asked the Under-Secretary for the Colonies whether a communication has been received from the Working Men's Association at Port-of-Spain as to the danger of infectious diseases due to the existence of the Caroni Swamp; and, if so, can he state what action, if any, the Government intend to take in regard to the matter?

A communication from the Working Men's Association on this subject has just been received. The matter is engaging the consideration of the Trinidad Government, but the Secretary of State is not at present in a position to state what action it will be possible to take.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to an inquest on an infant at Shoreditch, where the evidence of the doctor showed that there was no food in the child's stomach, and that the child had not been properly fed for a long time; whether he is aware that it was alleged that the relieving officer had refused milk for the child when the father, who stated that he was out of work, applied for it; whether he will make inquiry into the case; whether he is aware that in the above case the relieving officer said in his defence that he believed that the father was at work; and whether, in view of Mr. Justice Hawkins' decision in Reg. v. Curtis (15 Cox, c.c. 746) that a necessitous child is entitled to medical help although the father is at work, the Local Government Board will issue a circular to guardians and relieving officers explaining their duties to children in such cases?

My attention has been called to the case referred to. I find that a committee of the guardians has investigated the matter, and I have been furnished with a copy of their report. Conflicting statements appear to have been made before the committee by the parents and the relieving officer respectively, and the committee found themselves unable to arrive at any definite conclusion. I am making further inquiry with respect to the case.

asked the President of the Local Government Board when will the first part of the Return relating to municipal trading be published; and when will the complete Return be printed and placed on sale?

I beg to answer this question on behalf of my right hon. Friend. The first part of this Return was published on Tuesday, and is now on sale. I understand that a further part, relating to Scotland, will be issued this week. The remaining parts are in various stages of preparation; but I cannot at present say when the final portion of the Return will be ready for issue.

asked the Secretary of State for War why it is proposed to abolish York as a cavalry station, except in the event of further reduction of Colonial establishment; whether he is aware that-York has been a cavalry station continuously for nearly two centuries; and whether, considering its increasingly important strategical position and its exceptional suitability for cavalry he will, under his new scheme, select York as an ultimate station for cavalry?

The general principles on which the troops will in future be distributed in the United Kingdom are set forth clearly in Army Order 152 of 1909, and in the case of cavalry the brigade organisation should, as far as possible, be followed in determining the peace stations of units. The strict observance of this principle is held to be of greater importance than other considerations, such as those referred to in the question.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will say when it was decided to prepare the official History of the South African War; what has been the total cost incurred in connection with that work; how much has been received from the sales of it; how many sets and single volumes, respectively, had been sold by the end of last year; how many have been sold during the first six months of the present year; how many are still on hand; and what is estimated to be the total loss to the taxpayers in connection with that work?

The preparation of the History of the South African War was decided upon in the summer of 1900. Volumes I., II. and III. have cost £32,102 of public money to compile, but volume IV. is still being prepared by the Committee of Imperial Defence. The work is published by Messrs. Hurst and Blackett, who pay a royalty on each set or volume sold. These amounts are checked by the Authors' Syndicate, who carry out the business transactions between the pub- lishers and the War Office, before transmission; no details of the actual sales are kept by the War Office. The sum received in royalties amounts at present to £1,157 16s. 6d.

asked whether men who have been rejected for the Army are allowed to enlist in the Special Reserve; and, if so, how many men are now serving as special reservists who were previously rejected for the Army?

Men who have been rejected for the Regular Forces as not up to certain of the requisite standards may be enlisted in the Special Reserve if up to the standard required for that force, as, for instance, in the case of a man under 18 years of age. Men who cannot become suitable for military service are not enlisted. No statistics are available of the numbers specified in the last part of the question.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the number of shelters for dirigible airships of large size now existing in foreign countries, he can state what steps are being taken to equip the British Army in this respect, and when the first of such shelters will be available for use?

Particulars are now ready for obtaining tenders for the erection of a shed to house a large dirigible balloon, and it is hoped shortly to place the order. It is not at present possible to say when it will be available for use.

asked the Secretary of State for War if, in calculating the 20 years required for the long service medal for the Territorial Forces, service in war is counted as equivalent to service at Home or more than equivalent?

War service counts only as the equivalent of Home service towards the grant of the medal for the Territorial Force.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that in a yard on the Clyde where a "Dreadnought" is to be built the maximum wage paid to labourers is 18s. per week of 54 hours, and that in other yards on the Clyde where Government work has been done the minimum wage for the same class of labourers is 20s. per week; and whether, as the cost of living is the same in all the Clyde districts, he will insist upon all shipbuilders executing Government orders paying a minimum wage of not less than 20s. per week to adult labourers?

The Fair Wages Clause in the contracts for building His Majesty's ships will be strictly enforced, and if any information of a detailed character admitting of investigation be furnished to the Admiralty, inquiries will be made and action taken with a view to enforcing the Fair Wages Clause.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how long it is since each of the 17 special service cruisers was attached to a fleet, and the date on which each ship last had a full-speed trial?

supplied the following particulars:—

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that on the occasion of H.M.S. "Illustrious" coming out of dry dock recently it was found that, on account of the faulty replacement of a valve, water had made its way into the ship, and that the water in the dock had to be pumped out again in order to remedy the defect, thus causing delay and expense; whether he is aware that the faulty replacement of the valve was in consequence of the employment of unskilled men instead of the engine-room artificers; and what action he intends taking in the matter?

I shall be glad if the hon. Member will put the question down for another day, as I have not yet been able to obtain the information from the dockyard.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if the Estates Commissioners have considered the application of John Kearney, an evicted tenant, for reinstatement on the Boyd-Rochfort estate, county Westmeath; and what, if any, action they propose to take in the matter?

The Estates Commissioners have considered the application of John Kearney for reinstatement on a holding at one time occupied by his mother, and have decided not to take any action in the matter. He has already purchased under the Irish Land Act, 1903, a holding of 26 acres 3 roods 30 poles in the county Westmeath.

asked the Chief Secretary if loans are at present made to county councils in Ireland in their respective counties to enable them to purchase petty sessions court houses which they now hold at yearly rents, and to provide for the proper maintenance of same; and, if money is not now advanced for such purposes by the Treasury, will steps be taken to sanction advances repayable by easy instalments to local authorities with that object?

This is a purpose for which it is competent for county councils, with the sanction of the Local Government Board, to borrow. No application for such a loan has, however, been received by the Board.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Com- missioners are in a position to state when they hope to reinstate Mr. Patrick Myles in his former holding of 91 acres on the estate of Mrs. Caroline Bourke, Kilworth, county Cork?

The Estates Commissioners have inquired into Myles' application, and have decided to take no action in regard to it until the estate comes before them to be dealt with under the Irish Land Act, 1903.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can state the total amount of the defalcations in connection with the Belfast Corporation and the number of employés involved; how many Catholics are employed by the corporation, what are the positions they occupy, and what salaries are they paid; how many non-Catholics are employed by the corporation, what positions do they occupy, and what salaries are they paid; what is the present estimated Catholic and non-Catholic population of Belfast; and whether, in view of the uneasiness which exists in Belfast with regard to the administration of the corporation finances, consequent upon the recent irregularities, the Local. Government Board will order an independent investigation into the condition of the corporation accounts and the methods by which appointments are made by that body?

The records of the Local Government Board do not enable them to give the particulars asked for in the question. With regard to the proposed investigation, the Board could only hold an inquiry on oath in a matter of this kind on the application of the corporation themselves.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention had been called to the poisoning of a valuable dog at Bangor, county Down, on 22nd May last; whether he is aware that the poison was laid on or quite close to the public highway, and that a reward of £50 has been offered for the conviction of the person who laid the poison; whether any arrest had been made in connection with the incident; and whether, in view of the losses sustained in Belfast and the vicinity recently by the poisoning of valuable dogs in this way, he will order that strict records be kept of all persons purchasing poisons, these records to be open to the inspection of the police, and that wherever poison is laid in private grounds public notice of the fact should be exhibited at or near the spot?

I am informed by the Constabulary authorities that on 22nd May a valuable dog picked up poison on the Seacliffe-road at Bangor, and died within a short time. The police have not as yet been able to find out who laid the poison, and consequently there has been no prosecution. There is no power to arrest in such cases. As regards the concluding portion of the question, druggists are required by law to keep records of the sale of poisons which are open to the inspection of the police, and it is illegal for any person to lay poisoned flesh or meat on any land without posting notice of the fact and informing the police.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if the Estates Commissioners can now state the result of the representations made by them to the landlord in connection with the reinstatement of evicted tenants on the Kenmare estate, county Kerry?

I have nothing to add at present to my replies to the previous questions on the same subject asked by the hon. Member.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can state why Thomas Walsh, an evicted tenant on the Ormathwaite property, North Kerry, whose farm has been acquired compulsorily by the Estates Commissioners, has not been reinstated?

The lands in question have not yet been vested in the Estates Commissioners, but they expect to acquire possession at an early date.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Mrs. Ellen Scanlon, an evicted tenant on the W. R. Evans estate, at Moybella, near Listowel, has been reinstated in her farm; whether- the farm has been inspected and reported on; whether the tenant has made an application for a grant to stock the land and put up buildings; and why a grant has not been given in this case?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that Mrs. Scanlon has been reinstated by the landlord in the holding formerly occupied by her husband. The question of making her a grant will be considered when the estate is being dealt with by the Commissioners under the Irish Land Act, 1903.

asked the Chief Secretary whether Head Constable Donovan, lately in charge of the Ballymote, county Sligo, district, has been promoted; whether this is the same officer who ordered the police to fire on the people at Riverstown in October, 1908, and whose action resulted in the death of a young man named Stenson; and, if so, will he say why this man has been advanced over the heads of older men?

The hon. Member is misinformed. This head constable has not been promoted.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will say whether any prosecutions have followed on the report of Sir Charles Cameron that for the quarter ending 31st December last 93 out of 115 specimens of butter purchased in England as Irish butter proved on analysis to be margarine; and will he say what penalties, if any, were exacted?

The test samples referred to were taken in order to obtain information that might be placed before local authorities. The Department's representative in Great Britain has communicated with officers of the local authorities concerned with a view to suitable action being taken to suppress this fraud. It must be borne in mind that the Department has no legal right to prosecute in Great Britain.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he can state what local education authorities have established schools for mentally defective children, for physically defective children, for deaf children, for blind children, and for epileptic children respectively; and whether he will indicate in each case whether the schools are day schools or residential schools?

I beg to refer my hon. Friend to the List of Certified Schools for Blind, Deaf, Defective, and Epileptic Children (Cd. 4372), which gives the information he requires.

asked the President of the Board of Education if his attention has been called to the dismissal of Mr. H. A. Grimshaw, an assistant master at the Hilderthorpe council school, Bridlington, in consequence of a speech made by him at a meeting of the Bridlington Class Teachers' Association, and to resolutions passed relative to the case by a large public meeting in the borough of Bridlington; and whether he proposes to take steps by legislation or otherwise to provide a means of appeal to the Board in any similar case?

I have seen newspaper reports of the proceedings referred to. A right of appeal to the Board of Education against the dismissal of a teacher in an elementary school can only be attained by legislation. I do not think it would be advisable to place any restriction, in the form of a veto by the Board of Education, upon the right of a local education authority to terminate the services of its own employés, more especially having regard to the importance of the authorities to whom Parliament has entrusted the local administration of public education. No legislation in this direction is contemplated.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give the names of the European States in which the executive government claim or exercise a right of opening the letters of private persons while in transit through the Post Office; whether the right extends to letters passing to and from foreigners; whether it is practised on the letters of criminals or only on those of political opponents of the government; and the names of the European States in which no such right is claimed or exercised?

I have no information which would enable me to furnish the particulars which the hon. Member requires.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any Englishman residing abroad or foreigner entering England with his motor car is liable to he called upon to pay fees for the registration of his car, the annual tax on same, driver's licence, licence for use of armorial bearings, and, should he employ a chauffeur, a tax on him as a male servant; and whether, in view of the facilities offered by foreign countries, he will consider the advisability of arranging some system by which visitors to England can bring in their cars for touring purposes at less onerous cost?

An Englishman resident abroad, or a foreigner entering England with a motor car, is liable to duty on the car, on the armorial bearings, if any, and on the chauffeur. He must also pay the statutory fees for the registration of his car and for the driver's licence. I will consider my hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that considerable delay has been experienced by applicants for old age pensions in the Valentia district of county Kerry, owing to the Census Office not taking steps to verify the ages; and can he say when the necessary information will be forwarded to the Valentia sub-committee?

Every endeavour is being made to clear off the arrears of new claims in the Census Office, and I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Financial Secretary of the Treasury to the hon. Member for West Limerick on the 10th instant.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of duty received from spirits during the month of May, 1909; also the amount of duty received during the corresponding month in 1908; and also the amount received from duty on beer during the month of May, 1909, and during the month of May, 1908?

The net amounts of Customs and Excise duty (including the amount collected for local taxation) received on spirits and beer in the periods stated were:—

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether income derived from property acquired by a workman through his unaided thrift is subject to Income Tax as unearned or is it treated by the surveyor of taxes as earned income in the same way as pensions?

Income derived from property, except in so far as such property is "attached to or forms part of the emoluments of any office or employment of profit held by the individual," does not fall within the definition of "earned income" contained in section 19 (7) of the Finance Act, 1907.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will say, in case a man with a family does not pay sufficient Income Tax to enable him to claim all the rebate allowed off for children, £10 each, but his wife, who has a separate income, pays more, if the wife may deduct the allowance?

For purposes of the relief contemplated by clause 49 of the Finance Bill the income of a married woman living with her husband will be deemed to be the income of the husband.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is intended that the expense of valuation of each separate plot of land for the purpose of the Finance Bill shall be borne by each landowner or by the Treasury, or jointly by both; and whether in the first case, any allowance will be made under any circumstances for the costs of any appeal to the referees?

The expense of valuation will be borne by the owner, as is already the case in connection with Estate Duty. As regards the second part of the question, I may refer the hon. Member to clause 22, sub-clause (4) of the Finance Bill.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has received a resolution from the county council of Orkney to the effect that all mechanically-propelled vehicles should bear an adequate share of the cost of maintenance of the public highways; and if, in view of the damage that is done to the said roads by heavy motors, often with trailers heavily laden, he will take the said resolution into favourable consideration?

My right hon. Friend has received the resolution in question, and is giving it his careful consideration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Bath stone, York stone, Scotch granite, Cornish granite, mineral oils, salt, shale, whinstone, marble, quartz, limestone, flint, chalk, gravel, sand, sea-sand, shingle, fireclay, brick earth, Fuller's earth, china clay, sandstone, basalt and slate are included in the definition of minerals in the Finance Bill; and whether he can state the name and reference to the case in which the decision was given with reference to each of the before-mentioned articles?

There is no special definition of "minerals" in the Finance Bill, and the term has the meaning which has been attached to it in various cases by courts of law. The leading cases on the subject are all referred to in the recent case of the Great Western Railway Company v. Carpalla United China Clay Company (Limited), (1909), 1 Ch. 218. That case is, of course, a decision, not on the definition of minerals generally, but on the definition of minerals for certain special Acts; but the general meaning of the word " minerals " is discussed in that case and in other cases referred to in the arguments and judgments. I may also refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave yesterday on this subject to the hon. Members for the Holborn Division, for Darlington, and for Stepney.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he would provide in the Finance Bill to exempt hospitals, dispensaries, and other charitable institutions from the tax on spirits used as medicine?

I must refer my hon. Friend to the reply given yesterday by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton West.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the unreliability of the Census Returns of 1841, on which the Local Government Board invariably act in dealing with appeals under the Old Age Pensions Act, and by which many genuine claims are rejected, he will adopt some other method of ascertaining the ages of old persons than the evidence furnished by an admittedly unreliable Census Return?

Discrepancies have no doubt been found between the Census Returns of 1841 and 1851, but they have not, so far as my right hon. Friend is aware, been very numerous. The question of what constitutes sufficient evidence of age is one for the pension committees subject to appeal to the Local Government Board.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received a resolution from the Tubbercurry (county Sligo) old age pensions sub-committee protesting against the action of the Local Government Board in rejecting all claimants' appeals without giving any reason therefor to the local committee who passed these claims; and, if so, what action he proposes to take in reference thereto?

My right hon. Friend has received the resolution in question. He has no powers to interfere with the rulings of the Local Government Board in regard to appeals under the Old Age Pensions Act.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is intended by the Committee of Inquiry into the Customs and Excise Amalgamation to consider the saving that would be effected by the introduction of a service scale of pay in lieu of the present classification in the clerical branches of the service; and what would be the approximate annual saving in the clerical branch, Customs and Excise, in ranks up to £300 per annum maximum salary, resulting from respectively the adoption of the new Second Division scale and the adoption of the modification of that scale submitted by the officers of the Customs Outdoor Department.

The question as to the future scale of salaries in the clerical branch of the Customs and Excise Department will be considered by the Amalgamation Committee to the extent that they are affected by amalgamation. No comparison between the cost suggested in the question can be made pending the consideration by the committee of the numbers of each grade that will ultimately be required when the amalgamation of the staffs is complete.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the desirableness of reducing the stamp duty of £80 at present payable by a person entering into articles for the purpose of becoming a solicitor, in order that men duly qualified by education and experience may not be debarred through lack of means from entering the profession?

My right hon. Friend is afraid that under present circumstances he does not see his way to reduce the duty in question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amounts, under the different heads, he anticipates receiving from Wales as the yield of the proposed new taxes?

The information asked for by my hon. Friend is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of his announcement of substantial concessions in respect of Scottish and Irish Licence Duties and analogous provisions in the Finance Bill, he will undertake not to differentiate his proposed taxation to the detriment of the English taxpayer?

My right hon. Friend has no intention of differentiating between the English taxpayer and the taxpayer in Scotland and Ireland.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the pension officers who were fined for an alleged breach of official regulations as to communicating information to the Press admitted having seen the circular of 26th September before sending the information for which they were fined; if he is aware that some supervisors did not receive the circular till 30th September; if the circular was sent direct from Somerset House to all supervisors; is he aware that the information supplied had already been published in local newspapers by reporters admitted to the meetings of the pension committees; and whether he will not remit the fines?

In four cases the officers admitted having received the circular of 26th September before sending the information to the Press. I am not aware that some supervisors did not receive till 30th September the circular which was sent direct to them from Somerset House. In every case, with, at most, one or two doubtful exceptions, the officers received the circular in time to withdraw the information if already sent. Quite apart from the question of the date of receipt of the circular, the communication of the information to the Press was a serious breach of a well-known regulation. I believe that in some cases information was supplied by pension committees to local newspapers. My right hon. Friend regrets that he sees no ground to alter his decision in this matter, which he conveyed to the hon. Member in reply to a question on 3rd December last.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether in Clauses 25 and 43 of the Finance Bill the word charitable covers religious; whether, therefore, land occupied by a church would be exempted from taxation; and whether gifts to a church would be free from the operation of clause 43?

"Charitable" in Clauses 25 and 43 of the Finance Bill covers "religious," and land held, occupied, and used by a Church body for exclusively religious purposes would be exempted under clause 25. Gifts to a church would be free from the operation of clause 43 only if a church could be described as an institution carried on for public or charitable purposes within the meaning of that clause.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the £175,000 estimated to be received from the taxation of undeveloped land will be derived from land belonging to insurance and friendly societies; and how this estimate will be affected by the proposed exemption of land belonging to corporations and public authorities?

As regards the first part of the hon. Member's question, my right hon. Friend is not in a position to furnish any precise figures as to the distribution of the yield of Undeveloped Land Duty among the several classes of owners of land. The reply to the second part of the question is that the estimate is not affected by the exemption of the public authorities referred to in clause 24 of the; Finance Bill.

asked. whether the great prehistoric camp called Pen Dinas, situated on the summit of Penmaenmawr, is in course of destruction by quarrying operations; whether the Commissioners of Woods and Forests have leased the mountain, including the site of the camp, to a firm of quarry workers without reservation of the land occupied by the ancient camp, or any conditions for its scientific exploration during its gradual destruction; and whether the Royal Commission now inquiring into the ancient monuments of Wales are authorised to report fully and illustratively upon this and. all similar cases?

The Commissioners of Woods informs me that, within the limits of the quarry area at Penmaenmawr leased by them are what are considered. to be the remains of a Roman camp. It is a fact that the site of these remains is not reserved, and that there are no specific conditions in the lease providing for its; scientific exploration; but the lessees do not propose to disturb the actual camp; and no doubt arrangements for its exploration could be made on application from a. responsible body. I understand that part of an old road is being destroyed by the development of the quarry; but, as the undertaking gives employment to 600 men I do not think that the Commissioners of Woods would be warranted in interfering on this point even if they had the power to, do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will consider the propriety of endowing the Lord Mayor of Cardiff and Corporation with the privilege of personally presenting a petition similar to that exercised by the Lord Mayor and Corporation of Dublin on Thursday last?

So far as I am aware no desire has been expressed by the Lord Mayor and Corporation of Cardiff for the privilege of personally presenting Petitions to this House.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will consent to the appointment of a Committee of this House, on which unofficial Members shall be in a majority, to consider whether some method tan be devised which will render the use of closure compartments unnecessary

I should well come the appointment of such a Committee if it is generally desired.

asked whether, in view of the fact that the rural district councils of Ireland have power, under the Public Works Loans Act, 1907, to extend the period of repayments of loans granted under the Labourers (Ireland) Acts prior to the Act of 1906, steps will be taken to provide for the extension of the period of repayments, and thereby reduce the annual instalments payable by the rural district councils and lighten the burden of taxation leviable on the ratepayers, and also give some small reduction in the rent payable by the labourers to the rural district councils?

Under the Public Works Loans Act, 1907, section 6, the period for the repayment of any loan made under the Labourers Acts, 1883 to 1902, to rural district councils was extended by a period of 18½ years, and the annual sum to be paid on account of the repayment of the outstanding principal of the loan and interest was recalculated accordingly. The various rural district councils were informed of this concession.

asked the Under-Secretary for India whether the assistant surgeons in the General Hospital and the Eye Hospital, Madras, are given no opportunity of performing major operations; and whether this work is confined exclusively to members of the Indian Medical Service?

The Secretary of State has no information on the subject, but it is presumed that, in the interests of the patients, operations of importance are entrusted to those surgeons who are best qualified to perform them. The Secretary of State will inquire.

asked the Under-Secretary for India whether, in pursuance of the scheme of reform outlined in the Paper lately presented to Parliament, Indian medical men, not belonging to the Indian Medical Service, will be appointed to such posts as those of surgeon-general, professor in the medical colleges, physician or surgeon in Government hospitals, chemical examiner, sanitary commissioner, and the like, or whether it is proposed to appoint native Indians only to posts of minor importance?

The title of Surgeon-General implies membership of the Indian Medical Service; as regards the other classes of posts mentioned, the hon. Member will see from the published correspondence to which he refers that the policy laid down by the Secretary of State contemplates a gradual extension, without restriction as to posts, of the employment of civil medical practitioners recruited in India. The extent to which this policy can be carried into effect, and the particular posts to which it can be applied, must necessarily depend largely on the qualifications found in the independent medical profession, from which it is intended that vacancies shall be filled.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can state whether the steamer "Strathdon" engaged a crew of Chinese seamen at the Mercantile Marine Office, Poplar, on the 10th instant; whether he can state if the vessel is at the port of Cardiff; and how many Chinese sailors and firemen, trimmers, stewards, and others were engaged?

On the 10th instant a crew of Chinese seamen was engaged at the Mercantile Marine Office at Poplar for the "Strathdon," lying at Cardiff. The crew was composed of the following men: One boatswain, three quartermasters and four seamen, one No. 1 fireman, one donkeyman and nine firemen, two stewards, and two cooks.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will say whether any regulations exist, and, if so, what they are, for the protection of the public using lifts by way of inside doors or barriers; and, in view of the fact that many of the new large emporiums almost entirely rely on this method for conveying their customers from floor to floor, will he give the matter his consideration?

The only lifts that are inspected on behalf of the Board of Trade are those used at railway stations for the conveyance of passengers, and it is the invariable practice to require such lifts to be fitted with inside doors. The Board are not aware of any general regulations as to lifts, and those used in shops do not come within their jurisdiction.