers.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the action of the Geevagh, Moylough, Temple boy, Grange, and Highwood branches of the United Irish League, in the county of Sligo, which passed resolutions on Sunday, 19th May, for the purpose of intimidating certain persons named in the resolutions into a course of action agreeable to the League; and whether he will take the necessary action to protect the persons so referred to. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The police authorities inform me that resolutions purporting to have been passed by the branches named have appeared in a local newspaper. The meetings at which these resolutions are stated to have been passed were held in private, and the police have no evidence of the proceedings which may have taken place at these meetings. Full protection will be afforded to any persons who may need it.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received a police report concerning an attack made upon a shop attendant named Kane at Abbeyfeale, county Limerick, on Monday, 13th May, by Laurence and John Nolan; whether he will inform the House why one of these men dangerously wounded Kane in the jaw with a knife; and whether the assault is connected with the fact that William Forde, Kane's employer, holds an evicted farm at Knockanadive, near Brosna, seeing that the defendants spent the afternoon outside Forde's shop at Abbeyfeale taking notes of the persons dealing with him and of the names on the carts calling for goods at his establishment. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) Laurence Nolan has been returned for trial at quarter sessions for the offence of assaulting Kane, but no charge in connection with the matter has been preferred against John Nolan. It would be quite irregular to enter into the details of the case while criminal proceedings are pending.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he has received any complaints as to the tardy working of the Labourers Act; and whether anything can be done to hasten the erection of cottages for the labourers. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Local Government Board have received some complaints from labourers to the effect stated in this Question, but, so far, the Board cannot charge the councils with undue delay, especially having regard to the enormous numbers of applications which they have before them, over 50,000 already. It should be remembered that each application for a cottage must be considered on its merits, and all the sites have to be chosen and inspected before the preparation of the schemes can be put in hand. It is obvious that schemes of such magnitude require time and care, and there will be far more, delay and disappointment in the long run if the statutory preliminaries are not closely observed, and if the schemes are prepared in a hurried or perfunctory manner. The hon. Member, however, may rest assured that every possible assistance will be given by the Local Government Board to the councils, and that no effort will be spared to expedite the working of the Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that in connection with the recent rise of Is. per week to the wages of the labourers in the Army Ordnance Department there has at the same time been a reduction from 6d. to 4d. per day upon the wages of labourers at the gun wharf at Portsmouth who have been doing special work, and that therefore the increase in those cases of Is. per week has been practically nullified; and whether he will restore the wages for special work to the same amount as they were before. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The wages paid to the men doing the work in question remain unchanged, and are considered adequate, notwithstanding that an increase has been made in the minimum rate paid to other men for different work.

To ask the Secretary of State for War if, in view of the effort being made to improve the preparation of food in the mercantile marine, he will consider the possibility of effecting some improvement in the preparation of food for the men of His Majesty's land forces quartered in barracks or cantonments; and, with the object of securing greater variety of food than now exists, will he consider the possibility of effecting improvements by letting the catering to outside contractors bound to employ soldiers in the preparation of the foods supplied. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The improvements made in late years in preparation of the soldiers' food have been very great, and have had the best results. Both general officer commanding and officers commanding units take keen interest in the matter. To let the catering to outside contractors would result in relieving officers and men of the responsibility and interest they now take in arranging for a palatable dietary. Further, contractors could not accompany an army in the field for this purpose, and the food of the soldier would consequently suffer at a time when it is imperative that it should be of the best.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies how many appointments have been made to permanent messengerships at the Colonial Office since January, 1906, and what was the occupation of the individual men prior to appointment. (Answered by Mr. Churchill.) One such appointment has been made. The person appointed was a temporary pensioner messenger in the employ of the Colonial Office, who was formerly a quartermaster-sergeant in the Army Service Corps.

To ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he can state the system upon which the railway assessor values the Scottish railways for rating purposes; and whether he will give the total valuations for the last available year of the Caledonian, North British, Glasgow and South Western, Highland, and Great North of Scotland railway companies, stating in each case what portion of such valuation is placed upon the running lines. (Answered by Mr. Sinclair.) In reply to the first part of the hon. Member's Question I may refer him to the Report of the Royal Commission on Local Taxation (pages20–22 of Cd. 1067 of 1902) for the system of valuation. With reference to the second paragraph of the Question, the following valuations for 190620–7, based upon a three years' aver. age and allocated between running lines and stations, etc., have been furnished to me: 20—

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that a man named John Malone, who had been sixty years in the employment of the Board of Works, Dublin, was recently retired on a gratuity of£39, whereas according to the Board's regulations he was entitled to a sum of£60, and that another employee of the Board was granted only a similar gratuity, although entitled to£50; will he explain why the Board's regulations were violated in those two cases; and whether, if they have been violated, due reparation will be made to the two men in question. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) The Board of Works have no regulations of the kind referred to, but it has been the invariable practice of the Treasury in its administration of Section 4 of the Superannuation Act of 1887 to limit the award of a gratuity to a maximum of one year's pay, and this rule could not be departed from in the present instances.

To ask the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that on the Dublin Stock Exchange Guaranteed Land Stock is readily and daily bought and sold; if not so aware, will he consult any leading Dublin stockbroker; and will he, as soon as possible, make the necessary regulations, under Section 2 of the Purchase of Land Act, 1891, to enable purchasers to pay in Guaranteed Land Stock through the Post Office as intended by Parliament. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) I can say no more at present than that the Treasury is in communication with the other departments concerned.

To ask the Postmaster General whether he is aware that Mr. T. M'Nab, a postman at Tarbert, N.B., makes five attendances and works an average of nearly six hours daily; that Mr. M'Nab only receives 16s. weekly, with no prospect of advancement; and that he has been refused the usual uniform due to men who work more than five hours daily; and whether he will take steps to place Mr. M'Nab on the established staff. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I am making inquiry on this subject, and will acquaint the hon. Member with the result.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that at Towcester and at other places ex-telegraph messengers are employed on postmen's work for more than four hours daily, and, although thus complying with the conditions necessary for appointment as assistant postmen, are refused permission to sit for examination; and whether he will take steps to remedy this.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that Mr. R. P. Abbott, of Redlynch, Salisbury, was certified after illness as being fit for duty on 15th December of last year, but was informed that he must not resume duty until instructions had been received from headquarters; that he was again examined on 27th February of this year, and again certified fit for duty, but still was not allowed to resume until 15th March; that, owing to what would appear to be a mistake on the part of the officials, Mr. Abbott exceeded the six months' sick leave allowed by the regulations and was therefore deprived of a portion of his pay; and whether this money will be refunded to him, as he was not sick nor responsible for his absence. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I will inquire into the case of Mr. Abbott, of Redlynch, Salisbury, and will communicate the result to the hon. Member.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the distances between Liverpool and Auckland by the following routes: via Halifax N.S., and Vancouver, via Montreal and Vancouver, via New York and San Francisco, via the Tehuantepec Railway, detailing in each case the distance across the Atlantic by steamship, the distance across the American Continent by railway, and the distance across the Pacific by steamship. (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) The Board of Trade have no special information on the subject, but they understand that the shortest distances by sea, between the several ports, are approximately as follows: —

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether an officer from Trinity House called at Sidmouth early in July last and gave orders to anyone that the removal of shingle from Sidmouth beach must stop; if so, to whom were these orders given, and why, if so given, was shingle allowed to be taken as before, to the prejudice of the owners and skippers of registered fishing boats and their fishermen working with them; if not now officially stopped, will the Board of Trade say it will be stopped entirely; and whether the Board is aware that, if the removal of shingle is not stopped, the fishermen of this district will be ruined, as their boats will be destroyed by the sea beach being too low for them to lie on with reasonable safety. (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) The removal of beach material is not a matter coming within the jurisdiction of the Trinity House, and I have ascertained from that corporation that they have no knowledge of any orders having been given in their name regarding such removal at Sidmouth. The most effective means at the disposal of the Board of Trade for stopping the removal of shingle or ballast is the issue of an order under Section 14 of The Harbours Act, 1814, prohibiting such removal. No application for the issue of such an order in respect of Sidmouth has been received from those interested. Should an application be made the Board will be prepared to cause local inquiry to be made as to whether the circumstances warrant the issue of an order.

To ask the Secretary to the Board of Education how many appointments have been made to permanent messengerships at the Board of Education since January, 1906, and what was the occupation of the individual men prior to appointment. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) Since January, 1906, seven appointments to permanent messengerships have been made. Of these, four had been boy messengers in the service of the Board of Education, one had been in the Army and is a reservist, one had been a college servant at Oxford, and one a man servant. During the same period three permanent "attendants" have been appointed. Of the former, one was a boy messenger in the service of the Board, one had been in the Army, and afterwards a valet, and the third had been in the Army. A doorkeeper has also been appointed who was in the Metropolitan Police and employed for a considerable number of years in the House of Commons.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether promotion of Excise officers to the posts of chief officers of Customs is regulated by seniority in the service or by other considerations; and if in any recent promotions men of long service and good character have been passed over for men much junior in the service, without any cause being assigned to those disappointed of promotion.

To ask the Secretary of State for India whether the Dharmakarta of the, Rameshvaram temple proposes to destroy that edifice and to build up another in its place; and, if so, whether the Madras Government will take any action, direct or indirect, in order to prevent such destruction. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) I understand that the manager of the temple has been entrusted by his coreligionists with subscriptions to a very large amount for the repair and restoration of the temple, and that the project which has been approved of provides for the renovation of the wall of the outermost court and the complete rebuilding of the two inner courts. The Madras Government has tendered advice to the manager, but it is not in a position to interfere in the matter against the wishes of the temple authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for India whether, seeing that the land revenue of the Rawal Pindi district of the Punjab, which was increased from£27,500 in 1865 to£36,400 in 1885, has been further

† See (4) Debates, clxx., 47.

increased by a new settlement made in 1904 to£45,000, the tax on many of the holdings near the town being doubled, he will appoint a small committee of revenue officials from other provinces to inquire into the allegations of excessive enhancement, as was done in Bombay in 1877 after serious rioting by the tenant farmers. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) The Deccan Riots Commission, to which my hon. friend apparently refers, was appointed by the Bombay Government in 1876 on evidence of the existence of the serious indebtedness of the agricultural classes in certain districts to the money-lenders, and with a view to remedial legislation. This does not constitute a precedent for the action proposed; but, if the Government of India or the local Government consider that an inquiry is called for, they will no doubt propose a Commission. I understand that they are satisfied that the revision of the land settlement is justified by extensions of cultivation and rise in rents and prices since the last settlement, and that there has been no agitation among the agricultural classes of the district.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether an application by Peter Flanagan, of Lucan, county Dublin, for a cottage under the Labourers Act was rejected by the Celbridge Rural District Council or by the Local Government Board; and, if so, will he explain why. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Local Government Board have not yet received information as to this case. If, however, it be the fact that Flanagan's representation was rejected by the rural district council, he can attend at the local inquiry which is to be held and lay his case before the inspector.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is yet in a position to state that the proposed rail- way from Mullaranny, county Mayo, to Belmullet will be commenced in the near future; has a consultation taken place between the engineer to the Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland and the engineer to the Board of Works as to the probable cost of such a railway; and, if so, what was the estimate they arrived at. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I am not in a position to make the statement suggested in the first part of the Question. The consultation between the two engineers referred to has not yet taken place, but has been arranged for an early date.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state how many people are under police protection in the parish of Kilnaboy, county Clare; and whether such precautions are necessary in view of the perfectly peaceful condition of the locality. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.)Twelve persons are under police protection in the parish of Kilnaboy. The protection is considered necessary by the police authorities, who are responsible for taking measures to preserve the peace, and who inform me that the locality is not at present in a peaceable condition.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state, with regard to the claim now being made upon the county council of Galway for the cost of extra police, the several dates on which extra police were employed in the county, and the number of police at each station on these dates, also the ordinary quota for each such station and for the county; and whether any police, and, if so, how many, were drafted into Galway from other counties for service on the dates in question. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The claim referred to in the Question is in respect of the cost of extra police sent to the county of Galway during the half-year ending 30th September, 1906. During that period extra men were employed from 21st May to 6th June, from 23rd to 25th June, and from 5th July to 19th August. There is no fixed quota for each station, but only for each riding of the county. The total vacancies in the fixed quota of the entire county in the months of May, June, July and August, when extra men were employed, were six, eleven, two and 0 respectively. The extra police employed on the occasions mentioned consisted in all of 124 head and other constables and one district inspector from other counties, and 143 head and other constables and three district inspectors from the reserve force.

To ask the Prime Minister when he proposes to introduce the Housing Bill.

On behalf of the hon. Member for North West Lanarkshire, I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty what progress is being made with the arrangements for the provision of vessels to show the flag in Colonial waters.

I have nothing to add to my reply to a previous Question from the hon. Gentleman on 26th February last, † except that since that date the "Scylla" has been sent out to the West Indies, and the "Monmouth" has been ordered to Vancouver to embark Prince Fushimi for Japan.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if the condition of the rudders of the "Dreadnought" was only discovered when that ship was placed in dry dock;

† See (4) Debates, clxix., 1417–8

and, as that ship is to be stationed on the East Coast, what dry dock accommodation will be available there for her and for her sister ships which are now under construction.

The reply to the first of the Question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, I must refer the hon. Member to the full statement made by the First Lord in another place on the 1st May, ‡and by the Civil Lord in the course of the debate on Vote 10 on 25th April. §

Can the right hon. Gentleman say if there is a private dock on the East Coast capable of accommodating this vessel?

I will inquire.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he can now state if the Report as to the ground on which it is proposed to place the foundations of the new dock at Rosyth is satisfactory or not.

The foundations are reported to be satisfactory.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty how many men are now employed on the work in connection with the naval base at Rosyth.

Eight workmen are now employed by the Admiralty and seven by the contractor carrying out work for the Admiralty.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what is the minimum training on enlistment and annually required in the Swiss Army and in the proposed Territorial Army, respectively, for men of the following branches: infantry, cavalry, and artillery.

‡ See (4) Debates, clxxiii., 825 et seq.

§ See (4) Debates, clxxiii., 294 et seq

Under the new system which will pro

The right hon. Gentleman has not answered my Question about the Territorial Army.

I can only refer the hon. Member to what is specified in the Bill.

Do these figures represent an increase or a decrease in the number of days training in the Swiss Army?

I think an increase.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether any estimate has been made of the proportion of persons serving in the special contingent who will be under twenty years of age at any given time; and, if so, what is the estimated proportion.

NO estimate has been made, but the probability is that bably come into force in July, the periods of training in the Swiss Army will be as follows: —

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, before inviting the House to sanction the expenditure of public money upon the creation of Volunteer field batteries, he will definitely state whether it is still his intention to reduce the personnel of the Royal Horse and Field Artillery by 3,800, or by any other number, in order that the House may know whether it is asked to vote money for batteries as a supplement to, or in substitution for, the Regular Horse and Field Artillery.

There is no question of using Volunteer Artillery in place of Regular Artillery.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that on 7th March the 40th Brigade Royal Field Artillery received orders to proceed to Glasgow on 23rd May, and that on 11th May these orders were cancelled; whether, in view of the inconvenience and expense caused by the change to individuals in the Brigade, they will receive any compensation; and whether he will endeavour to secure that in future orders involving expenditure by individuals in taking houses and making other necessary arrangements shall not be cancelled on such short notice.

The cancellation of the orders for the move of the 40th Brigade, as for the move of the 39th Brigade, took place under circumstances which — as I informed the hon. Member for the Southern Division of Hants — I regard as somewhat exceptional. I will therefore consider the grant of some assistance where individuals have necessarily incurred out-of-pocket expenditure to no purpose.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the importance of our own troops being armed with the best type of bayonet and sword and the danger of being found unprepared, and the fact that it is now eighteen months since he reported that these matters were under consideration, he will take steps to accelerate the considerations of the experts to whom this duty has been entrusted.

Experimental bayonets have been issued for trial by the troops and are still under trial. Experimental swords of the pattern recommended by the Committee which considered the subject will shortly be issued to the troops for trial.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether, contrary to the practice of recent years, no Volunteers will go into camp at Great Yarmouth this summer; and, if so, what is the reason for making this change.

The arrangements for Volunteer camps are in the hands of the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, with whose discretion the Army Council does not propose to interfere.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War how many men were discharged from Woolwich Arsenal during the week ending 25th May; and how many he proposes to discharge during each of the following three weeks.

Sixty men were discharged in accordance with the arrangement to proceed with the reduction at the rate of sixty per week, and in addition eleven men who would have had to leave later on were discharged on the 25th May at their own request. Sixty per week will be discharged during each of the following three weeks.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if any men have been discharged from Woolwich during the present year who have been in the service of the State for a period of ten years and upwards.

The Answer is in the affirmative.

:I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War how many men it is intended to discharge from Woolwich Arsenal, and at what rate per week.

The number of men to be discharged from Woolwich Arsenal cannot as yet be fixed. The rate of discharges per week is sixty; this number does not include any voluntary resignations.

Does that include any men who have been employed more than ten years.

Yes. How many more will be discharged I cannot say, as our object is to find a minimum below which we do not want to let the establishment sink, and a maximum above which we do not wish to let it rise. We are getting towards that minimum now; but I do not like to give figures, for fear of raising hopes and creating disappointment. But the whole thing has been worked out.

asked how much longer it would be before the minimum was decided on, and the system of weekly discharges discontinued.

It is not expedient that I should make any definite statement until I can give absolute figures. But we are getting in sight of the requisite information.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether boys between the ages of fourteen and sixteen are now being engaged at Woolwich Arsenal at 7s. a week, while skilled men are being discharged from work.

Yes, Sir. It is necessary to engage boys to fill vacancies for boys' work for which skilled men are unsuitable, and for which the latter have never been employed.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what provision has been made for the practice of the field batteries of the proposed Territorial Army; what ranges have been secured; and what sum has been set aside for the purpose of securing such ranges.

This Question is premature. Inquiries as regards ranges are in progress, but it is too soon at the present stage to make definite arrangements.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether any calculation has been made as to the amount of ammunition to be expended by the field batteries of the proposed Territorial Army; and what number of rounds per battery will be expended.

The question of allotment of ammunition for annual practice to these batteries is now being considered.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he will now state the name of the contractor who has been given the contract for erecting stables at Tidworth for the Scots Greys Regiment.

The contract has not yet been placed.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether a large amount of cordite contracted for with Kynoch, Limited, has been rejected; whether the evidence of reports of the Explosives Committee, which sat continuously since its first appointment in 1900, justifies the addition of mercuric chloride to service explosives, or affords any reason for the failure of Kynoch, Limited, to disclose this practice to the War Office and Admiralty; and whether the addition of mercuric chloride enables the explosive to defeat the only official test known as the Abel heat test.

The reply to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. The reply to the second part of the Question is in the negative. As regards the last part of the Question the addition of mercuric chloride vitiates the Abel heat test which is used for testing supplies.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the number of commissions in the Regular Army, which are now open to be competed for by officers of the Militia and Yeomanry, will be increased sufficiently to afford an approximately equal opportunity of joining the Regular Forces to officers of the new Territorial Army.

The number of commissions in the Regular Army which can be offered to officers of the Territorial Forces must necessarily depend on the requirements of the service from time to time. It is not possible to give any definite Answer to this Question at the present stage.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether any military bands are now supplied by agents for private engagements which bring them into unfair competition with civil bands; and whether, if this is so, he will take steps to prevent this practice.

The orders issued by the Army Council enjoin that military bands are not to seek for or take up engagements through the medium of musical or other agents or through the Press, and that no engagement should be accepted on terms which are less than those which would in the same circumstances be offered to other than military bands. I am not aware of any occurrences of the nature mentioned in the Question, and I shall be glad if my hon. friend will furnish me with any such cases.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what bounties were paid for recruits in the last six months of the Crimean War; what was the number of Militiamen serving abroad at the close of the war; and what was the number of foreigners enlisted for service in the British Army in the German Legion and other corps.

From the 22nd January, 1855, to the 16th January, 1856, the bounty was £10 for cavalry and £ 8 for infantry; from the 17th January, 1856, it was fixed at £ 5 and a free kit for both cavalry and infantry. The number of Militiamen serving abroad at the end of the war was approximately 5,500 rank and file. As regards the foreigners enlisted, Army Estimates for 1855 £ 6 show that provision was taken for 14,950 officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of the foreign legions, but the exact number cannot be easily traced.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what is the cost of a battery of the field artillery which has recently been supplied to the Regular; Army.

The average cost of a Q.F. 18 pr. battery, i.e., guns, carriages, wagons, limbers, spare components and 1,000 rounds of ammunition per gun, is £ 27,000.

And how many batteries are there?

I should not like to say from memory, but the information is easily obtainable.

Are not many of them very old?

No; we are keeping them up to the latest pattern.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the grant to a soldier, having loss than six years' continuous service abroad, of ninety days' furlough, on condition that he defrays the whole cost of his passage to and from England, is held by the War Office to break the continuity of his foreign service; if so, how long this view has been held by the War Office; and whether, in order to prevent the great hardships which must result from a misunderstanding of this point, he will cause the results of accepting such a special furlough to be clearly explained in future to every soldier applying for it by his commanding officer before the furlough is granted.

As far as is known in this Department, no such case has occurred. But should a soldier defray the whole cost of his passage to and from England, the furlough would not cause a break in the continuity of his service abroad £ provided that, in the case of India, the Indian authorities raise no objection.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if it is intended that the cost of providing and maintaining rifle ranges for the Territorial Force shall be exclusively defrayed by moneys provided by Parliament.

It is intended that the money provided by Parliament shall cover all the necessary expenses of the Territorial Army, including necessary expenditure on rifle ranges.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is in a position to say if it is intended to secure commissioned appointments in the new Territorial Army for suitable non-commissioned officers who have passed through the ranks; whether it is proposed to make or issue any special orders or regulations as to the conditions under which such appointments will be offered; and, if so, could he indicate the lines upon which such orders or regulations will proceed.

The granting of commissions to suitable non-commissioned officers is now a matter of common, occurrence in many volunteer corps and the practice will certainly be continued and encouraged under the new organisation. My hon. friend may rest assured that the non-commissioned ranks are far too valuable a source to be neglected in the effort to make up the deficient provision of officers for the Territorial Force. It is unnecessary to go into the question of issuing special orders or regulations on the subject at present.

Are no more special facilities to be given to the private in the Territorial Army to obtain a commission than have been given in the past?Are not the arrangements existing to be altered in any way?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the percentage of commissions given to men in the ranks has decidedly decreased of late?

The number of commissions granted is affected by the fact that a large number of the men do not go on. It is impossible to make the profession of officer lucrative. But as to the notion that we are discouraging men to rise from the ranks to the position of officer, it is not true. In the Territorial Army we have large deficiencies of officers; and, to fill up the deficiencies, we are tempted to take officers from the ranks. There are a large number of officers in the Volunteers now who have passed through the ranks, and we hope that there will be as many in future.

Is it intended to increase the facilities in future?

We are increasing the outfit allowance so as to diminish the cost to the men who become officers.

Can the right hon. Gentleman explain the decrease in the percentage in the last two years?

During the war a great number of commissions were given all round, and a large number of men have resigned those commissions since. But there is no diminution and no desire to encourage the diminution of the number of commissions given to men in the ranks. On the contrary, we are short of officers in the Regulars as in the Territorial Army, and it is not likely that we should do anything to close a source of supply.

That is begging the question.

In view of the fact that this matter cannot be discussed on the Territorial Forces Bill will the right hon. Gentleman persuade the Government to give us another opportunity?

I hope it will be discussed to-day.

May I ask £

Order, order! Notice must be given of further Questions.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he can state what proportion of the total estimated expenditure of £ 3,514,000 for the now Territorial Army will be subject to the audit and control of the accounting officers.

A little less than half the total will be accounted for in detail as direct War Department expenditure by the accounting officer. As regards the remainder, all payments to the associations will be subject to the audit and control of that officer.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if the proposed grant in aid of £ 75 per company, after deducting association expenditure, will be allocated pro rata to each battalion, or whether county associations will have power to differentiate the amounts to be expended by each battalion under this and other heads of expenditure.

The £ 75 is, of course, an estimate, but, whatever the figure for the establishment grant may be, there is no doubt that discretion will be left to the associations as to the method of allotment, as the needs pf corps will vary.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if the proposed walking-out dress for the new Territorial Army will be of a uniform pattern for the whole force, or will conform to that of the territorial regiments of the line.

I am not at present in a position to make a statement on this point.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he has received the Report upon the condition of the Limerick barracks, and what proposals he has made with a view to their redecoration and repair.

The Report has been received and the necessary repairs have been carried out.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if the compilation of a book of songs for soldiers has now been completed.

The reply is in the negative.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War when he will be in a position to give detailed information on the intentions of the Government respecting the future employment of Irish Militia officers, the disposal of Irish Militia battalions of artillery, and the status of the North of Ireland and the South of Ireland Imperial Yeomanry.

I hope before long to be in a position to give the hon. and gallant Member the detailed information which he requires.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that the Indian Army is unprovided with horse and field artillery (other than mountain batteries), it is contemplated, in the event of war, the Indian Army should take the field without horse or field artillery; and, if not; what is the number of regular batteries which will be required, and from what source they will be provided.

The hon. Member has been misinformed. In addition to mountain batteries and heavy batteries there are now in India eleven batteries of horse artillery with five ammunition columns and forty-five batteries of field artillery with eight ammunition columns.

I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies when the full Report of the proceedings at the Colonial Conference will be published.

To-morrow, Sir.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies when the Report of the Departmental Committee on cable communication in the West Indies may be expected.

The Committee has already presented two Reports, but they are of a confidential character. The Committee is still sitting.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Government of the Transvaal has accepted the proposal of the Commandant of the Transvaal Volunteers for the reduction of the personnel of the Volunteers from 6,800 to 5,000, with a consequent reduction in the Estimates from £ 202,273 to £ 118,565; and whether it is the intention of His Majesty's Government to make a corresponding reduction in the strength of His Majesty's forces stationed in the Transvaal, so that the burden now upon the taxpayers of the United Kingdom for the maintenance of the Transvaal garrison may be reduced.

I understand-that certain reductions of expenditure On the Volunteers were contemplated by the late Government in the Transvaal, and, are being effected by the new Ministry. No detailed information has yet been received by the Colonial Office upon the subject, but it is believed that the efficiency of those forces will not be in any degree impaired, and that they will remain of adequate strength. It is not proposed at present to reduce the numbers of the Imperial troops in South Africa. The ultimate withdrawal of that garrison is, of course, the natural and regular consequence of the extension of responsible self-governing institutions, and will be in full accordance with the established colonial policy of this country; but, in view of the many elements of difficulty which the South African situation still presents, immediate action of this kind would be premature. General Botha has also expressed, on behalf of his Government, a desire that the Imperial forces in the Transvaal shall be maintained at proper strength, and has asked that ample notice should be given of any large reductions in order that the white population may not find themselves suddenly left without sufficient means of defence.

I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies whether the interviews which Dinuzulu is having with the Governor of Natal are of the nature of examination into his conduct during the late rebellion; whether the Governor of Natal has received the sanction of His Majesty's Government for carrying on this examination; and whether he will report its result to the Government.

The Governor as Paramount Chief possesses large powers under the Code of Native Law, and in the exercise of his authority would be justified in putting any questions which he might consider necessary. Dinuzulu himself applied to see the Governor who will report by mail to the Secretary of State, and pending the receipt of his despatch I cannot say exactly what occurred.

Did Dinuzulu attend these interviews as a free agent, and was he warned beforehand that any statement he might make would be taken down in writing and might be used against him?

I should imagine that in asking to see the Governor it was that his desire to come to a definite understanding.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if under Article 33 of the New Hebrides Convention, women and children, natives of the New Hebrides, may be indentured and sent to New Caledonia; if so, is the nature of their employment clearly defined at the time of engagement; and whether the British Commissioner has any direct responsibility in the recruiting of such women and children for New Caledonia, or any power of revision of the conditions under which they are recruited and employed.

The French Government remain under the Convention, as heretofore, solely and entirely responsible for recruiting in the New Hebrides for service in New Caledonia. The New Hebrides are islands which have never been annexed by any Power; the natives are not British subjects or French citizens. Consequently no Power has had any right to interfere with the recruiting operations of other persons than its own nationals. The French Government have, therefore, been solely responsible for the recruiting for New Caledonia (which has gone on for years past) exactly as His Majesty's Government have been solely responsible for recruiting for Fiji. This position could not, of course, be altered, even if it were considered desirable, without the consent of the French Government, which had and has equal rights in the New Hebrides with His Majesty's Government. It remains unaltered under the recent Convention. Licences to recruit for New Caledonia will be issued by the French representatives; the operations of the recruiters will be supervised by French officials; and when the labourer arrives in New Caledonia he will, of course, be subject to French law. This is the system which has been in force for years; and, from what I have said, it will be gathered that His Majesty's Government had and have no responsibility for its working nor any power to assume such responsibility if they desired it, any more than the French Government have any responsibility for or control over the British recruiting for Fiji. The Answer to the specific Questions of the hon. Member are therefore as follows; to the first in the affirmative, but I understand that the French Government contemplate prohibiting the recruiting of women and children for service in New Caledonia, unless accompanying the head of the family; to the second, that it is a matter for the French Government; to the third and fourth, in the negative.

Then am I to gather that other countries besides France and England will be permitted to recruit natives for any territories they may think desirable?

That point is not raised by the Question, and I should like to have notice before answering it.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can state when the new constitution for the Orange River Colony will be published.

It is hoped to publish the Orange River Colony Constitution in the Colony as well as in this country on 10th June.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can say when the capital sentence passed on seven natives in Natal for the murder of a white man during the late rebellion will be carried out; whether communications have passed on the subject between the Colonial Office and the Governor of Natal; and if there is any probability that the Governor will use his power of pardon in the case of these prisoners or any of them.

No, Sir; but the Secretary of State desires me to say that he is confident that the Governor will exercise the prerogative of mercy in any case in which he can properly do so.

I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies if the native rebellion in Natal is entirely at an end; does complete tranquility prevail in the Colony; and will the Secretary of State confer with the Governor upon the danger which may arise from a fresh series of native executions for events which occurred during the rebellion.

The rebellion is at an end and martial law has been withdrawn. If the latter part of the Question relates to the murderers of Mr. Veal I must refer to my reply to a Question by my hon. friend on this case last Monday, †

I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies when will Sir Matthew Nathan take up his new duties as Governor of Natal.

Sir Matthew Nathan will leave this country about the end of July; the exact date is not yet settled.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in connection with the Colonial Conference, any proposal was made to abandon the present mail route to India, Ceylon, and Australia, viâ Brindisi, in order to establish an all-British route viâ the Cape of Good Hope; and whether such a proposal, if made, would have the support of His Majesty's Ministers.

No such proposal was made. I am not able to say whether it would, if made, have the support of His Majesty's Ministers.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give the House any information regarding the progress of the Peking-Kalgan Railway.

A regular service of trains exists between

† See (4) Debates, clxxiv., 1314–5

Fengtai (on the Peking-Tientsin line) and Nank'on, a distance of over thirty-four miles, out of a total of 125 miles to Kalgan. It is expected that the line will be completed towards the end of 1909.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether communications have been opened up with the United States Government with the view of securing for British manufacturers and exporters tariff concessions similar to those granted to Germany under the agreement recently concluded; and whether it is the view of His Majesty's Government that these concessions come within the provisions of the most-favoured-nation clause.

The only tariff concessions of which British exports to the United States do not get the benefit under most-favoured-nation treatment are those specified in Section 3 of the Dingley Tariff Act. Negotiations have been entered into with the United States Government with a view to securing on some or all of these articles the reductions given to other nations. The Answer to the last part of this Question is in the affirmative. But, as has been previously stated, the United States Government has contended hitherto that such concessions, being granted in return for a consideration, do not come within the scope of the most-favoured-nation clause.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any information respecting the riots near Swatow, in China; and what steps have been taken to protect British interests in the disturbed districts.

My right hon. friend has no information on the subject except what has been published in the Press, and he is confident that His Majesty's Minister in China will report to him at once on the matter if it is serious. From official information received, the disturbances at Lienchow previously reported appear to have been unimportant.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when he will be in a position to make a statement as to the effect upon British interests of the treaty recently concluded between France and Siam.

Under the terms of the treaty the three Siamese provinces of Battamberg, Siem-Reap, and Sisophon are ceded to France, and the right to hold land in Siam is granted in certain cases to French citizens and protegés; France cedes to Siam in return the districts of Dansai and Kratt, together with the islands to the south of Cape Lemling as far as, and including, Kokut; she also surrenders certain rights of extra-territorial jurisdiction in Siam. The exchange of territory described above has taken place within the sphere of French interests, as described by the Declaration of April, 1904, agreed on between Great Britain and France; and His Majesty's Government do not anticipate that British interests in the Far East will be politically affected. Questions of safeguarding the commercial interests of British subjects, who may have concessions in the districts exchanged, will be considered if occasion arises.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the presiding magistrate at the trial of Edalji was a trained lawyer with professional experience of criminal cases; and whether he will lay Papers containing the note of the case taken for the use of the Court by the clerk of the magistrate.

The magistrate who presided at the trial is not, I understand, a practising lawyer, but he has great experience as Deputy-Chairman of Quarter Sessions. In a trial at Quarter Sessions the Clerk of the Peace does not take notes. The only notes taken are those made by the Chairman for his own use. I do not propose to lay any further Papers on the Table.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Home Office Estimates will be set down at an early date, in order to afford an opportunity to discuss the decision of the Government not to offer compensation to Edalji.

If the hon. Member wishes the Home Office Vote taken on an early day and will communicate with the Government through the usual channels, I have no doubt it can be arranged.