asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in connection with the present Budget, all land in Ireland is to be valued for site value, full site value, total value, assessable site value, and original site value, respectively; and, if any, and, if so, how much, of this valuation has already been made?

I may refer the hon. Baronet to my speech in yesterday's Debate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government contemplate making provision to meet the additional expenditure which will be entailed by the local authorities in respect of the extra work which will be cast upon them in levying the increased taxes on motor cars?

I am not aware that additional expenditure will be entailed on local authorities, but in the event of such expenditure being incurred I shall be glad to consider the matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, having regard to the fact that, out of a total revenue of £2,833 received by the Liverpool City Council from Motor Car Duties for the year ending 31st March, 1910, only £872 was in respect of purely Motor Car Duties, the remaining £1,951 being Carriage Duties payable on such motor cars, and to the fact that it is proposed to repeal the Carriage Tax hitherto paid on motor cars, the Government will give an assurance that, in calculating the amount to be paid to the county borough councils under Clause 88 (1) of the Finance (1909–10) Bill, 1910, the revenue derived from both classes of duty, carriage and motor car, will be taken into account in order to obviate a loss to the ratepayers, representing in the case of the city of Liverpool a sum of £2,013 per annum?

The Bill does not repeal the Carriage Duty on motor vehicles, but substitutes for the ordinary Carriage Duty, and the existing additional duties in respect of certain motor vehicles, the duties specified in the Schedule. The amounts to be retained by local authorities under Section 88 will thus include the proceeds of the ordinary Carriage Duty in respect of motor vehicles for 1908–9 as well as of the additional duties. I have therefore no hesitation in giving the assurance which the hon. Member desires.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the assurance given to the House by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1907 that the local authorities will not suffer one halfpenny financially by the operation of Section 17 of the Finance Act, 1907, and that the local authorities will share in the natural growth, and receive precisely the same sum in any year as if the (then) present state of things continued, is to be observed in administering the provisions of the Finance (1909–10) Bill, 1910, relating to Motor Car Licence Duties; and whether these provisions will enable the local authorities to share in the natural increase, having regard to the limitation of the amount to be paid in future to the local authorities which is contained in Clause 88 (1) of that Bill?

The assurance given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister when Chancellor of the Exchequer in connection with the Clause of the Finance Bill, 1907, which ultimately became Section 17 of the Act of that year, was duly given effect to by the terms of that Section as finally enacted. It in no way purported to bind—nor could it bind—Parliament as regards future legislation. As regards the provisions of the present Bill, it should be observed that, while Clause 88 deprives local authorities of any advantage which under the existing law they would derive from the future "natural increase" in the number of motor cars, it also protects them from the loss which under the existing law they would undoubtedly sustain from the "natural decrease" in the number of licences for the sale of intoxicating liquor, which has been going on continuously for some years past as a result of the provisions of the Licensing Act, 1904, and other causes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the fact that, in making payments out of the proposed taxes on land to make up the deficiencies of the Whisky Tax for educational purposes, he will be penalising the county and non-county boroughs, on whose land the tax will be mainly levied, in favour of the counties where agricultural land is relieved from taxation; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy the inequality which will arise?

I do not agree with the hon. Member that there is any inequality to remedy in this matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what instructions he will give to the Inland Revenue Commissioners for the collection of the Super-tax; and what deductions may be made in the case of incomes derived from land in respect of maintenance, repairs, insurance, and management?

I am not aware of any circumstances in connection with the collection of Super-tax which call for instructions from me. The special deductions to be allowed are given in Clause 66, (2) (a) (b) (c).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the 25,993,000 gallons of spirits cleared for home consumption in the financial year 1909–10 was home made and how much Colonial and foreign?

The total quantity referred to consists of 21,430,000 proof gallons of home-made spirits and 4,563,000 proof gallons of imported spirits.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, having regard to Clause 51 (1) of the Finance Bill, and the table on page 87 of the Bill, the require- ments of residence contained in Section 1 of the Beerhouse Act, 1840, will in future apply to the holder of an off-Beer licence issued in substitution for an additional beer dealer's licence?

Sub-clause (1) of Clause 51 of the Finance Bill and the table referred to in the question apply merely to Excise Licences, and it is not, therefore, considered that the practice in regard to licences granted by the justices are affected thereby. The off-beer licence, whether in respect of a beer-house under the Beer-house Acts or as an additional licence to a dealer in beer, is granted upon production of a licence from the justices, and it has been held, by reference to the existing law, that residence, although a necessary qualification for a licence under the Beer-house Acts, is not required as a qualification for the grant by justices of a licence for the sale of beer by retail as an additional licence to a dealer in beer. The hon. Member is probably aware that a Bill for the consolidation of the law relating to licences granted by justices in England and Wales for the sale of intoxicating liquors by retail is at the present time being considered by a Joint Committee of the two Houses.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Revenue authorities have for the first time assessed for Income Tax such sums as are given by employers to employed by way of a Christmas box; and whether, if that is the case, he will exempt from the payment of Income Tax such presents in the future?

Payments of the character in question are only subject to Income Tax in the hands of employés in those cases in which employers have been allowed to deduct them as an expense in computing their own profits for assessment to the Income Tax. The sums constituting these payments are properly subject to the tax, and there is no ground for special treatment of them by legislation. I may remind the hon. Member that assessments to Income Tax are not made by the Revenue authorities, but by the local Commissioners of Taxes.

asked the Chief Secretary if he will state whether the Development Commissioners will frame development schemes on their own initiative; if not, on whose initiative or instructions may they do so; whether the Treasury regulations authorised by Section 1, Sub-section (2), of the Act have yet been drawn up; if so, whether he will order them to be laid upon the Table of the House; and, if not, when will they be available for the use of, or inspection by, persons who are interested in works which come under the provisions of the Act referred to?

By Sub-section (4) of Section 4 of the Act of last Session the Commissioners can frame schemes on their own initiative. The regulations referred to in Section 1 (2) of the Act have not yet been drawn up, but will be framed as soon as the Commission has been appointed.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he will state the name of the department through which persons or associations are qualified for the receipt of advances of money under the Development and Road Improvement Funds Act; what does the term association of persons, in Section 1 of the Act, mean; whether the department through which advances are to be made has to report in favour of an advance before the application for it can be entertained by the Development Commissioners; and whether, in the event of the department reporting against the advance, must it necessarily be refused without fully stating what the grounds of the refusal may be?

The Government Department, through which the advances will be made will be in each case the Department within whose scope the particular object for which the advance is made, would fall in the ordinary course of administration. The term "association of persons" in Section 1 of the Development and Road Improvement Funds Act is advisedly of a general nature, so as to include any societies or other bodies, such as Chambers of Agriculture, etc., not trading for profit. The answer to the third part of the question is in the negative. As regards the last part, an application for a grant will not necessarily be refused in the event of a Government Department advising against it.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he will state if it is in the power of the Development Com- missioners and the Treasury to loan out for development purposes the whole of the funds available under the Act, to refuse or make free Grants at will in cases where in their opinion the public interest would be best served by a refusal or a Grant; what will the rate per cent, for interest and Sinking Fund be, and over what period will instalment payments on the loans extend; whether it is intended to so administer the Development Fund Act that the £2,500,000 to be paid into it under Section 2 of that Act shall be paid out in free Grants within any particular time or at all on works of development in various parts of the country?

It is within the power of the Treasury, on the recommendation of the Development Commissioners, to make advances, either by way of grant or loan, out of, and up to the total amount of, the Development Fund. It will also be within the power of the Treasury to refuse to make an advance in any particular case. The rate per cent, for interest, etc., and the periods for repayment, will depend upon the circumstances of each case. It is the intention of the Government that the money paid into the fund should be utilised for the purpose set forth in Section 1 of the Act of last Session. Grants are not required to be applied for or made within any specified time.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he can state on how many estates in Cork county proceedings are pending under the Evicted Tenants Act for the compulsory acquisition of untenanted land; when will these cases come to trial; and can he explain the delay all over Ireland in putting into effective operation the compulsory clauses of this Act?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that proceedings are pending under the Evicted Tenants Act for the acquisition of untenanted land on sixteen estates in county Cork. As I have already informed the hon. Member, the figures for the West Riding cannot be given separately. The Commissioners cannot say when the proceedings may terminate. In their last annual report, which has been presented to Parliament, they have fully described the difficulties which they have experienced in acquiring lands under the Evicted Tenants Act.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been directed to a number of awards amounting to £59, for malicious injuries to live stock and other properties, granted by Judge Bodkin, at the Ennis Quarter Sessions, on Friday 15th April, and also to certain threatening letters and notices produced at the hearing of one of these claims; whether the authors of the injuries have been discovered, and whether any arrests have been made?

My attention has been called to several cases in which compensation was awarded for malicious injuries at the recent quarter sessions at Ennis, and also to two threatening letters received by one of the claimants and his brother. The authors of the injuries have not been discovered, and no arrests have been made.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board have yet taken any steps to purchase the estate of B. F. Kenny, known as the Killina and Kinarra estate, situated in the parish of Drumlease, county Leitrim; and, if not, when do they purpose doing so?

No steps have yet been taken in this case, but the Congested Districts Board hope to be in a position to communicate with the owners of the estate within the next fortnight.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he would state how many unions in Ireland have, adopted the Cowsheds and Dairies Order; and whether the Local Government Board have in any particular instance taken legal proceedings to enforce the same?

Arrangements for the administration of the Order have been made in 129 rural and eighty urban districts. Legal proceedings to enforce the order are pending in two instances.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can state whether the police force at Clogher, county Tyrone, will be permanently increased so as to enable them to cope with the increased duties consequent upon the closing of the police barracks at Augher; and, if so, by how many men?

It is proposed to increase the police force at Clogher by one constable on the closing of the station referred to in the question. It is too soon to say whether the increase will be permanent.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can state the number of evicted tenants from Queen's County, or their representatives, who have sent in claims for reinstatement to the Estates Commissioners; how many of those claims have been rejected, and for what cause; how many have been reinstated or provided with other farms; and the number whose claims have been acknowledged as valid that still remain unprovided for?

The Estates Commissioners have received applications from 377 persons seeking reinstatement as evicted tenants or the representatives of evicted tenants in Queen's County. The Commissioners after inquiry decided to take no action with regard to 130 applications. Eighty-nine applicants have been reinstated or provided with new holdings, and the names of twenty-four have been noted for consideration in the allotment of untenanted land. Of the remaining applications, fifty-three did not come within the provisions of Section 2 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, and the rest were received after the date mentioned in the Evicted Tenants Act and cannot be dealt with under that Act.

asked the Chief Secretary if he will inquire whether the inspectors of lunatics have received from Major Eccles, Local Government auditor, Returns, duly audited by him, showing a sum of £1,825 7s. 4d. as due by the Government to the committee of management of the Monaghan and Cavan District Asylum for the maintenance of pauper lunatics at the rate of 4s. per head per week, for the period from 1st January, 1899, to 31st March, 1899; and, if so, what reply or acknowledgment was sent to the committee; and will he inquire whether this sum has been paid to the committee, and, if not, why?

The Returns referred to were received by the inspectors of lunatics, and were sent back to the committee of management of the asylum with a request that they should be retained at the asylum, until called for. As regards the remainder of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I have just given to his previous question on the same subject.

asked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that towards the latter end of June, 1909, a decree was given at petty sessions against a man named Patrick Kiernan, residing at Cornaughy, Carrigallen, county Leitrim, for 5s. 6d. and costs for trespass; that Kiernan, who was a lunatic, took no defence, and the police seized a cow worth about £12 and took her to Newtowngore, where they state the animal was sold, although the balance of the money has never been paid to Kiernan or anyone belonging to him; and if instructions will be given to the police authorities to pay Kiernan's wife, who has returned from America since her husband was committed to the asylum, the balance of the price of the cow, after deducting all expenses, as this woman and her children are in poor circumstances?

I am informed by the police, authorities that in June last a warrant against Kiernan for 4s. and 2s. costs was executed, after all endeavours to obtain the money otherwise had failed, by seizing a cow, which was sold for £4. Kiernan refused the balance of £3 8s. 3d. which was left after paying expenses, and was soon afterwards committed to the Sligo Asylum as a dangerous lunatic. The money has since been retained by the police, there being no person who could give a good legal discharge for it. As, however, it now appears that the money is required for the maintenance of the lunatic's wife and children, I am advised that it may be paid to the wife, and instructions to that effect will be given to the police.

asked the Chief Secretary why the claim of Mary Cunningham, Cashel, Carrowmore, Ballina, county Mayo, who according to the Census Returns was seventy years of age in March, 1909, has not yet been passed for pension?

Mary Cunningham's claim was disallowed by the pension subcommittee, and the appeal which she then made to the Local Government Board was dismissed by them on 6th January, 1909, as she produced no evidence that she had reached the statutory age. The Board are not aware that she has since made a fresh claim.

asked the Chief Secretary why Bridget Golden, Rathlacken, Ballina, county Mayo, was deprived of her old age pension after having been for nine months in receipt of same; if he is aware that Mrs. Golden can produce as evidence of age the certificate of her marriage, which took place on 17th January, 1857; and whether the Local Government Board will assume that she was then at least seventeen years old, and so now duly qualified for pension?

Mrs. Bridget Golden was shown in the Census return of 1851 as being nine years of age, and her name did not appear among her parents' family in the Census Return of 1841. The Local Government Board accordingly decided that she had not yet attained the statutory age. The certificate mentioned in the question was before the Board, but it contained no mention of the pensioner's age, and no evidence was furnished showing that she was seventeen years old at the time of her marriage.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Mrs. Bridget Fennelly, Poynstown, Newbermingham, county Tipperary, was granted an old age pension by the Gortnahoe subcommittee; that the pension officer appealed against this decision of the subcommittee on the grounds that her income, as estimated by him, exceeded £31 10s. per annum; will he say whether her income, as stated in her application for a pension, consisted of interest on £100 deposit receipt in a local bank; and whether the pension officer in his estimate valued her board and lodging, which she is receiving gratuitously from her sister-in-law, in order to show that her income exceeded £31 10s.?

The pension officer appealed against the decision of the subcommittee in this case, on the ground that the claimant's means exceeded £31 10s. per annum. Mrs. Fennelly was stated to be possessed of £100 in bank, but in estimating her total means the Board were obliged, under Section 4 of the Old Age Pensions Act, to take into account the value of her maintenance on a farm of 185 Irish acres, rented at £95 14s. 4d. per annum.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the Skibbereen, county Cork, Board of Guardians, on 19th January, 1910, unanimously elected as medical officer of the Skibbereen dispensary district Dr. Michael Burke; whether he is fully qualified for the position; and whether, seeing that the Skibbereen Board of Guardians have twice since the election unanimously requested the Local Government Board for Ireland to sanction the appointment, he will say for what reasons the Local Government Board have refused their sanction?

Dr. Burke is at present medical officer of Union Hall Dispensary, and has been elected to the vacant medical officership of Skibbereen Dispensary. The Board have not sanctioned his transfer as legal proceedings are being taken with respect to the medical officership of the Skibbereen Workhouse, to which Dr. Burke also claims to have been appointed. The Board are awaiting the result of these proceedings, as they do not consider that one medical officer should hold both the dispensary and the workhouse hospitals.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the unions of Tubbercurry, Boyle (No. 2), and Sligo, in South Sligo, contain many estates the owners of which have hitherto refused to sell at any price under the Land Act of 1903; whether these estates, in almost all cases, contain large tracts of untenanted land, held either by the owners or by non-residential graziers and speculators; and whether, seeing that this division of the county is largely congested and that the matter is one of urgency, the Congested Districts Board will open negotiations at once with the owners of these estates with a view to their purchase under the Act of 1909?

I am not in a position to say whether the statements in the first and second paragraphs of the question are correct. The Congested Districts Board will do all in their power to further the purchase and sale of estates in congested districts counties.

asked the Chief Secretary what is the total amount annually at the disposal of the Irish Department of Agriculture for the development of Irish fisheries; and whether the Government will, in view of the importance of this matter, consider favourably the placing of further funds at the command of the Irish authorities to develop the Irish fishing industry?

I understand that a sum of £10,000 is specially allocated out of the Department's Endowment Fund for the purpose of Sea Fisheries, and that a portion of the Sea and Coast Fisheries Fund, amounting to a capital sum of £7,000, has also been specially allocated for providing boats and gear for fishermen by means of loans. For the development of Inland Fisheries sums varying between £2,000 and £3,000 per annum have up to the present been assigned from the general funds of the Department. The development and improvement of fisheries is one of the objects for which advances can be made under the Development and Road Improvement Act. The question of making such advances will be one for the consideration of the Commissioners. I cannot at present hold out any hope of additional funds being provided from other sources.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that cattle-driving is at present on the increase in Ireland; whether advice has been tendered to the people to plough up the grazing lands with a view to intimidating the owners of the farms; and what steps the Government propose to take to suppress such outrages?

There have been sixty-two cattle-drives since the beginning of the year, as compared with seventy-three during the corresponding period of 1909, and 179 in the corresponding period of 1908. Cattle-driving does not, therefore, appear to be on the increase. So far as I am aware, the ploughing of grazing lands has only been advocated on one occasion. The police are on the alert with regard to this matter.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that recently at Ballycushen, near Corofin, a pony belonging to a farmer named M'Cann was shot in the head and blinded, and will probably have to be destroyed; whether the land on which the pony was grazing belongs to an official on the Land Commission staff; whether any of the tenants have recently received warnings to surrender their grazing; whether any arrests have been made in connection with the outrage; and what steps have been taken to prevent further occurrences of a like nature in the neighbourhood?

The facts with regard to the pony are as stated. The lands where it was shot are in the hands of grazing tenants whose immediate landlord is an official of the Land Commission. The police understand that these tenants have been warned to give up the land. No arrests have been made in the case, but the police are doing all that is possible to prevent further outrage.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that further scenes of disorder took place on 17th April last on the Pollock estate, county Galway, where, on Saturday, the 16th, 400 men drove the cattle from three farms belonging to people named Payne, Jones, and Neary, the animals, which were removed on Saturday, being taken back to the farms on the same night by the herds under police protection, and fifteen constables placed in charge of the lands; whether he is aware that on Sunday morning a concourse of people with three bands assembled and marched to Ballinacurra, and drove the cattle and sheep through the public road; that the police tried to stop them, but were swept aside by the crowd, who afterwards marched to the other two farms, and, having driven out the stock, scattered the animals in all directions; whether the district is in a very disturbed condition, and the declared object of the people is to force the Commissioners to buy at once; whether Neary has already surrendered to the United Irish League; what precautions have been taken to prevent further raids on this and adjoining farms; and whether any arrests have been made?

I am aware of the disorderly scenes which took place on this estate on the 17th instant, as described by the hon. and gallant Member, no doubt with the object indicated in his question. The police understand that Neary has informed the Tenants' Estate Committee that he will have nothing more to do with the land. The police force in the neighbourhood has been strengthened. No arrests were made on the 17th instant, but a number of names were taken by the police.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board have purchased or are in course of arranging for the purchase of the Worthington estate, near Easky, county Sligo, for the purposes of the Land Acts?

The owner of the estate has intimated to the Congested Districts Board his willingness to enter into negotiations for the sale of his estate. The matter will be dealt with by the Board in due course.

asked the Chief Secretary if he will state how many applications have been received by the Congested Districts Board for allotments of land from tenants of congested holdings in county Sligo; how many landlords in county Sligo have offered to sell to the Board; and what steps, if any, have been taken by the Board to carry out the provisions of the Irish Land Act, 1909, in this county?

The Congested Districts Board have received applications from ninety-four tenants in county Sligo regarding the purchase of their holdings or the acquisition of additional land. Twenty-four owners of estates in the county have offered to sell them to the Board, and the Board are about to communicate with these owners with a view to negotiations for purchase.

asked the Chief Secretary whether Professor Butler, professor of modern languages at University College, Cork, has been appointed secretary to the Intermediate Education Board in the room of Professor Bellingham Brady, although the Intermediate Board sent a special recommendation to the Lord Lieutenant that the post should be filled by a classical scholar?

There is no reason to suppose that Mr. Butler, who has been a distinguished professor of modern languages, is not also a competent classical scholar equal to meeting any demand likely to be made upon him in his new post.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners have given any grant to Mr. Murphy, Milltown, county Kerry, Godfrey estate, who has recently been reinstated by the landlord; and, if not, will inquiries be made into his case at once?

The Estates Commissioners are unable to identify this case from the particulars given in the question.

asked the Chief Secretary, as a vacancy exists on the Board of National Education in Ireland, owing to the death of the late Mr. W. Molloy, if a representative of the teachers would be appointed to the vacant position, with a view to having the teachers' claims voiced on the Board of Education?

The manner of filling this vacancy is under consideration.

asked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that the tenants of the village of Johnstown, county Kilkenny, Healy estate, have sent a memorial to the Estates Commissioners praying that their holdings may be included in the sale with the other tenants who have purchased on this estate; if so, what steps, if any, have been taken or are to be taken; whether he is aware that some of those tenants, who have refused to purchase on account of the nature of the terms, have been proceeded against, and that evictions are pending; and whether, in view of the disturbance which an eviction is likely to create, and of the fact that those tenants have already offered to allow their cases to be settled by arbitration, he will use his influence with a view of having this village included in the sale with the other tenants?

The Estates Commissioners do not appear to have received the memorial referred to, nor can they find that this estate is pending for sale before them.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can say if it is the intention of the Estates Commissioners to provide a holding for the representatives of Charles Kyan Kilbline, Thomastown, county Kilkenny, by reason of the landlord, Mr. Davis, refusing to give them the holding from which they were evicted; is he aware that Mr. Davis holds a large estate of untenanted land in this locality; and, in view of the fact that many evicted tenants in this county are yet unprovided for as well as a number of uneconomic landowners, he will consider the advisability of having this untenanted land acquired by the Estates Commissioners with a view of having it distributed amongst those who are entitled to portions thereof?

The Estates Commissioners do not propose to provide a holding for the representatives of Charles Ryan. They instituted proceedings under the Evicted Tenants Act for the compulsory acquisition of certain lands belonging to Mr. Davis, but he lodged a petition against their acquisition, and the Commissioners, after hearing the petition, decided to discontinue the proceedings.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners are now in communication with Mr. Sanders and his partner, Mr. Halls, with regard to the taking up of the two evicted tenants' farms on the Cooper estate, at Knocklong, county Limerick?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that the two tenants who were evicted from holdings on the Cooper Estate have already been provided with farms.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can state whether anything will be done to lower the weir wall at Tarmonbarry, on the River Shannon, as, owing to its present height, portions of land in county Leitrim are continually under water and entirely unfit for cultivation, with the result that a number of tenants find it rather difficult to pay the rent and taxes of those flooded lands, particularly as the value of the crops lost amounts to several thousand pounds yearly?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. The weir wall at Tarmonbarry could not be lowered without serious injury to the navigation, which the Board of Works are bound by law to maintain. There are sluices in the weir, which are opened in flood time so as to diminish the flooding so far as possible. The Board of Works have no information as to injury to lands in county Leitrim.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the inspector who has charge of the untenanted lands on the Little estate at Moorestown, Kilfinane, has ever approached the town tenants with a view to ascertaining if they were in need of allotments on this land; whether he is aware that Mr. O'Byrne, the inspector, has actually refused to meet the representative of the division in connection with the matter; and will steps be taken by the Estates Commissioners to see that this official will at least investigate the claims of applicants from the town, and thus avoid trouble which will undoubtedly arise if this gentleman attempts to ignore their application?

I have nothing to add to my reply to the question on the same subject asked by the hon. Member on 7th March.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can say whether the Estates Commissioners received an application from James Loftus, Glenamede, Kilcornan, in the county of Limerick, evicted tenant on the property of the Rev. John Thomas Waller, of Castletown, to have his case considered by them with the view to his getting a portion of untenanted land in the county; whether he is aware that this man has two sons who work as agricultural labourers in the district and who are competent to work a farm; and whether the Estates Commissioners will consider his case with the object aforesaid?

This application was received by the Estates Commissioners after the date mentioned in the Evicted Tenants Act, and cannot, therefore, be dealt with under that Act.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can say whether the Estates Commissioners received a memorial from the small holders and labourers of Cappananty and Cappanahane district, in the county of Limerick, asking to have the untenanted lands there purchased under the Irish Land Purchase Acts, with the view to their distribution, and to the relief of congestion in the district; and whether, as the efforts of the Commissioners have failed to acquire those lands voluntarily, they will now take steps to put the compulsory provisions of the Irish Land Act, 1909, into operation with regard to them?

The Estates Commissioners have received the memorial referred to. They do not propose to institute proceedings for the compulsory acquisition of these lands under the Irish Land Act, 1909.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to the proposed scheme of motor car service from Macroom and Bantry, via Glengariffe, to Killarney by the South Ireland Tourist Development Company; whether he is aware that at a meeting of the Cork County Council Mr. R. Long-field, county surveyor, gave his opinion that the roads in his district are too soft and unsuitable for such traffic; whether the Local Government Board for Ireland have power to prevent such traffic; and, if so, whether he proposes to take any action in connection with the matter?

My attention has been drawn to this matter. I have no information with regard to the opinion attributed to Mr. Longfield. While the Local Government Board have limited powers of prohibiting or restricting motor car traffic in certain special circumstances mentioned in Section 8 of the Motor Car Act of 1903, they have no general powers to prevent such traffic. The Board have, however, written to the county surveyors through whose districts it is proposed to run the motor service to the effect that if they consider any of the roads not safe for such traffic they should report the facts to their respective county councils, with a view to the councils communicating with the South of Ireland Tourist Development Company.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that about two years ago Mr. Thomas Jordan, of Kiltinagh, was recommended to the Lord Chancellor of Ireland as a suitable person to be appointed a justice of the peace, and that he was approved of by the Lord Chancellor, and was sent the necessary papers to fill up, and directed to send the fees payable on the commission; and will he explain why his money was subsequently returned with an intimation that, though he was not a licensed publican, he could not be appointed, as the Lord Chancellor was informed that he had some interest in a public-house, seeing that the Lord Chancellor has recently appointed an actually licensed publican, with a public-house of trifling valuation and a thatched roof, to be a justice in the same or the adjoining petty session district and four other licensed publicans to be justices in the same county?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The Lord Chancellor, in the exercise of his discretion, did not deem it desirable to proceed with the appointment at the time.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the rules authorising the Congested Districts Board to go on with purchase have yet been sanctioned?

The rules and forms have been approved by the Lord Lieutenant, and are now in the printer's hands.

asked the Chief Secretary whether, in reference to the estate formerly of Dr. Foley Brew or, as next of kin, of Mrs. Marian Brownlynch, of Cohy, Kilfenora, county Clare, he can state whether the estate has been offered to the Estates Commissioners for sale; whether it was inspected by one of their staff; and, if so, whether an offer was made to Mrs. Lynch, and whether in that case the offer was accepted; whether, in the event of a price having been agreed upon, he can state the cause of delay in dealing with the estate; and whether the Estates Commissioners or the Congested Districts Board are dealing with the estate?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that in this case preliminary proceedings were instituted in their office, but the Congested Districts Board have now arranged to take over from them the purchase and resale of the estate.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the Catholic population of the county Kilkenny at the last Census was 74,830, and those of the population who were not returned as Catholics were 4,329; whether out of a total of about 155 magistrates eighty are supposed to be Protestants; whether the resident magistrate is also a Protestant; and whether, owing to a feeling of distrust and disappointment existing amongst the people of the county by reason of this inequality, he will, in the event of the names of a small number of Catholic gentleman who may possess the necessary qualifications being submitted to the Lord Chancellor, recommend that they may re appointed?

The figures in the first part of the question appear to be correctly quoted from the Census Tables of 1901. As regards the number of magistrates in the county and their religions, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a question asked by the hon. Member for South Kilkenny on 13th instant. The Lord Chancellor is not aware of any feeling of distrust or disappointment in the county such as is mentioned in the question, and no representations on the subject have been made to him. He has always been ready to consider the name of any properly qualified person that may be brought before him. I have no authority to make recommendations to him on the subject of the county magistracy.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he will state what is the aggregate area of the lands flooded, and thereby injured, by the 129 rivers and main streams indexed on the map attached to the appendix to the First Beport of the Royal Commission on Irish Public Works; whether that map was prepared under the direction and at the expense of the Board of Works; and whether it indicated the areas which require drainage, and to be each responsible for the flooding of at least 500 acres?

The map referred to was prepared in the Office of Public Works from information supplied by county surveyors. The particulars supplied were not in any way checked or tested, and the map therefore represents simply the opinions of the county surveyors of that time on such information as they had as to the rivers and streams within their counties requiring improvement. The county surveyors were asked to mark on maps all areas of more than 500 acres requiring arterial drainage, and to give an estimate of the acreage of each. Some of them, however, did not give any information at all, and others were not able to give an estimate of acreage, so that it is not practicable to state any figure of aggregate area.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can state the number of arrests for drunkenness in Ireland during the years ended 31st March, 1909, and 1.910, respectively?

There were 14,740 arrests for drunkenness in Ireland in 1908. The figures for 1909 have not yet been tabulated, but they will appear in due course in Part I. of the Judicial Statistics for the year.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he can state the cost in the German Navy Estimates for 1910–11 which corresponds to our Votes 1, 2, 13, and 14, being the cost of wages of officers and men, victualling, clothing, half-pay, and pensions, which amount to £12,194,600 in our Naval Estimates?

The cost in the German Navy Estimates which corresponds to our Votes 1 and 2 is:—

Vote 1	…	…	£2,357,415
Vote 2	…	…	£754,285

These figures are given with the qualification that, owing to the form in which the German Estimates are presented, material inaccuracies may have arisen in the separation of the various items. There are no items in the German Navy Estimates corresponding to our Votes 13 and 14. The figure quoted as appearing in our Navy Estimates is £50,000 short of the actual figure.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he can state how many workmen have been engaged by the Admiralty through the various Labour Exchanges?

I do not think that the data are in existence which would enable me to answer the hon. Member's question, but in any case the shortness of the notice he has given me has precluded me from making inquiry into the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he proposes to establish a sub-office of Labour Exchanges at Newtown, situated in the middle of the central county of Wales, upon the high road from Shrewsbury to the Welsh coast, and upon the main line of traffic from North to South Wales?

I regret that I am unable to add anything to the answer which I gave to a question addressed to me by my hon. Friend on March 30, relative to the opening of Labour Exchanges in Central Wales. Until further experience of the working of the system has been obtained I am not prepared to say what further Exchanges, if any, will be required in Wales.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, with a view to mitigating the same, he will consider the hardship to which assistant store officers will be subjected on account of the congestion in the ranks of the naval store officers whereby, through the closing of minor dockyards overseas, it is likely that existing assistant store officers may have to stagnate for thirty years in the junior grade until on the eve of retirement?

The question is now under the consideration of the Board.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the orders for the usual annual training of some of the Special Reserve battalions have been cancelled; whether several Special Reserve battalions have thus been deprived of their annual training; if so, what battalions and how many officers and men have thus been deprived of training and pay; and whether the reasons for this action of the War Office can now be stated?

None of the usual annual trainings of Special Reserve battalions have been cancelled, but the annual training of twelve battalions has been modified in order to allow them to furnish drafts for the purpose of bringing to war strength their Regular battalions in the 2nd Division for Army manœuvres. These drafts, which average between 250 and 350 all ranks, will carry out half of their annual training and the course of musketry at Aldershot, or locally, and their attendance at Army manœuvres will count as the remainder of their training. Officers, non-commissioned officers and men not required for the drafts can either be given leave from annual training or be allowed to train, not necessarily simultaneously, at the permanent headquarters of their battalions under arrangements to be made locally. Courses of training can be arranged to suit local conditions, and the times most convenient for the men to be called out. Officers not required with the drafts will receive their gratuities, whether they attend training or not. Noncommissioned officers and men not included in the drafts will receive training and non-training bounties, but no pay will be granted unless they come up for training to the headquarters of their battalions.

asked how the Army Council propose in case of mobilisation to fill the gaps in the Territorial regiments caused by the acceptance of a number of their units for service abroad.

The acceptance of Territorial units for service abroad does not imply that they would be sent out of the country at once on mobilisation. They will only be so employed if their services can be spared, and it may be assumed, therefore, that there would be ample opportunity after mobilisation of filling up from the Territorial Reserve and other sources any gaps that might be caused.