asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can state the number of tons of steel rails that have been imported into the United Kingdom from Russia during each of the years 1906, 1907, and 1908?

The following statement shows the number of tons of iron and steel rails imported into the United Kingdom from Russia during the last three years:— Tons. 1906 Nil. 1907 2,490 1908 16,000

No particulars are available with regard to steel as distinguished from iron rails.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what expenditure has been incurred by the Board owing to the recent operations on the Somali coast.

It is not practicable to give an Estimate of the naval expenditure incurred on account of operations on the Somali coast, inasmuch as such service is incidental to the general purposes for which His Majesty's ships are maintained on the East Indies Station, as in other parts of the world.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether a certain class of foreign investors escape the payment of income tax which is levied under almost similar circumstances to native residents in the three kingdoms; whether the American Beef Trust pay no income tax because their books are kept in America; and, if so, whether he will cause inquiries to be made into the whole subject, and take measures that the foreigner and native, similarly circumstanced, shall be liable for an equal amount of taxation?

As regards the first part of the question, I shall be happy to make inquiries into any specific case which the hon. Member may bring to my notice. The subject referred to in the second part of the question is already under investigation.

asked the Home Secretary whether any regulations have been or are to be issued for enabling local education authorities to delegate their duties under the Children Act, 1908, to the education committees constituted under the Education Act, 1902; and, if not, whether, in view of the difficulty of administration, he will introduce legislation on the subject?

I have no power to issue regulations on the subject. I am consulting the Board of Education as to whether any practical difficulty is likely to arise on this point.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether Major H. Knowles, of Gloucester, has been allowed to organise 200 old soldiers and volunteers and procure for them the free use of rifles, ammunition, and a drill hall in order to form a Volunteer Reserve; and, if so, whether other retired officers may do the same in other counties?

I have no official information concerning this matter. A communication has been addressed to the County Association of Gloucestershire asking for information on the subject, and pointing out that the raising of such a force without the authority of the Crown is illegal. There is no intention of permitting rifle clubs to drill as an armed force; to admit any such procedure would be disastrous to all schemes of organisation.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that at the late quarter sessions held in Limerick the County Court Judge, Mr. Law Smith, in dealing with the appeals in connection with applications for cottages and plots under the Labourers Acts from the labourers of Tipperary No. 2 District Council, which is situated in the county of Limerick, decided against all, or nearly all, the applications; and will he say how many applications were rejected, and on what grounds the rejections took place?

The Local Government Board have not yet received copies of the orders made by the County Court Judge in this case, but from a statement furnished by the clerk of the Rural District Council they gather that the judge dealt with petitions relating to 24 cottages, of which 18 were disallowed by him. The Board are not informed of the grounds upon which County Court Judges base their decisions.

asked whether the representatives of the late William M'Cormick have applied to the Estates Commissioners to be reinstated in their father's holding, situated at Diamor, Crossakiel, county Meath, on the estate of Mr. Battersby; and what action has been taken on their behalf?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that they have decided to take no action in the matter of the application of the representatives of William M'Cormick for reinstatement in a holding of which he lost possession on the expiration of his lease. The owner is willing to sell the lands to his widow, and the matter is one for arrangement between the parties.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he can state the amount of money lost to the ratepayers of Kerry under the operations of The Land Purchase Act, 1903, for each of the years 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, and 1908, under the different heads of deductions.

presented the following statement, showing the sums deducted from grants, or added thereto, payable in the county of Kerry in respect of land purchase liability under the Irish Land Act, 1903, during certain years. The amounts added to the grants are shown in italics:—

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland have made any proposals in regard to the improvement of school attendance in Ireland; and if he would be prepared to introduce a Bill amending the existing School Attendance Act on the lines asked for by several school attendance committees in Ireland.

I understand that the matter is under consideration, and my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer is shortly to receive a deputation on the subject, amongst others, of school attendance in Ireland. On the general question of legislation, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a question asked by the hon. Member for Queen's county on 3rd March, 1908.

asked the Secretary to the Board of Education if he can state out of what fund the money required for teachers' pensions in England, Scotland, and Wales is payable.

As regards England and Wales, teachers' pensions are payable out of monies voted by Parliament, with the exception of such annuities as teachers may be entitled to in respect of their contributions to the Deferred Annuity Fund established under the Elementary School Teachers (Superannuation) Act, 1898. Perhaps the hon. Member will be good enough to address a separate question to the Lord Advocate as to teachers' pensions in Scotland.