To ask the Secretary of State for War whether arrangements can be made for payment next year of Army and Navy pensions by weekly instalments through the Post Office, in the same way as contemplated for old-age pensions. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) As I informed the hon. Member for North Salford on the 25th February last, arrangements have been made for monthly or weekly payment of Army pensions through boards of guardians or otherwise in individual cases where the pensioners so desire or when the pensioner is of such a character as to make this course desirable. But as pensions are paid quarterly in advance, to introduce universal weekly payments would not in the majority of cases be in the interests of the pensioners. The question of making weekly payments through the Post Office will be considered when the arrangements for the payment of old-age pensions are in working order.

To ask the Prime Minister whether the Government will be able to deal with the question of London traffic during the coming winter; whether the special branch of the Board of Trade has presented its Report on this matter; and whether the Government will set apart a grant for widening the London streets and improving the means of communication in connection with its proposals for the relief of unemployment in London. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) I understand that the London Traffic Branch of the Board of Trade has presented its Report to the Board, and that it will shortly be laid upon the Table of the House. I cannot hold out any hope that legislation dealing with London traffic can be enacted during the present session.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been drawn to the statements made by the Staff Transfer Association on behalf of the staff of the National Telephone Company, to the effect that about 6,000 men, representing the construction staff of the company, will have to be dismissed prior to the transfer of the company's plant to the Post Office on the 31st December, 1911, and that such dismissals will be caused by works not being undertaken which appear to be necessary and desirable in the interests of the telephone service and the public; and whether the Postmaster-General will take immediate steps to see that some arrangement is come to by which the development of the telephone service can proceed uninterruptedly throughout the United Kingdom on efficient lines, so as to avoid inconvenience to the public, and the unnecessary dismissal of qualified men whose services will hereafter be required by the Post Office, and so as to provide remunerative work, if possible, for some of the men and women at present unemployed. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) The matter to which the hon. Member refers has been, and is, engaging my careful attention, and I am in communication with the National Telephone Company on the subject. I may add that I believe that many of the statements which have been made, in the Press and elsewhere, on this subject are incorrect or exaggerated.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty what contracts have been given by the Admiralty during the last six months to British contractors for granite; what amount of money they represent individually; and what total value in annual wages is likely to accrue to the British workman.

The only direct contracts for granite let during the last six months have been for British granite setts for paving, and amount to £250. In the case of large works contracts, the granite is ordered by the contractor and not by the Admiralty; but it is understood that the cost of the granite to be used in the construction of the Portsmouth Lock, the only big work for which the contract has been recently let, is about £55,000, and in this case the stone will be British. The Admiralty have no exact knowledge of the proportions of these sums which will be spent in wages.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty if he can now say whether the Government has decided to grant officers and men of the Royal Naval Reserve a long-service and good-conduct modal.

It has been decided to institute a decoration for officers of the Royal Naval Reserve and of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, and a long-service and good-conduct medal for men of the Royal Naval Reserve and members of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that several boards of guardians have passed resolutions requesting the Admiralty to arrange for the weekly payment of naval pensions; and whether he can hold out any hope that these requests will be complied with in the near future.

I am aware that such resolutions have been passed, and I have been giving them the fullest consideration. After weighing most carefully the relative merits of the present system of payment of pensions and that proposed by the boards of guardians, we have come to the conclusion that the balance of advantage lies, on the whole, with the present system, and there does not appear to be sufficient ground for departing from the existing arrangements under which naval pensioners receive payment quarterly in advance.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this matter has been pressed upon his predecessors by several bodies?

Yes, Sir. I am aware resolutions have been passed by several bodies, but I have come to the conclusion that the balance of advantage lies on the whole with the present system. There does not appear sufficient ground therefore for departing from the present arrangement by which the naval pensioners receive payment quarterly in advance.

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman could give the number of boards of guardians who had sent up resolutions, and whether they had not based the resolutions on the scenes of drunkenness and disorder which arose.

I cannot say offhand. I am under the impression that boards of guardians have not made any definite inquiry as to the number of cases of thriftlessness among naval pensioners. The Admiralty have inquired, and they have found that the present system is far more popular than a different system would be amongst the pensioners themselves, and that thriftless persons among naval pensioners are few. In the circumstances, the Admiralty would not be justified in making the change in question.

Would it not be possible for pensions to be paid quarterly to the guardians and by them paid out weekly to the pensioners?

I should be pleased to consider any proposal of that kind, but I do not think I should be justified in promising to alter a system which gives satisfaction to the vast majority of those concerned.

Will the right hon. Gentleman give a return of the board of guardians which have passed these resolutions.

I shall be pleased to give that information.

asked whether the First Lord of the Admiralty consulted the War Office before arriving at a decision?

said he did not know that there was any analogy between the cases of naval and War Office pensioners.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that several boards of guardians have passed resolutions requesting the War Office to arrange for the weekly payment of Army pensions; and whether he can hold out any hope that these requests will be complied with in the near future.

The War Office has received several resolutions on this subject from boards of guardians. As I informed the hon. Member for North Salford, on the 25th February last, arrangements have been made for monthly or weekly payment of Army pensions through boards of guardians or otherwise, in individual cases where the pensioners so desire, or when the pensioner is of such a character as to make this course desirable. But as pensions are paid quarterly in advance, to introduce universal weekly payments would not in the majority of cases be in the interests of the pensioners. The question of making weekly payments through the Post Office will be considered when the arrangements for the payment of old-age pensions are in working order.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to the case of one Fazl Hassan, editor of a monthly magazine, the Urdu-i-Mualla, who has been sentenced by the magistrate of Aligarh to two years hard labour and a fine of Rs. 500 for publishing an article adversely criticising British educational policy in Egypt; and whether he will make inquiry into the facts with a view to the remission or modification of this sentence.

It is open to the accused in this case to appeal to the High Court for a remission or modification of this sentence.

Is this the editor who in addressing the jury said he was only following in the footsteps of the hon. Members for Sleaford and East Nottingham?

And could he do better than follow in their footsteps?

Was not this a conviction for adversely criticising the policy of the Government in Egypt, and does such criticism amount to sedition in India?

My hon. friend is asking the Secretary of State to inter-fore with the judgment of the Court, but inasmuch as the accused has a right of appeal he declines to do so.

Has the appeal been lodged?

I cannot say.

Will inquiry be made into the facts as set forth in the Question?

It would be unusual and improper on the part of the authorities here to institute an inquiry in a case where the accused has the right of appeal.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to a recent notification in the Central Provinces Gazette depriving one Sheoraj Singh, a retired tuhzildar, of his pension on the ground of his participation in political agitation; whether he can state the specific character of the agitation in which this retired official took part; and whether he will make inquiries into the facts of this case with a view to the reversal of the orders passed.

The details of the conduct of Sheoraj Singh, in consequence of which he was deprived of his pension under Article 351 of the Pension Code, have not been reported to the Secretary of State. It is open to Sheoraj Singh to submit an appeal in the usual manner against the order, if he desires to do so.

Has he done so? Will the right hon. Gentleman make inquiry into this case, which appears to be of a peculiarly scandalous nature?

No, Sir. The accused has the right of appeal. Whether he has done so, I cannot say, but the Government cannot interfere.

Does the rule under which this officer was deprived of his pension apply, and if not, should it not apply to all classes of pensioners of the Government of India?

That is a question of a far-reaching character of which I must have notice.

Am I to understand the Government of India hold that if a pensioner takes part in a political agitation he is liable to be deprived of his pension?

I cannot give a general answer to such a general Question. I have answered the Question on the Paper.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to what is known as the Karur sedition case, in which a young man of nineteen years of age has been sentenced by the Judge of Coimbatore to five years transportation for making two seditious speeches, although he tendered an apology to the Government at the beginning of the trial and the assessors in Court strongly recommended him to mercy; and whether he will make inquiry into the facts of this case with a view to the remission or modification of the sentence.

In this case also it is open to the accused to appeal to the High Court.

asked whether there was still in India anything in the nature of free speech and a free Press.

Yes; a great deal of it.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the revenue of several of the Crown Colonies, as given in the various annual Colonial Reports, includes moneys received for the purchase of land; and whether he will issue instructions that land sales be kept distinct from annual revenue in future, in order to give a juster account of the Colonies' financial position.

It is already the rule that in the Estimates the proceeds of the sale of Government lands should be kept distinct from the total revenue from other sources, and directions will be given that these headings shall be kept separate in the annual Colonial Reports.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the abolition of the caravan tax in Northern Nigeria has been counter-balanced yet by the anticipated increase in land revenue in that Colony.

Actual figures are not available, but the Governor estimates that the land revenue will this year produce £41,000 more than in 1906–07, when the caravan tolls were abolished. The tolls were then bringing in about £33,000 a year.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any revenue is derived from land in the northern territories of the Gold Coast; whether there is still an annual deficit on the administration of the northern territories; and whether he will take steps to find out if the system of land tenure and taxation working successfully in Northern Nigeria could be introduced into the northern territories of the Gold Coast also.

No revenue is derived from land in the northern territories of the Gold Coast. There is an annual deficit, which is made good from the revenues of the Gold Coast. The difficulties in the way of introducing the Northern Nigeria system into these territories were explained in the Answer given to a similar Question by my hon. friend on the 6th February last.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has boon called to a scheme propounded by the Land Officer of Uganda whereby leading natives are to be allowed to dispose of a percentage of the natives' land to white settlers; has such a scheme been sanctioned; who receives the money paid for the land; and why is a totally different theory as to native rights to land and the power of individual natives to alienate land to whites held in the East Coast from that held in the West Coast Colonies.

The Secretary of State is not aware of the existence of any such scheme as that to which my hon. friend refers. He has on the contrary recently approved of a law by which natives of the Uganda Kingdom are forbidden to alienate land to non-natives without the consent not only of the Governor, but also of the Lukiko, or Native Council. The total quantity of native land permanently alienated since 1900 is 29½ acres only.

Why is it the natives in East Africa can alienate land to whites whereas they are not allowed to do so in West Africa?

I think the Answer I have given covers the point raised by my hon. friend.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the instructions issued by the Colonial Office to the East African Protectorate declaring that lands shall only be leased to whites at revisable rents and not permanently alienated, and in view of the fact that a similar policy has now been adopted by the German Government in their Colonies, he can see his way to stop the granting by the Government of freehold to whites in Uganda.

Applications to purchase the freehold of land in Uganda have hitherto been so infrequent that it has not been thought necessary to restrict the grant of such applications except by laying down that the assent of the Secretary of State must be obtained to any grant involving the alienation of more than 1,000 acres. The Secretary of State will be happy to consider the suggestion made by my hon. friend.

May I ask whether the Colonial Office contemplates a policy which postulates the disqualification of white men?

The words of the supplementary Question are so long that I can hardly understand them.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether a company calling itself the Uganda Company has acquired 5,000 acres of land in Uganda; and, if so, on what terms did they acquire this concession and what price did they pay, or what rent are they going to pay, and to whom.

Permission was given to the Uganda Company in the year 1905 to purchase 10,000 acres of land in Uganda in freehold. It appears from the latest returns that the Company have actually so far acquired 4,715 acres. The price paid to the Government of Uganda was Rupees 8266.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Return of Transvaal Retrenched Civil Servants is now ready; and when will it be laid upon the Table.

The greater part of the information has just been received, and it is being put into print; the remainder is expected by the next mail, and I expect to be able to lay the Paper in the course of the next fortnight.

Will the Return include civil servants on the Railways, the Constabulary, and the Johannes-berg police?

Yes, I think all those categories are included in the Return.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Education Bill passed by the Orange River Colony Legislature was submitted in its final form to this Government; and whether it has received the assent of the Crown.

The Bill was not submitted to the Secretary of State as a whole in its final form, but the Governor kept him informed by telegraph of the Amendments which were made in it. The Governor has given his assent.

Do we understand that the Government have given their assent to the principles of this Education Bill passed by the Orange River Colony?

The Governor has given his assent, but of course the Bill will come home in the usual way to the Secretary of State in order that he may advise His Majesty thereon.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the minimum height of children recruited under the terms of the New Hebrides Convention has yet been fixed. I beg also to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps have been taken to ensure separate housing accommodation for unmarried men and women under the New Hebrides Convention.

His Majesty's Government have issued instructions to their officers prohibiting the recruiting of women and children in the New Hebrides.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the French Government have prohibited the recruiting of women and children for service in New Caledonia.

The instructions issued by the French Government in 1907 to the French High Commissioner in the New Hebrides with regard to the question of native labour, contained the provision that in all recruiting licences issued, a clause should be inserted forbidding women and children to be taken out of the group, with the exception of those who might accompany the head of their family. My right hon. friend would call the attention of the hon. Member to the above mentioned instructions, as quoted in the New Hebrides Blue-book, containing the notes exchanged between the United Kingdom and France on the 29th August, 1907, (Cd. 3876, Treaty Series No. 3, 1908.)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the edict of the Chinese Government banning the introduction into and manufacture and sale within the empire of morphia and hypodermic appliances indicates that the suppression of the use of opium implies recourse to other drugs in place thereof; and whether the Foreign Office is in possession of any information to show that this is the case.

The prohibition of the general importation of morphia into China, except on certain conditions, was agreed to by His Majesty's Government in Article XI of the Commercial Treaty between China and Great Britain of 1902. The stipulation contained in that article, that the probibition should only come into force on all other Treaty Powers agreeing to its conditions, has, however, only recently been fulfilled. The edict has, therefore, no direct connection with the measures adopted for the suppression of the use of opium. Whether the suppression of the use of opium in China, if successfully accomplished, would have to any extent the effect indicated in the Question is a matter on which my right hon. friend cannot express an opinion. It is not implied in the edict.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that several caravans of arms have passed through Persia to Afghanistan; and whether, since it is impossible for the Government of India to stop this traffic while the Persian route is open, representations have been made to the Shah's Government on the subject.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, representations were made at the time to the Persian Government, and His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Teheran reported that the Persian local authorities did their best to comply with the orders sent from the central Government and to check the progress of the caravans. His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Teheran was instructed to make further representations as to the importance attached by His Majesty's Government to the interception of caravans conveying illicit arms from the coast through Persia territory into Afghanistan.

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, in view of this continued automatic decrease in the consumption of alcoholic liquor, he thinks it worth while further occupying the attention of Parliament with the Licensing Bill?

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will lay upon the Table of the House the instructions issued to pension officers by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue.

The instructions referred to are of a confidential

I have called for a Return on this subject, and I hope very shortly to be in possession of the total number of applications received up to date.

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether, as regards the first half of the current financial year, the revenue from the alcoholic group of taxes continues on the downward course indicated by the last Budget statement.

Yes Sir. The following figures show the approximate net receipt for the first six months of the financial years 1907–8 and 1908–9 respectively:—

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that what purports to be a copy of this report has been published in one of the leading London newspapers, and whether in those circumstances he does not think the House of Commons is entitled to authentic information?

I do not think these instructions ought to be published. Such instructions are constantly given with regard to every branch of the service. Instructions of this kind are issued by the Board of Inland Revenue on their own responsibility to their officers. They have no validity beyond the fact that they are instructions to officers, and it is a most improper proceeding to communicate them to the Press. I think it would be a mistake and a broach of a very valuable precedent if we published instructions of this character.

These instructions purport to direct the attention of officers to what they are to take into consideration in estimating the means of the claimant. Does not that necessarily mean a modification of the terms of the Act of Parliament, and is not the House entitled to know at any rate what steps the Government are taking to carry out the decision arrived at by this House?

The noble Lord has given notice of a Question on that point to-morrow, and I think it would be better to postpone the consideration of the matter till then.

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to paragraphs 53 and 54 of the instructions issued by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue to pension officers directing them to retain their reports on claims for pensions until a supervisor shall have had an opportunity of examining them and satisfying himself that the investigation has been properly made and the proper conclusion arrived at, and that such reports are not to be forwarded until initialled by the supervisor, who is directed to forward the reports himself to the clerk of the local pension committee; and whether, in view of the provisions of the Act which places the responsibility for the performance of these duties solely on the pension officer, and does not recognise the intervention of the supervisor, he will give instructions for the procedure to be modified so as to leave the responsible pension officer full discretion and independence, and enable the machinery of the Act to work with greater smoothness and rapidity.

Any instructions which have been given to pension officers by the Board of Inland Revenue are, as I pointed out in reply to the preceding Question, of a confidential character. I may, however, say, to correct misapprehensions which appear to have arisen, that all supervisors of excise have been appointed by the Treasury to be pension officers, and that the supervisor in charge of each district is the pension officer responsible for submitting reports on claims and questions to the pension committee.

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to paragraphs 102, 103, and 104 of the instructions to pension officers issued by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue which deal with the subject of lost pension order-books, and direct that a pensioner losing an order-book shall be deprived of his pension pending investigation of the matter by the pension officer, who is directed to issue a new book, if he is satisfied of the loss of the former book, dating only from the next Friday following the date of delivery; and whether, in view of the fact that some time is likely to lapse during the investigation of the loss by the pension officer, he will direct that such instruction be amended by the issue of temporary order forms or in some other way, so that the pensioner shall not be deprived of his pension during the period of investigation before the issue of the new order-book.

In cases of lost order-books every effort will be made to issue a new book with as little delay as is consistent with the making of the necessary investigations. I do not think there would be any advantage in adopting the suggestion made in the Question, since the same investigations would be necessary before "temporary order forms" could be issued. It is not anticipated that cases of lost books will be numerous, and it is not desirable that such loss should be wholly unattended by inconvenience to the pensioner, to whose carelessness it will as a rule be due.

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state why it is that, as shown on page 15 of the last Report of the Commissioners of Customs, the duty on British refined sugar was levied at an appreciably lower average rate per hundredweight than that on foreign refined sugar; and can he also explain why, as shown on the same page of the Report, the duty on cane and other sorts of unrefined sugar was levied at an average rate per hundredweight considerably less than that on unrefined beet-root sugar.

The hon. Member appears to be under a misapprehension in supposing that the duty on sugar is leviable at average rates. The rates, whether in cane or beet, or British or foreign refined, vary according to the degree of polarisation as set out on pages 44 and 45 of the Report referred to. The table at the foot of page 15 of that Report shows merely the aggregate of the quantities of each description of sugar on which duty, at varying rates, was paid during the year, and the amount of duty received.

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has entered into any engagement on behalf of the Government to assist the Inter-Parliamentary Congress by the payment of £300 a year or any other sum; and, if so, will a Supplementary Estimate be presented, or from what source will the money be provided.

Yes, Sir, I have undertaken to propose to Parliament the provision of an annual grant to the Inter-Parliamentary Union of a sum not exceeding £300, on learning that the permanent secretariat of the Union has been established on a satisfactory basis. I am not aware that any contribution will be required during the present financial year, and I do not therefore anticipate that any Supplementary Estimate will be necessary. I understand that other countries also propose to contribute.

Will steps be taken to ensure that the delegations to this Congress are really representative?

And will the right hon. Gentleman ascertain what grants are made by other Parliaments, and especially by Germany?

Do the Government propose to take control in any way over the selection of representatives of this Parliament?

said he under-stood that it was open to every Member of Parliament who took an interest in this movement to attend the conferences if he wished, and in that sense, therefore, they were perfectly representative.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will state the total number of clubs which have been struck off the register under the provisions of the Act of 1902, and how many of these were struck off on the ground that there was frequent drunkenness on the club premises.

The number of clubs struck off the registers under the Licensing Act of 1902 are given in the Annual Volumes of Licensing Statistics, and are as follows:—In the year 1903, sixty-seven; in 1904, seventy-three; in 1905, sixty two; in 1906, forty-one; and in 1907, seventy-eight. As regards the lattor part of the Question, I can only repeat the Answer which I gave the hon. Member for the Skipton Division of Yorkshire, to the effect that I do not possess information as to the grounds on which the clubs were struck off, and I regret I do not see my way to obtaining it.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there is any intention to appoint military or naval officers to the position of superintendents of the Metropolitan Police.

There is no such intention.

I bog to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will state why the Statistical Abstract for the United Kingdom, which, in 1905 was issued in August, and has usually been issued soon after that month in other years, has this year not yet been issued.

The issue of the Statistical Abstract for the United Kingdom has been somewhat delayed with a view to the inclusion of certain additional information respecting the expenditure, by local authorities, on account of particular services. The volume is now practically ready for press and it is intended to issue it within the next fortnight.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he has now considered the recommendations of the Select Committee, so far as they affect the class of senior postmen and lobby officers, which he stated on the 27th May last were engaging his attention and in respect of which he promised an early decision; and can he say when payment will be made of the arrears due in consequence of any increase in the scale of pay, which is to take effect from January last.

The scheme of the Parliamentary Committee affecting the class of senior postmen and lobby officers is in course of being completed. The pay of the officers concerned will where necessary be adjusted as from the 1st of January last.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education if his attention has been called to the action of Dr. Adams, medical inspector of the St. Stephen's School, St. Margaret's Twickenham, who examined the children for vaccination marks and reported the unvaccinated ones to the vaccination officer; if his attention has been called to the action of the school nurse in calling upon the parents with regard to the vaccination of the children; and if he proposes to take any action to prevent the repetition of this conduct.

My attention has been called to this matter and I have made inquiry into the circumstances of the case, which is receiving my consideration. The Board have never suggested to local education authorities that they should, as part of the work of medical inspection under the Act of 1907, inquire whether school children have or have not been vaccinated. If inquiries are made on this point by any local education authority, the information obtained should be regarded as strictly confidential as between the local education authority and the parents of the children concerned, and as confidential ought not to be communicated to the vaccination officer or public vaccinator. I may add that I strongly deprecate any attempt on the part of local authorities to use the machinery of medical inspection for the purpose of enforcing vaccination. Such action is likely to discredit medical inspection in the eyes of many parents who would otherwise be glad to take advantage of it.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education on what date he proposes to proceed with the Committee stage of the Elementary Education (England and Wales) Bill.

I am not in a position to make any statement.

I beg to ask Mr. Attorney-General whether his attention has been called to the language used by the hon. Member for South West Ham, to the effect that if those he was addressing wanted to rush anything, they should rush every bakers' shop they could see; and whether he intends to advise that any legal proceedings should be taken against the hon. Member in respect of his words.

This matter appears to me at present to be one for the police, and I think the noble Lord will scarcely expect me to say what legal proceedings ought to be taken until my advice is asked.

inquired whether it would be within the province of the Home Secretary to bring the matter before the right hon. and learned Gentleman.

asked whether the matter was one which was engaging the attention of the Government.

I have no doubt the matter is one which is engaging the attention of the police.

inquired whether the Attorney-General had any information relating to the numerous instances of incitement to crime on the part of the political associates of the noble Lord, and whether he had any information as to the noble Lord ever having repudiated these incitements.

The hon. Member should give notice of that Question.

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether a scheme of compulsory life insurance has been made a condition of employment in all future appointments of engrossing clerks in the Sasine Office in Edinburgh; if so, whether he can state the particulars of the scheme; and whether such clerks will be free to select the company in which they prefer to insure.

The Answer is in the affirmative. I shall be happy to furnish the hon. Member with particulars of the scheme of assurance which has been arranged.

Will the right hon. Gentleman answer the last part of the Question?

I have said I shall be glad to furnish particulars.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the sum of £114,000 passed on 28th July last for bonuses and capitation grants to Irish teachers for the year ending 31st March last was still unpaid to them at a recent date, and will he say what has caused this delay; and whether he will arrange that in future these grants will be paid more promptly.

May I also ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the grant of £114,000, voted for the augmentation of the salaries of national school teachers for the year ended 31st March 1908, has been paid by the Treasury.

And may I too ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether any, and, if so, what, portion of the revised Supplementary Estimate of £114,000 for bonuses and capitation grants for Irish teachers, passed under closure on the 28th July last, has yet been paid to the teachers, and if such payment has been made, for what period.

The grant in question has been made available by the Treasury, and the Commissioners of National Education are making arrangements for its distribution among the teachers, which, it is anticipated, will take place about the 23rd instant. Some delay has necessarily taken place in making arrangements for the distribution of the first issue of this grant, but it is proposed in future years to pay the grant in April, immediately after the conclusion of the financial year.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Government has yet formulated any plan for avoiding or minimising loss on flotation of Irish Land Stock and for expediting the operation of the Land Act of 1903; and, if so, when he proposes to lay the same before the House.

The matter is receiving the careful consideration of the Government, but though I am not yet in a position to make any statement on the subject, I hope to be able to do so shortly.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that on the 6th September, Mr. H. V. Macnamara, of Ennistymon House, County Clare, sent warning to Dublin Castle that cattle-drives were contemplated upon his Doolin property; why no preventive measures were taken upon that intimation; whether cattle-drives took place on the 9th, 12th, 19th, and 22nd of September, in which cattle were treated with great cruelty; whether he is aware that these proceedings were instigated by the United Irish League; and whether he intends to take proceedings against the persons who instigated and organised these disorderly occurrences.

I received from Mr. Macnamara a letter dated 6th September, complaining of a meeting of the United Irish League on the preceding Sunday, but making no reference to cattle-driving. It is the fact that cattle-drives took place on the dates mentioned in the Question. As regards the alleged cruelty to the cattle, I am informed that claims for compensation for injury to the cattle are pending, and it would, therefore, be undesirable to make any statement which would prejudge the matter. I have no information that these cattle drives were instigated or organised by the United Irish League. Forty-four persons were proceeded against for taking part in the cattle-drives, and of these one gave bail to keep the peace, and forty-three were sent to prison in default of bail. The police force of County Clare has been largely increased with the object of dealing with these agrarian disturbances, and fifty of the extra force are quartered in a house rented from Mr. Macnamara in the neighbourhood of his property.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that on the 13th September a farmer named Casey was fired at near Ruan; that on the 15th September there was an attempt to shoot Mr. James Griffin, J.P., at Kinlea; that on the 30th September an attack with firearms was made upon the residence of Mrs. Greathead at Lough George; that on the 5th October the house of a farmer named Cahir, near Ennis, was fired into; and whether, in view of these and other similar outrages, and the increase in the use of firearms in agrarian disturbances, he proposes to take any measures to check this evil.

The facts are as stated in the Question, save for slight discrepancies as to dates. The police force of County Clare has been largely augmented, and all possible measures are being taken for the prevention and detection of offences. The persons concerned are receiving all necessary protection.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the remarks of Judge Curran at the Birr quarter sessions on 7th October, and to his complaint that by direction of the Government a Judge of Assize and Chairmen of Quarter Sessions are not now allowed to be informed as to the state of the county as formerly; and whether it is intended to continue this course.

My attention has been called to a newspaper report of the remarks referred to. I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a Question put by the hon. and gallant Member for East Down on 22nd July, from which it will be seen that the Returns furnished to Judges of Assize are prepared in accordance with the forms approved by the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland in 1904. It has not been the practice to furnish County Court Judges with those Returns, but, for some reason of which I am not aware, an exception has been made in the case of Judge Curran. The Returns supplied to him are in the same form as those furnished to Judges of assize.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that opposition has been shown in the rural parts of Ireland to the general Order of the Local Government Board for Ireland (No. 24 M/1908) with respect to dairies, cowsheds and milkshops; that this feeling is largely due to the discrimination made between farmers and cowkeepers who sell milk to creameries for manufacture into butter and those who make their own milk into butter; and whether it is intended to recall this order and apply the regulations equally to all classes of dairy farmers in Ireland.

The Order in question applies equally to all persons engaged in the public supply of milk. Its object is to prevent the spread of disease by means of the milk supply, and therefore it deals only with persons engaged in such supply, as contemplated by the Act under which the Order was made. I am aware that some opposition to the Order has been shown, but its provisions are very necessary in the interests of the public health, and it is not intended to withdraw it.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that at Knocknagown, County Kerry, a rural postman was, on 5th October, robbed by an armed man of registered letters supposed to contain civil bill processes; and whether any arrest has been made in connection with this occurrence.

I am informed that the fact is as stated in the Question. The postman, who reported the matter to the police, stated that he was unable to identify his assailant, and therefore no arrest has been possible.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received representations that the proposal to postpone the application to Ireland of the provisions of the Nurses Registration Bill will inflict injury upon Irish nurses and training institutions in Ireland; and whether, in view of these considerations, he will move the Irish Local Government Board to make an effort to surmount the administrative obstacles which have led thorn to oppose the application of this measure to Ireland.

The Government have placed upon the Paper Amendments providing for the immediate application to Ireland of the Nurses Registration Bill.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received representations that Rule 14 (b) in the rules of Examinations for 1909, made by the Intermediate Education Board for Ireland, will be detrimental to the interests of education and will deprive many youths of a chance of obtaining an exhibition; whether this rule has been made solely from motives of economy; whether he will bring the matter to the notice of the Intermediate Education Board with a view to its being reconsidered; and whether he proposes to afford the House any opportunity of discussing the matter.

The question whether the operation of the rule referred to should be postponed until after the next examination, is at present before the Intermediate Education Board, and will come up for further consideration at their next mooting.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the headmasters in Ireland object very strongly to this rule on educational grounds, and he states that they are willing to forego their fees on the second course if the prohibition is withdrawn.

There are two questions involved, the merits of the rule and the equity of giving notice. The general feeling is that notice should have been given.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the rules for the coming year were only circulated last August.

Yes, Sir.

I beg to ask the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the terms of the Catholic Disabilities Removal Bill which was introduced by the hon. Member for Kilkenny in several successive years on behalf of the Irish Party; and whether he is prepared to offer facilities for the carrying into law of this Bill, or will the Government introduce a Bill to the same purpose.

I beg also to ask the Prime Minister whether the Government will on an early date introduce legislation repealing such statutory enactments affecting Roman Catholics as place them in a disadvantageous and inferior position compared with other religious bodies in the country.

My attention had not previously been called to the Bill referred to. The Government have no present intention of introducing legislation in this matter, and as I announced before the recess they cannot give facilities to any measure which is not of a wholly non-controversial character. They will be prepared to give full consideration to any proposals to relieve Roman Catholics, or any other religious denomination from legal disabilities which give rise to practical grievance.

asked the right hon. Gentleman whether, in view of the very strong feeling upon this subject, he could not see his way to grant facilities for legislation proposed by private Members: and whether it was not a fact that in 1891 the late Mr. Gladstone himself introduced a measure for the purpose of relieving Catholics of certain disabilities; whether that measure was not eloquently supported by the present Prime Minister and the whole Liberal Party, and only failed to become law because it was unitedly and strenuously opposed by the Conservative Party then in power.

I think the Bill to which the hon. Member refers was one to remove the disability of the Lord-Lieutenant and also of the Lord Chancellor. I strongly supported that Bill, and should do so again. But I cannot promise more at present than to give full consideration to any proposal brought forward.

said that in consequence of the unsatisfactory nature of the Answer, he would himself reintroduce the Bill, which had been before the House for many years. He added that it was generally expected that the Government would give facilities.

Arising out of the very unsatisfactory reply of the right hon. Gentleman, may I ask the Prime Minister whether He will give a day to discuss the conduct of the Government in regard to the action they took with reference to the recent intended procession.

No, Sir, certainly not, unless the Leader of the Opposition desires it.

Will the right hon. Gentleman make inquiries into the disabilities that Protestants suffer from Roman Catholic Spain?

invited the right hon. Gentleman to be good enough to bear in mind the very strong feeling which had been aroused over this question, for the disability which Catholics suffered was regarded by a great number of the population as little short of a disgrace to the name of civilisation.

I beg to ask the Prime Minister whether, in view of the amount of suffering caused by the present state of unemployment, he can state when the Government will be in a position to inform the House what it proposes to do to alleviate the distress, and when a day can be given to discuss the subject.

I am not as yet in a position to make any statement; but I hope to be able to do so next week.

Cannot the right hon. Gentleman give me a little more definite assurance, seeing that this question is becoming most acute. I had hoped for an assurance that we should have a statement by Monday.

I cannot say more than I have. I am quite as much alive as the hon. Gentleman to the importance of the question. That is all the more reason for careful deliberation.

asked the right hon. Gentleman whether he would give the House time to discuss his statement on the same day.

No, Sir; I shall make my statement in answer to a Question in the ordinary way.

said he had asked for a day to discuss the proposals.

I think the hon. Gentleman had bettor wait to hear what my statement is. I am not at all without hope that it may satisfy him without the necessity of a discussion. If not, we may be able to meet his natural wish.

Considering the urgency of the matter, cannot the right hon. Gentleman make his statement this week?

No, Sir; I cannot.

I beg to ask the Prime Minister when he now proposes to make his promised statement re the finances of The Irish Land Act, 1903.

The matter is well advanced, and I hope a statement will be made very soon. I cannot as yet fix the exact date.

In view of the increasing urgency of this matter may we hope for the statement next week?

I hope so, but I cannot say definitely.

Will the statement be made in a form which will admit of discussion?

When the time comes we will try and provide opportunities.

I beg to ask the Prime Minister when it is intended to introduce the Land Valuation Bill for England.

After full consideration the Government have come to the conclusion that as no effective progress could be made with the Bill this year, it will be better to postpone its introduction until next session.

reminded the right hon. Gentleman that several promises were given before the holidays that this Bill should be dealt with this session. What was the reason for the altered decision?

replied that one was the regrettable indisposition of the President of the Local Government Board, which lasted for over a month.