To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether residence of three months or more out of the United Kingdom prevents an applicant from benefiting under the Pensions Act; and does a three months or more residence in the Isle of Man exclude an applicant from benefiting under the Act. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) An applicant for an old-age pension must, under Section 2 of the Old-Age Pensions Act, 1908, satisfy the pension authorities that for at least twenty years up to the date of the receipt of any sum on account of a pension he has had his residence, as defined by regulations under the Act, in the United Kingdom. The regulations provide for temporary absences during the period of twenty years being disregarded if the applicant's home has throughout the absences been in the United Kingdom and the aggregate of the absences since the beginning of the earliest of them does not exceed eight years. Residence in the Isle of Man is not for the purposes of the Act residence within the United Kingdom†.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to an application made by the Surbiton Urban District Council in July last for sanction for a loan for sewerage purposes; and whether, in view of the present lack of employment, he will accelerate the holding of an inquiry into the matter. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) Yes, Sir. Notices for an inquiry will be issued at once.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the ladies

† This Answer is substituted for that published on the preceding day.

now undergoing terms of imprisonment for offences arising out of the Suffragist agitation are only allowed each one towel, which has to serve for daily use and the weekly bath for a whole week, and one handkerchief for a whole week; whether they are only allowed a small tin basin for washing and that in the early morning, and are not allowed to wash their hands again during the day and whether, regard being had to the fact that such restrictions are calculated to be injurious to the health of the prisoners, and are of a humiliating character, there will be any and, if so, what modifications in their enforcement. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) These prisoners are allowed one towel for cell use, and one for bathing. The normal allowance of handkerchiefs in the second division is one a week, but additional ones are issued on application, and have been issued in several instances to these prisoners. They are allowed to wash their hands as often as they like, and at 8 p.m. a bucket of hot water is supplied. These regulations cannot be regarded as either insanitary or humiliating.

To ask the Postmaster-General if he will state how many officers of the postal and telegraph staffs, respectively, at Belfast have been promoted to vacant postmasterships during the last twenty years. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) Twelve officers at Belfast have been appointed to postmasterships in the last twenty years. All these officers were employed on telegraph work.

To ask the President of the Board of Education if he will state why it is that teachers trained in a training college in Dublin since 1900, and whose Irish diploma, forwarded on to them when they have fulfilled the prescribed conditions of training, including that of satisfactory probation as a teacher in a public elementary school for two years, are only recognised by the Board of Education in England as uncertificated and untrained teachers, and receive the salary of such, thereby depriving them of future promotion when the salary of the untrained maximum is reached unless they consent to become certificated and trained in an English college. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) The hon. Member's Question, so far as I understand it, does not accurately represent the facts. A teacher who has been trained in a training college, and is reported by the Irish Commissioners of National Education to have passed the revised examination and to have received a diploma, is qualified for recognition as a certificated teacher by the Board of Education, provided no adverse report has been received from the Irish Commissioners. The code makes no distinction in this matter between "trained" and "untrained" teachers.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board if he is aware that the balance of over £8,000 in the hands of the West Ham distress committee was set aside for emigration; and whether he will give sanction for the money in question to be used by the distress committee for the purpose of finding work for the unemployed. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) The West Ham distress committee have considerable balances over from the grants made to them last year, mainly on account of the difficulties that arose in connection with emigration. I have already authorised the appropriation of £1,020 of these balances towards work in connection with the cleansing of the ornamental waters in Wanstead Park, and I will authorise further appropriations as soon as suitable schemes of work are before me.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he has information of the number of instances in which officials of local authorities occupying one well-paid position also fill other paid posts, to the exclusion of suitable persons who are kept unemployed; and whether he can take any step, by the issue of a circular or by legislation, more equitably and efficiently to distribute these branches of public employment. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I cannot state in how many cases officers of local authorities hold more than one paid office. In many instances in which they do so the aggregate of the salaries is not large, and the offices are of a kind which may with advantage be held together; but I agree in thinking that a number of local offices should not be concentrated in the hands of one man where other arrangements can be made, and especially where the combined remuneration is considerable. I do not think that I can intervene in the way suggested in the Question, but I am prepared to act on the view I have stated in cases in which the sanction of the Local Government Board is necessary. Indeed, I have already done so.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board if he can state approximately the total amount of the assets of the local authorities of the country as compared to the local debt at the present time, or at the latest date for which figures are available.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board what is the total amount of the debt, and what is the total amount of assets of local authorities; and what the surplus of assets over debt amounts to in cases where actual valuation has taken place. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) Perhaps I may be allowed to answer these Questions together. The aggregate amount of the outstanding loans for all purposes of the local authorities in England and Wales was £564,645,200 at the end of the year 1905–6, the latest year for which the particulars are available. The total value of the assets of the local authorities cannot be given for purposes of comparison with the debt. According to the Return relating to the indebtedness of the councils of boroughs, other than Metropolitan boroughs, in England and Wales, obtained in 1904, a value of 241 millions was sot on the corporate property and undertakings on the 31st March, 1903, when the total amount of the outstanding loans of those councils was, according to the same Return, about 195 millions. The value of the assets was, however, estimated in different ways in different boroughs.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether, in view of the fact that neither the regulations lately issued by the Local Government Board nor any other regulations prevent the importation and consumption of frozen, chilled, or tinned beef and mutton or of cured bacon or ham derived from tuberculous animals, and seeing that it is considered necessary that animals killed in this country suffering from this disease should not be allowed to be used as food, he will undertake to introduce legislation next session to protect the public from the danger of eating diseased imported foreign meat as well as from the danger of eating diseased meat of animals killed in this country. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I do not think that it will be requisite to introduce legislation on this subject. It could be dealt with by regulations under the Public Health (Regulations as to Food) Act, 1907, should it be found needful to do so. I have already issued regulations under the Act as regards fresh pork coming from abroad, but I doubt whether there is the same need for regulations as respects cured bacon or ham. As regards beef and mutton, I understand that the requirements of foreign meat inspection are, as respects this class of moat, comparable with British standards, so that at present it does not seem necessary to issue regulations with regard to it. But if it should be found that tuberculous beef and mutton were being introduced into this country owing to laxity of inspection abroad I should be prepared to reconsider the matter.

To ask the President of the Local Government Board if, in considering any scheme for the permanent dealing with unemployment, he will obtain a census of workpeople engaged from May to October in hay making, harvesting, fruit picking, vegetable gardening, hop picking, and brick making, within a radius of 50 miles of London, or say an area of 10,000 square miles; and will he ascertain if these workers migrate during the winter months into the poorer districts of London, thereby accentuating unemployment and distress. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I will consider the suggestion of my honourable friend, but there would be considerable difficulty in taking a census of the kind contemplated by him, and I doubt whether the information obtained would be of sufficient value to justify the expense which would be involved.

To ask the Secretary for Scotland whether, in the event of the Second Reading of Trawling in Prohibited Areas Prevention Bill passing this House, it is the intention of the Government to refer the Committee stage to a Committee of the Whole House or to the Scottish Grand Committee. (Answered by Mr. Sinclair.) Any such intention will be made known before the debate on Second Reading comes to an end.

To ask the Secretary for Scotland if he will state the number of officials and staff employed in the Scottish Education Department respectively in London and in Edinburgh, the respective annual cost, and the salaries paid to the two branches; and if he would grant a simple Return, before the Report stage of the Education (Scotland) Bill is taken, giving details of the personnel of the Department, specifying positions, length of service, and salaries of the staff of the Department. (Answered by Mr. Sinclair.) The total number of officers on the permanent establishment of the Scottish Education Department, exclusive of the inspectorate and of the staff of the Royal Scottish Museum, is in London 50 and in Edinburgh 14. The salaries of these officers amount in the aggregate to £13,770 and £3,818 respectively. If, however, account is taken of all officers of the Department in Scotland and London respectively the numbers are:—Officers: London 50, Scotland 118. Salaries: London £13,770, Scotland £40,300. As regards the Return asked for by my honourable friend, the greater part of the information desired is already given in the Annual Estimates of the Department and in various publications, and I do not think that in these circumstances a Return is necessary.

To ask the Secretary for Scotland, in view of the action of the heritors of Stone-house, in Lanarkshire, again relieving themselves of part of the expense of building a parish manse by imposing it upon the small feuars and leaseholders (under Section 11 of the Ecclesiastical Assessments (Scotland) Act, 1900), whether he will take any action in the matter by repealing that Act, or otherwise, in order to relieve these poor people of a tax for a church in which, for the most part, they have no interest. (Answered by Mr. Sinclair.) As my honourable friend is aware, the terms of a Resolution moved by the Member for East Edinburgh, which was debated in this House in February of last year, indicated the direction in which legislation is desirable, and was assented to by the Government. I am unable, however, at the present moment to give any undertaking as to legislation.

To ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he can yet state the probable date of the launching of the new Scotch fishery cruiser; and whether he is taking any steps to further supplement this fleet. (Answered by Mr. Sinclair.) It is not yet possible to name any date. The Fishery Board do not at present contemplate any further addition to the fleet.

To ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland whore the forthcoming Winter Assizes for the province of Leinster are to be held. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The forthcoming Leinster Wintor Assizes will be hold at Green Street Court-house, Dublin.

To ask the honourable Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether it is the practice of the Commissioners under the Small Holdings Act to give compensation to a tenant farmer who has had his land taken for the purpose of creating a small holding. (Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) The case contemplated by the honourable baronet has not arisen.

To ask the Secretary of State for War what are the details of the arrangement made with boards of guardians to draw the quarterly pensions due to Army pensioners who have resort to the Poor Law in order that they may be paid to the pensioners by weekly instalments; and whether pensioners must acquiesce in this method of receiving their allowances. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) When the guardians decide to pay a pensioner monthly or weekly they inform either the War Office or the accountant paying the pension. The quarterly payments are then made to the guardians, who arrange for the payment of the instalments to the pensioner. The War Office does not obtain the pensioner's acquiescence.

To ask the Secretary of State for War, whether a scheme has yet been evolved for the supply of horses for the Army in war and peace; and whether he is in a position to give any information in reference to the matter. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) As I informed the House last Monday, the matter is engaging my close attention, but I am not yet able to make any statement on the subject.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the new firearm about to be issued to Gorman cavalry; and whether he has any information as to its merits compared with the rifle issued to British troops. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The German cavalry have been experimenting with a new carbine during the past training season, but no information has so far been published officially regarding the weapon.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether experiments have been tried as to the serious wounds caused by the new pointed bullet adopted by some other countries; and whether it is found that these bullets not only have a greater smashing effect, but also that on strikin, the base of the bullet turns upwards and inflicts a very much more serious wound than the ordinary bullet now used in the government rifle. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) Experiments with various bullets have from time to time been carried out to ascertain the nature of wounds caused at various velocities and ranges. I think it wiser not to publish at present any of the information obtained.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether the Small Arms Committee is allowed to discuss any question which as not been directly referred to it by the Master-General of the Ordnance through the Director of Artillery; and, if not, whether he will take steps to give the Small Arms Committee a free hand in carrying out its experiments with high-velocity bullets and ammunition. (Answered, by Mr. Secretary-Haldane.) The reply is in the negative. It is not practicable to give any Committee a free hand to carry out experiments which involve expenditure without definite authority and guidance.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether the Small Arms Committee has only been allowed to try and find high-velocity ammunition suitable for the present breech action and weak Lee bolt; and that the question as to whether the breech action of the Government rifle is sufficiently strong and suitable in all respects has never been referred to them. (Answered by Mr. Secretary-Haldane.) The Small Arms Committee has only considered the high-velocity ammunition for the present service rifle. There is no intention of altering that rifle, which is sufficiently strong and suitable for the purposes for which it is required.

To ask the Secretary of State for War in view of the fact that the Master-General of Ordnance, the Director of Artillery, the Secretary to the Small Arms Committee, and the entire War Office staff responsible for providing our cavalry and infantry with a suitable rifle, are Royal Artillery officers, whether he will appoint an independent Committee to inquire into the whole question of the supply of small arms and ammunition for the British Army. (Answered by Mr. Secretary-Haldane.) The reply is in the negative. My hon. friend's suggestion is quite impracticable. As regards the suggestion contained in the Question that these matters rest entirely in the hands of Artillery officers, I need only refer my hon. friend to the composition of the Small Arms Committee, and further to that of the Army Council, who are the final authority responsible.

To ask the Chief-Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland how many applications for reinstatement have been received from evicted tenants in the County of Mayo; and if he will state why it is that, according to the latest Returns of the Estates Commissioners, no evicted tenant has been reinstated in the County of Mayo during the quarter ended 30th June last. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) Up to 30th September last 573 applications were received by the Estates Commissioners from persons seeking reinstatement as tenants, or the representatives of tenants, evicted from holdings in County Mayo. 125 of these applications were received after the date specified in the Evicted Tenants Act, 337 were refused after inquiry, eleven applicants have been reinstated or provided with other holdings, and the cases of the remaining 100 have been noted for consideration in the allotment of such untenanted land as the Commissioners may acquire. The Return to which the hon. Member refers is limited to tenants reinstated as purchasers on estates sold or proposed to be sold through the Commissioners, and the Commissioners are not aware that any tenants were so reinstated in County Mayo during the quarter ended 30th June last.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the tenants on the Neligan Estate, at Blarney, County Cork, have been, for the past three years paying the Estates Commissioners interest on their purchase money at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum, and that payment at this rate of interest is almost equivalent to their former rent; and, in the circumstances and considering the hardships inflicted on them whilst compelled to remain in their present position, will steps be taken to have this estate inspected forthwith and the vesting orders made in the case of these tenants. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The purchase agreements on this estate were lodged in May, 1906. By these agreements the tenants undertook to pay interest in lieu of rent at 4 per cent. on the agreed price until the holdings are vested in them, and the Estates Commissioners are bound by statute to collect the interest and pay it over to the owner. The property will be inspected in its proper order of priority.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether stoppages made from the pensions of naval and military inmates of Irish district lunatic asylums, on account of the rate in aid, 4s. per head per week, allowed for patients confined therein, are refunded to the Treasury or to the Irish Local Taxation Account, from which latter account the rate in aid is now provided. (Answered by Mr. Hobhouse.) The deductions are retained by the Paymaster-General, and consequently accrue to the benefit of the Exchequer.

To ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the contract for the battleship "Lord Nelson" was placed in October, 1904; and, seeing that three years have now elapsed, whether he can state approximately when all dockyard or other workmen will be out of the ship and the ship take its place in the Nore Division of the Home Fleet. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) The answer to the first part of the hon. Member's Question is 19th November, 1904, and to the second part 13th December next.

To ask the First Lord of the Admiralty on what dates were the contracts placed for the destroyers "Ghurka" and "Afridi" of the 1905 programme; and if he can state, approximately, when all dockyard or other workmen will be out of those ships so that they can be exercised on service. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) On 30th August and 21st September, 1905, respectively. The answer to the second part of the hon. Member's Question is, "Ghurka" early in December, "Afridi" not until March next.

To ask the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state the dates on which the contracts were placed for the large armoured ships "Invincible" and "Inflexible"; and what is the approximate date when all dockyard or other workmen will be out of these ships and the latter joined up to the Nore Division of the Home Fleet. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) The Answer to the first part of the hon. Member's Question is, 21st November, 1905; and to the second part, "Invincible," February, 1909, "Inflexible," 12th December, 1908.

To ask the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that ships are still building in this country which belong to the 1904 and 1905 programmes; and, in view of recent controversies concerning the rate of building in our own and foreign countries, whether he can point to a single battleship, cruiser, or destroyer, or any other type of vessel belonging to the German 1904 or 1905 programmes, which is not completed. (Answered by Mr. McKenna.) The dates for the laying down of warships built in this country can be found in the programme portion of the published Navy Estimates. Similar information with regard to the German Navy is published in "Nauticus" (Yahrbuch fur Deutschlands Secinteressen), a book which is issued annually and is on sale.

To ask the Lord-Advocate if he will explain why certain fishermen residing at Cromarty were recently summoned to appear first at Dingwall and subsequently at Tain in connection with offences alleged to have been committed at Cromarty within a quarter of a mile of the courthouse provided for the trying of local cases, especially bearing in mind that the Dingwall Sheriff attended at Cromarty and conducted business there only two days after the men were before the Court at Dingwall; and, seeing that the trial at Dingwall or Tain of offences committed at Cromarty imposes heavy expenses on defendants as well as on witnesses, will instructions be given for such cases to be taken at the courthouse at Cromarty in future. (Answered by Mr. Thomas Shaw.) I have communicated on this subject with the Procurator-Fiscal and I await his Report, which has not yet been received. I am also in communication with the Sheriff of the county. Perhaps my hon. friend will put down the Question in a week's time.

TO ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is prepared to take steps to amend the statutory rules and orders for the administration of the Workmen's Compensation Act, in order to enable the duly authorised secretary of a registered trade union to act on behalf of a bana fide member of his union, or a dependant thereof, in any application made for or against his benefit under the Workmen's Compensation Act before a County Court Judge, or an official arbitrator, or an arbitration committee administering the said Act. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) As regards representation of the injured workman, it is already provided, by Rule 33 of the Workmen's Compensation Rules, 1907, that a party to an arbitration may be represented, with leave of the judge or arbitrator, by any officer or member of any society or other body or persons of which such party is a member or with which he is connected. As regards cases where the dependants of a deceased workman are a party to the arbitration, I am informed by the chairman of the Rules Committee of County Court Judges that he has never heard of any objection having been raised by any judge or arbitrator to the representation of the dependants by an official of a society with which the deceased workman was connected. An amendment of the rule, however, which will expressly authorise such representation of the dependants, will be brought before the Rules Committee. The rules of Court under the Act are made by the Rules Committee of County Court Judges with the approval of the Lord Chancellor, and are not within my jurisdiction. But if the hon. Member will communicate to me any cases that have come to his knowledge in which difficulties have been experienced, I shall be glad to consider them and make any representations necessary to the Lord Chancellor.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been called to the shooting of a child named Emily Cullum, aged eleven years, at Ingrave, by a boy named Ernest Biggs, aged twelve and a half years, by firing off a rifle used for the scaring of birds; and, if so, can he state whether he is prepared to take steps to prevent the giving of loaded firearms by employers to boys of such tender years. To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been called to the remarks of Mr. Justice Grantham in sentencing a boy of twelve and a half years to three mouths' imprisonment at Ingrave, namely, that it was fortunate for the employer there were no means of putting him into the dock, for the life of the child was sacrificed by his extraordinary conduct in giving the boy the rifle; and, if so, and in view of all the circumstances, can he state whether he is prepared to recommend the immediate discharge of the lad. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) I will consider this case as soon as I am in possession of all the facts and have had time to consult the Judge, but I am not at present in a position to express any opinion about it.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the total amount awarded as compensation for the suppression of superfluous licences since the coming into force of the Licensing Act, 1904, down to the present time; and how much of this was paid to the actual licensees, distinguishing as to the latter amount between sums paid to licensees who were merely tenants and those who were both tenants and owners. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) I have no later or further information than that given in the Annual Volume of Licensing Statistics (See, for instance, page 5 of the Volume for 1907), which show that a total sum of £2,301,583 4s. 10d. was paid in compensation for licences extinguished in the years 1905, 1906, and 1907, and that, of the money which was paid in the years 190(5 and 1907, a total sum of £241,004 9s. 3d. went to licence-holders and £1,947,343 19s. 8d. to other parties interested. I am unable to give figures distinguishing between licence-holders who were merely tenants and those who were both tenants and owners.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that at the recent Quarter Sessions for Hampshire, soldiers who were on their trial for criminal offences were compelled to appear in the dock in prison dress; whether this practice is general and has been ordered or sanctioned by the Home Department; and whether, in view of the degradation and indignity involved, he will direct that in future soldiers placed upon their trial may be given the option of wearing civilian dress. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) It is undesirable that soldiers should be placed in the dock wearing His Majesty's uniform. If they have other clothes fit to wear they are allowed to wear them, but if not they are supplied with clothes of the special kind supplied to other prisoners awaiting trial, when they do not wear their own, and quite different from those worn by convicted prisoners. This seems to me the best arrangement possible.

To ask Mr. Attorney-General whether he contemplates that the pending action upon the question of the acquisition of the lessees' interest in Spitalfields Market will be disposed of in time to enable the Stepney Borough Council to exercise its option of purchase, or take a lease of the market within the period of six months after the expiration of ten years from the passing of the City of London (Spitalfield's Market) Act, 1902, and as contemplated by Section 20 of such Act. (Answered by Sir William Robson.) I have every hope that the pending litigation will be determined in ample time to admit of the exercise by the borough council of Stepney of its option to acquire the interests of the corporation of London in Spitalfields Market should the borough council be desirous of acquiring them.

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether, having regard to the work that is being done by the Land Club Union in certain districts of Surrey and Kent in making inquiries as to the demand for land and in organising co-operation among the applicants, he will ask for the consent of the Treasury to make a grant to the union under Section 49 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, in order to enable it to extend its work.

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, what has been the number of outbreaks of swine fever in each month of the current year, also the number of swine infected, the number slaughtered, and the amount of compensation paid; whether the experience of the Board suggests that swine fever can be stamped out by the methods of disease prevention employed with success in the case of other contagious diseases of animals; and whether he will cause further investigation to be made into the nature of the disease and the most effective means for checking its prevalence. (Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) No record is kept of the number of swine infected with swine fever, but the number of outbreaks of swine fever, the number of swine slaughtered, and the compensation paid during the current year in Great Britain are as follows—

To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether he has received a Memorandum from Mr. A. Bird, Secretary of the Westerham Land Club, with respect to applications made to the Kent County Council by members of that club for small holdings under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act; whether he is aware that these applicants were offered land on the chalk hill above Westerham, without water or cottages and quite unsuitable for small holdings, at a rent of 35s. per acre, although there was other land both suitable and available in the parish, and that after the applicants had declined the offer of unsuitable land they were given to understand that their applications would be indefinitely postponed; and whether the Commissioners will make full inquiries into the matter. (Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) The Memorandum to which my hon. friend refers has been received, and full inquiry is being made into the matter.

To ask the hon. Member for the Barnstaple division, as representing the Charity Commissioners, whether he is aware that the Wilby Parish Council, within the three months allowed by law, appealed against the order dealing with, the Wilby Town Estates Charity, dated 2nd April, 1908; and, if so, on what ground their appeal was refused. (Answered by Mr. Soares.) The appeal against a decision of the Charity Commissioners under the Local Government Act, 1894, provided for in Section 70 (2) of that Act, is to the High Court of Justice, and in the present case no such appea has been made. The Charity Commissioners in July last expressed their willingness to discharge the order if the parish council would furnish them with a resolution expressing their desire to have the order discharged. No such resolution has been communicated to the Commissioners.

To ask the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the four-sevenths of the Wilby Town Estates Charity, having been allocated to the education rate by a determination order of the Charity Commissioners in the year 1903, is now lying at the bank unclaimed by the county council, and has been so lying since the year 1904; and, if so, what steps he proposes to take so that this money shall not continue to lie dormant. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) The Charity Commissioners by an order dated 20th January, 1903, under the Board of Education Act, 1899, determined that four-sevenths of the clear income of the Wilby Town Estates Charity, after payment of outgoings and expenses of management, is the part of the endowment of the charity which is held for or ought to be applied to educational purposes. The Board have intimated their willingness, with the consent of all parties, to establish a scheme which would provide for the application of the income so as to secure to poor children of the parish some special educational benefit. No application for a scheme has yet been made to the Board, but the Board would now be prepared to proceed with the preparation of a scheme so soon as application is made to them.

To ask the President of the Board of Education if he will state the earliest date at which he will be able to furnish statistics with regard to the accommodation in and attendance at public elementary schools during the school year ending 31st July, 1908. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) I think these figures will be available about the middle of December.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer when he hopes to be able to publish the Return of Gross Income and Expenditure, ordered by this House in July last. (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) The Return is in the printers' hands and should be ready very shortly.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials have applied to the Board of Inland Revenue for permission to retire on superannuation, in order to take service under the county councils in connection with the transfer of the establishment, etc., licences; whether these applications have been granted; and, if not, why, in view of the anticipated reduction of the establishment owing to the amalgamation with the Customs, advantage has not been taken of offers which will bring about retirements without inflicting hardship on the officials. (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) As regards officers under sixty years of age, only two applications to retire in the circumstances mentioned have been received. In neither case, seeing that under the Old-Age Pensions Act excise officers will be fully employed for some time to come, were the Board in a position to submit the application to the Treasury, for the grant of a superannuation allowance on the ground which would alone be admissible in each case, namely, abolition of office.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether a large number of carpenters, masons, plumbers, and other artisans and

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether it is proposed to provide any equipment for the Balloon Company, Royal Engineers (Territorials), which has been raised under the Territorial Army scheme; and, if not, how the training of the company is to be carried out so as to fit them for their duties in the field, having regard to the difficulty of training a balloon company without apparatus of any kind. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The Balloon Company will not receive technical stores. The training will be carried out on similar lines to that of other Territorial Force Engineer units. The ordinary drills and lectures will be carried out in London, lectures being substituted for drills at the discretion of the Territorial Division Commander. For mounted drills it is proposed that the wagons should be borrowed from the Telegraph Companies with which the Balloon Company is quartered. The annual and technical training in camp will be carried out at Aldershot or at some camp where the Regular Balloon Company is present to which the Territorial unit will be attached.

To ask the Secretary of State for War what is the weight of the barrels without moveable appliances such as backsights, of the latest patterns of foreign and colonial service rifles other than Lee-Metford and Lee-Enfield. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The information available is as follows:— labourers who have been for years employed at the Cork barracks have received notice of immediate discharge; whether their places are to be taken by soldiers working at a much inferior rate of wages to the civilian mechanics; and, if so, whether, having regard to the Fair Wages Resolution of this House and to the distress prevalent in Cork at the present moment owing to unemployment, to provide for which the local authorities have been obliged to enter upon a large expenditure on public works, he will be good enough to direct that no change in the system of employment hitherto in force at the Cork barracks shall be made at least so long as the present emergency continues. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The matter has been referred to the district for inquiry.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether, in the contract work now proceeding at the Horfield Barracks, Bristol, the contractor has power to sub-contract stone-pointing; and, if so, whether he will consider the desirability of preventing such sub-letting in all future Government work. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) Inquiry will be made into the matter.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether the members of the Territorial Force are entitled to two suits of clothing, one of khaki, and one a full-dress for walking-out purposes; whether, although the force has been in existence for over seven months, only the suit of khaki has so far been issued; whether, as a consequence, many thousands of men went into camp with only one suit of uniform, and no change of clothing whatever; and whether, seeing that this is deleterious to health and likely to prove detrimental to security, he will say when the second suit is likely to be issued. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The provision of clothing rests entirely with the County Associations, and no delay took place in placing at their disposal the funds necessary to provide the two suits authorised.

To ask the Prime Minister whether he is able to make any statement as to the filling of the vacant position of Director of the Natural History Museum, South Kensington, which has been vacant for the past six months; and will he state how the matter now Stands. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) I am informed that the appointment to this post will be made shortly.

To ask the Prime Minister whether he is in a position to give an assurance that the discussion of the Irish land question, foreshadowed in his statement on Wednesday, will not involve any postponement of Scottish legislation; and, in particular, if he can now state whether the Trawling in Prohibited Areas Bill will be pressed through all its stages in this House during the present session. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) I have no reason to think that the discussion referred to will involve a postponement of Scottish legislation. Until after the Second Reading, I shall not be in a position to state what are the prospects of the Trawling Bill during the present session.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can state how many men were employed in the home dockyards on 30th November, 1905; how many men in similar employment are provided for in this year's Estimates; and how many additional men the Admiralty hope to employ in similar work as a result of the policy of the Government for the mitigation of the present distress.

The number of men employed in the home dockyards on 30th November, 1905, was 27,864. The average number pro-Aided for in the current Navy Estimates is 30,500—the total number borne on 17th October being 31,400. It is hoped that as a result of the Government policy for alleviating distress, employment until 31st March, 1909, will be found for an additional 2,100 men.

Arc there in any Government Departments, especially in the dockyards, any men engaged in working overtime?

There are individual cases of overtime, but none is allowed unless under special circumstances and when absolutely necessary and under my personal sanction.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that at Messrs. Silver's gutta percha works at Silvertown, who do a great deal of work for the various Government Departments, they are discharging the majority of trade unionists who belong to the Amalgamated Society of Engineers; and whether, in view of the Fair Wages Clause, he will have the matter investigated.

The trade union referred to have made certain representations with regard to the Silvertown works, and have been requested to present the case to the Secretary of the Parliamentary Committee of the Trade Union Congress in accordance with the recognised procedure. Any alleged broach of the Fair Wages Clause of Admiralty contracts will be investigated at once on the matter being brought before the Board in due form.

In view of the increasing number of unemployed, can the Government say what steps the men can take in order to get sufficient employment?

Order, order.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the recent cruise of the Home Fleet constituted the first occasion on which the three divisions were so assembled together for training purposes.

The reply to the hon. Member's Question is in the negative. The vessels of the Home Fleet were assembled for training purposes last year in August; they were also together during the July marnœuvres of this year.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the number of ships actually present with the Channel Fleet on 2nd November last exceeded seven battleships, four armoured cruisers, two small cruisers, and ten destroyers; and, if so, to what extent.

The vessels of the Channel Fleet present with the Commander-in-Chief on the 2nd November, were: seven battleships, three armoured cruisers, four other cruisers, one scout, nine destroyers.

Does the right hon. Gentleman consider it "overwhelmingly safe" that the Channel Fleet should be constantly depleted of one-half of its strength?

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension. Those battleships of the Channel Fleet not with the Commander-in-Chief at the time were left elsewhere by him in the proper exercise of his discretion. He left some at Portland and some elsewhere. I see no reason to interfere with his discretion.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how many ships were actually at sea and how many were in dock?

Four ships were refitting at that moment—one just completing. There other ships were elsewhere.

Am I right in supposing that none of the four ships, except the one just completing, would be ready for sea at forty-eight hours notice?

No. Does the noble Lord consider that a battleship should never be refitted?

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty for how many days during the eight weeks ending on 26th October last the flag-ship of the Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet, the "Dreadnought," was at sea.

The answer to the hon. Member's Question is, twenty-one days.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, during the recent cruise of the Home Fleet, the three divisions then assembled comprised only nine battleships and eight cruisers out of twenty four battleships and twenty-two cruisers; will he state the whereabouts of the remaining ships, and why they were not available; and whether, seeing that less importance is now attached by the Admiralty to the retention of the Channel Fleet in its full strength, it was the intention to dispense with combined Fleet training.

During the period in question, there were in the Home Fleet, twenty-three battleships, eleven of them being special service vessels, and thirty-two cruisers, fifteen of them being special service vessels. The special service battleships and cruisers were not ordered to take part in the cruise, and were at their ports, except a few engaged in conveying relief crews to foreign stations. Of the remaining twelve battleships, ten were in company and two exercising independently. Of the seventeen cruisers, thirteen took part in the cruise, one was refitting, one was conveying reliefs to foreign stations, one was exercising independently, and one was at her home port after return from abroad. It is not intended to dispense with combined Fleet training as occasion requires it.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has now received the report of the inquiry promised by the late Secretary to the Admiralty as to the existing number of temperance men in one of the home ports and in two of the large sea-going Fleets, and as to the number of men who would be willing to go on the temperance list if the non-grog allowance was increased to 1d.; whether the promised recommendation has been approved by the Admiralty; and whether provision will be made in next year's Estimates for the increased allowance in lieu of grog.

Reports on this question were called for from the home ports, the Channel, Home, and Mediterranean Fleets, and the East Indies Squadron; 230 reports in all have been received and are now under consideration, but a final decision has not yet been arrived at.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the papers set to cadets passing out of Dartmouth in recent examinations have or have not been previously submitted in draft to the headmaster at Dartmouth.

Yes, Sir.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will put an end to the practice of the masters at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, obtaining foreknowledge of questions the cadets are going to be asked; and will he undertake to withdraw the instruction to the examiners for the cadets, issued by the Director of Naval Education, which requires them to submit to the headmaster of the college the questions that they are going to ask.

No, Sir.

Am I to understand that the headmaster of the college who is responsible for the system of education is to have prior knowledge of all the questions to be asked by the examiners?

In accordance with the practice which prevails at all the modern Universities, English, Scottish, and Welsh, and the schemes which are being adopted at the old Universities, it is proposed that the headmaster should combine with the examiners.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the questions leak out, and that it is a matter of open scandal?

No, Sir. I know it to be absolutely unfounded.

Is the House to understand that a full knowledge of the questions is confined to the headmaster, or is it shared by other masters?

That would be in the discretion of the headmaster.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say what purpose is served by giving the headmaster a knowledge of these questions?

In a case of this kind, where there is no competition between outside boys and the boys at Dartmouth, great advantage is obtained by the examiners being placed in communication with the headmaster. A system of examination by the headmaster alone is in practice in many of these schools; but an external examiner has been called in on the present occasion. I accept full responsibility.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the "Inflexible" and "Indomitable" are classed as battleships on page 270 of the Navy List and as armeured cruisers on pages 270d, 331, and 332; and whether it is the intention of the Board to increase the paper strength of the Navy by counting these vessels in both classes.

I am much obliged to my hon. friend for calling attention to a clerical error in this month's Navy List; it will be corrected next month. My hon. friend's suggestion that the transference from one class to another can or would increase the paper strength, is quite without foundation.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is the practice of the Admiralty officials on the front bench when talking of battleships to count in these vessels and when talking of cruisers also to count them in?

That alleged practice is a pure fiction of the hon. Gentleman.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for India whether numerous meetings have been held throughout India consisting of maharajahs, rajahs, zemindars, and Indian representatives of various public bodies, at which resolutions have been passed condemning the outbreaks of sedition on the part of a small section of the Indian community, expressing their loyalty to the Government, and appealing to the masses of the population to adhere firmly to the side of law and order; and if so, whether he will consider the advisability of publishing such resolutions.

The Answer to the first Question is in the affirmative; many of the resolutions passed at the meetings referred to have boon published in the newspapers, and the Secretary of State does not see any advantage in the course proposed in the question.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for India whether any political prisoners are or will be among those released in accordance with His Majesty's gracious message.

As I stated in reply to a Question on Monday, no distinction is made between political and other prisoners. The present reductions in sentences are on similar lines to those made at the time of His Majesty's coronation.

Has Mr. Tilak's sentence been reduced?

Has not his sentence been largely reduced or mitigated already?

He will be treated in exactly the same way as the other prisoners.

Is it a fact that the popular demand in India is for the release of Barabbas?

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he can state the number of political prisoners in India who have been released or have had their sentences remitted on the occasion of His Majesty the King's gracious proclamation.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer I have just given to the hon. Member for Hackney.

Cannot the right hon. Gentleman give the number of political prisoners?

No, Sir. As I have before explained, all prisoners will be treated alike, and the reduction of sentences will proceed on the same lines as at the Coronation—a month being taken off for every year of sentence. It is impossible yet to say how many prisoners will be actually released.

Will the right hon. Gentleman ascertain?

I do not think it necessary to make the inquiry at the moment.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether equality of treatment with ordinary convicts is being accorded to those who are described as political offenders, but whose offences are of a far more serious character?

Yes; the treatment of prisoners in gaol is uniform.

And in all cases they are subjected to hard labour, I believe.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Government of India have reversed the order of the Chief Commissioner of the Central Provinces depriving a retired official of his pension on the ground that he had taken part in political demonstrations; and, if not, whether he will cause an inquiry to be made into the facts of the case with a view to the reversal of this order.

So far as the Secretary of State is aware, the retired official referred to has not yet appealed to the Government of India. We had a letter to that effect about a fortnight ago, since when the Secretary of State has no information.

Having regard to the importance of this Question, in which I take very considerable personal interest, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, in the opinion of the Government, a Government pensioner is liable to have his pension taken from him if he takes part in political demonstrations?

Does the right hon. Gentleman consider it fair that a rule of this character should be enforced only in the case of subordinate pensioners and that it should not apply also to the superior pensioners of the Government?

I gather the hon. Member wishes the rule applied as widely as possible. That is a general question which I am not prepared to answer.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he will be prepared to issue as a Parliamentary Paper the Proclamation of the King, Emperor of India, to the princes and people of India, of the 2nd of this month, and at the same time the Proclamation of the late Queen Victoria of 1st November, 1858, to the princes, chiefs, and people of India.

If the hon. Member will move for the Papers I shall be happy to lay them on the Table.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for India what authority suggested the transfer of the Gordon Highlanders from Jullundhur to Fort William at Calcutta at an expense to the Indian taxpayer of £1,770; and whether the arrangements of the Fort William garrison allowed the Presbyterian officers and rank and file any further religious privileges, especially as regards the sacraments, than had been enjoyed in the Government church of Jullundhur cantonment, and an espiscopal outbuilding in Fort William was placed at their disposal and used for celebrating the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

The Gordon Highlanders were sent from Peshawur, not to Jullundhur but to Calcutta, by the military authorities in accordance with the principle laid down in the Secretary of State's despatch dated the 27th December, 1907, which is printed in the Cd. Paper 4022. I gave the hon. Member on the 28th October the information that we have from India as to the church accommodation available for the regiment in Calcutta; it does not contain a statement that an "Episcopal outbuilding" was placed at their disposal for communion services.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any official information showing that slave traders from Portuguese Mozambique recently raided Nyassaland and carried off 100 natives of the Protectorate; whether the captives were subsequently released; and whether the Government can give any explanation of the circumstances of the raid.

The Secretary of State has received no information regarding the matter, but will cause inquiry to be made.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can state the number of permits which have been issued by the magistrates authorising the holders to obtain opium under the Ordinance issued by the Transvaal Legislature; and whether he proposes to make any representations to secure that the Ordinance will be rescinded, so as to effect the suppression of the illicit traffic in opium which now takes place.

I have no information with regard to the number of permits. With regard to the Ordinance generally I would refer to my reply to a similar Question by my hon. friend the Member for Stirlingshire on 22nd October.

Would there be any difficulty in getting the information?

I do not think so; the object is to restrict the sale of opium.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can now lay Papers giving the correspondence between the Imperial Government and that of the Transvaal and the French Government respecting the recruiting of labour in Madagascar for the Transvaal mines, in accordance with the undertaking given to the House on 12th March last.

Yes, Sir; Papers shall be laid.

When will they be in the hands of Members?

As soon as possible.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what revenue was derived from the importation of Indian teas to Ceylon during the years 1905–6–7, respectively.

. The quantities of tea from British India entered for consumption in Ceylon were 299 lbs. in 1905, 179 lbs. in 1906, and 319 lbs. in 1907. The import duty is 25 cents, a lb.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies how many retrenched Civil servants, railway employees, and members of the South African Constabulary have been found appointments by the Colonial Office in this country and in our over-sea Dominions, respectively.

Government appointments in the Colonies and Protectorates, or in this country, have been offered to twenty-six retrenched Civil servants, three railway employees, and twenty-eight members of the South African Constabulary. In eleven cases the appointments were declined. Of the forty-six appointments made, forty-three were to posts in the Colonies, three to posts in this country.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether this Government will take into consideration a grant of money to the Civil servants retrenched from the Transvaal and Orange River Colony administrations, in view of the inadequate compensation given them and the responsibility which rests on this country in relation to men who were led to believe that their positions would be permanent and pensionable.

No, Sir. His Majesty's Government, while feeling every sympathy with Civil servants who have lost their positions owing to a policy of retrenchment forced upon the Colonial Governments by the necessity of readjusting the Civil Service to normal conditions, cannot undertake to ask Parliament to make money grants to supplement the compensation given them. With regard to the hon. Member's description of the compensation as inadequate, I may state that the compensation granted by the present Transvaal Government has not been less liberal than that granted by the Crown Colony Administration.

asked the hon. and gallant Gentleman whether it was not the fact that, under the Crown Colony Administration, a great many of the Civil servants who were retrenched understood that their occupation was merely temporary, while those who had been discharged during the last two years were chiefly those whose employment was considered to be permanent.

I cannot accept that statement. If the hon. Gentleman will refer to the debate in which my right hon. friend the President of the Board of Trade made a statement on the subject, he will see that 187 persons were retrenched under the same conditions of tenure and under the same conditions in every respect, and, so far as I am aware, the hon. Gentleman asked no questions on the subject then.

asked whether the Government considered the compensation as set forth in the Blue-book, which, in a great many cases, was scarcely sufficient to bring the retrenched Civil servants back to the country from which they came, was adequate compensation, and had the Government finally decided that they would do nothing whatever to supplement the compensation granted by the Transvaal?

I fear I can add nothing to the Answer I have given. As I have said, the terms are not less liberal than those which were granted under the preceding Crown Colony Administration, which was under our control, and the scheme of compensation is practically the same as that adopted in Cape Colony, where very large retrenchments are in course of being made. I do not think we could take the step of asking for a grant.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether this Government will take into consideration the desirability of summoning a conference representative of all portions of the Empire to discuss the question of the migration of coloured races within the Empire, their admission to or exclusion from the self-governing Dominions and the Crown Colonies, and their status if admitted, and also the possibility of establishing communities of our coloured fellow subjects in portions of the Empire where no objection would be taken to their settlement.

The whole question is receiving the fullest attention from the Secretary of State, but as at present advised he does not think that any advantage would result from such a conference as is suggested in the Question.

Was the decision arrived at on the ground that the time was inopportune or because the Government rejected the proposal?

There were many reasons; I cannot give the precise one.

Before coming to a decision, did the Government consult the Colonial Premiers?

No, Sir; the self-governing Dominions have made no representations to us in the matter. If the noble Lord will refer to the letter he will see the conference proposed was on a much wider basis.

Have any representations been made to them on the subject?

No suggestions came from them.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the death rate of Chinese and African coolies in South Africa, respectively, from disease and other causes, and what are those causes.

The last Transvaal quarterly return of mortality of mine employees to 30th June last is as follows. The figures show the rate per thousand:—Accidents, yellow, 4·870; black, 3·139. Homicide and suicide, yellow, 2·783; black, ·428. Diseases, yellow, 8·349; black, 28·468.

Can the hon. and gallant gentleman explain why it is that the blacks die three times as often as the Chinese?

No, Sir, I cannot explain why the blacks die three or even four times as often. Nor can I explain why the Chinese commit suicide six times as often.

asked whether the excessive figure of black mortality was not due to the recruiting of natives from Portuguese territory, especially that part north of the Zambesi, and whether any steps would be taken to limit the recruiting of these natives.

was understood to say that the recruiting was limited, and that, in order to avoid the excessive mortality which prevailed, no recruiting was taking place from areas so far north.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Transvaal law against the immigration of Asiatics would operate to the exclusion of Asiatics who are naturalised subjects of Portugal.

I am now able to give a more detailed reply to my honourable friend's Question. The Answer would depend upon the legal interpretation of Article II. of the Treaty of 1875, between Portugal and the late South African Republic; Article X. of the modus vivendi of 1901, concluded between the High Commissioner for South Africa and the Governor-General of Mozambique; and the several Transvaal Acts relating to Asiatics. It would appear that such an interpretation could only be given with authority by a decision of a Court of Law.

I bog to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the continued use by certain Japanese merchants of counterfeits of the registered British trade-marks borne upon Bradford and Manchester piece goods; whether he is aware that this practice has increased greatly of late; and if so, whether any steps are contemplated by His Majesty's Government to bring about some arrangement with Japan whereby such British trade marks shall be adequately protected.

The reply to the first Question is in the affirmative, and to the second in the negative. As regards the protection of British trade-marks in Japan, His Majesty's Government have been in communication with the Japanese Government, and it is understood that, owing to recent decisions of the Japanese Courts, the position is now more satisfactory. As regards the fraudulent use of British trade-marks in China, negotiations for the conclusion of a Convention with Japan are now proceeding for the mutual protection of British and Japanese trademarks in that country.

asked if His Majesty's Government were pressing for the better protection of British trademarks?

said that several cases had been brought before the Courts recently and in two or three important ones Japanese manufacturers, had been fined for imitating British trademarks. He must repeat that the position might now be considered satisfactory in that respect.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can state the date on which the Report on the foreign trade of China for the year 1907, No. 41152, Annual Series, which has just been published was despatched from Peking; the date on which it was received at the Foreign Office; and the date on which it was delivered to the printer.

The Report on the foreign trade of China for the year 1907 was despatched from Peking on 10th July last, was received by the Department on 5th, August, and finally delivered to the printer, after revision, on 17th October. The interval between the date of receipt of the Report and delivery to the printer was due to the fact that the Report, which is a very elaborate one, arrived with a considerable number of others at a time when, owing to the short interval between the sessions of Parliament, the staff at the Board of Trade, which examines the Reports in conjunction with the Foreign Office, was unusually weakened by the absence of officials on annual leave. I might add that the arrangements in regard to the editing of these Reports are still in an experimental stage, and steps are being taken in conjunction with the Board of Trade as a result of the experience gained, to expedite publication in future.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what reply, if any, he has received from the German Government on the case of the arrest on the high seas of the steam trawler "General" by the German gunboat "Zeeder" on 9th of May last, when the s.s. "General" was boarded by a German crew from the gunboat and taken to Cuxhaven, the captain imprisoned, and his cargo of fish destroyed, after which he was tried before a German Court and proved his innocence, and the crew and ship were released; and whether he will take steps to obtain an apology from the commander of the gunboat for his proceedings, and compensation to the fishermen and owners for the loss they have sustained.

A sworn statement of losses incurred by the steam trawler "General" has only recently boon furnished by the managing owner of that vessel, and His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Berlin has been instructed to submit to the German Government a claim for compensation.

I bog to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether a force of Russian troops of all arms, estimated to have a strength of at least 5,000 men, is shortly expected at Julfa, on the Persian frontier; and can he state what objects this force has in view.

I have no information beyond that contained in my reply given on the 27th ultimo to the hon. Member for Brentford.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can state what number of extra men would be required if the hours of warders in convict prisons were reduced to eight per day; and whether, in view of the amount of unemployment in the country, he can see his way to a revision to that number.

It is estimated that to work the convict system effectively with an eight - hour day for officers would require an addition of between 150 and 160 officers to the staff, at a cost of about £15,000 a year. My right hon. friend does not see his way to adopt the hon. Member's suggestion.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, seeing that Clause 23 of the Police Regulations provides that no smoke must be projected from the exhaust or from any other part of a motor omnibus, and that the Regulation further provides that this condition will be insisted upon at all times, he will say whether the Commissioner of Police has any knowledge that any motor omnibus emits petrol smoke or stink, licensed under Clause 23 of the Police Regulations.

Yes, Sir. As my right hon. friend has stated in reply to previous Questions, the Commissioner of Police has taken action in a number of such cases, and has ordered the offending vehicles off the streets until their defects are remedied.

Am I to understand that there are no omnibuses on the streets at the present time emitting smoke or smell?

I do not know whether there are any that have not been discovered. An omnibus which is originally innocent may develop defects.

How soon can they go on the roads again?

As soon as the defect is remedied. I may point out that last year the number ordered off the streets for this reason was 183.

Will the hon. gentleman order off the streets all omnibuses against which complaints are brought to the notice of the Commissioner of Police?

No doubt the Commissioner of Police will be glad to give attention to any information on the subject.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps have been taken in response to the representations of the Colonial Premiers as to the appointment of consuls and vice-consuls in the important towns of New Zealand and other British Colonies; and whether he will furnish a list of all such appointments made during the past eighteen months.

My hon. friend has asked me to reply to this Question. As I stated in answer to a Question put to me by the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth yesterday, four trade Commissioners have been appointed in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, respectively. We have also appointed a number of local trade correspondents at various places in Canada and in Newfoundland during the period referred to, in accordance with the system which had been previously adopted in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. I will have a complete list of the names of the present trade Commissioners and correspondents in the Dominions and self-governing Colonies printed in the Votes.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the previous system was absolutely condemned at the last Conference? Are the suggestions of the Colonial Premiers to be utterly ignored?

We have followed the course which has been adopted for a long time, and which until now has not been challenged.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he will carry out paragraph 353 of the Hobhouse Committee's Report as to the diminution of overtime by sanctioning additional established posts in the Post Office, and thus do something to relieve the unemployed.

The policy recommended by the recent Select Committee on Post Office I Wages in paragraph 353 of their Report, in regard to the reduction of overtime, with which I am entirely in accord, is being steadily pursued.

I beg to ask the Postmaster - General whether it would be possible to employ a number of additional men in the Post Office were all postmen's duties confined to not more than two attendances and completed within twelve hours; and, if so, whether he will issue instructions to amend the regulations in the above-mentioned direction.

It would not be possible, without a considerable waste of force, to arrange for all postmen's duties to be confined to not more than two attendances and completed within twelve hours. This fact was recognised by the recent Select Committee on Post Office Servants. In arranging duties endeavours are always made to reduce the number of separate attendances as far as practicable, and considerable steps in this direction have been taken of late.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the presence on the platform at the annual meeting and conference of the Gloucester division of the National Union of the Conservative and Constitutional Association, held at the Town Hall, Tewkesbury, on 14th October, 1908, of Mr. Thomas Williams, the postmaster of that town; whether the action of Mr. Williams is contrary to the Treasury Regulations; and, if so, what action he proposes to take in the matter.

I am inquiring into the matter, which had not previously been brought to my notice.

Will the right hon. Gentleman at the same time inquire into any cases of Socialist members of the Post Office staff attending Socialist meetings?

If my attention is called to any such case I will inquire.

I will call the right hon. Gentleman's attention to cases.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General if he will state the number of each of the following grades of civil officials in the Engineering Department of the Post Office in Ireland to be replaced in the event of the proposed transfer of the military from England to Ireland, viz.: engineers (all classes), clerks, inspectors, mechanics, linemen, foremen, sub-foremen, skilled and unskilled labourers; and also the total amount paid in salaries, wages, and allowances to all these classes during the past twelve months. I beg also to ask the Postmaster-General whether it is the intention to transfer the military to the northern engineering district of Ireland and upon the same lines as at present suggested for the southern engineering district of Ireland; and will he explain in what particulars the telegraphic and telephonic engineering work in Ireland would be more suitable for military training purposes, and in what respect does the work differ from that at present done in the south of England. I beg further to ask the Postmaster-General whether, in the event of the proposed transfer of the Royal Engineers into the southern district of Ireland, the telegraph mechanics who are now employed in the southern districts will be affected by the proposed change; and, if so, will he take steps to secure them employment in some other centre in Ireland.

I will answer these throe Questions together. If the Royal Engineers are transferred to the southern district of Ireland the following numbers of civilian officers will be replaced:—1 assisting superintending engineer, 2 first class engineers, 1 second class engineer, 3 sub engineers, 13 clerks, 3 inspectors, 8 mechanics, 31 linemen. For many of these, except the mechanics, places will be available in the northern district of Ireland, which will continue to be staffed by civilian engineers. Places will be found for the others else-whore. In the opinion of the War Office the work in Ireland is more suitable for the training of the Royal Engineers because it has more resemblance to that which military engineers might be called upon to perform in the field, and because it provides training in railway block signalling, etc., which cannot be obtained in England. The total amount paid in wages, salaries, etc., in the southern district of Ireland in the past twelve months was £24,823.

Will not this introduction of the military element into Ireland prevent young and intelligent students from competing for posts in the Civil Service?

I should like notice of that Question, but it is a matter rather for the War Office as to the particular district most suitable for training Royal Engineers.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether the night telephonists in London were represented before the Hobhouse Committee; whether their hours of duty are 54 per week, composed of night and Sunday duty; whether he will state what recommendations of the Select Committee bore on these hours of duty; and whether he will consider the possibility of reducing them.

The night telephonists in London were not represented before the Hobhouse Committee, but, in accordance with the Committee's recommendation in paragraph 5 of their Report, I have considered the conditions of employment of those men. Their hours of duty are 54 per week, made up of night and Sunday work, and is largely watching duty. There does not appear to be any reason to alter these hours.

I beg to ask the Postmaster - General whether, in order to facilitate the employment of men who would otherwise be out of work, he will issue instructions to all postmasters that, during the Christmas pressure, no persons in regular employment such as teachers, clerks, Civil servants, and others, shall be employed for extra time; and whether those who are to be engaged will also be limited to reasonable working hours.

As I have already stated in this House, in choosing the temporary men required for postal work at Christmastide preference will be given to genuinely unemployed married men of good character suitable for the work. I have issued instructions to postmasters to this effect. The regular attendance to be given by these temporary men will be eight hours a day, but at the height of the Christmas pressure those hours are necessarily extended on particular days.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether in Newcastle-upon-Tyne an estimate for telephone construction work has boon prepared and has been approved by the engineer-in-chief; and whether he can say what steps, if any, are being taken for the carrying out of the work.

In Newcastle itself a few pipes are being laid, and considerable work in the construction of trunk lines is going on in the engineering district in which Newcastle is situated. A contract for an underground line of between five and six miles in length is about to be made.

I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether his attention has been called to the case of a Clyde pilot, William M'Kinlay, who was prosecuted on 15th May last in the Glasgow Sheriffs Court for reckless navigation when in charge of the s.s. "Maracas"; if so, will he say why his Department delayed six months in instituting this case; and why the case was then brought forward at a time when the officers and crew of the "Maracas," who were the chief witnesses for the defence, were hundreds of miles from Glasgow.