asked the Postmaster-General whether, in deciding what class any post office falls under, the returns for work units are taken from the present time or from statistics taken at the time of the late inquiry into the postal service; and whether, by the most recent Returns, Ashford should be raised from Class 4 to Class 3?

The units of work published in the Parliamentary Paper "Post Office (Changes in Wages, etc.)" of July last were based on returns of work for the period ended 31st December, 1907. More recent Returns have been taken in the case of Ashford, and the question of its classification is now under further consideration.

asked the Postmaster-General whether on three occasions during the week ending 12th June women telegraphists at Dundee were detained on overtime later than 9 p.m.; whether any male telegraphists were available; and whether he will make inquiry with a view to preventing any unnecessary recurrence of this kind?

It is the case that on three occasions during the week in question, owing to pressure of work which could not be foreseen, women telegraphists at Dundee were detained on overtime after 9 p.m. No male telegraphists were available at the time. It is a general rule of the service not to employ women on late duties, but exceptional pressure must be met in such manner as circumstances permit.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the proceeds of assurance actually applied to the purpose of paying Death Duties, where policies have been taken out expressly for that purpose, are excluded from personal estate for the purpose of calculating Death Duty?

The answer is in the negative. Such moneys are' part of the personal estate, and taxable as such.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the estimated value of the beer, stout, and spirits manufactured in Ireland in the most recent year for which the figures are available, and what was the estimated value of the beer, stout, and spirits manufactured in but exported from Ireland in the same year, taking the value in both cases free of duty; what was the amount of duty paid in Ireland on beer, stout, and spirits, respectively, in the financial year ending 5th April, 1909, and in the two preceding years, and what were the total amounts of the respective licence duties paid by off and on spirit dealers and beer dealers in Ireland in the last and two previous financial years?

I have no information as to the value of beer and spirits manufactured' in Ireland, but some details are given as to exports on pages 98 and 99 of the Report of the Department of Agriculture, etc., Ireland, 1908 (Command 4,429).The amount of duty paid in Ireland (which is not the same as the true contribution of Ireland as estimated in Financial Relations Returns) on beer, including stout, and on spirits in the three years 1906–7, 1907–8, and 1908–9 was as follows:—