asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will say whether receivable orders were issued on the Crookenden and Casey estate, county Cavan, for the last May rent; if so, how many were subsequently cancelled; were the same withdrawn; if so, how soon was it after the original issue was dispatched; will he say who was responsible for this transaction; whether it is intended to refund the moneys overpaid for the aforesaid May rent; and, if so, when?

The Land Commission inform me that on the estate referred to 461 receivable orders which had been prepared in advance were, prior to 1st May last, issued for interest in lieu of rent due 1st May, 1909, under the agreements for purchase, which were signed between the vendors and the tenants some years back. The proceedings having been transferred from a "direct sale" to a sale under Section 6 of the Act of 1903, new receivable orders, based on the new undertakings, were forwarded on 6th May, 1909, to the tenant purchasers, with a request to destroy the receivable orders previously sent. In only 38 cases was the interest paid upon the receivable orders first sent out, and in these cases the total overpayments made, owing to the purchase moneys having been reduced, only amounted to £7 14s. 9d. The tenants who so paid this small excess will be credited with this payment when the current gale of interest is being collected. In no case was interest in lieu of rent paid twice over.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that a steam launch belonging to Colonel Bruce started from Toome, Lough Neagh, on 10th August last with several armed policemen and water bailiffs on board; that when off Newport-trench harbour, about a mile from the shore, the occupants of the launch discharged a number of shots and interfered with an eel line belonging to certain fishermen; and what explanation is there for the action of the police in this affair?

I am informed by the constabulary authorities that on the date in question two police were protecting two water bailiffs on the steam launch. The bailiffs fired several shots at wild ducks, but there was no interference with eel lines. The police do not appear to have done anything calling for an explanation.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that persons residing at Backaderry, recipients of outdoor relief from the Banbridge Union, county Down, are paid amounts allowed them weekly at a public-house; whether this is in accordance with the regulations of the Local Government Board; and whether he will cause inquiry to be made into this practice?

The Local Government Board have no information as to the statement made in the question, but they are causing inquiries to be made into the matter. It is contrary to the regulations to dispense outdoor relief in licensed premises.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if be will state what the totals of revenue have been from the duty upon brandy, rum, Geneva and British plain spirits during May, June and July, 1909; and what were they, respectively, for the corresponding three months of 1908?

The amount of revenue derived from brandy, rum, Geneva and British plain spirits during May, June and July, in the years 1908 and 1909, was:—

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will state what is the nature of the later treatment to which the soldiers treated at Millbank Hospital as typhoid carriers, on whom experimental methods with antityphoid injections were made, have been submitted; and whether he will lay upon the Table papers showing the results obtained by the various methods employed in these cases, in continuation of [Cd. 4609]?

I have nothing to add to the explicit statement made in the House on 16th March last (page 963 and top of 964 of the Official Report).

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what were the numbers of Roman Catholic, Wesleyan, and Presbyterian seamen in the Home Fleet, in the Atlantic Fleet, in the Mediterranean Fleet, and in the China Squadron, respectively, as at the 31st December, 1908?

supplied the following particulars:—

asked the Postmaster-General if appointments to postmastershipshave been made during the past 20 years from the postal staffs at Belfast; whether such officers have been qualified for such a position; and, if not, can he state what are the necessary qualifications they should possess?

As the hon. Gentleman is aware, the postmasterships are open to all the service, the competition is great, and the selection is carefully made but cannot be decided by local distribution. I regret that no appointment of postmaster has been made for some years from the postal staff at Belfast, though, as I stated to the hon. Member, 12 appointments to postmasterships in the last 20 years have been made from the telegraph side.

asked the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, if he can say for what reason the prices of the hand-coloured sheets of the Geological Survey have been raised so considerably; whether he can make arrangements whereby they shall be supplied to students and teachers of geology at a reduction from the present prices; if he is aware of the inconvenience caused by the variety in the prices; and whether something like uniformity can be arrived at?

The price of the maps to which my hon. Friend refers has been raised in accordance with Treasury instructions so as to cover the cost of production and agent's commission. The prices are not uniform because the cost of preparation varies considerably. The Board will be glad to consider the suggestions made in the latter part of the question, and also whether a reduction can be made in price for maps supplied to students and teachers of geology.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that complaint has been made to the effect that the salaries due for the quarter ended 31st March had not been paid to many of the clerks of sub-committees on old age pensions in Cork county up to a certain date in August; and whether steps will be taken -to ensure more prompt payment to the parties concerned in future?

The accounts of the Cork county local pension committee and sub-committees for the quarter ended 31st March last have not yet been received from the clerk of the pension committee, who is responsible for forwarding them to the Treasury. The clerk's attention has been drawn to the matter.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether free residence and treatment in a union workhouse hospital will disqualify an old age pensioner; and whether an old age pensioner who has had to be removed to a workhouse hospital can draw his pension while there?

As regards the first part of the question, I understand that the view taken by the Local Government Board in cases which have been decided upon appeal is that disqualification does not arise when the medical or surgical assistance preponderates, and the maintenance is altogether subsidiary. On the other hand, when the medical or surgical relief appears to be incidental to ordinary relief, the pensioner would be regarded as disqualified. Pension officers, in reporting upon such cases to the pension authority, are guided by these decisions. A pensioner who is not disqualified can draw his pension while in the workhouse hospital.

asked whether, in the event of the draft regulations prepared by the Treasury under Clause 3 of the Superannuation Bill becoming operative, medical officers attached to public Departments will be required to fill up the forms prescribed in the draft regulations in regard to Civil servants as part of their ordinary duties?

Medical officers are employed under different conditions in different Departments, and I am not at present in a position to make any general statement upon this question.

asked whether, in the event of the means of a pensioner, that is, a person in receipt of a pension, having so improved that there is a prospect for at least a week or a month they will exceed the rate of £31 10s. a year, that pensioner is to be regarded as no longer satisfying the statutory condition as to means?

The question would be one for the local pension committee to determine, subject to appeal to the Local Government Board. Regard being had to the provisions of Section 4 of the Act, it is clear that the decision must in each case depend upon the circumstances of the particular case.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what provision of the Order in Council of 4th June, 18V0, gives to the Civil Service Commissioners the power to demand proof of primary vaccination as a test for candidates for admission to the Civil Services, irrespective of conscientious objection?

The Civil Service Commissioners act in this matter under the general powers given to them by the Orders in Council to test the qualifications of candidates for employment in the public service, and I am not prepared to interfere with this exercise of their discretion.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has seen a contract form of the Great Eastern Railway Company seeking to compel blind persons using their line to employ a guardian or guide, and purporting to absolve this company from any damage caused or received whilst travelling on their system; will he say if it is proposed to charge a fare for the guide or guardian; has the proposal the sanction of his Department; has this company actually refused to carry blind persons; and will he say what action, if any, his Department intends taking in the matter?

I have seen a contract form to the effect stated, but it was subsequently modified so as only to absolve the company from liability for any injury to a passenger arising from his defective vision. I have been in communication with the company, and have been informed by them that the instructions requiring blind passengers to provide a guide for their assistance at certain points have now been withdrawn.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the report of Mr. Walsh, inspector of the Board, on the condition of the sick poor in the Hinckley Union Workhouse, the insufficiency of the nursing staff, the mixture-of children with adults in the sick wards and elsewhere in the workhouse; and whether he proposes to bring about a remedy for this state of things?

I am aware of the report referred to in the question, and I have for some time past pressed upon the guardians the need for their making further provision for the accommodation of the indoor poor of the Union. In particular, I recently urged upon them forthwith to remove the children from the workhouse and to provide a temporary infirmary for the sick and a temporary laundry. This the guardians have now agreed to do, and I am in communication with them with respect to the details of the arrangements.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if his attention has been called to an inquiry made by the medical officer of health into the cause and circumstances attending the death of a child, aged 15 months, at Bereta-road, New Eltham, Kent; whether the inquiries so made were from a responsible person having a knowledge of the case; were the parents seen or questioned with regard to the case; and whether the information received in person at the residence disclose the cause of death or knowledge of proper or improper treatment.

I understand that when the Woolwich medical officer of health called at the house the parents were not at home, and that he made some inquiries of the servant. The information he obtained led him to the conclusion that it was unnecessary, for him to pursue his inquiries further, and hence he did not see the parents. The medical officer of health would decide for himself how far the information he received answered the purpose he had in view.