asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can state the quantities of spirits paying duty for Home consumption in the financial years 1908–9 and 1909–10; and what quantity was charged in the latter year at the 11s. rate?

The quantities of spirits on which duty was paid in the financial years 1908–9 and 1909–10 were approximately 38,939,000 and 25,993,000 proof gallons respectively. Of the latter quantity, 6,774,000 gallons were cleared at the old rates, namely, 5,144,000 gallons before the duty was raised on 30th April, 1909, and 1,630,000 gallons between 3rd December, 1909, and 1st April, 1910.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners have received a copy of a resolution adopted by the Faha and Stradbally branch of the Irish Land and Labour Association, requesting that, in parcelling out any portion of the Parker, the Beresford, and the Fairholme estates, county Waterford, the cottier tenants living on these estates or near them will receive a portion of such lands; and whether their claims will be duly considered in the distribution of these lands?

The Estates Commissioners have received the resolution referred to. There appears to be no un-tenanted land on the Fairholme and Parker estates pending for sale before the Commissioners, and the untenanted land on the Beresford estate is required for tenants evicted from that estate.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that on 13th February, 1908, the Estates Commissioners wrote stating that they had noted the case of Mr. John Molony, evicted from the Apjohn estate, as suitable to be provided with a holding under the Evicted Tenants Act; that on 14th December last they wrote to Mr. Molony stating that they proposed to take no action in his case; and if he will state the reasons for this change in their decision?

John Molony's name was provisionally noted by the Estates Commissioners for consideration, but on further inquiry they decided not to take any steps for his reinstatement in his former holding, which is in the occupation of his brother and another tenant, or for providing him with a new holding. It would be contrary to the established practice to state the grounds for this decision.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he will state the date on which Lord Garvagh's county Cavan estate was sold; whether it was inspected; if not, when the inspection will take place; and whether he will say when it is likely to be vested in the tenants?

The agreements for the purchase of this estate were not lodged in the Land Commission until 2nd January, 1906, and subsequent dates. The estate will be dealt with in order of priority, but the Estates Commissioners are not at present in a position to say when an inspector will visit the lands or when the holdings are likely to be vested in the tenants.

asked the Chief Secretary whether McCullagh, a grabber on the Sir Robert Hudson estate at Skeagh, county Cavan, has surrendered the grabbed holding; and, if so, whether the claim of the evicted tenant, Patrick Carolan, to be reinstated will be considered in the event of the Estates Commissioners taking over the property?

I understand the holding in question has not been surrendered. Carolan's case is under the consideration of the Estates Commissioners.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can say when the claim of Michael Cusack, next of kin of his father Patrick Cusack, evicted tenant on the estate of Robert Smith Dixon, Seafin, county Cavan, to be reinstated or provided with a holding elsewhere, will be considered?

The Estates Commissioners have received an application from Michael Cusack for reinstatement in the holding on his estate from which his father was evicted. This holding is in the occupation of another tenant, but the Commissioners have noted Cusack's name for consideration in the allotment of any un-tenanted land which may be acquired by them.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can give particulars of the lands acquired by the Estates Commissioners at Glenville, county Cork, on the Hendra Kinahan estate, and state what steps have been taken for the distribution of the same; whether it is proposed that the tenants of small holdings in the neighbourhood and the sons of former tenants of the lands in question are to be allotted portions of the said lands; whether any arrangements have been made to provide turbary for the tenants on the estate; whether a Mr. Thompson, a steward and rent-warner, had been recently created a tenant of 240 acres of land on the estate, including a considerable area of turf bog, and including also a farm, from which a tenant had been previously evicted, and a cattle pond en Mullinaboree mountain, on which an adjoining tenant, Maurice Keefe, had always watered his cattle in summer, and without which the value of his holding is seriously depreciated; whether he is aware that Keefe was induced to sign a purchase agreement in ignorance of the fact that a letting had been made to Thompson, and whether the Estates Commissioners were made aware of the facts referred to before purchasing the estate?

Formal proceedings for the sale to the Estates Commissioners, under Section 6 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, of the estate of Sir E. H. Hudson Kinahan, county Cork, comprising about 3,241 acres of tenanted and 636 acres of untenanted land, are pending before the Commissioners. The owner has accepted the price offered by the Commissioners, and a scheme for the allotment of the untenanted land amongst persons of the classes mentioned in Section 2 (1) of the Act has been prepared. The Commissioners are informed that the water supply on O'Keefe's holding of 149 acres is ample. Arrangements have been made to provide turbary for some of the tenants. Thomas Thompson has signed an agreement to purchase some 255 acres, of which only ten acres have been reclaimed, the rest being of barren mountain. He surrendered a portion of the lands held by him as tenant in exchange for another portion, so as to facilitate rearrangements approved by the Commissioners.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can state on what grounds the Estates Commissioners have refused to reinstate John Jarnegan (a minor), son of an evicted tenant on the Boyd-Rochford estate, county Westmeath, the lands from which his father was evicted being now in the possession of James Donniar, who holds them as a future tenant?

It would be contrary to the established practice to state the reasons which actuate the Estates Commissioners in the exercise of the discretion vested in them.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that in the case of the Symon's estate, near Kilrush, the agreements were completed four years ago; and whether steps can be taken to expedite this matter?

The Estates Commissioners cannot find that any proceedings for the sale of this estate are pending before them.

asked the Chief Secretary if he will state if there is any precedent for discharging a prisoner immediately after arrest without conveying the prisoner to the police barracks; why the man named Jeremiah Egan, who was arrested at Newmarket, county Cork, was not summoned, Constable Calhane having been violently assaulted by him in the presence of several people; whether he is aware that Constable Calhane's hand was severely cut on the occasion; that this man Egan was, at the time of this assault, bound to the peace; and whether he will cause an inquiry to be made into the matter?

As I have already stated, the arrest in this case was only technical, the object being to remove Egan from a place where his presence and conduct were calculated to lead to disturbance. The police authorities inform me that Egan did not assault Constable Culhane. The constable cut his hand slightly on tie evening in question, but Egan had nothing to do with this. Egan was bound to the peace at the time. I see nothing in the case calling for inquiry.

asked the Attorney-General for Ireland whether he is aware that a breach of law has been committed by persons in Ireland calling themselves "cost drawers," practising for remuneration; and, if so, will the Crown proceed for the penalties recoverable from unauthorised persons practising as solicitors?

I am informed that cost drawers do not act as solicitors, and I do not propose to take any proceedings in their case.

asked the Chief Secretary if he will state the amounts actually spent out of the Development Grant for Irish education in the years 1904–5 to 1909–10, respectively; and the amount set down in the Estimates for the current financial year for the same purpose?

The amounts paid out of the Development Grant und spent by the Commissioners of National Education on public education in Ireland, in the years specified in this question, including payments made for national school buildings, were as follows:

asked the Chief Secretary if he will state of how many schools in Circuit 18 did the office of National Education receive annual inspection Returns since July, 1909; the number of schools in which the general work of proficiency was reduced by one step and two steps; and the numbers in which the marks were raised?

The Commissioners of National Education consider that it would not be in the public interest to furnish the information asked for in this question.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can now state if Mr. Quinlan, about whose qualifications inquiry was to be made, is entitled to adjudicate as a magistrate in the Hospital (county Limerick) Petty Sessions District?

I understand that Mr. Quinlan has been informed by the Lord Chancellor that he is not entitled to sit at the Hospital Petty Sessions.

asked the Chief Secretary whether any negotiations have taken place on the part of the constabulary at Donoughmore, county Cork, with a view to acquiring a house from which a Mr. Buckley was evicted for the purposes of a police barrack; and, seeing that this man is endeavouring to effect a settlement at this moment which would enable him to go back to his former home, will he consider the advisability of recommending to the police authorities the desirability of withdrawing from the matter?

The police authorities inform me that they have not been in negotiation for the house in question, and do not propose to take it for a police barrack.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board have acquired, or propose to acquire, for the purpose of relieving congestion in the district, a farm belonging to Colonel Hewett, on the Jones estate, situate at Rathlee, between Enniscrony and Easkey, county Sligo; and whether he can state to what purpose this farm is at present devoted, and by whom, and on what title, the farmhouse and buildings are occupied?

The Congested Districts Board have not acquired the farm in question, but representations have been made to them that it should be acquired, and the matter will be brought before the Board at their next meeting. I have no information as to how the farm is now held or used.

asked the Chief Secretary if he will state what was the average price paid per acre for untenanted land acquired in county Cavan under the Evicted Tenants Act, 1907, giving the highest and lowest price per acre paid in the years 1907, 1908, and 1909, and what was the Poor Law valuation of the said lands?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that 247 acres in county Cavan were vested in them last year under the Evicted Tenants Act, 1907, the average price per acre being £11 10s. The Commissioners are unable to say what the Poor Law Valuation of the lands is, as portion of the lands is not separately valued for rating purposes. No lands in the county were vested in them during the other years mentioned in the question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, owing to the increase of railway workers of all grades being reduced and dismissed owing to failing eyesight and other physical defects, and owing to such diseases being brought about through following their various employments, he will make inquiries with a view of such diseases being scheduled in the Workmen's Compensation Act?

The question of the liability of railway workers to diseases arising out of their employment was not brought to the notice of the Committee on Compensation for Industrial Diseases when they were sitting, except in so far as regards dining-car attendants, and I have no information or facts bearing on the subject. I shall be happy to consider any information or representations that may be laid before me on the matter.

asked the Home Secretary if he can state the number of persons injured in the streets within the Metropolitan area as the result of accidents known to the police during the year 1909, and how many of these terminated fatally?

The total number of persons injured in the streets in the Metropolitan Police District last year is not at present available, and would take some time to compile. But 16,842 accidents caused by vehicles and resulting in personal injury are known to the police to have occurred during 1909. Of these, 306 cases ended fatally.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any representations have been made to his Department in reference to the proposed reclamation of certain slob lands at Queenstown Junction, county Cork; and is it proposed to hold any inquiry into the subject with a view to advancing a scheme which would provide much needed employment in the district?

Several objections to the scheme have been addressed to the Board of Trade. I am not yet able to say whether a local inquiry will be necessary to enable the Board to come to a decision in the matter, but the matter will be pressed on as quickly as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to a statement made by two seamen, named Jeremiah Coughlan and John Coughlan, that the Shipping Federation by their action are preventing those men from earning their living; are those men in the Royal Naval Reserve for a number of years, and, if so, must they have a certain term of sea service every year; what is the character of those men; and will he see that no unnecessary trouble is given them in the pursuit of their calling and that all restrictions are removed?

My attention has been called to the statement made by the two seamen in question. I am informed that the Federation registration tickets of these men were suspended for desertion from the steamship "Zinnia" in 1903. On 22nd October, 1908, the men applied to have the suspension of their tickets terminated, and were informed by letter on 24th October, 1908, that if they would obtain the endorsement of their application by the owners of the "Zinnia," no objection would be raised by the Federation to the return of their tickets. The men, however, it is stated, refused to apply to the owners of the "Zinnia" for this endorsement of their application, and consequently the matter has remained in abeyance. The two seamen are members of the Royal Naval Reserve, and are said to be of good character. The Board of Trade have, however, no power to interfere with the freedom of action of shipowners as regards the men whom they employ, or with any lawful conditions which the Shipping Federation may make as regards the issue and renewal of their registration, tickets.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture if he can state approximately the rental payable by the persons who have acquired land under the Small Holdings Act of 1908, and if such rental is in excess of that paid by the previous owners, and, if so, to what extent; and if he will give the number of persons provided with land under the Small Holdings Act of 1892 and the same particulars of each?

The average rent paid by county councils for the land leased by them under the Act of 1908 to 31st December last is approximately 24s. 6d. per acre. The small holders pay somewhat higher rents to the county councils, so as to cover the cost of management, repairs, and insurance, etc. The Board have no information as to the rentals paid by previous tenants. The number of holdings sold or let under the Small Holdings Act of 1892 is 244. The Board have no information as to the rent charged either prior or subsequent to the acquisition of the land by the county councils.