asked the Postmaster-General if he can state whether the contract for building the proposed new post office at Bolton has been let; and, if so, when building operations will be commenced?

The sketch plans for this office have not yet been approved, and no provision has been made in the Estimates for commencing the building during 1910–11.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that the published arrangements for the consecration of Westminster Roman Catholic Cathedral in June include an ecclesiastical procession in the public streets adjacent to the cathedral; and whether, having regard to the provisions of The Roman Catholic Relief Act, 1829, he will see that no infringement of the Law is authorised on this occasion?

The subject to which the hon. Member refers will receive timely and careful attention.

asked the Home Secretary whether special recruiting for the Metropolitan Police is being carried on in the North of England and Scotland; and, if so, will he state why this has been found necessary?

The answer is In the affirmative. The need for special measures for recruiting arises out of the recent grant of a weekly rest day to the Metropolitan

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of on-licences and off-licences in England and Wales respectively on 1st January in each of the following years: 1901, 1903, 1904, 1906, 1908, 1909, and 1910?

All available figures as to the number of premises with on-licences and off-licences respectively are published in the annual volumes of Licensing Statistics, and I may refer my hon. Friend to the tables on page 3 of the volume for 1908. The information which he desires is given so far as possible in the following table:—Police, an exceptional augmentation having to be made in a relatively short space of time.

asked whether the dock police in the Port of London are to be superseded by the Metropolitan Police under the new arrangements in the Port of London; and, if so, what is the reason of this alteration?

I understand the London Port Authority represented strongly to my predecessor that the existing arrangements for policing the London Docks were unsatisfactory, and suggested that the responsibility should be undertaken by the Metropolitan Police. The matter is now under consideration, and inquiries are being made, but I will not come to any decision without a full opportunity being given for hearing the objections to the change.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he will state what was the rate of mortality among children under five years of age in each of the following years: 1901, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907 and 1908?

The annual death-rates in England and Wales, in the years referred to, of children under five years of age, were as follows:—

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he will state the total number of declarations of a conscientious objection to vaccination filed with registrars of births during 1909?

The figures are not yet complete. They will, I expect, be available in the course of a few weeks.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether the representations made by a scientific deputation to his predecessor in office, and recently, in connection with the Census Bill, by the Royal Statistical Society and the Association of Medical Officers of Health, in favour of a quinquennial Census, were considered by him; and, if so, with what result?

I am well aware of the representations referred to. All the arguments in favour of a quinquennial Census have been carefully considered by me, and I am not without hope that a system of quinquennial censuses may come to be adopted; but financial considerations have made it necessary to confine the present Bill to provision for next year's Census only.

asked the Lord Advocate if he will state what percentage of teachers employed in public elementary Schools in Scotland during the last school year were certificated and college-trained, and what percentage were certificated without being college-trained?

The percentage of teachers employed in schools in receipt of annual grants in Scotland during the inspection year ended 31st August, 1909, who were certificated and trained was 57.9; the percentage of teachers certificated but un- trained was 30.74. The remaining 11.36 per cent. represents the uncertificated proportion.

asked the Lord Advocate if the Departmental Committee to deal with the question of the striking of fiar's prices has been appointed; and, if so, when will they probably be prepared to take evidence?

The Committee is in process of formation, and I hope its appointment will be shortly announced.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the two large cruisers of the "Indefatigable" type which are being provided by Australia and New Zealand are additional to, or included in, the five large armoured vessels of the new programme proposed in the Navy Estimates for 1910–11?

The ships referred to are not included in the new programme proposed in the Navy Estimates for 1910–11. The hon. Member will remember that these ships are paid for by the Dominions, and could not therefore be included in the new construction for which money is taken in the Estimates.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the Admiralty are about to deprive the engine-room artificers in His Majesty's Navy of their watch-keeping duties, and to hand these duties over to stokers; and, seeing that such a change would lead to increased risk, and annoyance to the engine-room artificers and friction between different ratings, and would involve the extra expense of imparting technical training to the stokers, whether he will state what steps he proposes to take to prevent these results?

I would refer my hon. Friend to my speech on Navy Estimates of 8th July, 1908 (page 701 of Parliamentary Debates), explaining the reasons for the introduction of the rating of mechanician and the duties of that rating. No such results as are suggested in the second part of the question are anticipated from the experience of the working of the scheme, and no steps are considered necessary in the direction indicated. The engine-room artificers will continue to do watch-keeping duties.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he will state the total amount of loans sanctioned for the provision of public elementary schools by school boards and local education authorities from 1870 to 31st March, 1909; the amount of loans outstanding on 31st March, 1908; and the payments in respect of loans for the year ending on 31st March, 1908?

The total amount of loans for the provision of public elementary schools sanctioned in respect of school boards since 1870 was £48,764,481 10s. 2d., and in respect of local education authorities up to 31st March, 1909, £10,785,489. The loans outstanding on 31st March, 1908, amounted to £38,502,558. The payments in respect of interest and sinking fund during the year ending 31st March, 1908, amounted to £2,520,029.

asked what proportion of the cost of elementary education during the financial year ending 31st March, 1908, was contributed respectively from Imperial taxes, from local rates, and from other sources?

The total expenditure of the Board of Education for elementary education in the year 1907–8 was £11,412,815; the total amount of the rates raised by local education authorities for elementary education in that year was £10,485,206; the expenditure of local education authorities met from sources other than rates or grants was £414,899. This reply does not take account of expenditure on elementary education by Government Departments other than the Board of Education, e.g. the Home Office, the War Office, and the Admiralty. With regard to expenditure of local education authorities met from sources other than rates or grants, it should be borne in mind that some of such expenditure may appear twice over in the figures which have been quoted. In the case of payments made by one local education authority to another, the sum so paid would count in the expenditure of the one authority, and, therefore, would be reckoned in the amount of the rate to be raised. It would also appear in the accounts of the other authority as part of their receipts from other sources than rates and grants, and, therefore, in the figures quoted above, as part of the expenditure met from other sources than rates and grants.

asked what was the number of fee-paying scholars on the register in public elementary schools on the last day of the school year ending 31st July, 1909?

One hundred and fifty-seven thousand two hundred and ninety-nine.

asked what proportion of teachers employed in public elementary schools during the school year ending 31st July, 1909, were certificated and college-trained, certificated but not college-trained, supplementary, pupil teachers, provisional assistant teachers; what was the total number of teachers; and how many of them were males?

The proportions were as follows:—

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will state what was the estimated population of Ireland in the middle of each of the following years: 1906, 1907, 1908, and 1909?

The estimated population of Ireland in the middle of the years mentioned was as follows:—

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners have received a memorial from the tenants on the Goring estate, at Ballyphilip, Earls-hill, Ballymonty, county Tipperary, requesting the Commissioners to make an inspection of the estate with a view to declaring it a congested estate; and what steps they propose taking in reference to the question?

The Estates Commissioners have received the memorial referred to, and are writing to ask for further particulars.

asked whether the Estates Commissioners will consider the application of Thomas Ranking, Knockavella, county Tipperary, and provide him with a holding in the event of any un-tenanted lands in the district falling into their hands for redistribution?

As I have already informed the hon. Member in reply to the question asked by him on the 8th instant, Rankins' application was not received within the period specified in the Evicted Tenants Act. It has not, therefore, been inquired into.

asked whether the tenants on the estate from which Edmund Barry was evicted have agreed with the landlord to purchase their farms on condition that Edmond Barry is reinstated in his former holding; and, in view of this, will the Estates Commissioners take steps to voluntarily acquire his holding from the present tenant under the Evicted Tenants Act and facilitate the sale of the estate?

As I have already informed the hon. Member in reply to the question asked by him on the 8th instant, Edmond Barry's former holding is in the occupation of another tenant. The Estates Commissioners are not prepared to interfere in the matter. They offered Barry a holding on another estate, which he refused, and they have decided to take no further action in reference to his application.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now able to give information as to the number of colliers who have applied for work through the medium of the Labour Exchanges; and whether the Labour Exchanges have been able to find employment for these men at their own trade, and, if so, for how many?

I am not in a position to give the information as to the number of colliers who have applied for work. The question of how far the various classes can be distinguished in any Returns which may be subsequently given is under consideration.