asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state what is the amount of money annually voted as pensions to retired members of the Navy, Army, and all sections of the Civil Service?

I assume that the hon. Member desires to be informed of the total non-effective charge in respect of the Army, Navy, and Civil Service. On this assumption, the figures for the year 1909–10 are:— (1) Voted: Civil Service, including Civil Officers of the War Office and Admiralty £2,391,393 Army 3,630,000 Navy 2,278,000 Royal Irish Constabulary and Dublin Metropolitan Police 440,146 Total voted £8,739,539 (2) Charged on the Consolidate Civil and Judicial Services £142,767 Grand total £8,882,306

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, as under the interpretation of the regulations Civil servants do not receive allowances as scheduled, in view of the benefit to the State accruing from the use in the business of the State of motors privately owned by these Civil servants, arrangements will be made for a more liberal interpretation of the existing regulations, and at the same time either receive exemption or partial exemption from the petrol tax, or permission to rank with medical men in the enjoyment of partial abatement of the motor car tax?

I do not know to what regulations or to what class of Civil servants the hon. Member refers. I understand that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer does not, as at present advised, see his way to grant special privileges to Civil servants in respect of motor cars owned by them in their private capacity.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board intend to complete the purchase of the Knox estate in Ballyhaunis, county Mayo, so as to include the town tenants, in order that the latter may make arrangements for the purchase of the interests of the middlemen on the property?

The Knox estate, near Ballyhaunis, of which the Congested Districts Board purchased a portion, does not include any part of the town of Ballyhaunis, and pending the increase of their funds the Board are unable to negotiate for the purchase of further properties.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that the tenants on the Jacob estate agreed to purchase their holdings, and that the agreements were lodged with the Estates Commissioners in the months of March and April, 1908, the purchase-money being £4,270; and that, after the interest on the purchase-money had been twice paid, the Estates Commissioners have refused to declare the lands an estate; and will he communicate with the Estates Commissioners with a view to allowing the sale to go on?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that in this case the owner proposed to sell only portion of his estate under The Irish Land Act, 1903, and the Commissioners, in the exercise of their discretion, refused to declare such portion to be an estate for the purposes of the Act. The interest in lieu of rent payable by the tenants was collected pursuant to section 35 of the Act of 1896, and by the terms of that section the amount collected is applicable as a payment on account of rent. I have no power to make representations to the Commissioners as regards the exercise of their discretion in such cases.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that Sir Robert Giffen, in preparing statements to lay before the Financial Relations Commission about 1894–5, had treated the income of farmers below a certain limit as wages for labourer and not profits from capital; whether he could lay before the House Sir Robert Giffen's precise method of dealing with the question; whether the Local Government Board for Ireland accepted Sir Robert Giffen's view as a basis of assessment of small farmer pension claimants' incomes; if not, whether he could state if the Board in question had considered, or had knowledge of, this authority's view before dealing with such claims; and, if not, whether he would state what authorities, if any, on questions of political economy were or had been studied and followed by the members of the Board in question; and whether, in view of the dissatisfaction in Ireland at the manner in which small farmer claims were rejected by the Board, on assessments attributing to the claimants the benefits received by their children labouring on the farm, he would appoint a committee of inquiry on which Irish interests would be adequately represented to inquire into the Board's action in such cases?

The Local Government Board, while aware that Sir Robert Giffen had expressed these opinions, did not rely entirely upon them in estimating the incomes of the small farmers, considering that by the terms of section 4 of the Act they must take into account the actual value of the subsistence derived by each claimant from his farm. The Board do not admit that there is general dissatisfaction in Ireland at the action of the Board beyond that which must naturally be expected from unsuccessful claimants. In every case of appeal the Board have made due allowance for the cost of labour incidental to the working of a farm. I am not aware of any sufficient reason for appointing a committee to inquire into the matter.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the regulations of the Royal Irish Constabulary require that all members of the force completing 40 years' service have to retire on pension; whether there is a similar regulation in connection with the Dublin Metropolitan Police; and, if not, will he state how many men of each rank are at present in the latter force with 40 years' service or upwards?

There is no regulation of the Royal Irish Constabulary or of the Dublin Metropolitan Police requiring a member of either of those forces to retire on the completion of 40 years' service. There are at present in the Dublin Metropolitan Police one superintendent and one constable who have served for 40 years or more.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can state when the estate of Mr. J. C. McDonnell, Lisheencoil, Athenry, was offered for sale to the Commissioners; when the lands were inspected and an offer made; whether such offer has been accepted by the owner; and whether steps will be taken to facilitate the sale of this property to the tenants?

Proceedings for the sale of this estate to the Estate Commissioners under section 6 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, were instituted by the owner in August, 1907. An offer for its purchase was made by the Commissioners on 3rd March last, which has not yet been accepted by the owner.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state if the Estates Commissioners will allot Patrick Egan any part of the grazing lands on the estate of Farrell M'Donnell, Glenmore, Athenry, recently purchased by them?

The Estates Commissioners have not yet acquired the lands and are not, therefore, in a position to distribute them.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to the decision of the Larne Urban District Council of 22nd March last, by which the contract for street cleaning was given to a new contractor at the rate of 30s. a week for one man and horse, although the old contractor did the work for 27s. a week per man and horse; whether he is aware that, as two and sometimes three men and horses are engaged on the work, the new contract is tantamount to an additional cost to the ratepayers of about £20 a year; whether the excess will be surcharged on those councillors who voted for the new contract; and whether, in view of the feeling aroused locally over this matter, an official inquiry will be ordered into it?

The facts appear to be as stated in the first portion of the question, but the Local Government Board are unable to state what will be the probable additional cost to the ratepayers per annum. The action of the council with regard to these tenders will be reviewed in due course by the auditor at the audit of the accounts containing the payments made on the foot of this contract. It will be open to any ratepayer to attend at such audit and to lodge formal objection to the items concerned. It will then be a matter for the determination of the Auditor whether he will surcharge this alleged excess, and, if the payment be deemed illegal or excessive, upon what members of the Council such surcharge should fall. Pending such investigation by the Auditor, there appears to be no sufficient reason why the Board should institute an official inquiry into the case.

asked the Chief Secretary of Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners are aware that the final instalment of the grant allowed to Mrs. Johanna Lombard, Lisheen, Ballyhooly, county Cork, a reinstated tenant on the Listowel estate, remains unpaid, and that the tenant cannot finish the building of her dwelling-house on the holding until she receives the balance of the grant; and what action he proposes to take in the matter?

The Estates Commissioners are communicating with the inspector who is supervising the expenditure of the grant in this case.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can state when will Francis Murphy and Owen M'Gann, two evicted tenants on the estate of Mr. Henry J B. Clements, Lough Rynn, county Leitrim, be reinstated, as there are no other parties in occupation, and particularly as the tenants on this property signed their purchase agreements in the early part of last January?

The Estates Commissioners are having an inspection made of Murphy's former holding, with a view to estimating the price, and their inspector will at the same time make inquiries into the case of the other evicted tenant mentioned in the question.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can state when the Estates Commissioners will commence negotiations for the purchase of a farm of land known as Beirne's Farm, and situate at Gortletteragh, county Leitrim, on the estate of Mr. Henry J. B. Clements, Lough Rynn, county Leitrim, for the reinstatement of some evicted tenants on this farm, as Mr. Clements agreed to sell this farm to the Estates Commissioners for this purpose when he was selling his property last January?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that this estate is being sold by the owner direct to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903. As proceedings for sale were only instituted last month, the Commissioners cannot deal with the estate for some time to come.

asked whether the allowances of the assistant inspector-general and other officers of the Royal Irish Constabulary are included in the computation of the basis on which their pensions are arranged, whereas the allowances of the rank and file of the force, which are comparatively paltry, are not so included; and, if so, what is the reason of this differentiation of treatment in favour of the officers to the exclusion of the men; and will steps be taken for its abolition?

The Constabulary (Ireland) Act, 1874, under which the officers of the force are pensioned, provides that for pension purposes the term salary shall include all allowances for lodging, house rent, and servant. The Act of 1883, under which the head and other constables are pensioned, makes no provision for the inclusion of any allowances in the computation of pension. The great majority of the rank and file live in barracks, and have no allowances corresponding to the pensionable allowances of officers. A lodging allowance is made to married men so long as they can be accommodated in barracks. The Committee of Inquiry of 1901, whose Report has been presented to Parliament, reported against the proposal that this allowance should count for pension.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the capitation grants in aid of the maintenance of lunatics in asylums in Ireland are not paid in full or at all till after the year in which they are due, and that, as the result of this practice on the part of the Treasury, many, if not all, of the Irish county councils are obliged to obtain overdrafts from their bankers or to devote to the maintenance of the asylums money raised for other purposes; and, if so, whether the Treasury will so regulate the payments in respect of the grants mentioned as will render it unnecessary for the individual members of the county councils to incur a liability for interest upon over-drafts upon which interest cannot legally be paid out of the rates?

The Government grants (now payable out of moneys surrendered by the Exchequer to the local taxation account) are based on the average number of lunatics maintained in the asylums in the preceding financial year. The grants are only due and payable in respect of the current financial year, and are in respect of the preceding year in no other sense than that of being calculated on that year's average. In order to convenience the asylums as far as practicable the Irish Government and Treasury have arranged to make an advance "on account" in each year in the month of April equal to about 50 per cent. of the amount payable to each asylum in that financial year, and the balance is paid later in the year according as each asylum presents its accounts to the auditor and has them audited and passed.

asked the Under-Secretary of State to the Colonies, in the matter of railway extension in Trinidad, if he can state whether a Report has been presented of a line called the San Fernando Siparia extension estimated to cost £8,500 per mile; whether a Report was presented in regard to the rail in 1904 to cost £4,600 per mile; and, if so, can he explain the difference as to the two estimates?

The Secretary of State is not in possession of any estimate of the cost of the San Fernando Siparia extension earlier than that contained in the Report of a Special Committee appointed in 1904 to consider the various schemes for railway extensions in Trinidad. The Report of that Committee was issued in 1906, and contained an estimate of the cost of the San Fernando Siparia extension at the rate of £8,500 a mile. My hon. Friend would appear to have taken the figure of £4,600 a mile from the same Committee's estimate of the cost of the Tabaquite-Poole extension. The general manager of the Trinidad Railways has recently revised the estimate for the San Fernando Siparia ex tension, and the cost is now estimated at £8,791 a mile.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress, if any, has been made towards carrying into effect the reorganisation of the Crown Agents for the Colonies as recommended by the inquiry committee and approved by the Secretary of State; whether, whilst the India Office can ship £5,000,000 worth of goods yearly at a cost of £4,000 or thereabouts, it has cost the Crown Agents for the Colonies over £10,000 a year to ship goods of the value of £2,000,000 only; and whether any fresh arrangements have been made on this head in the interests of the Crown Colonies?

Detailed recommendations for carrying into effect the reorganisation of the Office of the Crown Agents for the Colonies in the light of the recent Report are now under the Secretary of State's consideration. The figures given to the Committee as payments to shipping agents are, for the India Office, £4,185 in 1905–6 on about £4,500,000 worth of goods, and for the Crown Agents £9,189 on £2,285,359 worth of goods (average 1904 to 1906); but the India Office ship to five or six ports to each of which there are several lines of steamers, while the business of the Crown Agents consists largely in shipping small parcels of goods to a great number of comparatively distant and unfrequented ports, so that no direct comparison of cost can be made. Arrangements, however, for reducing expense in accordance with the Committee's recommendations are receiving consideration.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the petition, dated 14th September, from the natives of the Orange River Colony, has yet been presented to the King; and whether he can now state the cause of the delay in forwarding it to the Colonial Office?

The petition has not been presented. With regard to the delay in forwarding the petition to the Colonial Office, if the hon. and gallant Gentleman will repeat his question in about a week's time, I hope to be able to give him a fuller answer than I can give at present.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he will cause circular letters to be issued to the councils of those boroughs to which the Board's Order of 3rd December, 1908, extends and applies, enabling their accounts, including the accounts of tramway, light railway, water, gas, electric lighting, and other trading undertakings, to be kept and prepared for audit on the income and expenditure system; and whether he will cause the said Order to be amended accordingly, and to include detailed and aggregate balance sheets?

No alteration of the Order of 3rd December, 1908, is necessary to enable the councils of the boroughs referred to in the question to keep their accounts on the system suggested, and I shall be happy to consider any communication which any of them may make to me as to the manner in which their accounts, should be kept.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that a seizure of foreign imported meat has been made by the authorities at Grimsby, and that it included the tuberculous carcasses of pigs and other meat in a state of fermentation; and, seeing that some of the crates bore the guarantee of a foreign Government that the meat was sound and fit for human consumption, whether he will say what action he proposes to take?

I am aware that there has been a seizure of imported foreign meat at Grimsby, and I am making inquiry with regard to the matter.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if the number of persons in England in receipt of poor law relief is greater at the present time than it has been at any time for the past 30 years; and if he is in possession of any information which tends to show that the receipt of old age pensions will shortly have the effect of reducing the number of paupers?

The latest date for which the number of persons in receipt of poor relief in the whole of England and Wales can be given is the 24th of last month. On that day the number was greater than that on the corresponding date in any of the past 30 years, but the proportion to population was lower than in any of those years except 1893, 1899 to 1904, 1907, and 1908. I am not in a position at present to express an opinion as to the effect of the receipt of old age pensions on the number of paupers.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he has received from the Conservators of Wimbledon Common a proposal for new bye-laws to regulate the same; and, if so, will he, before giving his sanction, insist upon proper precautions being adopted to protect the public from injury by golf balls, and upon the Conservators providing proper permanent refreshment accommodation for the public who use this great open space?

The reply to the first paragraph is in the affirmative. The whole question is now under discussion between the Conservators and the local authority I will certainly impress the views of the hon. Member upon them.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he will give the latest available figures showing the number of teachers employed in public elementary schools, distinguishing between certificated, uncertificated, supplementary and provisional, and pupil teachers?

The number of teachers employed in ordinary public elementary schools in England and Wales on the last days of the school years falling within the statistical year ending 31st July, 1908, was 177,609. Of these 91,114 were certificated teachers, 44,263 uncertificated teachers, 1,881 provisional assistant teachers, 18,630 supplementary teachers, and 21,721 pupil teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he can state the amount of additional accommodation for men and horses required to adapt the barracks at Scarborough for use as a cavalry depôt, the total accommodation which will be available, the number of men proposed to be stationed there, and the date when they may be expected to arrive?

The details of the scheme have not yet been sufficiently worked out to enable me to give the required information.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that John Summers, of Tullamore, enlisted in the Irish Guards as No. 3228 when he was only 17 years of age; that his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Somers, of Barrack-street, Tullamore, wrote to the adjutant at the Guards depot at Caterham, asking for the discharge of her son on the grounds that he had enlisted when under legal age, and that his service at home was urgently needed to maintain a business on which his family depended, and to which his father was no longer able to attend sufficiently owing to advancing age and infirmity; whether he is aware that she presented a memorial to this effect, signed by the rector and parish priest and three magistrates of Tullamore; and that, having been officially asked on 8th March, 1909, to forward the birth certificate of her said son, John Somers, she did so, and was merely told in reply that the major-general commanding the London District did not approve of a free discharge being granted to her son, no fault being found with the certificate; and whether he will order inquiries to be made in this case?

This man enlisted in the Irish Guards, giving his age as 18 years four months. On receipt of his mother's claim for his discharge it was found on inquiry that his age was 17 years five months. As the man was desirous of continuing in the Service, and as it was found that no change had taken place in the parents' circumstances since his enlistment, he was held to serve by the General Officer Commanding London District. The action of the General Officer Commanding is in accordance with the Regulations. No memorial was received as was stated in the question.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he can state from what source he proposes to obtain the strategic cavalry of the Territorial Army when the expeditionary force has left this country, in view of the fact that the cavalry of the Territorial Army are neither trained nor armed in a manner to enable them to carry out this most important duty?

It is proposed that certain brigades of Yeomanry should be employed as independent cavalry, but the scope and difficulty of their duties will not be of an exactly similar nature to those anticipated for the regular cavalry, owing to the fact that in the United Kingdom strategical reconnaisance will not be necessary because the locality or localities of an invading army or armies must be known.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can state the number of limited partnerships registered under the Limited Partnership Act, 1907, for the periods 1st January, 1908, to the 31st December, 1908, and 1st January, 1909, to the 1st May, 1909, respectively, and the average amount of the contributions of the limited partners to the capital of the limited partnerships.

The number of limited partnerships registered from the 1st January, 1908, to the 31st December, 1908, is 144, and the number registered from the 1st January, 1909, to the 31st March, 1909, is 44. The average amount agreed to be contributed to each partnership by limited partners is £l,758 10s. 3d. The figures for April, 1909, are not yet in my possession, but when obtained I shall be happy to communicate them to my hon. Friend.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can state the values of the total export from this country of carpets of British manufacture, of the export from this country to the United States of carpets of British manufacture, and of the import into this country of carpets of United States manufacture, respectively, for each of the last five years?

The following statements give the information desired by the hon. Member with regard to woollen and worsted carpets. Similar particulars relating to hemp and jute carpets are not available:-

(a) Statement showing the value of the exports of woollen and worsted carpets (of United Kingdom manufacture) from the United Kingdom, consigned to (1) the United States of America, and (2) all countries, during each of the years from 1904 to 1908r inclusive:— Years. (1) Consigned to the United States of America. (2) Consigned to all Countries. £ £ 1904 … 39,165 953,029 1905 … 53,426 976,459 1906 … 88,441 1,123,086 1907 … 53,777 1,232,160 1908 35,694 776,259

(b) Statement showing the value of the imports of woollen and worsted carpets and rugs into the United Kingdom, consigned from the United States of America, during each of the years from 1904 to 1908, inclusive:— Years. Carpets. Rugs. Total Carpets and Rugs. £ £ £ 1904 … * * 3,774 1905 … * * 3,566 1906 … * * 1,144 1907 … 1,328 360 1,688 1908 … 510 3,377 3,887 * The Imports of Carpets were not shewn separately from the Imports of Hugs prior to 1907.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any record of the average wages paid to and hours worked by persons employed in the public-houses in the county of London owned by brewers; and whether he will consider the advisability of adding this trade to the list of trades specified in the Schedule of the Trade Boards Bill?

I have no record of the average wages and hours of persons employed in the public-houses in the county of London owned by brewers. It is not at present proposed to increase the number of trades scheduled in the Trade Boards Bill.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the whole-time officers in the South Wales district employed in the inspection of ships' provisions are allowed to take part in political propaganda or other political work?

The instruction issued by the Board of Trade to their officers on this subject requires them to act discreetly in all matters in which their conduct may become the subject of public criticism, and forbids them to take a prominent part in party politics.

asked the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether he is aware that, since the world's corner in wheat has collapsed, the bears through option and future gambling contracts have been the means of bringing about a heavy decline in these contracts and sympathetically one in the prices of all actual cereals, and that the result has been a fall of some 6s. to 8s. per quarter in English wheat; and, if so, whether he will consider the desirability, in order to protect British and Colonial agriculture as well as our masses from the effects of these gambling contracts, to propose legislation as laid down in the resolution unanimously passed at the International Agricultural Congress in Vienna in May, 1907, thus supporting all those countries who have years ago passed or proposed similar legislative measures?

I am not sure that the facts with regard to recent fluctuations in the price of wheat are as stated in the question; but, in any case, the President does not propose to introduce legislation in the direction indicated.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury why the Treasury, despite the provision of the Public Health (Ireland) Act, 1878, that loans for the purposes of that Act may be repaid by, amongst other methods, the annuity or Sinking Fund system, has refused to sanction that system in the case of housing and other loans, and compelled the local authorities in Ireland to adopt instead the instalment system of repayment; whether the effect of the latter system is to cast a much heavier burden on the present generation than would be thrown upon it by the annuity system; and whether, in view of the urgency of the housing problem in the cities and towns of Ireland, and of the high rate of local taxation which prevails there, the Treasury will give directions that any urban authority in Ireland, which henceforth prefers to repay housing loans by the annuity or Sinking Fund system, shall be at liberty to do so?

It is the case that the Treasury requires the instalment system of repayment of loans. That system has the advantage over the constant-annuity system from the point of view of the borrower that it involves a smaller payment for interest in the aggregate. Moreover, it secures to future ratepayers some relief concurrently with the fresh burdens which the growing needs of local authorities are certain to entail by securing a diminishing charge in respect of old liabilities. It would not, in my opinion, be to the advantage of local authorities to allow the annuity system in respect of housing loans, and I regret, therefore, to be unable to accede to the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether minor staff clerkships have been regularised by clause 10 of the Order in Council of 21st December, 1907; whether any similar regulation has been or will be made for staff clerkships above the scale of the second division; whether second division clerks may be promoted without further certificate to any position up to £500 a year salary; and whether any provision is or will be made by which the older staff clerks, promoted on a certificate of special merit from the Civil Service Commissioners and having reached a maximum of less than £500 per annum, may have their further salary up to the £500 limit decided by the Treasury, as in clause 10 in the second division Order in Council of 21st December, 1907, for minor staff clerkships?

The provisions of clause 10 of the Order in Council referred to were made in view of the fact that, if the minor staff clerks in question had remained second division clerks, they would have had the prospect of rising, under the usual conditions, to the maximum of the second division. No consideration of this kind arises with regard to staff clerks above the second division, and the fact that a further certificate is not required in the event of such a staff clerk being promoted to certain posts with maximum salary not exceeding £500 gives him no claim to rise to that salary. There is, therefore, no intention of making provision to the effect suggested.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether an offer was made to the Department of the Secretary of the Post Office for the introduction of the intermediate scheme for clerks into that office; if so whether it was refused, and for what reason; and whether the Treasury propose to press the Post Office to accept the intermediate scheme?

The introduction into the Post Office of clerks recruited under the intermediate scheme of examination has not been proposed at any time, nor is there any present intention of making such a proposal.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he can state on how many days during the past year the judges of the King's Bench Division of the High Court held sittings in court?

I shall be happy to give the information desired if the hon. Member will move for a Return in the following form: Return of the sittings of the judges of the King's Bench Division in the same form as that given in the Civil Judicial Statistics (Cd. 4029) for the Judges of the Chancery Division.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether £8,000 per annum is contributed by the local authorities towards the cost of valuation in Ireland; and whether he can state the total amount subscribed from the Treasury for this purpose?

The sum contributed by the Treasury towards the cost of valuation in Ireland during 1908–9 was £17,604. This excludes the amount contributed towards the cost of the revaluation of Dublin of which a portion is to be repaid. The contribution of local authorities was, as stated in the question, £8,000.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he has had any communication from elected authorities in Ireland objecting to the representation on the valuation assessment committees, as is the case in England?

As there are no assessment committees in Ireland the objection suggested in the question has not arisen, and cannot arise.

asked the President of the Local Government Board what is the rate of interest at present being charged for loans under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act; and if such rate is the lowest that can possibly be allowed without loss to the Treasury?

The rate at present charged is 3½ per cent. The answer to the second question is in the affirmative.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been directed to the opportunities for fraud under the new system whereby any sum amounting to £l is paid away by the Post Office Savings Bank on evidence of deposit book alone; whether he can state the number of cases of fraudulent withdrawal from the Post Office Savings Bank under the system of withdrawal on demand during the last six months; and what steps, if any, do the postal authorities contemplate for the abatement of this evil?

During the period mentioned by my hon. Friend there were 251 cases of fraud in connection with the Post Office Savings Bank system of payment on demand, involving a total loss of a little over £200. During the same period there were nearly three million withdrawals on demand. This shows, I think, that the system affords a real convenience to the public at a very slight risk. It would not be expedient for me to disclose the steps taken by the Post Office for the detection and prevention of fraud.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the people of Beagh, Dromahair, county Leitrim, petitioned to get an evening collection and Sunday delivery; and whether, having regard to the inconvenience caused and losses suffered through the present service, which might with little additional outlay be greatly improved, he would order an inquiry with a view of securing such improvement?

I am making inquiry on the subject, and will communicate the result to my hon. Friend.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will arrange that the prison authorities shall be instructed to comply with the same regulations, as regards specification and inspection on delivery, as have been observed at Woolwich in respect of canvas supplied to the order of the War Office.

The method of inspection is the same in the two cases, subject to the differences which must necessarily exist between the inspection in bulk at Woolwich of the canvas supplied to the War Department and the inspection at 62 different prisons in England and Wales of the canvas supplied to the Prison Commissioners. As regards specification, I am not sure that I apprehend the hon. Member's meaning, but if he will kindly communicate with me I will consider the matter.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Bill for dealing with habitual inebriates, promised in the King's Speech, has been prepared; and if, having regard to the urgency of this question, he can name an early date for its introduction.

I am afraid I can only refer the hon. Member to the answer which was given by the Secretary of State on April the 29th to the hon. Member for the Oswestry Division of Shropshire.

asked the Home Secretary if complaints made by workpeople to the factory inspectors are in all cases treated as confidential; and whether he has any power to interfere in cases where workpeople are dismissed by their em- ployers in consequence of being suspected of having made complaints?

Yes, Sir, the inspectors have instructions, when investigating complaints, to be careful so to conduct the inquiry that it shall not point to an informant, or lead to his being known; they are not to reveal even the fact of a complaint having been made. The Secretary of State has every reason to believe that these instructions are faithfully carried out. As regards the second part of the question, the Secretary of State has no power to interfere in cases of the kind.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether canvas manufactured to the order of his Department is inspected at the works of the manufacturers in the United Kingdom when it is reported to be ready for delivery?

The answer is in the affirmative.

asked the Prime Minister if, in view of the fact that under the Small Holdings Act the local authorities are charging in the rent both interest and redemption for land, houses, drainage, fencing, and roads, the Government will introduce an amendment to the Act so as to allow 80 years for the repayment of loans for land and buildings in connection with small holdings and allotments, as has been allowed in the Irish Housing Act and as is proposed in the Town Planning Bill?

The matter having been before Parliament so recently, the Government do not propose to bring forward fresh legislation at the present time.