asked whether the inquiry respecting the wages of the men employed in the laundry at the Royal Infirmary, Dublin, has been completed; and, if so, whether the wages will be advanced to the market rate?

The three labourers employed at the War Department laundry at Dublin have, since the 19th February, been paid at the rate laid down for labourers of the Army Ordnance Department, viz., 20s. a week.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether enlistment and re-engagements in Section D are still suspended?

Section D is at present closed for the enlistment and re-engagement of men of the Royal Garrison Artillery and Infantry of the Line, and is open for other arms.

asked whether the men of the Royal Artillery whom it is proposed to enlist for short service will be utilised for foreign service in time of peace; and whether they will receive the same pay and allowances as men enlisted for six years' service with the colours?

It is not intended that these men shall be utilised for draft purposes in peace. They will receive the same pay and allowances as the men enlisted for six years with the colours, but they will not receive proficiency pay, which is not granted to men enlisted for three years' service only.

asked the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether quite recently at Dunshaughlin, county Meath, a soldier of the Royal Engineers was being detained a prisoner, and that during the time of the detention a civil employee was placed in charge of the soldier as guard; and, if so, is this course regular?

It is the case that in August last a soldier was placed in open arrest at Dunshaughlin, but no civil employee was put in charge of him. The arrest being open, no guard at all was required.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been directed to an advertisement in the Poor Law Official Journal of the 12th February from the guardians of the Merthyr Tydvil Union for a foster-mother to take charge of a cottage-home at Aberdale, with the provision that candidates must be Nonconformists; and whether he is prepared to sanction an appointment thus made on sectarian grounds?

I have seen the advertisement mentioned in the question. The guardians have, I find, two cottage homes at Aberdale, one for Nonconformist children only and the other for Church of England children only, and they consider it desirable that the foster-mothers should be of the same religious persuasion as the children under their care. The course adopted by the guardians appears to me to be reasonable, and I do not propose to interfere with it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the total amounts voted for Revenue Departments, including Supplementary Votes, in the years 1905–6, 1906–7, 1907–8, and 1908–9, showing the increase or decrease in each year, successively, including in 1908-9 the Supplementary Estimate.

The information asked for by the hon. Member is contained in the following table:— REVENUE DEPARTMENTS. Year' Amount Voted, including

Supplementary Estimates. Increase. £ £ 1905ߝ6 19,444,475 — 1906ߝ7 19,958,941 514,466 1907ߝ8 20,885,751 926,810 1908ߝ9 21,649,631 763,880

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether Army Order No. 281 of 1907 allows back service of British officers, under certain conditions, to count towards promotion in the British Army, viz., two years' commissioned service in full and half service in the ranks on active service; whether, so far as regards commissioned service, the rule has been admitted in the Indian Army, but as regards service in the ranks has been refused; whether the Secretary of State has directed or sanctioned this ruling; and, if so, on what ground; and whether the ruling can be revised?

Army Order No. 281 of 1907 does not apply to the Indian Army. In answer to a question asked by the hon. Member on 1st June, 1908, the Secretary of State defined the concession made to officers now in the Indian Army regarding the counting of service rendered in South Africa before the attainment of a regular commission. He considers it to be an equitable adjustment of conflicting interests, and is no more prepared to extend its scope as suggested in the present question than to curtail it as suggested in the hon. Member's question of 11th November, 1908.

asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can state the establishment and strength of the local military forces maintained in Natal, Cape Colony, Transvaal, and Orange River Colony?

The following are the figures:— Natal.—Actual strength of active Militia on 31st December, 1908, was 223 officers and 2,203 other ranks. The establishments was 374 officers and 2,281 other ranks.

Cape.—According to the Commandant-General's report published last year the strength of the Cape Colonial Forces on 31st December, 1907, was 11,190, including 5,695 cadets. The establishment exclusive of cadets was 8,067.

In the Transvaal the establishment was 348 officers and 3,322 other ranks. The actual strength on 31st December, 1908, was 288 officers and 3,080 other ranks, and in addition an establishment of 151 officers and 3,856 cadets and an actual strength of 143 officers and 3,394 cadets.

There are no local military forces in the Orange River Colony.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether, in view of the fact that upwards of £3,000 of public money is available for the flax improvement scheme in Ireland and the fact that all efforts put forth seem to have failed to improve either the yield or quality of the flax crop, he will consider the advisability of having the matter thoroughly investigated by a representative commission, or arrange, as soon as possible, a joint meeting in Belfast of the members of the County Flax Sub-Committees to confer with them as to the necessity of such a commission?

The position of the flax crop in Ireland has been engaging the attention of the Department for some time, and the question of further action in the matter, whether by means of a committee of inquiry or otherwise, is under consideration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state why Maria Corley, of Curheens, Breaffy, Castlebar, county Mayo, though being passed by the pension officer at Castlebar No. 1 sub-committee for a pension at the rate of 4s. a week, which was increased by the subcommittee to 5s. a week, was, on an appeal lodged by the pension officer, debarred by the Local Government Board from any pension whatsoever; why Michael McHale, of Moreen, Castlebar, after being passed by the pension officer for a pension of 4s. a week, which decision was confirmed by the sub-committee, was, on the pension officer raising the question of McHale being medically relieved in the union hospital in Castlebar, debarred by the Local Government Board from receiving any pension, although the subcommittee was guided in their decision by the Board's circular letter, No. 177 M, 1908, Miscellaneous, dated 30th December, 1908, which says that when medical or surgical assistance preponderates and the maintenance is altogether subsidiary there is no disqualification; and will he recommend the Local Government Board to reconsider their decisions?

The Local Government Board were of opinion that Maria Corley's income exceeded the statutory limit. They disallowed Michael McHale's claim, as they obtained evidence that he had not reached the statutory age of 70. They have no power to re-consider a decision which they have given regarding an appeal under the Old Age Pensions Act.

asked whether in one union each patient costs 53s. a year for alcohol, while in others the charge has almost disappeared; and whether the Govern- ment considers the charge in the former cases or anything but a small and exceptional charge to be permissible on this account?

I believe that the facts are substantially as stated. It rests with the medical officer of the workhouse to give directions as to stimulants for sick inmates, and in other cases they can only be given on his recommendation; but an average cost of 53s. per patient on a series of years or on a considerable number of cases would certainly appear to be excessive. I may add that the inspectors of the Board have drawn the attention of the Guardians to the matter where there seems to be grounds for considering that alcohol is too freely supplied.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he has reason to believe that the disinfectants used by the Board for treating premises with which animals infected with swine fever have come in contact are ineffectual; and, if the answer be in the affirmative, whether he will now consider the propriety of providing by Law for the standardisation of disinfectants?

The matter referred to in the first part of the question is one for the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries. As regards the latter part, I may say that the standardisation of disinfectants is a subject of great difficulty, and that experts differ in opinion with regard to it. I do not think it would be practicable to deal with it at the present time.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he will introduce legislative proposals to deal with the abuse of the public highways by reckless owners and drivers of motor cars; and, if so, how soon does he hope to introduce a Bill?

The subject will receive consideration, but I cannot make any promise with regard to it at the present time.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he has now considered the last interim report of the Tuberculosis Commission, and will have regard to the facts therein established in framing his Milk Bill or any administrative measures?

The answer to both parts of the question is in the affirmative.

asked whether the husband of the postmistress at Dromod, county Leitrim, was appointed telegraph assistant at the Dromod post office without any previous postal or telegraphic experience; if so, what was she date of his appointment, and has he yet been pronounced efficient; whose duty is it to certify his efficiency; and, during the period he has been on duty without having been certified efficient, what arrangements have been made for the performance of the telegraph work at the office?

I explained the circumstances of this officer's employment in answer to a question put by the hon. Member on the 4th December last. The officer took up duty on the 12th November. During the interval before he can be pronounced fully efficient the sub-postmistress performs a part of his duties. She will not be sole judge of his efficiency.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can state when a report may be expected from the special Railway Conference now sitting; and whether, in view of the interest taken in the proceedings by the National Federations of Fruit and Potato Trades' Associations, he will take steps to inform these organisations of its proceedings?

A report from the Railway Conference is expected shortly, and any information which it may be decided to publish shall be furnished to the federation.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he proposes to advance the rate of wages of the labourers in the Army Ordnance Department at Dublin and the Curragh Camp from the 1st April next?

The information in my possession does not lead me to think that the rates paid compare unfavourably with those generally current at the station mentioned, and I do not propose to raise them.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will arrange either to transfer the experiments in the construction of airships from the military to the naval authorities or arrange for the naval authorities to make experiments concurrently with the military authorities?

The question of aerial navigation has occupied the attention of the Government, and provision has been made in the Navy, as well as the Army, Estimates which will ensure that the problem of the use of airships in maritime, as well as in land, warfare will be fully investigated by both the Departments concerned.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he would consider, in order to prevent the importation of raw cocoa produced by slave labour and in order to increase the importation of cocoa produced in British Colonies, the raising of the duty on raw cocoa produced by slave labour from 1d. to 2d. per pound, so as to make the duty equivalent to the duty on imported manufactured cocoa, and thereby withdraw flour the British manufacturers of cocoa who use slave-grown cocoa the protective benefits which they at present enjoy?

I do not see my way to accept the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked whether the land surveyors and draughtsmen employed in the Irish Land Commission and General Valuation Office are permitted to perform for hire or fee work in connection with their trade or calling for individuals who are not in the public service?

The surveyors and draughtsmen of the Land Commission are bound to give their whole time during official hours to the work of the Land Commission, and they are not entitled to undertake any private work in such official hours. They have not permission outside official hours to perform for hire or fee work in any way connected with business pending in the Land Commission for individuals not in the public service. Land surveyors and draughtsmen in the General Valuation Office are not permitted to perform for hire or fee any work during the hours they are employed in that office, or when they are on Government work in the country.