asked the Secretary to the Treasury when the Memorandum on the Civil Service Estimates will be in the hands of Members?

The Memorandum. with the usual summaries and tables, will be issued to-morrow (Saturday) morning.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will state what is the grant per head of the population in England, Scotland, and Ireland for primary education; and what were these inspection grants in 1900?

I presume that the word "inspection" in the last line of the question is a misprint for "respective." The figures asked for are as follows:—

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Governing Body of University College, Dublin, have taken any, and, if any, what, steps or have come to any decision as to procuring any land or buildings in or near Dublin for the purpose of providing residence, lecture halls, and a common centre for students in University College, Dublin, or what provision is now made or proposed to be made for the above purpose?

The President of University College informs me that the question of a site for the future buildings of the College has engaged the attention of the governing body for a considerable time and that the matter is at present under the consideration of a committee appointed for the purpose. For its present work the College has the use of part of the University buildings and of the laboratories and lecture rooms of the medical school, Cecilia Street. A lease has been taken for a term of three years of the buildings 82 to 86, St. Stephen's Green, for the accommodation of the classes in the faculty of arts.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the Glennamaddy, county Galway, Pension Committee awarded a pension to Michael Murry of 5s. a week, which he held from 1st January, 1909, to 6th November, 1909; that the pension officer appealed, on the ground of age, against this pension; whether satisfactory evidence was produced to prove that Murry was born in 1833; whether the Local Government Board, contrary to the decision of the Court of Appeal in the case of Pawley, reduced Murry's pension in November to 2s. a week; if so, on what grounds they did this; and whether they will restore the original pension?

The facts are as stated in the question, but the Board's decision was given prior to the judgment of the Court of Appeal in the Pawley case, at a time when the Board held that they were bound to consider whether all the statutory conditions had been fulfilled in each case which came before them. The Board have no power to rescind their decision, and the question of the proper steps to be taken in such cases is under consideration.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the Congested Districts Board have opened negotiations for the purchase of the Sharpe estate, in the parish of Kinvarra, county Galway; and whether, seeing that 50 per cent, of the tenants are householders in the town of Kinvarra, he will represent to the Congested Districts Board the desirability, in the interest of the commercial prosperity of the town as well as the peace of the district, of affording the town tenants the same facilities for the acquisition of their houses as the Board is prepared to give to the agricultural tenants on the same property?

The Congested Districts Board are not empowered to purchase town holdings for resale to the occupiers unless such town forms part of an estate that is mainly agricultural. No detailed information has been furnished to the Board that would enable them to form an opinion as to whether the Sharpe estate comes within this category.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can state how many evicted tenants have been reinstated in the Parliamentary Division of North-East Cork under the Evicted Tenants Act; how many applications were received from evicted tenants in that division; how many of these had their names noted as fit to be provided with holdings; and in how many cases proceedings to reinstate are still pending; whether any attempt has been made in the division referred to to procure the consent of now tenants or planters to the reinstatement of the old tenants, as was done on the Clanricarde estate; and whether the Estates Commissioners are aware that it would be possible to procure such consents on moderate terms in several cases?

The records of the Estates Commissioners are not kept by Parliamentary divisions. The figures for the county of Cork are as follows: Applications have been received from 1,106 persons seeking reinstatement as evicted tenants or as the representatives of evicted tenants. Six hundred and forty-nine of these applications have, after inquiry, been rejected. One hundred and ninety-seven persons have been reinstated in their former holdings or provided with other holdings, including twenty provided with holdings on lands acquired under the Evicted Tenants Act, and 122 have been noted for consideration in the allotment of untenanted land. The remaining 138 applications were received after 1st May, 1907, the date specified in the Evicted Tenants Act, 1907, and cannot be dealt with under that Act. If the hon. Member will refer to the last Annual Report of the Estates Commissioners he will see that the proceedings for the compulsory acquisition of the new tenants' holdings on the Clanricarde estate entirely failed, even though these new tenants consented to accept certain prices for their interests and the Commissioners were willing to pay those prices. The Commissioners therefore thought it useless to repeat such proceedings elsewhere.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the conference between the officials of the Department of Agriculture and the representatives of the Antrim County Council has taken place; and, if so, what has been the result?

I understand that a conference toot place on 25th March between representatives of, the Department and the Piers Committee of the Antrim County Council. Definite conclusions were arrived at as to the scope and cost of a scheme that would be justifiable, having regard to the interests to be served by improved accommodation at the landing places in Church Bay and Ballycastle. It was arranged that plans should be prepared on these lines after a further inspection had been made of Ballycastle and after consultation with persons locally interested. The Piers Committee explained that the county council awaited replies to communications already made to the Port-rush Urban District Council in regard to the requirements at Portandhu.

asked the Chief Secretary if he will state when the Congested Districts Board are likely to purchase the Berridge estate, Connemara, county Galway; whether the tenants on that estate who are anxious to purchase their holdings will have full opportunities for expressing their views during any negotiations that may take place in regard to purchase; and if he will state when the new rules and regulations of the Congested Districts Board will be published?

The Congested Districts Board are not yet in a position to say when they will be prepared to negotiate for the purchase of the Berridge estate, but the tenants will have ample opportunities of expressing their views whenever negotiations may be entered into. The Regulations referred to in the last paragraph of the question are under the consideration of the Irish Government, and will be issued without any unnecessary delay.

asked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that inspectors of national schools, no matter how unjustly treated by the resident Commissioner and his immediate subordinates in the office, are prohibited from communicaing directly with any of the other nineteen Commissioners about their treatment; that as a result several inspectors, though subjected to persecution and injustice, are unable to obtain any redress, as the higher officials referred to will not bring any complaints about themselves before the Board; and whether, as the Irish Government has the power of appointing and dismissing the members of this Board, and accordingly has full authority over it, he will, in the interests of education, take the necessary steps to have a reformed and efficient Board constituted in its stead?

I am satisfied that there is no foundation whatever for the suggestion that inspectors of national schools are unjustly treated by the resident Commissioner and his immediate subordinates, or that inspectors are subjected to persecution and injustice and are unable to obtain redress. Inspectors have full liberty to represent their grievances to the Board in the ordinary way; but they are very properly, in my opinion, prohibited from canvassing the Commissioners individually. No facts have been brought to my notice which call for interference on my part; and I think it is to be regretted that these imputations, entirely unsupported by facts, should be cast upon the resident Commissioner and his staff.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware of the inconvenience and loss sustained by the fishermen in and around Tarbert, North Kerry, by the encroachment of steam trawlers; and whether he will have local inquiries made into the complaints of the fishermen?

I understand that steam trawling is not permitted in the neighbourhood in question. If the local fishermen will communicate with the Department of Agriculture in reference to injury to their gear or undue interference with their industry from the operations of steam trawlers, their representations will receive consideration.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware of the injury being done to the fishermen and fishing industry on the fishing grounds between Beale Head and Ballylongford, North Kerry, owing to the wreck of a coal boat, which has been lying on the grounds for some time and prevents the local fishermen from hauling their nets; and whether immediate steps will be taken to have the obstruction removed?

I understand that complaints have been made from time to time of damage caused by the wreck in question. As regards its removal I would refer the hon. Member to Sections 530 and 531 of the Merchant Shipping Act, which provide for the removal of wrecks and define the powers of the harbour or conservancy authorities, and of the general light-house authority in such matters.

asked the Chief Secretary what steps the Estates Commissioners have taken to provide a holding for Mrs. Cummins, of Pencil Hill, Mallow, evicted tenant, as promised by them in the year 1908; whether he is aware that it was first proposed to provide her with a holding on the land of Ballybrack, to be acquired on the Leader estate, and that she was afterwards offered a holding on the Glenville estate by the Estates Commissioners' inspector which she agreed to accept; and what is the cause of the delay in reinstating her?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that Mrs. Cummins' name has been noted for consideration in the allotment of untenanted land to be acquired by them. The lands of Ballybrack to which the hon. Member refers form portion of the Lysaght estate. Proceedings for the purchase of that estate under the Evicted Tenants Act, 1907, are at present pending, and if the lands are acquired by the Commissioners, Mrs. Cummins' application will be considered in connection therewith.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any county associations have been directed to take over the duties provided by the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act, 1907, in Section 2 (2) (e) of the Act, namely, the care of Reservists and discharged soldiers; and whether any county association has voluntarily undertaken these duties?

The Army Council has not yet assigned these duties to the associations because they feel that it is not desirable to burden them with fresh duties until the organisation of the Territorial Force is complete in all details and the administration of it has become more a matter of routine than it is at present. An offer to undertake this work was received from Derbyshire, but was not accepted for the above reasons.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will reconsider the terms of the letter, 9 Gen., No. 1762 (C. 3), K. A. 3, 919/12, War Office, 18th December, 1909, addressed to the Secretary, Territorial Force Association for the county of Kent, with a view to increasing and of obtaining the sanction of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to the increase of the 2 per cent, of the total numbers of men borne at; each yard authorised to engage in the Territorial Force in time of peace?

asked whether, with a view to assisting the company of the Sussex and Kent Royal Garrison Artillery of the Territorial Force raised at Chatham, he could suspend, or obtain the suspension of, the operation of the letter 9 Gen., No. 1762 (C. 3), K. A. 3, 919/12, War Office, 18th December, 1909, addressed to the secretary of the Territorial Force Association of the county of Kent, which authorises the engagement of 290 of the total numbers borne in each yard, and requires that any excess of present numbers over the above percentage shall be decreased by wastage, seeing that the operation of this letter will be a loss to the company of twenty-seven noncommissioned officers and men before the next camp; and whether such suspension could be granted for three years, or some sufficient period, to enable other non-commissioned officers and men to be trained to replace those who will be lost under the operation of the letter?

The letter in question contains the terms of the agreement arrived at after considerable discussion with the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and after reviewing the whole of the circumstances it is not held to be practicable to ask the Lords Commissioners to reconsider their decision.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can state the reasons assigned for the resignation of four members of the Commission recently appointed to give effect to the proposed changes in the Constitution of the Legislature, of Ceylon; whether witnesses have been invited to criticise the proposed scheme; if so, whether such criticism of the scheme contained in the Secretary of State's Despatch No. 664 falls within the terms of reference to the Commission; and whether, in view of the decision of the Commission to exclude the public from their sittings, it is proposed to publish periodically the evidence taken prior to the consideration of the Report by the Commission?

The following official notification was issued by the Governor of Ceylon on 7th March. Referring to the Commission appointed on 13th February on the Constitution of the Legislative Council, His Excellency the Governor issued instructions that Questions 3 and 4 of the Circular issued by the Commission for the information of witnesses were not included in the Secretary of State's instructions as to the terms of reference, and that they must be deleted. Four of the unofficial European members, namely, the Hon. Mr. W. H. Figg, Mr. Edward Rosling, Mr. H. A. Beachcroft, and Mr. J. G. Wardrop, having requested that the questions be allowed to stand, or that sittings of the Commission should be suspended till the Secretary of State had received and considered the views of the Chamber of Commerce and the Planters' Association, the Secretary of State was asked for instructions. The Secretary of State pointed out that the purpose for which the Commission was appointed having been entirely misapprehended by these members, to place any further obligation on them would serve no useful purpose, and he added that they might be very properly released from any further duty. These instructions were conveyed to the members concerned, and they have been accordingly released. His Excellency the Governor much regrets that the Commission will no longer have the benefit of their assistance and advice. We have no information as to the last part of my hon. Friend's question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any directions have been issued, with the sanction of the Home Office, to visiting committees of asylums or to local authorities in regard to the classification of asylums officers for the purposes of pensions under Section 1 of the Asylums Officers Superannuation Act, 1909?

No directions on this subject have been issued, with the. sanction of the Home Office.

asked the, Home Secretary whether any information has been received by the Home Office as to the action taken by asylums' committees or local authorities with a view to give effect to the Asylums Officers Superannuation Act, 1909, which comes into operation on 1st April next; whether any action has been taken by the Commissioners in Lunacy in the matter with the sanction of the Home Secretary; and whether he will under Section 15 of the Act hear and determine appeals in regard to the classification of officers of asylums made by visiting committees, as directed by Section 1 of the Act?

No information has been received by the Home Office; but various questions under the Act were discussed at a conference between the Commissioners in Lunacy and representatives of local authorities, and others, on 14th March. It seems to me that the Secretary of State cannot, under Section 15 of the Act, over-rule a decision of a Visiting Committee in a matter left to their discretion under Section 1 (2).

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture if he will state on what terms as to rate of interest and what proportion of total cost a farmer, anxious to buy a small holding, can obtain financial help from the county council or the Board of Agriculture, whether under the Act of 1908 or under previous Acts; what conditions have to be fulfilled; and what proportion of the cost of the land can be advanced?

The terms upon which a small holding can be purchased are set out in Sections 11, 12, and 19 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1908. The rate of interest payable by the purchaser would vary according to the rate of interest at which county councils can borrow, but, taking the latter at 3½ per cent., it is probable that 3¾ per cent, would be found sufficient to cover the interest payable by the county council and their incidental expenses.