asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any provision of the Finance Bill is intended to affect or impair the provisions of 39 Geo. 3, c. 73, and 55 Geo. 3, c. 184, Schedule, Part III., exempting from Legacy Duty any legacy consisting of books, prints, pictures, gems, coins, medals, specimens of natural history, or other specific articles which shall be given or bequeathed to or in trust for any body, corporate or sole, or to any of the Inns of Court or Chancery or any endowed school, in order to be kept or preserved by such body corporate, society, or school, and not for the purposes of sale?

No, Sir.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, out of four men at present under nomination in the Customs Statistical Office and four men who have refused or failed to satisfy the Civil Service Commissioners, three men in each case have experience of one branch only; and whether he will give instructions that the present practice of retaining certain men in the same branch during their official careers, engaged on similar duties, be discontinued in consequence of the advantage they possess, as shown by the nominations, over clerks who are removed periodically, engaged on different duties, and reported on by different senior clerks?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, except that two, not three, of the four men who refused promotion or failed to qualify have experience of one branch only. As stated in my reply to the hon. Member's question of 4th instant, transfers from one branch to another are now effected as much as possible. There is no foundation for the suggestion that clerks who have been employed in one branch only are more advantageously placed for securing a nomination than their colleagues who have served in several branches.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will consider the desirability of discontinuing advertisements of patent paints, prayer-books, hosiery, and other goods in the small red stamp books supplied by the Post Office?

I am glad to turn an honest penny for the Post Office by means of the advertisements in the books of stamps, and I do not think any objection can be taken to the advertisements mentioned. If my hon. Friend will supply me with other advertisements that will bring to the Revenue a larger sum of money than those to which he refers, I will gladly consider them.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the halfpenny charged for the small red stamp books supplied by the Post Office covers the full extra cost to the Post Office of binding the stamps into book form?

The halfpenny covers the special cost of preparing and distributing the books, and leaves a profit.

asked the Postmaster-General whether it was stated in the Post Office Circular of 18th May last that questions relating to the classification of sub-offices were still under consideration; and, if so, whether he can now state when the result of his deliberations will be issued?

I hope soon to be in a position to make an announcement on this subject.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that in many rural districts postmen cash postal orders for the convenience of persons who live a long way from a post-office; whether he is aware that postmen are being informed that this is contrary to the regulations and forbidden to continue the practice; and whether, in view of the convenience which will be caused to people in sparsely populated areas, he will withdraw this instruction?

It is not, and has never been, part of the duty of rural postmen to cash postal orders for the convenience of the public.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that now that we have 1d. postage for letters from Great Britain and Ireland to every part of the British Empire, to the United States of America, to Egypt, and to Shanghai, Tientsin, and other treaty ports of China, complaints are made that postcards are also charged 1d. each to these places; whether he can give, approximately, the total number of letters and the total number of postcards sent annually to the parts of the world enjoying 1d. postage; and what would be the loss to the British Post Office if postcards were sent at a ½d. each to every part of the Empire and every country named above?

I do not see my way to reduce the charge on postcards for the places mentioned; and, as I informed my hon. Friend a year ago, I have no means of forming a trustworthy estimate of the total number or the total loss which would be entailed by the introduction of a ½d. rate for such cards.

asked the Lord Advocate whether he is aware that a licence has been granted to a grocer in Penicuik under the provisions of Section 2 of the Poisons and Pharmacy Act, 1908; whether there are two registered chemists who are qualified poison vendors within the jurisdiction of the town council of Penicuik; whether the Act of 1908 contemplated the granting of local licences in neighbourhoods where the reasonable requirements of the public with respect to the purchase of poisons are satisfied; and, if not, whether he will consider the propriety of taking steps to have the licence referred to in the first part of the question cancelled?

The question of the grant of licences under Section 2 of the Poisons and Pharmacy Act, 1908, is one entirely within the discretion of the local authority so long as the terms of the Act are not infringed. The Act charges the local authority with the duty of considering whether the reasonable requirements of the public are satisfied, and these requirements may not, in some cases, be met through the facilities given by chemists. There is no provision in the Act for cancelling a licence granted by the local authority.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether gardeners and labourers in the employment of the Board of Works are paid a weekly wage which is 4s. below the rate paid to labourers in other branches of the Government service in the city of Dublin; and whether he will make arrangements to have labourers in the Government service paid a uniform wage?

I have nothing to add to the answers which I have previously given on this point.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, seeing that the Treasury Remembrancer does not exercise any control in Ireland, he will say if there is any supervision over the expenditure and staffing of the various spending Departments in Ireland; and, if so, by whom is it exercised and where are the accounts audited?

The control of the Treasury over public expenditure extends to expenditure by Departments in Ireland as well as in England and Scotland; and the Comptroller and Auditor-General audits the accounts of Irish as of English and Scottish Departments.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether any proposal appeared on the agenda of any recent meeting of the Congested Districts Board for Ireland dealing with a grant of £1,000 per year to assist the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society in carrying out the work of that body?

The agenda papers of the Congested Districts Board are confidential documents, but in this particular case I may say that no such proposal as is referred to in the question appeared on the agenda of any recent meeting of the Board.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will ascertain from the Estates Commissioners the result of the communications they have had with the Duke of Devonshire or his agent regarding the reinstatement of Mr. John Mulcahy in his former holding on the Devonshire estate, Conna, county Cork, having regard to the fact that the holding in question is untenanted, and that the Commissioners consider Mr. John Mulcahy a suitable person to work the holding?

The Estates Commissioners and the owner were unable to agree as to the price of the holding in question. Proceedings have been instituted by the Commissioners, and are now pending, for its acquisition under the Evicted Tenants Act.

asked the Chief Secretary whether, when a writ of summons is issued by the Land Commission against a tenant purchaser to recover a half-yearly instalment of an annuity and the defendant pays the amount, with £2 10s. costs after service of the writ, credit is given to the tenant purchaser for portion of these costs when the Land Commission are calculating the amount of the next decadal reduction; whether he is aware that the solicitor for the Land Commission, if requested so to do, usually accepts either £1 or £1 5s. for the costs of writ of summons; whether, when no such request is made, through ignorance of this fact on the part of the defendant, credit will be given to such defendant for the overpayment; and whether, as the solicitor for the Land Commission is paid by salary, all legal costs except actual outlay paid by a tenant purchaser who is a defendant have been, or will in future be, credited to such tenant purchaser?

I am informed by the Land Commission that writs are only issued from the Superior Courts when the instalment to be recovered exceeds £30, and are not issued until it has become necessary to draw on the Guarantee Fund to make good the deficit caused by non-payment. Having regard to the provisions of Section 25 (2) (a) of the Irish Land Act, 1896, it would not, in the opinion of the Commissioners, be legal to give credit for costs recovered from defaulters when calculating the next decadal reduction. Occasionally, when special reasons have been shown for the default, no costs, or only part of the costs, have been charged; but this is the exception, not the rule. The course suggested in the concluding paragraph of the question is not practicable. If the hon. Member will refer to the Estimates which have been presented to Parliament he will see that the costs recovered from defaulters are treated as an appropriation in aid of the Vote for the Irish Land Commission, and are credited accordingly.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) if he can state the reason why his Department consider, in connection with the appointment of creamery instructors, that competitive examinations would not enable them to secure the best men, seeing that the principle of competitive examination is the one universally adopted by all other Departments of the State for securing qualified public servants?

The Department have nothing to add to the replies which have already been given to questions of a similar nature.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agri- culture (Ireland) if his attention has been called to the fact that a case of beri-beri has occurred among the Norwegian whale fishers quartered on Inishkea Island, county Mayo; is he aware that the offensive smell of decaying whales can be distinctly perceived as far away as Belmullet, eight miles from the whaling station; and will the Department warn their licensees that they must conduct their whaling so as not to be a dangerous nuisance?

I beg to refer the hon. Member to my reply of the 19th instant to the question asked by the hon. Member for North Mayo. The Department are not aware that any smell from the Inishkea whaling station can be perceived at Belmullet.

asked the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, if the agreement with Mr. Charles Tebbutt, of St. Neots, to farm the land at Bluntiseham, Huntingdonshire, purchased by the council, has expired; and, if so, what steps are the council taking to allot the land to small holders, and when will the small holders be put in possession of this land?

Yes, the agreement has expired, and arrangements are being made to place approved tenants on the land forthwith.

asked the hon. Member for South Somerset what quantity of land the county council of Huntingdonshire have purchased for small holdings in the parish of Farcet; if the council is in possession of such land, and when will the land be allotted to the applicants who have been approved by the small holdings committee; and when will the men be put in possession of the holdings?

The council have acquired a farm of 127 acres by voluntary agreement and one of 113 acres by the exercise of their compulsory powers. Possession will be obtained at Lady-day, 1910.

asked the hon. Member for South Somerset what steps the county council of Huntingdonshire have taken to provide land for small holders in the parishes of Ramsey, St. Mary's, and War-boys; how much land do the council intend to acquire in each of these parishes, and when are the men likely to be placed in possession of the holdings!

The county council have acquired 378 acres in the parish of Ramsey St. Mary, of which 284 acres have already been allotted. Arrangements are now being made to divide up the remainder. Negotiations for acquiring another farm of 285 acres in the same parish are practically complete, and the land has been provisionally allotted to approved applicants. In the parish of Warboys 114 acres have been acquired and let to small holders, and negotiations are in course of completion for the acquisition and allotment of a further area of 487 acres.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he has received a communication from the Richmond Trades and Labour Council referring to a claim on the part of a tenant of one of the municipal dwellings at Richmond for compensation for damage caused by the fall of his kitchen ceiling; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter?

I have received communications from the Richmond Trades and Labour Council on this subject, and have been in correspondence with the Town Council in regard to it. The claim for compensation, however, is not a matter with respect to which I have any jurisdiction, and I have informed the Trades and Labour Council that I have no power to intervene with regard to it.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government have considered the need for the creation of any assistant Law Officer to carry out the official duties of the Lord Advocate; and, if so, whether any additional salary will be required, and upon what Vote will it be taken?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the President of the Board of Education what is the total amount of the superannuation allowance and annuity on which Mr. William Bramley, of Folkestone, has been retired, and at what age such retirement took place, and after what number of years of service as a certificated headmaster in public elementary schools?

Mr. William Bramley, who has not reached the age (65) at which superannuation allowances and annuities become payable, was awarded a disablement allowance of £43 17s. 10d. from let October, 1908, at the age of 57 years. He had served for 35 completed years in recorded service as a certificated head teacher in public elementary schools.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he will state the total public expenditure upon education in England and Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, respectively, and for elementary and secondary education, respectively, of the Imperial Government and of local authorities in each of the years 1875, 1885, 1895, 1905, and for the years for which the information is available since 1905?

I must confine my reply to my hon. Friend's question to a statement with regard to those portions of public expenditure for education with which the Board of Education are directly concerned, that is to say, education in England and Wales. As regards expenditure in Scotland and Ireland, information should be sought from the Government Departments respectively concerned. Moreover, it must be remembered that, in addition to the expenditure on education in England and Wales that comes under the supervision of the Board of Education, very considerable sums are expended on education by other Government Departments, e.g., the Home Office, the War Office, the Admiralty, the Treasury, and the Board of Agriculture, to whom respectively application should be made for information regarding their expenditure for education. A note as to some of the main beads of expenditure by other Government Departments follows the table. Subject to the limitations I have indicated, I have endeavoured in the table to give the information asked for. But it must be remembered that the division between elementary and other forms of education is somewhat artificial and the corresponding division of expenditure can, therefore, only be approximate. Moreover, the form of the question appears to exclude all expenditure on education from other sources than Exchequer funds and rates, and the figures given must not, therefore, be regarded as covering the whole field of expenditure on public education in England and Wales. As regards the term "secondary education," it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to disentangle expenditure on secondary schools from expenditure on other forms of higher education, and I have, therefore, for the purpose of the table, taken the term "secondary education" as intended to include all education other than elementary. The "public expenditure" of local authorities has been interpreted to mean all sums raised by rates locally levied under the Education Acts which are expended on education, and not to include endowments, fees, and other sources of income. The expenditure out of rates by boards of guardians for the education of Poor Law children has also been omitted.The expenditure set out in column (1) for the years 1874–5, 1884–5, and 1894–5 is the total expenditure of the Whitehall branch of the Education Department, and therefore includes, besides the expenditure on elementary education, all expenditure in connection with the training of teachers for public elementary schools (including grants for pupil teachers), which since 1902 has been regarded as other than elementary, and is so treated in the five concluding lines of the table below.The expenditure set out in column (3) for the years 1874–5, 1884–5, and 1894–5 is the total expenditure for England and Wales of the Science and Art Department.The expenditure set out in column (3) includes, as regards all the years, expenditure in connection with museums, Geological Survey, the Royal College of Art, the Royal College of Science till 1907, and subsequently the Imperial College of Science and Technology, and the Solar Physics Observatory.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the recent further deaths which have occurred through the use of inflammable hair washes; and whether be can see his way in the ensuing Session to introduce legislation for the purpose of prohibiting the use of all such preparations?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave in the House to-day in reply to questions by the hon. Members for West St. Pancras and the Brentford Division of Middlesex.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that four fatal accidents have taken place recently, three occurring in the space of 14 days, upon buildings in course of construction in Hull; and if he will state when it is intended to carry into law the recommendations of the Building Accidents Committee?

As the question only appeared on the Paper this morning there has not been time to obtain a report on the subject of the accidents referred to; but, as the hon. Member is aware, the legislation which is necessary in order to enable the recommendations of the Building Accidents Committee to be carried into effect has already been introduced, and I hope that it will be possible to pass it in the course of the next Session.