asked the Secretary to the Treasury, whether he was aware that there were cases in the Erith and Sutton-at-Hone districts in which old age pensioners had not received their new pension books, causing their pensions to be some time overdue; and whether he could arrange that the new books shall be promptly delivered to the people entitled to have them?

I regret that some of the pension books in these districts were not delivered until 15th July. In a certain number of cases the pensioners were absent from home, or had removed elsewhere. The work of delivery is very heavy, especially in certain districts, but arrangements have been made by which, it is hoped, that it will be expedited on future occasions.

asked in how many districts the new pension order books were not completely delivered on 1st July; and what steps the Board of Customs and Excise propose to take to prevent a repetition of the inconvenience caused to old age pensioners by the non-delivery?

There were 1,131 pension areas in which the delivery was not complete before the 1st July. In 914 of those areas the delay was due to causes outside the Officer's control, such as illness or absence of the pensioner. As I stated in the House yesterday, I have now made arrangements for increasing the number of Excise officers available for the delivery of pension books, and I hope that the number of cases apart from cases of pensioners being away from home, etc., where the books are not delivered in time will be reduced to very small dimensions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the reason for the delay in putting the promised Amendments to Clause 25 of the Finance Bill upon the Paper; and whether he will see that such Amendments are in the hands of Members before Clause 11:is discussed in Committee?

I do not think that there has been any undue delay in this matter. The Amendments will be put down shortly.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that, on the night of the 21st ultimo or the morning of the 22nd, 100 head of cattle, the property of Mr. Mackey, Clonsilla, were driven off the lands of Newtownmoynagh, Athboy, county Meath, and were subsequently found, some up the Hill of Ward Road, and others near Athboy; whether he is aware that, on the occasion in question, a gate leading to those lands was lifted off its hinges and carried away, and that, at the last April quarter sessions in Trim, Judge Curran awarded Mr. Mackey £16 for the driving of 32 head of cattle off the same lands; and can he state what steps have been taken to prevent further outrage of a like nature on the property of Mr. Mackey?

On the morning of the 22nd July 106 cattle, the property of Mr. William Mackey, were driven off the lands in question, and were found wandering along the roads near the farm. Three gates had been lifted off their hinges and left by the gateways. Compensation to the amount of £16 was awarded at Trim Quarter Sessions in respect of a cattle-drive off the same lands in January last. The police force at Athboy has since been strengthened by the addition of three men, and every effort is being made to prevent a repetition of the offence.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can state if the Commissioners of National Education intend to make any grant towards the new school which has been erected in the townland of Legfordrum, Strabane, under Roman Catholic management, within a short distance of another national school; whether he is aware that a Roman Catholic-managed school is situated in the next townland of Gallon; and can he state if the Board have granted funds, what the average attendance has been of the surrounding national schools, and whether pupils have been taken from them in order to make up an attendance for the new school at Legfordrum?

The Commissioners of National Education have, after due consideration of all the circumstances, granted aid to the school referred to. They inform me that the nearest National school under Roman Catholic management is the Gallon National School, which is 3⅛ miles from Legfordrum. The Commissioners are not aware that the opening of Leg-fordrum school has had any material effect on the attendance at the surrounding schools, as may be seen from the following returns of the attendance at these schools for the quarters ended the 30th June,1908 and the 30th June, 1909, respectively:—

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the number of seamen who failed to join British foreign-going ships in the United Kingdom, and the number of continuous discharge books suspended, during the quarters ended 30th June, 1908, and 30th June, 1909, respectively?

I am making inquiries, and hope to be able to furnish the hon. Member with the information desired in the course of a few days.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been drawn to the absence of sanitary arrangements at the works of the London Grain Elevator Company, which are under the supervision of the Port of London Sanitary Authority: whether he is aware that there is no drainage in connection with the conveniences for the workmen, and that there is no direct water supply: and whether he will take action with a view to efficient sanitary arrangements being made?

I have received a complaint on this subject, and have obtained a statement made by the Port medical officer of health with regard to it. It appears that the works of the company are situate on enclosed land belonging to the Royal Victoria Docks, and are not contiguous to any other buildings; that the nearest sewer is 200 yards distant from the buildings; and that the sanitary arrangements for the use of the workpeople are of a type in general use in the docks, in which the soil is received into a concrete-lined pit, which it, from time to time emptied, the contents being buried in the surrounding waste land. The place has been inspected by the medical officer of health, who states that, although objection may be taken to the form of closet used, there was no such nuisance as could be dealt with under section 2 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891. He points out that certain other provisions of the Act do not extend to the Port Sanitary Authority. He adds that there is no direct water supply to the premises, but that the arrangements for supplying drinking water to the workpeople, if properly carried out, appear to be adequate.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been drawn to the report of the inquest on William Cornish, who died in the insane ward of the Shoreditch infirmary; whether he can state what are the duties of the night attendant and the number of patients in his charge; and whether he has had any training qualifying him for this position?

The duties of the night attendant referred to are to attend to the two lunatic wards. These wards have accommodation for 32 beds. One of them contains 17 beds for epileptic and convalescent patients who can attend to themselves, except when they have fits. The work in the other varies considerably, and when necessary additional assistance is engaged. The night attendant has held his office since June, 1899, prior to which date he had experience in a county asylum.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether the recently appointed organising secretary of the Poor Law Officers' Association is a retired workhouse master; whether he and his wife are in receipt of Poor Law pensions, and, if so, will he state the reasons of their retirement and the amount of the pensions; whether this appointment of secretary carries with it a salary of £200 a year and expenses; and whether he has to sanction the appointment?

I have made inquiry, and am informed that the post in question is that of assistant-secretary to the association; that a person has been chosen for it, but that the appointment has to be confirmed by the council of the association. I understand that the selected candidate is not a retired workhouse master or other retired Poor Law officer. The salary is as stated in the question. No sanction on my part is necessary to the appointment.

asked the Postmaster-General why the terms of the recent circular, which directed that an officer charged with an offence should be afforded every opportunity of defending himself are not carried out in the Dublin telegraph office; is he aware that the request of an officer charged with slow slip writing for a sheet of news which he had written, and which was of material evidence in defence, was refused and the officer punished; and will he see that his instructions in the matter referred to are carried out in future?

The sheet for which the officer in question asked was not the sheet to which the charge of slow writing referred. As, however, the request to be furnished with the previous item has been renewed, I see no objection to its being complied with in order to remove any possible ground for the idea that full opportunity for disproving the charge was not allowed, and I have given instructions accordingly.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that John Clark, an ex-telegraph messenger and acting assistant-postman at Glasgow, was disqualified for a full-time appointment by the official medical officer; that he submitted a medical certificate from another practitioner challenging the accuracy of the medical officer's diagnosis, and asking to be examined by the medical referee; whether he is aware that Clark's request was refused, although he gave an undertaking to pay the necessary fees; and whether, in view of the facts of the case, he will give instructions that Clark be examined by the medical referee?

The medical evidence in the case of John Clark, an ex-telegraph messenger at Glasgow, was conclusive that he was physically unfit for an established appointment, and it was considered, therefore, that no useful purpose would be served by a further medical examination. It is possible, however, that the Civil Service Commissioners, who are the ultimate authorities in matters of this kind, might take a different view, and I have caused the case to be forwarded for their consideration.