asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will state for what reason the application of Patrick Condon for a cottage and an acre allotment of land at Shanacoole, on the lands of Mr. Mathew Neville O'Brien, within the Youghal rural district, No. 2, was rejected at the last local inquiry under the Labourers Acts?

I understand that the reason assigned by the inspector for rejecting the proposal to provide a cottage in this case was that the necessity for it had not been established.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the application of Mary Cox, née Moloney, Kilbrien, county Waterford, in the Dungarvan district, for an old ago pension was refused on the ground that her name could not be found on the Census Returns of 1841 or 1851; whether she furnished the Local Government Board with the best evidence of her being over seventy years of age that was procurable by her; and in what respect was the evidence she supplied deemed unsatisfactory?

The claim in this case was refused by the local pension sub-committee, and the Local Government Board, on appeal by the claimant, confirmed the committee's decision. The only evidence furnished consisted of the opinions of three old men, and was not sufficient to prove that she had reached the statutory age.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners are aware that Mr. Mathew Neville O'Brien, of Ahavine, Ballymacoda, county Cork, signed a purchase agreement on the estate of John Gubbins there, which was lodged about two years ago for the purchase by him of his residential holding of about 200 acres; whether they are aware that Mr. Neville O'Brien holds 140 acres of un-tenanted land under fee farm grant at Shanacoole, county Waterford, and also about 160 acres let to several tenants at Shanacoole, to whom he has refused to sell their holdings; whether the Estates Commissioners will make inquiries with a view to the acquisition of the 140 acres of untenanted land for evicted tenants, a large number of whom in the locality are still unprovided with holdings; and whether they will inform the hon. Member for West Waterford of the result of their inquiry?

No agreement signed by Mr. M. N. O'Brien for the purchase of a holding on the estate of John Gubbins has been lodged with the Estates Commissioners, but an agreement for the purchase of 169 acres held by a Nora K. Neville O'Brien of the estate of F. J. B. Gubbins has been lodged and will be cansidered when the estate is being dealt with in order of priority. The Commissioners are not aware of the facts stated in the second paragraph of the question, and Mr. O'Brien's name does not appear in the Return of Untenanted Land presented to Parliament in 1906 as the occupier of Tin-tenanted land at Shanacoole.

asked the Chief Secretary whether any steps have been taken by the Estates Commissioners to acquire the untenanted land on the Browning estate, at Ballylusky, Croom, county Limerick, for distribution among the uneconomic holders and labourers in the locality?

further asked (1) whether the Estates Commissioners have acquired the untenanted land on the Roche estate, at Carass, Croom, county Limerick; and, if so, will the deserving classes in the locality get preference; (2) if the Estates Commissioners have purchased any untenanted land from Miss Croker, of Grange, county Limerick; and, if so, how much, and where is it situated?

The Estates Commissioners cannot identify any proceedings for the sale of these estates under the Land Purchase Acts as pending before them.

asked the Chief Secretary what steps have been taken by the Estates Commissioners to reinstate John Hayes, evicted tenant, on the Maunsell estate, at Routha, Patrickswell, county Limerick, in his old home?

The Estates Commissioners are at present in communication with the owner in reference to this case.

asked the Chief Secretary what is the cause of the delay in the erection of the cottages in the Mitchelstown No. 2 district, county Limerick, where compensation has been paid to occupiers of land for more than twelve months?

As the hon. Member was informed, in reply to a question asked by him on 22nd September last, the plans originally submitted to the Local Government Board by the Mitchelstown (No. 2) Rural District Council did not comply with the Board's general standard of requirements, either as to the cubic content or the height of the room in the cottages. Amended plans were approved by the Board last October, and the necessary advances have been made to enable the council to acquire the lands and to proceed with the erection of the forty-five cottages authorised by the Orders (unopposed and opposed) confirming the council's scheme. The council accepted tenders in January and February last for the erection of fourteen of the cottages. Nothing would have been gained had they commenced to build earlier in the winter, as I understand that the weather was most unsuitable for building operations.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Agriculture and Technical Department have now secured the promised Grant in Aid from the Treasury towards the building of technical schools in Ireland?

The answer is in the negative. The Department are not aware that any such Grants have been promised.

asked the Chief Secretary if he will state what is the acreage and purchase price of the land bought by the Agricultural Department in the Bailieborough district under the scheme for forestry in Ireland; whether the negotiations took place direct with the Department or through the Estates Commissioners; and will he say who was the landlord concerned?

The area of the land in question is 404 acres. Purchase price was £3,293. The negotiations took place through the Estates Commissioners, and the landlord concerned was Mr. Cochrane.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can state approximately the number of asylum officers who will be entitled to assured pensions under the Asylums Officers Superannuation Act, 1909; and if he can say approximately what proportion of the total number of officers have been placed in Class I. and Class II., respectively, by the visiting committees, as directed by Section 1 of the Act?

The Commissioners in Lunacy state that they have no recent information which would enable them to state approximately the number of asylum officers who will be entitled to assured pensions under the Asylums Officers Superannuation Act, 1909. In 1906, however, they obtained a Return which showed that for the past five years the average number of attendants and nurses employed in asylums was 10,100. The present number would probably be larger, several new asylums having been opened. The Commissioners cannot say what proportion of the total number of officers have been placed by the visiting committees in Class I. and Class II. respectively, as directed by Section 1 of the Act. It is not known whether all the visiting committees have yet come to a decision as to how the various officers in their employ shall be classified.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will state how soon the Annual Report of His Majesty's Agent and Consul-General in Egypt may be expected?

I hope to be able to lay the Annual Report on Egypt and the Soudan about the end of this month.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any individuals belonging to the Mutual Brotherhood Society in Egypt, have been invited to furnish guarantees for their good behaviour under the provisions of the law for the increase of public security, 1909; and whether, in the event of their being unable to provide these guarantees, any of them have been administratively sentenced to compulsory residence in a place appointed by the Government?

I am not prepared at present to make any statement upon the steps which the Egyptian Government may find it necessary to take in connection with this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any investigations have been made concerning the existence of a secret society, called the Mutual Brotherhood, in Egypt, or any kindred secret societies; whether a society of the name of the Mutual Brotherhood has been found to exist; and whether, in the case of the answer being in the affirmative, he will state whether he has official information showing that the main object of this, or other similar secret societies, is the summary termination of the British occupation in Egypt?

Any investigations made by the Egyptian Government on the subject of secret societies are obviously of a confidential nature, and I am not prepared at present to make any statement on the subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the quantities of Egyptian cotton consumed by Great Britain, the United States, and the Continent, respectively, during the latest year for which statistics are available?

No exact figures can be given. The total exports of raw cotton from Egypt in 1909, however, amounted to 6,149,000 cwts., and the quantity imported into the United Kingdom from Egypt and retained in the same year amounted to 2,756,000 cwts. The total imports of cotton into the United States from Egypt in 1909 amounted to 648,000 cwts., but a certain amount of Egyptian cotton may have been received from other sources, and some of the small re-exports of imported cotton may have been of Egyptian origin. Nearly the whole of the Egyptian cotton exports which are not taken by this country or by the United States are consumed on the Continent of Europe.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of iron and steel manufactures exported to and imported from Germany in the year 1909?

The following Statement gives the information desired by the Member:—

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will call upon the railway companies to furnish his Department with the number of railway servants of all grades dismissed or reduced as a result of failing eyesight or other medical defects during the past two years?

As at present advised, I am afraid I could not properly ask the railway -companies for the information desired by my hon. Friend.

asked the Lord Advocate whether any change proposed under the Code of Regulations for Day Schools, with a view to further restriction of the size of class to be taught by one teacher will be made the subject of consultation with school boards before any decision is reached; whether considerable notice will be given of the precise nature of any change contemplated; whether he is aware that the provision in Article 138 of the Code, under which no class for instruction by one teacher should exceed thirty in number unless in circumstances specially sanctioned by the Department, will involve in Glasgow an expenditure of £1,500 for absolutely no return, though the higher grade and secondary schools there are at present adequately staffed on the average arrangement; and whether he will reconsider the decision to withhold the higher rates specified in Article 142 (b) and (c), in respect of pupils who have not been in attendance for at least six months at the preceding course in the same or other recognised higher grade school?

The prefatory note to the Code has been inserted for the express purpose of giving school boards ample opportunity for making representations on the subject, and considerable notice will be given of the precise changes that may ultimately be resolved upon. The new form of Article 138 simply applies to higher grade schools conditions as to staffing which already apply to secondary schools, such as the Glasgow High School. The "average arrangement" is, in the view of the Department, not a sound basis for staffing, and there seems no reason why it should continue to be accepted in the case of higher grade any more than in the case of secondary schools. The alteration in the footnote to Article 142 (b) and (c) simply makes explicit the existing practice of the Department in the matter, from which there seems to be no good reason for departing.