To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether James Casserley and James Duffy, have with others, memorialised the Estates Commissioners for holdings on the Johnstown estate, county Meath; and whether their application will receive favourable consideration. (Answered by Mr. Cherry.) The Question appears to relate to the estate of J. P. Kearney, which was for sale in the Land Judge's Court, and which has been purchased by the Estates Commissioners. The memorial alluded to in the Question has been referred to the inspector who is dealing with the estate, and a copy of the Question will also be forwarded to him for his information.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state what is the minimum respective curricula requisite for obtaining a master's or mate's first-aid certificate under St. John and St. Andrew Ambulance. (Answered by Mr. Kearley.) In order to qualify for examination for the certificates of proficiency in first aid granted by the St. John Ambulance Association a candidate must attend at least four of a course of five lectures, each of two hours duration. In the case of the St. Andrew Ambulance Association the candidate must attend at least eight out of a course of twelve lectures of one hour and a half's duration. The syllabus of the lectures under the two associations covers practically the same ground.

To ask the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that the first Order of the Day was not definitely disposed of before Five o'clock either on Friday, 7th February, or Friday, 14th February, 1908, he will give the House the opportunity to suspend the Five o'clock Rule on Friday, 28th February, 1908, in order to arrive at a decision with regard to the first Order for that Day, viz., the Second Reading of the Women's Enfranchisement Bill. (Answered by Sir H. Campbell Banner-man.) No, Sir, the Government do not see any reason for taking this course.

To ask the hon. Member for the Elland Division, as representing the Charity Commissioners, whether he is aware that the Poor Brothers of the Charterhouse, all of whom are of the age of sixty years and upwards, are required by the regulations of the governors to attend chapel service twice on Sunday and once every day of the week, and that they are liable to a fine of 1s. for absence on Sunday and 3d. for absence on a week-day; and whether he will consider whether any steps can be taken to put a stop to this system of compulsory conformity. (Answered by Mr. Trevelyan.) The regulations under which the fines alluded to in the Question are permitted to be imposed are made under the Act of 3 Charles I. and the scheme of 3rd December, 1872 regulating the charity. The former master, Dr. Haig-Brown, used to enforce them, but the present master, Canon Jelf, who has held the post for a year, has not yet attempted to enforce them. It may, therefore, per-perhaps be hoped that the practice of fining for non-attendance at chapel will fall into disuse, without any outside interference, as inconsistent with modern ideas of the conduct of denominational institutions.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board if his attention has been called to the overcrowding of the West Ham Union workhouse to the extent of 272 inmates; and if he intends taking any action in the matter. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I am aware that the number of inmates of the workhouse is about 272 in excess of that for which it is certified. Two old schoolrooms have, however, been converted into dormitories and are in occupation. They take eighty-three of this number, thus reducing the excess to 189. The old schools are about to be used as part of the workhouse, and thus further accommodation will be provided. One block, which will take fifty beds, will be occupied in a few days, and five other blocks, each taking the same number, will be brought into use in succession as speedily as possible.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he has received resolutions passed by distress committees and local government councils, in addition to the opinions expressed by the Association of Municipal Corporations, urging the necessity for further legislation with financial provisions for dealing with unemployment; whether he has observed that, following the growth of unemployment as attested by official figures, public disturbances and demonstrations of distressed workers are increasing in various centres; and whether, therefore, he can suggest to the Poor Law Commission the necessity of reporting at once anything they may have to recommend on the subject of providing work, with a view to this House taking immediate steps to meet the urgent demand for employment. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I have received resolutions of the kind referred to in the Question, and I am aware that some demonstrations have taken place. I will bring the suggestion of my hon. friend under the notice of the Royal Commission, but I am afraid that it will not be practicable for them to report in time for legislation during the present Session.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board how many of 76,567 private motor cars and motor cycles licensed in the year 1907 were of foreign manufacture. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I am unable to say. I observe that the Returns of the Board of Trade give the number of motor cars and motor cycles imported in 1907 as 4,819 and 1,770 respectively.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the total number of 258,654 persons, enumerated by the General Report of the Census, page 126, as being occupied in England and Wales as maltsters in breweries and distilleries, as wine and spirit merchants, as keepers of inns and hotels, as publicans, beer sellers, and cider dealers, as cellar men, beer bottlers, barmen, and barmaids, and others engaged in the service of inns, hotels, and eating-houses, includes all persons engaged in the making or selling of intoxicating liquors; and, if not what additional numbers are shown by the Census to be employed directly in these trades. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I am informed by the Registrar General that the 258,654 persons referred to in the Question include all those who definitely returned themselves as employed in making intoxication liquors, but that the number probably includes some persons employed in temperance hotels, and, therefore, having no connection with the making or sale of such liquors. Many persons who are engaged in the storage and distribution of intoxicating liquors and in clerical work connected with the sale and distribution of these liquors are included under such headings as draymen, carters, warehousemen, commercial clerks, and commercial travellers. Persons, such as grocers and confectioners, who hold licences and sell intoxicating liquors as a subsidiary part of their business are included, together with their employees, under the headings grocers, confectioners, etc. The total number of persons employed in these trades cannot be shown in the Census, as each person can be classified under one heading only, the principal occupation being selected in each case.

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture whether, with reference to the recent Midlothian and District Foot-and-Mouth Disease Order, and having regard to the extent of the county of Midlothian and to the fact that the outlying districts of the county are unaffected by disease, he will issue an order excluding from the infected area West Calder and similar centres, and thus placing them on the same footing as Edinburgh and Leith for slaughtering purposes. (Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) We issued an Order yesterday which will place West Calder and similar centres on the same footing as Edinburgh and Leith for slaughtering purposes. It will come into operation on Monday next. The necessity for keeping West Calder under stringent restrictions is due to the fact that manure from the infected byre was deposited in that parish.

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that the words milk-blended butter are to be used in the Reports of the Monthly Accounts of Trade and Navigation; and whether, in view of the pledge given by him to Parliament on 26th July, 1907, that the words milk-blended butter would disappear and would cease to exist as a name except in the Act of Parliament, he will take steps to prevent the words milk-blended butter being so used. (Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) In making the statement to which my hon. friend refers, I had in mind the manner in which the article would be dealt in commercially. I am afraid that it will be difficult always to avoid the use for official purposes of the generic expression which was necessarily employed in the Act of last Session, but I will see whether any arrangement can be made to meet the wishes of my hon. friend so far as the Monthly Trade and Navigation Accounts are concerned.

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, how many applications have been made to the Board for the registration of names for the article formerly known as milk-blended butter; how many have been sanctioned; and what are they. (Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) Perhaps my hon. friend will allow me to refer him to the Answer I gave to a similar Question addressed to me by the hon. Member for West Limerick on the 18th instant.

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will lay the Correspondence which has passed between the Admiralty and the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia in regard to the proposed reconstitution of the Australian naval forces, or, if these Papers cannot yet be laid, whether he can give the House any information on the subject. (Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) Correspondence on the subject referred to by the right hon. Gentleman is still proceeding, and an Admiralty letter having an important bearing on the question was sent out by the Secretary of State for the Colonies by the last mail on the 14th instant. Until this letter has been received by the Commonwealth Government it would be inexpedient that any correspondence should be laid upon the Table.

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if any provision is being made it, the contracts for works at Rosyth that the granite and other stone to be supplied shall be quarried in the United Kingdom, or, failing that, if he will make it a condition that, if any foreign granite or stone should be used, British trade union rates of wages must be paid to the workmen who quarry such stone. (Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) The contract particulars are not sufficiently advanced for any statement to be made on the subject now.

To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether his attention has been called to the fact that an epidemic of sickness, chiefly pneumonia, has broken out amongst the men in His Majesty's Navy at present at Chatham; and, if so, whether he can state the number of men who have died, and also to what is the cause of the epidemic ascribed. (Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) The only sickness at Chatham that partakes of the nature of an epidemic is influenza, which is prevalent there as elsewhere, and this has been followed in a few instances by pneumonia. Four men have died within the last fortnight of this latter disease. No cause can be ascribed for the outbreak of influenza, which is apparently seasonal.

To ask the President of the Board of Education if he will state what steps, if any, the Board of Education have taken to satisfy themselves of the necessity for a new school at Bylchau, Denbighshire, as required by Section 8 of The Education Act, 1902 after an objection has been duly lodged. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) The Board satisfied itself by a careful examination of the evidence furnished by the local education authority and by the inspector as to the existence in the district of a real demand, on the part of parents, for the establishment of a council school within the parish of Bylchau. No facts were alleged in the appeal subsequently received which were not outweighed by the evidence already in the Board's possession.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer when the promised Committee to inquire into the status of the Board of Trade, Local Government Board, and Board of Agriculture will be set up, and what will be the composition of such Committee. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) I stated that the inquiry would not be by a Committee, but would be undertaken by the Government itself. I am not at present in a position to make any further statement on the subject.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state what day he proposes to introduce the Licensing Bill. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) I propose to make a statement at the close of Questions.

To ask the Secretary of State for India whether he will consider the advisability of suggesting to the Government of India that the Famine Code should be known as the Famine Prevention Code, and that a similar alteration should be made in the nomenclature relating to this subject, in order to the correction of misapprehensions widely entertained in this country regarding the prevention of famine in India. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) I will call the attention of the Government of India to the hon. Member's suggestion, and they will no doubt give it their consideration.

To ask the Secretary of State for India what proportion of the total number of civil and magisterial cases tried in India is disposed of by judges and magistrates who are natives of India and what proportion by Judges and magistrates who do not answer to that description. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) It is impossible to give with accuracy the information for which the hon. Member asks, as the judicial statistics do not classify the work of the Courts according to the nationality of the presiding officers; but it is safe to say that by far the larger number of cases are disposed of by Indian Judges.

To ask the Secretary of State for India whether statistics are available showing for different provinces the operations of co-operative credit societies; and whether the organisation of co-operative agricultural credit has already been sufficiently developed to be of actual assistance to cultivators in areas affected by the agricultural depression at present existing in parts of India. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) The hon. Member will find the statistics which he desires in the Reports on the subject published annually by the several local governments. I shall be happy to supply him with copies of the 1906–7 Reports as they reach me from India, if he cares to have them. As to the second part of the Question I have no information. The Reports for 1907–8 will doubtless deal with the point.

To ask the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to the case of Bhaskas Vishnu Fadke, editor of the Vihari newspaper, Bombay, who was recently sentenced to two years imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 300 for two articles published in his newspaper; and whether, in view of the statement by the prisoner at his trial, he will recommend the Government of India to consider this case with a view to a mitigation of the sentence. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) I find that the editor in question was tried by a Judge of the High Court of Bombay and a jury, the majority being Indians. He was found guilty by the jury with only one dissentient, and sentenced to two years simple imprisonment and a fine of £20. He had previously been warned, but persisted in the publication of the articles complained of. In these circumstances I am not prepared to take the action suggested by the hon. Member, which would be entirely contrary to practice.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, whether the Estates Commissioners have power to buy out a grabber on an evicted farm in order to reinstate the original tenant in his own home; and, if so, if they will proceed at once to deal with such grabbers on the Kenmare estate, especially as the landlord has agreed to facilitate the reinstatement of tenants in every way possible. (Answered by Mr. Cherry.) I refer the hon. Member to Section I (3) of The Evicted Tenants Act, 1907, which provides that no tenanted land shall be acquired compulsorily which is in the possession or occupation of a bona fide tenant using or cultivating the same as an ordinary farmer in accordance with proper methods of husbandry. The cases of evicted tenants on the Kenmare estate are at present the subject of inquiry and consideration by the Commissioners.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, whether the Congested District Board have placed before the Estates Commissioners the offer made to them as to the sale of the congested districts on the Kenmare estate, County Kerry; whether they have also handed over to them any reports or inquiries made by them; and whether the Estates Commissioners have taken, or propose to take, any steps to deal with the congested portions of the estate in accordance with the powers vested in them. (Answered by Mr. Cherry.) The reply to the first two parts of the Question is in the negative. No proceedings for the sale of the congested portion of the Kenmare estate have been instituted before the Estate Commissioners, and they have therefore taken no steps in the matter.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, why a copy of Mr. Small's Report has been refused to the tenants on the Greenisland estate by the Earl of Shaftesbury; and on what grounds a letter was written by the Estates Commissioners, on 22nd December, 1906, to the solicitors of the Earl of Shaftesbury, undertaking to exclude from the sale any tenants who would sign agreements to pay twenty-six years purchase. (Answered by Mr. Cherry.) The practice of the Estates Commissioners is to treat the reports of their inspectors as confidential, and following this practice the Commissioners refused to furnish to the tenants a copy of the Report of the inspector referred to in the Question. The Commissioners fully inquired into the reasons why certain of the tenants on the Shaftesbury estate refused to sign purchase agreements on the same terms as those agreed to by the other tenants and they are of opinion that there is no sufficient reason for refusing to proceed with the sale to those tenants who have agreed to purchase.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, whether his attention has been called to the negotiations for sale of the Greenisland estate of the Earl of Shaftesbury, in which the tenants are called upon to pay over twenty-six years purchase of their present rents, which invested at 3¾ with the bonus would tiring in 109 per cent. of the gross rental; whether the Commissioners are bound to sanction such prices without inquiry; and, if so, whether they are bound to secure a bonus to the landlord by declaring the holdings in question an estate. (Answered by Mr. Cherry.) The advances referred to in the Question come within the limits of the zones, and as such the Estates Commissioners are bound to make the advances. The Commissioners, following the decision of the Court of Appeal, hold that, so long as the prices are within the zones, the fact that such prices are high is not in itself a reason for refusing to declare the lands to be an estate. There may be other reasons which would justify the Commissioners in refusing to declare lands to be an estate for the purposes of sale by landlord to tenant direct although the prices are within the zones, such as that the estate is congested, or that the holdings are held in rundale, or are uneconomic. No such reason, however, existed in the case of Lord Shaftesbury's estate, and the Commissioners, therefore, felt bound to declare the lands to be an estate.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he is aware that the employees of Lord Gough, Lough Cutra Castle, Gort, held a hurling tournament quite recently at Baunraugh, near Gort, with an intimidatory purpose; whether the walls of the farm of Mr. James Mahoney, an annuitant tenant, were levelled to the ground on the occasion; and what action the police authorities have taken in the matter. (Answered by Mr. Cherry.) The police authorities have ascertained that on 22nd December a party of about 100 men assembled at Baunraugh for the ostensible purpose of playing hurley, but that after playing a few minutes they proceeded to level about 170 yards of a stone fence on Mr. Mahoney's farm. So far as the police have been able to ascertain, only two of the party were in the employment of Lord Gough. The police have been unable to obtain evidence which would justify proceedings in the case.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he is aware that Captain the Hon. J. Campbell, eldest son of Lord Stratheden and Campbell, when out cock-shooting with three others on his property in Moycullen, County Galway, on the 6th instant, deliberately shot dead five or six goats, the property of his tenants; whether in this outrage he was aided by a Mr. De Caen, whose father was recently appointed a magistrate for the district; whether the police have reported this outrage to the authorities; and, if so, what steps will be taken to punish the perpetrators. (Answered by Mr. Cherry.) The police have no direct knowledge of this matter, but they have ascertained on inquiry that the facts are substantially as stated in the Question. It is alleged that the goats, of which there were a large number, were trespassing in Lord Campbell's plantation and doing considerable injury. The case is not, in my opinion, one for criminal proceedings, and it has not been reported as an outrage. Of course the owners of the goats could take civil proceedings if so advised. The police, however, have learnt that Captain Campbell has offered to compensate the owners, and has already given compensation for two of the goats.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that a number of householders and business people in the town of Millstreet, county Cork, have signed agreements for the purchase of their premises which form a, portion of the M'Cartie O'Leary estate; have these purchase agreements been filed with the Estates Commissioners; is he aware that middle landlords in the town have signed agreements in respect of a number of houses to the exclusion of the direct occupiers of them; will he state what facilities will be afforded to the occupying tenants to purchase in each instance; and what steps will be taken to redeem the interests of the middle landlords. (Answered by Mr. Cherry.) Agreements for the purchase of holdings on the estate in question were lodged with the Estates Commissioners on 26th July, 11)07. The agreements include over forty cases of proposed purchase of plots in the town of Millstreet. The question of the exclusion of sub-tenants will be fully considered by the Estates Commissioners when they come to deal with the estate in its order of priority.

To ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the publication in the Natal Government Gazette of 21st January, by the Office of the Colonial Secretary of Natal, of a Report signed by the Under-Secretary for Native Affairs, and dealing with the unanimous findings of the Native Affairs Commission; whether the Report of the Under-Secretary advises Natal legislation pointing to South African federation, and shows that the Governor of Natal legislation pointing to South African federation, and shows that the Governor of Natal does not possess in Zululand the powers vested in the supreme chief by the code of Native Law for Natal proper, unless indeed His Excellency possesses legislative authority in Zululand; whether Sir Charles Saunders, K.C.M.G., Commissioner for Native Affairs in Zululand, in his evidence republished in the Natal newspapers on the same day, shows that over and over again there have been continuous breaches of faith with the Zulus in regard to their land; and whether, in view of the legal difficulties surrounding the situation in Zululand, His Majesty's Government will request the Governor of Natal to report at once upon the subject of the proposed future administration of that province. (Answered by Mr. Churchill.) The Report referred to has been received and contains expressions of opinion such as are stated in the Question. It is not, however, clear what is meant by the reference to the legislative authority of the Governor in Zululand, as Zululand having been annexed to Natal, in whose legislature members from Zululand sit, power to legislate for Zululand would appear to be necessarily restricted to the Parliament of the Colony. The Natal newspaper containing the remarks by Sir Charles Saunders referred to have not yet been received, but I have seen his remarks at page 136 of the volume evidence given before the Native Affairs Commission. The Secretary of State, as at present advised, does not consider that the legal difficulties are such as call for the Report suggested, but a copy of my right hon. friend's Question shall be sent to the Governor for his observations. Sir M. Nathan has been in communication with Ministers on various matters arising out of the Report of the Native Affairs Commission, and will, no doubt, be in a position to deal more confidently with the whole subject after the visit he is now paying to Zululand.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether it has been decided to reduce the area of the game reserves in the East Africa Protectorate; and, if so, what reserves are affected and what reduction is contemplated. (Answered by Mr. Churchill.) No decision has been taken to reduce the area of the game reserves in the East African Protectorate.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state what are the regulations with regard to the handcuffing and conveyance of juvenile offenders, both before and after conviction, in London, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Bristol. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) When juvenile offenders have to be removed by the prison authorities, the prison regulations prescribe that they shall not be handcuffed, unless there is a good reason to anticipate an attempt to escape or it is necessary on other grounds to make special provision for safe custody, and then only a leather strap is to be used. Special care is always taken to keep juveniles apart from older offenders. As regards the police forces named in the Question, I have ascertained that it is not the practice of any of them to handcuff juvenile offenders either before or after conviction. The mode of conveyance of juvenile offenders in the hands of the police varies in different police jurisdictions, as the local circumstances and requirements necessarily differ. In the Metropolitan Police district the police are instructed that juvenile offenders shall not be conveyed in prison vans, tramcars, or omnibuses, but that cabs shall be hired when necessary. In Liverpool a special omnibus is provided for such offenders, and in Manchester covered conveyances are used. In Leeds juveniles are conveyed to prison as far as possible in a separate compartment of the prison van. It appears to be the general practice, in the case of children who are ordered to be sent to reformatory or industrial schools, for boys to be conveyed there by police; officers in plain clothes, and for girls to be accompanied by a female warder or police matron.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by whom the police stations in England and Wales, not being police stations in the metropolitan area, are controlled; and whether they are subject to inspection by the Prison Commissioners. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) Police stations are controlled by the police authority for the area in which they are situated, which in boroughs is the watch committee and in counties the standing joint committee. They are not subject to inspection by the Prison Commissioners, but are inspected by His Majesty's inspectors of constabulary. The results of that inspection are included in the inspectors' annual Reports (Police (England and Wales).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can state any precedent for treating political demonstrators as political offenders one year and the same people or their associates as ordinary law breakers for making similar demonstrations the following year. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) As I informed my hon. friend on the 3rd of this month, the question in which division a prisoner should be placed is one for the discretion of the magistrate, and the fact of a prisoner being placed in the first division does not of itself afford any ground for regarding him or her, as a political offender.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that Michael Flannagan, ex-colour sergeant of the 17th Lancers who worked as a moulder in England from 1891 to 18th May, 1907, for the two years, 1898–1900, when he worked in Ireland, has been deported from the West Derby Union, Liverpool, to Lismore Union, where he arrived on the 6th instant; by whose direction has the deportation been carried out, and under what circumstances; is he aware that Michael Flannagan had been admitted to the Sheffield Union hospital in May, 1907, suffering from the effects of an accident which occurred to him while working at his trade as moulder; and will he say why he was removed from that hospital to the West Derby Union. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I have made inquiry as to this case. I understand that Flannagan was removed to the Lismore Union by order of justices for the city of Liverpool on the complaint of the guardians of the West Derby Union. I am informed that he had been admitted to the workhouse of that union on the 30th August last from the vagrant wards, that he left on 12th September, and returned through the vagrant wards on the 8th ultimo. He appears in the meantime to have been tramping about the country. It is stated that he has been moving about England and Scotland for several years, but that his wife and family reside in Cappoquin, county Waterford. I understand that he was not sent to the West Derby Union from Sheffield.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board, under what circumstances burial is permitted previous to the registration of death. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) It may be stated generally that the registration of the death is not necessary before burial takes place. Sec. 17 of the Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1874, and Sec. 11 of The Burial Laws Amendment Act, 1880, contain provisions on the subject, and it will be seen from them that where there is either an order of a coroner authorising burial or a certificate of a registrar that he has registered or received notice of the death, the order or certificate must be delivered to the person conducting the funeral service or responsible for the burial. If no such order or certificate is delivered to this person, he must give notice of the burial to the registrar.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the case of a solicitor who, as a member of the Bognor Urban District Council, sat and voted on the council when a scheme in which he was professionally interested was being considered; and, if so, what action he has taken, or will take, in the matter. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I have received a letter on this subject, but the matter is not one with respect to which I have any jurisdiction. I do not express any opinion as to the present case; but I may say that where a councillor has become disqualified the disqualification takes effect without any action on my part.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he has any information as to the probability of the publication of Vol. II. of the Report of the Committee on the Standardising of Municipal Accounts. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) My hon. friend is under a misapprehension in this matter. Vol. II. of the Report was published in August last. I will send him a copy.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he can state the values of imports and exports of the United Kingdom, the United States of America, the German Empire, and France, for each of the years 1902 to 1906, inclusive, distinguishing separately the imports and exports of food, raw materials, and manufactures. (Answered by Mr. Kearley.) The following statements, which have been compiled from the official Trade Returns of the countries referred to, give the information desired by my hon. friend. I have to point out, however, that material differences exist in the methods of classification of imports and exports adopted by the respective countries, and that the results for particular categories are therefore not absolutely comparable.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, when it is proposed to complete the preliminary and partial tables of the course of money wages in the United Kingdom and principal foreign countries on Page 275 of the Fiscal Blue-book; and whether he can state, meanwhile, the index numbers for the years after 1900 for the United Kingdom. (Answered by Mr. Kearley.) The index numbers for the United Kingdom for the years 1901–7 are as follows:—

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what powers has the Board of Trade, with respect to sanction or amendment of such agreements for working as that proposed by the Great Northern and Great Central Railways, to safeguard the interests of the public and of the traders; whether it will be necessary to confirm that particular agreement by a Bill in Parliament; and what steps is the Board taking in the matter. (Answered by Mr. Kearley.) The special Act of 1858, under which the agreement between the Great Northern and Great Central Railway Companies purports to be made, required that agreements under the Act should be approved by the Board of Trade, but the powers of the Board in regard to working agreements under special Acts were transferred to the Railway Commissioners (now the Railway and Canal Commission) by the Regulation of Railways Act, 1873. The agreement does not require confirmation by Parliament. The Board have lodged certain objections before the Commission, and the hearing has been fixed by the Commission for the 26th instant.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that a statement has been made to the effect that the proposals of the promoters of the Lower Thames (Grays) Dock Bill have been submitted to the Board of Trade, and that they will be recommended to the House as offering the cheapest and most practicable solution of the problem; and whether the promoters of this private Bill have any authority for making a statement as to the views of the Government in this important matter. (Answered by Mr. Kearley.) I have seen a newspaper paragraph, but the promoters of the Bill inform me that no statement to the effect indicated in the Question has been made by them or with their authority. The proposals in question have been submitted to the Board of Trade, but there is no foundation for any statement as to the views entertained by the Government thereon.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give the percentage of members of trade unions out of work in Germany, and the corresponding figures for the United Kingdom. (Answered by Mr. Kearley.) I must refer my hon. friend to the reply given on 7th February to the hon. Member for the Tower Hamlets.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that as long ago as November, 1906, Mr. G. E. Kilby, an auxiliary postman at Syston, Leicestershire, applied for an increase of pay, showing that the wages he was receiving were lower than they should have been considering the number of hours worked; that no reply has been made to that application; and that, as the work on Mr. Kilby's walk increased to a sufficient extent to justify it being made into an established post, Mr. Kilby made an application for appointment under the regulation which provides that where the work on an auxiliary's walk grows a claim to appointment is admitted for the auxiliary concerned, and that this has been unsuccessful, and whether he will inquire into the case.

To ask the Postmaster-General if men in Mount Pleasant Factory with from three and a half to eight and a half years service are now being discharged and men with less service retained; and would he be prepared to transfer these men to some other Department, so that their service may not be broken. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) The men to whom the hon. Member refers were employed in the battery shop and have, I regret to say, had to be discharged because, owing to the extended use of secondary batteries, the work in the battery shop has fallen off largely. As far as possible the men with least service have been discharged. I much regret that, though every endeavour was made, no other work could be found for them. The number so discharged is four.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether, seeing that Clause 16 of the Telegraph Act, 1868, after providing that the special use of a telegraph wire might be granted for a period of twelve hours per diem at a sum not exceeding £500 per annum, expressly provided that no undue priority or preference in respect of such rates should be given to one person over any other such occupier, and that Mr. Fawcett and Lord Eversley, when Postmasters-General, laid it down that the meaning of this clause was that the Post Office should carry on the business of transmitting news messages, and that certain newspaper proprietors have complained that postal administrators have recently given preference to the wealthier newspapers, he intends to hand over, to a much greater degree, the transmission of news telegrams over public wires loaned by private individuals, and thus set aside the Telegraph Act of 1868.

To ask the Postmaster-General, whether the members of a Departmental Committee have reported that they see no objection to handing over the transmission of news telegrams from London to the provinces to private individuals, with power to loan public wires and supply their own operators; whether permanent servants of the Crown have the power to set aside public rights acquired by purchase and embodied in an Act of Parliament by administration only; whether the Committee recommends to newspaper proprietors that the whole field of Post Office pensioners is open for the recruitment of operators; and whether he is prepared to permit so large an extension of the practice of sub-contracting without making any stipulations regarding the wages or working conditions of telegraphists who are to staff public wires loaned to newspaper syndicates or news agencies. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I will answer these two Questions together Representations were made to my by various newspaper-proprietors and by the Press Association, with a view to seeing whether any arrangements mutually advantageous and satisfactory to the Department and the Press could be entered into whereby a more rapid and efficient service could be given to the Press, the object held principally in view being to reduce, as far as possible, the necessary consumption of time in the reception, manipulation, and transmission of Press messages. The chief suggestion was a scheme of joint private wires on the analogy of the private wires which some of the newspapers already possess. The hon. Member appears to be unaware that the Postmaster-General has provided private wires for private individuals ever since the transfer of the telegraphs to the State. There are some 4,000 of such private wires and, where the renters of private wires employ staff, they always engage and pay their own staff. As regards the question of the proposed joint private wires, no arrangement has yet been come to. The conditions under which they should be granted, including the conditions of service of the wires where these are not staffed by the Post Office, are still under consideration. No priority or preference has been given to any newspaper proprietor in respect of the rates referred to in Section 16 of the Telegraph Act of 1868, or any other rates. I do not see that that section is in any way set aside by the proposal which I have under consideration for allowing newspapers and news agencies, like other undertakings, to rent private wires. It will be equally open to anyone who desires to apply for a special wire, a private wire, or a joint private wire. Permanent servants of the Crown, have, of course, no power such as that suggested. Their duty is to advise the Postmaster-General when, as in this case, they are called upon to do so. The power of decision rests with him alone.

To ask the Postmaster-General, whether his attention has been drawn to the Report of the Public Accounts Committee, stating that in the financial year 1905–6 accounts had been adjusted at Edinburgh and Glasgow telegraph store depots in order to effect an agreement, as far as possible, between expenditure and the authorised estimate for each individual work; and what action he has taken with reference to this matter. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) The facts were not quite as would appear from the Report of the Public Accounts Committee. The Comptroller and Auditor-General had reported cases in which wages and travelling expenses had been charged to wrong works, but I did not find that the errors were due to any improper motive, or that there had been any intention of manipulating the accounts in the manner suggested in the Committee's Report, nor was any such suggestion made by the Comptroller and Auditor-General in the case of Glasgow and Edinburgh. The errors in these cases appeared to be due to want of care. Attention was called to the errors at the time, and the officers in fault expressed their regret; but I did not consider that disciplinary notice was necessary at either Edinburgh or Glasgow.

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, what was the total quantity of wheat in 1907 returned under the Corn Returns Act, as being sold on the London market; and what proportion this bears to the estimated total consumption of wheat in the London area. (Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) The total quantity of wheat returned under The Corn "Returns Act, 1882, as purchased at Mark Lane in 1907, was 128,140 quarters. The total consumption of wheat in the London area is not a matter in regard to which precise statistics are available.

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, what is the average difference of price in London between British wheat and all kinds of imported wheat. (Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) In 1907, the average price per quarter of British wheat in London, as ascertained under The Corn Returns Act, 1882, was 31s. 7d. and the average value of wheat imported into London was 32s. 11d., a difference of 1s. 4d.

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether, in view of Subsection 4 of Section 39 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1907, the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries will make grants or advances to societies having for one of their objects the provision or profitable working of small holdings or allotments, in addition to grants made to such societies by county councils. (Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) The Board have no power to make grants or advances to societies of the character of those to which my hon. friend refers. They can only give financial assistance to societies having as their object, or one of their objects, the promotion of co-operation in connection with the cultivation of small holdings or allotments.

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the Acts recently passed in the Cape of Good Hope, the Transvaal, Natal, and Western Australia, for assisting agriculture by money advances at low rates of interest from the Colonial Governments, through the instrumentality of credit banks or mortgage bonds; and whether the Board of Agriculture will consider the advisability of establishing machinery of the same kind for existing agriculture and especially co-operative agricultural associations in this country. (Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) We published a brief summary of the provisions of the Acts to which my hon. friend refers in our Journal this month. I shall be glad to send him a copy, and to consider the suggestion he makes in the latter part of his Question.

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that the Argentine has, owing to the recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, refused to admit cattle exported from Scotland to her ports; and whether he can assure the House that every possible precaution has been taken to prevent the spread of the disease to England. (Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) The Answer to both Questions is in the affirmative.

To ask the hon. Member for the Elland Division, as Charity Commissioner whether the Charity Commissioners have received a petition, signed by 13,699 persons above the age of eighteen years residing in the parish of Streatham, protesting against the proposed application of the fund of the Weir charity to the Bolingbroke Hospital, as not being in accordance with the intention of the testator; and what steps the Charity Commissioners propose to take with regard to the Benjamin Weir bequest. (Answered by Mr. Trevelyan.) The Charity Commissioners have received a petition from residents in the parish of Streatham to the effect stated by the hon. Member. The terms of a scheme for the future administration of the Weir Charity are now under consideration by the Commissioners, and a draft of the proposed scheme will be published in the locality in due course.

To ask Mr. Attorney-General whether any prosecutions have taken place under The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1906; and whether any manufacturers, merchants, or others have volunteered any information to the Crown with the object of having proceedings taken against persons contravening this Act. (Answered by Sir W. Robson.) Eight applications have been made for the Attorney-General's fiat for prosecutions under The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1906. Fiats have been granted and convictions obtained in seven of these cases; one case is at present under consideration.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the resolution passed by the Lismore rural council on the 7th instant, with reference to the action of the magistrates at Lismore petty sessions, has come under the notice of the Lord Chancellor of Ireland; whether, in view of the facts referred to, and the resolutions of other public bodies in the county Waterford calling for the appointment of additional magistrates, the Lord Chancellor will take steps accordingly; and whether, as the Lord-Lieutenant of the county is the Duke of Devonshire, who resides in the county for not more than two or three weeks yearly, the Lord Chancellor will consider the appointment of additional magistrates by virtue of his own authority. (Answered by Mr. Cherry.) I have referred this Question to the Lord Chancellor who has furnished me with the following reply A copy of a resolution passed by the Lismore rural district council on the 7th instant was transmitted to the Lord Chancellor, asking him to appoint additional magistrates in that district on the ground that the magistrates sitting at petty sessions, presided over by the resident magistrate, had refused to grant a decree against a tenant of a cottage who was sued by the collector of the council. The magistrates appear to have acted within their judicial discretion, and the Lord Chancellor cannot interfere with its exercise. There are, besides the resident magistrate, eleven justices attending the Lismore petty sessions. The Lord Chancellor is always ready to consider the appointment of magistrates whenever necessary, and the names of several persons suggested for appointment to the bench have been sent to the Duke of Devonshire by the Lord Chancellor, and he believes that the Duke will deal with them as soon as he returns to England, which it is hoped will be at an early date.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that prosecutions for trespass in pursuit of game in Ireland are brought under a Statute passed in the twenty-seventh year of the reign of George III., and that, under this Statute, any stranger having no immediate interest in the matter can maintain a prosecution against any person who is traversing lands in the possession of any other person, and appearing to be in the pursuit of game; whether he is aware that heavy penalties are usually inflicted, and that John Campion was fined on the 1st instant, by a majority of the bench at Lismore petty sessions, £2 for being on the lands of John O'Farrell, a judicial tenant of the Duke of Devonshire, on 8th January, accompanied by two greyhounds, in a prosecution by the duke's gamekeeper; and whether he will consider the advisability of an alteration in the game laws. (Answered by Mr. Cherry.) I am informed that the prosecution was not under the Act of George III., but under 27 and 28 Vic, c. 67. which provides that when a landlord has reserved to himself the exclusive right to game on any land he shall be deemed the legal occupier of such land for the purposes of that Act. It may be inferred from the fact that the Duke of Devonshire was the prosecutor in this case that the game rights are reserved to him in respect of the holding purchased by John O'Farrell under the Lands Acts. It is the fact that Campion was fined the full penalty of £2. I am informed that he had been fined 10s. for a similar offence, at the prosecution of the Duke of Devonshire, in the previous month. The Government do not contemplate any legislation for amending the game laws in Ireland.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord- Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the sale of the Brown Linen Hall, Donegall Street-Belfast, for the sum of £1,050; and whether, in view of the fact that the premises known as the Brown Linen Hall form one of the few remaining relics of old Belfast, and one intimately and honourably associated with the staple trade and the history of the city he will take steps to secure its preservation as a national monument. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) The Board of Works can only take charge of ancient or mediæval buildings if the owners propose to hand them over, and they inform me that no such proposal has been made in this case. Even if it were made, the Board state that they could not accept it, since this building (apart from the question of its date) has no architectural features', and its antiquarian interest is not of a national but only of a local character.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he has received a resolution from the Bawnboy Rural District Council dealing with the repayment of advances made for the purchase of seed potatoes; and will he say if the prayer of the resolution will be acceded to. (Answered by Mr. Cherry.) The resolution has been received. It requests the Government to give the seed loan free of interest, or in the alternative to give a grant in-aid. I would refer to the reply to the Question put by the hon. Member for South Leitrim on the 18th instant. The Department of Agriculture have considered the question of making a grant, and have decided not to make any grant this year.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, having regard to the lengthened period that the application of Francis Hopkins, Nobber, county Meath, for reinstatement in his former holding has been before the Estates Commissioners and that the farm from which he was evicted is still on the hands of the landlord, Colonel Lyster Smythe, they will consider his case at the earliest possible moment. (Answered by Mr. Cherry.) The Estates Commissioners have nothing to add to the reply which was given on the 18th instant to the hon. Member's Question on this subject.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is contemplating giving any financial aid to those clubs inspected and passed by his Department and which are imparting instruction on the handling and use of the rifle. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane. The reply is in the negative. There are no funds for the present at my disposal for this purpose.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Michael Flannagan, a native of Cappoquin, county Waterford, served in the 17th Lancers from 1873 to 1891, and attained the rank of colour-sergeant; will he say whether he passed an examination qualifying him for a commission in the Army; under what circumstances did he leave the Army; and what was the name of the colonel of the 17th Lancers at the time Michael Flannagan left the regiment. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The cavalry records for the period in question have been searched, but no trace can be found of the man mentioned.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the fact that the new regulations in force as to admission to the Royal Military College at Sandhurst bear hardly in some cases with regard to the age limit; that, in effect, the rule by which the earliest limit of age for admission was raised from seventeen to eighteen operates in numerous cases to extend the earliest age when a cadet can pass out to twenty or even more; that candidates born in June and December cannot possibly enter the college until they are considerably over eighteen and a-half years of age, and must wait nearly six months after their eighteenth birthday before they are allowed to present themselves for examination; and that in consequence class fellows below a cadet in class, but a few days older, may get their commissions six months before him and take precedence of him all through the service; and whether he will consider the possibility of favouring the entry of university candidates without discouraging that of candidates from other sources. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The effect of raising the age limit for entrance to the Royal Military College from seventeen to eighteen years was carefully considered before the issue of the regulations now in force. In order to give an equal number of opportunities, with a half-yearly competitive examination, no matter what age limit is fixed, there must always be a difference of seniority among candidates whose birthdays happen to be near the governing dates. Besides approximating the age of Sandhurst cadets to that of candidates from the universities, there were other objects in view when the age limit was raised, e.g.—(a) To enable cadets being older on entry to derive greater benefit from the Royal Military College course; (b) To ensure that officers were not too young on joining their regiments for service in India and elsewhere abroad.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if amending legislation connected with the Pacific Islanders, Protection Act will be introduced this session.

No, Sir.

Then do I understand that the Government maintains a condition of slavery under the British flag?

I am not aware there is any such condition of slavery established in these Islands. If the hon. Member has any information showing that I shall be glad to receive it.

Is it not the case that last session the Government announced that such an Act would be necessary under the Convention?

The object of the Convention was to prevent improper conditions of labour prevailing under the British flag, and that will be fully carried out.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies with regard to the five men who were recently flogged in Natal, whether he can furnish the House with the dates upon which these punishments were inflicted, the places in which they were inflicted, the names of those who passed the sentences, and of all those present by official authority at the execution of the same.

The Governor of Natal has telegraphed as follows—"The floggings all took place at Nongoma, the first on 10th December, the others between 12th December and 20th December. Sentences passed by McKenzie and the floggings were administered by the gaoler, Nongoma prison. No further floggings have taken place, but it has been reported that a native was assaulted in the Babanango district by a trooper, and an inquiry on the matter is being held." I have no further information on this particular point, but meanwhile I am glad to be able to add that the Governor has stated that during his tour in Zululand the native; chiefs and others who have come to see him and were able to speak freely with him, have made no reference to any harsh treatment under martial law. I should like to add that the Governor of Natal has informed the Government that he has just signed a warrant for the release of 1,587 men who were imprisoned for participation in the 1906 rebellion. This step has been taken by the desire and on the initiation of the Natal Government.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies when the results of the inquiry of the Departmental Committee on Cable Communications in the West Indies will be published.

The recommendations of the Inter-Departmental Committee on Telegraphic Communication in the West Indies are under consideration, and the Secretary of State cannot at present make any statement or say whether papers can be laid before Parliament on the subject. In reply to a further Question by the hon. Member—

said the Report had been presented to the Secretary of State, and a copy of it had been published in one of the Colonies.

Will the Government consider the propriety of publishing it?

No doubt that will eventually be done.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether an expedition has been sent from Nairobi to put down an alleged rising of the natives in British East Africa; if he can say what is the extent and character of this rising, and its causes; what are the precise objects of the expedition in question, and what force is likely to be employed; and generally whether Parliament can he supplied with further information on the whole subject.

On 11th January Mr. Northcote, one of the Assistant District Commissioners of the Protectorate, was attacked by natives at Kisii and wounded by a spear. Subsequently several clans in the neighbourhood broke out in open revolt and two Indians and one Kavirondo were murdered. Fifty police and a doctor were despatched as soon as possible to the spot, and were followed by three companies of the King's African Rifles. The operations were not of a serious nature and came to an end on 6th February. One company and two officers were to remain at Kisii, and the rest of the force was to return to Nairobi on 12th February.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Transvaal Government propose to arrange for the recruiting of indentured labourers from the Island of Madagascar; whether any labourers have been recruited from the Island of Madgascar; and whether the Transvaal Government has negotiated direct with the French Government on the subject.

The Transvaal Government desire to ascertain whether the French Government will sanction the recruiting of native labour in Madagascar for employment in the Transvaal mines. No recruiting has taken place. Nor is the Transvaal Government negotiating direct with the French Government.

asked what reply the Government had given to the representations of the Transvaal Government.

I really do not understand what representations the hon. Gentleman is referring to. The Transvaal Government have asked us to do certain things, and we are making inquiries to see whether we can do them or not.

asked the right hon. Gentleman if he could lay the communications which had passed on the Table, as that would give the hon. Member the information asked for.

The right hon. Gentleman knows I have no authority to say upon my own account what Papers shall or shall not be laid on the Table; but if a Question in that sense is put down I will bring it to the notice of my noble friend.

Are we to understand that the Transvaal Government has discovered that there are not sufficient natives for the Transvaal mines and are going to Madagascar to get them?

I cannot draw the inferences from the facts which the hon. Member suggests.

When will the right hon. Gentleman consider the question of laying Papers.

When the correspondence is complete.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if the ransom of £15,000 paid to the brigands at Smyrna for the release of Mr. Robert Abbott has been recovered from the Turkish Government; if not, what steps are being taken to obtain payment.

The larger part of the ransom paid for Mr. Abbott's release is now in the hands of the Ottoman Government, having been recovered from the brigands. Sir N. O'Conor was recently instructed to request that it may be handed over to His Majesty's Government forthwith. The question of the best means of recovering the remainder of the money is now under consideration.

asked if His Majesty's Government were holding the Turkish Government responsible for the amount?

I should like notice of the Question.

How much was got back from the brigands?

I think £9,000 has been recovered from them.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that alarm has been occasioned in Sweden by the report of Russia's intention to demand release from her treaty obligations in regard to the fortification or permanent military or naval occupation of the Aland Islands; whether any representations have been made by Russia proposing the abrogation of the treaty of 1856; and what is the attitude of His Majesty's Government upon this question.

At the same time may I ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any representations have been received by His Majesty's Government from the Russian Government regarding the position in the Aland Islands and the continuance of the Aland Treaty; and, if so, whether he is prepared to make any statement on the subject.

May I also ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether his attention has been called to the political unrest in Sweden occasioned by the negotiations said to be pending between Great Britain and the other signatories of the Treaty of Paris of a nature likely to affect the position of Sweden in the Baltic; and can he make any reassuring statement which would satisfy the House that Great Britain is making no arrangement which would be disadvantageous to a friendly Power.

I am aware that anxiety on this subject has found public expression in Sweden. The Treaty referred to is one to which Great Britain, France, and Russia are parties, and I can make no statement about any negotiations concerning it except that it is not at the present moment necessary for His Majesty's Government to come to any decision about it. If, and when, this is necessary, we shall of course consult with both the other parties to the Treaty, and take into account the feeling of Sweden and every other circumstance which is relevant, before coming to any decision.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the British proposal for the employment of gendarmerie in pursuit of Macedonian bands has been abandoned in its present form; and, if so, for what reason.

I would ask the hon. Member to await a statement on the whole subject of Macedonia, which I propose to make on the 25th instant.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any report has reached him with regard to the recent disturbances at Tabriz.

According to the latest report received from His Majesty's Charge d' Affaires at Tehran, a fight broke out at Tabriz on 17th January between the revolutionaries and some roughs. Fighting lasted for two days, and twenty people were killed or wounded. Intermittent fighting continued until the end of the month, when cavalry and infantry were posted in the town to keep order, and tranquillity was restored.

asked if there was any information to show that Russia had recently sent troops to Tabriz.

asked for notice.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the frequent robberies on the Paris, Lyon, and Mediterranean Railway from the luggage of British travellers; and whether, owing to the ineffectual attempts made to obtain redress from the company, he will instruct His Majesty's Ambassador in Paris to make a formal representation on the subject to the French Government.

The attention of His Majesty's Government has been called to the matter, and I will communicate with His Majesty's Ambassador in Paris as to the circumstances.

asked if any representations would be made to the Italian Government?

I did not say I would make representations, but that I would communicate with the British Ambassador at Paris on this subject.

asked if the British Ambassador would be asked to make representations and if it was not the duty of the Foreign Office to look after the interests of British subjects.

Yes, Sir; and that is the reason why I am going to communicate with the Ambassador at Paris; but what the hon. Member asked me was that I should make a formal representation to a foreign Government on the subject of its own railway, a very improper subject for representation.

No, I did not mean that. I thought the British Ambassador might be asked if he thought representations were desirable to be made.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the negotiations with the United States with reference to the conclusion of an arbitration treaty have reached a stage that will permit him to make an announcement on the subject.

The negotiations are proceeding, but it would be premature for the moment to make any further statement on the subject.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if Kaid Maclean has left Morocco for good; and has the Government received any promise that he will not return there except with the permission of the Government.

His Majesty's Government have no information of the future movements of Kaid Maclean, who, as the hon. Member is no doubt aware, is in the service of the Sultan of Morocco.

May I ask if the Kaid still remains a British subject, or if, when he entered the service of the Government of Morocco, he lost his rights as a Briton?

I must ask for notice, but I may point out that in Morocco there is extra-territorial jurisdiction.

Is Raisuli a British subject?

No, but he will be under British protection so long as he conducts himself satisfactorily.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has any prospect of recovering from any quarter the money paid for the release of Kaid Maclean.

By a Shereefian Firman received in December last at His Majesty's Legation at Tangier, the Moorish Government have formally recognised their liability in respect of the sum advanced by His Majesty's Government for the release of Sir Harry Maclean.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he proposes to take any steps to prevent the officials of his Department from joining the Brewery Debenture Holders Committee, being a committee formed to protect the pecuniary interests of the holders of debentures secured upon breweries.

No, Sir; I have no reason to think that any Home Office official would wish to join that committee. I may add with reference to the Question asked last Monday by my hon. friend the Member for Lincoln, that the Chief Constable of West Sussex has withdrawn his name from the list of the local Brewery Debenture Holders Committee in which it appeared.

Do I understand that this committee is not, in the opinion of the Home Office, a political organisation?

I do not see how that arises out of the Question.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to a case heard at the Portadown petty sessions, on Monday 10th February, 1908, in which Mr. Williams, inspector of factories, prosecuted a local firm for failing to have the boiler used in their works examined and to register the report of the examination; whether, although this was the third prosecution against the firm for a similar offence and the inspector pressed for the full penalty, the magistrates only inflicted a fine of £3; whether he has any official reports bearing out the statement of the inspector that there is no part of the country where this provision of the Factory and Workshop Act is so much neglected as in Ulster, and that the neglect is due to the triviality of the fines inflicted by the magistrates; and whether, in view of all the facts of the case, and of the danger to the lives of employees involved in the neglect of the provisions of the Act by the employers he will issue instructions to the inspectors in Ulster to devote special attention to ensuring that the provisions of the Act in regard to the inspection of boilers are duly enforced.

I have obtained a report on this case from the inspector of the district and find that the facts are as stated in the first two paragraphs of the Question. The time at my disposal has been too short to enable me to make any detailed inquiry as to the extent to which neglect of the provision relating to the examination of steam boilers prevails in Ulster, as compared with other industrial districts of the country, or as to the causes of that neglect; but the inspector reports that such neglect is not uncommon; that he is giving very careful attention to the enforcement of the requirements of the Act, and that he had already taken a number of proceedings in court.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can give the number of non-fatal accidents reported under the Factory and Workshops Act during 1907; and also the number for the corresponding period of 1906 and that for 1898, with the percentage of increase in each case. I beg also to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can give the number of fatal accidents reported under the Factory and Workshops Act during 1907; also the number for the corresponding period of 1906 and that for 1898, with the percentage of increase in each case. I beg further to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can give the total number of fatal accidents and the total number of nonfatal accidents reported under the Factory and Workshops Act during the ten years 1898 to 1907.

The statistics of accidents for which the hon. Member asks will be found in the Annual Reports of the Chief Inspector of Factories, and in the preliminary Tables of accidents and cases of industrial poisoning just published. (Cd. 3925). As regards percentages, the number of fatal accidents has increased by 5½ per cent. as compared with the year 1906, and by 56 per cent. as compared with the year 1898. For non-fatal accidents the corresponding figures are 11 per cent. and 116 per cent. These increases are due partly to the increase in the number of persons employed in factories (about 100,000 a year), and to the extended use of machinery; and partly to closer inspection, and to the more complete reporting of accidents. This last cause affects very largely the returns of nonfatal accidents and also to some extent the returns of fatal accidents, the greatest increase in the latter class being in docks and buildings, where in the year 1898 the reporting even of fatal accidents was still far from complete. These increases are a matter of grave concern to me, and I shall soon be in a position to make a statement on the subject.

May I ask whether, in view of the alarming increase in the number of fatal and nonfatal accidents, the Government will consider the desirability of giving us an opportunity of discussing this matter? It is one on which we feel very strongly.

If the hon. Member will put down a Question, I will answer it on Monday.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the Pioneer Socialist League has for its objects the propagation of the principles of Socialism, its field being primarily the personnel of the various postal services from which its membership is drawn; whether he is aware that the Pioneer Socialist League has received the thanks of certain successful Socialist candidates for Parliament for contributions towards their election expenses, and that it calls upon its members, as their duty, to subscribe to its war chest funds; and whether, in view of these facts, he will consider the advisability of refusing to allow this organisation to continue in the postal service.

The existing regulations governing the action of postal servants as civil servants are shortly as follows. That they are to exercise a certain reserve in political matters; and it is specifically stated that they may not serve on a committee having for its object to promote or prevent the return of a particular candidate to Parliament, nor support or oppose any particular candidate or party either by public speaking or writing. Mr. Gladstone, as First Lord of the Treasury, in 1893 laid it down that "the only restriction by the custom of the public service on persons employed is that persons in the permanent employment of the State shall not take a prominent or active part in political contests, and it is not intended in future that any other restrictive rule should be imposed on the service of the Post Office." No attempt has, as far as I am aware, been made to prohibit civil servants from subscribing individually or collectively to such objects as they think fit. As regards the particular society in question, I understand that last autumn it was decided to incorporate it in the Civil Service Socialist Society and that this was carried out last month under the constitution of the Civil Service Socialist Society. Political action is expressly stated to be outside its province, and the general funds of the Society are not to be used for any other organisation.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the organ of this society statements were made acknowledging contributions towards the election expenses of Socialist candidates seeking to become Members of this House; and, if that is so, is he not of opinion that the objects of this society are strictly Party ones?

I really cannot add anything to the Answer I have given. I read out the actual regulations that exist in the Post Office, and I must ask the hon. Member to draw his own conclusions from them.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there are two servants of the Post Office who are members of the Manchester City Council and who are avowed Socialists? Will the right hon. Gentleman further say whether the Post Office Socialist organisation has supported the candidature of those two members?

If the society has supported the candidates for the Manchester City Council it is entirely within its rights, because that is not prohibited in any way.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the strong public feeling that is growing that the rules of fair play are being transgressed in the application of the Post Office regulations to these associations? The right hon. Gentleman will find evidence in The Daily Telegraph to-day.

I should be very sorry if it were thought that I had dealt out different measures of justice to any of these societies. My desire is to deal out even-handed justice.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that contributions were made by this society to the election expenses of the hon. Members for Preston and Colne Valley?

I believe in the organ of the society there was acknowledgment of a contribution of 15s. subscribed for the hon. Member for Colne Valley, but such contributions are not forbidden in the Civil Service.

After the right hon. Gentleman's explanation, will he allow a branch of the Primrose League to be established in the Post Office, seeing that it exactly fulfils the conditions under which he has allowed a branch of the Pioneer Socialist League?

said the answer to that was that, having regard his decision, which was founded on that of his predecessor, those interested in the matter formed another society, with rules which brought them within the regulations of the Post Office.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether a Departmental Committee has been sitting to inquire what steps, if any, should be taken to encourage the use of the present life insurance system of the Post Office; whether the Committee has considered the advisablity of appointing a specially trained man to manage the life insurance business, the desirability of severing the insurance business from the savings bank system of accounts, and the advantage of the payment of premiums by means of stamps; and will the Report of the Committee be presented to the House of Commons.

Last year I appointed a Departmental Committee, of which Lord Farrer is Chairman, to consider, inter alia, "whether it is desirable that steps should be taken to encourage the use of the present life insurance system of the post office; and if so what steps." The Committee has not yet reported. Until their Report is presented to me I am unable to answer the other parts of the hon. Member's Question; which, however, I am forwarding to the Committee.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether a room was allocated for an upstairs dining room at the Billingsgate branch office at Christmas, 1907; upon what date the order for the necessary repairs and painting was given; whether only a part of the work was carried out, after which the work was discontinued; and why there has been this delay in carrying out these small but necessary repairs and painting.

I think the hon. Member must be under some misapprehension. I am making arrangements to take a fresh lease of the Billingsgate branch office, with the addition of an upper floor, in which retiring accommodation for part of the staff can be provided, but I am not yet in possession of the additional rooms.

Do I understand that although this matter has been in hand since March last, the Department is not yet in possession of the rooms, and that that is the reason for not carrying out the desired improvement.

It is not in actual legal possession, and could only make the alterations by an act of courtesy.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether the number of men clerkships in the Post Office is being or has been reduced; whether the number of boy clerkships has been proportionately decreased; whether there has been any reduction in boy clerkships; and whether girls have been or are to be employed to perform duties hitherto performed by boy clerks, or duties which could be performed as well by boy clerks.

No general reduction in the number of male clerks is in contemplation; but at the Savings Bank Department there has been some decrease owing to recent rearrangements. The hon. Gentleman, I think, agrees in the view that the number of boys clerks should be diminished in view of the improbability of finding permanent employment for them all. The duties are assigned to girl clerks where they are suitable, but more girl clerks are not employed than can, if they give satisfaction, be retained in the service as women clerks.

The right hon. Gentleman has not answered the last part of my Question as to whether girls are doing duties which could well be performed by boy clerks.

That is so. We desire to diminish, as far as we can, the number of boy clerks. Unfortunately, we cannot find employment for them, and we have to part with them at twenty years of age.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that postmen in Manchester are compelled to propel weights ranging up to 123 pounds in carrier tricycles; whether the Post Office are ignoring a regulation which provides that men are not compelled to propel weights exceeding 70 pounds and, if so, whether he can take steps to immediately enforce the regulation.

No definite limit has been laid down for the weight to be conveyed on carrier tricycles in town districts, as it necessarily depends largely upon local circumstances, such as gradients, distances, etc. I am assured that the loads propelled by postmen at Manchester are not excessive and work out at an average of 55 pounds. After a discussion with the Postmen's Federation, I recently instructed the Second Medical Officer of the Post Office to inquire into the whole question of the weight to be carried on carrier tricycles in consultation with a doctor nominated by the Federation. Their inquiry is now in progress.

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider that this is a matter which can be settled on the basis of averages?

I cannot say that, but the question is now under consideration with a committee nominated by the Postmen's Federation. Until I get their Report I can give no undertaking.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade from what countries fresh milk and cream is imported into this country; and whether satisfactory regulations are in force in the countries of origin providing for the sanitary conditions under which such milk and cream is produced and handled. The hon. Member also had the following Questions on the Paper:— To ask the President of the Board of Trade through what ports of entry fresh milk and cream are imported into this country. To ask the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of fresh milk and cream per week are now entering this country from abroad; and how such quantities compare with those of a year ago. To ask the President of the Local. Government Board whether, owing to the rapid increase of imports of fresh milk and cream, and the uncertainty of the sanitary conditions under which such milk and cream is produced, he will make stringent regulations for the inspection and examination of imported milk and cream at the ports of entry.

Ordinarily the supply of fresh milk from abroad is insignificant, but owing to a shortage in home supplies there has been an exceptional importation during the last few weeks. The quantity of fresh milk imported into this country in the first seven weeks of this year was 697 cwt. as compared with 15 cwt. in the corresponding weeks of last year, whilst of cream the quantity imported was 1,172 cwt. as compared with 690 cwt. The milk is imported from France and landed at Southampton. The cream comes from France, Russia, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium and the Argentine Republic and is landed at London, Harwich, Hull, Newhaven, Newcastle, Southampton, Leith and Grangemouth. The information in my possession is not sufficient to enable me to say how far satisfactory regulations are in force in the countries of origin as to the sanitary conditions under which the milk and cream are produced and handled. I am arranging to have some samples of imported milk examined as to bacterial contamination and presence of dirt and I will give consideration to the subject of regulations in relation both to milk and to cream.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether granite is classified in the Board of Trade Returns as a manufactured article or as raw material.

Imports and exports of granite are not distinguished separately in the Official Trade Accounts, but they are included in groups which are classified as wholly or mainly manufactured.

asked if the Birmingham Council had entered into a contract for the supply of Norwegian granite.

The hon. Member must give notice of such a Question.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade when the new lighthouse and fog horn on the Bass Rock will be completed.

The lighthouse is already completed and the fog signal is expected to be in operation in May.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the increase in the working of passenger trains by engines running tender first; whether the provision of weather-boards for tenders meets the reqirements of the Railway Department of his Board; and will he state what recommendations, if any, have been made to the railway companies on the matter.

When the attention of the Board of Trade has been drawn to cases in which trains are worked by engines running tender first they have communicated with the companies concerned, and have said that the practice is one which they do not regard with favour. Each case is considered on its merits, but as a rule I should say that the provision of weather-boards would not meet all objections. If my hon. friend desires to bring any particular cases to my notice I will have inquiry made.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether there was a clear understanding from the railway companies in the year 1900 that after the ordinary course of life of the dead-buffered waggons then in existence they would be replaced by the modern type of spring-buffered waggons; whether he is aware that during the past two years the London and North Western Railway Company have built several new dead-buffered waggons and placed them in traffic; and whether he will now consider the further increased danger of longer trains and heavier loads of engines, with a view of asking the railway companies to abolish this class of buffer on their rolling stock.

The Board of Trade are in communication with the London and North Western Railway Company on the subject of my hon. friend's Question and will inform him of the result in due course.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the life-saving facilities on the River Tyne are regarded as being inadequate in cases of emergency; and whether he will have steps taken to place the lifeboat service on a more satisfactory basis.

I am not aware that the life-saving facilities on the Tyne are regarded as inadequate. The question of the lifeboat service is one for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, but if any representations are made to us, we shall be happy to communicate them.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has taken any steps to inaugurate an inquiry into the railway system of the United Kingdom; and, if so, whether he will state the nature and composition of the committee and the scope and purpose of the inquiry.

My right hon. friend is not in a position to answer this Question at the moment as stated in the Answer given by him to the hon. Member for Stockport on the 16th. He hopes to be in a position to give a definite answer next week.