asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been called to the action of the Stockport magistrates, who, on the 4th instant, fined a man named Mark Hope 5s. for following his occupation of a saw sharpener without having a licence; and, if not, whether he will make inquiries into the case with the object of remitting the fine?

I have made inquiry in the case, but find no ground for advising a remission of the sentence. The man, though warned, persisted in acting as a pedlar without having a licence. He had ample means to pay for the licence, which costs only 5s.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the new regulations for traffic in the City of London have yet come before him for approval; and, if not, whether, when he considers them, he will be prepared to receive a deputation representing those whose livelihood will be prejudicially affected by the regulations?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. When the regulations come before me, I shall give reasonable opportunity for all parties concerned to state their objections; but their representations should be made in the first instance to the City authorities, by whom the regulations are to be made.

asked the Home Secretary if he can state the number of children committed to industrial schools from 1st April to 30th September this year, and the number commited during the corresponding period last year?

The numbers are as follows:—

asked the Lord Advocate whether he is aware that the ratepayers of Fordyce, by a majority, declared at the last school board election for the transference of their school to Portsoy from Fordyce, and that the school board is now being unwarrantably interfered with in giving effect to such transference by outside persons and authorities; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

The Department purpose holding an inquiry into the whole circumstances of this case.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state how many minor staff officers have been appointed in the Statistical Office of the Customs Department since 1st December, 1907?

Three.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been called to the statement made by Mr. W. J. Johnston, barrister-at-law, revising barrister for Belfast, in the Belfast Revision Court, on Monday, 4th October, to the effect that the question of rates in connection with the franchise plays an important part in Belfast; that since the commencement of the revision he had ac- quired a judicial knowledge of the fact that hundreds of voters in West Belfast, who otherwise would be entitled to the franchise, had lost their votes on account of the non-payment of rates; that this result happened through agents or landlords wrongly returning to the corporation as vacant houses that are in reality occupied by tenants; that in this way large sums of money are lost to the ratepayers, and a large number of citizens deprived of their political and civic rights; whether Mr. Johnston would be asked to furnish particulars, as far as possible, of the numbers of voters so disfranchised, the names of the agents and the landlords referred to, and the approximate loss to the ratepayers; and whether an official inquiry will be ordered into the whole matter, with a view to the prosecution of those engaged in these fraudulent transactions?

My attention has been called to the statement in question, and I have communicated with Mr. Johnston on the subject. He informs me that the statements are based upon the evidence which came before him in the various cases during the course of the revision, but that it would not be possible for him now to furnish the names of the persons disfranchised for non-payment of rates or of the landlords and agents concerned. It It is presumed that the mention in the question of wrong returns by landlords and agents as to houses being vacant which are not so in fact, refers to returns made in pursuance of requisitions delivered under the ninth Section of the Representation of the People Act, 1884. If so, I am advised that the delivery of such false returns would be a failure to comply with the requisition to fill up the forms accurately, and that the person so offending would be liable to the penalties specified in the section to be recovered on summary conviction. The statements in the present case are too vague and general to form the ground of any proceedings, but steps will be taken in future to enforce the law and to guard against the malpractices to which Mr. Johnstone has called attention.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will state the terms of the present mail contract with the Campbeltown Steam Packet Company and the period for which it endures; whether satisfactory arrangements have been made for the carriage of the mails to Loch Ranza and Pirn Mill during the month of November, 1909; and whether, when the contract expires, he will invite tenders for the carriage of the Campbeltown and West of Arran mails?

The contract with the Campbeltown and Glasgow Steam Packet Company provides for two services a day between Greenock and Campbeltown, in each direction, during a period of three months in the summer, and one service a day during the remainder of the year. The steamers are scheduled to call at Lochranza, Pirnmill and Carradale, on all trips, except that calls at intermediate ports may be omitted on the return journey from Cambeltown during the month of November, when one of the steamers is withdrawn for overhauling. I am glad to say, however, that the contractors propose to maintain the intermediate calls during November this year on both trips. The mail service both to and from Lochranza and Pirnmill will, therefore, be satisfactory. The contract is terminable on six months' notice, and should it become necessary to reconsider the arrangements for the service, I will, of course, bear in mind the question of obtaining tenders.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that a scale of wages to govern the electric light employés in his Department has been submitted by the executive of the association to which the men belong, he is in a position to signify his acceptance of the rates; and, if not, will he state the grounds upon which his objection to the rates is based?

The Select Committee on Post Office Servants recommended (paragraph 598 of Report) that, as regards the electric light staff, the Post Office should pay the wages and observe the conditions of service which are from time to time agreed upon in the various districts by the organised masters and men. Inquiries on the subject are proceeding, and I hope the matter will soon be settled.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that a number of construction hands in the engineering department have recently been dismissed; if so, whether he will state the reason why they were discharged; and whether he will take steps to provide these men with employment during the winter months?

I am sorry that it has been necessary to pay off construction hands in consequence of temporary scarcity of work. During the past 18 months it became necessary to take on a considerable number of extra hands for some special engineering work involved in the strengthening and partial reconstruction of some of the main telephone trunk routes in the North of England which could not be delayed. This special work has now come to an end, and the general quantity of Post Office engineering work in the country has reverted to its normal level. Before men are paid off in one district inquiries are made as to the possibility of finding work for them in other districts, and discharges are not made so long as work remains to be done in any district. The men already paid off will be taken on again as soon as circumstances permit.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty when it is proposed to take the Second Reading of the Naval Discipline Bill?

It was read a second time on Thursday, 21st October.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many men were employed in Chatham Dockyard at the beginning of October, 1899, and how many at the beginning of the present month, and the largest number of men employed there at any time during the last 10 years?

The number of men employed (excluding those belonging to the Works Department) at the periods in question were as follows: 30th September, 1899, 7,152; 2nd October, 1909, 8,879; and the largest number employed at any time during the last 10 years was 9,445 on 9th July, 1904.