asked the Secretary of State for War what was the total number of British infantry battalions and companies of garrison artillery stationed at Gibraltar, Malta, Aden, Singapore, and Hong Kong on 1st October, 1903, and 1st October, 1908, respectively?

supplied the following particulars:— — Royal Garrison Artillery Companies. Infantry Battalions. 1903. 1908. 1903. 1908. Malta … 9 8 7¾ 4½ Gibraltar … 7 7 3 2 Aden … 3 3 2 1 Singapore … 2 2 1 1 Hong Kong … 3 3 ½* 1 *Four companies with the China force.

asked the Secretary of State for War, with reference to the supply of guns to the Territorial Force, if he can state whether it is the practice to, in the first instance, supply the London brigades with the most modern guns and pass on the older ones to the Scottish batteries; if not, can he explain why the Aberdeen batteries, Royal Field Artillery, have had a gun issued to them which in the first place had been issued to the London brigade; and, in view of the fact that, with an establishment of 475 men, the Aberdeen batteries are of a strength of 470, all being four-year men, and that such partial treatment is discouraging to the men, he will discontinue such a practice?

The guns supplied to the Territorial Force are of two different patterns, Marks I. and IV. The first supply issued for instructional purposes was made to all batteries ready for them without regard to pattern. It was, however, necessary to arrange that the country should be divided into two parts so that all the guns in each part should be of the same pattern, in order to facilitate the supply of spare parts, which vary according to the pattern. Mark I. accordingly has been issued to the Scottish, Northern, and Western commands, and Mark IV. to the Eastern, Southern, and London commands. There are, however, 12 Mark IV. in the Northern command, as the stock of Mark I. was insufficient to complete the supply required.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the issue of 15-pounder B.L.C. guns and stores is now complete, in accordance with his statement that all guns required to complete establishment of guns would be issued to units prior to 31st March; and if he can explain why, up to recently, the gun establishment of a city of Aberdeen battery in the 1st Highland Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, was incomplete, and that no small stores had yet been issued?

It was hoped that the issue of the guns would be completed by 31st March. The guns have all been converted, but there are, however, various adjustments and arrangements to be made before the actual despatch. There were on 24th April, 41 awaiting issue, including the two guns due to complete the Highland Brigade. There may be some slight delay in transport, but all will be issued by the end of May.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he can say what steps, if any, the Estates Commissioners have taken to provide a holding for Thomas Flanagan, who was evicted in 1889 from a holding on the estate of Mrs. Adair, situated at Clonaghadoo, near Mountmellick, Queen's County; whether the planter in Flanagan's farm has been approached with a view to compensation; and whether it has been ascertained on what title the planter holds the farm, and, if under a yearly tenancy, when it was created?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that Flanagan's former holding is in the occupation of another tenant who holds the lands under a yearly tenancy created in November, 1902. Flanagan's name will be considered in the allotment of untenanted land.

asked the Chief Secretary if he will state what steps have been taken to acquire the ranches known as Belsgrove and Moydriston, county Cavan, in the hands of Mr. W. Webb; will he say what other ranches in this district of county Cavan have come under the Estates Commissioners' notice; and whether, in view of the number of uneconomic holdings in the locality, steps will be immediately taken to acquire this untenanted land?

Proceedings have not been instituted before the Estates' Commissioners under the Act of 1903 for the sale of the lands of Belsgrove and Moydriston, but the Commissioners will make inquiries with a view to seeing whether these lands might be acquired under the Evicted Tenants Act for the purpose of providing holdings for suitable evicted tenants whose former holdings are not available. The Commissioners have already purchased and distributed 2,075 acres of untenanted land in county Cavan, and in addition are in negotiations for the purchase of 1,020 acres in that county.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the scheme for the distribution of the untenanted land acquired under the Evicted Tenants Act on the Hamilton-Stubber estate, Queen's County, has yet been approved by the Estates Commissioners; and, if so, can he give the names of the evicted tenants to whom the land is about being or has been allotted, and the area of each allotment?

No scheme for the distribution of these lands has yet been approved by the Estates Commissioners.

asked the Chief Secretary on what grounds the Local Government Board reversed the decision of the pension committee and disallowed the claim to an old age pension of Mr. Irvine Hamilton, Ballinamallard, county Fermanagh; and, as Mr. Hamilton has, since the decision of the Local Government Board, met with an accident which disables him from work, can the question of his pension be reviewed or a new claim considered?

The Local Government Board disallowed this man's claim on the ground that his income exceeded the limit prescribed by the Act. It is not open to the Board to reconsider their decision, but, if the claimant thinks he can show that the ground of disqualification no longer exists, it is open to him to make a fresh claim.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can state the cause of delay in reinstating Mrs. Coffey to the holding at Coolnahorna, Carrick-on-Suir union, county Waterford, from which lands her late husband was evicted?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that the present holding has been purchased by the present occupier under the Land Purchase Acts. Mrs. Coffey's name will be considered in the allotment of untenanted land to be acquired by the Commissioners.

asked the Chief Secretary what is the cause of the delay in the restoration of Miss Ellen Power, an evicted tenant on the estate of the Marquis of Waterford, to her former holding; whether the owner is in occupation of same; and whether her reinstatement therein will be expedited as much as possible?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that this estate is now being inspected, and that the papers in reference to Miss Power's application for reinstatement have been forwarded to the inspector, who has been asked to report specially on the case.

asked the Chief Secretary if the Commissioners of National Education intend to appoint a teacher to the present vacancy in the inspectorate; and, in any case, if he will request the Commissioners to avoid summoning the same candidates to Dublin on different occasions, thereby involving them in expense and loss of time?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that they have no present intention of making any change in the method of selecting persons to fill the office of Inspector of National Schools.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that in the case of the estate of the Misses Peech, county Cork, a tenant named Patrick Walsh failed to sign a purchase agreement at the same time as the other tenants, as he had a fair-rent appeal then pending; that this tenant, his appeal having been decided, has now expressed his willingness to sign on the same terms as the other purchasing tenants; whether the owners have refused unless they receive an assurance from the Estates Commissioners that the bonus of 12 per cent. shall be paid on this purchase as well as on the others; and whether, seeing that this tenant remained temporarily outside the sale for bonâ fide cause, he will recommend to the Estates Commissioners that an understanding should be come to as to the amount of the bonus to be paid in his cause, so that he may be immediately admitted to the same benefits of purchase as his co-tenants?

The payment of bonus is governed by statutory conditions. It is not a matter within the jurisdiction of the Estates Commissioners, but is dealt with by the Judicial Commissioner in court on the allocation of the purchase money when advanced.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he is aware of the urgent need of a harbour in Rathlin Island; whether representatives of the Department visited the island in September last, and, in consequence, the Board's engineer was directed to prepare plans; whether the Antrim County Council has passed a resolution agreeing to contribute their full share of the cost of the harbour; whether the reason given for the delay by the Department is that funds are wanting; whether the Department two weeks ago promised financial aid for the Portrush Harbour; and, if so, why the prior claim of Bathlin Island is not recognised?

The Department have given very careful attention to the proposals which have been made for providing a safe harbour on Rathlin Island. The place has been inspected by the Department's engineer, and I visited it myself last September. The Department's engineer reports that a harbour affording safe shelter could not be constructed for less than £7,000. In the present state of their funds the Department are quite unable to offer the county council such a contribution as would enable them to face this large expenditure. The new Grand Jury Amendment Act would not in any case permit of the county council, in conjunction with the Department, constructing a new marine work costing £7,000. The fisherman's pier at Portrush is a comparatively small undertaking, the cost of which can be met out of the Department's funds.

asked whether the only landing pier for boats at Ballycastle, county Antrim, is a small pier which is owned privately, and which was partly destroyed by a storm last autumn; that the people from Rathlin Island have had to wade through the water to get ashore; whether the coroner's boat was nearly capsized, and the coroner obliged to jump out of it; whether the coroner complained of this to a Board of Trade inspector specially sent to make inquiries as to the condition of the pier; whether any complaints have been received by the Department as to the condition of the pier and the want of proper landing accommodation for the public; and what action, if any, the Department is taking in the matter?

The Department are aware that there is a small boat pier at Ballycastle, county Antrim, which is vested in the county authorities, and is consequently open to the public. There is also a private pier or jetty. The Department understand that an officer of the Board of Trade visited Ballycastle in February last, and was informed that two boats when approaching the landing place had been sunk by striking the stones, and that the occupants (of whom it was not stated that the coroner was one) had been obliged to wade ashore. Representations have been made to the Department respecting the inadequacy of the landing facilities, and some years ago they contributed to the cost of repairing the public boat pier. Further improvement is undoubtedly desirable, and the matter is under the consideration of the Department, who are in communication with the local authorities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the course of his recent inquiry into the German system of taxation, he acquired any information as to the revenue raised by the regulation of betting upon racecourses; and, if so, whether he would communicate the same to the House?

No, Sir. I have no information on this subject.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in accordance with his undertaking given some time ago, he has considered the expediency and practicability of imposing an employers' tax of 1s. in the pound upon all wages paid; and whether in any case he will consider the suggestion in connection with the scheme of national insurance foreshadowed in his Budget statement?

I am not conscious of having given the undertaking referred to by my hon. Friend, but I have no objection to considering the suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has made himself acquainted with the system prevailing in other countries of taxing the receipts of theatres and other places of entertainment; and whether he will consider the expediency of establishing a similar tax?

I am aware of the system in question. As regards the latter part of the Question, I must refer the hon. Member to my reply to Question No. 39.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state, for each of the last 20 years, the amount of the surpluses which, owing to unexpected accessions to the revenue or to savings upon the Estimates, have passed automatically into the old Sinking Fund for the liquidation of the National Debt?

The hon. Member will find the information he desires on page 3 of the National Debt Return presented on the 26th ultimo. (House of Commons Paper, No. 113.)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether there are any statistics to show how many bottles of champagne were imported into the United Kingdom in the last five financial years respectively; and, if so, what the figures are?

The statistical records do not show the number of bottles of champagne imported into the United Kingdom, but only the quantities expressed in gallons. Champagne is brought in bottles of various sizes, of which the most usual are quart or pint bottles. Six quarts, or 12 pints, go to the gallon. The quantities imported in each of the last five financial years were: Gallons. 1904–5 1,019,288 1905–6 1,214,657 1906–7 1,144,489 1907–8 1,036,036 1908–9 973,133

asked the Home Secretary whether he can state how many of the public-houses and on and off beerhouses licensed in the county of London are free and how many are tied houses belonging to brewers?

I am not aware of any authoritative statistics on this point. As regards on-licences, estimates are commonly given to the effect that upwards of 90 per cent. of the licences throughout the country are "tied," and I am not aware of any reason why the proportion in London should differ materially from the general proportion.

asked the Home Secretary if he will enlarge the reference to the Departmental Committee on the Metropolitan Police recently appointed by him, so that evidence can be taken as to the extra net cost per constable and per pound of rateable value of the metropolitan force employed on ordinary police duties when compared with the cities of Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and Manchester, and as to the relationship between the receiver's accounts annually submitted to Parliament and the estimates approved by the Home Office for the purposes of the Police Fund and Pension Fund?

No, Sir. It is in any case too late. Information as to the items which make up the cost of the several police forces in England and Wales is given in Tables III. and VI. (c) appended to the Annual Reports of His Majesty's Inspectors of Constabulary.

asked the Home Secretary when the evidence taken by the Royal Commission on the Church in Wales, which is ready for presentation, will be in the hands of Members?

The Secretary of State is informed that two volumes of evidence, now in the hands of the printers, are likely to be ready for the Commissioners when they meet next week, and that the Commission will then consider the question of submitting them to the King, with an Interim Report. If the Commission takes this course, the evidence will be published as speedily as possible.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Government of India has adopted any disciplinary measures in respect of Mr. Venugopal Chetty, Judge of Chingleput, who endeavoured to render null and void his marriage with an Englishwoman in this country, similar to the stringest measures taken by the Government of East Africa Protectorate in respect of an European officer who took under his protection a native African girl?

The Secretary of State is informed that the Government of Madras at the end of March last called upon Mr. Venugopal Chetty for an explanation of his conduct; he has asked for time to submit the required explanation, which is still awaited.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he can give any official estimate of the amounts of gold and of silver, respectively, which are lying hoarded in the Dependency?

Any calculation on the subject must include many conjectural factors, and the Secretary of State is therefore not prepared to give an official estimate.

asked the Under-Secretary for India whether he is aware that the Secretary of State for India in Despatch No. 7 (Telegraph), dated 27th February, 1903, stated that it was desirable, having regard to the existing method of recruiting of the Telegraph Department, that the prospects of advancement in it should not be inferior to those of the Public Works Department; that in 1905 the pay of the administrative grades of the Public Works Department was revised and substantially increased; that at the present time every officer in the Telegraph Department, with the exception of the Director-General, is now drawing less pay to an extent of from 5 to 30 per cent. than he would be drawing had the rates sanctioned for the Public Works Department been also granted to officers of the Telegraph Department; and whether, having regard to the fact that proposals for an increase of pay to the administrative grades of the Telegraph Department were first made in September, 1905, and for executive grades in April, 1907, he will consider the advisability of granting them the increased rates of pay with retrospective effect from the dates on which the pay of officers of corresponding rank in the Public Works Department was increased, so that the officers of the Telegraph Department may not be the losers by reason of the delay which has occurred in dealing with their case?

I have recently stated, in reply to a previous question by the hon. Member, that the Government of India will be asked when their recommendations with regard to the re-organisation of the Indian Telegraph Department may be expected? The suggestion now made by the hon. Member will be borne in mind when the recommendations of the Government of India are being considered by the Secretary of State.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state what was the average annual amount contributed by the Treasury towards the cost of valuation in Ireland; whether the amount contributed by the Irish taxpayers is about £8,000 per annum; and whether, in view of this contribution, he will assimilate the system with that of Great Britain, in having the local authorities represented on assessment committees?

The amount contributed by the Treasury towards the cost of valuation in Ireland averages £15,400 a year, in addition to the sum paid towards the revaluation of Dublin. According to the figures given in the Return for 1907–8 of the amounts contributed by England, Scotland, and Ireland respectively to the Imperial Revenue (House of Commons 216, of 1908), Ireland contributes about 6½ per cent. of the total revenue from taxation, and the amount contributed by Irish taxpayers towards the above sum of £15,400 a year may be said, therefore, to be about £1,000. In reply to the remainder of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to a somewhat similar question put by him on 7th April.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware of the period that will elapse before the majority of assistant clerks (new class) who have been promoted to the second division will reach a salary equivalent to the maximum salary of the assistant clerks' class, and that during this interval clerks of equal service who have not been promoted to the second division, and who are presumably of inferior calibre or attainments, will have a larger salary and for a considerable time equal increments with those who have been promoted after tests as to their capacity and educational requirements; and whether, in view of the representations made to the Treasury by the heads of the departments in which such promoted clerks are serving as to the treatment meted out to these clerks, and having regard to the further facts since placed before them, the Treasury will now reconsider their attitude in the matter?

I have nothing to add to the answer given to the hon. Member on 7th April.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the two recent circulars issued by them, one granting advances of salaries to assistant clerks as such, and the other granting advances of salaries to second division clerks as such, ignored in each instance the existence of a body of clerks who had been promoted from one grade to the other; whether these clerks have therefore served for a certain period on salaries and increments which were admittedly insufficient for either assistant clerks or second division clerks, and which no alteration in prospects or status can compensate for, and on what grounds the Treasury decline to remove this condition which affects men whose salaries are still very small, and whose fellow clerks who passed their entire service either in the second division or as assistant clerks have both had compensation given to them in respect of the period for which the promoted assistant clerks have received no allowance either as assistant clerks or second division clerks?

I am unable to admit that second division clerks already promoted from assistant clerkships have any grievance in respect either of the revision of the scale of the second division or of the recent concession to assistant clerks as such.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that no replies have yet been received to the 1908 petitions of the dockyard workmen; and whether he can now state the date when answers will be given?

The general statement of replies to the petitions presented by the workmen in His Majesty's dockyards in 1908 will be issued in the course of a few days.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he can now give the answers to last year's petitions from workmen in His Majesty's dockyards; and whether in future he will arrange to always give the answers to petitions in the same financial year that the petitions are presented?

The general statement of replies to the petitions presented by the workmen in His Majesty's dockyards in 1908 will be issued in the course of a few days. It is not considered practicable to give any general assurance as to the time which may be required for dealing with the petitions in future years, but the desirability of issuing the replies as soon as possible after the petitions are received is fully recognised.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that in the foundry at Keyham, Devonport, some 60 journeymen out of 90 have been discharged during the last five years, many of them being long-service men; and whether to minimise this grievance he will direct that more work shall be given to the dockyard foundry instead of increasing the use of outside castings?

The working staff of moulders at Devonport, although considerably reduced, consists at present of 39 men—not 30, as would appear to be implied in the question. All possible suitable measures are already taken to utilise the dockyard foundry for castings.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that the British exporters of chemicals and medicines to Japan complain that the chemists of the Japanese Sanitary Bureau in the laboratories at the principal ports of entry frequently reject imports of chemicals and medicines on insufficient grounds, whereby the British exporters suffer financial loss without redress; if he is aware that German exporters have experienced the same hardship, and, in consequence, the council of the Society for the Protection of the Interests of the German Chemical Industry has addressed the Imperial Chancellor asking him to make representations to the Japanese Government for the purpose of removing these difficulties; and, in view of these circumstances, if he will take steps to protect the interests of the British chemical industry by suggesting to the Japanese Government the appointment of a board of appeal to consider objections to the decisions of the Japanese customs chemists?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; to the second in the negative. His Majesty's Ambassador at Tokio is at this moment investigating the matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the circumstances under which the French ketch "Andrée" was wrecked in Bideford Bay on the 21st instant; whether the look-out on the coast failed to observe any signals of distress, although the captain of the ketch asserts that such signals were exhibited by him for the space of two hours in broad daylight; whether it is proposed to hold any inquiry into the matter; and, if so, whether such inquiry will embrace the question of the efficiency of the look-out stations in the neighbourhood of the wreck?

The Board of Trade have received a deposition by the master of the vessel and a report from the divisional officer of coastguard on the circumstances attending this wreck. The vessel was observed by the coastguard look-out at Dounend and Westward Ho, but no signal of distress as prescribed by the international code was exhibited, and the flying of the French flag at half mast was taken to mean that there had been a death on board. I see no reason for further inquiry into the matter, as the efficiency of the look-out appears to be well established.

further asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the manner in which the crew of the ketch "Andrée" were saved by Mr. Fred Prance, the skipper of the Bideford trawler "Deera," and whether it is possible to make some official recognition of the pluck and smartness exhibited by Mr. Prance?

This case has not previously been brought to my notice, but inquiries are now being made, and I will inform my hon. Friend of the result.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any report has been received from the Board's inspector who visited the boat-slip at Ballycastle, county Antrim, recently; and whether he is in a position to communicate the substance of the report to the House?

Reports of this nature are usually treated as confidential, and I am not prepared, in the present instance, to communicate to the House the substance of the report which the Board have received.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the amount of the United States tariff on Irish potatoes, and the actual or approximate quantity of Irish potatoes imported into the United States during the last annual period; and whether he would consider the advisability of making representations to the United States Government with a view to a reduction in the tariff?

The duty on potatoes imported into the United States is 25 cents, or about 1s. 0½d. per bushel of 60lb., and I understand that no alteration in this rate is proposed by the new Tariff Bill. No separate statistics are available with regard to the imports of Irish potatoes into the United States, but the total imports from the United Kingdom amounted in the year ended 30th June, 1907, to 5,673 bushels. I do not think it likely that representations to the United States Government with a view to the reduction of the duty would have any prospect of success.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the death from consumption on 16th January, 1909, of an Asiatic seaman named Rasip bin Mat, a Member of the ss. "Bloemfontein," of London; whether the seaman was medically examined before joining, and how long he had served on the vessel; whether he had any previous sea service; whether steps were taken to isolate him from the rest of the crew; and whether any previous cases of deaths from this disease have occurred on this vessel?

The deck hand Rasip bin Mat was admitted into hospital at New York on 31st December last suffering from consumption, and died there on 16th January. I am informed that it is the practice for crews of vessels belonging to the Bucknall Lines to be medically examined before joining, but I have no specific information in the present case. The man had been on board the "Bloemfontein" for two months, and, being Cassab, it is probable he had had previous sea service. As the vessel is now in Japan, I am at present unable to ascertain whether the man was isolated on board during his illness. No other death from consumption has occurred amongst the crew of this vessel.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the suicide at sea on 6th January of an Asiatic trimmer, named Ebrahim Nagordy, whilst serving on the steamer "Bohemia," of Glasgow; whether the seaman was medically examined before joining, and how long he had been on the vessel; whether he was on duty at the time; whether he had any previous sea service; what amount of coal the engine-room hands were required to work each 24 hours; what was the temperature of the engine-room; and whether any previous cases of death from suicide, supposed suicide, and disappearance have occurred on this vessel?

The coal trimmer, Ebrahim Nagordy, disappeared at sea four days after leaving Calcutta for Colombo. I am not aware whether he had been medically examined; it was his first voyage, and he joined just before the ship sailed. He is described as apparently "the most able-bodied of the crew." He disappeared during his watch, but he had had little trimming to do as the bunkers were full on leaving Calcutta. The consumption of coal was 27 tons of Indian coal per day, and the number of natives in the engineer's department was 20, of whom 13 were firemen and trimmers. The temperature of the engine-room was 107 degrees, and of the stokehold 97 degrees on the day of the occurrence. One previous case of disappearance occurred in this vessel.