asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the application of Michael Riordan, of Baslican, Waterville, county Kerry, for an old age pension; and whether, in view of the tact that there are credible witnesses as to his being above the statutory age and that the parish register shows that he was married fifty-two years ago, he will state what further evidence, documentary or otherwise, is required to substantiate his claim?

This case is under consideration by the Local Government Board, on appeal, and I can offer no advice in the matter.

asked whether the attention of the Treasury has been called on various occasions to the desirability of opening a station on the Burtonport Railway at Meenhanid, county Donegal, in order to promote the fishing industry; whether he is aware, that the railway company has agreed to bear part of the cost of this additional station; whether the Treasury is prepared to co-operate in the matter; and, if so, whether any steps can be taken before the opening of the May herring fishing?

I have agreed to an arrangement by which a new station at Meenhanid will be erected at an estimated cost of £873, to be met out of the surplus receipts of the Burtonport Railway, in which the Treasury and the working company have an equal interest. I am informed that it cannot be stated when that amount will accrue, but certainly not before next month.

asked the amount granted for railway construction by Parliament in the United Kingdom within the past fifty years?

So far as I am aware, no contribution has been made from the Exchequer towards the construction of any railway in England or Wales except under the Light Railways Act, 1896. That Act authorises the advance by the Treasury of a sum which is not at any one time to exceed £1,000,000, of which a sum not exceeding £250,000 was for the purpose of special advances under Section 5. The amount advanced under that Section is £117,945 by way of free Grant and £22,200 by way of loan, in addition to which £73,913 has been conditionally promised by way of free Grant and £16,000 by way of loan. Under the West Highland Railway Guarantee Act, 1896, the Treasury guarantees interest at 3 per cent, on £260,000 capital for thirty years from the opening of the line, and has up to date paid £26,411 under the guarantee. The amount granted for railway construction by Parliament in Ireland within the past fifty years has been £1,760,733, but in addition the maximum annual contribution for which the Treasury is liable in respect of railways constructed under the Tramways and Public Companies (Ireland) Act, 1883, is £30,722. A statement of the sums actually paid will be found in the Appendix to the Report of the Commissioners of Public Works, Ireland. The above statement does not include loans made by the Public Works Loan Commissioners for railways and subsequently remitted, or loans under Section 4 of the Light Railways Act, 1896.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state whether Sir Robert Anderson is in possession of a pension; and, if so, what is the amount; whether such pension is in respect only of work done at the Home Office, or whether its amount was calculated on work of any special nature or work done in any other branch of the public service?

On his retirement from the post of assistant commissioner of police, in 1901, Sir Robert Anderson was granted a pension of £900 a year. The service in respect of which this pension was awarded included service at the Home Office before 1877, service from 1877 to 1888 as secretary to the prison commissioners, and service from 1888 to 1901 as assistant commissioner of police.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider the advisability of charging fees for both licences and certificates issued in connection with experiments on living animals; and will he say whether the particular Department which issues these certificates and licences supplies any free certificates or licences for any other purpose, specifying the same, and generally what licences or certificates are issued by any Government Department free of charge?

The licences and certificates in qustion are only granted when the object of the experiments is to advance knowledge in a way likely to be for the general benefit, and I do not think it would be desirable to impose fees in such cases. I understand that the Home Office issues certain other licences and certificates free of charge, such as licences to plead, certificates for schools, or for inebriate reformatories, licences for change of name, etc. I am not aware what is the practice of other Departments in this matter.

asked whether complaints have been made by ratepayers in the barony of Moyarta, West Clare, that a railway rate, averaging 1s. in the £, is paid by them; and whether he can state the authority on which this rate is levied?

I am informed that no such complaints as those mentioned in the first part of the question have been received by the Board of Public Works, Ireland. From information in the Board's possession it appears that the average rate for the last three years levied on the ratepayers in the barony of Moyarta in respect of the baronial guarantees for the West and South Clare Railways was 1s. 0½d., but under the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898, Section 58, Clause 4, half of any excess over 6d. in the £ is recoverable out of the Local Taxation (Ireland) Account, so that the net contribution by the ratepayers in the barony of Moyarta in respect of the railways mentioned may be taken as about 9^d. in the £. The authority on which the rate is levied is the Tramways and Public Companies (Ireland) Act, 1883, and the Acts confining the Orders in Council relating to the West and South Clare Railways, namely, 47–48 Vic, c. ccxvii., and 53–54 Vic, c. ccx.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he can state the number of clerks and messengers attached to the Department of Registrar of Petty Sessions Clerks in Ireland, and the number of visits of inspection paid by the Registrar to petty sessions districts during the past year?

There are ten clerks and three messengers attached to the office of the Registrar of Petty Sessions Clerks. The Registrar paid visits of inspection to forty-seven petty sessions clerks during the year 1909.

asked the Chief Secretary if the pensions of policemen who are appointed to clerkships of petty sessions are counted as part of their salaries as clerks; and, if not, whether on retiring from the clerkships they would be entitled to second pensions?

The pensions of policemen who are appointed to petty sessions clerkships are not counted as part of their salaries. On retirement they receive pension from the Petty Sessions Clerks' Fund, if qualified, in addition to their pensions from the police.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Mr. Sydney Smyth, Derryvale, Roscrea, the inspector appointed by the Estates Commissioners to inspect the untenanted land on the Hamilton Stubber estate, Queen's County, resides in the same townland as Mr. H. P. Bridge, land agent to Mr. Stubber; was it on the decision of Mr. Smyth that Mrs. Ellen Davin, Eglish, Ballybrophy, was refused a farm, although evicted within the statutory period; whether the Estates Commissioners are in the habit of appointing local men to act as inspectors in their own neighbourhood; and, if so, will the practice be discontinued?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that their inspector, Mr. Smyth, lives in the same locality as the agent for the Hamilton Stubber estate. The estate itself is, however, some miles away in another county. The Commissioners themselves decided to refuse Mrs. Ellen Davin's application for a parcel of untenanted land on the ground that she had enough land already. They exercise their discretion in regard to the allocation of districts to inspectors. As a general rule inspectors are not sent to the districts in which they live, but it is sometimes necessary to depart from this practice.

asked why Mrs. Casey, Clonard, Ballymahon, Ireland, an old age pensioner, was deprived of her pension, her number on the pension committee's list being 534 and in receipt of 5s., made final by the Local Government Board; but on the coming of another pension officer to the district, who appealed, this old person was deprived of the pension, though she is far over seventy years; and will he see that this old woman has her pension restored to her?

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension in supposing that the Local Government Board confirmed this woman's pension. They allowed the pension officer's appeal as she was recorded in the Census Returns of 1851 as being only ten years old, and on her making a second claim they disallowed it on appeal for the same reason.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can state, with reference to the statement by the Local Government Board that they have not deprived Mrs. Alice Kelly, of Meenahinnish, Killygordon, county Donegal, of her pension, on whose authority Mrs. Kelly was served with a notice dated 25th February last, stating that the Local Government Board had decided to withdraw her pension; and whether he can also explain on what grounds it has been decided that Alice Kelly is under seventy years of age, and therefore disqualified for a pension, whilst her sister, who is two years younger, is held to be over seventy years of age and qualified for a pension?

I understand that in the appeal lodged in this case the pensioner's name was incorrectly given as Anne Kelly, not Alice Kelly. Being registered under that name, the case was not identified with that mentioned in the question asked by the hon. Member on the 4th instant. The Board upheld the appeal, as Mrs. Kelly did not appear among her parents' family in the Census Returns of 1841. They received no reply from her to their request for additional proof of age, and had no information regarding the sister mentioned.

asked the Chief Secretary what are the respective acreages and purchase prices of the lands bought by the Agricultural Department under the scheme for forestry in Ireland; whether all the purchases completed or being negotiated form portions of estates being sold through the Estates Commissioners; and will he state who are the landlords concerned?

The particulars asked for are as follows:—

asked the Chief Secretary if he is in a position to state approximately the date at which it is anticipated that the sales agreed on under the Irish Land Act, 1903, prior to 1st November, 1908, will be completed and the purchase money paid; and what is the present amount of purchase money (cash and stock, respectively) necessary to finance the sales agreed on up to 1st November, 1908?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that the purchase agreements in direct sales lodged prior to 1st November, 1908, and still remaining to be dealt with represent advances of £42,744,340. The Commissioners cannot say when these cases may be disposed of. As regards the applications for payment partly in stock and partly in cash or wholly in stock, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the question asked by the hon. Member for East Clare on. 7th April.

asked whether the claim of R. Madden, representative of Michael Walsh, evicted tenant, of Ballygrogan, Greenagh, county Cork, has been investigated by the Estates Commissioners; and, if so, what decision has been come to in the matter?

The Estates Commissioners have decided to take no action in the matter of the application of Richard Madden for reinstatement in a holding in the townland of Ballygrogan, from which his uncle, Michael Walsh, was evicted in 1879, and which has since been purchased under the Land Purchase Acts by the present occupier.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the scheme for the distribution of the untenanted land on the Caldbeck estate, Ballacolla, Queen's County, at present under the consideration of the Estates Commissioners, is identical with that drawn up by their inspector, Mr. Booth, and dated 19th February, 1909?

The scheme for the distribution of the untenanted land on this estate, when acquired, is still under the consideration of the Estates Commissioners. At this stage of the proceedings it would not be desirable to make any further statement with regard to it.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he will state who is the Crown solicitor for Meath; and why, if his salary is fixed at £200, is he being paid A salary of £300?

The Crown solicitor for Meath is Mr. John George Fottrell. His salary was £200 a year up to last July, when, on the death of the Sessional Crown Solicitor for the County, the offices of Crown and Sessional Crown Solicitor were united with a salary of £300 a year for the united office.

asked the Chief Secretary if he will state under whose control are the offices of the High Court in Ireland; who decides what appointments shall be made therein; and who makes such appointments.

I understand that the officers of the King's Bench Division, other than those of the Probate Department, are under the control of the Lord Chief Justice. The Probate Department is under the control of the Judge in Probate. The officers of the Chancery Division are under the control of the Lord Chancellor, with the exception of the chief clerks to the Master of the Bolls, and Mr. Justice Barton and certain officers in the Land Judge's Court who are under the control of those judges respectively. Under statutory provisions, the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Chief Justice, and the Lord Chief Baron, with the concurrence of the Treasury, have determined what officers are requisite for the permanent staff of the Supreme Court, and appointments are made thereto in the manner provided by the Irish Judicature Acts, 1877 to 1897, in respect of the several departments, all junior clerkships being filled by open competition.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he can say when the work of acquiring untenanted land in county Clare will be undertaken with a view to increasing the uneconomic holdings of the people in various districts?

The Estates Commissioners have already acquired over 7,000 acres of untenanted land in county Clare, and proceedings for the purchase of 6,929 acres are at present pending before them. The Congested Districts Board are also in negotiation for the acquisition of untenanted land in the county. It would not be desirable to enter into particulars at this stage of the proceedings.

asked the Chief Secretary whether, in view of the tranquil state of county Clare and its freedom from crime or disturbance of a serious character he will cause the extra police force to be removed, and so relieve the ratepayers of the burden which the presence of an extra police force places upon them?

While I am happy to say that parts of the county Clare are at present tranquil, the state of other parts cannot be described as satisfactory, and the responsible police authorities are unable at present to recommend any reduction in the force serving in the county.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he will see that under the Development Act the much-needed drainage of the Scariff district, county Clare, is undertaken, so as to prevent future losses to the inhabitants of the neighbourhood from constantly recurring floods?

I have no power to decide what works are to be carried out by means of advances under the Development Act. That will be a matter for the Development Commissioners when appointed.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can state when the evicted tenants on the estate of Mr. George White, Cloone Grange, Mohill, county Leitrim, will be reinstated in their holdings, particularly as the parties at present in occupation of those farms are prepared to surrender the same on getting compensation from the Estates Commissioners?

The Estates Commissioners have received applications from six persons seeking reinstatement to holdings on this estate. Three of these applications were received after the date mentioned in the Evicted Tenants Act, 1907, and cannot be dealt with under that Act. The Commissioners have decided to take no action in one of the remaining cases, and the other two are under consideration.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can state if the Congested Districts Board will be in a position to give grants to poor tenant-farmers in highly congested districts, such as there are in county Leitrim, for the building and improving of their houses, as some of them are living in very insanitary dwellings at the present time?

The Congested Districts Board, at their meeting on the 6th instant, adopted a resolution in favour of giving small grants on their former parish committee system towards the cost of erecting and improving dwelling-houses and out offices, and a scheme in detail is being prepared, which will be published when approved by the Board. Concurrently with this scheme loans for larger amounts for the same purpose will be available in suitable cases.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can state if the Congested Districts Board will purchase the Ruthven estate, situate in Mohill rural district, county Leitrim, with a view of selling the same to the tenants, as they sent a memorial to the Board some time ago asking that the estate might be purchased and sold to them?

The memorial of the tenants on this estate has been received, and is, with several hundred similar memorials, under the consideration of the Congested Districts Board, who are not yet in a position to give it a definite answer.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can state when will Francis Murphy and Owen M'Gann, evicted tenants on the estate of Mr. H. J. B. Clements, Lough Rynn, county Leitrim, be reinstated in the holdings from which they were evicted some years ago, particularly as the Commissioner's inspector has sent in his report some time ago; and: also if he can state when will the farm at Gortletteragh, county Leitrim, on the same estate, which Mr. Clements is willing to sell to the Estates Commissioners for the reinstatement of other evicted tenants, be taken over by the Commissioners, with a view to having the land divided and given to the evicted tenants, as they are living in poverty at the present time?

The Estates Commissioners have had the holdings in question inspected and have intimated their estimated prices to the owner who is considering the matter. The estate which he is selling includes some thirty-eight acres of untenanted land at the place mentioned in the second part of the question. The Commissioners when dealing with the estate will consider the question of purchasing this land.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can state how many evicted tenants have been reinstated in county Leitrim under the Land Act of 1903 and the Evicted Tenants Act of 1907; and in how many cases have landlords refused in county Leitrim to permit inspectors from the Estates Commissioners to inspect holdings on their estates from which tenants had been evicted?

One hundred and fifteen county Leitrim evicted tenants have been reinstated or provided with new holdings. Owners refused in the case of twelve evicted holdings, in the county to allow inspection.

asked what licensed premises in Dublin, if any, are permitted habitually for the public convenience to sell intoxicating liquors after the hours provided by Statute?

I am informed by the police authorities that there are no licensed premises in Dublin which come within the terms of the question.

asked when the Annual Report of the Agriculture and Technical Department will be in the hands of Members?

I am informed by the Stationery Office that the Report will be circulated early next week.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he will explain the cause of the delay in making grants to two evicted tenants, Mrs. Johanna Bowler and Denis Healy, on the M'Carthy estate, Headford, county Kerry; and whether, in view of the circumstances of those people, steps will be taken to have their cases dealt with at once?

The Commissioners have not sanctioned any grants in these cases.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that agreements were signed for the purchase of the M'Carthy estate, Headford, county Kerry, about six years ago, but that, owing to causes over which the tenants had no control, the sale was not completed; and whether, as all difficulties have now been removed and as the tenants are anxious to have matters wound up, all necessary steps will be immediately taken by the Estates Commissioners to complete the sale as soon as possible?

This estate lies in a congested districts county. The question whether the Estates Commissioners or the Congested Districts Board will complete the sale is under consideration.

asked whether a grant to stock land and put up buildings has been promised to Thomas Walsh, an evicted tenant reinstated on the Ormathwaite property; and, if so, has the money yet been given to or provided for the tenant?

In this case the Estates Commissioners have sanctioned a grant for the purchase of stock and an advance for building purposes. They are issuing instructions to one of their inspectors with regard to the expenditure of the money.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can state if any working arrangements have been made between the Estates Commissioners and the Congested Districts Board as to which Board or body will deal with untenanted lands and evicted tenants in the congested counties in the West of Ireland; and if arrangements are made, what are they?

The Estates Commissioners and the Congested Districts Board are in consultation with respect to estates, including parcels of untenanted land in Congested Districts counties. The question of dealing with evicted tenants is one solely for the Commissioners.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that assistant storehousemen in His Majesty's dockyards who only passed at the end of 1909 have been established, while a number of men who passed at the examination in April, 1904, are still waiting for establishment; whether he will see that all men who passed in the 1904 examination shall receive priority of establishment to the men who passed in the 1909–10 examination; and whether, in the event of any of the former having passed the age at which they may be established (while the establishment has been closed), he will see that this age disqualification shall not be a barrier to establishment?

Examinations for promotion of the hired storehouse staff to the established position of assistant storehouseman (now known as storehouseman, second grade) are held from time to time by the Civil Service Commissioners under precisely the same conditions as govern all other appointments to the Civil Service. The competition is limited to storehouse employés, and it follows that each fresh examination list cancels those of an earlier date. The unsuccessful candidates are, however, eligible to compete at subsequent examinations up to the prescribed age limit. The vacancies that occurred during the suspension of establishment of the storehouse staff were subsequently filled, under Treasury sanction, by the men next in order of merit on the old examination list at the respective yards before the new examination was held.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether arrangements are being made for the Special Telegraph Reserve of the Post Office Rifles to receive only one week's training with the Royal Engineers this year; and, if so, whether, in view of the fact that these men are liable to be called up for active service in any part of the world, he will arrange that they receive at least a fortnight's training, the same as purely Territorial regiments?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. A week's training is considered sufficient to maintain efficiency pending decision on the Report of the Committee on these Reservists.

asked the numbers competing at the examinations for commissions in the Army in 1890, 1900, and 1909?

The numbers of candidates presenting themselves as competitors in the years named were as follows: —

—	Numbers presenting themselves
	At examination for entrance to R.M. Academy and R.M. College.	At Competitive examination of Militia and Special Reserve officers.	As University Candidates.
1st half 1890	728	318	23
2nd half 1890	869	349	28
1st half 1900	709	90	29
2nd half 1900	528	241	27
1st half 1909	305	35	22
2nd half 1909	259	85	22

It must be borne in mind that in 1905 the system of entry was changed in that, since that year, candidates have not been allowed to present themselves for competition until they have passed a qualifying test of a much higher standard than was formerly imposed.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that the Army Council has informed county associations that they are not to make use of any of their funds for the purpose of paying travelling expenses of officers, noncommissioned officers, or men proceeding to their company headquarters for drills, he will explain how they propose that men of outlying sections in a county company should be enabled to make themselves efficient?

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension. No instructions have been given to the effect stated. Grants are allotted to associations towards the cost of bringing in outlying sections to enable them to carry out squadron, battery, or company training. All that has been prohibited is any payment for an individual officer or man travelling from his home to the local section drill-place.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what definition has been laid down for the burgher class who are to be accorded special representation in the Legislative Council of Ceylon; and whether inhabitants of the Colony of Portuguese descent will similarly enjoy special representation in the reformed Council?

The burghers have been for many years represented in the Council by a member nominated by the Governor. The only change now made is that the member, instead of being nominated, will be elected by the class which he represents. The precise question of what classes of the community are included in the term burgher is receiving the attention of the local Commission. Pending the receipt of the Commission's Report it is not possible to say to what extent the Portuguese-Eurasian community will share in the election of the burgher member. In any case, it is not proposed that this class should be separately represented.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he will consider the advisability of recommending the Indian Government to impose countervailing or Excise duties on all manufactures exported from this country with which the products of India compete, the same as on cotton goods?

The Secretary of State sees no reason to make the recommendation suggested to the Government of India.

asked whether the Secretary of State for India has information to the effect that an unusually large number of natives of India have voluntarily entered into indentures to work in Natal, since it has been announced that the Government of India will take power to prohibit indentured emigration to that Colony; and, if so, whether the Secretary of State will consider the propriety of advising the Government of India to take into consideration the wishes of the labouring classes, as practically expressed by these voluntary movements of the population, in legislating in this behalf, and in making Jules for the exercise of the powers conferred by legislation designed to restrict such voluntary movements?

As regards the first part of my hon. Friend's question, I would refer him to the answer that I have given to the hon. Member for East Leeds. As regards the second part, the Government of India will no doubt carefully consider all relevant circumstances before exercising in the case of any Colony their power of suspending indentured emigration.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Home Office has in its possession Papers relating to the dynamite explosions that took place some years ago at the headquarters of the secret police, Exchange Court, Dublin, and at the Four Courts, Dublin; if so, whether he will lay these Papers upon the Table of the House or allow them to be inspected at the Home Office; whether Sir Robert Anderson was at the time of those explosions an official of the Home Office or of the Criminal Investigation Department; and whether, in the discharge of his duties, he was in any way connected with the investigation into the explosions referred to?

The only papers in the Home Office connected with these explosions relate to the visits of the Chief Inspector of Explosives to Dublin, and his examination of the sites and the debris. Sir Robert Anderson was then Assistant Commissioner at Scotland Yard, and there is nothing either in the Home Office or in Scotland Yard to show that he was in any way concerned in the investigations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any concession for the finance and construction of the proposed Chinchow-Aigun Railway has been granted to either American or British firms; and, if not, on what grounds can His Majesty's Government refuse to give diplomatic assistance to further the scheme in the interest of British industry.

Information has reached us to the effect that a concession for the finance and construction of the Chinchow-Aigun Railway has been granted to American and British firms. I have repeatedly explained our position with regard to the matter in answer to previous questions.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he will state the loss to each county in England and Wales on the whisky money Grant for the financial year 1909–10, as compared with that for the previous year?

I fear that it will not be possible for the present to add anything to the reply which I gave on this subject on the 7th instant to a previous question put by the hon. Member.

asked the number of messengers, elevator men, and other general labourers employed in the offices of the Local Government Board, and the wages paid to each section and the number of hours worked?

The following statement answers this question: —

No.	Wages.	Hours.
Messengers—
5	£120 per annum	9.30 a.m. to 5.30p.m.
1	£110 per annum	9.30 a.m. to 5.30p.m.
14	£70to £100 per annum	9.30 a.m. to 5.30p.m.
Hall Porters—
2	25s.—1s.—30s. per week	9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Pensioner Messengers—
3	21s. per week	9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
Goods Lift Attendant—
1	21s.—1s.—25s. per week	10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
Boy Messengers—
11	1s. 6d per day, with annual increment of 3d. per day	10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
Men Cleaners—
1	23s.—1s.—28s. per week	6.30 a.m. to noon; 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
4	23s.—1s.—25s.per week
Lift Attendants—
2	27s. per week	Week of 42½ hours.
*Stoker—
1	37s. 4d. per week	Week of 56 hours.
*Fireman—
11	35s. per week	Alternate weeks of 66 and 77 hours.
* The wages of these men are charged partly to the Local Government Board and partly to the Board of Education.

asked the Postmaster-General what percentage of boy messengers pass into the sorters' class?

Two hundred and twenty-one appointments were made to the sorter's class in 1909. Of the officers appointed 171 or 77 per cent, had served as boy messengers. This number represents about 5 per cent of the Messenger force in London. I should perhaps add that provincial messengers are not eligible for London appointments.

asked the Postmaster General whether he is aware that the Post Office employés at Walton, which is in the same urban district as Felixstowe, are placed in Class 5, maximum 21s. a week, with regard to pay, whereas the employés in the post office at Felixstowe are included in Class 3, maximum pay 25s. a week; and whether, having regard to the fact that the cost of living is approximately the same in Walton and Felixstowe, he will take steps to place the Walton post men in the same class as the Felixstowe postmen?

Before the 1st January. 1908, the postmen at Felixetowe and Walton were on scales of pay rising to 24s. and 20s. a week respectively. The effect of the Parliamentary revision of wages has been to increase the maximum at these places to 25s. and 21s. a week. I do not think there is any ground for altering the wages at present, but I am making further inquiries on the subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the matter of the National Union Society, Limited, now in liquidation, and to the grave charges made by the Official Receiver in his first Report, dated 29th June, 1980, and his second Report, dated 21st January, 1909, made in the winding up; and whether he will take any steps towards calling the attention of the Public Prosecutor to the matter?

My attention has been, called to the National Union Society, Limited, now in compulsory liquidation. It would not be in the public interest for me to state what communications, if any, have taken place with the Director of Public Prosecutions in any particular case.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the Board of Trade Report on the cost of living of the working classes, the wages of the labourers employed in the Ordnance, Survey, Ireland, will be increased; and whether the minimum wage for adult workers of all classes will be raised to 24s. a week, which is the minimum adopted by the Irish Federation of Government Workers?

No employé on the Ordnance Survey, labourer or otherwise, is paid on a lower scale than that prescribed by the Resolution on the Fair Wages Clause which was agreed to in the House last year. The Board do not see their way to make the alteration suggested.

asked whether a scale of pay could be promulgated for surveyors in the Ordnance Survey, whereby they would proceed by annual increments from the minimum to the maximum of the scale?

The scale of pay of surveyors, as recently issued, provides definite rates of pay at definite periods of service. It is not proposed to modify it in the manner suggested.