asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will explain the exact meaning and force of the restriction on off-licences as to sale in open vessels proposed on page 78, line 15, of the Finance Bill? [Minimum quantity of spirits to be sold.]

The provision to which the hon. Member refers is that a person holding an off-licence to be taken out by a retailer of spirits may not sell spirits in open vessels. The object of this provision is to prevent the sale of spirits in glasses or jugs, or otherwise than in sealed vessels, e.g., bottles or jars.

asked the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, if he is aware that inconvenience is caused as to the letting of small holdings owing to the lack of housing accommodation on many of the holdings provided; and, if so, can he state whether it is the intention of the Government to so amend the Small Holdings and Allotments Act as to enable county councils to provide housing accommodation on such allotments where a deficiency may exist?

These questions were very fully discussed when the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1907, was under consideration, and it was provided that a county council may erect such buildings as in their opinion are required for the due occupation of a small holding. Similar provision was made in the case of allotments of not less than one acre. There is no present intention of proposing any modification of the Act in these respects.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he can state the number of secondary schools which received grants on the higher scale under the regulations for 1907, the total number of pupils, newly admitted pupils, ex-public elementary

asked the President of the Board of Education what is the total amount of the superannuation allowance and annuity on which Mr. Thomas Smart, of Swine School, Holder-ness, has been retired; and at what age such retirement took place, and after what number of years as a certificated teacher in a public elementary school?

Mr. Smart was awarded a superannuation allowance of £28 17s. 6d. and an annuity of £3 5s. 8d. He retired at the age of 65, and had served for 35 years as a certificated teacher.

asked what is the total amount of the superannuation allowance

The following table will give my hon. Friend the information for which he asks:—and annuity on which Mr. Ezra Bland, of Farcet, Hunts, has been retired; at what age such retirement took place; and after what number of years of service as a certificated head teacher in public elementary schools?

Mr. Bland was awarded a superannuation allowance of £39 15s. 6d. and an annuity of £3 5s. 4d. He retired at the age of 65, and had served as a certificated head teacher for 43 years.

asked what is the total amount of the superannuation allowance and annuity on which Mr. Robinson, of Tolleshunt Major council school, Essex, has been retired; and at what age such retirement took place, and after what number of years of service as a certificated head teacher in public elementary schools?

Mr. Robinson was awarded a superannuation allowance of £27 12s. 6d. and an annuity of £3 4s. 4d. He retired at the age of 65, and had served for 33 years as a certificated head teacher.

asked the President of the Board of Education what is the total amount of the superannuation allowance and annuity on which Mr. James Ewing, of Southampton, has been retired; at what age, and after what number of years' service as a certificated head teacher in public elementary schools, his retirement took place?

Mr. Ewing was awarded a superannuation allowance of £35 10s. and an annuity of £3 2s. 8d. He retired at the age of 65, and had served for 35 years as a certificated head teacher.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners have inquired into the circumstances of the eviction of Michael Horgan from his holding on the estate of Michael Murphy, at Lismahane, county Cork; whether he is aware that the evicted tenant paid a fine of £21 which was to be allowed when claimed, but was never allowed; are the evicted lands at present in the occupation of the landlord; and, if so, what steps have been taken to acquire them under the Evicted Tenants Act, and how is it proposed to deal with the claim of this evicted tenant?

The Estates Commissioners have inquired into Michael Horgan's application for reinstatement in the holding on the Ware estate, of which his father was sub-tenant until evicted in 1875 by the middleman, who is now the tenant. The application has been refused, as the eviction did not take place within the time prescribed by Section 2 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, and the Evicted Tenants Act.

also asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Thomas Browne, Massytown, Macroom, was granted a pension of 5s. per week by the Macroom (No. 1) pension committee on 17th March last, and that the question was subsequently raised by the pension officer that his income exceeded the statutory amount, the grounds for this contention on his part being that the applicant held certain lands at Massytown in his own possession; is he aware that the statement of the officer was, on investigation by the pension committee, proved to be wrong, and it was shown that the lands in question had been duly assigned by the applicant to his son, who is now the absolute legal owner of them, paying only an annuity of £5 a year to his father; and that the pension officer appealed to the Local Government Board with the result that Browne's pension was disallowed; and will he state the grounds for this decision, seeing that the applicant is without means save those above mentioned, and for the demand which has been made by the solicitor of the Inland Revenue, Dublin, for the repayment of £5 15s., amount of old age pension paid to Thomas Browne?

I understand that this man had a farm of 12 acres rented at over £30 a year, with nine cows, six pigs, fowl, and crops, all which he assigned to his son in January last for £5 a year. The pension officer held that the claimant had assigned his farm for the purpose of qualifying for a pension, and the Local Government Board, after investigation, upheld the appeal.

further asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that, after a full consideration of all the circumstances, the Macroom (No. 1) pension-committee awarded an old age pension of 5s. per week to John M'Namara, Annagannihy, Ballinagree; whether the fact was clearly established that, in February, 1908, this man had by regular legal assignment made over his lands to his son, aged 34 years, on consideration of receiving £110; that he enjoyed no other source of income whatever, and is at this moment absolutely dependent on his son for his support and maintenance; that his age is admittedly 72 years; and, seeing that the Local Government Board have not controverted any of the foregoing statements, will he state the grounds on which a pension was refused in this case, and why it is the Local Government Board should write that it is not open to them to reconsider their decision on appeal?

I understand that up to March last John MacNamara had a farm of 100 acres which he assigned with the stock and crops to his son, receiving in return £110 in cash, an annuity of £10, food, lodging, and fuel, the use of a horse and cart, and the joint use of a mowing machine. The pension officer considered that the claimant's means exceeded the statutory limit, and the Local Government Board allowed the appeal. They have no power to reconsider their decision.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether an old age pension was granted to James Neylon, of Caheraderry, Ennistymon; whether the pension was disallowed on appeal on the ground of age, but subsequently granted on production of a record from the Census Return of 1841; whether the pension officer again appealed, but this time on the ground that the applicant had failed to work according to his ability for the past 20 years; whether Neylon's application was endorsed by several justices of the peace, a county councillor, a bank manager, and the parish priest; and, if so, whether instructions will be given to allow the pension?

I understand that Neylon is a notorious drunkard, having been convicted and fined for this offence 17 times during the past five years. The ground of the pension officer's appeal to the Local Government Board was that the claimant had failed to work according to his ability, opportunity and need, and the Board upheld the appeal. The committee having again granted Neylon a pension, another appeal on the same ground was made, and was again upheld by the Board, who had before them the memorial mentioned in the question. It is not open to the Board to reconsider the appeals.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he can state on what grounds John Clarke, No. 886 in pension officer's register, has been disallowed his claim to a pension of 5s. a week allowed him by the Ballinamuck subcommittee on 9th March, 1909, his case being appealed by the pension officer before the Local Government Board, by whom his claim was disallowed, the only reason for their action stated being that claimant was not entitled to any pension?

The pension officer appealed in this case on the ground that the claimant had not attained the statutory age. The Local Government Board wrote to the claimant, asking him if he could give them a baptismal certificate, a marriage certificate, or the baptismal certificates of any of his children, or any evidence which would help to indicate that he was 70 years of age; but he was unable to produce any evidence whatever on the point, and the Board had, therefore, to allow the appeal.

asked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that in several county courts in Ireland, and, amongst others, in those of Meath, Westmeath, Carlow, and Wicklow, fees for the county court judges' criers are added to the taxed costs in proceedings under the Labourers Act (petitions of appeal) and applications for compensation for criminal injury and other proceedings; and will he call the attention of clerks of the Crown to the fact that there is no jurisdiction to tax litigants by adding criers' fees to the costs that they have to pay, and that criers are not entitled to any fees, but are provided in each county with an annual salary?

I cannot say whether the statements in the first part of the question are correct, but if any illegal exactions are made, as alleged, the matter would appear to be one for the county court judges to deal with. The salaries of the criers, which are fixed by Statute, are intended to remunerate them for their services and expenses.

asked the Chief Secretary whether purchase agreements for the sale of Lady Holroyd Smith's estate, Kilworth, county Cork, have yet been lodged with the Estates Commissioners; whether Mr. Clarke, agent to the owner, has refused to include Messrs. Edmund O'Brien and John Hanlon, tenants on the estate, in the sale and purchase ostensibly on the ground that their farms are held in fee simple; and whether the Commissioners will favourably consider the claim of these tenants for inclusion with the others in the sale and purchase of the estate as a whole when it comes to be dealt with in order of priority?

Agreement for purchase in respect of the estate of Lady Harriette Gertrude Isabella Smyth, county Cork, were lodged with the Estates Commissioners in October last. These agreements include three signed by John Hanlon in respect of three holdings on the estate and one by Edmund O'Brien. The cases of any tenants who have not signed purchase agreements will be inquired into when the estate is being dealt with in order of priority.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he has directed the County Committee of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for North Tipperary to dismiss their secretary, and refused to assign any reason for his action when requested by the committee to do so; if he is aware that the secretary, Mr. Walsh, has held the position for the past nine years, and at the end of the first six years got an increase in salary for his efficiency, with the approval of the Department; whether he will state what has since taken place to justify its change of attitude; whether it is usual with his Department to dictate to the elected representatives of the people whom they should employ; whether he will state if the work of the local committee is at present at a standstill; and, if so, from what cause?

further asked whether the North Tipperary committee has refused to dismiss their secretary at the instance of his Department; if the local committee requested the Department to state its reasons for desiring the dismissal of Mr. Walsh; if so, what reply the Department gave; and whether there is any, and, if so, what, objection in this case to confer with the local committee on matters affecting the future progress of the Department's work in their district?

I will answer both these questions together. From time to time during the past seven years the Department have had occasion to bring under the notice of both the Agricultural Committee and the Technical Instruction Joint Committee for North Tipperary the very unsatisfactory manner in which the duties of secretary to both of these bodies were discharged. The committees in question, however, appealed that the secretary should be given a chance to improve, and the Department accordingly did not press for his removal, in the expectation that such an improvement would be effected. As, however, his methods of working did not improve, the Department, having regard to the obligations imposed on them by Statute, considered it desirable in 1908 to send three officers to investigate on the spot his work generally. A copy of the report furnished by these officers was forwarded in July, 1908, to the Committee with an intimation that, as a result of a review of his work from 1902, the Department were quite satisfied that the secretary was incompetent for the position, and that, accordingly, they could not agree to his retention after September following. A deputation, consisting of 19 members of the two Committees waited on the Department subsequently, and made an ad misericordian appeal on behalf of Mr. Walsh, which was acceded to in the view accepted by the Department that a continuance in office for six months would give him an opportunity of resigning instead of being summarily removed from office. This understanding, however, was not carried out, and accordingly the Department during the present summer notified the county committee that the secretary must definitely go out of office on 30th September, 1909. Mr. Walsh then resigned the appointment of secretary to the technical instruction committee, but declined to relinquish the post of secretary to the agricultural committee. The latter committee did not dispense with Mr. Walsh's services, and, consequently, the Department notified the committee that all the agricultural schemes would cease to be operative on 1st inst. At a special meeting of the county council, however, held on 19th inst., the chairman of the committee of agriculture was directed to issue advertisements for the appointment of a new secretary, in accordance with the Department's regulations, and it is hoped that agricultural schemes will be put in force again at an early date. With regard to the grounds on which the Department formed their opinion of the late secretary's incompetency, they are well within the knowledge of practically every member of the county committee, the majority of whom are also members of the county council, as they were communicated to the committee by the Department on many occasions. The Department have shown every consideration for the views of this committee, with two deputations from whom they have already conferred. They are always prepared to confer with county committees when any useful purpose could be served. Three years ago the committee recommended that the secretary's salary be increased by £30 to enable him to employ an assistant, and the Department agreed. This increase was not asked for nor granted on the ground of efficiency of the secretary.

asked the Lord Advocate whether any change is being made in the administration in Scotland by sending an Under-Secretary to be resident in Edinburgh; if so, will he say what are to be the duties of this resident Under-Secretary; and what department or departments is he to superintend?

The appointment of am officer (not an Under-Secretary), resident in Edinburgh, is not designed to make any organic change in administration; but will, it is hoped, promote the despatch of the administrative work of the Scottish Office and the transaction of Departmental business with local authorities in Scotland.