asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state in what securities the Sinking Fund of £1 per cent. on the amount of stock in existence which is set aside each year for the redemption of the 2¾ per cent. Irish Guaranteed Land Stock, £13,641,092 of which was created under the Act of 1891, is accumulated?

The Sinking Fund repayments in respect of advances under the Purchase of Land (Ireland) Act, 1891, have been invested in 2¾ per cent. Guaranteed Land Stock.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Board of Inland Revenue is now withholding from specially authorised loan and investment societies registered under the Friendly Societies Acts the privileges of exemption from assessment for Income Tax extended to friendly societies by the Inland Revenue Acts; and whether, seeing that such societies are mutual and co-operative, that for the past twenty years no assessment has been made upon them, and that 95 per cent. of the members are in receipt of incomes under £2 per week, while the remaining 5 per cent. are already assessed or assessable in the customary manner, he will give instructions that those societies shall continue to be exempted from assessment?

The exemption from Income Tax only extends to societies registered under the Friendly Societies Act as friendly societies, and does not extend to the "specially authorised societies" registered under that Act. In practice, however, the Income Tax assessment on societies such as those mentioned by my hon. Friend is restricted to the profits or interest paid by them to persons with incomes exceeding £160 per annum. There has been no change in practice as regards the assessment of the societies referred to.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he can state the total number of applications received from evicted tenants, or the representatives of evicted tenants, for reinstatement in holdings in the county of Kerry; how many of these have been approved of; how many have been reinstated in holdings; and how many now remain who have been noted for holdings but who have not got them?

1,053 applications from evicted tenants or their representatives for reinstatement in holdings in county Kerry formerly occupied by them have been received by the Estates Commissioners. After inquiry the Commissioners decided in 528 cases to take no action, 314 appli- cants have been reinstated in their former holdings or provided with holdings elsewhere, and seventy-six others have been noted for consideration in the allotment of untenanted land to be acquired by the Commissioners.

asked whether the Estates Commissioners have received an application from John Stapleton, who was evicted from a farm on the townland of Carnahalla, Cappawhite, county Tipperary; whether John Stapleton's name is on their list as deserving of a farm; and whether the Estates Commissioners propose providing a holding for him on the untenanted land in the district which is upon their hands?

Stapleton's application for reinstatement was not lodged before 1st May, 1907. It cannot, therefore, be dealt with under the Evicted Tenants Act. His case will be considered when the Estates Commissioners are dealing with the estate in order of priority.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the fees paid by the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for attendance at technical instruction classes in the evening are three times as great as those paid for attendance in the daytime; whether domestic economy can be taught equally well in the daytime; and whether he will consider the advisability of equalising the fees paid for this subject?

The normal Grant paid for attendance at evening technical classes is double that paid for attendance during the day, but it may in certain circumstances exceed this proportion. Domestic economy can be taught in the day time quite as well as in the evening. The intention of the regulations for technical schools is primarily to provide for the technical education of students who in the daytime are engaged in industrial occupations, and the factors which determined the rate of Grant payable in respect of day classes were the status of students who would be in a position to attend day classes and the lesser cost of providing instruction in day than in evening technical schools. The Department are not prepared to recommend the amendment of the regulations in the manner suggested in the question.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland have compelled the Tipperary North Riding Council committee of technical instruction to dispense with the services of one of their manual instructors on the ground of economy; whether the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction propose to compensate the instructor whose services will be dispensed with for loss of employment; whether he can state the number of hours per week the present secretary was engaged instructing his classes during the academic year 1909–10; whether the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction can show any precedent for their action; and whether, in view of the fact that this arrangement will impair the utility of the classes, he will advise the Department to allow the committee of technical instruction to continue the present arrangements for the academic year 1910–11?

I am informed that the Department have not compelled the Tipperary North Riding County Committee to dispense with the services of a manual instructor. The Committee, whose income does not justify the employment of two manual instructors, have resolved to dispense with the services of one. The instructors are appointed for each session only, so that the question of compensation does not arise. Some delay took place in the appointment of a new secretary to the Committee, and it was found impossible to arrange classes to be conducted by him, within the time prescribed by the Department's regulations.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Department of Agriculture has declined to sanction the payment by the Tipperary North Riding Committee of Agriculture of the travelling expenses of those pupils who attended a butter-making competition under the Department's scheme; whether it was usual for the council committee to pay their expenses in previous years; whether the pupils entered the competition believing that their expenses would be defrayed as heretofore; and whether, under the circumstances, he will advise the Department to authorise the council committee to pay the same gratuity as last year?

The Department of Agriculture have had this matter under recon- sideration, and have informed the county committee that they are now prepared to sanction the same rate of payment as last year.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can state if the Estates Commissioners will proceed to divide the lands of Adamstown, Templemore, when the grazing lettings fall out; or whether the Estates Commissioners will relet them for another period on the same terms as last season?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his question on this subject on 10th March last, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, what per-centage of the vessels now taking part in the naval manœuvres are carrying complete and efficient crews such as they would carry in time of war?

The reply is 100 per cent.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the award of the Admiralty that ninety-five of the workmen in the constructive and engineering departments in Chatham Yard are to receive the new maximum rates for either established or hired men, and ninety-five more are to be paid at 1s. less than the new maximum rates for either established or hired men, is to be interpreted that these special increases are not to be taken into account in connection with the regulation that the average rate must be 25s.?

The Admiralty order to the yard stated that the new rates of pay are to be regarded as "special"—that is to say, outside the normal scale, and are to be awarded only to the limited number of men stated. The average rate of 25s. a week is to be retained for regulating the local award of increases of pay within the old scales. The introduction of the special rates is not intended to modify this average rate.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he can state the proportion of boys to men employed in Wool- with Arsenal, and the percentage of boys whose employment has been continued on reaching manhood at adult wages during the last three years; and whether he can state what measures are taken to ensure that the largest possible number of boys shall be, retained on reaching the age at which boys are generally discharged?

The proportion of boys to men in the ordnance factories at Woolwich for the week ending 16th instant was approximately one-tenth. The percentage of boys whose employment has been continued on reaching manhood at adult wages, excluding the torpedo factory, an Admiralty Department, to which the rule as to discharge at the age of twenty-one has not been applied, is 26.66. The number of boys taken on as men must depend on the supply of work. Men already working at the Arsenal cannot be displaced in their favour. But, in order to diminish the danger of turning off at twenty-one lads who are unfitted to obtain work elsewhere, the Department has under consideration new rules for terminating boys' engagements at an earlier age than twenty-one unless means can be found of employing them on some work or trade which would be of use to them on leaving Government service.

asked the Secretary of State for War, if, in the Territorial Forces, a major and quartermaster takes precedence of a captain?

An honorary major and quartermaster is senior to a substantive captain for purposes of precedence only.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the Territorial Force in London has recruited up to its establishment; and, if not, when he anticipates that it will be up to its establishment?

The Territorial Force in the London District has recruited up to 83 per cent, of its establishment. I am unable to forecast future developments in the state of this Force. They depend on the extent to which the public will support the efforts the authorities are making.

asked whether Lord Kitchener is a meniber of the Selection Board?

No, Sir.

asked whether, under the Militia Ballot Act, men could be ballotted for to serve in the Special Reserve?

No, Sir.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he will say what were the total numbers of chests of opium sold to China, and in the aggregate, respectively, for each of the financial years 1906–7, 1907–8, 1908–9, and 1909–10; what are the estimated corresponding figures for the year 1910–11; and what were the areas under poppy cultivation for each of these years respectively?

presented the following particulars:—

Year. Exports of Opium to China. Area under Bengal Opium. Exports to China (including Hong Kong). Aggregate Exports. (1.) (2.) (3.) (4.) Chests. Chests. Acres. 1906–7 50,590 66,274 564,585 1907–8 47,749 63,760 488,548 1908–9 52,758 66,957 361,832 1909–10 41,468 56,191 375,000 1910–11 … 50,425 359,000

The figures showing exports in columns (2) and (3) for the years 1906–7, 1907–8, and 1908–9 are taken from the Indian Trade Returns. For 1910–11 the entry in column (3) is an estimate based on an undertaking of the Indian Government whereby the aggregate export of Indian opium to countries beyond seas is limited to 51,700 chests for the calendar year 1910, and to 46,600 chests for the calendar year 1911. In column (4) the areas shown for the years 1906–7, 1907–8, and 1908–9 are the areas which were Actually under poppy, excluding fields in which the crop failed. For 1909–10 the area shown is area in respect of which licences to grow poppy were granted, an area which is always considerably in excess of the actually cultivated area. The area shown for 1910–11 is an estimate of the maximum area for which licences will be granted in the coming season.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India, whether over 30 prominent military officers of the Indian Political Department have memorialised His Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General of India against the provisions of the scheme of re-organisation of the department introduced on 1st February, 1906, but have received no replies up to date; and, if so, whether any report on the memorials has been submitted to him, and when a reply to the memorialists may be expected?

The Secretary of State has received no information from the Government of India on the subject, but he will inquire.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India, in view of the fact that the Secretary of State for India, when provisionally sanctioning the scheme of reorganisation of the Indian Political Department introduced on 1st February, 1906, suggested that the Government of India should submit a report on its working after a reasonable time for trial had elapsed, whether any report has been submitted; and, if not, whether he will request the Government of India to forward one at an early date?

The Secretary of State has not prescribed any period within which the Government of India were to report to him. Communications have passed between him and the Government of India on the subject, and he does not think it necessary to take any further action at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the maintenance of alien lunatics, deported from foreign countries and landed at Southampton at the request of shipping companies, has to be paid out of the common fund of the Southampton Union pending transfer back to their native country; and whether he will take the necessary steps to amend The Aliens Act, 1905, so that the charge does not fall upon the ratepayers of the town?

I am aware that Southampton is liable to charges such as those indicated in the first paragraph of the question; but this liability is not a consequence of the Aliens Act, and I doubt whether it can he altered by an amendment of that Act. It is rather, I think, one of the disadvantages which must be balanced against the many advantages of being a great seaport.

asked the Home Secretary if the methods of communicating with the police authorities in Paris can be put on a similar basis to that of other foreign capitals, with a view to accelerating the means for the detection of crime?

The methods of communicating with the French police authorities are similar to those employed for communicating with other foreign police forces.

asked when the Return of Charges made to candidates at the General Election of 1910, which was moved for by the hon. Member for North-West Ham will be issued?

There will be no avoidable delay, but I do not expect the Return can be issued before the end of three months.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the recent increase in harbour and light dues at the Piræus, to the exclusion of British engineers from serving on Greek steamers, even when holding a Greek certificate, and to the increase in import duties on machinery; whether he has read the report of the British Consul at the Piræus for the year 1909, in which the Consul states that the new laws that were hurried through the Chamber are also a deterrent to trade, owing to the rapidity with which the Bills were formulated and presented, the majority were loosely worded, unstudied, and prejudicial to trade and local interests; and whether he would press on the Greek Chamber the desirability of revising and mitigating its legislation where prejudicial to the commercial interests of this country?

In all three cases mentioned in the first part of the question His Majesty's Minister at Athens made representations to the Greek Government, and in the first case some Amendments of the original Bill were made. I have read the passage in the Consular Report for the Piræus for 1910. His Majesty's representative at Athens is carefully watching all these questions, and will make any further representations that may appear advisable as opportunity Occurs.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he had received representations from the Corporation of London, the National Federation of Meat Traders, the Cold Storage and Ice Association, and other bodies, urging the necessity for making arrangements to place the inspection of meat on some recognised uniform and scientific basis; and, if so, what steps have been taken in the matter?

I have received representations from the bodies mentioned, and the subject is under consideration.

asked the Postmaster-General if it is his intention when he takes over the National Telephone Company to maintain the borough of Walsall as a telephone district, or whether he contemplates making it a sub-district under Birmingham?

The Walsall Exchange area, which includes the borough, is not a separate district under the National Telephone Company's organisation, but a part of the North Midland District. The question whether any change should be made in this arrangement is not yet ripe for decision.

asked the Postmaster-General if he can give the average number of telephone trunk calls per week between Walsall and London; and what is the highest number recorded in any one day?

The ordinary returns of telephone trunk calls at Walsall do not show the number of London calls separately, and the information asked for is therefore not available. I will, however, obtain a special return of the telephone calls between Walsall and London day by day for a week and will send it to the hon. Member.