asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been drawn to the election on 23rd June of two male attendants for the infirm men at Poplar Workhouse, one of whom, John King, aged 26, single, had as his only qualification his having followed the calling of a driller; and whether he intends to sanction the appointment of an attendant having no previous experience of his duties?

I have made inquiry, and am informed that out of 81 applicants for two appointments as attendants on the aged, six were selected, and that John King, who was among the six, was one of the persons appointed. He produced satisfactory testimonials as to character. It was competent for the guardians to appoint him, although he had not had previous experience of the duties of the post, and it does not seem to me necessary to interfere with the exercise of their discretion in the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give any assurance to the House that the British Government will adopt the same friendly attitude in the event of an advance of Turkish troops into Persia as that which has been adopted towards the action of the Russian Government?

I can give no assurances about contingencies before they arise.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the horse shoes obtained by him from the United States in 1907 were in all respects satisfactory, or whether they have since beer disposed of at scrap prices owing to their unsuitability?

No complaints have been received from troops using the horse shoes referred to. The reply to the second part of the hon. Member's question is it the negative.

asked the Secretary o State for War whether, in response to telegram sent recently to the military depot at York for the despatch of sufficient men to defend the bridges over the Tyne during manoeuvres in connection with the Territorial camps, the men were sent by special train, and on arrival it was found that they had been provided with bal cartridge, and in consequence the in tended manœuvres could not be carried out; and what steps he proposes to take to prevent a recurrence of such incidents

The hon. Member has not appreciated the fact that the manœuvres mentioned were designed as a test of the mobilisation arrangements. Some of the men were despatched in a special train, the manœuvres were carried out as intended, and the troops were purposely armed with ball cartridge.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the delay in the gazetting of the officers of the old 14th Middlesex (Inns of Court) Volunteer Rifle Corps to their new unit in the Territorial Force, namely, the 27th battalion, County of London Regiment (Inns of Court), and the grave inconvenience caused by such delay, especially having regard to the approaching August camp; whether he will take steps to have these officers gazetted forthwith; and when the new establishment will be published in Army Orders?

The officers will, it is hoped, appear in next Friday's "Gazette.' The authorised establishment of this unit is being notified to the general officer commanding.

asked the Secretary of State for War, whether his attention has been called to a paragraph in the annual report of the council of the Royal College or Veterinary Surgeons, in which members are advised not to join the Territorial Force in the capacity of veterinary officers; will he say whether he has made any representations to the council of this college on this subject; and, if so, will he state the result to the House?

My attention has been drawn to this matter. I have taken the opportunity of seeing the president of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and have made proposals which have been accepted by the council of the college. Members of the profession are now invited by the council to join the Territorial Force in the capacity of veterinary officers.

asked the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, how many applications for small holdings have been made to the Cheshire County Council; how many of the applicants have been approved as suitable tenants; what is the total acreage applied for, and the acreage required to supply the requirements of the suitable applicants; how many applicants have been supplied and with what acreage; how many applications have been refused on the ground that the land-owner has refused to enter into a voluntary agreement; and what steps are being taken to meet such cases by the application of the compulsory clauses of the Act?

Two hundred and sixty-nine applications for 5,766 acres have been received, and 177 of them for 4,159 acres have been approved. Forty-six applicants have been supplied with 933 acres. The county council ha3 not found it necessary as yet to put into force their compulsory powers owing to any refusal by land-owners to supply the land required.

asked the hon. Member for South Somerset whether he is aware that in March, 1908, John Oldfield, of Lane Side, Rainow, near Macclesfield, applied to the Cheshire County Council for a small holding on land adjoining his dwelling; that the amount of land he asked for was 2 acres, 700 yards, out of a farm of 74 acres; that this plot of land is on a hillside 800 feet above sea level, on an outlying part of the farm, and is by no means of such good quality as the greater part of the farm land; that he has nevertheless offered 32s. per acre, whereas the whole farm is let at an average of 27s. per acre; that there is no other farm of over 50 acres within one mile of the applicant's dwelling; that the owner has declined to let the farm to the county council for the purposes of a small holding, and that the county council have informed the applicant that that is the end of the matter, and have refused to put in force the compulsory clauses of the Act; and what steps do the Board of Agriculture propose to take in the matter?

We are making inquiry into this matter, but I am not at present able to say what action, if any, it will be desirable to take. I will let my hon. Friend know when our inquiries are completed.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Commissioners of National Education intend to insist on the rule making physical drill compulsory where there is no suitable accommodation in connection with a school for teaching the same?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that physical drill as prescribed by them does not require any special accommodation. It can be practised either indoors or in the open air.

asked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that the Shillelagh Rural District Council are unable to proceed with improvement schemes adopted by them under the Labourers Acts in consequence of delay in obtaining results of searches lodged by their solicitor some months ago in the Registry of Deeds; and if he could take steps to have the searches expedited so that the council might acquire the lands and proceed with the erection of the cottages authorised?

I am informed by the Registrar of Deeds that 47 requisitions for searches for the purposes of the Labourers Acts have been lodged by the solicitors for the Shillelagh Rural District Council. Of these 34 searches have been disposed of, and are ready for delivery, six are being made (including four which have been queried for necessary alterations in the requisitions), and the remaining seven will be completed as soon as possible. As regards the remainder of the question, I have already stated, in reply to a question asked by the hon. Member for Mid-Tyrone on 14th June last, that every effort is being made to meet the unprecedented pressure of work in the Registry of Deeds, and that the staff are working overtime with that object.

asked the Chief Secretary if he proposes to proceed any further with the Irish Land Bill?

:Yes. Most certainly I do.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the solicitor having carriage of the sale of Thomas Butler's estate, of Ballyvass, county Kildare, obtained a conveyance to himself of that estate, and also of Butler's estate of Springhill, Queen's County, on 9th November, 1903, as shown by a memorial in the Registry of Deeds, Dublin; that the execution of the conveyance was witnessed by two of the solicitor's clerks; that the only money advanced by the solicitor to Butler was £384; that Butler's two estates realised £6,079; that the giving of the conveyance left Butler absolutely without means, and that he died in great poverty; whether he is aware that his personal estate was sworn at £3; that the solicitor placed the estate of Springhill in the Land Judge's Court in a false name and published an improper final notice to claimants and incumbrancers; that Butler's share of the purchase price of Springhill and bonus was £2,867; will he say if Butler or his widow have received any portion of that money, and, if so, how much, as there is no record of any such payment; if the solicitor has received a payment of £935; and if he will call for a detailed account to show what has been done with Butler's share of the purchase money of the estate of Springhill?

I am informed by the Registrar to the Land Judge that there do not appear to have been any proceedings in that Court for the sale of the estate of Thomas Butler. As regards the proceedings instituted before the Land Commission, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the question asked by him on the 6th instant. As the title to the claims on the estate has not yet been investigated, the charges made in the question against the solicitor having carriage of the sale cannot now be dealt with by the Land Commission. It is open to the parties, if so advised, to raise the question before the Court of the Land Commission at the time of the distribution of the purchase money, or, in the meantime, to take proceedings before a court having jurisdiction in such matters.

asked the Chief Secretary if his attention has repeatedly been called to the fact that the inhabitants of Armoy, county Antrim, have no public water supply except a public well beside the Presbyterian burying ground, at an inconvenient place, with an inadequate supply of water quite unfit for domestic purposes; if the attention of the Ballycastle Rural District Council has been repeatedly drawn to this matter during the past ten years with no result whatever; and, seeing that this council refuses to take any adequate steps to remedy this state of affairs, will he advise the Local Government Board to grant the people of Armoy a public sworn inquiry into the whole matter?

The hon. Member appears to have been misinformed. I understand that last autumn a public pump was provided, from which a good supply of wholesome water is obtainable; and that since then the rural district council have rented for public purposes one of the private wells in the locality, the water of which is stated by the medical officer of health to be excellent as regards both quality and quantity. In addition to arranging for these two supplies, the council have invited tenders for sinking another public well; and, if they carry out their present intentions, the total water supply rendered available for public use should, in the opinion of the Local Government Board, prove sufficient for the needs of the town.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners have received an application from John McCarthy for reinstatement in his former holding on the Kingston estate, county Cork, from which he was evicted in 1886; and whether this case has yet been inquired into and reported upon by an inspector, and with what result?

The Estates Commissioners have received an application from John McCarthy for reinstatement in a holding on the Kingston estate at one time in his occupation, and now in the possession of another tenant, and have decided to take no action in the matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in the event of the proposed extra duty of 3s. 9d. per proof gallon on spirits being finally fixed below that amount, will the difference be at once refunded, without any deductions, to those who may have paid such extra duty; and if he will state whether interest will be allowed on the refund, and, if so, at what rate?

In the event of a proposed extra duty being finally fixed by the Finance Act below the amount specified in the Bill without any provision being made by the Act in respect of such duty levied before the passing of the Act under the Resolution of the House of Commons, the difference would be refunded, but no interest would be allowed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that negotiations respecting the possible development of a new coalfield in the Midlands have been blocked owing to the refusal of one of the landowners interested to proceed with the scheme, and thereby encumber his estate with the Increment Duty proposed under the Budget, the existence of coal not having been hitherto proved to exist under the estate in question nor under the neighbouring land; and whether, under these circumstances, he will reconsider his decision as to levying the proposed Increment Duty?

The answer to both parts of the question is in the negative.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether, in view of the fact that the Royal College of Surgeons is unable through the provisions of the Medical Act of 1876 to confer the rights and privileges of the col- lege to women who are admitted to its diplomas, he proposes to grant a new charter to the college.

I have no power to take any such action. I understand that a supplementary charter for the Royal College could only be granted by the Crown on the petition of the governing body.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether it is intended by the regulation covering the taking of special leave without pay by civil servants to cause Territorials who take their second week in camp as special leave to lose a week's seniority, and to have their increments put back a week?

No, Sir.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether Mr. Larden, who was recently deprived of his mastership at the Royal Naval Engineering College at Devonport, in consequence of the winding-up of the college, was offered employment in any other Department, in accordance with the Resolution of the House of Commons of 12th June, 1888, which directs that in any future reorganisations officials who are still able and willing to render service for the public money shall be provided with employment in other Departments instead of being forced to become useless burdens upon the country; and, if not, will he explain why this was not done?

It would rest with the authorities of the Department' under which this gentleman was employed to consider whether steps of the nature indicated could be taken.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has had any complaints against the firm of Messrs. Beeches, of Dalston, who supply switch sections to the Post Office, for not paying the standard rate of wage to some of their employés; whether he has made any inquiries into the complaints; and, if so, what is the result of the inquiries?

I presume that Mr. Beech, of Dalston-lane, is meant. Mr. Beech at present holds no orders from the Post Office, and has never supplied switch sections to the Post Office.