To ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has received a petition, signed by some 700 mariners and fishermen of Portsmouth, representing that the new Admiralty works for protecting the entrance of Portsmouth Harbour are, in their present form, not only preventing the said mariners and fishermen from following their avocations, but also constitute a danger to their lives and vessels; whether he is aware that there have been already several accidents to boats resulting from these works; and whether he will consider the request of these petitioners to have a slight modification effected in the arrangement of the concrete blocks so that one navigable opening may be left in time of peace which could readily be closed in time of war.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the notice issued by the Marine Department, and which came into operation on 1st April of this year, as to candidates for certificates of competency as master or mate, showing that they possess a knowledge of first-aid to the injured, the fees for which are not likely in any case to exceed £1 1s., is not being carried out; that the fees are about double that mentioned above, whereas at the adjoining ports of South Shields and Hartlepool the fees are 15s. and £1 1s., respectively; that such restrictions act as a hindrance to candidates taking the ambulance certificate in Sunderland; and, if so, will he state what action he intends to take, with a view to giving more favourable facilities than now exist to candidates in Sunderland.

To ask the First Commissioner of Works whether he has received complaints as to the insufficient policing of Primrose Hill; how many keepers and constables are employed by day and by night on the hill; and whether he proposes to increase the number.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can say whether the Estates Commissioners received an application from John P. Liston, of Cooltomin, Shanagoldon, in the county of Limerick, for reinstatement in the holding from which his father, since deceased, was evicted; and, if so, what action do they intend to take in the matter.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can say what is the cause of delay in giving grants to the evicted tenants on the Knight of Glin's estate, at Glin, in the county of Limerick; is he aware that these tenants were reinstated last May and promised grants to enable them to pay the percentage on the purchase money pending completion of sale, and that unless provision be made for them at once to enable them to stock their farms they cannot in the future pay their instalments.

To ask the Secretary for Scotland with reference to the property of about forty-three acres of marsh land beside the Clyde, near Glasgow Green, which was purchased by the Glasgow Corporation about ten years ago, and part of which has now been made up into Richmond Park, what was the total area purchased; when was the purchase effected; what was the price per acre; what was the total price; and what was being taken as the annual value for rating of that property as a whole at the time of purchase.

To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the total amount in value of the imports into Southern Nigeria during each of the last five years, distinguishing alcoholic liquors and also articles imported by the Government itself for railway and other purposes.

To ask the Postmaster-General whether the day staff had left the Hampstead telephone exchange before the night staff came on duty upon Sunday, 11th October last.

To ask the First Lord of the Admiralty why the further Report of the Interdepartmental Conference on the Coastguard, which has been received by the Admiralty, should not be made public at once; and whether he will undertake to do so without delay.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that the scale of remuneration to clerks to pension committees and to postmasters for their work in connection with the old-age pension scheme has been fixed, and that the pension officers have been promised extra remuneration for their work, he will state the amount per claim that will be paid to the latter officials.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that a man named John Ryan, who spent fifty years in one employment, was an applicant for an old-age pension, and fully satisfied the Kilkenny committee of the justice of his claim in the matter of age and with regard to every other qualifying condition, and that his claim was rejected by the pensions officer on the ground that he was in the workhouse hospital for a short time recently, being taken there by the union doctor for special treatment of some disease which could not be properly treated in his home; whether he is aware that John Ryan, since his discharge from the hospital, has repaid to the union the cost of his maintenance and treatment while in hospital; whether, under all the circumstances, this man is entitled to the pension; and will he instruct the pensions officers that it shall be allowed to him.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the Board of Inland Revenue have issued instructions to pension officers in Ireland to treat claimants for old-age pensions who had been, through illness, in union hospitals as disqualified; whether the Board in issuing such Order in Ireland had acted on the opinion of a qualified Irish lawyer; whether the legal grounds, if any, on which the Board's view was based would be furnished to the local pension committees for their information and consideration; whether such committees would be furnished with funds and other facilities for obtaining the best independent legal advice obtainable on the question; and whether the Government will provide some tribunal to hear and decide appeals on behalf of the pensions committees, and provide the necessary funds to enable the committees to be represented by counsel.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether under the Old-Age Pensions Act, a person, having received Poor Law relief during 1908 and precluded thereby from the benefits of the Act during the following year, will be precluded from its benefits during the years 1910–11 if he has not received Poor Law relief during the years 1909–10.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that many of the officials under the control of Poor Law Guardian Boards in Ireland were engaged for some months this year in making out Royal Commission Returns over and above their ordinary duties, and that certain of these officials have not yet been paid for this extra work; whether in the event of the board of guardians paying for this work, the amount involved will be refunded by the Treasury; and, if not, what steps, if any, will he take in the matter.

To ask the Secretary of State for War whether Samuel Joseph Frost, late of the 1st Battalion Scottish Rifles and 1st Mounted Infantry, on his enlistment in 1888 was medically examined and passed as fit for service; whether, after upwards of four years efficient service, he was found to be suffering from varicose veins and discharged without a pension or allowance; whether the man attributes his disability to exposure while on military duty; and whether his case can be reconsidered with a view to the grant of a pension or compassionate allowance.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether young men on joining the Navy are informed of the amount of compensation they will receive in the event of their contracting illness as the result of exposure when on duty and being discharged as unfit for further service; and, if not, whether the rules of the Admiralty as to compensation will in future be made known to all entrants so that the risks of the service may be appreciated.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is in the negative; but the pamphlet issued to candidates for the Navy informs them that the conditions of service are to be found in the King's Regulations, which contain all information on the subject. The pension regulations relating to injury and disability depend so much upon the circumstances of the individual case, that their insertion in recruiting pamphlets and posters would be of very little practical value to recruits, and would in many cases undoubtedly mislead them.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been called to Clause 2 of the wages and working conditions agreed to by representatives of the contractors and the navvies and labourers in the Portsmouth district, which states that the wages shall be 6d. per hour; whether Messrs. Morrison and Mason, the contractors for the new lock, are paying 5d. per hour to their navvies and labourers; and whether this breach of the Fair Wages Clause of the contract, signed by the contractors with the Admiralty Board, has been sanctioned by his Department.

I must refer my hon. friend to a long reply I gave to a similar Question on this subject from the hon. Member for Wolverhampton on 30th November. According to the information I have received, Messrs. Morrison and Mason are paying 6d. an hour to a number of their navvies and labourers. Those who are receiving less than this wage appear to be paid at the same rate as is paid by other employers in the district for similar work. The working conditions referred to have been fully considered by the Admiralty.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his predecessor decided that when the regulation wage was 5½d. per hour, contractors for dock construction should pay that sum as a minimum? And now that rates have increased, is a fair wage paid when the amount is reduced?

The investigations made by the Admiralty show that labourers who can properly be described as navvies are paid 6d. per hour, but there is another class of labour receiving loss, and such labour is paid at the same rate by all other large employers in Portsmouth.

Has not the right hon. Gentleman received an official letter from the Contractors' Association in the locality protesting against the decision of his Department in allowing this firm to pay less than the proper rate of wages?

I must ask for notice. Such a letter has not come under my personal observation.

How many men are getting 6d. per hour?

I should like notice of that Question also.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he will state what number of batteries of Royal Artillery are at present stationed in Newcastle-on-Tyne; what number of men and horses belonging to each battery are actually in barracks there; and what is the age of the guns with which such batteries are armed.

There is one training brigade of Royal Feld Artillery of three batteries at Newcastle-on-Tyne. The strength of men and horses according to the latest Returns are as follows:—

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether a subaltern officer has been transferred from the Leicestershire regiment to the Worcestershire regiment on his original date of commission, thus going over the heads of some forty subalterns, and has since been passed over for promotion; if so, what was the justification for this transfer which, under the circumstances, must naturally create a strong feeling of injustice amongst battalion officers in the regiment concerned who have hitherto considered themselves safe from hindrance to promotion in their own rank provided that they maintained the standard of proficiency for that rank.

In consequence of the recent reductions of battalions this officer of the West India regiment accepted transfer to the Leicestershire regiment as junior of his rank. When it was found necessary to resort to compulsory transfer of the supernumerary officers of these battalions to other regiments it was decided to allow officers on transfer to retain their seniority, and to restore their seniority to those who were voluntarily transferred as juniors of their rank. This officer's position in the Leicestershire regiment by seniority would have placed him over the heads of subalterns of longer service; he was accordingly transferred to the Worcestershire regiment, where his seniority did not cause him to supersede lieutenants of longer service. Had he not been transferred to the Worcestershire regiment another supernumerary officer would have been transferred in his place.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for India what are the names of the principal firms exporting opium from the port of Bombay to Chinese ports and the port of Hong-Kong.

We have no official or other list of the firms engaged in the trade referred to by the hon. Member, so that I cannot give him the information he asks for.

But is not the India Office in possession of the information?

It is not our duty to have a list of the firms engaged in a particular traffic. We may know the firms' names, but if I Were to say A. B. and C. were the principal firms, I should at once get a protest from D, E, and F.

But are not the shippers of the opium also the purchasers?

Very likely.

Then the Government ought to know the names of the exporters.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the circulars, posters, and other printed matter issued by the Emigrants, Information Office to shipping agents, emigration agents, post offices, and local authorities are issued free, at cost price, or at a profit; and whether the handbooks and other printed matter sold to representatives and emigration agents of the Colonies in this country are sold at cost price or at a profit.

The circulars and posters issued by the Emigrants' Information Office are issued free of cost. The handbooks are issued at various prices, not exceeding 6d. for any one book. Those issued at 6d. which relate to tropical possessions and certain foreign countries, probably pay for the cost of production. Those issued at lower prices, including the 1d. hand books on the self-governing Colonies, are issue at a loss.

Do I understand that this printed matter is supplied to shipping agents at cost price or below it?

On the more expensive ones we probably make a slight profit, but not with the cheaper work. If the right hon. Gentleman will give me a week's notice I can supply him with a profit and loss account.

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Chinese coolies were employed in the Transvaal mines in January, 1906; how many are employed at the present time; and by what date it is expected that all the Chinese coolies will be repatriated.

47,166 Chinese were employed in the Transvaal mines in January, 1906. On 31st October last—the latest figure which I have—there were, I understand, 12,317. The last of the coolies should be leaving South Africa in January, 1910.

Is 47,000 the maximum number?

No; the maximum has been something over 50,000.

I beg to ask the Prime Minister for how long the President of the Board of Trade, when Under-Secretary for the Colonies, was absent from the Colonial Office on his journey to British East Africa, Uganda, and elsewhere; what length of time he spent in Nairobi and British East Africa and how many deputations he received there; what was the object of these deputations; and what was done to adjust and regulate the relations between the settlers, natives, and the Government, which was the avowed object of the Under-Secretary's mission.

Mr. Churchill was absent from the Colonial Office from October, 1907, to January, 1908. He arrived at Mombasa on 28th October, and received there deputations from the Goanese community and Planters' Association, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Zanzibar Khojas. He was at Nairobi from 4th to 15th November. He received addresses from the Colonists' Association, the Pastoralists' Association and the Indian, Goanese, and African communities. Deputations from the Colonists' Association discussed with him the following subjects: Land tenure; labour; agricultural and commercial, problems; white colonisation; mining laws; and the administration of law. As regards the last purl of the Question, the main object of Mr. Churchill's mission was to make himself acquainted with the Protectorate. The knowledge which he acquired has been of much service to His Majesty's Government and the Secretary of State for the Colonies in the consideration of the many questions arising in connection with East Africa, but it is impossible to give within the limits of an Answer to a Parliamentary Question an account of the action of the Protectorate Government on these questions. Such an account must be sought in the administration Reports of the Protectorate.

Could we not have first hand from the President of the Board of Trade the report of his interesting visit to those countries, rather than seek for them in the administration papers?

If the hon. Gentleman wishes for that information he had better ask my right hon. friend. But I daresay he can obtain it at any bookstall.

Will the hon. Gentleman tell us, so far as he is aware, did the President of the Board of Trade give any illegal tea-parties in the town-halls of the places he visited?

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government has officially recognised the transfer of the Congo Free State to Belgium; and, if so, whether guarantees have been given by the Belgian Government ensuring a continuance of international free trade in the territory transferred, as defined in the Berlin Act of 1885.

His Majesty's Government have not yet officially recognised the transfer of the Congo Free State to Belgium. In the discussion on this subject between the two Governments, which has been presented to Parliament, the Belgium Government have formally declared their intention to abide by the Treaty obligations of the Congo State under the Berlin Act of 1885. The position remains as disclosed in the Papers laid before Paliament.

Shall we have a discussion on this before the end of the present session?

That is not a matter on which I am able to reply.

Will the Papers be laid before Parliament before the end of the present session?

I believe they will be laid before Parliament in January.

Has any progress been made on the point raised in the last part of the Question?

That question has been answered. The Belgian Government have formally declared their intention to abide by the Treaty obligations. That covers the point.

Is there a guarantee that His Majesty's Government will not act before Parliament meets again?

Of course, my right hon. friend is taking continuous action to secure objects which I am sure have the sympathy of my hon. friend.

Will the hon. Gentleman convey to the Secretary of State the fact that there is a large body of opinion in this House, which objects to the suppression of Papers until Parliament is not sitting?

There is no question of the suppression of Papers.

Well we heard nothing of the Treaty with Russia until after Parliament was prorogued.

Order, order.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can obtain from the British Ambassador in the United States, or otherwise through the agency of the Foreign Office, a full Report showing the effect of the taxation of land values in New York City and Boston U.S.A., and how such valuation was carried out.

His Majesty's Consul-General in New York and Boston shall be instructed to furnish Reports containing such information as is available on the subject.

Will the hon. Gentleman consider the desirablity of getting Reports from San Francisco and other States not named in the Question where a separate valuation has been carried out?

I should like notice of that Question.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if he is aware that pensions officers in Ireland determine the income of applications for pensions by trebling their rents; and if he can state on what grounds they do so.

I may perhaps be allowed to refer the hon. Baronet to the replies which I gave on this point to Questions by the hon. Member for East Tyrone, on the 10th ultimo, and to the hon. Member for Newry on the 18th ultimo.

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will grant a Return showing the output of pot-still spirit in Scotland and Ireland, respectively, during the last financial year and for the six months ended 30th September last; and the output in gallons of patent-still spirit in England, Scotland, and Ireland, respectively, for the same periods above mentioned.

The information in question is not available. The Board of Inland Revenue are not required to discriminate, for duty or other purposes, between pot-still and patent-still spirit, and consequently separate accounts are not kept of the respective outputs.

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can give any explanation of the miscalculations made of the number of persons in Ireland over seventy years of age who it was anticipated would become entitled to pensions under the Pensions Act; to what does he attribute the discrepancy; and are the numbers of applications for pensions from Ireland being tested by comparison with the ages in the Census Returns on which presumably the calculations of the numbers were based.

The calculations were based on the Registrar General's estimate of total population over seventy, less the estimated number of persons who would not be qualified by reason of their possessing means above the statutory limit or for receipt of poor relief and other causes. The number of claims received indicates both that the estimate of total population over seventy was too low and that the estimate of persons in possession of means in excess of £31 10s. a year was too high. The Answer to the last part of the Question is in the negative, the Census Returns of 1901 not being open to inspection by pension officers.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman see that the percentage should be based on the population of seventy years ago rather than upon the present population, in view of the enormous migrations from Ireland, and the great decrease in the population generally?

Yes, I rather agree with my hon. friend. There is something in that. It means that the old people have remained in Ireland while a number of the more vigorous people have left the country.

Has any information reached the right hon. Gentleman to account for the great discrepancy shown and to show whether the Registrar-General in making up the figures he supplied the right hon. Gentleman with did not take into account the emigration from Ireland?

I am making inquiries into this matter. It is rather premature for me to make, a statement, but the Census Returns were really not accurate. We made inquiries, and the constabulary rather confirmed the impression created by the figures that a great many people understated their ages in the Census papers.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether pension officers have been instructed to appeal against claims granted by a pension committee on the ground that the applicant has been absent; and, if so, will he state the nature of the instructions issued to pension officers, especially with reference to seafaring persons.

The instructions on this point are contained in the Statutory Regulations, paragraph 29 (a) (ii.), to which I may refer my hon. friend. No other instructions have been issued.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider the re-appointment next session of the Parliamentary Committee which was appointed to consider, among other things, the subject of indecent literature, but which subject, presumably for want of time, is not dealt with in their Report of 29th July, bearing the title only of Lotteries and Indecent Advertisements.

The Secretary of State thinks the right hon. Member has been misled by the title of the Report. The Report deals with indecent literature, as well as advertisements, and he hopes it may be possible to introduce legislation on the subject next session.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of males and females now engaged in employment coming under the Factory Acts; and the number of male and female factory inspectors employed by the Home Office in inspecting such factories.

The figures for 1904, which are the latest available, give 3,116,726 men and 1,737,821 women employed in factories and workshops, excluding workshops in which men only are employed, and excluding docks and other premises, which only come within the Act for the purposes mentioned in Sections 1904–1906. The Home Office has no Returns of persons employed in these places There are 172 men-inspectors of all classes, and 15 women-inspectors; 10 more men and 3 more women-inspectors are to be appointed to complete the authorised strength.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he will grant a Return showing the number of stamping-stations under the Weights and Measures Acts which are located on premises licensed for the sale of intoxicating liquor.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the fact that stamping stations under the weights and measures Acts are frequently on premises licensed for the sale of intoxicating liquor; and whether he will issue a circular to local authorities pointing out that this practice is undesirable.

I propose to answer this Question and that appearing next on the Paper to- gether. The Weights and Measures Regulations provide that unless no other suitable promises are available a stamping-office shall not be on premises where intoxicating liquors are sold. Some latitude is necessary on account of the difficulty of finding suitable temporary premises in small villages, and from certain information in my possession, of which I will furnish my hon. friend the details it he wishes, it would seem that 19 county authorities possess among them 231 stamping-stations on licensed premises. Altogether there are 1,000 stamping-stations in these counties. I propose to obtain more complete information, and where the number of stamping-stations on licensed premises appears on the face of it to be excessive, the attention of the authority will be called to the matter. When the information is complete I will consider the desirability of issuing a Return.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the Board of Trade has raised any objection to the use of police-stations as stamping-stations under the Weights and Measures Acts.

The Board of Trade have no objection to the use of police stations as stamping-stations provided the accommodation is adequate.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board what number of unemployed have been registered with the distress committees of London up to the present time; and for how many has work been found.

The number of the unemployed registered with the distress committees in London up to the 5th instant was 38,678. The number employed on work provided or aided by the Central (Unemployed) Body up to date is 4,185. In addition, I find from some inquiries I have made that at the beginning of the month upwards of 3,200 men had been provided with work by certain of the metropolitan borough councils.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board how many persons are registered as unemployed in the borough of Stepney at the present time; how many were registered at the same date last year; and for how many has work been already provided.

The number of persons registered as unemployed in the borough of Stepney on the 8th instant was 1,427. The number for whom work has been provided is 244. The number registered at the same date last year was 270.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if he will state the number of births and the number of deaths which took place in the United Kingdom during the year 1906 and the year 1907, thereby showing the natural increase of the population in each of the two years named.

The number of births in the United Kingdom in 1906 was 1,170,622, and of deaths 681,343, giving an excess of births over deaths of 489,279. In 1907, the figures were: births, 1,148,573; deaths, 678,822; giving an excess of births over deaths of 469,751.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he has received an application from the town council of Stoke-on-Trent to reconsider his refusal to allow such council to establish a distress committee under the Unemployed Workmen Act; and, if so, what action, if any, he proposes to take in the matter.

I am in communication with the town council on the subject. I caused a letter to be written to them on the 5th instant, asking what works they have in hand upon which, if a distress committee were established, men registered under the Act could be given employment, and I am now awaiting their reply.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he has received a resolution from the Longton Town Council, supporting the proposals contained in the Unemployed Workmen Bill, 1908, and requesting that his Department should give immediate facilities for passing a similar Bill into law; and whether he has received resolutions similar in character from other local bodies; and, if so, how many.

I do not find that I have received any resolution passed by the Longton Town Council with reference to the Unemployed Workmen Hill, 1908, or that resolutions from other local bodies have reached me referring specifically to this measure. I have, however, received resolutions from five town councils, twenty-one urban district councils, five rural district councils, four boards of guardians, and five distress committees in support of the Unemployed Workmen Bill introduced by the hon. Member for Leicester in 1907, and several of these refer to any other measure dealing with the same matter.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if a seafaring person occupying a small holding, his wife and family cultivating the holding In his absence, will he debarred from the old-age pension scheme by reason of his absence at sea; and, if so, if he will state what length of absence constitutes disqualification.

The condition for the receipt of a pension imposed by the Old-Age Pensions Act, 1908, that a person must have had his residence in the United kingdom for at least twenty years up to the date of the receipt of a pension, is not infringed by temporary absences, if before the absences he was living in the United Kingdom, and throughout the absences he was serving on board a vessel registered in the United Kingdom.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the manager of the Hampstead Telephone Exchange has specifically refused to subscriber No. 1253 any definite in formal ion as to the cause of a delay of twenty minutes upon Sunday, 11th October last, during which delay the exchange, though there was no breach in the electrical communication between it and the subscriber, failed to attend to his call; and will he say what action he proposes to take in the matter.

It is not the case that the manager of the Hampstead Telephone Exchange declined to furnish any information to the subscriber mentioned. My hon. friend has apparently been misinformed, as the manager has been in correspondence with the subscriber in question in regard to the matter, and has given an explanation of it. There docs not seem to be any necessity, therefore, to take any further action.

Does the manager say he gave on explanation?

Certainly.

I have the letter in my pocket in which he says he will not.

The hon. Gentleman had better let me see it.

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the American mail carried by the "Lusitania," which arrived at Queenstown on Tuesday, 1st December, was taken on to Liverpool with the result that the letters were not delivered until Thursday morning, rendering it impossible for replies to be sent before the following Sunday; whether he is aware that, if this mail had been landed at Queenstown and despatched by special train, these letters would have been delivered in London early on Wednesday afternoon in time for replies by the outgoing Thursday steamer, thus obviating a delay of three days; and can he say why this mail was not landed at Queenstown.

If the mails had been landed at Queenstown they would have reached London about 6 p.m. on Wednesday the 2nd instant, too late for delivery in business hours. The "Lusitania" was delayed by fog off the Mersey. Otherwise the mails would have reached London by 1.30 p.m., or four and a half hours earlier than if landed at Queenstown. The decision to send them on in the packet to Liverpool was arrived at after consultation with the Cunard Company.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the mails carried by the "Celtic," which arrived at Queenstown on the previous Sunday, were also taken on the "Lusitania" and that both whip and mails were held up for twenty-four hours by the fog? Did not this affect some 4,000 bags of mail?

asked for notice.

urged the right hon. Gentleman, in view of the vast commercial interests involved, to direct that the special train service for Queens-town should be made use of in such cases and that Queenstown should have fair play in this matter.

I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Hoard of Agriculture, what States in the United States are now scheduled as infected with foot-and-mouth disease; and whether the port of Boston is still free.

Foot-and-mouth disease has been declared to exist in the States of Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland and Michigan, and regulations have been made by the Federal Government prohibiting the movement of cattle from those States. The orders of the Board prohibit the importation of animals from the States of Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware. Boston is still a free port.

Will the Board adopt in Europe the same system as prevails in the United States and schedule the States separately?

I explained the other day that the conditions in Europe and America were entirely different.

I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, how many and which counties, if any, have not appointed official samplers in pursuance of the provisions of the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act, 19060.

All county councils have appointed official samplers.

I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that the Kent County Council is negotiating for the acquisition of the dairy farm at Crockham Hill under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1907; that the official surveyor to the county council is acting for the owner of the farm as well as for the council; and that applicants for land are asked by the surveyor to pay a rent of 25s. an acre, whereas the present tenant pays only 10s. an acre; and whether he can take steps to prevent the same person acting for both parties in these negotiations, as this practice must militate against small holdings being supplied at reasonable rates.

The Board are aware of the negotiations to which my hon. friend refers, but they understand that the surveyor to the council is not acting also for the owners of the farm. A proposal to appoint a salaried agent who will devote his whole tune to the work arising under the Act is now under the consideration of the county council. Until the negotiations with respect to the acquisition of the land are further advanced, it is not possible to say at what rent it will be possible to let the small holdings which it is proposed to create.

I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether his attention has been called to the successful working of Post Office cheques in Austria-Hungary; and whether, seeing that the same system might be of great assistance in agricultural and rural districts, the Board of Agriculture will confer with the Postmaster-General with a view to introducing the same system in this country.

Yes, Sir, the President will take an early opportunity of conferring on this matter with my right hon. friend the Postmaster-General.

I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, if his attention has been called to the committee appointed by President Roosevelt to investigate and make suggestions as to the ways in which the social, sanitary, and economic connitions of American farms can be improved; and if the Board of Agriculture intend to proceed on the same lines, or to initiate legislation, or take other steps to assist agriculture generally in this country.

The Board are aware of the appointment of the Commission to which my hon. friend refers. They will carefully study its Report as soon as it is published.

I beg to ask the hon. Member for the Barnstaple Division as representing the Charity Commissioners, if he will state how much charity land, in how many allotments, has been let to the labouring classes under the Allotments Extension Act, 1882.

The Charity Commissioners are anxious that charity land should be let in allotments whenever it is desired, and in all recent cases whore complaints have been made to them they have taken steps to see that the Allotments Extension Act, 1882, should be carried out, but they have not found it practicable with the limited staff at their command, to require from the trustees of every charity which is subject to the Act particulars of the extent and number of the allotments let under its provisions. They are therefore not in possession of the information asked for by the right hon. Member.

Cannot the hon. Gentleman get the information?

I am afraid that to communicate to all trustees of charity lands would involve the expenditure of a great deal of time and money.

Does the Act referred to in the Question place any difficulty in the way of thus dealing with charity lands?

No, Sir.

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he will consider the advisability of altering the bye-laws and regulations of the Scottish Fishery Hoard which prevent British vessels from going to some of the best trawling grounds, whilst leaving them open to foreign trawlers so long as they keep outside the three-mile limit.

The policy of the Government on this matter was stated by the Prime Minister in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Great Grimsby on 4th November, and I have nothing further to add.

While the Question is pending cannot the right hon. Gentleman see his way to placing Britishers on the same footing as foreigners?

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, in view of the belief of the Vice-Regal Commissioners appointed to investigate the charge of neglect of Crown Jewels stolen from Dublin Castle last year, as expressed in their Report, that the Government were already, before that partial inquiry began, in possession of all the information the Commissioners were empowered to elicit, will he state why no inquiry has yet been instituted with power adequate for a criminal investigation of the theft, with a view to the conviction of the thief and recovery of the stolen articles. I beg also to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, having regard to the complete failure of the Vice-Regal Crown Jewels Commission to do anything towards recovery of the jewels stolen from Dublin Castle or towards identification of the thief, and the general desire that a criminal investigation on oath for these purposes should be held, whether he will give the House his reasons for refusing such an investigation.

I have dealt fully with the subject of these Questions in the numerous replies which I have already given and in particular in my reply to the hon. Member for St. Pancras East on 1st June last. I have no intention of reopening the matter.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state the total number of sales effected to tenants under the Land Purchase Acts prior to 1st November, 1903; the general average number of years' purchase advanced under those Acts; the number of cases in which the Land Commission refused to sanction the advance of the full purchase price at which the tenant had agreed to purchase their holdings; the total number of sales sanctioned under the Act of 1903 to 1st November, 1908; the general average number of years' purchase sanctioned under this Act; and the number of cases in which the Estates Commissioners have refused to sanction the advance of the full purchase price at which tenants had agreed to purchase their holdings.

As regards the first part of this Question, the hon. Member will find the information he requires in the recently issued Irish Land Purchase Acts Return [Cd. 4412] and in the Returns moved for by the hon. Member for Cork and the hon. Member for North Cork which will shortly be laid on the Table. The Land Commission are unable to state in regard to proceedings prior to the Act of 1903, the number of cases in which they refused to sanction the full purchase money agreed to, but the cases so refused under the Act of 1903 by the Estates Commissioners will be found in Table 7 appended to their last Annual Report.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, notwithstanding the stringency of the regulations governing the payment of extra fees for the teaching of Irish in national schools, there is nothing in these regulations prescribing a maximum to the expenditure that may ultimately be reached for this service; and if he will state whether the Irish Government and the Treasury propose to take this matter into consideration and fix a limit.

I am not at present aware of any reason why the existing arrangements with respect to these fees should be reconsidered.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the number of agrarian crimes of firing at the person and firing into dwellings during the period of ten months ended 31st October, namely seventy-one, is greater by sixty than in the year 1905, and greater also than in any previous year since 1882; and if he will state whether it is his intention to adopt the measures which have proved so efficacious in past years in diminishing this form of crime.

The facts are as stated in the first part of the Question. In reply to the hon. Member's concluding inquiry I would refer him to my Answer to his Question of 19th October.

But has not the number of shooting outrages increased in the last year?

I have answered that Question.

Is it not the fact that immediately on the repeal of the Crimes Act the number of outrages began to increase and continued to increase from that moment?

I do not think that is so.

But it is so.

Is it not the case that the increase in the outrages is owing to the fact that in the north of Ireland they manufacture a lot of bad whisky which is sold elsewhere?

May I ask if included in the Return is the case in which four Protestant planters fired on two Catholic peasants in my county last May?

Notice should be given of that.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Mrs. Mary Daly has applied to the Estates Commissioners several times for reinstatement in her late husband'3 farm on Lord Clinton's estate, County Cork, from which he was evicted in 1888; and whether any steps have been taken by the Commissioners to consider her application.

The Estates Commissioners have received from Mrs. Mary Daly an application for reinstatement in a farm which is in the occupation of another tenant. Mrs. Daly's application will be considered in connection with the allotment of untenanted land to be acquired by the Commissioners.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that an approved scheme for labourers' cottages with plots, promoted by the Devlin District Council, comprised three for James Ward, Michael Fagan, and Patrick Morgan, on the part of Windtown ranch nearest to Castlepollard and to these men's usual place of work; that no opposition was offered to these sites at the inquiry and that they were duly mapped; that afterwards the Local Government Board, without consulting either the district council or the labourers, cancelled the sites that had been chosen without opposition and offered sites on the other side of the ranch, where they cannot be accepted, there being no work available there for the men, the place being a mile and a half further away from their place of work and the district council being unwilling to erect cottages there; and, in view of the hardship to those men, all of whom are paying for lodgings and two of whom have families, whether he will ask the Board to reconsider the matter and have the cottages erected forthwith on the sites regularly selected.

The Devlin Rural District Council proposed to provide three cottages as stated. No opposition was offered at the local inquiry, but the inspector did not consider that the necessity for the cottages was established, and he therefore excluded them from his Order. The Local Government Board did not intervene. Certain other sites at Windtown were disallowed by the inspector, as the taking of them would have injured the farm for the purposes of sale. A tract of land in lieu of the sites so disallowed has now been offered by the Estates Commissioners to the council and accepted. It will be dealt with in a further scheme. The Local Government Board have no power to reconsider the matter, or to have the cottages erected on the original sites.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to the grievance of the ratepayers in the guaranteeing area of the Strabane to Letterkenny Railway, East Donegal; whether he is aware that the rate is levied on the area and the railway lying dormant and unopened for traffic, though completed for many months; and whether he will inquire into the cause of the delay and take steps to have the line opened for the accommodation of the public, or prohibit the collection of rates to pay a guarantee to a non-working railway.

The Act authorising the construction of this line provides that the payments under the guarantee which the county is empowered to give shall run from the date of issue of certain proportions of the capital of the company. I have no power to interfere with the collection of rates for the purpose. As regards the opening of the line, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. friend the President of the Board of Trade on 5th November. I understand that the Board are still awaiting a communication from the railway company.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the case of Joseph James Savers, of Magheracorn, near Convoy, East Donegal, on the estate of Alexander Boyle, and another, which was sold to the tenants before the Act of 1903, whether he is aware that Sayers, owing to arrears of rent, was unable to buy with the other tenants, but, after the Act of 1903, he was in a position to purchase and signed and lodged an agreement before the sale to the other tenants was completed; whether he can say why the Commissioners refuse to include Sayers' holding in the sale, of the estate to the tenants; and whether, in view of the landlord's title having been fully investigated, and Sayers by settling with him having brought himself within the scope of the Land Acts, he will ask, if the Commissioners do not include him in the original sale, that they will declare his holding a separate estate and allow the sale to be completed.

Proceedings for sale in this case were instituted under the Land Purchase Acts prior to 1903, and the agreement signed by Sayers to purchase his holding for £653 was refused by the Land Commission in 1899, on the ground of insufficient security. Sayers subsequently agreed with his landlord to purchase the holding for £660 under the Irish Land Act, 1903, but the Estates Commissioners refused to declare the holding to be a separate estate.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether care will be taken in respect to the distribution into holdings of the farm of Mr. Leonard Cannon, which closely adjoins the Bloomfield estate, Castlecaldwell, and which has been bought by the Estates Commissioners, having respect to the congested condition of the neighbourhood, that due regard will be had to the needs of local tenants.

The Estates Commissioners have intimated by notice in the Dublin Gazette their intention of acquiring compulsorily 115 acres in County Fermanagh, the property of Mr. Council Cannon, The Commissioners propose to use these lands, if acquired, for the purpose of the Evicted Tenants Act.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the demesne lands, comprising about 500 acres, of the Bloomfield Estate, Castlecaldwell, owned by the Life Association of Scotland, was sold separately from, the rest of the estate to the Estates Commissioners last September, but that the deeds of conveyance cannot be obtained till March next; whether he is aware that a very large proportion of this demesne land consists of land from which tenants have been evicted, and that these tenants or their representatives are now eagerly awaiting restoration to their old holdings; whether he will be able to obtain or to give information of the acreage of each holding from, which a tenant has been evicted; whether the Estates Commissioners propose to reinstate in their holdings those evicted tenants, and if the residue of the demesne lands will be kept as meadow for the poor mountain tenants on this estate, who have, no other means of raising hay for their cattle during the winter; and whether, having regard to the fact that the tenants on this estate are congested and require these demesne lands, on which there is no residential mansion, care will be taken to provide for their accommodation prior to the bringing of other evicted tenants from other parts of Fermanagh, and to secure that the proceedings for the restoration of the former tenants be expedited.

The Estates Commissioners have not purchased this estate, but proceedings for its sale have recently been instituted under Section 6 of the Irish Land Act, 1903. Until the property has been inspected and reported on, the Commissioners will not be in a position to make arrangements as regards the demesne land.

Will the right hon. Gentleman get these proceedings expedited?

I always do my best, but I cannot be interfering with the Commissioners every day of the week.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can say what was the average price paid for the purchase of land all over Ireland from the year 1885 to the year 1903, and what was the average price paid in the county of Limerick during the same period; and what was the price paid all over Ireland from November, 1903, to the latest date of return and during the same period in the County of Limerick, that is, the average price paid under the present Land Purchase Act, this word price meaning the number of years purchase.

I must ask the hon. Member to await the issue of the Return ordered on the 7th instant, on the Motion of the hon. Member for Cork, which will shortly be laid on the Table. That Return will contain the in formation which he requires.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that there are hundreds of future or excluded tenants who lost their titles in their farms through evictions and other campaigns with landlords, as in the case of the Cloncurry tenants in Murroe, County Limerick, between the years of 1881 and 1887; and will those tenants be included with the tenants in Part V. of the present Land Bill, so as to have a fair rent fixed under the status of present tenants.

I have no means of ascertaining the number of future or excluded tenants who were evicted between 1881 and 1887. Part V. of the Irish Land Bill applies only to cases in which a present tenancy was determined after the passing of the Act of 1887.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will state the result of the consideration given by the Law Officers of cases in which the warning given to certain newspapers against the publication of intimidatory resolutions of the United Irish League has had no effect; and what further action is to be taken in the matter.

It is not in the public interest that I should give any answer to this Question at present.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the landlord and tenants of the Verschoyle estate, Dunkineely, County Donegal, a majority of whose tenants have holdings totalling over £5 valuation, agreed on a price for the sale of this estate, that agreements were lodged but that the Estates Commissioners refused to sanction the sale on the ground that the estate was congested, but having regard to the protest of the tenants against this decision, sent down an inspector, who, after examination, reported that the estate was not congested, but that, this Report notwithstanding, the Commissioners again refused to sanction the sale; and whether, having regard to the disappointment of both parties to the contemplated sale and the desirability of an immediate settlement, steps will be taken to secure that the agreement which both parties desire to be carried out may be completed.

The Estates Commissioners inform me that purchase agreements were entered into between the owner of this property and his tenants with a view to a direct sale under the Irish Land Act, 1903. The Commissioners, however, refused to declare the lands in their present condition to be an estate, the property appearing to be congested within, the meaning of Section 6 of the Act. The statement that the inspector reported that the property was not congested is not correct. The Commissioners cannot see their way to depart from their decision.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Midland Great Western Railway Company of Ireland are again seeking power to destroy a section of the Royal Canal at Dublin; whether he will allow that proposal to be entertained until the board of control of the Royal Canal has been consulted; whether a meeting of that board is due to be held immediately after each statutory meeting of the railway company; and whether he will ascertain when the last meeting of the board was held.

I am aware that the railway company are promoting a Bill for next session, providing amongst other things for the abandonment of a portion of the Broadstone branch of the canal and the matter will therefore be one for the decision of Parliament. The board of control is not in my jurisdiction, but I have ascertained that there is no obligation on them to meet immediately after each statutory meeting of the company, but that a meeting of the board will be held on the 14th instant. Their last meeting was on 24th April, 1907.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Irish Board of Works in a recent Report declare that this railway company is not discharging its legal obligations? Will he require it to do so?

I do not think I will give any pledge as to coercing any Irish Board until I have had an opportunity of considering the matter.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he is aware that of the thirty-two Scottish Peers who are not hereditary Peers of Parliament sixteen only are Representative Peers, the remaining sixteen being without the franchise and debarred from entering either House; and whether, having regard to the fact that a Liberal Scottish Peer has little chance, owing to his political opinions, of being elected as a Representative Peer, he will consider the propriety, when introducing a Reform Bill, of so amending the Act of Union as to enable non-representative Scottish Peers to become eligible for election to the House of Commons.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in addition to the thirty-two Scottish Peers mentioned in the Question, there are fifty others who are Peers of the United Kingdom, and accordingly take part, although they are Peers of the United Kingdom, in the Scottish elections; and in the proposed reform Bill, will he do his best to deal with these noble fagot voters?

My hon. and gallant friend's inquiry opens up a very wide field. I will consider the point raised.

Could not the right hon. Gentleman see his way to getting over the difficulty by adopting in toto the suggestions of the House of Lords' Reform Committee?

Will the right hon. Gentleman introduce legislation, at an early date, to put Scotsmen on the same level as Irishmen?