To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that for some years past the established clerical staff in the provincial superintending engineers' offices has been insufficient to meet the work in that Department; that temporary assistance in the shape of sorting clerks and telegraphists, Second Division clerks, boy clerks, and the employment of casual clerks from outside the service, has failed to adequately fill the breach, and that the members of the permanent clerical staff are obliged to perform continuous overtime; and if he can say when the bringing up of the establishment to the required strength may be expected. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton). I am aware and regret that for some time there has been heavy pressure of work on the established clerical staff in the provincial superintending engineers' offices and that there has been a considerable amount of overtime work; but proposals for a revision of the Engineering Department, including the clerical force, have been received, and I hope that before very long the establishment will be brought up to the required strength.

To ask the Secretary for Scotland in view of the fact that, in reply to a memorial from the people of Ness representing a population of 4,000, a letter was sent from the Scottish Office, under date 4th June last, deprecating the view that the Lewis fisheries had been ruined by trawlers, and stating that the Lewis fisheries were better last year than they had been for some years, is he aware that the figures which he quoted for 1904–7 largely represent herrings caught by English and Scottish steam drifters, whereas statistics concerning the line-fishing industry, on which the fishermen of Lewis mainly depend, show that the weight of line-caught fish landed in the island fell from 126,024 cwts. in 1893 to 76,011 cwts. in 1904, and 69,833 cwts. in 1907; and, in view of this evidence in support of the contention of the memorialists, will he endeavour to meet their grievances. (Answered by Mr. Sinclair). In the information referred to the herrings, whether caught by English or Scottish drifters, were taken in Lewis waters and landed in Lewis. Since 1898, the date from which full statistics are available, the average catch per boat actually engaged in line fishing has remained practically the same, while the value of such catch per boat has gone up from £38 in 1898 to £55 in 1907. Within the same period the number of boats actually engaged in line fishing in Lewis has decreased from 666 to 451. The latter fact much more than accounts for any apparent diminution in the catch.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, as he does not advise the prosecution of motor cab drivers who take more passengers than they are licensed to carry, except in cases of serious overcrowding, why the police rigidly carry out the regulation as to the number of passengers a tramcar is licensed to carry, and the reason why the tramcar is treated differently in this respect to motor cabs. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone). If more than the authorised number of persons are admitted into a tramcar the passengers are inconvenienced, generally against their wishes. When a motor cab is hired no one is inconvenienced by any overcrowding except the hirer and his friends, and there is no object in prosecuting except where the overcrowding is such as to cause danger.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, as he is unable to advise the police to prosecute the drivers of motor cabs who carry more passengers than their cabs are licensed to carry, except in cases of serious overcrowding, he has issued any instruction to the police explaining what serious overcrowding means; and, if so, will he give the regulation, and, if no instruction has been issued, whether this question is left to the discretion of each constable. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) As regards the instructions to the police, I can only refer the hon. Member to the Answers given to former Questions on 27th May and 22nd June. The need for intervening must necessarily depend on the circumstances of each case, and be left to a great extent to the discretion of the constable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the French Government propose to increase the import duties on elastic tissues; and, if so, what steps His Majesty's Government propose to take to protect British interests. (Answered by Sir Edward Grey). My right hon. friend does not know whether the French Government propose to increase the import duties in question, as no official publication has yet been made of any of the proposals put forward by the Customs Commission of the French Chamber of Deputies, which is now engaged in studying the revision of the existing French Customs tariff.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Lyon King-at-Arms was consulted in regard to the new design for the arms of the Commonwealth of Australia; and, if not, will he take steps to ensure that he will be consulted. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) The Answer to the first part of the Question is in the negative. As I stated on Thursday last, the arms have already been approved by His Majesty.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, pending the Report of the Committee on the Weekly Day of Rest, he can see his way to grant the Metropolitan Police a full fortnight's holiday this year instead of the usual ten days, on account of the exceptionally heavy duties the force have been called upon to perform. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) No, Sir. I should not feel justified in making any alteration in the leave of absence of the Metropolitan Police, at any rate until after the Select Committee has reported. Even the comparatively small increase suggested could not be made without raising the police rate above its present limit.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received any complaints respecting the shortage of cabs at the chief railway termini in London since the abolition of the privilege cab system under the Bill of last year. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) No, Sir, I have received no complaints.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the administration of the home-work provisions of the Factory Act was discussed at a conference with medical officers of health at the Home Office last autumn, as promised in a reply to a Question in the House on 18th July, 1907; and, if so, what results were arrived at. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) Yes, Sir, the conference was held as promised. A useful discussion took place on a number of administrative points, and certain alterations and improvements were subsequently made in the tables issued to the medical officers for the preparation of the statistics. It may be hoped, I think, that the conference will have its result generally in an improved administration of the home-work provisions of the Factory Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the second column in Table 6 of Part II. of the Supplement to the Annual Report of the Chief Inspector of Factories and Workshops for the year 1906, where the number of lists of outworkers sent in by employers who fulfil the legal obligation to send in two lists in the year are given separately from those who have sent in only one in the year; whether he has noticed that the numbers are, in many cases, odd and not even, in one case the number given being one; whether the same thing appears in Table 5, which gives the details of the returns according to industries; and whether he can give any explanation why these apparent mistakes have occurred. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) I am aware of the figures to which the hon. Member calls attention. The figures have been tabulated as received from the medical officers of health. As explained in the introduction to the Return issued in 1906, the Department is unable to clear up by correspondence minor points of doubt that arise in connection with these figures. The errors, which are not very important, are no doubt due to some misunderstanding on the part of the medical officers, and the question whether the instructions as to filling up the tables can be made clearer will be considered before they are again issued.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that in Glasgow no cases of out-work in infected premises are reported as having been found in the course of 3,072 inspections of out-workers' premises, although the cases of infectious disease throughout the city are reported as being at the rate of 24 per 1,000 of the population; and whether he has inquired if the places where home-work is done in Glasgow are really as immune from infectious disease as Column 20 in Table 6 of Cd. 3986 seems to show. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) The figures in the Returns were supplied by the medical officer of health for Glasgow, a most efficient and careful official, and I have no reason for doubting their accuracy. The question, however, of the prevalence of infectious disease in this or any other class of premises is a matter of public health with which the Home Office is not directly concerned.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether there is any regular system of inspecting the shops of animal dealers with the view of finding out the number of dogs which they keep, and whether they pay licences for each of such dogs. (Answered by Mr. Hobhouse.) No special regulations have been issued respecting these dogs, but it is a part of the officers' duty to see that licences are taken for all dogs which are liable to duty, and the Board have no reason to think that there is any evasion of duty on the part of dealers in dogs.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state the nature of the powers entrusted to Customs officers as regards the examination of foreign books in the luggage of passengers landing at British ports from the Continent and as regards the seizure of the same; and whether it lies in the individual discretion of such officers to pronounce a given, book fit or unfit for importation, or whether any and what code of criticism is officially supplied to them for application to the problem. (Answered by Mr. Hobhouse.) Under Section 42 of the Customs Consolidation Act, 1876, books in regard to which notice has been given that a copyright therein subsists in the United Kingdom and indecent books are prohibited to be imported. Any books observed by Customs officers, in the course of the examination of passengers' baggage, which appear to fall within these two categories are detained and submitted to the Board of Customs for their directions.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that a second Court was unable to sit at Guildford last week in consequence of there being no shorthand writer; whether a second Court was unable to sit at Birmingham last week for the same reason; whether the learned Judge who was presiding invited gentlemen who were present to act as shorthand writers, and that they refused on account of the lowness of the remuneration; whether in many places shorthand writers have had to be engaged at a greater cost than the Treasury scale of remuneration; and whether he will reconsider his decision not to raise the scale. (Answered by Mr. Hobhouse.) As I stated in reply to a Question on Thursday last, the appointment of official shorthand writers for the purposes of the Criminal Appeal Act rests with the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice, with whom I am in communication on the subject.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury why the grant of £19,601 was made to the Limavady and Dungiven Railway Company, in face of the fact that the company being under an obligation to pay the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway Company 70 per cent, of the receipts for working expenses was incapable of paying interest on the loan; and why, when the Treasury, after foreclosure, sold the line for £2,000 to the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway Company, they did not require that company at once to promote a Bill to confirm the proceedings and to settle at the same time the obligations of the purchasing company in the interests of the public. (Answered by Mr. Hobhouse.) At the time (1883) when the advance to the Limavady and Dungiven Railway Company was made, it was anticipated that the net receipts of the line, after paying, the proportion due for working expenses to the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway Company, would from the outset suffice to pay the interest and instalment of principal on the Board of Works loan. The Board of Works ultimately, with the consent of the Treasury, sold their interest in the line to the Midland Company subject to the necessary Parliamentary powers being obtained. The Midland Railway Act, 1907, to which the agreement for sale with the Board of Works is scheduled, conferred the necessary powers. The Limavady and Dungiven Railway Acts of 1878 and 1882 remain, however, in full force and apply to the transferred undertaking, and under the second schedule of the agreement, confirmed by and scheduled to the Act of 1907, the Midland Company are obliged at their own expense well and sufficiently to equip, work, manage, and maintain the railway in perpetuity and to afford proper facilities for the traffic of the district.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has; been called to recent prosecutions of motorists in Windsor for exceeding the speed limit; whether he has noticed that it was admitted in cross-examination that one car was capable of travelling at fifty miles an hour and another car at sixty miles an hour; and who is responsible for having licensed such vehicles to travel upon the public highway. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I have seen a newspaper report of these; prosecutions which contains statements to the effect referred to in the Question. An Excise licence has to be taken out in respect of a motor car as in respect of any other carriage, and it could not be withheld on the ground that the car could travel at any particular speed. No other licence is required.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board 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. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) My attention has not been called to inventions of the kind mentioned by my hon. friend. I should be ready to cause any such inventions to be examined if they were submitted to me.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board if he authorised a certain firm in London to value samples of clothing submitted to the Poplar Board of Guardians by various firms, one of which was the Women's Committee of the Central Unemployed Body; whether the report submitted stated that the Board had paid to these workrooms 2s. 3d. for shirts which were valued at 1s. 9d., 2s. 11d. for flannelette vests valued at 1s. 8½d., £1 for men's suits valued at 9s. 11d. and 11s. 6d.; what steps he took to make sure that the samples submitted by the private firms were the same as those sent originally to the board of guardians but returned by them; and whether the expert responsible for the valuation indicated in each case how much he estimated as being a fair wages rate for making the various articles in question. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) As regards the first two points in the Question, the facts are substantially as stated. As regards the third point, I asked for the particular samples which had been submitted to the guardians by the firm referred to, and I have no reason to doubt that these were the samples furnished to me. They are still in my possession. As regards the concluding part of the Question, the expert compared the four sets of samples sent to him and assigned a value to the samples accepted. He did not indicate in his report what he estimated to be a fair wages rate for making the articles in question.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that Mr. W. R. Hitchcock, the vaccination officer for Wandsworth, did not serve Form Q on Mr. Cooper, 16, Belfour Street, Nine Elms Lane, before his child was four months old, and that this omission on the part of the vaccination officer contributed to Mr. Cooper's neglect to make a declaration of conscientious objection to vaccination under the Act of 1907, Mr. Cooper not being aware of the four months limit until three days after the child attained that age; and whether, seeing that this Form Q was expressly inserted in the last Vaccination Order on purpose to make known to parents more clearly the provisions of the Law, he will ascertain whether there has been similar neglect on Mr. Hitchcock's part in any other cases. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I have not received any complaint with regard to this matter, but I will make inquiries on the subject.

To ask the Frist Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that a firm by the name of Rolf and Son are doing work for the Admiralty at Turnchaple, in the Plymouth district, and are only paying the bricklayers' labourers 4d. and 4½ per hour, whereas the standard rate is 5d.; and whether he intends taking any action in the matter. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) The Admiralty are making inquiries and will take steps to prevent any breach of the Fair Wages Resolution.

To ask the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that, in consequence of the present staff of coopers employed at the Deptford Victualling Yard being insufficient to cope with the coopers' work required there, a quantity of work, such as the heading-up and securing of wood-bound casks and cylindricals, hitherto performed by coopers at piece-work rates, is now being done by labourers, who when employed upon such work receive an extra payment of 2d. per day; and whether he will consider the desirability of restoring this work to the coopers. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) The work referred do does not require the services of a trained cooper, and the more economical arrangement which has been introduced brings the Admiralty into line with the ordinary trade practice.

To ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the original costs of the ships "Bellona," "Katoomba," "Mildura," "Pallas," "Pearl," "Phœbe," "Ringmaroona," "Salamander," and "Tauranga," which were constructed in 1891–2, and which, amongst others, were broken up during the financial year 1906–7, was £1,058,680 and the price realised was only £65,750; if so, can he explain for what reason did the Admiralty condemn these nine war vessels built fifteen years ago; and whether the Admiralty will take into account this loss of £993,000 on vessels which were constructed so recently when preparing their next programme of naval construction. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) The hon. Member's figures are correct. Vessels are placed on the sale list when there is no longer any useful function which they can perform in the Royal Navy or when their usefulness is not commensurate with the expenditure required for maintenance. The precise period in a vessel's life when this occurs must evidently vary in each case. As regards the last part of the Question, the Admiralty take into account all relevant circumstances in determining the programme of new construction each year.

To ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can state the tonnage of the new armoured cruiser to be laid down this financial year. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) The tonnage is not yet settled.

To ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the naval preparations on the other side of the North Sea, he will consider the need for expediting the contract for the works at Rosyth, so that these may be completed in the year 1912. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) The contract time for the completion of the works at Rosyth having been determined recently after careful consideration, I am not aware of any such change in the circumstances as would justify me in reopening the question.

To ask the First Lord of the Admiralty will he state who sees Press representatives at the Admiralty; who determines the nature and extent of the information given verbally to them; whether special information is verbally given to the representatives of some papers which is not imparted to those of others; and whether the First Sea Lord ever gives interviews to editors of newspapers, or other journalists, or to other persons taking part in public controversy respecting naval matters. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) The Answer to the first part of the Question is, the private secretary to the permanent secretary. The Answer to the second part is, the permanent secretary. The Answer to the third part is in the negative. With regard to the fourth part of the Question, I do not know whom my colleagues on the Board may see unless they choose to tell me; but I have every confidence that no communication will be made respecting naval matters in the sense which I gather is intended to be conveyed in the Question.

To ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can now say what wages are paid by the firm of Messrs. Clark, Chapman, and Company to the engine fitters engaged on H.M.S, "Defence" at Pembroke Dock; and whether the Fair Wage Clause is being observed. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) A report has been received from the firm to the following effect:—There are three journeymen engine fitters engaged by the firm on board H.M.S "Defence" at Pembroke. Two of them receive 36s. per week plus 17s. 6d. allowance, and the others 41s. per week plus 17s. 6d. allowance. There are, besides, three young men who have not yet completed their full apprenticeship. Two of these have 24s. plus allowance, and the other, 30s. plus allowance. These young men are usually styled "improvers," the ordinary standard rate for which class averages from 18s. to 21s. per week. The usual allowance for battleships is 17s. 6d. for journeymen, and 14s. for apprentices. The Admiralty have no reason to suppose that the Fair Wages Clause is not being observed.

To ask the First Lord of the Admiralty if the Admiralty have created a skilled staff of wireless telegraphists; and, if so, how are they rated. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) A telegraphist branch has been instituted, and is in process of formation. They will be trained from boys, and be advanced to the various grades according to requirements when qualified by service and examination. To meet immediate requirements, a proportion of signal ratings who have been performing wireless duties have been accepted for transfer to the wireless branch, and also a certain number of volunteers from other ratings. The arrangements for their transfer and advancement are given in a circular letter to the Fleet, a copy of which I shall be glad to give to the noble Lord.

To ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the population which will be located at Rosyth on the completion of the naval works there, sufficient area of land has been secured for laying out a town on garden city lines to the best advantage, for the health and well-being of the people, as befits the spirit of the age. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) The naval works at Rosyth will not be completed for seven years after the contract is let, so that the question will not be a practicable one for a considerable time. In any case the Admiralty do not possess sufficient land to lay out a garden city themselves.

To ask the Secretary for Scotland, in view of the fact that it is now upwards of three years since Dr. Dittmar, the medical inspector for the Local Government Board for Scotland, reported the sanitary condition of the townships in the Island of Lewis as dangerous to the public health, will he state whether he has yet obtained from the local authority information in regard to the houses contained in these townships; and has he yet succeeded in making arrangements with the Treasury such as will admit of assistance being given towards the construction of houses on new sites. (Answered by Mr. Sinclair.) I learn on inquiry that steady progress is being made in the sanitary improvement of crofters' houses. This and other questions affecting administration in the Lews are constantly before me, but no arrangements in the direction referred to by my hon. friend have been made.

To ask the Secretary for Scotland if an arrangement has been arrived at with Lady Gordon Cathcart in regard to the Island of Vatersay; and if he can state its terms. (Answered by Mr. Sinclair.) The Government have made additional proposals, on the lines generally of the procedure laid down in the Small Landholders (Scotland) Bill, which safeguard the proprietor from possible loss. These proposals, which have been accepted by Lady Cathcart, provide for compensation to the tenant for surrender of his lease and to the proprietor for loss directly attributable to the occupation of the farm by small holders. The Government will now proceed forthwith to ascertain definitely how far the farm of Vatersay may properly be occupied by small tenants, to prepare a scheme of settlement under the crofter tenure, and to carry it into effect with the co-operation of Lady Cathcart, who remains proprietor of the farm. This arrangement, I am glad to say, made it possible for the proprietor to apply to the Court of Session upon Saturday, the 18th instant, with the happy result that, by the order of that Court, the men who were committed to prison for contempt of Court were then liberated. I trust that those in whose immediate interest this scheme of settlement has been devised and agreed upon, especially those who are in occupation of parts of the farm, without whose active support the whole arrangement will fall to the ground, will now co-operate with the proprietor and the Government in facing and adjusting the difficulties of the situation, and will join in the endeavour to make the scheme a practical success.

To ask the President of the Board of Education whether he has now made inquiry into the action of the Willesden Education Committee in ordering the fortnightly prosecution of William Barnard of that place until he consents to inflict what he holds to be a permanent injury upon his son, aged fourteen, by forcing him to attend a certain school for mentally-deficient children in the district; whether the Education Committee is under any statutory obligation to order fortnightly prosecutions in this case; and, if not, whether, seeing that the father, whose wages are 25s. a week, has already been fined £4 since last May at the instance of this Committee, he can take any steps to recommend them to mitigate the severity of their action in this matter, and so protect this man from complete financial ruin. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) I am making inquiries of the local education authority, and when I receive a reply I will communicate with the hon. Member.

To ask the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been directed to the hardship inflicted on the registrar, the chief clerk, and the lady assistant registrar of the Teachers' Registration Council, recently dissolved, who have either been dismissed or are under notice of dismissal from the Board of Education.

To ask the President of the Board of Education whether, seeing that the persons mentioned in the last Question were engaged in work which seemed to be permanent, the President will either secure that they shall receive compensation or find for them other employment in the public service, preferably by taking practical steps to reconstitute the Teachers' Registration Council under the Administrative Provisions Act of 1907. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) In reply to this and the next Question, I have already stated that the officials referred to were the servants of the late Registration Council and were employed under agreements providing for the termination of their engagements at six and three months notice respectively. The Board cannot assume responsibility I for finding employment or compensation for abolition of office for persons who are not in their service. I may add, however, that the Board have been able to give temporary employment during the last four months to the chief clerk, and I have recently appointed the lady assistant registrar a woman inspector under the Board. With regard to the formation of a new council, I beg to refer the hon. Member to the Parliamentary Paper which has recently been issued. It will rest with the new council when constituted to determine the personnel of their staff.

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 state of unrest and agitation prevailing in the parish of Cayo, in the county of Carmarthen, owing to the collection of chief rent alleged to be due to the Crown; whether he has been informed that a large number of farmers in the parish have formed a committee with a view to oppose the payment of chief rent; whether they object to its payment on the ground of the disproportionate amounts levied respectively on small and large farms, and their ignorance as to its meaning and application; whether the deputy - steward and the Woods and Forests Department have, upon request being made to them, refused information on these points to the farmers; whether, in some instances, levies had to be abandoned on account of excessive distresses; whether distresses were levied this month on two farms, and the goods distrained upon taken away by the bailiff in the absence of the farmers to another parish; whether this was done because the deputy-steward was afraid to conduct the sales on the premises owing to the inflamed condition of public opinion in the district; whether, in the neighbouring parishes of Llangadock, Myddfai, Llanfair-ar-y-bryn, Lland-densant, and Llansadwrn chief rent has not been paid for the last fifteen years, and, if so, why; and whether, in view of the difficulty of collection, the inequality of the incidence, the irritation created, and the inadequacy of the result, the Government will take steps either to commute or terminate the payment of chief rent. (Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) I am informed by' the Commissioner of Woods in charge of the Crown Land Revenues in Wales that he is aware that there is some unrest and agitation in the parish of Cayo on the subject of the chief rents payable to the Crown in the manor of that name, and he believes that a committee has been formed to oppose payment. No tangible reasons for the objection to payment have been given. The rents are very ancient ones of a manorial character, and have been collected for some hundreds of years. They form part of the Land Revenues of the Crown. No reasonable requests for information have been refused. The Commissioners paid a visit to the district and invited the chairman and secretary of the committee referred to to meet him, but they declined to come. In some instances levies have been abandoned owing to apprehended violence, and in one case in which it was alleged that an unneccessary quantity of hay had been seized the distress proceedings were abandoned with a view to recovery in another way. In a very recent case the article distrained was removed to a distance owing to apprehended violence if the sale were carried out on the premises. There do not appear to be any chief rents payable to the Crown in the neighbouring parishes mentioned in the Question, and the Commissioners of Woods are not concerned in any way with rents due to private landowners. It is intended to enforce payment of the rents really due to the Crown unless and until they are redeemed, but the Crown is perfectly willing to sell them on the usual terms as a whole or singly.

To ask the Lord Advocate whether his attention has been directed to the interpretation placed upon the Probation of Offenders Act in parts of Scotland to the effect that offenders on probation can only be dealt with and sentenced by the individual magistrate who placed the accused on probation, and in addition that the probation officer's report cannot be placed before the Court; and, if so, what steps he proposes to take to prevent the provisions of the said Act becoming nugatory. (Answered by Mr. Thomas Shaw.) My attention has not been called to this. I hardly think the points mentioned should cause any difficulty. On the first, all that seems to me to be necessary is that an offender on probation who has failed to observe the conditions of the probation order should be dealt with by the Court which pronounced the order, not by the individual magistrate or magistrates who did so. On the second, the probation officer's report I think can, and indeed ought, to be placed before the Court, and, if it is either sworn to or put on affidavit, it appears to me that it would form ''information on oath," which is what the statute requires. A Court of Law may have, of course, to determine these questions; and I gather from my hon. friend that a present and practical difficulty has been felt in administration, and it is only for this reason that I have ventured to state my views.

To ask the Lord-Advocate whether he will issue a memorandum with reference to the Summary Jurisdiction (Scotland) Bill, setting out those parts of the Bill which are amendments of the existing law in different type from those parts which are merely a consolidation of existing statutes. (Answered by Mr. Thomas Shaw.) I should hardly have thought this necessary. I presume, however, that my hon. friend, while not desiring detailed explanations of all the changes that are proposed, is anxious to have in a convenient form a reference to the sources of the various clauses in the existing legislation with indications of new or amended provisions. I think this request is not unreasonable, and I shall be very glad to have a White Paper containing this information issued at once. I should value my hon. friend's active support of this controversial Bill, and this, I trust, he will now be able to give.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications for £250,000 each and upwards were received by the Bank in connection with the recent issue of Irish Land Stock. (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) The number of applications for £250,000 each and upwards was 184.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the recepient of an old-age pension will, in case of necessity, be entitled to receive medical relief from a board of guardians. (Answered by Mr. Lloyd - George.) Medical or surgical assistance supplied by or on the recommendation of a medical officer to the recipient of an old-age pension would not disqualify him from continuing to receive his pension.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he can give an undertaking that the Indian Government will not apply any public money to the repairing or maintenance of any garrison or other church in respect of the use of which any denomination claims an exclusive right. (Answered by Mr. Buchanan.) This course would not be possible. The churches in question, of which several are appropriated for Presbyterian and others for Roman Catholic worship, are Government buildings provided for the use of the troops, and they could obviously not be allowed to fall into disrepair and the object for which they have been built thus be defeated.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for India at what military stations in India, where Government churches already exist, are places of worship for non-Anglican troops to be built, what is the estimated total cost, and out of what funds are they to be paid for. (Answered by Mr. Buchanan.) The hon. Member will find in Appendix 9 to the Papers presented to Parliament in Cd. 4022 the names of the places where unconsecrated churches are being built. They are being built out of Government funds, but, I am unable to give the exact figure without reference to India.

To ask the Undersecretary of State for India how much was paid in the last financial year by the Government of India for the upkeep and repair of Government churches; and if the Government have contributed anything for the upkeep and repair of Hindoo temple and Mahomedan mosques in the same period. (Answered by Mr. Buchanan.) In 1906–7, the last year for which we have full accounts, the expenditure on repairs of churches amounted to £17,200; but this figure probably includes grants-in-aid for churches which are not the property of Government. As regards the second part of the Question, the grants made by former rulers for the upkeep of temples and mosques have been maintained and special grants hive also been made in, the case of buildings of archæological interest.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the statistics of births and deaths in India have become more accurate and reliable year by year; and, if the answer be in the affirmative, whether the India Office accepts comparisons between the death rate of the present time and of past years as affording proof that the death rate has risen. (Answered by Mr. Buchanan.) According to the last Census Report the degree of error in the Indian Returns of births and deaths has, in some provinces at least, been greatly reduced. Comparisons of the kind suggested by the hon. Member should be made with all reserve.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the seven Rathdowney prisoners at present in Tullamore goal are denied the use of tobacco; and, if so, seeing that they are bail prisoners, will he order that they are allowed to supply themselves with tobacco as they are with food. (Answered by Mr. Birrell): Bail prisoners are allowed to smoke tobacco if the visiting committee approve. I am informed that none of the prisoners referred to have made any application for permission to smoke. If they should do so, the governor will, as a matter of course, refer the application to the visiting committee for their decision.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland can he say what officer was in charge of the police at Rathdowney, Queen's County, on 20th June last; and whether it was an officer of inferior rank who ordered the baton charge, and, if so, will he state his name and rank. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) District Inspector Thomas O'Brien was in charge of the police at Rathdowney during the earlier part of the day, and upon the arrival of District Inspector W. S. Irwin, the latter, as senior officer, took charge. Neither of the district inspectors was present at the place and time when the police were ordered to use their batons against the rioters. The baton charge was ordered by Head Constable James Spence, who was in immediate charge of the police at the moment. I refrain from making any statement as to the circumstances in which the baton charge was ordered, seeing that a charge of riot is pending against a number of men.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that a labourer named Hynes, who is married and has six children, applied for a cottage in the electoral division of Eyrecourt, union of Portumna; and whether he can give the reason why his application was refused. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) It was proved at the inquiry that Hynes is a tailor and does not work as an agricultural labourer. He is, therefore, not qualified to receive a labourer's cottage.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can now state how the supplementary grant for primary education is to be distributed. (Answered by Mr. Birrell): I would ask the hon. Member to await the appearance of the revised Estimate which will be laid upon the Table in the course of a day or two.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that one officer and fourteen extra mew of the Royal Irish Constabulary were drafted into Ballynahinch, County Down, in connection with the recent celebration of the memory of King William of Orange on 13th July last; whether he can state the reason, if any, for drafting extra police into that neighbourhood; and whether there was anything for them to do when they got there (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) On 13th July an extra force, consisting of one officer and twelve policemen, was drafted into Ballinahinch for the preservation of tie peace. The police authorities considered it necessary to send this force, which was somewhat larger than usual, because Orange drumming parties had recently indulged in provocative conduct by drumming for a considerable time outside the houses of certain persons of the opposite party. The proceedings of, 13th July passed off without disturbance.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware of the number of cases of manslaughter, threatening letters and notices, firing into dwelling-houses, killing and maiming cattle, incendiary fires, and boycotting in the County Galway since the last spring assizes held in Galway, of the number of persons with whom police protection has to be constant, and of cattle-driving; whether his attention has been drawn to the recent charge of Mr. Justice Madden to the grand jury, in which he stated that the condition of the county was deplorable, that recognition of the law was a thing of the past, and that it was lamentable to think of the perpetual dread of outrage, misery, and wretchedness that entered into the lives of the unfortunate people who had to pass their existence under such conditions; and will he state what steps, if any, the Government propose to take to restore law and order in that particular county. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I am aware of the facts as regards crime in County Galway, and am informed by the responsible police authorities that, though the county is still in an unsatisfactory condition, there has been an appreciable improvement during the last two months. I am not aware that Mr. Justice Madden has made any comments on the state of the county, but I have seen a newspaper report of Mr. Justice Kenny's address to the grand jury at the opening of the recent assizes, in which remarks to the effect stated in the Question are attributed to the learned judge. The Government are taking all possible measures within the ordinary law for the preservation of the peace and the punishment of offenders in County Galway, and a force of 350 additional police has been appointed to the county under proclamation with that object.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the usual time for the Land Commission to issue their Report has passed; and can he state when the Report will be issued, and explain the cause of delay. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Report of the Land Commission for the year ending 31st March last has now been received and will be laid upon the Table in a day or two. The Report is rather earlier this year than usual. It contains a large quantity of statistical information, which necessarily takes a considerable time to prepare.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that agreements for purchase up to £65,000,000 will be lodged before 1st November next; whether the bonus exhausted on that amount at 12 per cent, will be about £8,000,000; will the Government devote the remaining £4,000,000 for the re-instatement of the evicted tenants and the relief of the congested districts; and, if not, can he say what the Government proposes to do with it. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The agreements for purchase lodged up to the present in respect of direct sales and sales to the Land Commission represent about £64,000,000. The term of five years prescribed under the Act for the payment of the bonus at 12 per cent, will not expire until 1st November next. The Government are not at present prepared to make any statement as to the possible revision in the terms or percentage of the bonus after that date. A measure dealing with the subject of congestion is, as already announced, to be introduced during the coming autumn sitting.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Estates Commissioners stated on 26th May last that their inspector's Report on the Boxwell estate, South Wexford, was being considered, and they were preparing the necessary documents to give a preliminary estimate of the price they would be prepared to offer to the vendor's solicitor; whether any offer has yet been made by the Estate Commissioners for the purchase of the Boxwell estate; and, if so, what were its terms, and what was the landlord's reply. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) On the 23rd instant the Estate Commissioners furnished to the owner a preliminary estimate of the price which are they propared to offer for the estate in question, and are now awaiting his reply. It is not the practice of the Commissioners to give information as to the prices offered in such cases.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to a statement contained in the evidence of Mr. H. R. Barry, solicitor, Kanturk, at the hearing on appeal of the malicious injury application of Lieutenant John MacCarthy O'Leary against the Cork County Council, to the effect that some writs were being served a very short time ago on some of the applicant's tenants, and that these writs were taken from the bailiff and revolver shots were fired over his head; whether he can state the time and place at which this outrage is alleged to have taken place; have the police any information of this occurrence; and, seeing that the tenants on the estate of Mr. MacCarthy O'Leary have purchased under the Land Act of 1903, can he explain the necessity for serving writs on behalf of a landlord whose interests in the property had ceased to exist. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I have seen a newspaper report of the evidence referred to. The process server alleges that at about 8.30 on the morning of 15th July he was stopped on the road at Drominarigle, in the Kanturk district, by two disguised men, who took two writs from his pocket and tore them up, and then fired two revolver shots and decamped. The process server passed a police station shortly afterwards, but did not report the matter to the police, who only heard of it casually on the following day. The police have made careful inquiries, but have been unable to obtain any corroboration of the process server's statement. I understand that the writs were against two tenants of Mr. O'Leary who have not purchased their holdings.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the new rules formed by the Irish Intermediate Board have yet been published; whether the teachers have at all been consulted with reference to those rules; whether under the new rules only ten marks are given for arithmetic whilst ninety marks are given for algebra, and three languages made obligatory; is he aware that there is a growing feeling in Ireland that under the present intermediate system and its treatment of commercial subjects young men cannot be equipped with the knowledge necessary to render them efficient leaders of industry; and will he take steps to provide that the tendency of the intermediate schools is more in the direction of giving boys a sound practical education, and less in the direction of making them dreamers and book-worms. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Rules for 1909 were laid upon the Table on 23rd June, but will not be published by the Intermediate Education Board until the prescribed period of forty days has expired. I am informed that I before the Rules were made, the Board received and duly considered several communications on the subject from teachers of intermediate schools. The I percentage of marks allotted to arithmetic and algebra, respectively, are in the preparatory and junior grades 30 for arithmetic and 70 for algebra, and in the middle and senior grades 10 for arithmetic and 90 for algebra. In the preparatory grade one language other than English is prescribed, and in the three higher grades two languages are necessary. I am not aware that there is any dissatisfaction with the treatment of commercial subjects by the Intermediate Education Board.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can now state whether he can recommend the payment of removal expenses to members of the staff of surveyors for engineer services, or to make an allowance in respect of such expenses, as is done in the case of the Army Accounts Branch and to public servants in the Admiralty, Office of Works, and Inland Revenue Departments. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The question of removal expenses has not been finally settled. I may point out that, owing to recent changes, the circumstances of the War Department surveyors are not altogether comparable to those of surveyors in other offices.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether the 166 cadetships announced in April last for award at the recent examination for admission to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, will be sufficient to fill all the vacancies at the college as well as the company which is to be formed at Woolwich; and, if not, will he arrange for the publication, when the result of the examination is known, of an extended list of successful candidates so as to include approximately the number which will be actually required, or make some other alteration in the present system of publishing a list of successful candidates limited to the number of cadetships originally offered for competition, so as to mitigate the inconvenience caused to the parents of candidates, who in many cases, after having made other arrangements for their sons, are informed, some time after the list has been published, that cadetships will be offered to them. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) 166 cadetships will not be sufficient to fill the vacancies referred to. When the announcement that 166 cadetships would be awarded was made it had not been definitely decided to form an infantry company at Woolwich. When this decision was reached at the end of May a notice to this effect, and that 60 additional infantry cadetships would be awarded, was given to each candidate attending the recent Army competitive examination. An extended list of successful candidates will, therefore, be published when the result of the examination is known.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Government proposes to give any financial assistance towards the construction of railways in British East Africa; and, if so, whether any allotment is proposed for the current year. (Answered by Colonel Seely.) I regret that I am not in a position to add anything to the reply which was given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to a similar Question on the 9th instant.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the director of public works in Ceylon has issued instructions to the consulting engineers to the Crown Agents for the Colony not to recommend Ceylonese applicants for appointments in the Colony; and, if so, whether any action has been taken by the Government in regard to this matter. (Answered by Colonel Seely.) The director of public works is not in a position to give instructions to the consulting engineers, and I am not aware that he has attempted to do so.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Ceylon Government recently advertised for eleven posts of land settlement officers with a salary of Rs.9,000 per annum; whether there were about 200 applicants, mostly Ceylonese, many of whom were highly qualified for the office in virtue of their knowledge of the native languages and of law; and whether all the appointments have been filled up by the selection of European candidates who were less qualified in these respects. (Answered by Colonel Seely.) I am not aware of it, but inquiry will be made.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies when Parts I. and II. of the Report on Native Education in South Africa will be published, and also the Special Reports on Bechuanaland and Basutoland. (Answered by Colonel Seely.) It is not proposed to lay these further Papers which are not as suitable for publication, as they are either no longer quite up to date or deal with matters of less general interest than the last part which has been published.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the dearth of information as to the intentions of the Natal Government with regard to the imprisonment and trial of Dinizulu, he will telegraph for an explicit statement for the information of the House before it rises next week. (Answered by Colonel Seely.) The Papers distributed to Members to-day give the latest information in the possession of the Secretary of State, excepting that the governor has now informed the Secretary of State that the Attorney-General anticipates that, so far as the prosecution is concerned, the preliminary examination will be completed almost immediately.

To ask the Postmaster-General if he can state the cause of the breakdown in the Shetland cable recently; and whether it was in any way owing to the operations of trawlers in these waters. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) The cause of the breakdown cannot be stated. The cable, at a depth of fifty fathoms, was simply flattened for a short length. There is nothing to show that trawlers were responsible. I regret to say that the cable is again faulty.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether he has considered what loss of light and air the proposed new postal buildings will cause to the Market Street, Wakefield, United Methodist Church, necessitating as it will also the use of the building only by artificial light; and whether he is under treaty with the trustees of the said Church to pay them compensation for damage that has been, or may be, sustained. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) The matter has received my careful consideration. I have learned with regret that a satisfactory enlargement of the post office cannot be effected without interference in some degree with the light and air of the adjoining Church; but the enlargement of the office: has been designed so as to cause as little interference as possible. I am not under treaty with the trustees of the Church to make any payment to them by way of compensation.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that Mr. W. E. Blake, the contractor for the erection of a new post office at Bristol, has posted notices on the job to the effect that any workmen inquiring whether a fellow workman is or is not a member of a trade union will be instantly dismissed; whether he is aware that this is likely to lead to a dispute; and whether, with the object of preventing any action being taken which may retard the progress of the work, he will take steps to secure the removal of this notice. (Answered by Mr. Harcourt.) I have seen the actual notice, and as it seems to be designed to secure equal rights to all workmen I do not see that I can interfere in the matter.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that when outsiders are employed to deliver telegraph messages on which porterage has to be paid the full amount charged by the Department for such porterage, is not paid to them, but that a deduction. of 25 per cent. is made by sub-postmasters in sonic cases; and whether the whole of the porterage should be paid to the messengers. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I am not aware of the practice in question; but, if the hon. Member will be good enough to furnish me with particulars of the case or cases to which he refers, I shall be glad to make inquiry in the matter.

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the cost of the removal of the old railings and the supply of new ones around the powder magazine in, the Phœnix Park has been done at the expense of the War Office, or is to be a charge on the Vote for the Irish Board of Works; what is the cost of the work; what was the necessity for the expense; at whose request was the expense incurred; is it the fact that the only use to which the estate lately added to the Phœnix Park has been put is for War Office manœuvres; and when will the general public be allowed to participate in the enjoyment of the area added to the park. (Answered by Mr. Hobhouse.) As regards the railings the work has been done at the expense of the War Office, and the cost is estimated to reach the sum of £560. The old wooden fence was worn out and required replacement by a better and unclimbable fence. As regards the new estate, I am informed that only three acres of a total 200 acres have been let by the Board of Works to the War Office to facilitate bridging practice by the troops. The rest of the land, with some insignificant exception, is let on grazing tenancies or under agreements existing at the time of purchase. One of the tenants allows the War Office to use his land for signalling and a little horse training. The property was acquired to prevent its being built over and to preserve the amenities of the Phœnix Park. There is no intention at present to throw it open to the public, and a large expenditure would be necessary before doing so.

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether he will state how many of the forty-eight field superintendents serving in. the Ordnance Survey, Ireland, are effective soldiers, how many are ex-soldiers of the Royal Engineers, and how many are civilians who have never served in the Army; and if he will state the service of each of the superintendents, showing the service of the surveyors and labourers working under their orders. (Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) Thirty-three of the field superintendents are effective soldiers, four ex-soldiers, and eleven civilians. The service of these men ranges from seven to thirty-eight years, and that of the men under them from one month to thirty-six years. The information for which my hon. friend asks in the latter part of his Question would entail a reference to the records of nearly 500 men, and the Board regret that they do not see their way to supply it.

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, if he can state what weekly charge is made for conveyance by the field superintendent, Ordnance Survey, at Duleek, for paying and visiting a detached party at Naul, County Dublin; can he say why a surveyor named Carter was allowed to compel his labourer to work on the bank holiday, 26th June last, and what action has been taken regarding this action on the part of the surveyor; and if it has been reported to the Division Office at Dublin. (Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) The weekly charge for the conveyance to which my hon. friend refers is 6s. 6d. Mr. Carter and the labourer mentioned worked on 26th June, as the former was not notified that that day was a public holiday. A day's leave in lieu thereof was given to both men on 29th June.

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether land used either in large or small farms or in allotments for poultry and egg production is agricultural land as contemplated under the provisions of the Agricultural Rates Act, and entitled to the relief provided by that Act. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) My hon. friend has asked me to reply to this Question. The point referred to in it is one which I have no authority to determine, but the needful guidance to a solution of the question may possibly be obtained by the application of the principle recognised by the House of Lords in the case of Smith v. Richmond (A.C. 1899, 448). Accordingly, it may be said that if a farm used in part for poultry and, egg production comprises land used as arable, meadow, or pasture ground only, the land so used will be agricultural land, notwithstanding its association with the other industry. Allotments used for poultry and egg production would also appear to be agricultural land within the meaning of the Act.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware of recent decisions of Courts of Law which seriously affect the religious and social work carried on in association with chapels, churches, and Sunday schools; whether he proposes to take any steps to remove the present uncertainty; and whether he will issue a Circular of instructions to local authorities for their guidance, or whether he will undertake to introduce legislation to remove present difficulties. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I presume that my hon. friend refers to questions as to the rating of chapels and schools not exclusively appropriated to public religious worship or not used exclusively as Sunday schools. I have no reason to suppose that local authorities generally are unaware of the law on the subject, and I do not think I could give any undertaking to introduce legislation on the subject. I will, however, consider the suggestion as to a Circular.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the case of David Nicholls, a labourer occupying a cottage, at 5s. a week, near Edenbridge, in Kent, who, after making an application for land under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, is about to he evicted from his cottage; whether he is aware that the farmer applying for the eviction admitted in cross-examination that David Nicholls had paid his rent regularly and was a decent and respectable man; that no satisfactory reason was given by the farmer for the course which he is taking, and that his action is generally believed to be entirely due to the application made by Nicholls for land under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, whether he is aware that in the neighbourhood in which the man lives many of the existing cottages are already overcrowded and insanitary, and there are no other cottages available at a rent which labourers can pay, so that eviction is greatly dreaded; and whether the Government proposes to take any action in the Housing Bill, or otherwise, to deal with cases of this kind. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) My attention has not been called to this particular case, but as regards the last part of the Question I may say that I hope and believe that the result of the Bill will be that cottages will be provided by local authorities where they are required, and that, consequently, in any such case as that mentioned the tenant will be able to obtain another suitable dwelling.

To ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that three hired men employed in the Naval Stores, Officers' Department, West India Docks, who are continuously engaged on carpenters' and joiners' work, are paid at the rate of 27s. per week, whilst the London district rate for this class of work is 42s. per week; and whether, in view of the undertaking given by the Government on 1st March, 1906, to pay the standard rate of wages to their employees, he will take steps to raise the wages of these men to the standard rate of the district. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) The men are not engaged on joiners' work hut on rough carpentry, such as the erection and alteration of racks in the storehouses, and the repair of packing cases, etc. Only one man is continuously employed on this class of work, and he is paid. 33s. per week.

To ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that a very large percentage of the joiners employed in the Director of Works Department at the royal dockyards are paid from 1s. to 2s. 6d. per week less wage than is paid by the builders in the towns where the royal dockyards are situated; and whether he will take steps to raise the wages of those men to at least the same rate as that paid by the builders. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) The general question of the pay of workmen in the Works Department is now being considered by the Admiralty, and a decision on this and various other grades of labour will shortly be promulgated.

To ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland whether his attention has been called to a case heard on 16th July at Derry Petty Sessions, in which three men were charged with the larceny of a bottle of porter, value 3d., and returned for trial at the Assizes on bail; whether he could state what has been the cost of this prosecution up to the present; and whether, in view of the trivial nature of the case, he will advise that some other method be adopted for dealing with similar cases in future. (Answered by Mr. Cherry.) The three men referred to were charged with stealing porter, of the estimated value of 3d., from a barrel which was stored in a shed on the quays in Londonderry. The accused did not plead guilty or consent to be dealt with summarily, and therefore the magistrates had no power to deal with the case summarily. The prosecution was at the suit of the Derry Harbour Commissioners, and therefore no expenditure from public funds has been incurred. Persons accused of petty larceny have the right to be tried by a jury if they so elect.

To ask the First Commissioner of Works who are the tenants of Pembroke Lodge, Thatched House Lodge, and East Sheen Cottage, Richmond Park, on which £1,990 will be expended in the Year ending 31st March, 1909; and of White Lodge, Richmond Park, on which £410 will be spent in the same time; what rents are paid by these tenants; if no rents are paid, who has the nomination of the occupants; are any rates paid to any of the neighbouring boroughs or to the county; and will he in future offer these houses to the highest bidder of the public, so that the outlay on them may be reimbursed to the nation. (Answered by Mr. Harcourt.) The houses mentioned in the Question are "grace and favour" residences in the possession and in the gift of the King. The Office of Works have no concern in the matter except as regards structural repairs, as in the case of other palaces.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he can now say what conclusion has been arrived at with regard to the withdrawal by the railway companies of free carriage of a wastage allowance on Coal freights. (Answered by Mr. Churchill.) The Board of Trade have endeavoured to effect an amicable settlement of this question, but I regret to say that this has not been found possible. The Board have therefore issued the necessary certificate under Section 1 of The Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1894, to enable the complainants to take the case before the Railway and Canal Commission.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he can state at what date are the Returns to be made in connection with the contemplated census of production; if all the forms to be filled in by traders and producers have been issued; and, if not, at what date will the remaining forms be ready for issue. (Answered by Mr. Churchill.) As provided in the Census of Production Act, persons receiving schedules are given a period of three months after the issue of each schedule within which to make returns. The schedules are being issued as rapidly as possible. The schedules for coal mines and the majority of those for factories, builders, and contractors have already been issued and the remainder will be issued very shortly. The issue of the schedules appropriate to workshops, which will be in a somewhat simpler form, will then be proceeded with at once.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the income derived from royalties on patents is treated for purposes of income-tax as earned or unearned income; and whether any distinction is made between such income and income derived from copyrights. (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) The Answer to the first part of the Question is that such income is treated as unearned. No distinction is made between income derived-from royalties on patents and income derived from copyrights, save when the latter is received by the author himself whilst he is still exercising the vocation of an author, in which case it is treated as earned income.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the contribu- tions to the revenue per head of the population of England, Scotland, and Ireland, respectively, for the year 1907–1908. (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) The amounts contributed to the revenue ill the financial year 1907–1908 per head of population were—

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether steps will be taken in the compilation of licensing statistics in future to show the number of hotel licences granted in each year in Scotland upon a justice's or magistrate's certificate for six days. (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) I am considering whether it is possible to keep a record for future reference of the information desired by the hon. Member.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Government of India inherited from its predecessors in title large endowments for the upkeep and repair of Hindu temples and Mahomedan mosques, which they were compelled by the Government at home to make over to the management of committees, appointed ad hoc, after resorting to the necessary legislation; and whether, since this action gave dissatisfaction in India which exists to the present day, there is any prospect that the Government will reconsider the present unsatisfactory position in this behalf. (Answered by Mr. Buchanan.) Under the old Regulations of the Bengal, Madras, and Bombay Codes, Government officers were charged with the duty of supervising the proper application of the endowments granted by former rulers for the support of mosques, Hindoo temples, and other religious purposes. In 1863 an Act was passed, No. XX., for the transfer of these duties to trustees, themselves professing the religions for the maintenance of whose services the endowments were granted. The Secretary of State does not accept the statement in the Question that the Government of India are compelled by the Government at home to "carry through this legislation." The principle of non-interference with the religious observances of the people is one of the settled; principles of Indian administration. Various proposals, chiefly in Madras, have since been, made for giving the public interested in these endowments greater facilities for enforcing the due application by the trustees of funds which should he devoted to religious purposes, but the projects laid before the Government have generally proved open to objections which have been fatal to them. There is, however, a Bill now before the legislative council of the Governor-General, introduced by the hon. Dr. Rashbehary Ghose on 20th March last, for giving greater facilities to the public for calling for and inspecting the accounts of public charities including trusts of a religious nature. My hon. friend will find the Bill and the debate which attended its introduction printed in the Gazette of India for March last, which is in the Library of the House.

To ask, the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners had taken any action with a view of reinstating Peter D. Kelly, an evicted tenant on the West estate, Drumkeerin, County Leitrim; and, if not, whether they will soon do so. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners received Peter Kelly's application for reinstatement on the 15th instant only, and, having regard to the large number of prior applications which have to be considered, they cannot say when they will be able to inquire into the case.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that a number of poor people in the district of Glenferne, County Leitrim, have been decreed for money borrowed from the Loan Fund. Company, Belcoo and Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, notwithstanding the fact that in many instances the money had been repaid and receipts produced; whether the police in the district are in. possession of warrants to execute decrees in connection with the same; and, if so, whether he would direct an inquiry to be made into the matter before the police proceed to collect the amounts of the said decrees. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The police have received sixty-four warrants for execution upon decrees obtained at the suit of the receiver of the Belcoo and Enniskillen loan fund societies against borrowers and their sureties, many of whom allege that they have paid portions of the debts. The police have been instructed that, in every case in which such allegation is made, they should communicate with the receiver before executing the warrant, and should then proceed as directed by the receiver, who is responsible for any action that may be taken for enforcement of the warrants.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that a party of Catholic excursionists on their way from Armagh to the scene of some sports at Maghery, on Sunday, 5th July, instant, were groaned at and. insulted by a crowd of Orangemen, who waved Orange emblems and shouted that they would attack the excursionists on their way back, that the route back of the excursionists was arranged. between the police inspector and one of the former, and that the route was strewn with broken glass and many of the excursionists' cycles injured thereby; whether he is aware that at Canary Orange Hall 100 or so of the Orangemen assembled, armed with pitchforks, spades, and crowbars; whether, when half the excursionists had passed the Hall, shots were fired at them, several pellets striking the horses and the brakes, to the great alarm of the women and children, and that on the same day an attack was made on a car conveying one of the excursionists for medical treatment; whether any arrests have been made in connection with these occurrences, or whether the police have made any report concerning them; and what action will be taken to prevent a recurrence of such scenes. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The police authorities inform me that on Sunday, 5th July, a party of Catholic excursionists proceeded from Armagh to Maghery, but were not interfered with by Orangemen on the way, although some contingents passed through exclusively Orange localities. At one of these places a crowd had assembled at the Orange Hall, but the police arranged with the excursionists that there should be no drumming while passing through this locality, with the result that there was no disturbance. When the excursionists reached Canary on the return journey, a crowd of Orangemen, some of whom had pitchforks, opposed their passage. The police and the leaders on both sides arranged that there should be no band playing by the excursionists, who then passed unmolested. After the party had passed and were out of range several shots were fired by the Orange party, out of bravado, but the shots could not have reached the horses and brakes. The police have no knowledge of any attack made upon a car. It is the fact that broken glass was strewn on the roads in a few places. The police authorities state that this was the first occasion on which a Nationalist procession had passed by this route. The attitude of the opposing party at Canary was menacing, but nothing took place which would warrant a prosecution. The police did everything that was possible to preserve the peace and protect the excursionists, and they appear to have done so with success, seeing that no injury has been reported.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the site selected by the committee of the Mountmellick Rural District Council for a cottage and plot for Michael Delany, Ballina, Ardderin electoral division, has been fixed on demesne lands; and whether, seeing that the cabin at present occupied by Delany has been condemned by the medical officer as unfit for human habitation, the Local Government Board will take the necessary steps to secure a cottage for this labourer. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The scheme of the rural district council has not yet been received by the Local Government Board. Assuming that the case of Michael Delany is included in the scheme, it will be fully considered by the inspector who will hold the necessary inquiry.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that fully one-half of the time of the two secretaries of the National Education Board is spent in writing purely formal and oftentimes useless letters to managers, teachers, and others, and that an ordinary minute or memorandum form would frequently answer the purpose much better; and, seeing that if the latter course were more generally adopted the curtailment of secretarial work thereby effected would allow of the abolition of the position of one or other of these officers, and the consequent saving of his salary of £800 a year, whether he will consider the advisability of having this course adopted. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I have referred this Question to the Commissioners of National Education, who inform me that they have nothing to add to the very full information given in my reply to the hon. Member's Question on this subject on 13th July.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland why, under the sale and purchase of the Leslie estate, at Ballybay, in the county of Monaghan, the agreements for which have been duly signed, it is not proposed to reinstate David M'Clean, of Derryvalley, a tenant who was evicted ten years ago from his holding because he refused to pay an increase of rent. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners inform me that the lands in which David M'Clean claims reinstatement consist of a town park, and therefore do not conic within the provisions of Section 2 (1) (d) of the Act of 1903. Moreover, the applicant himself was not the evicted tenant, but his brother, George M'Clean, who is now in America. The Commissioners have decided that in any event the case is not one in which they can take action.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state by whose authority some sixteen men who have been earning their living by lifting sand on the Whiteabbey foreshore of Belfast Lough have been forbidden to do so in future; whether he is aware that the consequence of this prohibition is that these men and their wives and families have been reduced to a condition of starvation; and whether he will consider the advisability of taking action in the matter. (Answered by Mr. Churchill.) As the foreshore referred to is under the management partly of the Board of Trade and partly of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests my right hon. friend has requested me to answer this Question. Complaints were made to the Board of Trade that injury to the adjacent land was being caused by the removal of materials from the foreshore under their management, and they have accordingly given instructions to their local officer to warn those found removing such materials that no removal should take place without the permission of the Board. I have no information as regards the particular cases referred to by the hon. Member, but if any application for permission to remove materials is made to the Board of Trade they will consider whether it can be granted, and, if so, under what conditions.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Milford estate, parish of Kilmaine, Ballinrobe Union, has been offered to the Estates Commissioners or the Congested Districts Board for sale; and, if so, how many years purchase has been asked by the landlord, how many offered, and when is the bargain likely to be closed. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Milford estate, which belongs to Mr. C. C. Ormsby, was offered for sale to the Congested Districts Board in May, 1905, but the Board decided not to purchase it, seeing that it is situated in a non-congested district. The owner has since instituted proceedings for the sale of the property to the Estates Commissioners under Section 6 of the Act of 1903. The Commissioners will have the estate inspected as soon as the case reaches its turn to be dealt with, and in the meantime no statement as to price can be made.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state the number of applications for labourers' cottages lodged with the clerk of the Tanderagee Rural District Council, before 7th February, 1907; whether he is aware that the council passed fifteen of the applications and formulated a scheme; that, on inquiry by Mr. Dickinson, the Local Government Board inspector, the number was reduced to five, and will he say what was the reason assigned for this reduction; whether he is aware that disease, and particularly tuberculosis, is prevalent in the district, and was attributed by the medical officer and the inspector, in their evidence, to the bad and insufficient housing accommodation of the labourers; whether the inspector had any knowledge of the district before he held the inquiry; and whether he will make an inquiry into the whole matter. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The number of applications lodged was twenty-nine, and of these the council passed fifteen. The reasons given by the inspector for disallowing ten of the proposed cottages were communicated to the council on 6th March, as follows: In five of the cases the applicants were already living in good houses; in three others the sites selected were unsuitable; in one case the proposed site was on a small holding of five acres; and in the remaining case the applicant was not an agricultural labourer. Evidence to the effect stated in the Question was given by the medical officer, but it does not appear that the inspector expressed any opinion on the subject. So far as the Local Government Board are aware, the district council have not taken exception to the inspector's decision. The question of making a new scheme to provide dwellings for labourers who may be living in insanitary houses is one for the consideration of the council in the first instance.

To ask the Prime Minister whether he proposes, upon the recommendation of the Report of the Select Committee upon the Hop Industry, to bring in a Bill prohibiting the use of hop substitutes in the brewing of beer in this country. (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) Yes, Sir, it is in contemplation to prohibit by law the use of hop substitutes in the brewing of beer in the United Kingdom. A Bill for the purpose will be introduced at an early date provided general assent is secured to put it through during the autumn session.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what powers, if any, he possesses to prevent the erection of Marconi apparatus on private premises that might be used for the purpose of conveying information.

The Secretary of State for War possesses no such powers. The control of wireless telegraphy is in peace vested in the Postmaster-General, who issues licences, and in war with the Lords of the Admiralty.

Is it not desirable the War Office should have some control over this matter?

It seems to me more important for the Admiralty.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the terms of enlistment under the Territorial Army Act would enable the Territorial. Forces to be used in the aid of the civil power.

The terms of enlistment do not enable the Territorial Force to be specially called out in aid of the civil power. The nature of their liability when under military law was fully explained by me in debate on Army Estimates of 5th March.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that under the Territorial Army Forces Act, the 6th Battalion Royal Highlanders, formerly the 4th Volunteer Battalion Royal Highlander; Perth, under the scheme should be 1,000 strong and. only about 400 men have joined, and this only for one year; if he is aware that Lieutenant Colonel Campbell, in the absence of Sir R. D. Moncrieffe, Baronet, at camp on Wednesday, 15th July, paraded the men and, in the course of an address, asked them to support the new Army scheme, and at the close called upon those willing to serve for four years to step forward, and out of 179 men on parade only 10 signified their intention of serving the four years term, and that number, consisted entirely of non-commissioned officers; and whether, in view of the previsions of the Territorial Army, Act, he intends taking any action to prevent such methods of attempting to get men to join for a long term.

I am not aware of the incident mentioned, but on the facts as stated in the Question I do not consider that the action of Lieütenant-Colonel Campbell was in any way open to reproach. On the contrary I think that such action on the part of the Commanding Officer, whether fruitful or not, is much to he commended. In other cases similar appeals have led many men to come forward.

I bog to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can state the number of occasions on which Private Rennie, of the Fife and Forfar Imperial Yeomanry, was put on fatigue duty during the training period at Annsmuir this year; whether two days after his arrest for alleged disobedience he was taken to the orderly room, when Captain Jury, the Adjutant, and Sergeant-Major Vine, the regimental sergeant, took the evidence of Lieutenant Hutchinson and, Sergeant Storrer against Rennie; whether, on Rennie asking for time to prepare his defence and lead evidence on his own behalf, he, was informed by Captain Jury that he would be allowed to do so all in good time; whether, despite this promise, he was on the following evening, without having had an opportunity of saying a word or leading evidence on his own behalf, drummed out of the camp; whether he was thus sent away without receiving allowance for his horse or his own pay, and had in consequence to borrow money to pay his train fare home to Methil; and whether he will cause inquiry to be Blade into Rennie's allegation that Sergeant Storrer had a violent dislike to him, and kept him almost continually on fatigue duty during the whole training, and thus provoked him into the alleged act of disobedience for which he was dismissed.

Private Ronnie was put on no extra fatigues beyond those in which all members of the corps took part. After Private Rennie had been remanded by his commanding officer for trial by court martial, the summary of evidence was taken down in the orderly room by the Adjutant. The Sergeant-Major would probably have been present, but was not concerned in the taking of the evidence of Lieutenant Hutchinson and Sergeant Storrer. Private Ronnie did not ask for time to prepare his defence, or to lead evidence on his own behalf. He had the opportunity of questioning the witnesses against him, and took advantage of it in the case of Lieutenant Hutchinson. After the summary of evidence had been taken Private Rennie was, as is customary, informed by the Adjutant that when before the court martial he would have an opportunity of saying anything, he wished in his defence. The application for trial was forwarded to the General Officer commanding, who considered that the case should be dealt with summarily by the Commanding Officer. The Com- manding Officer decided to dismiss Private Bennie from the corps publicly, and as Private Rennie did not deny the charge, and as the evidence was quite decisive, that officer did not consider it necessary again to ask the accused if he had anything to urge in his defence. Private Rennie's horse allowance has been paid to the owner of the horse by the Squadron Commander, who holds a receipt for the same. Private Rennie's pay has been. remitted to him, and his Squadron Officer gave him the money for his faro (10s.). The money was not lent to Private Rennie. The Commanding Officer has inquired into the alleged animosity on the part of Sergeant Storrer against Private Ronnie, both amongst the officers and non-commissioned officers, and can find nothing to justify the allegation.

May I ask why Private Ronnie had no opportunity of laying his side of the case before the War Office?

His case has been laid before the War Office by the hon. Member.

But cannot Private Rennie himself be allowed to state his case?

No; the whole matter has been carefully considered.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War on what basis the amount of rent charged by the Government to officers on foreign service is fixed, and whether it bears any and what relation to the original cost of the houses in which the officers are quartered; whether in fixing or in maintaining rents which have been fixed in years gone by regard is had to the depreciation in value of such houses resulting from the lowering of the cost of labour or materials, or by wear and tear, or by other causes; whether regard is also had to the fact that officers with their families have frequently no alternative when serving abroad but to accept Government houses at whatever price may be asked for them; whether the rent charged to officers is on such a scale as to involve a substantial profit on the transaction; and, if so, whether the War Office will submit a statement to Parliament showing the profits made out of rents charged to officers; and whether they will affirm their approval of such a system.

Houses are provided to a limited extent in certain exceptional cases abroad for those officers who, not being entitled to free quarters, find a difficulty in obtaining private accommodation on reasonable terms. There is no compulsion on officers to occupy these Government lettings. The rent charged for these houses is based on the scheme being self-supporting; the South Africa rents being, for instance, arrived at on the basis of interest at 3 per cent. and the repayment of the principal within forty years (the estimated life of the bungalows) plus the cost of insurances awl maintenance. In addition, there are charges for water and sanitary services. There is no profit to public funds arising out of the transactions; the Department stands to lose if the lettings are not taken up. The total charges are, however, under revision.

Can the tight hon. Gentleman give us any detailed information as to how much has been paid for the rent of these houses since our troops have been permanently settled in South Africa? Will he hear in mind the officers have no opportunity of getting any other houses?

I am afraid that would involve a long inquiry which I should be reluctant to have made in view of the labour involved.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he can state whether officers and men of the Territorial Force are exempt from serving on any jury, and whether this exemption extends to officers and men of special and extra special battalions of the late Militia; and, if not, can he say why this privilege has not been extended to them; and whether he is aware that considerable doubt exists on the matter at present, and causes confusion among those in authority.

Officers and men of the Territorial Force are exempt from serving on any jury. Officers of the Special Reserve are exempt from jury service when on full pay. Non-commissioned officers and men of the Special Reserve are exempt from jury service when subject to military law. The Special Reserve are treated exactly as the Militia, and I am not aware of any doubt or confusion on the subject.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in several instances lately men while out on training were called on for jury service and informed that they were not exempted? Will the right hon. Gentleman have this answer circulated for the information of all commanding officers?

said he thought the mention of the matter in that House would suffice.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take steps to place the senior service on an equality in this matter with the junior service?

We are simply carrying out old traditions.

Is it not the fact that in one case the men are exempt all the year round and in the other only while on service?

was understood to reply that the Territorial Officer was doing duty all the year round, while the Special Reserve was only on service at certain periods.

Will the right hon. Gentleman see that all members of His Majesty's Forces have the same privileges in this respect?

It must be borne in mind that the more numerous the exemptions the greater is the burden on the rest of the community.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, apart from the reduction of the South African garrison, any further withdrawal of troops from foreign or colonial stations is contemplated.

No, Sir.

I bog to ask the Secretary of State for War why a boy in the Regular Army under eighteen years of age who enlists from the Special Reserve is to receive man's pay, whereas a boy of the same age entering the Army in the ordinary way only receives boy's pay.

These boys enlisted from the Special Reserve have done five months training including a course of musketry, and are on an entirely different tooting from boys enlisting into the Army direct.

Does the right hon. Gentleman think that six months in the Special Reserve makes a boy a man?

It goes a very long way towards doing so.

But is the boy then converted into a man fit for active service?

reply was inaudible.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what will be the duration of the annual camp training of the Officers Training Corps; what form the training will take; and what will be the strength of the unit or units which will be trained by one of the officers from the Regular Forces appointed to act as adjutant.

The duration of the annual camp training will be eight to fifteen days for University contingents, and eight days for school contingents. Officers commanding University contingents make their own arrangements with General Officers Commanding-in-Chief, and if possible with officers commanding other University contingents. School contingents will join camps formed for the purpose at convenient centres. Regular officers may he appointed under the Officers Training Corps Regulations to command camps, or such units as may be formed for the purpose of training in camp. The training given will be entirely connected with duties in the field. At present adjutants have been, or are about to be, appointed to the contingents of Oxford, Cambridge, and Edinburgh Universities, the approximate strength of these contingents being respectively 520, 530, and 390. Adjutants will be appointed to other Universities or groups of Universities, as may be necessary, having regard to the strength of their contingents, their proximity to one another, and the number of public schools in the neighbourhood, in the training of whose contingents adjutants will be called on to assist.

Will any considerable expense be placed on the members of this Officers Training Corps?

No. We have provided all that is necessary, and there will be the same allowance as to the Regulars.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War why, in view of his decision that men over thirty-six years of age are not suitable for active service abroad, a man is permitted to reenlist into the Special Reserve of the Royal Engineers, under Army Order 186 of 1908, up to thirty-five years of age for a period of four years.

Good tradesmen were always allowed to enlist in the Militia Royal Engineers up to thirty-five years of age. This regulation has been extended to the Royal Engineers Special Reserve as it is essential that there should be a proportion of good and experienced tradesmen in these units. I may add that these Engineers have not the same war strain on them that Cavalry, Artillery, and Infantry have to endure.

Surely there is more strain on the man building a bridge under fire than on the man who crosses it?

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the result of the new regulations for the payments from Association funds to instructors on the permanent staff of Territorial regiments will be to reduce emoluments of the instructors employed by two Ayrshire battalions from £22 per annum to £6 10s.; and, seeing that such reduction will be regarded by the instructors as a breach of contract, whether he will arrange to continue the present scale until the termination of existing contracts.

No rate has yet been approved pending the receipt of revised proposals from the Association. It is not proposed to continue rates paid by Volunteer corps unless they are justified by the conditions of the Territorial Force Corps. The permanent staff are not serving on any definite contract—they are liable at any time to be reverted to their regular unit. The hon. Member is referring only to the allowances from Association funds, and has not mentioned the regular pay and allowances which, if all are taken in cash, amount to about 43s. weekly.

Will there he any reduction?

I hope it will be just the contrary. Many bad systems have grown up, and the matter is now being properly regulated.

Will there be an appeal to the County Association or to the War Office?

They can always revert to the conditions on which they came into the Line.

But will there be any appeal?

Practically, no. We shall leave the matter to the Association.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War why the 27th Battalion County of London Regiment (Inns of Court) has not received official recognition as a unit of the Territorial Force, having enlisted more than 30 per cent. of its establishment; and whether it is intended to convert this battalion into an officers' training corps.

It has been decided that this unit shall be forthwith recognised as a Territorial Force unit as contemplated by the Territorial Force establishments. Regulations will subsequently be issued for the organisation of the unit as an officer's training unit for the Territorial Force.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, though the Inns of Court Regiment is not a recognised unit of the Territorial Force, the officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of the battalion will be entitled to pay and allowances as such during their forthcoming camp at West Down, Salisbury; and whether those composing the mounted detachment will be granted horse allowance for hire and forage as heretofore.

This unit will camp as a Territorial Force unit, the officers and men receiving pay and allowances as Infantry. The Territorial Force establishments do not provide for a mounted detachment. In accordance however with the request of the unit the men who composed the Mounted Infantry detachment in the Volunteers will be allowed this year to train as mounted men and to furnish horses, forage, etc., without expense to the public, pending a settlement of the future organisation of the unit.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, having regard to the fact that under 43 Geo. 3, c. 35, by which the Ordnance authorities acquired certain lands in Woolwich, all common of pasture and turbary and other common rights and privileges thereon were reserved, he will now abandon the proposal to fence in any part of Woolwich Common.

My hon. friend has been misinformed. The Act in question contains no such reservation.

quoted the words from the Act in regard to common pasture and turbary and asked should this be the subject of reference to the Attorney-General.

replied that it was quite unnecessary to refer the matter to the Attorney - General. The words to which his hon. friend had called attention referred to common rights which were bought and paid for long ago.

asked whether, in view of the fact that within fifteen months there had been three attempts to take land from the common, the right hon. Gentleman would reconsider this matter.

said he could not do that. It was absolutely necessary to take ground for training a company. To encroach on the rights of the public would be the last thing in the world that he would wish, but he was bound to do what he could to secure the efficiency of these officers. The War Office had bought and paid for all the rights.

asked whether these lands were not the waste lands of the manor of Eltham.

repeated that all the rights were bought long ago.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that the King's Regulations provide that the Union Jack shall be flown at certain military stations on anniversaries and other occasions, ho will direct that Empire Day shall be observed as an anniversary both at home and abroad.

I have nothing to add to the replies which have been given to the House on previous occasions in reference to flying flags on Empire Day.

asked what was the object of the Government in smothering up the Empire Day movement.

What is Empire Day? I do not know the date of it, and I do not care.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War on what principle the selection of officers to attend foreign manœuvres is based; whether any grant is made to defray expenses and whether extra leave beyond the ordinary is granted for this purpose.

As a rule a very limited number of permissions to attend foreign manœuvres are available and a selection has to be made from the very large number of applicants who wish to be present. In selecting officers to attend preference is given to those who have special linguistic or professional qualifications. Grants in aid of travelling expenses are occasionally made and attendance is regarded as a duty and not as leave.

Do they got ordinary leave in addition to extra leave?

Oh yes.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if it is proposed to use the barracks of the late 4th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment (Militia) at Grantham, Lincolnshire, as headquarters for the Special Reserve recruits of the 4th Notts and Derby Regiment.

This matter is at present under consideration.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War how many of the cyclist battalions of the Territorial Force have been raised and recognised; and what is their present strength.

Eight cyclist battalions have been recognised up to the present, and their total strength on the 1st July was seventy-one officers and 2,241 non-commissioned officers and men.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, in view of the fact that the absence of cyclist companies from the infantry battalions of the Territorial Force will much impair the value of the tactical training it is possible to give to the infantry, whether he will consider the advisability of making provision for the addition of cyclist companies to these battalions.

The Army Council has decided to sanction the formation in each battalion of Infantry, at the discretion of the Association, of a cyclist section, composed of one officer, 2 non-commissioned officers and twelve men. This section will be within the establishment of the battalion, and will receive the same rates of pay as the rest of the battalion.

asked if the decision come to was not contrary to the opinion held by nearly all commanding officers.

said that it was a matter which must be decided by the General Staff.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what is the number of Imperial troops at the present time in Natal; and what is their annual cost to the British taxpayer.

There are at the present time rather less than 900 Imperial troops in Natal, and their cost is approximately £70,000 a year.

May I ask whether the presence of these troops does not operate to support the Natal Government in maintaining martial law?

That is a matter of opinion.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what loss to the finances of the Colony of Hong Kong will be caused by the opium policy imposed upon it by the Colonial Office: and what compensation, if any, from Imperial revenues will be paid.

The whole question, including the points to which my hon. friend refers, is under the consideration of the Secretary of State in consultation with the Governor; and I am not in a position to make any statement with regard to it at present.

I beg to, ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the labour rules referred to on page 1 of the recent correspondence relating to affairs in the East Africa Protectorate [Cd. 4122] as having been fully approved by the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies were submitted to and approved by the Secretary of State before promulgation.

No, Sir. The rules were promulgated by the Governor before submission to the Secretary of State.

Are we to understand that the President of the Board of Trade had authority to approve these regulations without consulting the noble Lord

I do not think we can assume that at all. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will address a Question to my right hon. friend on the subject.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the legislation relating to land tenure in the East Africa Protectorate, which is indicated in the despatch from Lord Elgin of the 19th March, 1908 (No. 9, in Cd. 4117), has yet been introduced; whether, if so, it has met with approval in the Protectorate; and whether the Ordinance, as finally settled, will be laid before Parliament.

An Ordinance is being drafted, but has not yet been introduced into the Legislative Council. The Ordinance, when passed, will be included among the papers relating to land tenure in East Africa Protectorate which will be laid before, Parliament in continuation of the papers already present.

asked if somewhat similar regulations would be promulgated for other Protectorates on the coast.

That is rather a large Question; I should like notice of it.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to; the fact that correspondence from the High Commissioner in South Africa, with reference to the amount of administration of the Compensation Fund, remained unanswered for several months, occasioning a loss of £41,420 7s. 11d. to the Imperial Exchequer; and whether steps have been taken to expedite replies in the future to communications received by the Colonial Office.

The reference is I presume, to Section 10 of the Second Report of Public Accounts Committee just laid. It is quite a mistake to suppose that any loss of public money occurred or that any additional charge was thrown upon the Exchequer through the action of the Colonial Office, for whatever may have been the merits of the question whether administrative expenses could properly he charged to the fun I the Colonial Government had unquestionably full power to spend the money in increasing the compensation pail to protected burghers. I would refer my hon. friend as regards this compensation fund to the Report of the Central Judicial Committee printed in Cd. 3028. I must deny that there was improper delay in the matter on the pert of the Colonial Office. The money has since been revoted by Parliament.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in signing their labour contracts, the native labourers for the Transvaal mines recruited in Portuguese East Africa are compulsorily repatriated at the end of their period of work; and, if so, whether the Government intend to make representations to the Transvaal Government with a view of altering the necessity of repatriation.

The Answer to both parts of the hon. Member's Question is in the negative

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the attention of the Secretary of State has been called to the statement made on 3rd June by the Attorney - General that the legal documents which passed between the right hon. Gentleman the Member for West Birmingham and the Colony of Natal, in 1897, showed that it was literally and legally the case that the payment of the salary of Dinizulu was a condition of the incorporation of Zululand with Natal; and whether, in view of the fact that the Natal Government have imprisoned Dinizulu and deprived him of his salary, without the approval of the Secretary of State, the opinion of the Attorney-General has been brought to the notice of the Natal Government.

The Secretary of State is aware of the opinion of the Attorney-General, and I would refer my hon. friend to the telegrams to the Governor which he will find in the Bluebook which is being distributed to-day.

What about the answers from the Governor in response?

I shall be able to make a statement to-morrow.

Are the Natal Government aware that all sections are united in the belief that the Government are in honour bound to pay Dinizulu's salary?

I am sure that every Member of the House will be glad to hear the statement from the front Opposition bench, that there is such a binding obligation. I think the Natal Government should be informed that that is the view of all Members of this House.

Have the Natal Government expressed any dissent from the view of the Attorney-General?

I had better leave that till to-morrow.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether His Majesty's Government, in arriving at the conclusion to pay the salary to Dinizulu in disregard of the decision of the Natal Government, considered the effect such action would have upon the trial now proceeding, and also upon the status and rights of a self-governing Colony to manage its own affairs and the trial of alleged rebels.

Yes, Sir.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Natal Indemnity Bill has passed both Houses of the Colonial legislature; whether the Government are now in possession of the terms of such Bill: whether those terms are identical with the terms of The Natal Indemnity Act, 1906, with the omission of Section 9 of that Act; and whether he will lay a copy of the Bill upon the Table before the debate upon the Colonial Office Vote.

Yes, Sir, the Bill has passed. It is similar to, but not identical with, the Act of 1906, the provisions for the prospective operation of the indemnity being omitted. Details will be found in the Papers distributed to-day.

On behalf of the hon. Member for the Woodstock division of Oxfordshire, I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether, in view of the obligation undertaken by the British taxpayer to provide Dinizulu's salary, His Majesty's Government will make every effort to secure the trial or release of the chief without further delay.

The Secretary of State understands that the preliminary examination is practically concluded, so far as the prosecution is concerned, and it is therefore to be hoped that Dinizulu will soon be brought to trial or released. The Secretary of State is not in a position to interfere in regard to the course of the proceedings.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Secretary of State has been informed by the Natal Government why it is necessary to examine more than 100 witnesses on behalf of the prosecution against Dinizulu before formulating any definite charge against him; and whether he can give any approximate date when the Attorney-General of Natal will consider that sufficient evidence has been laid before the magistrate to enable him to decide whether the prisoner shall be committed for trial or discharged.

The Governor telegraphed to the Secretary of State on Saturday last that the Attorney-General has informed him that he anticipates that the preliminary examination of Dinizulu will be completed as far as the prosecution is concerned almost immediately. The Natal Government have not specifically informed the Secretary of State of the reasons why it has been necessary to examine so many witnesses. But it is clear that, greatly as the prolongation of the preliminary examination is to be regretted, it would be unjust to Dinizulu to spring upon him any charge at the trial which had not been exposed to him in the preliminary examination; as a consequence the production of new evidence has rendered a multiplication of witnesses unavoidable. Dinizulu's counsel have not taken any legal action indicating a desire that the preliminary examination should be closed.

Did not Dinizulu's counsel apply that the magistrates should be removed