asked the Secretary of State for War whether foreign meat is supplied for five days in each week to the troops stationed in Ireland; whether foreign forage is imported for the horses; whether the equipment is made and repaired outside Ireland; whether many regimental canteens are supplied by contractors outside Ireland; and, if so, whether he can give any statement of details showing in what way Ireland reaps benefit by the presence of troops there?

The hon. Member is no doubt aware that the presence of troops in any locality is of considerable financial advantage to that locality whether in Great Britain or Ireland. The conditions of the contracts for meat and forage are common to troops throughout the United Kingdom. The equipment is provided from sources outside Ireland, but repairs are as a rule executed locally. The arrangements for canteens are made locally.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any decision has been come to with regard to the complaint that had been made against General Rimington; and whether that officer will return to his previous appointment in India?

The Army Council is still awaiting a report from the Commander-in-Chief in India. As this officer's leave expires on the 19th instant, he is presumably en. route to that country to resume his command.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will state how many recruits have been enlisted for the Special Reserve of the Royal Field Artillery since April, 1909, showing the numbers enlisted per mensem, allowing a reasonable proportion for losses by desertion, sickness, etc.; what is the average per mensem that should be enlisted to keep up the establishment; what is the strength at present of the Special Reserve of the Royal Field Artillery, showing the numbers by divisions; what is the establishment of artificers, by classes, of the Special Reserve of the Royal Field Artillery, and what are the numbers at present serving; and whether any facilities are offered for an increased training for men of the Special Reserve who show an aptitude for and desire to learn a trade?

The number of recruits was as follows:— April 66 May 35 June 63 July 42 August 62 Total 268

In the present establishment of 12,000 it is calculated that 241 recruits a month are required, after making the usual allowance for casualties; for the future establishment of 6,000 about 120 recruits a month will be required.

The strength by divisions on 1st September was as follows:— 1st Division 1,167 2nd Division 1,386 3rd Division 399 4th Division 1,180 5th Division 2,408 6th Division 1,353 Total 7,893

This figure is exclusive of 774 Militiamen and 24 of the Reserve Division of Militia still serving on their old engagement.

The establishments of artificers (present and future) and strength are as follows:— Establishment. Present. Future. Strength. Farriers 36 24 — Shoeing & Carriage Smiths 228 144 3 Saddlers 72 48 — Fitters or Wheelers 72 48 —

The reply to the last part of the question-is in the negative.

asked the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether his attention has been called to the delay of the Cardigan County Council in dealing with the application of Mr. Lewis Oliver, of Dolchgenog farm, in the parish of Ysbytty Ystwyth, for a small holding; and whether, in view of the fact that the notice to quit served upon Mr. Oliver, no reason being assigned, in respect of his present farm expires on the 29th instant, he will communicate with the county council with a view to an immediate decision in the matter?

We have already communicated with the county council on this matter, and they are well aware of the necessity of taking prompt action.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the departmental inquiry into the case of the superintending officers, London postal service, is completed; and, if so, when he will be in a position to give the result of the inquiry and his decision on the questions raised by the deputation that waited upon him last year?

Proposals based on the inquiry referred to by the hon. Member have been laid before the Treasury. I am awaiting the result.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the danger to the travelling public at Laurencekirk Railway Station due to inadequate space on the platforms at a spot close to a water tank and at a point where a bridge crosses the line; and, if so, whether he will make representations to the Caledonian Railway Company with a view to such alterations as will remove this danger?

I am in communication with the railway company in this matter, and will inform my hon. and gallant Friend of the result in due course.

asked the Chief Secretary the following questions:—(1) If he can state on what grounds Mrs. Anne O'Brien's name was removed from the final and approved list of evicted tenants for whom parcels of land were mapped out on the de Montalt estate, county Tipperary, which list was read by the Estates Commissioners' inspector, Mr. Lenihan, on 14th April, 1907, and the land distributed amongst the other evicted tenants on 8th May following, Mrs. O'Brien's name being in the meantime removed?

(2) Whether Mrs. Anne O'Brien, evicted tenant, of Golden Hills, county Tipperary, was officially declared, after three years' investigation of her claim, a qualified evicted tenant by the Estates Commissioners, and a parcel of land allotted to her on the de Montalt estate, county Tipperary?

(3) Whether the parcel of land allotted to Mrs. O'Brien was allowed by the Estates Commissioners to remain derelict for six months, and £80 or £100 worth of meadowing to rot on it, and a portion of it finally handed over to a man who holds between 40 and 50 acres of land, and whose claim as an evicted tenant rested on the fact that he was originally evicted from two and a-half acres held under a different landlord?

(4) Whether Mrs. Anne O'Brien was entitled to an equivalent farm, seeing that the farm from which she was evicted could have had a fair rent fixed upon it under the Redemption of Rent Act, 1891, but for the opposition of the landlord, on account of arrears, who insisted on charging her for many years double the rent of any other tenant on the estate for land of similar quality, and seeing that Mrs. O'Brien holds no land and that the holding from which she was evicted was not residential in its character, the valuation of the land being more than double the valuation of the buildings?

I am informed by the Estates Commissioners that the name of Mrs. Anne O'Brien appeared on the provisional scheme for the allotment of the untenanted land on the de Montalt estate. That scheme was purely provi- sional, and had not been finally approved by the Commissioners. After further inquiry and consideration it was amended, and, amongst other things, the parcel in respect of which Mrs. O'Brien's name had been provisionally noted was otherwise allotted. The disposal of such parcels and the selection of the persons to whom they are to be given is a matter within the powers of the Commissioners, and I cannot undertake to give them directions, or to criticise the exercise of their discretion. I am further informed that no application under the Redemption of Rent Act was made to the Land Commission to have a rent fixed under the Land Law Acts in regard to the holding on the Pennefeather estate at one time held under lease by Mrs. O'Brien's father. The Estates Commissioners, after careful consideration of the case and in the exercise of their discretion, have decided to take no further action in reference to her application as an evicted tenant.

asked the Chief Secretary if he will state in how many cases where the Local Government Board upheld the pension officer's appeal has it subsequently been discovered that they were wrong in their decision, and so admitted it; has the Local Government Board no power to rectify the error in such cases; and, in view of the poverty of many old age pension applicants and the hardship any unnecessary delay entails, will he have this question at once reconsidered, and, if necessary, introduce legislation to deal with the matter?

The Local Government Board do not admit that any of their decisions have been wrong. They can, of course, only take into account the evidence submitted to them at the time, and it has happened that the claimants have been able subsequently to bring forward fresh evidence. Subject to Section 9 (1) of the Treasury Regulations (House of Commons Paper 304 of 1908), it is always open to a claimant to make a fresh claim and bring forward any new evidence in respect of his case. In several cases where this has been done the pensions have been allowed.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he is aware that on 3rd April of the present year Mr. Wilkinson, creamery instructor to the Department, made a report to the reverend president of the Drumshambo Creamery Company, Leitrim, drawing the latter's attention to what he considered were defects in the management of the creamery; whether the report contained statements which the instructor afterwards failed to substantiate, among them being the statement that the cost of manufacturing unsalted was 3s. per cwt. more than that of salted butter; whether copies of this report were at the time sent to the manager of the creamery; whether it is the practice of instructors to interview presidents or employers or make private reports to them, copies of which are not supplied to the creamery manager; and, if so, will he see that such methods are discontinued?

Mr. Wilkinson, instructor in dairying, on 3rd April last, furnished the president of this society with a report supplementary to that made by him on 31st March of this year. The report in question did not contain any statement which the inspector failed to substantiate. With regard to the other queries, the Department do not bind themselves to supply creamery managers with copies of any such reports made by the instructors in dairying.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the poorer dependents upon investments continue entitled to the abatement of £160 in respect of their unearned income?

The abatement of £160 in its existing application to residents in the United Kingdom is unaffected by the proposals of the Finance Bill.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he proposes to tax common brick-clay as a mineral?

I must refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave on the 16th ultimo to a similar question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for the Bridgwater Division of Somerset.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, seeing that on the death of Government officials their pay ceases automatically within 24 hours of their death, he can make provision for the 24 hours to be extended to a month, considering that any servants employed by them have to receive a full month's pay?

The answer is in the negative. I may, however, remind the hon. and Gallant Member that by the Superannuation Bill of this Session provision is made for the payment of gratuities, in certain cases, to the legal representatives of Civil servants who die whilst still employed in the service.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the titles of the Reports of the responsible Commissioners who examined into systems in foreign countries similar to that proposed to be set up by the Development Bill which can be obtained in the Library of this House?

I may refer the Noble Lord to a Report on Co-operative Agriculture and Rural Conditions in Denmark, prepared on behalf of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland, and published in 1905 (Bulletin No. 7, Miscellaneous Series), and to the Report of the Scottish Commission on Agriculture to Denmark (Blackwood, 1904). I presume that both these Reports can be found in the Library of the House of Commons.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with regard to the Development and Road Improvement Funds Bill, whether it is intended that expenditure on road improvements should include expenditure by local authorities on the improvement and treatment of road surfaces and on street widenings respectively; and whether grants will be made in relief of the expenditure on works of this nature?

The Road Board are to have power, with the approval of the Treasury, to make advances to highway authorities towards the improvement of existing roads or the construction of new roads, which appear to the Board to be required for facilitating motor traffic. The question whether, in any particular ease, purposes such as those referred to by the hon. Member will come within the meaning of Clause 6 of the Bill will rest with the Road Board.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the exposure for sale of picture postcards of an indecent character, and to mutoscopes at railway stations of similar character; and whether he can take steps to check such breaches of the law?

The police take action in all cases of the nature referred to which come to their notice, and which can be brought within the criminal law, with the result that exhibitions of the grosser sorts have been largely stamped out. The Postmaster-General has also recently issued a public notification that the transmission of such postcards by the post is a serious criminal offence. As regards the exhibitions which are of a demoralising and disgusting character, though not coming within the law relating to obscene exhibitions, I hope that when I have an opportunity of passing the Bill which has been prepared to give effect to the recommendations of the Joint Committee on indecent publications and advertisements, it may enable effective action to be taken.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can give any figures show- ing the number of persons serving sentences of over 10 years' penal servitude at different dates during the last 15 years; and the number who on those dates had actually served more than 10 years?

I have had the following figures taken out, showing the number of persons who were in prison serving sentences of over 10 years' penal servitude, other than commuted death sentences, on 31st December in each of the years 1893, 1899, 1904, and 1908, and also the number who on the last two of those dates had actually served more than 10 years. This latter figure is not available for the first two dates:— Year Number of persons serving sentences of over 10 years penal servitude. Number of those persons who had actually served over 10 years. 1893 557 — 1899 318 — 1904 245 32 1908 215 43

In comparing the two sets of figures it should be borne in mind that the ordinary regulations enable a male convict to earn remission of one-fourth of his sentence, and a female convict to earn remission of one-third, by good Conduct and industry.