asked the Chief Secretary whether he is prepared to allow inspection of all documents in Dublin Castle of the Irish Office bearing on the Parnell Commission?

No, Sir. It would be contrary to the established practice to allow inspection of these documents.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can state if any person connected with the purchase of the Pigott letters was subsequently admitted a Member of the Irish Privy Council?

I have no information on the subject.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether Mr. Peter M'Girr, of Aughnacloy, in the Parliamentary Division of South Tyrone, licensed publican, recommended by the Vice-President of the Board of Agriculture in Ireland as a justice of the peace, and appointed by the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, was so appointed within a few weeks of the South Tyrone election at which the Vice-President was a candidate; were any other residents in South Tyrone appointed justices about the same time on the recommendation of the Vice-President, and is it usual to appoint justices on the eve of an election on the recommendation of one of the candidates; and, if so, will he suggest that it should not be done for the future?

I understand that in the appointment of Mr. M'Girr to the magistracy of the county Tyrone, no new practice was adopted. Mr. M'Girr is the proprietor of the Imperial Hotel at Aughnacloy, and hotel proprietors have on previous occasions been appointed to the magistracy by the Lord Chancellor and toy his predecessors. It is no new practice for Members of Parliament or other persons holding positions of a representative character to bring under the Lord Chancellor's consideration the names of persons whose appointment they may consider desirable. No appointments to the magistracy were made in view of the election, but it is the usual course at the close of each year to complete such appointments to the magistracy as may be under contemplation, and in this way certain magistrates were in December last appointed for the county Tyrone, including there recommended by the Vice-Lieutenant of the county.

asked the Chief Secretary what is the cause of delay in issuing the vesting order on the estate of Lord Kenmare, at Hospital and Killeely, county Limerick; and, having regard to the fact that the tenants have paid at a high rate of interest for the past four years, will steps be taken to have the money advanced, and thus relieve the tenants?

The purchase agreements in the case of this estate were not lodged until October, 1908, and the estate cannot, therefore, be dealt with for some time. The rate of interest payable by the tenants in lieu of rent was a matter of arrangement between the parties.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Tipperary (No. 2) Rural District Council has made application for the first instalment of the loan for the council's (opposed) labourers' scheme; if so, when was the application received; and when will the instalment be granted, as the labourers are anxious to till their plots?

The Local Government Board received on 28th March last an application for their sanction to the loan required, and on the 19th instant sanctioned the' loan. The district council may expect to receive the first instalment from the Land Commission by Thursday, the 28th instant.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Local Government Board have received a resolution from the Tipperary (No. 2) Council relative to a new improvement scheme formulated by the council last June; and, if so, will he see that some of the earmarked money will be devoted to the carrying through of this scheme, as it is a small one?

The Local Government Board have received the resolution referred to. It is expected that the comparatively small balance (roughly speaking, about £250,000) remaining out of the £4,250,000 provided by the Labourers Act of 1906 will be required for the purpose of carrying out schemes which are already the subject of inquiry, and which should of course have priority to schemes not yet formulated or inquired into. In these circumstances I am unable to give the undertaking asked for in the question.

asked the Chief Secretary if, in the appointment of resident magistrates, anything in the nature of an examination is resorted to; and, if not, why are men who have a legal training, such as solicitors and petty sessions clerks, passed over, and appointments given to men who are in many cases absolutely ignorant of the ordinary law?

further asked whether there are any vacancies for the post of resident magistrate in Ireland at present; if so, will those responsible for the appointments give due consideration to the claims of solicitors and clerks of petty sessions who may have applied for the position; whether one-third of these appointments are given, to members of the Royal Irish Constabulary; and, if so, on what grounds?

I will answer these two questions together. There is at present one vacancy for a resident magistrate. One-third of these appointmnets are given to officers of the Royal Irish Constabulary under an arrangement of many years standing made in the interests of the public service. Candidates are not required to pass an examination, but their qualifications are carefully considered. The claims of solicitors are not overlooked. Of the eight gentlemen, other than Constabulary officers, whom I have appointed to the resident magistracy, four were practising solicitors.

asked the Chief Secretary whether any further information has been tendered to him in regard to the labourers' cottages at Lisnagry, county Limerick; whether, when Boyle and Sullivan refused the cottages at Annacotty, they did so on the grounds that two other labourers were to be evicted in order to put them in possession; and, if so, whether an inquiry will be granted so that the full facts may be brought out in this case?

I have received a further complaint from Boyle and Sullivan. I am aware that these labourers refused cottages at Annacotty on grounds such as are stated in. the question, but the Local Government Board point out that same of the persons originally selected by the rural district council as tenants were not agricultural labourers within the meaning of the Labourers Acts, and were therefore legally ineligible. Having regard to this circumstance and to the facts mentioned in my answer to the question asked by the hon. Member on the 14th instant, it does not appear that any advantage would be gained by a local inquiry.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can state the cause of the delay by the Estates Commissioners in completing the sale to the tenants in the case of the estate of Lord Clonmel, in the counties of Kilkenny, Limerick and Tipperary?

As I informed the hon. Member, in reply to the question asked by him on the 19th instant, this estate will be dealt with in order of priority. Its turn has not yet come.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners have yet acquired the untenanted lands on the Dickens estate at Kilmallock, county Limerick; and, if so, how soon may it be distributed?

This estate is being sold by the owners direct to the tenants. When it is being dealt with in order of priority, the Estates Commissioners will consider the question of acquiring the untenanted land.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can state the number of battleships, armoured cruisers, protected cruisers, and destroyers laid down and the number struck off the list in the years 1908 and 1909 respectively?

The numbers of fighting ships of the classes enumerated laid down and struck off the list, respectively, during the years 1908 and 1909, are as follows:—

	Battleship.		Armoured Cruisers.		Protected Cruisers.		Destroyers.
	Laid down.	Struck off.	Laid down.	Struck off.	Laid down.	Struck off.	Laid down.	Struck off.
1908	2	1	—	—	—	3	5	2
1909	4	9	2	—	5	3	30	6

asked the expenditure on coal for the Royal Navy and for the German Navy, respectively, during 1906–7, 1907–8, 1908–9, 1909–10, and the estimated provision for 1910–11 (in continuation of the Table furnished on 2nd April, 1906)?

So far as the British Navy is concerned, the figures are as follows:—

Year.		Net Amount.
		£
1906–7	…	1,365,892
1907–8	…	1,437,629
1908–9	…	1,577,266
1909–10 (estimated)	…	1,621,700
1910–11 (estimated)	…	1,805,000

Oil fuel is included, as its use displaces a certain amount of coal. In the case of Germany the sums voted for coal cannot be separated from those for certain other consumable stores. The figures given below are for stores for driving machinery, cleaning, lighting, and the like:—

Year.				£
1906–7	…	…	…	748,433
1907–8	…	…	…	808,391
1908–9	…	…	…	924,853
1909–10	…	…	…	1,026,076
1910–11	…	…	…	1,158,757

asked the Secretary for War if his attention has been called to the fact that instructions have been received from certain county associations that Territorial officers who live at a distance from their companies must now travel at their own expense; whether, when the Territorial Force was formed, the officers were told that they would practically be on the same footing as Regular officers; and whether the latter travel at their own expense when on duty?

A Territorial officer has to present himself at his local troop or section headquarters to carry out his ordinary drills at his own expense. A Regular officer living out of barracks has to do the same.

asked whether, in the event of the necessary local accommodation of ranges not having been provided in time for the musketry course of the Territorial Force this year, the War Office will pay the extra cost entailed by county associations in sending men to fire their courses at distant ranges?

The reply is in the affirmative. Grants are made to enable units to carry out their musketry at the nearest available range.

asked whether it is the intention of the War Office to continue purchasing foreign-made motor vehicles for Army purposes; and why foreign-made motor vehicles were purchased last year by the War Office when equally good ones can 'be obtained in this country?

Four lorries were required for purchase by the end of last financial year. The English firm which had secured the orders for these lorries was unable to execute the order by that date. Only one other English firm was able to supply the lorries required, and that firm could only furnish two. The two other lorries required were accordingly purchased from a foreign firm. It is hoped that this contingency will not arise again, but I cannot pledge myself not to make purchases abroad for experimental purposes.

asked whether it is proposed to take, in diminution of Grants due from the Government, the income derived from the Oxford Row, Leeds, private property belonging to the Leeds Rifle Volunteer Corps, and which was held by a number of trustees up to the year 1887, and since that date by one trustee; whether the War Office proposes to insist that this private property of the corps shall be transferred to the county association; and whether this proposal is to be carried out, in view of the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act, which provides that all property transferred to a county association shall be held by that association for the benefit of the corresponding unit of the Territorial Force, in like manner in all respects as it was held by such commanding officer for the unit of the Volunteers?

The property was transferred to the county association by the Order in Council of 19th March, 1908, to be held for the benefit in like manner of the corresponding unit under Section 29 (3) (c) of the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act. The income derived from the property will be taken into account in estimating the amount required to be expended from Army funds in the administration of the unit and the amounts to be paid out of money voted by Parliament, under Section 3 (1) of the Act, will be reduced by a corresponding amount.

asked what was the number of horses purchased for the Army for draught and saddle purposes respectively in 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, and 1909; and how many of each description were purchased in Wales?

The figures available are as follows:—

Financial year.	At Home excluding Wales.	Wales.	Abroad.	Total.
1905–6	3144	1	51	3196
1906–7	2926	7	144	3077
1907–8	2842	29	315	3186
1908–9	3058	10	177	3245
1909–10	3387	38	892	4317

About two-thirds of the horses purchased are riding horses and one-third draught. The numbers cannot be stated exactly, as some animals are not finally classified until they leave the remount depots on posting to units, and others are used for both riding and draught.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give a reference to the rules prescribed for the Civil Service under which certain assistant accountants are to be dismissed unless they accept compulsory transfer to inferior appointments; and whether he will assure the House that the assistant accountants who are to be retained in the Department are to be definitely graded as higher division clerks in accordance with the terms of the Order in Council under which they were specifically promoted from the second division?

All Civil servants hold their offices during pleasure, and their services can be dispensed with at any time when no longer required. The officers in question have not been offered inferior appointments, but appointments on the same scale of salary as those which they now hold. If they cannot be further employed in the War Office, and decline to accept transfers to other Departments, the only alternative is to retire them with such compensation as is authorised under Section 7 of the Superannuation Act, 1859. As regards the latter part of the question, it is not the case that the Order in Council, under which certain clerks were promoted to these posts from the second division requires that they should be graded as higher division clerks, and there is no intention of placing them in that category.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many teachers contributed to the superannuation scheme in 1909, and what was the total amount contributed in that year?

The total amount contributed in the Financial year 1909–10 was £233,249. Of this sum £99,485 represents contributions of men teachers and £133,764 represents contributions of women teachers. Men teachers contribute at the rate of £3 5s. per annum and women teachers at the rate of £2 8s. per annum, but the totals given above are made up, to some extent, of contributions pro rata for part of a year. The Board are, therefore, unable, except at the cost of much labour, to give the precise number of teachers contributing to the fund in the year in question. The amount contributed in any particular financial year is liable to be affected by the dates when the annual Grant, from which the teachers' contributions are deducted, is actually paid.

also asked how many teachers received superannuation allow- ance in 1909; and what was the total amount disbursed in superannuation allowance during the year?

The number of teachers who received superannuation allowances in the financial year 1909–10 was 1,853, and the total amount disbursed for this purpose during that year was £53,396.

asked how many teachers received disablement allowances in 1909; and what was the total amount disbursed in disablement allowances during that year?

The number of teachers who received disablement allowances in the financial year 1909–10 was 1,801, and the total amount disbursed for this purpose in that year was £45,996.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether any medical schools have made application to the Board for Grants as technical institutions; whether such grants have been made; and if he will state the names of such medical schools as have applied, the amounts of the grants, if any, made, and the conditions, if any, attaching to such grants?

Applications have been received by the Board of Education from the following medical schools for Grants under the Regulations for Technical Schools, etc. (Cd. 4,736) in respect of the academical year 1909–10:—

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he will state how soon Members may expect to be in possession of the Indian Financial Statement and the Report of the proceedings of the Viceroy's Legislative Council thereon?

I hope that the documents referred to may be in the hands of Members about the end of May.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies the cost to the British Treasury of schemes of land settlement for British settlers in South Africa since the close of the South African War; how many British subjects have been successfully established in South Africa under the schemes; and will he state the number of homesteads and farms provided?

There has been no expenditure from the Treasury in respect of land settlement in South Africa since the war. The cost of the scheme in the Transvaal and Orange River Colony has been met from the guaranteed loan, two and a half millions of which have been devoted to this purpose. There are at present in the Orange River Colony 625 settlers occupying 690,428 morgen, and in the Transvaal 450 settlers occupying, approximately, 900,000 acres.

asked what are the issues which are being submitted to a referendum of the electors in the Commonwealth of Australia concurrently with the election of Members of the House of Representatives; and what are broadly the circumstances under which the issues are thus being submitted?

The issues submitted to a referendum of the electors of the Commonwealth of Australia (l) the Amendment of the Commonwealth Constitution so as to permit of the Commonwealth Parliament taking over from the States all their debts, or a proportion thereof, not merely the debts as they existed at the establishment of the Commonwealth; (2) the Amendment of the Constitution `so as to provide that the Commonwealth shall from 1st July, 1910, pay to each State in monthly instalments, or apply to the payment of interest on debts of the State taken over by the Commonwealth, an annual sum amounting to 25s. a head of the number of the people of the State, with a special payment of £250,000 to Western Australia, diminishing annually by £10,000. Half of the special payment was to be defrayed by the other States in proportion to their population, and the share payable by each State might be deducted from the sums payable to the State by the Commonwealth. Provision was also made for the appropriation of £600,000 by the Commonwealth Parliament for the year 1909–1910 in excess of the quarter of the net revenue from Customs and Excise which it is entitled to retain under the Constitution, and the provision of the Constitution, under which, for ten years, the Commonwealth cannot apply more than a quarter of the net revenue for its expenditure, was formally repealed.The above Amendments were proposed in view of the near approach of the time when the restriction of the Commonwealth to a quarter of the Customs and Excise Revenue ceases to be binding. The Commonwealth will then be able to appropriate whatever part of that revenue it thinks fit annually to its own services, without reference to the requirements of the States. The settlement, which was the subject of the referendum, was the outcome of a conference between the Commonwealth Government and the State Governments in 1909, and it was intended to give the arrangement permanency by embodying it in the Constitution. At the same time it was proposed to enable the Commonwealth to take over all the State debts, not merely the debts existing at federation, and, in the event of the transfer taking place, the interest on the transferred debts would have been charged against the payments

also asked with j reference to the Act, No. 16 of 1908, of the State of Queensland, providing for the submission of certain Bills to the electors, in the case of differences between the two Houses of Parliament, whether the Act was passed in consequence of such differences; if so, of what nature they had been; to what subjects they had applied; how long they had lasted; whether any and, if so, what steps were taken by the Second Chamber or Legislative Council to prevent the enactment of this law; and whether a referendum poll has yet been taken under the Act; and, if so, upon what Bill or Bills, and with what result?

Act No. 16, of 1908, of the State of Queensland was passed in consequence of differences which had arisen between the two Houses of the State Parliament. The specific matters which were in dispute were certain provisions in the Elections Acts Amendment Bill, and a Wages Boards Bill. The Upper House declined to accept the proposals of the Lower House for the abolition of the system of postal voting for women, and amended the Wages Boards Bill to exclude the farming and other agrarian industries from the scope of the Bill, and to make provision for a Court of Industrial Appeals against decisions of the Special Boards proposed to be set up under the Bill. The differences between the two Houses became acute in the Session of 1907, which was the first Session of a new Parliament. They led ultimately to the dissolution of that Parliament and the election of another at the beginning of 1908. No steps were taken by the Legislative Council, as such, to prevent the enactment of Act No. 16, though certain members of the Legislative Council opposed both the passing of the Act and the passing of a preliminary Act, No. 2, of 1908, which amended the Constitution so as to permit of the passing of Act No. 16 by a simple majority of the Upper House. In both cases the Acts were passed by a majority of the Legislative Council. No referendum poll has vet been taken under the Act.

asked if the Government will consider the advisability of establishing a sub-office of the Labour Exchanges at Swindon?

There is no immediate proposal to establish a Labour Exchange sub-office at Swindon, but the suggestion will be carefully borne in mind in connection with the future development of the Labour Exchange system.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will state how the Khedivial Agricultural Society has fulfilled its functions?

I understand that the Khedivial Agricultural Society has made a very thorough investigation into the history of the most destructive of the cotton insects, the boll-worm, and, as a result of its recommendations, a decree has been passed prescribing certain measures on the part of the fellaheen, which will, it is hoped, help to reduce the ravages caused by this insect.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give statistics as to the number of European inspectors (provisional, in addition to the normal establishment) employed on cotton worm duty in Egypt in 1906 and 1909 respectively?

In 1909 seventy-seven special inspectors and 167 assistants were employed on cotton worm duty in Egypt, and 110,000 children were requisitioned to pick the contaminated leaves in localities where labour was scarce. There are no figures available for 1906.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give the number of prosecutions, followed by convictions, for breaches of the Egyptian Cotton Worm Ordinance in 1906 and 1909 respectively?

In 1909 there were 10,000 prosecutions of cultivators for neglecting to destroy the worm, and 650 omdahs and sheikhs were punished administratively for neglect of duty in this connection. There are no figures available for 1906.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will lay upon the Table verbatim copies of the last ten debates of the General Assembly in Egypt?

I will ascertain whether these debates have been published, and, if so, I will have a copy placed in the Library of the House of Commons.

asked the Lord Advocate whether the Secretary for Scotland is aware that, in the report of the sanitary inspector for Ross and Cromarty, attention is directed to the report of the local sanitary inspector for the Lewis district, who urges the necessity of new houses on new sites, separated from one another and from the byres; and, seeing that a similar view has been expressed by Dr. Dittmar, the medical inspector for the Local Government Board for Scotland, will he state what action the local authority has taken in the matter, and whether the Local Government Board intend to take any steps to secure an improvement in the sanitary conditions on the townships in the island of Lewis?

I am aware of the report referred to, but am unable to say what action the local authority, who are primarily responsible, have taken in the matter. The sanitary condition of those townships continues to receive the consideration of the Local Government Board.

asked whether a distribution of the balances of the district education funds has been made to all school boards and other managers of schools; whether there will be a further distribution after 15th May, when the accounts of the education committees are adjusted; whether he is aware that in some counties the amount received by school boards and other managers, under Section 17 (11) of the Education Act, 1908, is less than a fourth of the amount received last year from the general aid grant; and whether any steps will be taken to make up this deficiency?

The distribution of the balances of the District Education Funds under Section 17 (11) of the Act of 1908 is now proceeding, but it will not be possible to complete it much, if at all, before 15th May. Till the distribution under the scheme of the present year is completed for all districts, and till the Department have had full opportunity of considering the results of the distribution in the various districts it is not thought expedient to make any general statement on the subject, or to say whether any steps should be taken to meet certain contingencies.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the coast line between Brad-well-on-Sea and Burnham-on-Crouch, in Essex, is only patrolled by coastguardsmen once a month; and whether he will consider the necessity for strengthening the patrol system in view of the uninhabited condition of the coast between those two places?

I understand that the arrangement referred to in the question is in force at the places named. As I have already stated, I am giving the question of coast watching careful attention, and am taking active steps by local investigations and otherwise to ascertain whether the existing arrangements require strengthening. This stretch of shore will therefore, be carefully examined in due course, but, owing to the character of the coast, wrecks are not likely to occur there.

asked the number of British subjects who have emigrated from the United Kingdom within the past twelve months and the number of aliens who have immigrated into the United Kingdom?

No returns are made of the number of British subjects who leave the United Kingdom to settle abroad, or of foreigners who come here to settle. The data available relate to the passengers arriving in or departing from the United Kingdom, whether immigrants or emigrants or travelling for pleasure or on business.

asked the First Commissioner of Works if he will state the rates of pay of the men employed in the lighting and ventilating department of the House of Commons and at the Stationery Office?

The scales of pay recently approved are as follows:—Foreman, £3 to £3 5s.; timekeeper, £1 15s. to £2; fitters, £2 to £2 5s.; engineering labourers, £1 7s. to £1 10s.; engineering attendants, £1 6s. to £1 15s.; junior engineering attendants, 18s. to £1 5s.; boys, 9s. to 12s.; stokers, £1 15s. to £1 16s.; wiremen, £1 16s. to £2; firemen, £1 10s. to £1 15s.; turncocks, £1 10s. to £1 15s.; fire-lighters, £1 5s. to £1 10s.; porters, £1 10s.; bricklayer, £1 19s. Some of the men at present employed are in receipt of wages in excess of these scales; future entrants will start at the minimum. In a few cases the men are in receipt of wages below the scale; they will be gradually brought up to scale. I am not responsible for the staff employed at the Stationery Office.