asked the Attorney-General for Ireland, whether the police in charge of the case of the King r John L. Tease, by reason of the Attorney-General not deciding until the last moment whether the trial was to proceed or not, received short notice of only about ten days that the trial was to proceed a third time; and whether he can say what were the grounds upon which it was decided to put the prisoner on his trial for the third time at the last Donegal Summer Assizes?

There is no foundation, whatsoever, for the statement contained in the question that I did not decide until the last moment to proceed with the trial referred to in the Question. The usual instructions were given to the police in sufficient time beforehand. It would be contrary to the interests of justice that I should publicly state the grounds upon which I acted in this or in any other pending prosecution.

asked the Attorney-General for Ireland whether at the trial in the case of the King v. John L. Tease, at the last Donegal Summer Assizes, the Crown ordered 47 jurors out of a panel of less than 100 jurors answering to stand by; whether there was anything of a political or religious nature in the case; and whether, in view of the repeated assurances of the Law Officers of the Crown of the present Government in this House that the practice of jury packing in Ireland would be disapproved of by them and discontinued, and that instructions had been given to Crown solicitors not to object to jurors on political or religious grounds, he can explain the action of the Crown solicitor at the trial of this case?

The Crown solicitor received no special instructions as to the empanelling of the jury in this case. He acted in accordance with the general instructions he has received, and his action has my entire approval. There was nothing, that I am aware of, either of a political or religious nature in the case.

asked the Attorney-General for Ireland whether he can state if at the trial of the case of the King v. John L. Tease, at the last Belfast Winter Assizes, only four jurors were ordered by the Crown to stand by; whether there were nine of the jury sworn in favour of an acquittal of the prisoner; whether at the trial of the prisoner at the Donegal Summer Assizes there were only 16 jurors ordered by the Crown to stand by, and there were nine of the jury sworn in favour of an acquittal; and whether, notwithstanding the fact of 47 jurors being ordered to stand by at the last trial of the prisoner at Donegal Summer Assizes and despite the attempt of the Crown solicitor to pack the jury, there was a substantial number of the jury in favour of acquittal?

I know nothing as to the views of individual jurymen in any of the trials referred to in the question. It would be contrary to the interests of justice that I should make any statement upon the subject, even if I had the information.

asked the Attorney-General for Ireland whether he can state if the principal witness for the Crown in the case of the King v. John L. Tease, at the trial of the prisoner at the last Belfast Winter Assizes made a vital change in her evidence two days preceding the trial, and only a few hours' notice of this change was given by the Crown to the prisoner's advisers; whether by reason of such a change in the evidence the counsel for the Crown were for some time disposed to abandon the prosecution of the prisoner; and whether nine of the jury were in favour of his acquittal?

It would be contrary to the interests of justice that I should make any statement as to the proceedings at previous trials of this prisoner, who is again to be tried in a few days at the ensuing Winter Assizes at Belfast.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he can explain why the Boxwell tenants have not been restored to their homes?

Proceedings have been instituted by the Estates Commissioners under the Evicted Tenants Act for the acquisition of the lands, and they have made an offer for them, but the owner has filed a petition under Section 2 (5) of the Act, which has not yet been determined.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Colonel Charles G. Tottenham and his Wexford tenants signed purchase agreements on 30th December, 1905, and that the purchase money has not yet been advanced; and whether, as the tenants have to pay 4 per cent. on the purchase money, the Estates Commissioners will complete the sale as soon as possible?

The purchase agreements on the estate to which the hon. Member appears to refer were lodged in the Land Commission in February, 1906, and the Estates Commissioners hope to deal with the estate at an early date.

asked the Chief Secretary when the agreements signed by the tenants on the Oliver estate, situate at Kilmoyle, North Kerry, were lodged with the Estates Commissioners; when did an inspection of the estate take place; and when will the vesting orders be issued to the tenants?

The Estates Commissioners are unable from the particulars given in the question to identify this estate as pending for sale under the Irish Land Act, 1903.

asked the Chief Secretary can he say by whom and on what grounds a force of 50 constables and two district inspectors of the Royal Irish Constabulary were drafted into Mountrath, Queen's County, on 29th October last, on the occasion of a seizure of goods made at the suit of Mrs. Hipwell against a town tenant, Miss Gowen, to satisfy a decree for one-half year's rent and costs; whether any portion of the cost of this force will be charged upon the local rates; and, if so, what amount; and, seeing that the town was on the above date and has since been in a perfectly peaceable condition, can he state the object for such a display of force?

I am informed by the constabulary authorities that an extra force of 39 men was drafted into Mountrath on the 2nd inst., on the occasion of the sale of goods seized for rent in the case referred to in the question, in order to provide against any breach of the peace. The men belonged to the Queen's County, and were assembled by order of the County Inspector. No portion of the cost will fall on the local rates.

asked the Chief Secretary if he will state the names of the estates in the Land Judge's Court in which proceedings for sale have been instituted since the passing of The Land Purchase (Ireland) Act, 1903; and will he say what is the full strength of the staff or officials of this court?

It would not be possible within the limits of a reply to a question to state the names of all the estates in the Land Judge's Court in respect of which proceedings were instituted since the passing of the Irish Land Act, 1903. Their number is 242. Including the Receiver Office, the permanent staff of the court comprises 12 officials.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners propose to acquire for distribution the farm of Castlegrogan, held by Richard Thompson, Oldtown, Errill, Queen's County; can he say upon what terms Thompson holds the farm; and, if under a yearly letting, when the tenancy was created?

The Estates Commissioners are unable from the particulars given to identify these lands as pending for sale before them, and are not, therefore, in a position to give the information asked for. I would suggest that the hon. Member should communicate with the Commissioners, stating the name of the owner of the property.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners have had the holding formerly occupied by David Riordan on the Sherlock estate, Araglen, county Cork, inspected; if the owner has agreed to the estimated price, but is apparently unwilling to take the requisite steps to complete the transaction; and whether, under these circumstances, the Commissioners will consider the necessity of acquiring the holding under the compulsory powers which they possess in order to effect the reinstatement of the evicted tenant?

The Estates Commissioners propose to institute proceedings for the acquisition of these lands under the Evicted Tenants Act, 1907.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware who inspected on behalf of the Estates Commissioners the farm of Alexander Butler, of Claggan, Moville, county Donegal, on the estate of Mrs. Evans, Moville, on 3rd November last; whether it is customary for the agent and bailiff of property to be sold to accompany the inspector when visiting a farm for the purpose of inspection; and whether, in view of the fact that the inspector was so accompanied on this occasion, he would represent to the Estates Commissioners that a new inspection would be desirable?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that it is the practice of the inspector to notify the owner or his representative and the tenants of his intended inspection, so that they may attend on the lands at the time of inspection. The reply to the concluding paragraph of the question is in the negative.

asked the Chief Secretary whether, in the matter of the sale and purchase of the Harvey estate now pending in Desertegney, Buncrana, county Donegal, there is an untenanted portion of about 200 acres, which was formerly held by the landlord's agent, but which has been annually let in conacre for cropping for the last 20 years by the landlord; if the small tenants of this congested parish have sent a memorial to the Estates Commissioners praying them to purchase this land for redistribution; and, seeing that the holdings in this poor district are mostly uneconomic, whether he will urge the Commissioners to use their powers towards securing that this untenanted land will be applied towrds their enlargement and thus contribute to the relief of congestion on this estate?

When this estate is being dealt with in order of priority under the Irish Land Act, 1903, the Estates Commissioners will make inquiry in reference to the untenanted land, and the memorial of the tenants will be duly considered.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state the number of evicted tenants in county Limerick whose claims have been accepted, and also the number of the same who have been reinstated since the passing of the 1903 Act?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that 135 evicted tenants or their representatives have been reinstated in county Limerick, and 25 others have been provisionally noted for consideration in the allotment of untenanted land.

asked what amount of purchase money has been advanced in County Limerick under the Act of 1903; and what is the amount waiting to be dealt with under the same Act?

£1,931,493 has been advanced under the Irish Land Act. 1903, for the purchase of land in County Limerick, and the advances applied for but not yet made amount to £3,251,018.

asked whether the lands of Mullaha, near Rathkenny, Slane, county Meath, have been offered by Colonel Kelly Paterson to the Estates Commissioners to purchase; and what action has been taken by the Commissioners?

The Estates Commissioners have had a preliminary inspection made of the lands, and have intimated to the owner the price they would be prepared to advance if formal proceedings for sale were instituted before them. Up to the present the owner has not instituted such proceedings.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he will state the quantity of untenanted land in county Meath, the number of occupiers of uneconomic holdings under an annual value of £10, and the number of occupants of labourers' cottages qualified by duration of occupancy to receive parcels of land; and whether he will state the number of inhabited houses in the county in the year 1840 and the number at the present time.

as regards the untenanted land in county Meath, I would refer the hon. Member to the Return presented to Parliament in 1906 (No. 250 of that year), and as regards the number of holdings not exceeding £10 valuation, to the second appendix to the Seventh Report of the Royal Commission on Congestion. There are over 1,400 labourers' cottages in Meath which are at least five years built. The number of inhabited houses in the county in 1841 was 30,788, and in 1901 it was 14,954.

asked whether the lands of Newrath Kells, County Meath, have within the past few days been a second time offered for sale to the Estates Commissioners; whether the Commissioners offered a price for the lands some time back; and if they are still prepared to adhere to their offer and acquire the land for distribution among the people of the district?

The Estates Commissioners have made a preliminary inspection of these lands and have intimated to the owners the sum they would be prepared to advance if proceedings for sale were instituted before them. The owners have not up to the present instituted such proceedings, but the Commissioners will communicate with the owners further on the subject.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, whether the Order in Council referring to the compulsory retirement of colonels commandant Royal Marines on expiration of their command has been repealed; and whether all colonels commandant not promoted to major-generals on the active list on completion of their command are to be placed on the special list of reserve colonels of 10th August, 1909?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regards the second part, all colonels commandant not promoted to major-general are to have the option of being placed on the reserved list if they have not attained the age for compulsory retirement on the expiration of their period of command.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what were the numbers of men employed in each of the dockyards of Portsmouth, Chatham, and Devonport on 1st May and 1st November, 1905 and 1909?

The numbers of workmen borne (excluding Works Department men) on the dates named, were as follows:—

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, when preparing the programme of work for the next financial year, in addition to allotting new ships to be built at the Welsh dockyard, he will, in view of the congestion that exists at the larger Royal dockyards in the matter of repairs, make better provision for repair work at Pembroke?

The dockyard programmes for 1910 –11 are not yet definitely settled, and it is therefore not possible to say what arrangements will be made for work at Pembroke in that year. The capacity of the yard for undertaking repair work will, however, be duly taken into consideration with that of other yards in settling the repair programme for the ensuing year.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been called to the sentence of two years' imprisonment, to be followed with dismissal from His Majesty's service, which was recently passed on Stoker Ernest Bowness, of the cruiser "Leviathan," by a naval court-martial, on charges of using threatening and insulting language to and attempting to strike with a weapon Stoker Petty Officer Charles Edwin Wood, of the same ship; whether the prisoner received provocation; and whether, notwithstanding the seriousness of the offence committed and the fact that the prisoner bore an indifferent character, he will consider the possibility of reducing this sentence?

The Board, when reviewing this court martial, reduced the sentence from two years to one year.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he would say what are the duties and qualifications required for the appointment of Deputy Adjutant-General Royal Marines, and were there no officers of the Royal Marine Artillery or Royal Marine Light Infantry serving at the date of Colonel Onslow's expiration of command, and still serving, competent or desirous of performing those duties without making a special reserve list for colonels; was a similar special reserve list tried and found detrimental to the promotion of Royal Marine officers, and repealed; and have the opinions of the officers of the Royal Marine Artillery or Royal Marine Light Infantry been asked as to the desirability or necessity of forming a special reserve list?

The Deputy Adjutant-General is charged under the direction of the Board with the general control and administration of the Corps of Royal Marines. Order in Council of 13th November, 1858, lays down that the Deputy Adjutant-General is not to be of rank inferior to that of colonel. There were officers competent and presumably desirous, but the creation of a special reserve list gives a wider field of selection. The special reserve that formerly existed differed materially from the present reserve. The question is not one which it is considered should be referred for the general opinions of officers of the two branches of the corps.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty, whether he is aware that John Browne, Naval Reserve man, Wrex-ford, met with an accident on board His Majesty's ship "Ariadne" about two years ago, by which he lost an eye; that for one year he was allowed a Greenwich Hospital pension of £27; that the pension has since been reduced to £18 11s. 8d.; and whether, as the man is in a delicate state of health since the accident, the full pension will be restored?

The medical report upon which the reduced pension was assessed, showed that the man was in good health and physically able to support himself in a material degree. A reduction of the rate originally awarded was, in these cicumstances, required by the terms of the pension regulations, but the case will come up for reconsideration in ordinary course when the period for which the existing pension was awarded expires, namely, in June, 1910. This man is a Naval, not a Greenwich Hospital pensioner.

asked whether there was any Order in council in existence on 11th April, 1909, authorising the Lords of the Admiralty to retain the services of Colonel Onslow, R.M.L.I., on the active list beyond the period of his command; and, if no such Order in Council existed at that time, upon what grounds were the Admiralty entitled to so retain him?

The retirement of Colonel Onslow was suspended on the completion of his period of command pending the establishment of the Reserve List. The Order in Council of 10th August, 1909, authorised the establishment of this list as from 1st April, 1909.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether in official statistics of "Dreadnoughts" and "Invincibles" the German armoured cruiser "Blucher" has not always been excluded on the ground that she has only 8-inch guns, as given in the official Return of Fleets (Great Britain and Foreign Countries); and whether he can now state what is the armament of this ship?

The heavy and medium armaments stated in the official Return of Fleets (Great Britain and Foreign Countries) for the German armoured cruiser "Blucher" are correct.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will supply the names of the persons who composed the Board of Selection in June and July last for interviewing candidates for the entrance examinations at the Royal Naval College at Osborne?

The committee appointed by the First Lord to interview and report upon candidates last summer was composed as follows: Admiral Sir Michael Culme-Seymour, Bart.. G.C.B., G.C.V.O. (Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom), the Rev. H. B. Gray, D.D. (Warden of Bradfield), Captain Lionel Halsey, R.N. (Flag Captain, Devonport), Mr. Edward H. Packe (late of the First Lord's private office), Mr. Roland Nelson (Secretary).

asked the Secretary of State for War whether there is any precedent for granting a medal to officers and men of a particular service when serving with their unit, while at the same time excluding officers and men of the same service serving at the same time and place but with units other than their own permanent units, as directed by Army Order 32 of 1902; and whether, having regard to the effect of this discrimination, he will take the necessary steps to put the matter in order?

also asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will reconsider the claims to the South African War medal of those Militia officers and men who volunteered during the war and were attached to regular units at Gibraltar and Malta and in Egypt, and place them under the same conditions as regards receiving the medal as those officers and men of the Militia who accompanied their own units to the same stations during the same period?

In regard to these questions, the matter was fully considered at the time and there is no intention of reconsidering the decision then reached. There does not appear to be any precedent for the action taken, as no similar case had previously occurred.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state on whose recommendation the late chief British accountant on the Kowloon Railway, recently convicted of embezzlement, was employed; and, if not known, whether he will have inquiry made and the person identified, with a view to holding him, if in the service of the Crown Agents, answerable for the loss caused by his nominee?

The person referred to was employed on the Chinese section of the railway. I do not know on whose recommendation he was employed, and the matter is not one which concerns either the Crown Agents or the Colonial Office.

asked the Under-Secretary for the Colonies whether the Colonial Office has given its approval to the present proposals for working the new Kowloon Railway, including a provision of 100,000 dollars for traffic expenses, an expected revenue of 20,000 dollars, and a traffic manager with £2,000 a year for salary and allowances; and if he will state on whose recommendation this latter appointment has been made; and with what staff and what amount of salaries this railway, 20 miles long, is to be provided?

The proposals for working the line have not yet been submitted to the Secretary of State.

asked the Under-Secretary for the Colonies whether he has received an official Report of the case of alleged insult to Mr. Ridges, British Protector of Chinese at Ipoh, in the Malay Peninsula, on 9th October last, in which a young Chinaman named An Chuk Fang was arrested while engaged at his shop work, exposed among his acquaintances as a prisoner, with gyves upon his wrists, and sentenced to five years' banishment by the Banishment Court for the offence of asking the Protector whether he could read An Chuk Fang's name when written in Chinese characters; under what law is that sentence imposed; whether, a few days earlier at Ipoh, a European British subject was fined only 75 dollars for having killed a Chinaman; whether he is aware that all the Chinese inhabitants of Ipoh are in terror of the official who is called their Protector; whether the Colonial Office has any control over this British Protector of Chinese, the Banishment Court, the British public officials and magistrates at Ipoh, or the laws they administer; and whether any effort will be made by the Colonial Office to require in future equal treatment of different races there?

No, Sir, we have received no Report on the subject.

asked the Under-Secretary for the Colonies, if he will say who was the consulting engineer from whom the Colonial Office obtained the information, subsequently found to be incorrect, that Mr. Slessor's estimate for the construction and equipment of the Johore Railway contemplated a light and inferior line; whether the Colonial Office has taken any corrective notice of that suuply to it of information contrary to fact; and whether the same consulting engineer is still retained for the defence of the Crown Agents Department, and unchecked information accepted from him?

The consulting engineers for the Federated Malay States railways are Messrs. Gregory, Eyles, and Waring. The information as to Mr. Slessor's estimate was derived from that firm, Mr. Slessor having given a copy of his report to Sir Charles Gregory, to whom he had formerly been an assistant. We have seen no evidence to show that the information derived from Messrs. Gregory, Eyles, and Waring is in any way incorrect.

asked the Attorney-General whether he can state if it is the practice of the Crown in England to order a prisoner, in whose case a jury has twice disagreed, to be put on his trial a third time; if so, in how many cases for the last quarter of a century has a third trial of a prisoner taken place; and whether he can say if there are any instances in England of a prisoner being tried for a fourth time during the last century?

No, Sir, there is no such practice, though I am informed that on charges of murder, where this exceptional condition of things has arisen, prisoners have not, in recent years, been subjected to a third trial after two disagreements of a jury; but even in cases of murder there is, and can be, no rule of practice on the subject, and I can well conceive a case the circumstances of which might render it imperative that a prisoner should be put upon trial a third time, notwithstanding two previous disagreements. In the case of offences other than murder, I have no present materials upon which to supply the information demanded, though it may well be that this question has been raised in such cases; it would, however, in my opinion, depend upon the circumstances of each case whether it should properly be the subject of a third, or, perhaps, even a fourth trial. In view of the tenour of my answer, I have thought it unnecessary to go into statistics which may or may not be available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the total incomes on which Income Tax was paid in the last ten years for which figures are available?

submitted the following statistics:—

asked the Under-Secretary for India whether the Secretary of State has yet arrived at any decision in regard to the recommendations of the Government of India as to the reorganisation of the Indian Telegraph Department; and when the terms of that decision are likely to be announced?

The Secretary of State has not yet arrived at a decision in regard to the recommendations of the Government of India as to the reorganisation of the Indian Telegraph Department, but it is probable that final orders will be issued at an early date.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether, under the rules and regulations regarding the reformed councils in India, the district and local boards and municipalities constitute the electoral basis for popular representation on the Provincial Legislative Councils; and whether, under these rules and regulations, the choice of the electorate is limited to the selection of a person who is already a member of the district or local board or municipality concerned in the election?

further asked whether there is included under the rules and regulations regarding the reformed councils in India a rule which authorises the Government at its discretion to declare any candidate ineligible for a seat in council; and, if so, whether, before any candidate is declared ineligible, he will beinformed of the grounds on which objection is taken by Government and be afforded an opportunity of meeing such objection?

I will answer my hon. Friend's two questions together. The full text of the Regulations and Rules, varying as they do in the different provinces, is too voluminous to telegraph, and will not reach this country before the 18th of next month. In the meantime I believe my hon. Friend will agree that it is better not to attempt to impart their substance to the House by means of question and answer upon isolated points, a method that might give rise to misunderstanding.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the question of high prices ruling in India has attracted the attention of the Indian Government; and whether it is intended to appoint a paid officer to report on the matter?

The answer to the first question is in the affirmative. The Secretary of State has agreed to the deputation of an officer to investigate the subject.

asked the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether he can give the House any information concerning the correspondence by the Foreign Office with the Argentine Republic on the cattle embargo; whether such correspondence confirms the information from other quarters that disease does not now exist in that country; and, if such is the fact, can he now say that the embargo will be removed?

The correspondence to which my hon. Friend refers confirms the information that the Argentine Government have declared the country free from foot and mouth disease, and it deals also with the sanitary regulations affecting animals in that country. Further information is, however, required before the Board are in a position to decide as to the advisability of modifying the existing restrictions, and the Board have asked the Foreign Office to obtain it from the Argentine Government.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government proposes to pass through the House of Commons this Session the Places of Worship Enfranchisement Bill?

No, Sir; I am afraid that, in the circumstances, it will not be possible to make any further progress with this Bill during the present Session.

asked whether any, and, if so, what, steps have been taken by the Government within or without the United Kingdom towards establishing what is commonly called the All-Red Route to Australia and the Far East?

I regret that I am not yet in a position to make any statement on this subject.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the death of Mona Stevenson, aged two months, of 14, Humphrey-street, Burnley; whether the cause of death was generalised vaccinia; whether an inquest or other inquiry was held, if so, with what result; at what age was the child vaccinated; whether the operation was performed by the public vaccinator, with what lymph and whence obtained; and what precautions or regulations, if any, he proposes to adopt or prescribe with a view to prevent similar untoward and fatal results of vaccination?

My attention had not previously been called to this matter, but I am now making inquiry with regard to it.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the recent death of a patient in the infirmary of the Hemel Hempstead Union, which formed the subject of an inquiry before the coroner; whether he proposes to take any action with regard to the management of that workhouse, especially as regards the treatment of the sick poor; and whether he can hold out any expectation of the issue of a general order to ensure the appointment of trained nurses in all workhouse infirmaries?

My attention has been called to the case referred to. I deeply regret the occurrence, and I have fully informed myself with regard to the circumstances connected with it. I am giving consideration to the management of the sick wards of the workhouse in question, and I am in communication with the guardians on the subject. With regard to the last part of the question, I may point out that, under the Orders at present in force, provision is made for the appointment of one or more nurses of experience in every workhouse.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to a circular issued by the Autocar League requesting its members to take out their licences for motor cars, carriages, male servants, armorial bearings, game, dogs, and guns in those counties specified by the League as being favourably disposed towards motorists; and to inquire whether, in order to secure to each county its fair share of the local taxation licences, he will be prepared to introduce legislation by which it would be made obligatory upon persons liable to duty to take out their licences in the county or county borough in which they ordinarily reside?

I have received a copy of the circular referred to, and I have drawn the attention of the Treasury to the matter.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that six months ago the people in the vicinity of Lough Allen post office, county Roscommon, petitioned for telegraphic facilities at the same; whether the Boyle (No. 1) District Council gave a guarantee that no loss would be sustained by the Department by making Lough Allen a telegraph station; and seeing that, in acknowledging the receipt of the petition, he promised to consider the matter, whether he will now take action in it, particularly as the initial cost would be small in view of the fact that the wires between Drumshambo and Drumkeerin run past the door?

Instructions were given early this month for the work to be done.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that inconvenience is felt in the district served by the Bridgetown sub-post office, South Wexford, owing to the want of a Sunday delivery; and whether he will be able to see his way to meet the wishes of the people of that neighbourhood?

I am having inquiry made on the subject.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that officers who performed superior duties last September in the London postal service have not yet received substitution allowance for the same; and, if so, whether he is prepared to authorise a more prompt payment of these allowances?

There are some difficulties in connection with this subject which are at present under consideration. Any officer, however, who desires to appeal to me can, of course, do so.

asked the Postmaster-General whether discretion has always rested with the heads of his Department to call upon any officer to retire at 60 years of age; whether, in a recent promotion to the rank of assistant-controller at the Central Telegraph Office, London, he is aware that the officer promoted was nearly 62 years of age; whether any rule has been abrogated by the promotion of an officer who has exceeded the age of 60; and whether, having regard to the reduction of superior positions and the almost entire lack of promotion for the general body at this office, he will direct that officers approaching to, or who have passed, the age of 60 shall not be selected for promotion?

Officers of the Post Office are called upon to retire on reaching the age of 60, unless it is to the interest of the service to retain them. It is the case that an officer over 61 years of age has recently been promoted in the Central Telegraph Office. No rule has been infringed by his promotion, nor is it thought desirable to lay down any rule of the nature suggested.

asked the Lord Advocate if he will state the reasons why His Majesty's Government are not prepared to agree with the prayer of extensively signed petitions from line fishermen in Forfarshire and Fifeshire, that trawling should be prohibited within three miles of the Bell Bock; and whether or not the Bell Rock is to be considered an island and British territory?

I can only refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 15th June, 1908, which I am not in a position to supplement.

asked the Lord Advocate if he can state the result of the inquiries he has made regarding the impeding of target practice of ships of the Home Fleet on 22nd October in the Moray Firth by the presence of numerous foreign trawlers with their trawl nets down; and whether any contravention of the Trawling Act, 1909, has been reported in connection therewith?

I am informed that the firing of His Majesty's ships in the Moray Firth was in no way impeded by the presence of trawlers on the occasion in question, and no contravention of the Act of 1909 has been reported in connection therewith.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the staff at present employed at Scotland Yard for the purpose of examining applicants for licences to drive motor cabs; what has been the average number per week for the last six months of applications from men desirous of receiving licences; and how many men per week it has been found possible to examine?

There are six inspectors qualified when needed to examine applicants for licences to drive motor cabs, the number so employed varying daily according to necessity. During the six months ending November 20th, 16,204 applications were received for licences of all classes, or 623.2 per week. Of these 5,519 were applications to drive motor carriages. During the same period there were 4,836 attendances for driving tests, or 186 per week, and 3,421 attendances for examination as to knowledge of London, or 131.5 per week. Every applicant was tested on the day he attended.

asked the Home Secretary whether all the Metropolitan Police stations have yet been connected with the general telephone system; and, if so, what has been the effect?

Of the 194 police stations, 131 are now connected with the public telephone. The facilities of communication thus afforded have, I understand, been found a convenience to the public. For police purposes a separate telephone system has, of course, existed for many years.