To ask the President of the Board of Education whether he can give figures showing the total cost of public education, so far as it is met either by national or by local taxes, in the United Kingdom, in France, and in Germany, respectively. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) I regret that the information in the possession of the Board is not sufficiently complete or up-to-date to enable them to give statistics of any value as to France and Germany. With regard to the United Kingdom, the latest figures are contained in a Return to the order of the House issued on, 2nd August, 1906 [No. 305.]

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury why a fee is charged to dividing societies asking for exemption from valuation as a repayment for trouble and expense, whilst no fee is charged to those societies which do send valuations involving as much labour and expense as the examination of applications for exemption; and whether he will take such steps as will prevent the preferential treatment of one type of society from discouraging other societies, on whom the fee is imposed from applying for registration under the Act. (Answered by Mr. Hobhouse.) The noble Lord is wrong in his assumption that the annual returns and quinquennial valuations involve as much labour and expense to the office as the granting of certificates of exemption from valuation. In the former case the labour and expense is borne by the society and in the latter by the office. In the former case the office receives them and uses them for statistical purposes provided they are duly audited or valued according to the provisions of the Friendly Societies Act. In the latter case the office has to examine the rules and the accounts in order to be satisfied that the particular society is one which is entitled to a certificate of exemption. The fee is not obligatory on dividing societies, as it is open to them to place themselves in the same position as accumulating societies by bein valued, and this is in fact done by some of them. The fee is only £2 every five years, and the total cost works out at 8s. a year. The relative numbers of the two classes of societies registered before and since the regulation came in force do not bear out the suggestion of the fee having had the effect of discouraging the registration of dividing societies. I do not propose to take any steps in the matter.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for India whether in the present and future years any of the cost of bringing home from India soldiers who have done three years service there, but decline to extend their services for a longer period in that country, will become a charge on the revenues of India; and whether an item under the head of sea transport for troops of £59,246 5s. relates to such return of soldiers, and if it has been charged to the Indian Treasury. (Answered by Mr. Buchanan.) I understand this Question to refer to Paragraph 5 of the Second Report of the Committee of Public Accounts. The three years men therein referred to are not soldiers who, having done three years service in India, declined to extend their service in that country, but soldiers who, having enlisted for three years service with the colours and having been sent to India, declined to extend their Army service and had to be brought back to this country. The £59,246 5s. claimed from the War Office represents a portion of the extra cost of transport caused by such short-service men having to be brought home and replaced at the expense of the Indian Treasury. Enlistment for three years with the colours has been discontinued. Such adjustments are exceptional, but the matter has not yet been finally closed.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury if he will consider the advisability of sanctioning the loan asked for by the Ennis Urban Council for the purchase of the tolls and customs of the town of Ennis. (Answered by Mr. Hobhouse.) I have examined with close attention the memorial transmitted to me by the hon. Member for Clare. As I have previously explained to the hon. Member, the Ennis Urban Council have been unpunctual in their repayments of loans, and, though they now declare their readiness to be punctual in the future, they have not resolved to remove the chief cause of their un-punctuality, the late date for striking a rate. I would, moreover, remind the hon. Member that the high rate prevailing in Ennis, amounting to 8s. 6d. in the £, is an almost insurmountable obstacle in the way of the loan from the Board of Works, but, if and when the preliminary step of an earlier date for striking the rate is taken, I shall be willing to further consider the application of the urban council for the loan of £2,500.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he can state what were the number of deaths from plague, cholera, and small-pox, respectively, in the Presidencies of Madras, Bombay, Bengal, including East Bengal, the United Provinces, and the Punjab for each of the last five recorded years; also the amount spent on famine relief,

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for India if the recommendations of the Committee appointed by Lord Curzon to inquire into the position of the Government clerks who remain in Simla during the winter, and which reported in 1905, have yet been carried out; if not, what is the cause of the delay and what are the intentions of the Government of India regarding them. (Answered by Mr. Buchanan.) The proposals of the Government of India regarding the Government clerks who are permanently settled in Simla, and do not move between that place and Calcutta, have not yet reached me. I will inquire when they may be expected.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for India what are the emoluments of non-official additional members of the Governor General of India's Council, and what has been the previous calling of the members appointed during the last five years, provided, in case of the latter part of the Question, the required information is available without resort to search. (Answered by Mr. Buchanan.) A non-official additional member of the Governor General's Legislative Council, who has to leave his ordinary residence and reside at Calcutta for the purpose of attending meetings of the Council, receives an allowance of Rs. 1,000 for each month or part of a month during which he may attend the session, plus a sum of Rs. 1,000 for travelling and other expenses incidental to a change of residence, provided that the total amount paid to a member for any one session shall not exceed Rs. 5,000. These rates also apply to members who may be specially required to attend meetings of the Council at Simla (Article 1146, Civil Service Regulations). The following gentlemen have been appointed since 1st July, 1903:—Tikka Sahib Riperdaman Singh of Nabha, son of the Chief of a Native State. Merchants (3): Mr. F. Cable; Mr. A. A. Apear; Mr. D. M. Hamilton. Landowners (5): Newab Saiyid Muhammad Sahib Bahadur; Sir Ramashwara Singh, Maharajah of Darbhanga; Newab Fateh Ali Khan, Kazilbash, C.I.E.; Newab Bahadur Khwaja Salimulla of Dacca; Mr. Gangadhar Rao Madhar Chitnavis. Lawyers (5): Rai Bahadur Sir B. K. Bose, K.C.I.E.; Dr. Asutosh Mukhopadhyaye; Rai Sri Ram Bahadur: Munshi Madhao Lai; Dr. Rashbehari Ghose, C.I.E. Educationists (3): Mr. Theodore Morison; Dr. Ramkrishna Gopal Bhandarkar; Mr. G. K. Gokhale, C.I.E. Retired Civil Servant (1): Mr. S. Ismay, C.S.I. Retired member of the Provincial Civil Service (1): Maing Ba Tow, K.S.M.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether he will state the name, age, length of service, medical qualification, salary from imperial funds, and professional emoluments from other sources, of each of the medical staff at head-quarters, male and female. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I do not think any useful public object would be served by obtaining such a Return.

To ask the Secretary for Scotland how much of the grant of £200,000 in the last financial year in aid of the expenses under the Unemployed Workmen Act, 1905, was allotted to Scotland; how it was apportioned as between the various places which received grants; and how much was raised locally in each of these places. (Answered by Mr. Sinclair.) In reply to the first part of this Question I may refer my hon. friend to the Answer given to the hon. Member for Sutherland on 16th June. As all accounts for the year ended 15th May have not reached the Local Government Board for Scotland, I am unable to state the sums raised by each distress committee. The following are the figures for five of the fourteen distress committees:—

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the amount of conscience money received by the Treasury during the past five financial years respectively. (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) The amounts of conscience money received by the Treasury and paid over to the Exchequer in the last five financial years have been—

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether there is any particular reason why the sergeant of police at Poyntzpass is almost invariably a Protestant; and whether, since the principal ratepayers in the village are Catholics, he will consider the advisability of recommending that occasionally a Catholic sergeant should be appointed. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The sergeant at Poyntzpass station is a Protestant, but there is no rule that this should invariably be the case. The Inspector-General informs me that the sergeants of the Royal Irish Constabulary are distributed in the way best suitable to the needs of the different localities, and he does not think it desirable to give any pledge as regards appointments to any particular stations. There is no present intention of removing the sergeant now at Poyntzpass, who has given every satisfaction to his superior officers.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that recently a serious attack was made by a number of young men on two Catholics in the Ponytzpass police district; whether any arrests have been made in connection with the affair; whether the police have taken any action in regard to it; and whether he will direct that steps be taken to protect people from molestation by persons who frequent the roads in this district in the evenings with criminal intentions. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) At Armagh Assizes on 7th July, Patrick M'Sherry, a Catholic, was tried for firing a revolver at one Andrew Bicker, in the locality of Poyntzpass, and was acquitted. The defence set up was that M'Sherry and another man were being stoned by a crowd, whereupon M Sherry fired a shot in self-defence. No person was struck by stones on the occasion, and the police have no evidence that stones were thrown, and consequently cannot take proceedings. I am informed that party feeling is somewhat rife at Poyntzpass and that the police use all possible efforts to protect each side from molestation by the other.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether officers of sixteen years service and upwards in the Volunteer Force will be entitled to, and will receive, the medal for long service, whether they do or do not transfer to the Territorial Force. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The hon. Member presumably refers to the decoration for officers. The concession of the grant of the decoration after a period of sixteen years service reckoned under the Volunteer Regulations is applicable only to those Volunteer officers who have been unable to join the Territorial Force.

To ask the Prime Minister whether his attention has been drawn to the serious distress existing in Glasgow and neighbourhood owing to the depressed condition of the shipbuilding and other trades; and what steps the Government are taking, or propose to take, in co-operating with or otherwise assisting the local distress committees. (Answered by Mr. Sinclair.) I am desired by the Prime Minister to reply to this Question. The Government have fully in view the condition of affairs referred to by my hon. friend, and in the event of the Supplementary Estimate now before the House being voted the claims of Glasgow will be fully considered.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will arrange in future that cruisers on the West Indian station should dock at Trinidad instead of leaving their station and steaming 1,500 miles to dock at Bermuda.

The visits of cruisern on the West Indies station to Bermuda are governed by various considerations. When such visits take place, the opportunity is naturally taken of docking airship which requires it. I will, however, consider my hon. friend's suggestion in case it should be convenient at any time to have a ship docked at Trinidad.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will state the number of men employed at Pembroke dock as compared with those employed on the same date in 1907 and in 1905.

The numbers are as follows—

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty what sum was obtained for each of the ships broken up during the financial year 1906–7; and what was the date of construction and original cost of each ship.

Appended—

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any further arrangements have been made for mooring torpedo boats and destroyers in the Southampton Water or the Hamble River, in view of the importance of this matter to yacht owners and fishermen in the present season.

No destroyers or torpedo boats have been stationed in the Hamble River yet, and the question of the suitability of the river for the purpose intended is engaging the careful consideration of the Admiralty.

was understood to say that destroyers had already been in the Hamble River.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the abandonment of the Rosyth naval base scheme is in contemplation by His Majesty's Government.

There is no intention to abandon the Rosyth scheme.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if, in a contributory pension scheme for the workmen in Woolwich Arsenal and the other War Office Departments, he would view favourably a proposal that his Department should contribute an amount equal to the amount to be contributed by the workmen, and should advance the amount already earned as bonuses by the men as a nucleus for the pension fund.

It is impossible for the War Department to commit itself to the financial proposition suggested in the Question, a proposition which is quite novel as far as a Government Department is concerned, and I do not think the conditions under which bonuses are earned under the Superannuation Act would admit of advances being made. The workmen at Woolwich Arsenal have more than once put forward pension schemes, but they were all of them actuarially unsound. The War Office has supplied the workmen with actuarial calculations to assist them in formulating a self-supporting scheme and has suggested the lines it might take. If they can produce a scheme, I shall be prepared to consider it sympathetically and to give facilities for its operation.

I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for India if he can state the amount of land revenue, mentioned at page 11 of the Explanatory Memorandum on East Indian Accounts, as having been suspended in Bombay in previous years of famine and collected in 1906–7; whether, during the present famine in Northern India, the land revenue is being only suspended and not, remitted; and whether the demand of large arrears as well as the heavy current land tax, as soon as famine conditions cease, prevents the recovery of the peasantry and is the chief cause of their progressive impoverishment and discontent.

The arrears on account of suspended land revenue in the Bombay Presidency were reduced by £268,000 in 1906–7. With regard to the second question, the Explanatory Memorandum states at page 25 that a large proportion of the land revenue suspended an account of the famine this year and last year, will necessarily be remitted, but it is not possible at present to estimate the amount. Such remissions are made with the object of facilitating the recovery of the peasantry from the losses occasioned by the drought.

asked if these suspensions did not seriously retard the recovery of the peasants from the effects of famine, by compelling payment in the year immediately following the famine, and whether there was not evidence that this iron system of collection of revenue which should never be collected at all, had really been a contributory cause of the unrest in India?

I am not aware of that, but I may say that suspension is frequently followed by remission.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now in a position to make a statement with regard to the composition of the special Tribunal by which it is proposed to try Dinizulu, and to say what law and what rules of evidence will be applied in the conduct of the trial.

I am not yet in a position to make a statement, but hope to be in a position to do so shortly.

Is there to be a special tribunal to try Dinizulu?

Yes, I have already announced there is to be a special Court, but I am not yet in a position to state how it will be constituted.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the attention of the Secretary of State has been called to a statement made by the Attorney-General on 3rd June that there was a contract between this country and Dinizulu for the payment of his salary, and that the legal situation showed without any doubt an obligation on this country which he was sure the House would be glad to hear this country did not mean to neglect; whether this represents the view of His Majesty's Government; and, if no, when His Majesty's Government intend to fulfil this obligation by paying the arrears of salary due to Dinizulu.

I need hardly say that the Secretary of State has given the most careful consideration to the opinion which the Attorney-General has expressed that His Majesty's Government are under an obligation to see that Dinizulu receives his salary. His Majesty's Government abstained from taking any action in the matter when they understood that active steps were on the point of being taken to prosecute Dinizulu's claim against the Natal Government by legal action in the Colony. They are not aware of the reason why this action has been so long delayed, but they now consider that a continuance of the present situation, besides being detrimental to the interests of the prisoner, whose resources are almost exhausted, tends to prolong an unfortunate and embarrassing conflict of opinion between His Majesty's Government and the Government of Natal. They are anxious to remove the cause of this difference forthwith; and they cannot view with satisfaction the prospect of efforts being made to enforce by legal action what they regard as an honourable obligation of the Crown. They have therefore decided that Dinizulu's salary so far as it has accrued shall be paid from Imperial funds, and this House will in due course be invited to vote the necessary sum.

Will any steps be taken to recover the amount from the Transvaal Government?

I cannot say.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if his attention has been called to a Report of a Select Committee of the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements on the working of the Sunday Labour Ordinance, 1892; whether he is aware that this Report finds that this ordinance has tended to handicap British shipping in its competition with foreign shipping; and, if so, whether he will represent to the Government of the Straits Settlements that this ordinance ought to be so amended as to place British and foreign shipping on terms of absolute equality.

The Secretary of State has had this Report under his consideration and he is informing the Governor that he will not object to effect being given to the recommendations of the Committee as an experiment.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the number of deaths among the Chinese coolies in the Transvaal during the month of June, 1908; how many were repatriated during that month; and how many remained in the country on 30th June.

I understand that twenty-seven died and one was repatriated. There remained 21,636 on 30th June.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is in possession of the text of the Bill dealing with the licensing of Indian traders that is now before the Legislative Assembly of Natal; and, if so, whether he will cause copies of the Bill to be circulated to Members of this House.

The Governor forwarded a copy of this Bill to the Secretary of State in May, and correspondence on the subject has been proceeding since. I do not think that it is desirable to lay the Bill by itself until the correspondence is complete, but I shall be glad to furnish a copy to my lion, friend if he desires it.

Will the hon. Gentleman consider the desirability of laying a copy in the Library to which Members may have access?

If it is the general desire I will do so.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the new arrangements for the sale of land in Fiji; and whether the Government will see that the rights of the natives to the soil of their own country will be safeguarded and respected in every way.

Papers will shortly be laid before Parliament which will, I hope, satisfy my hon. friend that the rights of the natives have been adequately safeguarded.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the attention of the Secretary of State has been directed to the great and rapid increase in the importation of spirits into Southern Nigeria, and to the demoralisation and other evils consequent on this traffic; and whether he proposes to take any steps in the matter, and in that case what is their nature.

The attention of the Secretary of State has been called to this subject. The question of the extent of evils consequent on the traffic is one on which there is a wide difference of opinion among those best qualified to judge, and the Secretary of State proposes to institute a formal inquiry into the matter.

Is there any duty on spirits going into the country?

Yes, but it is a matter of opinion whether it is prohibitive.

Will the hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of increasing it?

That is one of the matters which will be considered when the inquiry is instituted. In answer to Mr. ELLIS—

said Papers would probably be laid, and suggested that another Question should be put as to that in a week's time.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, under the scheme recently adopted for disposing of the sewage of Cairo, the great sewer is to be laid for several miles in the bed of the Jebal Canal which in the Nile mouths supplies water to the districts beyond the village of Matarieh; whether, if so, there is reason to fear that a leakage from the sewer into the canal may some time occur; and whether, in view of the possible risks of this, he will advise the Egyptian Government to give opportunities for public discussion of the scheme before embarking upon it.

I beg to refer the hon. Member to replies returned to Questions asked on this subject by the hon. Member for the Tyneside division of Northumberland on the 16th ultimo and 7th instant. Till I receive the Report for which I have called I can say nothing on the point in question.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has yet received any information with regard to the atrocities against the Armenian population committed by Turkish soldiers at Katechen or any other places in the neighbourhood of Van.

I have had a telegraphic report, founded on information, from the Vice-Consul at Van, to the effect that recent events have revealed widespread revolutionary activity and that a large quantity of arms, dynamite, etc., has in fact been discovered at Van. It is stated that there is no reason to complain of the conduct of the Turkish authorities generally, but there were some cases in which the search for arms was conducted with excessive severity, and the villagers at Khatchen complained to the Vali of abuses in connection with it. The guilt of certain Zaptiehs has been admitted by the Vali, and they are being punished. The troops are said to have behaved well with the exception of the Redifs, and attention having been drawn to the matter by Mr. Barclay the Porte has ordered a Special Commission of inquiry into the conduct of the Redifs. I expect a fuller report by despatch.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the British Consul at Tabriz refused protection to Persian constitutionalists during the recent repression; and, if so, will be explain why he adopted this attitude.

Admission to the Consulate was refused in consequence of instructions sent to limit the taking of "bast" to cases in which life was in imminent danger. In this case it was desired, apparently, to use the Consulate for political purposes, a proceeding which His Majesy's Government cannot admit, as it would necessitate intervention by force on their part in the internal affairs of Persia. It appears that the political party named in the Question have lately not been repressed, but have got the upper hand at Tabriz.

Is not the action of the Consulate at Tabriz in strong contrast with that of the Consul at Teheran?

No, Sir. At Teheran the action taken was necessitated because lives were supposed to be in danger.

Is our Consul-General at Tabriz still at his post?

I believe so.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he can explain the item, Stock purchased with money received in respect of forfeited deposits in the Post Office Savings Banks (page 86 of Finance Accounts of the United Kingdom); and whether he can explain under what circumstances the deposits were forfeited.

This stock was purchased by the National Debt Commissioners with money forfeited under the provisions of Section 12 (1) of the Savings Bank Act, 1891. The amount forfeited was in respect of some thirty-one cases reported during the year, where the depositor had more than one Savings Bank account, and the amount in the combined accounts exceeded £200—the maximum on which interest can be credited under the Savings Banks Acts.

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can now say what decision he has arrived at with regard to the repayment by the Treasury of the expenses incurred by county councils in ascertaining the demand for small holdings.

After careful consideration I have come to the conclusion that one-half of the out-of-pocket expenses incurred by a county council in ascertaining the demand for small holdings might properly be refunded by the Exchequer. In due course, a proposal to this effect will be submitted to Parliament.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if there is in the Prison Department any medical evidence to show that twenty-two and-a-half hours solitary confinement out of every twenty-four hours is conducive to physical and mental health; and, if not, will he order the discharge of all female political prisoners who are subject to such solitary confinement.

The prisoners referred to in the Question have been specially visited by the Medical Inspector of Prisons, and he found no reason to think that the health of any of them has suffered from the conditions of their imprisonment. He has, however, recommended that they should be allowed two periods of exercise instead of one, and this has been arranged for. They will also be allowed to work in association so far as this is found to be consistent with discipline.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to any inventions for recording the speed of motor-cars and for automatically shutting off the engine and applying the brake at a given speed; and whether he will cause an examination to be made of any such apparatus submitted to him with a view to determining whether it is likely to prove suitable for compulsory use.

Several such inventions have been submitted to the police authorities at New Scotland Yard, and have been examined by them, but my authority only extends to licensed public carriages in the Metropolis; and if the hon. Member's Question refers as I understand it to do, to motor-cars generally throughout the country, he should address it to my right hon. friend the President of the Local Government Board.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if there have been any precedents in recent years for such a rapid increase in the percentage of unemployment among the skilled trades in this country during the summer months as have occurred during the present year.

The facts in my possession do not enable me to give a precise Answer to the hon. Member's Question, but it is the case that the percentages of members of certain trade unions returned to the Board of Trade as unemployed have recently shown an increase which is unusual at this time of the year.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, on 15th July at about 6 a.m., a horse was electrified by a live stud n the Mile End Road, severely burned on the flank and forelegs, and would have been killed if he had not been promptly pulled off; and whether he will, in the interests of public safety, withdraw the Board of Trade provisional certificate.

The Board of Trade are informed by the London County Council that on the date named a horse came in contact with a stud which was electrically charged, and sustained some slight injuries. The use of the system in operation on the tramway in question has been sanctioned as an experiment for a period of six months from the 23rd ult. If at the end of that period the council desire a renewal of the sanction, the number and nature of any accidents that have occurred will, of course, be a factor in the consideration of the question.

May I ask whether it is going to be stopped permanently?

So far as the Board of Trade is concerned, we have given a provisional sanction for six months, and until this period has expired we can do nothing. Whether the line is stopped permanently or not, I cannot say.

Cannot the Board of Trade withdraw the certificate?

The sanction was provisional in the sense that at the end of six months it must come up for review, and I am informed that we have no power to withdraw it within that period.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that the Kingston vaccination officer has sent a notice to Mr. Hubert Bo well, Carisbrooke, Heathfield, Hampton, pointing out that his child will be four months old on 18th July, and giving him notice in the terms of Form Q., in spite of the fact that Mr. Bowell made a declaration of conscientious objection to vaccination which was witnessed by a local magistrate, and posted to the vaccination officer, three weeks previously; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter.

I am informed that a notice in the terms of Form Q was sent to Mr. Bowell on 23rd June, five days after the receipt of a declaration of conscientious objection which he had made. This was done by inadvertence during the absence of the vaccination officer on his holidays, and he desires to express his regret for any inconvenience to which Mr. Bowell may have been put in the matter.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware of the amount of distress prevailing in Gates-head through unemployment; whether he is aware that the local distress committee have expressed their inability to deal with it, and that the distress committee have opened a fund; and whether to relieve the suffering, he will agree to grant an amount out of the surplus funds voted by Parliament under the Unemployed Act, 1905.

I am aware of the circumstances at Gateshead, and that the distress committee have appealed for subscriptions. The money voted by Parliament last session for the purposes of the Unemployed Workmen Act was for the service of the financial year ending on 31st March last, and consequently no payment out of it can now be made. I may add that there is a strong and united administration by the public bodies in the borough, and that they appear to have matters well in hand.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if he can yet say when the promised Bill for the regulation of the milk supply will be introduced.

It will not be practicable to introduce the Bill until after the holidays.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he will state the number of applications received from rural, urban district, and borough councils, respectively, for the adoption in whole or in part, of the Public Health Acts Amendment. Act, 1907; and also to what number of these the necessary authority has been already given by the Local Government Board.

The number of cases in which I have received applications for Orders under the Act, and in which the formalities prescribed by the Act have been complied with by the local authorities is sixty, made up as follows:—Sixteen in respect of boroughs, forty-one in respect of urban districts, and three in respect of rural districts. Seven Orders have already been issued and the other cases will be disposed of as speedily as possible.

Will the right hon. Gentleman see that the applications received are not in any way hindered or delayed?

Every despatch is used in advising the local authority in this matter.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the distress committees in England were informed that no further grants would be made between 31st, March and August, and that their final applications for grants to carry on their work until August must be made before the beginning of April.

Early in March last the Local Government Board informed the distress committees by whom schemes of work had been undertaken which might possibly extend beyond the 31st of that month that no payment could be made out of the grant for 1907–8 after that date. The Board stated that it was not contemplated that a payment should, save in exceptional circumstances, be made from the grant in aid of work carried on after the end of the financial year, but they added that if in any case some further payment was needed by the distress committee to enable them to complete any work then in hand for which a contribution from the grant had been made, an application for that purpose should at once be sent to the Board.

What was the actual time of sending out the Circular intimating that the grants would lapse on 31st March?

10th March.

Was alike Circular sent out by the Local Government Board in Scotland?

That Question should be addressed to the Secretary for Scotland.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board what amount of boneless scrap meat was imported into this country during the year 1907, from the United States, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada respectively; what precautions are taken to detect disease in the animals from which the meat is derived or to provide against unwholesome conditions of handling, chemical treatment, and packing in the countries of origin; and whether this meat is inspected after the process of thawing upon arrival in this country, so as to prevent decomposed meat passing into the possession of manufacturers.

Imports of boneless scrap meat are not specially distinguished by the Board of Customs, and hence the amount imported cannot be definitely stated. Some information on the subject and also as to the methods of inspection in the countries of origin will, however, be found in the Report made to the Local Government Board by Dr. Buchanan on Certain Imported Meat Foods of Questionable Whole someness, a copy of which I will send to my hon friend. Thawing mostly takes place after the meat has reached its destination in small shops, sausage factories, etc., and in these circumstances it is not practicable to make sufficiently frequent inspections to prevent the use of unwholesome meat. Looking to these and other considerations, I have caused Regulations to be prepared with the object of preventing the importation of meat in the form of scraps which cannot readily be identified with definite parts of the carcase.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether any and what steps have been taken by the Board of Education to deprive the Central Welsh Board of any and which of the powers hitherto exercised by it over secondary schools in Wales.

The Answer is in the negative.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether it is proposed by the Board of Education to deprive the Welsh Central Board of the powers hitherto exercised by it with regard to the distribution of the Welsh secondary school grants, and with regard to its position as intermediary for the purpose of communication between the Board of Education and the Welsh secondary schools.

The secondary school grants in Wales have hitherto been paid through the Central Welsh Board although the Treasury Grant has always been paid direct, but that body has had no power or discretion as to the allocation of the secondary grants as between particular schools. Similarly, correspondence between the schools and the Board of Education has been despatched through the Central Welsh Board, but the functions of that body were limited to forwarding the Board's letters. The Board decided, with a view to economy and simplicity of administration, and in order that Welsh secondary schools should not be placed at any disadvantage as compared with English schools, that the methods of direct communication adopted in the case of these same schools as regards pupil teacher work and in the case of other secondary schools as regards the whole of their work should be applied in future. Arrangements will, of course, be made, if desired, to secure that the Central Welsh Board shall be supplied with copies of important communications between the Board of Education and the schools.

Has there been any recent change in the relations with the Board of Education?

There has only been a change in the channel through which communications pass.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether the Board of Education propose to deprive the Welsh Central Board of any of the statutory powers conferred upon it by the Intermediate Education (Wales) Act, 1889; and, if so, under what statute such action is to be taken.

The Answers in the negative.

I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works if he will consider the possibility of applying a verandah to a small portion of the Terrace, so that Members could enjoy the fresh air even when it was raining.

I do not think I should venture to deface the architecture of the Terrace by a verandah, but I might point out to my hon. friend that, there is at all times an abundant supply of excellent fresh air in the Chamber of this House itself.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that on most afternoons about five o'clock both Parties cannot agree about the freshness of the air?

Both sides are subject to the accidental passage of gas barges.

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider whether any suggestion cannot be carried out without defacing the architecture?

I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, if the Board have taken over from the War Office the organisation of the horse-breeding industry; if the Treasury has given or promised a sum of £30,000 for this purpose; and whether any sum for a similar purpose is to be granted to the Irish Department of Agriculture.

The reply to the first and second parts of the Question is in the negative. The scheme if adopted will apply to the United Kingdom as a whole.

If any extra money should be granted for this purpose will care be taken that Ireland has its proportionate share?

The hon. Member had better wait till the extra grant is made.

Can the hon. Gentleman say when the scheme will be laid before the House?

No, Sir.

I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, what number of allotments of over one acre in extent has been applied for under The Small Holdings and Allotments Acts, 1907.

We are not at present able to give this information, but we shall obtain and publish it in our Annual Report.

I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, what approximately is the proportion of applicants for small holdings under The Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1907, who desire to purchase their holdings.

Under 5 per cent., so far as our information goes.

I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, if any representations have been received from the Government of the Dominion of Canada asking that the embargo on Canadian cattle should be removed, and, if so, whether a favourable reply was given to such representations; and whether, having regard to the high price of beef now prevailing and the entire absence of disease among cattle in Canada, any hopes are held out of early action in the matter on behalf of the Government.

Representations on this subject were received in 1905 from the Canadian Government by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and a reply in the negative was given to the proposals made. There is no present intention of introducing fresh legislation on the subject.

Did the Dominion when making representations on the subject expressly deny there was any disease in Canada?

Is not the land boundary between America and Canada 3,000 or 4,000 miles in length?

I should like notice of that Question.

What was the date of the latest communication from Canada? Was it 1905?

I believe so.

I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether, in view of the very stringent regulations now in force at the Foreign Cattle Market at Deptford and elsewhere, which prevent the possibility of any disease being communicated to any British cattle or sheep, and especially in view of the recent rise in the price of butcher meat, which involves hardship to the labouring classes, the Board will at once rescind the ordinance prohibiting the importation of Cattle and sheep from the Argentine Republic and other countries for immediate slaugther at the Deptford Foreign Cattle Market and other markets throughout the country, which would enable not only the price of butcher meat to be reduced but these foreign markets to resume their former activity and thereby greatly reduce the ranks of the unemployed; and whether he is aware that, while Argentine and other foreign animals t cannot be imported alive into this country, Argentine sheep are regularly imported into Antwerp and a proportion of the skins, heads, plucks, and carcasses of these sheep are brought from Antwerp, admitted without inspection, and sold in England, thus depriving the British working classes of the necessary employment in connection therewith.

Before the hon. Gentleman answers that Question I desire to ask one or two others. Is it not a fact that, shortly after the last occasion when an order prohibiting the importation of live cattle and sheep from the Argentine Republic and permitting their landing at Deptford was relaxed, two cargoes of animals suffering from foot-and-mouth disease were discovered just in time to prevent their being landed; and whether it is not the fact that so insidious is this disease that no regulation, however stringent, with regard to the control of Deptford Market could afford any guarantee that it would not escape beyond the precincts of the market, and so be spread to other parts of the country? Further——

The hon. Gentleman had better answer this Question first.

May I ask, Sir, whether, after the hon. Gentleman has answered the Question on the Paper, I shall not be permitted to ask him a further Question?

There have been already put five or six. It is rather a long catechism.

I may answer the right hon. Gentleman's Questions generally in the affirmative. The statutory obligations of the Board with regard to the importation of animals are such as to preclude the admission into this country of cattle and sheep brought from the Argentine and the other countries scheduled under the Foreign Animals Order of 1903. The adoption of precautionary measure in relation to the importation of hides, offals, etc., has frequently been considered, but it has always been held to be impracticable. No outbreak of disease in this country has been circumstantially traced to such agencies.

I think the time has now come when, as I understand your ruling, I am entitled to put a further Question to the hon. Member for South Somerset, and I should like to ask, in view of the statement that Argent no sheep are regularly imported into Antwerp, if the recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease at Edinburgh was not directly traced to the importation of fodder and hay from Antwerp or its neighbourhood?

That is so.

I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether he will consider the advisability of instructing county councils definitely to inform all applicants for land whether or not their applications are entertained, and if not entertained the reasons therefore and further, where refusal follows due to the applicant's lack of capital, the amount of capital deemed to be necessary shall be stated, so that the applicant be enabled to obtain the amount necessary through credit banks or otherwise.

The Board understand that county councils usually inform applicants for small holdings whether their applications can be entertained or not. The Board do not see their way to adopt the suggestion made by my hon. friend, but they are ready to inquire into any specific cases in which applications are refused, and indeed they are doing this daily.

I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether he can state how many outbreaks of gooseberry mildew have been detected in the county of Kent; in what manner the Board propones to deal with them; and whether he will undertake that the Board will support any measures, however drastic, which the local authority may consider necessary to stamp out the disease.

Three outbreaks have been detected, and they are being dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the American Gooseberry Mildew Order of 1907. The Board will gladly take into immediate consideration any proposals that the local authority may make with a view to the eradication of the disease.

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland,

I may inform the hon. Member I am taking steps to ascertain the views of the proprietor on the subject.

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he is now in a position to state the amount of arrears of rates due by the landlord of the Island of Lewis on 31st March last, and the amount of arrears due from tenants paying over £30 and under £30 respectively.

The following is the information desired by my hon. friend—

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland, in view of the fact that the last Report of the Fishery Board for Scotland shows that although the fishery cruser "Vigilant" was detailed for duty on the West Coast of Scotland, she was kept fully employed within the Clyde area during the greater part of last year, and only made an occasional cruise to Minch, will he consider the expediency of arranging for the new cruiser to be stationed off the Northwest coast of Scotland, especially bearing in mind that during last winter there were numerous complaints of illegal trawling off Gairloch and off the coast of Lewis.

The station of the new cruiser has not yet been definitely fixed. So soon as she has been built and become available for duty the question will be decided according to the exigencies and requirements of the service at the time with due regard to the claims of different sections of the coast.

Can the right hon. Gentle man say when the new cruiser will be built? The matter has been a long time under consideration.

No, Sir.

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland if he will state when he expects to be in a position to announce the appointment of a Departmental Committee to inquire into the existing bankruptcy laws of Scotland.

I hope, very shortly.

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland if he will explain why distress committees in Scotland were asked by the Local Government Board to put forward final claims before 31st March this year, seeing that they were told on 1st February last year that they were expected to deal with all cases which came before them at any time in the year after the expiry of March.

The 31st March being the close of the financial year it was necessary that all claims should be made prior to that date. The grants distributed prior to 31st March, however, were available for work executed after that date.