asked the Under-Secretary for the Colonies whether the provisions of the Licensing Ordinance have been lately enforced in Ibadan and Ognogbo, Southern Nigeria, or were they, after trial, abandoned; if so, what are the reasons for the withdrawal; and whether Ordinance No. 3 (1903), whereby the sale of spirits containing more than 5 per cent, of fusel was forbidden, is now practically effective in Southern Nigeria?

I have no information as to the enforcement and subsequent abandonment of the Southern Nigeria Licensing Ordinance at the places referred to, but I would explain that the Ordinance does not come fully into effect wherever it may be applied until the 1st of July next. The prohibition of the sale of spirits containing more than 5 per cent, of fusel oil is still in force, and I have no reason to suppose that it is not effective.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that the joiners employed fitting up the offices at Keyham dockyard are being paid at the rate of 28s. per week instead of at the proper rate of 31s. 6d.; and whether he will give instructions that these men must be paid at the proper rate, and that they be paid the difference between 28s. and 31s. 6d. for the number of weeks they have been paid at the former rate?

I am making inquiry into the matter referred to by the hon. Member, and will be glad to let him know the result.

asked the Lord Advocate whether he will state the total catch of fish caught by foreign trawlers in the Moray Firth and landed at English ports during the years 1900–1908?

Any information at my disposal relates only to fish landed by foreign trawlers which have been observed trawling in the Moray Firth, and would therefore be no true index to the total catch landed at English ports by foreign trawlers.

asked the Lord Advocate if his Department has any power to reduce the duration of the vacation of the High Courts in Edinburgh?

No, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the advertisements with regard to the sale of unserviceable and obsolete stores, etc., carried out by Home and Co., Delahay-street, Westminster, are given solely to newspapers holding the same political views as the present Government; and, if so, whether he proposes to alter this practice?

Army requirements are advertised in those papers which from their general circulation or professional or class character appear to be suited to give the required publicity. The list of papers, in which these sales are advertised, is framed on this principle, and was, as a matter of fact, drawn up when the party to which the Noble Lord belongs were in office. All political considerations are rigidly excluded in making the selection.

asked the Secretary of State for War when he will be able to explain to the House any amendments of the military law to be proposed or sanctioned in the present year?

An explanation of the amendments proposed to be made in the Army Act will be given on the second reading of the Army Annual Bill.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland), if he can say what was the quantity of barley imported into | Ireland during the year 1907, and its estimated value, and from what countries, and whether there are yet any figures for the year 1908?

There were 1,060,549 cwts. of barley valued at £377,821, imported into Ireland from all sources during the year 1907. Of this total 459,400 cwts. valued at £157,757 came direct from Roumania, 63,300 cwts. valued at £23,600 direct from the U.S.A., 44,800 cwts. valued at £14,863 direct from Russia, 24,200 cwts. valued at £6,726 direct from Canada. The remainder was imported riâ Great Britain, but the Department have no information as to the countries of origin. The figures for 1908 are not yet available.

asked what was the quantity of oats imported into Ireland during the year 1907 and its estimated value, and from what countries; and whether the figures are available for the year 1908?

There were 190,049 cwts. of oats valued at £61,370 imported into Ireland from all sources during 1907. Of this total, 47,100 cwts. valued at £16,140 came direct from Germany, and 6,200 cwts. valued at £2,021 direct from Canada. The remainder was imported via Great Britain, but the Department have no information as to the countries of origin. The figures for 1908 are not yet available.

asked what was the quantity of wheat imported into Ireland during the year 1907 and its estimated value, and from what countries, and to what use has it been applied; whether his official information shows it to be an inferior wheat to Irish; and if he can say whether there are any figures available for the year 1908?

There were 7,147,511 cwts. of wheat valued at £2,826,361 imported into Ireland from all sources during 1907. Of this, 2,189,000 cwts. valued at £841,236 came direct from the United States, 1,784,600 cwts. valued at £728,173 direct from Australia, 817,400 cwts. valued at £319,416 direct from the Argentine Republic. 454,200 cwts. valued at £188,093 direct from Canada, 384,600 cwts. valued at £150,063 direct from India, 230,900 cwts. valued at £93,370 direct from Russia, 70,300 cwts. valued at £26,493 direct from Uruguay, 19,600 cwts. valued at £5,740 direct from Roumania. The remainder was imported viâ Great Britain, but the Department have no information as to the countries of origin. The wheat imported was mainly used for milling purposes. The Department are unable to say whether the wheat imported, which was presumably of several qualities, was, on the whole, inferior to Irish grown wheat. The figures for 1908 are not yet available.

asked what was the quantity of wheat flour imported into Ireland for the year 1907 and its estimated value, and from what countries, and whether the statistics are available for the year 1908?

There were 5,261,607 cwts. of wheat flour, valued at £2,652,726, imported into Ireland from all sources during the year 1907. Of this total 1,191,500 cwts., valued at £654,295, came direct from the United States; 162,600 cwts., valued at £92,003 direct from Canada; 66,900 cwts., valued at £36,775, direct from Germany; 20,600 cwts., valued at £10,182, direct from Belgium; 16,900 cwts,. valued at £8,572, direct from France; and 15,300 cwts., valued at £8,688, direct from the Netherlands. The remainder was imported viâ Great Britain, but the Department have no information as to the countries of origin. The figures for 1908 are not yet available.

asked what was the quantity of wheat grown in Ireland during the year 1907 and its estimated value; what was the quantity and value of the same exported in that year, and to what countries, and whether there are any figures yet available for the year 1908?

The estimated produce of the wheat grown in Ireland for 1907 is 709,823 cwts., valued at £287,000. There were 25,213 cwts. of wheat valued at £9,770, exported from Ireland to Great Britain in 1907. None went abroad direct, and the Department have no information as to the ultimate destination of the wheat shipped to Great Britain. The exports for 1908 are not yet available. The estimated produce of the wheat grown in Ireland in f908 is 746,947 cwts., valued at £294,000.

asked the Secretary to the Board of Trade whether as a result of the undertaking given to his predecessor in December last, arrangements have been made by the railway companies concerned to restore the train connections between the North of Scotland and Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and the South; and whether satisfactory assurances have been obtained from the railway companies that the train services will enable passengers and His Majesty's mails to make the necessary connections at Aberdeen?

I understand that arrangements have now been made that from the 1st May next the East and West Coast trains to London are to leave Aberdeen at 7.30 p.m. and 7.50 p.m. respectively instead of at 7.0 p.m. and 7.25 p.m. as at present. These times of departure are somewhat earlier than those in force during last summer, and the booked time of arrival of the train from Inverness viâ Keith has accordingly been advanced from 7.27 p.m. to 7.12 p.m. in order that connection with the East Coast train may be restored, and I am assured that every effort will be made to secure the punctual arrival of this train in Aberdeen. The other branch line connections should be secured by the alterations in the times of departure of the London trains with the possible exception of the Deeside branch. When the alterations in the service were carried out in October the train formerly leaving Ballater at 5.55 p.m. was booked to leave at 5.10 p.m., and to arrive at Aberdeen at 6.48 p.m. It has been represented to the Great North of Scotland Railway Company that this time of departure was too early to be convenient, and it is now proposed that the departure from Ballater should be at 5.50 p.m., and the arrival at Aberdeen at 7.22 p.m. The company are confident that this train can be run with sufficient punctuality to ensure the connection with the East Coast train leaving at 7.30 p.m., but should this prove not to be the case some alteration in the time of leaving Ballater will have to be made.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what effect the proposed change in the United States tariff will have on British trade with the United States in Indian and Ceylon tea; whether the imposition of the new duty will necessarily prejudice that trade; whether he is aware that the preference of 1 per cent. on tea sent directly from the country of origin will place English firms of tea brokers at a disadvantage, compelling them to carry on their business in America or to cease therefrom; and whether any friendly representations have been or will be made to the United States Government?

I have not yet received copies of the United States Tariff Bill, but I have seen a statement in the Press to the effect that an additional duty is proposed to be levied on tea imported from countries other than those in which the tea was grown. It is not possible at the present to make any statement with regard to the last part of the question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the fact, as stated in the Board of Trade Labour Gazette for March, that the retail price for milk in urban centres was, when the investigation was made in October, 1905, 25 per cent. cheaper in Germany and 30 per cent. cheaper in France than in England; will he state whether the relative cheapness in those countries is due to municipal or Government action; and will he state, or take means to endeavour to ascertain, why milk is practically the only exception to the rule that the principal articles consumed by the working classes of this country are much cheaper than in France or Germany?

The relative cheapness of milk in France and Germany appear to be due not to municipal or Government action but to greater scale of production and smaller cost of distribution. The scale of production is larger both in France and Germany, the number of cows kept being 18 per 100 of the population in Germany and 19 in France as against 10 per 100 in the United Kingdom. The distance which milk has to be brought to the towns is, as a rule, not so great as in this country, and the milk is commonly distributed to the consumer by means of barrows drawn by dogs and led by women and not as in this country by means of carts drawn by horses and driven by men.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the report of Dr. J. Howard Jones, medical officer of health for Newport (Hon.), in which he calls attention to the offensive and insanitary condition of the seamen's sleeping quarters and other accommodation in many ships, some of which are new; and whether he will cause a thorough investigation to be made by the Officers of the Board of Trade, with the view of enforcing the adoption of proper sanitary conditions on such ships?

On the receipt of this report in October last the Board of Trade at once made inquiries into the particular case referred to by the medical officer, and the defects which had been observed were made good. Similar action is always taken when particular cases are reported by the local sanitary authorities.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has powers adequate to enforce proper sanitary conditions with relation to the accommodation of seamen on British and "n foreign ships in British ports?

The Merchant Shipping Acts give full power to secure that crew spaces on British ships shall be in all respects available for the proper accommodation of the men who occupy them. These provisions do not apply to foreign ships.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the average number of fatal accidents to seamen during the months since the Workmen's Compensation Act as affecting seamen came into force, and for the same number of months immediately preceding that date?

The average number of fatal accidents to seamen, including masters and apprentices, reported as having occurred during the 20 completed months since the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1906, came into force was 93, and for the same number of months preceding that date it was 107. The figures embrace all deaths by violence, including shipwreck, suicide, homicide, etc., and it is probable that the total for the later period may not be quite complete but may be increased by belated reports and losses in vessels which are overdue but not yet posted as missing.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if his attention has been called to an inquest on an old age pensioner named Blackwell, at Warwick, who died from pleuro-pneumonia without having any medical attendance, Because she feared that the attendance of the parish doctor would jeopardise her pension; and if he can take any steps to let old age pensioners understand that they may receive medical advice and attendance from poor law medical officers without running any risk of losing their pensions?

My attention has been called to this case. Medical or surgical assistance (including food or comforts) supplied by or on the recommendation of a medical officer does not disqualify a person for receiving an old age pension, or for continuing to receive one which has been already granted. I issued a memorandum for the information of persons desiring to make claims for pensions in which it was stated that such assistance as is mentioned above would not disqualify a claimant. Probably my right hon. Friend's question and my reply will answer the purpose which he has in view of giving publicity to the law on this subject.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his Department will express some opinion to the local pension committees and to poor law guardians jointly, calculated to avoid such cases of injustice as have been brought to his notice by the hon. Member for Norfolk (Northern Division), especially in view of the fact that the Local Government Board appears to accept the statements of the guardians or relieving officer as final, and of the fact that the practice of boards of guardians varies considerably in entering in their books particulars classifying as paupers the wife or other dependents owing to the receipt of poor relief by the husband?

If in fact the relief has been given for the support both of the husband and wife, the wife is disqualified, and it does not appear to me that any opinion which I could express would avoid this result. The statement of the guardians or their officer must in ordinary circumstances necessarily be accepted as to what the intention was when the relief was given, but I have no doubt that in future care will be taken in giving relief to show clearly whether it was intended only for the husband, or for the wife, or for both, as the case may be.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the pension officers of the Inland Revenue were officially asked to give their hearty co-operation and best energies to make the Pension Act a success; that in the official regulations a promise of payment for expenses incurred and of special remuneration was made; and, if so, whether he will consider the possibility of increasing the amount of the remuneration, now fixed at about 9d. per hour, seeing that such sum is less than that paid to postmasters and to clerks of pension committees, who in each case have considerably less work to perform?

I regret that I cannot add anything to the answer given to the hon. Member to a similar question on the 22nd instant.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether his Department have formed an estimate of the amount of the cost which will be put upon the rates by the revised regulations contained in Circular 709 just issued; and, if so, what roughly is the amount?

I beg to refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for the Ashburton Division of Devonshire to-day.