reported from the Committee on Group K of Private Bills; That the parties opposing the Birkenhead Corporation Water Bill [Lords] had stated that the evidence of Arthur Caradoc Williams, Acting Conservator of the River Dee, was essential to their case; and, it having been proved that his attendance could not be procured without the intervention of the House, he had been instructed to move that the said Arthur Caradoc Williams do attend the said Committee To-morrow, at half-past Eleven of the clock.

To ask the Secretary for Scotland with reference to the valuation for rating at £31 a year of the house and land at Canty Bay, including the Bass Rock, how much of that valuation is attributable to the house and land at Canty Bay and how much to the Bass Rock; whether that valuation now includes the portion of the Bass Rock which has been feued by the Northern Lights Commissioners; and, if that portion of the Bass Rock is valued separately, what is the amount of such valuation. (Answered by Mr. Sinclair.) I am unable to say how much of the valuation is attributable to the Bass Rock and how much to the remainder of the holding. The ground feued to the Northern Lighthouse Commissioners is not included in the sum mentioned by my hon. friend. The lighthouse does not appear on the roll.

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty by whose authority the monthly medical inspection of crews belonging to torpedo boats and destroyers is carried out on board the parent ships at home parts; for what reason was it initiated, and could instructions be issued so that all chief petty officers, when undergoing or preparing for this inspection, may have screened off for their separate use places apart from that used by seamen and stokers. (Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) (1) By the direction of the Admiralty in 1904. (2) It was found that in many cases men suffering from disease when drafted to destroyers did not present themselves for treatment until absolutely unable to continue duty. It was to prevent the consequent aggravation and spread of disease, and to ensure early medical treatment, that the monthly medical inspection was instituted. (3) Directions were given by the Admiralty in 1906 that petty officers should be treated with every consideration in the matter of this medical examination. When attending with men they are to be seen first. If required to strip, facilities are to be afforded for them to do so in privacy. The ports were informed at the same time that it was desirable that each petty officer and man, when stripped, should be examined separately.

To ask the President of the Board of Education if he will state the names of the local education authorities proposing to establish training colleges, and the accommodation to be afforded in each case. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) Schemes for the provision of ten training colleges have been received from local education authorities, and are now under consideration by the Board. In seven other cases the provision of a college is known to be under discussion by the local authority, but no definite proposals have been submitted to the Board. Inasmuch as many of these schemes are in a very early stage of preparation, and in some cases the Board have been requested by the local authority to regard the information as confidential for financial reasons, I am unable at present to give the names of the authorities concerned.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that, in the case of the estate of William Humphrys, de ceased, which comprises lands agreements for the sale of which to the tenants have been made under the Irish Land Act of 1903 but not completed, the Secretary of Estates Duties in Ireland has refused to accept payment of the estate duty by instalments; and whether, seeing that the person succeeding to this property is only receiving interest on the purchase money pending the completion of the sale, he will consent to a delay of the payment of the estate duty in full until the purchase money is paid over by the Land Commission. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) The Com missioners of Inland Revenue have discretion, under Section 8, Sub-section 9, of The Finance Act, 1894, where they are satisfied that the estate duty leviable in respect of any property cannot without excessive sacrifice be raised at once, to allow payment to be postponed for such period, to such extent, and on payment of such interest not exceeding 4 per cent. or any higher interest yielded by the property, and on such terms as the Commissioners think fit. Any representations which may be made to the Com missioners in that sense, in the case to which the hon. Member refers, will receive careful consideration.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the average contribution per head of the population of Ireland towards the duty levied upon tea during the year ending 31st March, 1907, exceeded the average contribution of 2s. 6·72d. per head paid during this period by the population of the United Kingdom; and, if so, by how-much. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) It is estimated that the average contribution per head of the population of Ireland towards the duty paid on tea during the year ended 31st March, 1907, was 2s. 6· 20d., being ·52d. less than that paid per head of the population of the United Kingdom.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer what revenue was obtained during the last twelve months that it was in operation from the 1s. a quarter registration duty on imported corn; how much of this revenue was derived from corn and flour imported from foreign countries, as apart from British possessions; and what was the average contribution per head of the population of the United Kingdom to war. Is the revenue obtained from imported foreign corn and flour during this period. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) The net revenue obtained from the duty on corn, etc., during the twelve months ended 30th June, 1903, was £1,876,664, and of this sum it is estimated that £1,565,076 was derived from corn, etc., imported from foreign countries. The average contribution per head of the population of the United Kingdom towards the revenue obtained from imported foreign corn, etc., during the period is thus 8.86d.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the amount of revenue collected upon the 73,658,936 cwts. of wheat and the 20,440,827 cwts. of wheat meal and flour, mentioned in the Annual Abstract of Trade [Cd. 3466] as having been imported into the United Kingdom from foreign countries during the operation of the Corn Tax in 1902 and 1903; and what was the average annual contribution per head of the population of the United Kingdom towards this revenue. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) The estimated net revenue collected upon wheat and wheat flour imported into the United Kingdom from foreign countries between the 15th April, 1902, and the 30th June, 1903, inclusive, was as follows—

To ask the Secretary of State for India if he will state the amount of silver rupees coined during 1906 on which the seignorage profit of £4,000,000 sterling was realised; and the average price per ounce at which the metal was purchased. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) In the financial year 1906–7 (in which a net profit of £4,000,000 was realised on the coinage of rupees) the number of rupees coined, excluding the recoinage of old rupees, was 227,670,000 (i.e., 22 crores 76¾lakhs=£15,180,000). The aver age price per ounce at which silver was purchased during the year was 31·332 pence.

To ask the Secretary of State for India whether inoculation for the plague continues to be practised in India in general and the Punjab in particular. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) In all provinces inoculation is offered to the people, and is performed free of charge by the district medical staff. In the Punjab of late it has been accepted by increasing numbers. In April last over 21,000 persons were inoculated in that province. The extent to which the remedy is used must necessarily rest with the people themselves, as no one is inoculated against his will.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in the event of the new annual grant of £40,000 for school buildings in Ireland falling short of the demands upon it, and where the local parties in poor districts are raising money for enlargements of non-vested schools, building class-rooms, or making other structural improvements, the Commissioners of Education will be empowered to make grants out of the £40,000 to assist local parties when such assistance is needed. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The £40,000 alluded to in the Question is provided for the building and improvement of vested school houses. No provision is made for the building and improvement of non-vested school houses, and consequently the Commissioners of National Education have no power to make grants in such cases. Loans, however, are made for the erection, enlargement, or improvement of non-vested school houses.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can say what has been the average number of children in daily attendance for the last twelve months in the boys' and girls' schools, respectively, at Kilmeedy, in County Limerick; what has been the tenor of the inspectors' reports for the last three years on these schools; in what category, excellent, very good, good, fair, have these schools been placed by the Commissioners of National Education; has either of them got any special distinction for efficiency, and, if so, what is that distinction; and whether it is with a view to the further efficiency of these schools or on grounds of thrift that the Treasury overrides the judgment of the Commissioners of National Education, and insists that they shall be maintained in their pre sent unsatisfactory condition or broken up altogether and amalgamated. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The average attendance at Kilmeedy boys' school during the twelve months ending 30th June last was thirty-nine, and at the girls' school sixty-two. The inspectors' reports upon both schools for the past three years were very favourable, and the schools were placed in categories ranging from good to excellent. In 1903 the principal teacher of the girls' school was awarded one of the Carlisle and Blake premiums, as being one of the most deserving teachers under the Board. I have already informed the hon. Member of the reason why the existing rule as to building grants for separate boys' and girls' schools must be maintained. The amalgamation of small schools in Ireland is considered to be a pressing necessity in the interests both of efficiency and of economy.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can supply an estimate of the ages of the evicted tenants whom it is proposed to replace upon the land and who have been described as having been out in the cold for over twenty-eight years, living in insanitary huts by the side of their old holdings. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I have no information which would enable me to make the estimate suggested in the Question.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that an evicted farm at Aug-havanny, near Kiltyclogher, county Leitrim, on the Tottenham estate, from which a man named James Fox was evicted seven years ago, has been for a considerable time in the occupation of emergency men, who merely act as caretakers; whether the receiver of the estate, Mr. Maude, has expressed his readiness to reinstate Mr. Fox; and can he say what steps, if any, the Estates Commissioners have taken to restore this evicted tenant to his holding, which is now vacant. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The estate to which the Question refers is for sale in the Land Judge's Court. The farm from which James Fox was evicted is in the possession of caretakers. The receiver of the estate informed Fox that if he should offer a fair price his re-instatement would be considered; but the offer made by Fox was considered inadequate. The Estates Commissioners are considering the question of making an offer for the purchase of the estate, and if they should acquire it they will deal with Fox's application for reinstatement.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether any steps have been taken recently to establish fish-curing stations on the sea coast of Sligo; and can he say when the promised station at Mullaghmore will be started. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Congested Districts Board do not consider it necessary or desirable in the interests of the fishermen to establish fish-curing stations on the coast of Sligo. There are many buyers of fish on that roast, and the Board are of opinion that it would be to the disadvantage of the fishermen if the Board should enter into competition with the merchants and cause them to leave the district. The hon. Member is mistaken in supposing that the Board promised to establish a curing station at Mullaghmore.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that, since 1892. the Congested Districts Board expended £66,626 on piers, slips, and harbour works in the six maritime congested districts counties in Ireland, and that only £735 of that sum was expended in Sligo on such works; whether he is aware that the development of the fishing industry along the seaboard of the county of Sligo had been rendered almost impossible owing to the want of piers, slips, and harbours; can he explain why the fishing industry in this county was so much neglected by the Congested Districts Board; and is he aware that a small pier, which was commenced some time ago at Ballyconnell, on the Magherow coast of county Sligo, remains in a half-finished condition, and that the work has been stopped. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The amounts stated to have been expended by the Congested Districts Board are correct, except that the Board are now constructing a landing-place at Knock-lane, county Sligo, at a cost of £300, of which sum they are providing £200. They have also issued eighty-two loans to Sligo fishermen amounting in all to £774. The Board have been unremitting in their attention to the wants of the fisheries on the coast of Sligo. The extent of seaboard is very small, and owing to the physical features of the coast, the fisheries must necessarily be of very limited value. At the last census the number of fishermen in county Sligo was only 167. It is not the fact that the Board commenced a pier at Ballyconnell. Their work at that place consisted in removing, at a cost of £141, some stones which were thrown up by the storm.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will ascertain from the constabulary, in continuation of in formation given a few years ago on the same subject, the number of grazing farms and evicted farms held respectively by presidents and vice-presidents, secretaries, treasurers, and members of the committees of the United Irish League. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I have nothing to add to the Answer which I gave to the hon. Member's similar Question on the 15th instant, namely, that the Government have no information on this subject and do not propose to make inquiries in the matter.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether reinforced concrete has been used by his Department for constructional purposes at Woolwich or elsewhere; and, if so, whether the work has been applied above ground or in foundations; whether it has given satisfaction; whether it has been found economical; whether the War Office have experienced any accidents in the execution of the work; and what is the date of the earliest instance of such work executed for his Department. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) Reinforced concrete has been employed to a considerable extent in construction both at Woolwich Dockyard and at Woolwich Arsenal. This material has been made use of in foundations, in piling, and above ground, and is considered to be satisfactory and economical. No accidents have been experienced either during execution or since occupation. The first instance of its use there was in the construction of a storehouse at Woolwich Dockyard, erected between October, 1904, and September, 1905. In addition to the above reinforced con-concrete has been employed in the construction of a roof and stairway in Cairo in 1905, and was found economical and satisfactory.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether a decision has been arrived at respecting the re-arming of the Yeomanry; and whether they are to be armed with the sword and short rifle as in the Regular Cavalry. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) it is not at present contemplated to arm the Yeomanry with the sword. The short rifle and sword bayonet will be issued to them.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether, if one man joins the Civil Service at the age of nineteen, and another joins the Army at the same age and obtains, on his discharge at the age of twenty-six, a Civil Service appointment, and both men, their total service to the State being equal, are superannuated at the age of sixty, the first man, whose service has been entirely civil, receives the maximum pension of forty-sixtieths of his total salary, while the other man, not being able to count his military service, receives only thirty-four sixtieths of his total salary; and, if this is so, whether, in view of the fact that the man who gives military service to the State undertakes far greater responsibilities and dangers, military service will be allowed to count towards pension. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) Will the hon. Baronet kindly refer to the reply given by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to a Question put on this subject on 15th May, by the hon. Member for Shoreditch?†

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies why only five native policemen are considered sufficient for the protection of St. Helena; and what special provision is made to deal with a possible insurrection. (Answered by Mr. Churchill.) The police force of St. Helena is adequate to deal with the small amount of petty crime which exists, and it is not thought necessary to make any special provision for dealing with such a contingency as that suggested.

To ask the Under secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will consider the advisability of sending the Cape or South American squadrons to St. Helena and using it as a training ground, and thus keeping the present fortifications, upon which hundreds of thousands of pounds have been spent, and which would assist the Colony and prevent the buildings being ruined (Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) The Admiralty have recently arranged for three ships proceeding to or from the Cape station to call at St. Helena. I have reason to believe these visits have assisted the Colony financially. I can, however, give no pledge as to the frequency of such visits in future, as they must depend upon naval requirements.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if any steps have been taken to compensate the farmers

† See(4) Debates, clxxiv, 957.

and landowners of St. Helena, who, acting on the advice of Crown officials, invested their all in cattle and land in order to provide for the troops, now withdrawn, the result of which has been ruin to farmers. (Answered by Mr. Churchill.) There is no official record of any advice given by Crown officials in the sense indicated in the hon. Member's Question; therefore, while sympathising with the difficulties in which the farmers find themselves, His Majesty's Government have not felt able to deal with their case differently from that of other members of the community.

To ask the Under-secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that Mr. J. Homagee, I. S. O., magistrate in St. Helena, has been reduced in salary by £30 after having completed forty years' service, and was entitled to a pension on his previous salary; whether, in view of the fact that this official remaining on active service is a saving of £400, he can say why his salary has been reduced: and if he will take action to have it restored. (Answered by Mr. Churchill.) Mr. Homagee's salary was reduced at the beginning of this year, together with others, under a necessary scheme of retrenchment. Until the finances of St. Helena show a marked improvement it will be impossible to restore his and other salaries to their former figures, but Mr. Homagee has been promised that when the time comes for his retirement, his pension will be calculated on his previous and not on his present emoluments.

To ask the Under secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that, in the event of the Governor of St. Helena acting illegally, the person or persons injured have no opportunity of obtaining an appeal unless able to deposit a large sum of money, before such appeal will be allowed; and whether, in view of this fact, he will consider the advisability of reducing the amount of deposit in order that the poorer classes may have the protection of the higher court. (Answered by Mr. Churchill.) The fee to he paid on petition from this Supreme Court of St. Helena to the Privy Council is £5, which cannot be considered prohibitive in the case of persons able to afford the other expenses of such an appeal. The Supreme Court is empowered to require security to be given for costs, etc., before an appeal is allowed, and the Secretary of State does not think it would be wise to dispense with this.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that British insurance companies decline to insure employees engaged in this country for service in British Central Africa owing to the uncertainty which exists as to the law which runs in that Protectorate; and whether he can now give the House any information as to whether the Workmen's Compensation Act is in force in the said Protectorate. (Answered by Mr. Churchill.) My hon. friend's Question refers to a matter which is still under the consideration of the Department, and I think it will be of advantage if I defer my reply for the present.

To ask the Secretary for Scotland if he will state the number of public schools on the mainland of Ross-shire to which a water supply is not laid on, and the names of such schools. (Answered by Mr. Sinclair.) The number of schools in this position is forty-seven, and the names are as follows—Easter Ross District.—Ardross, Crocik, Lubcroy, Hill of Fearn, Kilmuir Easter, Newmore, Tullich.Black Isle District.— Arpafeelie, Cullicudden, Drumsrnittal, Killen, Newhall, Peddieston, Sore.Mid Ross District.—Achduart Achiltibuie, Achnasheen Altandhu, Badralloch, Boath Bordbuie, Ferin- tosh, Islemartin, Kinlochluichart, Mulbuie Scatwell, Strathcannaird, Strathconan, Tanera (Ardindrean).Western District.— Arinacrinachd, Cuaig, Dibaig, Inverasdale, Isle Horisdale, Kallakillie, Laide, Mellon Udrigle, Melvaig, Opinin, Pollewe, Sand.South Western District.—Ardineaskan, Auchmore, Dornie, Inverinate, Killilan, Shiel. It must not be inferred that the authorities concerned acquiesce in the view that it is necessary to have a supply of water "laid on," even if it were possible, to every single school.

To ask the Secretary for Scotland, having regard to the fact that the recently issued Report of the Com missioners in Lunacy for Scotland, shows at Chapter XVI. that the local authorities in the Island of Lewis have made representations in regard to the heavy burden imposed upon the rates by pauper lunacy, will he state how he proposes to meet these representations, especially bearing in mind that the proposal to accommodate harmless lunatics in the poorhouses at Stornoway did not commend itself to the chairman and the two medical Commissioners when they visited the poorhouse. (Answered by Mr. Sinclair.) Accommodation of harmless lunatics in the poor-house at Stornoway has not been rejected in principle by the Board of Lunacy. The proposal suggested by the Committee of the Lewis combination would not have provided for a sufficient number of patients to justify the institution of lunatic wards. If the proposal is amended so as to increase the accommodation the matter is still open to consideration.

To ask the Secretary for Scotland, in view of the fact that no pro vision is made in the Small Landholders (Scotland) Bill for the supply of water in insanitary districts in the congested area of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, such as the Island of Lewis, and that the local authority have no adequate funds with which to undertake the work, will he state whether he has yet applied to the Treasury for the requisite assistance; and, if not, will he explain the cause of the delay, especially bearing in mind that nearly every outbreak of fever in the island has been attributed to the defective water supply. (Answered by Mr. Sinclair.) I cannot do more than refer my hon. friend to the reply given to him on the 8th instant.†

To ask the Postmaster-General, having regard to the fact that during the last ten years letters delivered at Stornoway have increased from 458,328 to 863,824, letters posted from 353,704 to 679,224, parcels delivered from 19,708 to 48,204, parcels posted from 11,180 to 24,128, and seeing that these figures show that the postal work at Stornoway has doubled in the short space of ten years, will he state whether he can now see his way to place a faster and better steamer on the service, especially bearing in mind that in former years this concession has been withheld on the plea that the correspondence, etc., dealt with at Stornoway did not warrant the increased expenditure. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) The increase in the Stornoway mails to which the hon. Member refers has been accompanied by a substantial increase in the cost of the postal service in the Stornoway district, but I am looking further into the question.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether he can state the name of the person whose tender has been accepted for the Bellaghy and Castledawson mail-car service; whether it was the lowest tender sent in; and, if not, on what grounds any lower tenders were not accepted. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) The tender of Mr. W. B. Kennedy, the previous contractor, has been accepted for the Bellaghy and Castledawson mail-car service. This tender was not the lowest, but the difference was so trifling that I considered it inadvisable to make

† See (4) Debates, clxxvii, 1165

any change, as the present contractor had given complete satisfaction.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether letters from Shanghai to this country, or vice versa, are ever sent via the Trans-Siberian Railway; if so, what is the time occupied upon the journey as compared with the time taken by other routes; and what is the cost of conveyance per pound of mail matter as compared with other routes. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) Letters are sent from the British Postal Agency at Shanghai to this country, and vice versa, by the Trans-Siberian Railway when marked by the senders for trans mission by that route. The approximate time of transit from London to Shanghai by the different routes available for the conveyance of mails is as follows—

To ask the Postmaster-General whether firms that pay from 1s. to 7s. per week less than the standard rate of wage to their employees are invited to tender for work in connection with his Department; whether the tenders of such firms are accepted, providing they agree to pay the standard rate to the workmen directly employed on such contracts; and whether firms that conduct their business on these lines are complying with the fair wages clause inserted in Government contracts. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) The fair wages clause relates expressly to work performed under the contract, and to that alone, and does not enable me to control the wages paid by a contractor for other work. At the same time, if it came to my knowledge that a firm was habitually paying low wages in connection with its private work compared with the rate which it was paying under Post Office contract, I should take that fact into consideration when assigning further contracts.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether instructions have been given to local postmasters to canvass civilians for the employment of telegraph messengers of the age of six teen; and whether, instead of discharging these boys to swell the ranks of the un employed, he will retain till the age of eighteen those willing to serve in the Regular Army, and will guarantee them employment in the Post Office after they have completed their services with the colours and been discharged with a good character. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I have recently initiated measures for organising and extending the efforts frequently made by local postmasters to obtain good employment for telegraph messengers for whom there are no permanent outlets in the Post Office; and I am happy to say with much success. I do not think that ex-telegraph messengers of good character swell the ranks of the unemployed. The boys are. no doubt, well aware of the arrangement under which soldiers, discharged with good character, have for many years past been given a proportion of postmen's places.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the new system of counting multiple address and multiple page telegrams results in a financial loss to sub-post masters; and whether he intends taking steps to compensate them for this reduction of income. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) The new system— of counting, taken as a whole— will not result in a financial loss to sub-postmasters as a class, on the whole it will tend to increase their emoluments. In a few individual cases the new system might bear hardly, and I am in communication with the Treasury with the view of obviating any hardship in these few cases.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board, having regard to the fact that during the last financial year the Board paid to a con tractor a sum of £860 17s. 6d. in respect of hire of 505 calves, used for the production of glycerinated calf lymph, will he state for what period these calves were on an average kept at the national vaccine establishment; and will he explain why, in the Estimates for the current year, a sum of £1,350 is set down for the supply of calves and a further sum of £740 for the keep of calves, whilst there is no indication of money being paid for the hire or use of calves for the production of glycerinated calf lymph. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) The sum of £1,350 represents the estimated amount for the hire of calves for the production of glycerinated calf lymph, and the sum of £740 the estimated cost of their keep whilst at the national vaccine establishment. They have usually remained there about a fortnight. I will consider whether any alteration should be made in the form of the Estimate relating to this matter.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board, seeing that the Colwyn Bay Council now realise that the water supply is insufficient, will he ascertain whether any steps are being taken to augment the supply, especially in view of the increased demand for water during the holiday season. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) The district is supplied with water by the Conway and Colwyn Bay Joint Water Supply Board. The district council, who are one of the constituent authorities of the Joint Board, have for some time been pressing them to lay an additional main from the intake in Lake Cowlyd, so as to supply more water into the constituent districts, and about a week ago the Joint Board resolved to seek powers next session to take more water from the lake.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that to some workhouses boards of guardians have appointed paid Anglican chaplains, to others paid Nonconformist chaplains, and to others unpaid Nonconformist chaplains; and whether workhouse chaplains must be paid, and from what denominations paid or, if allowed, unpaid chaplains must be selected. (Answered by Mr. John Bums.) A person holding the office of chaplain to a workhouse must be a clergyman of the Church of England, and he usually receives a salary, but in some instances this is not the case. It is also competent for the guardians, if the circumstances render it expedient, to appoint and pay a religious instructor of any denomination for the purpose of giving religious assistance and instruction to the inmates. No inmate, however, can be required to attend any service which may be celebrated in a mode contrary to his religious principles.

To ask the Vice- President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether his attention has been called to the repeated complaints that the Churn Rock in Ardglass Harbour, county Down, has caused numerous boat wrecks and loss of life, and that it is an obstruction to navigation, fatal to the development of the harbour, and detrimental to the fishing industry; and whether, having regard to the small cost at which the rock could be removed, steps to that end will be taken without further delay. (Answered' by Mr. T. W. Russell) No application has been made to the Department on the subject of the removal of the Churn Rock, which is in Ardglass Harbour. The matter was considered by the Piers and Harbours Commissioners in the year 1884. These Commissioners did not feel justified in allocating to the improvement of this royal harbour any portion of the sea fisheries funds provided by 26 and 27 Vict., c. 26. The interference with the herring fishing from Ardglass is not such as would induce the Department to expend their funds, which are limited in amount, in removing the Churn Rock. It has been estimated that the removal of the rock in question would cost about £2,000.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury when the evidence given before the Parliamentary Debates Select Committee will be printed and circulated among Members; whether the Government have decided what action they intend to take in regard to the Report of that Committee; and whether it is the intention of the Government to make new arrangements as to the reporting staff before the end of the present session. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) The matter is receiving very careful consideration, but I am not able to make any statement at present.

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, in view of the fact that the Departmental Committee appointed to inquire into the position of the civil servants on the Ordnance Survey in 1892 stated, on page 10 of their Report, that there was no apparent necessity for making this Paper a confidential circular, will the President of the Board reconsider his decision, and, if he cannot grant a copy of the regulations as a whole, will he give particulars of the rates of pay governing these civil servants, so that they may know the conditions of their service, and in that respect be placed on a similar footing to the civil servants in other public departments. (Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) My noble friend has looked into this question again, but he does not see his way to alter his decision in the matter.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now able to say when the general regulations for the guidance of local authorities in the administration of the Weights and Measures Acts will be issued, and whether, if he is unable to name the exact date of their issue, he can give an assurance that the regulations will be laid before Parliament, in accordance with Section 5, Subsection 3, of the Weights and Measures Act, 1904, before the end of the present session. (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) I have every hope that these regulations will be laid before Parliament before the end of the session.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases the officers who were recently sent from London to examine the stock in the Liverpool warehouses were instructed to pay a second visit to the same premises; how many casks wore examined; how many showed ordinary losses, how many special losses, and how many chargeable losses on each occasion; and how many of the chargeable losses found by the visiting officers were paid by the firm in question and how many have been remitted. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) In only one instance was a second visit paid to any Liverpool bonded warehouse by the officers recently detailed in the ordinary course for examination of stock. The object of such an examination is for revenue purposes only, and it is not in the public interest to divulge the information thus obtained. It may, however, be stated that the Board of Customs are satisfied with the integrity of the stock and that no irregularity had taken place in the warehouse in question.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the amount of credit balance and the amount on deposit in the joint stock banks for the last financial year in Great Britain, and in Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, Austria-Hungary, and Sweden; and will he state the amounts on deposit in the Post Office Savings Bank and the Trustee Savings Banks for the above countries, where figures are available, for the last financial year. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) I have no official statistics as to the amount of deposits in joint stock banks either in this country or abroad. As regards savings banks in the United Kingdom, on the 31st December, 1906 (the close of the Post Office Savings Bank year) the amount due to depositors in the Post Office Savings Banks was £155,966.446; and on 20th November, 1906 (the close of the Trustee Savings Bank year), the amount due to depositors in the Trustee Savings Banks was £53.009.299. I have not the information which would enable me to answer the hon. Member's Question relative to foreign savings banks in a complete manner; but I would refer him to pages 170 to 205 of the Board of Trade Blue Book, British and Foreign Trade and Industry [Cd. 2337], where the subject is very fully treated.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the existing order as to probate fees, is over thirty years old, and that, while ad valorem court fees are chargeable, under it (in respect of personal estate), no such fees are levied on real estate comprised in a probate of letters of administration; if he will take steps to provide for the issue of a new order by which ad valorem court fees may be levied rateably on both real and personal estate; and if he will have such new order framed in. such a way that the ad valorem court fees may increase; instead of decrease proportionately with the value of the real and personal estate. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) I am aware that the existing table of fees is more than thirty years old, but it Was reaffirmed by the Supreme Court Fees Order of 1884. Under the Act 38 and 39 Vict., c. 77, s. 26, the fees are fixed by the Lord Chancellor with the advice and consent of the Judges of the Supreme Court, or any three of them, and with the concurrence of the Treasury. It there-fore does not rest with the Treasury to take the initiative in proposing any alteration, but, as at present advised, I see no sufficient reason for proposing an increase in the total amount of the fees.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, as the line of demarcation between second and third-class clerkships in the Land Commission has been removed, and as the nominal promotion from third class does not confer any extra benefits or privileges on clerks so promoted, whether he can state what is gained by preserving the distinction in name between the two classes; and whether, seeing that these classes are amalgamated, both will be described as second-class clerks. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The manner in which the line of demarcation between second and third-class clerks has been modified in the interests of the latter class is fully stated in my Answer to the hon. Member's Question on 1st May last.†The Land Commission do not consider it desirable to adopt the suggestion contained in the latter part of the present Question.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the fact that there are third-class clerks in the Land Commission at present in receipt of a larger salary than the initial salary of a second-class clerk in that office, while rising to the same maximum salary by the same annual increment, and that owing to the slow rate of promotion in this Department no third-class clerk can hope to be promoted before he has reached by annual increment a salary, at least, as large as the initial salary of a second-class clerk, whether he can state the

† See(4) Debates, clxxiii, 851–2

advantages, if any, gained by promotion from a third-class to a second-class clerkship in that office. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) There are a few third-class clerks in the offices of the Land Commission who receive special allowances for acting as private secretaries to the Commissioners, or for other special duty, and whose total remuneration is, therefore, in some instances higher than the initial salaries of second-class clerks. Otherwise the statement in the first part of the Question is misleading as to the relative positions as regards salary and increment which are occupied by third and second-class clerks. The suggestion that no third-class clerk can hope to be promoted before he has reached by annual increment a salary at least as large as the initial salary of a second-class clerk is based on an incorrect assumption as to the facts.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will explain why Messrs. Jenkins, Monsell, and Eckersley have been promoted to their respective new positions in the Local Government Board over officials having longer services and possessing equal merit; and who is responsible for those appointments. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) Mr. Monsell's promotion took place six years ago. Messrs. Jenkins and Eckersley have recently been promoted in their own Department, but not over officials of longer service possessing equal qualifications for the posts. The promotions were made by the permanent head of the Local Government Board in accordance with the Treasury regulations.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in the case of estates purchased under the Land Act of 1903, the mineral rights are vested in the Land Commission; whether the Land Commission have power to deal with the mineral rights; and whether he proposes to arrange that a geological survey of Ireland should be made with a view that the county councils may take advantage of and utilise any discoveries of mineral wealth within their districts. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) In reply to the first part of the Question I would refer to Sections 13 and 99 of the Irish Land Act, 1903. A Bill for the purpose of enabling the Land Commission to dispose of mineral rights vested in them has been introduced by the Government, and is at present before Parliament. The Government do not propose to under take any geological survey of Ireland other than that which is at present being carried out under the Department of Agriculture.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state the number of first-class clerks, higher-grade clerks, abstractors, and other clerks employed in the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland, the Board of Works, the Local Government Board, Valuation Office, and Registry of Deeds, respectively, and the proportion of higher appointments and staff officerships in each of these Departments as compared with the whole clerical staff employed. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I must refer the hon. Member to the Estimates for the current year, which give the particulars asked for.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state the proportion of higher appointments and staff officer-ships in. the Land Commission as com pared with the whole clerical staff employed in these offices; whether he can state the character of the distribution of higher appointments and staff officerships in this Department, bearing in mind these averages and the technical and legal nature of the duties assigned to the clerks employed in the Land Commission offices. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I would refer the hon. Member to my Answers to his Questions on this subject on 19th March and 1st May last, to which I have nothing to add.†

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he recognises that a teachers' retiring room is a necessary adjunct to a good school building; and will he instruct the Board of Works in future to permit the cost of the inclusion of such rooms in the estimates on which the State grant is based. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The new plans for schoolhouses do not provide for private rooms for the teachers. The provision of such rooms would greatly increase the cost.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state what progress has been made in connection with the purchase of the Pollock estate, near Creggs, county Galway, and what amount of land there will be available for distribution in the event of the purchase being completed. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners have considered their inspectors' report on this estate, but will not be in a position to make a formal offer for purchase until the vendor's title is clear. Further inquiries in the matter are being made. It is anticipated that, if the purchase should be effected, over 2,000 acres of untenanted land will be available for distribution.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is yet in a position to state the result of the interview between the engineer to the Irish Board of Works and the engineer to the Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland, as to the cost of construction of the proposed railway from Mallaranny, county Mayo, to Belmullet. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The negotiations in this matter have not yet terminated. The Government are using

† See(4) Debates, clxxi, 639: clxxiii, 851–2

all possible efforts to bring this matter to a satisfactory conclusion, and in the meantime it would not be desirable to state the progress of the negotiations piecemeal.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can say what progress has been made by the Estates Commissioners with regard to the purchase of the untenanted land on the Synan estate, situate at Carnane, near Fedamore, in the county of Limerick; whether the purchase price has been agreed on; and, if so, will the lands be soon divided. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners made a provisional offer last month for the purchase of the untenanted land on the Carnane portion of this estate, but the owner has postponed his decision upon the offer until the Commissioners shall have inspected the remainder of the estate in other parts of the county, and have made a proposal for the purchase of the entire estate.

To ask the Prime Minister whether any conclusion has been arrived at with respect to the proposed all-red route for mail communication, travel, and transportation, which was declared by unanimous re solution of the Imperial Conference to be demanded in the interests of the Empire; and whether His Majesty's Government are prepared to recommend Parliament to accord financial support to this scheme. (Answered by Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman.) The matter is still under consideration, and I am not in a position to make any announcement.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will grant a statement showing the present age, length of service, and annual emoluments of each officer in the Departments under his control who, during the past ten years, entered by the Higher Division Class I., examination; the number of abstractors (assistant clerks), with from one to ten years' service, who are in receipt of less than £100 per annum; and the number of men who have entered by nomination during each of the last ten years. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) The hon. Member has put down Questions of a similar character respecting a number of other public Departments. My right hon. friends concerned and myself are agreed that we should not be justified in authorising the collection of these statistics, which in our opinion would involve an expenditure of time and labour out of all proportion to any result obtainable.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if he will state the names of the persons who were responsible in the Ayrshire Foundry Company for fraudulently supplying a defective rudder to H.M.S. "King Edward VII."

I am informed that the Memorial submitted to the Scottish Law Officers in 1904 contained no imputation whatever against any director of this company except Mr. Marshall, the managing director, and that in his case the accusation was made by one person and denied by three. No criminal prosecution appears to have been considered expedient in 1904, and in the opinion of the Lord Advocate it would be out of the question now.

Then is nobody to be punished in this matter?

I have said no criminal prosecution appears to have been considered expedient.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will state what is the present armament of H. M. S. "Blake" and H.M.S. "Blenheim," which are to be converted into mother ships for destroyers. I beg also to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will state what are the modifications to be made in the armaments of the cruisers H.M.S. "Blake" and H.M.S "Blenheim."

The original armament of the "Blake" and "Blenheim" was two 9·2·inches, ten 6-inches, and sixteen 3-pounders. The modified armament as mother ships for destroyers will be four 6-inches, four 12-pounders, six 6-pounders. The conversion is now in progress.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty when it. is proposed to replace the two destroyers belonging to the flotilla at Malta which have been lost recently.

Only one destroyer has been lost and this will not be replaced.

Why is not the lost one to be replaced?

Because in the opinion of the Admiralty it is not considered necessary.

Was it the intention of the Admiralty to bring it home from the Mediterranean before it was lost?

I cannot say.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if the Home Fleet, in addition to taking part in the review in August, will execute any evolutions under steam as a fighting Fleet this summer.

The reply is in the affirmative.

asked whether the Home Fleet was to be exercised at night.

said the Home Fleet would be exercised at the discretion of the Commander-in-Chief.

said that was not his point. The important part of his Question was whether the Fleet would be exercised at night.

I am not competent to state what will be considered necessary. It is within the discretion of the Commander-in-Chief. He will do what ever is necessary for the efficiency of the Fleet, I am sure.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if, in a time of profound peace, when our battleships and cruisers are anchored in the waters near Portsmouth and elsewhere, any precautions are taken which would make it impossible for a treacherous foe to surprise our vessels and destroy them with torpedoes; and, if not, will he consider what means should be taken to provide against such a contingency?

I think my hon. friend's Question can hardly be intended seriously, but I may say by way of reply, that an attack on the Fleet by a friendly nation at a period of profound peace, without any warning, is not, in the opinion of the Board of Admiralty, a possible contingency.

I will raise this Question at the proper time.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty why the White Paper on the Naval Strength of the Powers was published in the Press on 18th July, while it had not then been received at the Vote Office?

This Return was ordered to be printed by the House of Lords, and the subsequent arrangements were undertaken by its officers.

Is it not the habit to supply Lords' Papers to Members of this House, and is it not the fact that though this Paper was issued on Thursday morning it was not in the Vote Office of the House of Commons till Friday afternoon?

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether any of the contracts connected with the clothing of the Regular Army and the Militia have in the last year been placed in Wales; and, if so, where, and to what extent?

During the financial year ended 31st March, 1907, no contracts for clothing and clothing materials were placed in Wales.

Will Wales get some of the contracts in future?

We are always glad to give them to Wales if we can.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he can give the age of the two privates, Doyle and Sproute, of the 4th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, who are stated to have died from the heat on the 16th instant after the sham fight at Irvine Moor, and the average age of the other thirty-five men who had to go to the hospital on the same occasion.

Private Doyle was forty-seven years of age and Private Sproute forty-four. Only eleven other cases due to heat were treated and all had returned to duty by the 18th; the average age of these men was twenty-three years.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can state which are the Volunteer units which will be destroyed in order to give effect to the reduction of the force from 219 battalions, as at present, to the 168 battalions of the Territorial Army.

The reply is in the negative. Until the Associations are formed it would be quite impracticable to attempt to devise in detail any such re construction of the existing Volunteer battalions. The reductions in point of units will probably not be as great as the right hon. Gentleman seems to imagine.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether an Estimate of the total numbers of the Territorial Army likely to be actually available for active service in the field was made before the Bill proposing to establish the force was submitted to Parliament; and, if so, what was the number of men then estimated as likely to be available; and has the Estimate been varied by the withdrawal of the Militia from the Territorial Army.

The Answer to the first part of this Question is in the affirmative. The mobile troops, as apart from purely coast defence troops, according to the estimate presented to Parliament [Cd. 3296] will consist of fourteen mounted brigades, fourteen divisions with certain Army troops and line of communication troops, or about 291,000 officers and men in all. The numbers required for the Special Contingent were not included in this Estimate, and the fact that the Militia is now to form part of the Special Contingent does not in any way affect the numbers of the Territorial Army.

Are the figures given in the Return actual or merely nominal figures? Do they take into account the necessary withdrawals from the field force?

What withdrawals?

Men ill, or men who for other reasons are unable to respond when called out.

The right hon. Gentleman asked for an estimate, and I have given one.

I want to know what will be the available field force in time of war for the Territorial Field Army.

That is not the Question on the Paper. I have given him the estimate asked for in the Question.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, in spite of the definite and categorical pledge given on behalf of the Army Council by the Under-Secretary of State that there would be no reduction in the artillery till trained Militiamen, liable to serve abroad, can take their place, the establishment and the strength of both the Royal Garrison Artillery and of the Royal Horse and Field Artillery have already been reduced; whether, in view of the great importance of maintaining an adequate trained artillery force, he can now give an assurance that he does not propose to adhere to his announced intention of reducing the Regular Horse and Field Artillery by sixty-seven officers and 3,700 other ranks; and whether, if he is unable to give this information, he will state on what grounds of public policy he considers it necessary to refuse it to the House of Commons.

In the various replies I have given to the right hon. Gentleman I have made it perfectly clear that the pledge with regard to Horse and Field Artillery to which he refers, and which was concerned with the general scheme of reorganisation, has been strictly adhered to. Not a single field battery has been done away with by me. The last reduction of the sort was made by the right hon. Gentleman himself, who, in 1905, brought home a field battery from Egypt and abolished it. The only diminution in Horse and Field Artillery which has taken place in my time is the consolidation for administrative reasons of certain artillery depots, and the placing on the lower establishment of six batteries which came home from South Africa last year. I have not in any way broken my pledge, as suggested by the right hon. Gentleman, nor have I failed to give the House the fullest information available. May I, in view of what I have now said many times over, express the hope that the right hon. Gentleman and the hon. Member for Stepney, who was associated with him in the discharge of his duties as my pre- decessor in office, will now rest content. For I have nothing to add to the in formation given in this Answer and in my Answer to the similar Question put to me on behalf of the right hon. Gentleman on the 1st inst.†—nor do I propose to give to him any further undertaking of any sort or kind.

asked the right, hon. Gentleman to answer the first Question, whether it was a fact that, in spite of a pledge given, the Royal Horse and Field Artillery and the Royal Garrison Artillery had been reduced by nearly 5,000 men. The second Question he had asked several times. Did the right hon. Gentleman adhere to the announcement made in the House that the Horse and Field Artillery were to be reduced by 3,700 men and sixty-seven officers; did the right hon. Gentleman still propose that?

The Answer to the first Question is, No. As to the second Question, I do not propose to add a single word to the Answer I have given.

I am putting a perfectly reasonable Question on a matter of public policy upon which I submit I might expect; an Answer; I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the statement made in the House last year to the effect that he proposed to reduce the Horse and Field Artillery by 3,700 men and 67 officers still forms part of the right hon. Gentleman's policy. The Answer to that Question has not been given before, and has not been given to-day.

An Answer to that appears on the Estimates. I have given the Answer over and over again, and decline to give it again.

I am in the recollection of the House, and I submit that no Answer has ever been given.

This is in the nature of a debate.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say if the strength of the Garrison

† See(4) Debates, clxxvii, 346

Artillery has been reduced since he took office?

The Question refers to Horse and Field Artillery, not Garrison Artillery. ["Yes."] Will the hon. Gentleman point out where Garrison Artillery is mentioned? ["Line 5."]

reminded the right hon. Gentleman that the Question was "whether the establishment and strength of both the Royal Garrison Artillery and the Royal Horse and Field Artillery have already been reduced."

That appears on the Estimates; of course they have been reduced in pursuance of the policy recommended by the Committee appointed by the right hon. Gentleman, which I have carried out.

again asked was it a fact or not that, in spite of the pledge given, the Garrison, Horse and Field Artillery had been greatly reduced since the right hon. Gentleman had been in office.

This has nothing to do with the Garrison Artillery, as the right hon. Gentleman must know; as to the other Question, I have already answered.

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman did not in July last make the statement that the Horse and Field Artillery would be reduced by 3,700 men and sixty-seven officers.

The hon. Member can inform himself upon that point.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he is able to give the House any information as to the means by which the services of the band of the Royal Artillery were obtained for a meeting of the Prim rose League at Southgate on the 22nd June.

The applicant appears on inquiry to have been under the impression that an entertainment to Members of the Primrose League given at his own expense and in his own grounds would not be a political meeting. Moreover, he has informed the Army Council that the statutes of the Primrose League declare that this League is independent of Party politics. The view of the Army Council is that both of these impressions were erroneous, and the applicant has been informed that the statement which he originally made that the meeting for which he asked for the services of the band would not be a political one was in military opinion ill-founded.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if a consignment of dog muzzles has been recently ordered by the Rhodesian Administration for the purpose of stamping out rabies among native dogs.

It appears from the report of the Medical Director for 1906 that rabies, which first appeared in Southern Rhodesia in 1902, became more prevalent and more generally distributed in 1906 than in any previous year. Regulations were accordingly enacted with regard to the muzzling of dogs and other measures calculated to check the disease, and 20,000 muzzles have been ordered for distribution to natives. The Chief Native Commissioner of Matabeleland reports that the Matabele are much alarmed at the spread of the disease, and are killing off their own dogs in large numbers.

Was the consent of the native chiefs obtained before the order was given?

I do not know, but I do not suppose it would be possible to enforce the order without their co operation.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Legislative Assembly of the Cape Colony has passed a resolution thanking His Majesty's Government for the grant of self-government recently made to the Transvaal and Orange River Colonies; and, if so, will he say what were the terms of the resolution and by what majority was it passed.

On the 2nd July the Cape House of Assembly unanimously passed the following resolution: "This House records its satisfaction with the policy pursued by His Majesty's Government in granting free Parliamentary institutions to the Transvaal and Orange River Colonies, and expresses its confidence that the result of that policy will be to assure peace and prosperity, and to promote the ultimate union of His Majesty's dominions in South Africa."

I beg to ask the Under secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the fact that practically all native risings and unrest have been caused by the apprehension that they will be deprived, one way or another, of their lands, he will make it clear that the native reserves in East Africa are inalienable.

I beg at the same time to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, when creating native reserves in British East Africa, he will consider the possibility of placing them in the hands of trustees with a view to prevent them being alienated at any time.

The Secretary of State concurs fully in the principle that a native reserve, when once established, shall be inalienable except with the consent of the natives themselves, and upon its being proved to the satisfaction of the Secretary of State that alteration is required. When I informed the hon. Member in reply to his Question of the 17th of this month that there was no present intention of rescinding the Kikoyo reservation I did not mean to suggest that there would be any arbitrary or unjust confiscation in the future, but it is possible that, circumstances may arise, such as the increase or decrease of a tribe, the failure of certain staple articles of food within a reserve, a deterioration in its sanitary condition, etc., which would render an alteration of its bound- aries or location both just and desirable. I need scarcely say, however, that any proposed change of this kind would be most closely scrutinised by the Government, which in this matter, as in all others affecting the welfare of the natives, would act as their trustees.

My Question was whether the Government would consider the desirability of placing the reserves in the hands of trustees?

I have said the Government will act as trustees.

I suggested private individuals should act. I have not so much confidence in the Government.

asked if the Answer would apply equally to Basutoland?

No doubt it will apply generally.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the rising importance of the East Africa, and Uganda Protectorates and the questions which must continually come before the Colonial Office, he could take an early opportunity of visiting the country and making himself personally acquainted with some of the problems.

Lord Elgin has asked me whether I could arrange to visit the Protectorates in question during the autumn recess, and I am of course very glad to place myself at his disposal.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of. State for the Colonies whether, in view of the demand made upon the services of Imperial troops by the continuance of the strike on the Band, and the danger both of diminishing the white population and reviving racial animosities, His Majesty's Government will consider the advisability of using their friendly offices with the Transvaal Government for the purpose of bringing about a termination of the strike by arbitration, or such other method as may commend itself to that Government.

The Secretary of State fully sympathises with the desire of the hon. and learned Member to put an end to this unhappy commercial conflict, with its grave and destructive influences. But all the information at our disposal goes to show that the Government of the Transvaal is quite alive to the difficulties of the situation, and is in close touch with both sides in the dispute.

asked as to the position of the strike now?

The information we have received from South Africa is very full, but it does not reach us, now that responsible Government is established, until it is settled in the form of minutes or despatches from the Lieutenant-Governor. We have not had any later telegraphic communication.

asked how long it was intended the troops should remain there doing police duty.

That raises a considerable matter of policy which I cannot answer.

Have the Imperial Government named any date beyond which the Imperial troops will not be required.

Not at present.

I beg to ask the Under secretary of State for the Colonies whether the armed forces at Zomba are being reduced.

There has been some reduction in the number of troops at Zomba since March last, as the force of King's African Rifles in the British Central Africa Protectorate generally has been reduced by two companies.

Are further reductions contemplated?

I do not know.

I beg to ask the Under-secretary of State for the Colonies whether any, and, if so, what, statutory conditions governing the importation of labour into the Transvaal prevent British subjects from St. Helena from working in the Transvaal mines.

I am advised that natives of St. Helena could not be introduced into the Transvaal at the present time except in accordance with the provisions of the Labour Importation Ordinance, 1904.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will see that British interests in Asia Minor are safe guarded with special reference to the avoidance of any monopoly in railway construction, with exclusive advantage to any single Power.

My right hon. friend is not aware that any railways have been constructed with exclusive advantage to any single Power. The last concession for railway construction in Asia Minor was granted to a British company. My right hon. friend is fully alive to the importance of safe guarding British interests in Asiatic Turkey; but he is not aware that any concessions for railways likely to prove detrimental to those interests have been granted recently.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Kaid Sir Harry Maclean is still a prisoner in Morocco; and if there is any news as to his safety and well-being.

According to the latest reports received from His Majesty's Minister at Tangier, Sir Harry Mac lean is still in the hands of Raisuli, but His Majesty's Government have no reason to fear for his personal safety and well-being.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Government of France have made any representations to His Majesty's Government on the Lambert affair; whether the Government of France consider Mr. Dunlop's action as contrary to the spirit of the Treaty of 1904; and whether, in the interests of the entente cordiale, His Majesty's Government will recommend the Government of Egypt to reappoint M. Lambert as principal of the Khedivial Law School, or, failing him, to consult the wishes of the French Government.

No representations have been made by the French Government, and my right hon. friend has nothing to add to the Answer given to the hon. Member on the 16th instant,†

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can state how many horse-taximeter cabs are now awaiting registration, and for what reason registration up to now has been refused; and on what grounds objection is taken to horse-taximeter cabs plying for a lesser fare than that fixed by statute.

I cannot say how many owners of horse-cabs wish to fit them with taximeters. As I have already explained, my intention is to enable every cab to use a taximeter. The law officers, however, advise me that the taximeters which have up to now been submitted for use with horse-cabs do not comply with the existing statutory requirements; so that the only means of effecting my purpose is by legislation, which I hope to introduce in the course of a few days.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of the Metropolitan Police Force are now proficient in Yiddish; and

† See(4) Debates, clxxviii,535

how many of them are now studying that language.

Fifteen men are reported to be tolerably proficient, and twenty-five others to be studying.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the friends of Richard Coles, who was found insane at the last Winchester assizes and is at present confined at Broadmoor, have petitioned him to confine Coles in the Hampshire County Asylum, as they are too poor to visit him at that distance from Hampshire; and whether, in view of the fact that the prisoner is perfectly quiet and suffers from depression, he will cause him to be transferred to the county asylum.

Yes, I have received an application to that effect and have given it very careful consideration. I regret, however, that in view of all the circumstances of the case I do not feel justified in authorising the patient's removal from Broadmoor. The patient tried to murder his wife, and the case is more suitable for Broadmoor than for a county asylum.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the relations of this man are extremely poor?

Yes, Sir, I have taken all the circumstances into consideration.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there are any statistics to show the number of prisoners placed under observation because of their mental condition; what is the policy of the Department towards the number who may be classified as irresponsibles; and whether he would be willing to grant a Return of such prisoners in all our chief prisons.

Both in local and in convict prisons those prisoners who are not certifiably insane but are unfit through mental deficiency for the ordinary penal discipline form a separate class and are specially treated. In the year 1906–7 the numbers were, in local prisons 355, in convict prisons 107. The policy of the Prison Commissioners is to place these prisoners under the special charge of the medical officers of the prisons and to keep them continuously under the personal care of selected warders. The medical officers regulate their discipline and diet, and allow them such employment as is suited to the condition of each individual. In addition to those so classified there are other prisoners, the number of whom I cannot give, who are temporarily under observation to ascertain their mental state, particularly prisoners who have been remanded by the magistrates in order to obtain reports from the medical officers on their mental condition before dealing with them.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his decision to appoint consuls to act in British Colonies was in any way due to requests made or advice tendered by the Colonial Premiers or other Colonial authorities; whether the gentlemen who have been, or are about to be, appointed to these appointments were selected in consultation with Colonial authorities; whether it is anticipated that the services of these gentlemen will be of value to the Colonies; and, if so, whether the Colonies have offered to pay the whole or any part of the salaries of the gentle- men so selected.

The proceedings at the recent Imperial Conference had no doubt a great deal to do with the decision to extend the present system of commercial agents in the Colonies. Care will naturally be taken to see that any persons appointed to these posts are acceptable to the Colonies in which they will reside. As the commercial agents will be appointed primarily in the interests of traders of the United Kingdom, it is not in contemplation to suggest that any portion of their salaries should be met by the Colonial Governments.

was under stood to say that he thought the Prime Minister of New Zealand pressed the suggestion.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that with some industrial insurance companies in London the practice has grown up of issuing policies on lives other than those of the proposers or payers of the premiums; whether his attention has been called to the fact that these companies are issuing such policies both in England and Ireland; and whether, as the absence of assurable interest generally renders the policies illegal and the amount insured irrecoverable unless as an act of grace, he will cause a warning to be issued to the companies and to the public.

I am aware that industrial insurance companies issue policies on lives other than those of the proposers and payers of the premiums, but I am not aware that the practice prevails of their issuing such policies where the insurer has no insurable interest in the life insured. I have no doubt that the companies are aware of the provisions of the law on the subject, and I doubt if it is necessary to issue a warning such as that suggested by the hon. Member. If, however, he has any definite information that he can furnish as to the issue of these illegal policies I shall be glad to consider it.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will state what was the number of emigrants sailing from Scottish ports during the first six months of the present year, distinguishing, as far as possible, emigrants of Scottish nationality from emigrants of other nationalities passing through Scotland.

I am causing the particulars asked for by my hon. friend to be printed with the Votes.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to a railway crossing accident which happened at Saville's Crossing, Nether-field, Nottingham, on Tuesday morning, the 16th inst., when a school girl, aged ten, was killed; if he is aware that the Great Northern and Midland Railways run side by side at the said crossing, and that twelve other fatal accidents have happened at this crossing; and if he intends to take any action in the matter.

This sad accident was reported to the Board of Trade by the Great Northern Railway Company. I am in communication with the company on the subject, and will inform the hon. Member of the result.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made with the negotiation for the establishment of a fast all-British mail service to Australia and New Zealand.

The matter is still under consideration, and I am not in a position to make any announcement at present.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give any idea when the result will be made known.

I cannot say at present.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Public Control Committee of the London County Council have given permission to the Gas Light and Coke Company to reimpose meter rents at a cost to the consumers of London of about £60,000 per annum; and whether, in view of the pledge given by the Gas Light and Coke Company that meter rents, which had been abolished in 1905, should not be re-imposed, he intends taking any action in the matter.

I understand that the London County Council have acquiesced in the proposal of the Gas Light and Coke Company to modify the understanding made with the Council in 1903 so as to permit them to reimpose meter rents (which were discontinued in 1895) at an estimated cost to consumers of about £60,000 per annum in lieu of raising the price of gas. This has been done subject to the company giving an undertaking that the authorised dividend shall in future be calculated as if the price of their gas were 1d. per 1,000 cubic feet higher than that actually charged; that the price of gas to the company's ordinary consumers north of the Thames will not be increased beyond the present price of 2s. 11d. per 1,000 cubic feet for a period of one year; and that the annual meter charge for a three-light meter shall not exceed 1s. 8d. per annum. The company appear to be acting within their statutory powers and the Board of Trade do not seem to have any authority to intervene. I understand that the Public Control Committee of the London County Council were influenced in their recommendation by the fact that the poorer class of consumers who use automatic meters will not be affected by the change.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the final or further Report of the Royal Commission on the Treatment and Disposal of Sewage, which was appointed in 1898, is expected to be ready.

Perhaps I may answer this Question. I understand that the Royal Commission hope to issue a further Report before the end of the year. I also understand that the investigation of the disposal of trade effluents when not mixed with sewage, which will form the subject of the final Report of the Commission, has been commenced.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General what course he proposes to adopt with regard to compensation to injured postal servants in view of his decision to issue no scheme under the Compensation Act of last year.

The Post Office servants to whom the Act applies will be dealt with under its terms, and, generally, I may add that where the Post Office sick pay regulations afford more favourable terms these will be continued. The full details have not, however, yet been settled by the Treasury; when they arc they will be published in the Post Office Circular.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether a new mail contract has been made with the Peninsular and Oriental Company; and, if so, when it is proposed to submit that con tract for the approval of the House.

The new contract with the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company has not yet been completed, and I cannot at present say when it will be possible to submit the instrument for the approval of the House; but I hope before the end of the present session.

Is the question of the limit of speed still open to revision?

asked for notice of the Question.

I beg to ask the Post master-General if he is aware that the National Telephone Company, having made agreements with persons in West more land to have a telephone at their private residences (including the right to send messages over trunk lines) for the sum of £5 for twelve months with 300 free calls, and subsequent calls at the rate of 6s. 8d. per 100, are now declining to permit these calls at the rate specified, and are insisting on entirely new agreements being made at the minimum charge of £5 and 300 free calls; and whether he can exercise any control or use any influence in the matter.

I have no knowledge of the circumstances mentioned by the hon. Member. The question at issue appears to rest upon the proper interpretation of the agreements between the National Telephone Company and their subscribers, on which I am not in a position to offer an opinion.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether there is a deficiency of school accommodation at present at Low Valley, in the West Riding of Yorkshire; whether any progress has been made in providing new school accommodation; and, if not, why Church and Roman Catholic schools have been recently closed as unnecessary.

I am informed that the local authority hope to have completed the conveyance of the site for a new school in the course of a week or two, and that permanent buildings will be provided with all despatch. I understand that there are sufficient places available in the various schools for the children who re quire them, but I am having Returns pre pared of the attendance up to the end of this month, and in the event of any over crowding upon the recognised accommodation being found to exist I propose to require that a temporary school shall be erected to be ready for occupation after the summer holidays.

Is it not the fact that forty-one girls have been refused ad mission to this school, and that the decision of the managers of the school that it is overcrowded has been over ruled by the local authorities?

On the last point I must ask for notice. I believe it is the case that forty-one children have been refused admission to the school.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the Roman Catholic elementary school at Low Valley is a modern and well-equipped building, and that the adjacent Council school is a very old and unsatisfactory building; and will he explain why the latter is maintained by the West Riding County Council, while the former is refused maintenance as being unnecessary.

I am unable to say whether the Roman Catholic school is a modern building, but when the Board's architect visited it last year it was far from satisfactory for school purposes. The Council school building is admittedly unsuitable, and its use will be discontinued as soon as a new school is provided. The Council school is maintained by the local education authority, because it is recognised as a public elementary school; the Roman Catholic school is not so maintained because recognition as a public elementary school has been refused.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education what steps he proposes to take in order that the Low Valley Catholic school may be again placed on the grant list.

No new facts have been brought to my notice which require or justify any modification of my previous decision.

In consequence of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply I shall raise this Question on the Motion for adjournment on Friday afternoon.

On behalf of the hon. Member for London University, I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether schools which were on the grant list for the year 1906–7, but which during the school year 1907–8 failed to fulfil one or more of the conditions set out in the Regulations which would entitle them to receive the increased grants under Articles 39 to 41 of the Regulations, will continue to receive grants as heretofore, not only for the school year 1907–8, as stated in Article 42, but subsequently, provided they satisfy the Regulations in other respects, or whether it is his intention after the year 1908 to strike off such schools from the grant list altogether.

The schools referred to will receive, in respect of the school year 1907–8, not the grants "as hereto fore," but the grants specified in Article 42 of the new Regulations, provided that they satisfy the Regulations in all requisite respects. The Answer to the concluding paragraph is in the negative, but I cannot, of course, in any way bind my own action or the action of the Board of Education in future years.

On behalf of the hon. Member for London University, I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether he can state in how many schools which are recognised as secondary schools, and receive grants as such, the Board has permitted, in accordance with Article 8 of the Regulations, no languages other than English to be taught; and whether he can give the names of those schools.

Sanction has been given in two cases only. The first is the Central Foundation Girls' School, Stepney, which is attended mainly by girls of foreign origin, for whom instruction in English is more than usually necessary, and who have not the ordinary difficulty in mastering the initial stages of a foreign language. French, however, continues to be taught in this school for a number of hours less than the ordinary minimum required by the Board. The second case is the Duchess of Northumberland's Girls' School, Alnwick, where the curriculum is of a technical charater involving the allocation of a large amount of time to domestic subjects.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education when the Code and Regulations for Secondary Schools in Wales and Monmouthshire will be laid upon the Table of the House.

The Welsh Code has already been presented to Parliament and I hope copies will be available in the course of a day or two. The Regulations for Secondary Schools in Wales and Mon mouthshire will, I hope, be presented during this week.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education if any applications have been received from local education authorities for a share in the grant of £100,000 towards the erection of new schools; and, if so, how many applications have been received, and from what authorities.

I have received a considerable number of inquiries as to whether a contribution from this grant will be available, but they are mostly based on a misapprehension as to the scope of the grant and no complete record of such applications has been preserved.