asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that India is not entitled to the most-favoured-nation treatment in the French market except in the case of a limited class of goods known as denrées coloniales, though India gives most-favoured-nation treatment to all French goods; whether he is aware that India possesses an extensive tariff; and whether any attempt has been made, either by His Majesty's late advisers or by his present advisers, to induce France to treat Indian goods on the same footing as goods coming from other countries.

The answer to the three questions is in the affirmative. The French Government have several times been approached on the subject, but no arrangement has been found possible. My hon. Friend may rest assured that the matter will not be lost sight of.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the fact that the answers to starred questions not reached and to unstarred questions are now printed in the daily Official Report of the Parliamentary Debates, he will, in the interests of economy, recommend an amendment of Standing Order No. 9, whereby this Report might take the place of the answers circulated with the Votes, and thereby save the expense of twice setting up and printing the same matter?

I will draw the attention of the Select Committee on Parliamentary Publications to the hon. Member's suggestion; but I ought to point out to him that some Members are, I understand, in the habit of cutting out the printed answers to unstarred questions and circulating them to their constituents.

asked the Prime Minister when the second reading of the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Bill will be taken?

It is intended to take the second reading of this Bill before Easter. On Thursday I hope to make a statement with regard to the business for next week.

asked the hon. Member for South Somerset as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether he can state the number of applicants for small holdings, under the Act of 1907, in Worcestershire, the number of applications approved, the acreage applied for, the amount of land already allocated, the number of schemes under consideration, the acreage involved in them, and the localities in which land has been allotted or will soon be allotted; and how many of the applicants approved have actually entered into possession of the land allotted to them, and the extent of such holdings?

Of 753 applicants 510 have been approved for 5.783 acres of land, and 296 acres have been already allocated. Twenty schemes, comprising 898 acres, are under consideration. Land has, or will be shortly, allotted in 30 parishes, namely: Berrow, Bretforton, Broadway, Bromsgrove, Castlemorton, Church Lench, Fladbury, Great Comberton, Hagley, Hanley Castle (Edg.), Harvington, Hill and Moor, Inkberrow, Kempsey, Littleton (North), Littleton (South), Lulsley, Malvern (Great), Newbold-on-Stour, North-field, North Fiddle, Norton and Lench-wick, Powick, Redmarley, Rock, Romsley, Upton-on-Severn, Upton Snodsbury, Yardley. Thirty-five applicants are already in possession of 161 acres provided by the county council, and 45 in possession of 863 acres provided direct by landowners.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if it is his intention during the present Session to promote legislation for the eradication of tuberculosis, human as well as bovine, on national and compulsory lines, or whether it is his intention to so deal with this matter at a later period during this present Parliament?

Legislation on the subject of bovine tuberculosis is at present receiving my attention in connection with the Milk Bill which I propose to introduce. As regards human tuberculosis I do not at the moment contemplate legislation on the subject. I have recently issued an Order providing for the compulsory notification of pulmonary tuberculosis when occurring amongst persons in poor law institutions or under the care of poor law medical officers, and this Order has, I am glad to find, stimulated voluntary notification of the disease when occurring among other persons in the large number of districts where a system for that purpose is in force. I shall by no means lose sight of the matter, but I think that developments with regard to it must be gradual.

asked the Postmaster-General, in view of the handing over of the Post Office engineering service in the South of Ireland to the control of the Royal Engineers, if he will state what counties in Ireland are being handed over under the present arrangements, and what counties it is contemplated to hand over in the future to the military authorities; if he will state whether the city and county of Dublin are considered as being in the South of Ireland; and whether, in view of the statement that only one second-class civilian engineer was to be displaced, he will explain why four commissioned officers have been detached for duty in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, and Waterford, respectively; and, if so, whether these officers are intended to supplement or supplant the present civilian staff.

The Royal Engineers will be responsible for the Post Office work in the following counties: Queen's, Wicklow, Limerick, Tipperary, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Waterford, Cork, Kerry, Clare, and parts of Galway, King's County, Kildare, and Dublin; and also in the city of Dublin. I am unable to say what, if any, alterations in the constitution of the district may be necessary in future. Dublin, Cork, Limerick, and Waterford are the headquarters of the four sections into which the. Southern District is divided, and a commissioned officer in charge of the section will be stationed at each of the four. Of the civilian officers in charge of sections one is being transferred at his own request made some time ago, and one has passed the examination for a higher post. Of the other two only one will have to leave the district.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total weight and value of potatoes exported in 1907 and 1908 from Great Britain; and to what countries are they exported?

, in pursuance of a promise given in the House, supplied the following statement showing the quantities and value of potatoes exported from the United Kingdom to the undermentioned foreign countries and British possessions in 1907 and 1908:—

asked the Attorney-General whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are a number of industrial insurance policies now in existence in this country, the premiums of which are ignorantly paid by persons who have no insurable interest, and to whom, while accepting the premiums, the insurance companies are under no liability to pay the insurance money when due; and whether he will consider the desirability of introducing amending legislation to prevent the present state of things?

asked the Attorney-General whether, in view of the fact that since the passing of the Act of George III., which defined insurable interests, great changes have taken place in the laws affecting the personal obligations of children towards their parents, inasmuch as they are now required to defray the cost of the maintenance and cost of burial in the event of such parents becoming a charge on the rates; and, in view of the fact that the wage-earning classes have for many years past by a system of insurance provided against their liability in this respect, will he, under these circumstances, consider the advisability, whether by legislation or otherwise, of providing that the definition of insurable interest at present existing by statute or legal decision should be enlarged, and be made applicable, so that any person under statutory or other obligation may cover that obligation by insurance on the life of the person concerned; that any relative by blood or connection by marriage shall be entitled to insure the life of another relative in connection so as to cover the expenses incidental to or connected with the death of the person insured; and that all liability for education, maintenance, or funeral expenses which, in the natural course, would be undertaken by a relative or connection to avoid a claim being made on the rates, should also be entitled to be covered by insurance?

Perhaps I may be permitted to answer these questions together. I am informed that the subject of insurable interest under life assurance policies has for some time been before the Board of Trade in consequence of the numerous cases of "speculative" insurance which have been brought to the Board's notice where policies have been effected on the lives of third parties without their knowledge or consent. Considerable prominence has also been given in the public Press to the matter owing to actions which have been instituted in the Courts against insurance companies by holders of policies for obtaining the return of premiums paid in connection with the policies on the lives of relatives on the ground that the proposals were knowingly accepted by the agents of the companies, although no insurable interest existed. It was accordingly considered desirable by the Board and the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies to issue to all insurance companies and collecting friendly societies warning circulars upon the subject. A Bill is now under consideration for consolidating and amending the law relating to life assurance companies, and for extending the law to other insurance companies, and I believe the whole matter of insurable interest is engaging the attention of the Board of Trade in connection therewith.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that a number of assistant-clerks who entered the service only a few days subsequent to 1st April will lose 30s. a year under the scheme if complete years of service are insisted upon; and whether he will allow service of over six months to count?

A similar objection could be raised if the hon. Member's suggestion of six months were adopted. I am not prepared to agree to any fresh arrangement.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if an ages and capacities book is kept at Thames Street in regard to the preventive men of His Majesty's Customs; whether any intimation is given to the men as to the records entered against them; and, if not, whether, on application, he is prepared to permit such book to be inspected by the men concerned?

Annual returns of the ages and capacities of all officers under their survey are compiled by the responsible officers concerned and submitted to the Board of Customs. Where the returns show an officer to be endangering his prospects by faults within his own control he is informed in what respects he fails to give satisfaction. The Board of Customs are not prepared to permit the returns, which are confidential documents, to be inspected by the men concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the estimated annual cost of £1,655,000 would be saved if South Africa were not garrisoned, or whether, on the contrary, a large proportion of this expenditure would in any case be incurred?

The amount saved would depend upon the course adopted as regards the disposal of the troops. In any case, the saving would not all accrue immediately.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the fact that two men named Li Shek Pang and Hung Loi were tried before the Chief Justice of Hong Kong, in January, 1909, on an indictment for murder, and were acquitted on the charge of murder but convicted of manslaughter; that such conviction was quashed by the Full Court, on 25th February, 1909, on the ground of the misreception of evidence and the prisoners were discharged; that the Attorney-General of Hong Kong thereupon announced his intention in court of preferring a fresh indictment for murder against both prisoners in respect of the charge which had formed the subject of the indictment, their conviction on which had been quashed, and the prisoners were rearrested on leaving the court; upon what authority the prisoners were put upon their trial again on the charge of murder under the circumstances above stated; and whether he will take steps to prevent any further proceedings being taken in the matter and to secure the immediate release of the prisoners?

My attention has been called to this matter, and I am communicating with the Governor with regard to it.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he can ascertain the number of fair-rent applications at present pending before the Land Commission from the Kenmare estate, county Kerry; and if, seeing that such applications are from tenants unwilling to purchase at the landlord's terms, he can say when the Land Commission will fix a sitting to hear and dispose of same?

The Land Commission inform me that a sitting of a Sub-Commission was held at Killarney in last December, at which 35 cases on Lord Kenmare's estate were listed for hearing, these being all the cases on that estate in which the notices were served before 1st October, 1908. Nineteen of these cases were struck out, as it appeared that purchase agreements had been entered into. In the remaining 16 cases the applications have been heard in court, and the decisions will be announced shortly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tobacco manufacturers have ceased to exist as such since the Imperial Tobacco Trust of Great Britain and Ireland was formed; if any loss of revenue accruing from licence duty occasioned by manufacturers giving up business has been made up by any extra charge upon the firms comprising the Imperial Trust; is he aware that the Imperial Tobacco Trust have been until recently underselling the independent tobacco manufacturers at least ld. per pound in the common trade, such as Irish roll, pigtail, and common shag (3d. per ounce quality), but as the raw material (leaf tobacco) had advanced 2d. per pound last season, they have brought these prices up to the same as the independent manufacturers are selling at; and, seeing that the raw material has risen 2d. per pound, and the independent manufacturer cannot get any advance on account of the Imperial Tobacco Trust, will the Government consider the advisability of taking some action to prevent the remaining independent manufacturers from being obliged to close down, which will leave the entire trade in the hands of the Imperial Tobacco Trust and the retail trader and the public at their mercy?

In regard to the first part of the question, the following table shows the variations in fee number of tobacco manufacturers' licences and in the amount of duty received thereon during the last 10 years:—

asked whether the request of the naval writers for the granting of warrant-officer rank and of pay for good-conduct badges and for increase of pay to writer ratings has been considered; and, if so, when a reply may be expected?

The question of granting warrant rank to writers and certain other classes of naval ratings is not yet settled, but it is hoped that a decision will be arrived at shortly. It is not considered that an increase in their scale of pay is called for, nor is it in contemplation to grant payment for good-conduct badges to this class. The question of extending this latter privilege to the classes who do not at present possess it has often been considered and decided in the negative.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that in the Admiralty Works Department, Devonport, many employes through slackness or completion of work have been discharged, and many of these discharges are among men who have rendered 4, 5, and 6 years' service instead of being selected from men much more recently engaged; and whether he will take steps to ensure that where discharges are necessary those who come last shall go first?

I am aware of the discharges in question, which, it is regretted, are necessary owing to completion of works. I am unable to give the assurance asked for. The method adopted when discharges are necessary is to consider carefully the qualifications, abilities, and conduct of all the men affected, the men most satisfactory in these respects, and most suitable for the work remaining to be done, being retained—due consideration being given in respect of length of service.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will consider, with a view to a compassionate allowance, the case of the widow and children of Alfred Stidiford, leading seaman, 29 years of age, who met with an accident whilst on duty on board H.M.S. "Medusa," and after repeated operations and extended hospital treatment had his leg amputated at the Royal Naval Hospital, Stonehouse, in May last, and subsequently died, his death, according to medical testimony, being due to the effects of the accident.

Stidiford received an injury to his leg while on duty on 24th July, 1902. He was invalided on 4th June, 1908. for tubercle and for tumour of the leg, and died on the 15th ult., after ampution of the leg, the cause of death being sarcoma of leg and sarcoma of lung. Under the regulations, pensions to widows of seamen dying from the effects of injury can be granted only when the death occurs within two years of the injury. Stidiford's death occurred six years and seven months after his injury, and the conditions therefore do not admit of the grant of a pension or compassionate allowance to the widow and children. Inquiries are, however, being made as to the admission of the children into homes at the expense of Greenwich Hospital.

asked of what material it is proposed to build the two lighters for Sheerness and the one lighter for Haul-bowline (pages 216 and 218, Navy Estimates); whether these lighters are fitted with masts or derricks; and whether they are intended for any, and, if so, for what, purposes other than transport?

These lighters will be built of steel; they will not be fitted with masts and derricks, and they are not intended for any other purpose than transport.

asked what machinery other than propelling machinery it is proposed to place on board yard craft Nos. 62 and 63 (page 216, Navy Estimates); and whether these lighters are intended for any pm-poses other than transport?

No machinery other than propelling machinery and hand windlass is to be placed on board yard craft Nos. 62 and 63. These lighters are not intended for any purposes other than transport.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in order to abolish casual and unestablished labour, he will direct that at all sub-offices in which it is found necessary to employ indoor staff eight hours per day throughout the year, such positions shall be filled by established staff?

It is not the practice to employ casual labour on full duties throughout the year. Occasionally, pending an appointment, it may be necessary to place a temporary substitute on such a duty; but an appointment, established or unestablished, is made to all regular full duties as quickly as possible.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he has power to issue regulations dealing with the packages, bags, wrappers, etc., in which articles of food are supplied by retailers to their customers; and whether he will consider the advisability of prohibiting the use of old newspapers for the purpose of wrapping meat and other articles of food?

The Public Health (Regulations as to Food) Act, 1907, enables the Local Government Board to make regulations authorising measures to be taken for the prevention of danger arising to public health from the distribution of articles of food intended for sale for human consumption, but I have no information which on grounds of public health would justify regulations of the kind suggested in the last part of the question.

asked the Prime Minister when the Report of the Treasury Commission on the Study of Oriental Languages may be expected?

The Treasury are expecting to receive the Report very shortly.

asked the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether, in view of the fact that the Governments of Natal and Malta now require all potatoes imported from Great Britain to be furnished with a certificate, signed by an inspector of the Board of Agriculture, stating that they are free from black scab, the Board of Agriculture are prepared to give such certificates?

The Regulations as to the importation of potatoes from this country into Malta require them to be accompanied by (1) a Statutory Declaration by the shipper naming the place of origin, and stating that such potatoes were not grown on land infected with Black Scab, and (2) a certificate from an officer of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries stating that the locality in which the potatoes were grown is free from that disease. The Board are prepared to give the necessary certificates. We have no information as to the Natal regulations, but we will make enquiry.

further asked whether any foreign or Colonial Governments, other than those of Natal and Malta, impose conditions or restrictions on the importation of potatoes from Great Britain?

No, not so far as we are aware.