asked the Secretary to the Treasury, if he will state the amount of grants to be made by the Development Commissioners to each of the Highland crofting counties?

The Development Commissioners have not hitherto received any application for advances from the Development Fund, from or for the benefit of, the Highland crofting counties. It is understood that proposals will be submitted to them as soon as practicable for the development of the congested districts and the Highlands generally.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, having regard to the fact that the Road Board have sent a letter to each county council and county borough council in Ireland intimating the amount which they are prepared to allocate towards works of road improvement in Ireland up to 31st March, 1912, as approximately £150,000, will he state whether it was proposed to send a similar letter to county councils in Scotland; and, seeing that the cost of road upkeep in Scotland had been seriously augmented in consequence of the tourist motor traffic, especially in the Highland crofting counties, will the Road Board arrange to give the matter their early attention?

The Road Board sent a letter on the 6th day of January last to the County Councils and Burgh Councils in Scotland intimating the amount which they were prepared to allocate towards works of road improvement in Scotland up to 31st March, 1912.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the fact that certain changes are shortly to be effected in the staff of the Government Laboratory, he can assure the assistant clerks employed in that office that their petition, which was forwarded to the Board of Customs and Excise on 22nd September, 1909, is being considered; and whether a reply to it may be expected before 1st April, 1911?

The answer to both questions is in the affirmative.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners have considered the application of John Gillan, son of Michael Gillan, an evicted tenant on the R. A. White estate, Dromahair, county Leitrim, for a grant to enable him to rebuild his house and stock his farm; and, if not, whether they would now do so?

The Estates Commissioners have received and considered an application for a free grant from John Gillan, who was reinstated in a holding formerly occupied by his father on the estate referred to, but have declined to make any grant in this ease.

asked whether the Estates Commissioners have yet considered the claim of Patrick Rooney, an evicted tenant on the estate of J. L. Ellis, Tullaghan, county Leitrim, for reinstatement and a free grant; and whether, in the event of the Commissioners not having taken any action in the matter, the Congested Districts Board would acquire this and other grazing lands in the district, from which the tenants were evicted for non-payment of rack-rents, for distribution among the uneconomic farm holders?

The Estates Commissioners have received an application from Patrick Rooney and have noted his name for consideration in the allotment of any suitable untenanted land which may be acquired by them. The Commissioners are making inquiries as to the possibility of providing him with a holding.

asked whether the Estates Commissioners have acquired the untenanted land on the Croke Lady Dyer estate, county Limerick; and, if so, will steps be taken to see that John Raleigh, of Kyle Bruff, county Limerick, will be handed back the farm from which he was evicted, and which is now grazed by an eleven months' tenant?

Proceedings for the sale of the estate of Lady Helen M. Dyer and Caroline Croker direct to the tenants are pending before the Estates Commissioners. The vendors have included some twenty-six acres of untenanted land for sale to the Commissioners, who will consider the desirability of acquiring this land when the estate is being dealt with. The Commissioners do not appear to have received any application for reinstatement from John Raleigh.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Francis Mooney, of Loughross, Glenfarne, county Leitrim, No. 33 R, was, on the evidence of Thomas M'Govern, J. P., who is an auctioneer and valuer, awarded a pension of 5s. per week by the Manorhamilton Sub-committee, which was, on appeal by the pension officer, reduced to 2s. per week; whether he will state on what grounds the pension officer based his calculation of Mooney's yearly income; and whether, having regard to the fact that Mooney is a poor man, further inquiry will be made into this case with a view of granting the full pension?

The papers in this case are not now in the possession of the Local Government Board, who cannot, therefore, state definitely the grounds on which the Sub-committee and the pension officer arrived at their different conclusions. The Board, after obtaining a report from one of their inspectors who had visited and questioned Mooney, confirmed the pension officer's recommendation that two shillings a week be allowed. Mooney has a farm of thirty acres, on which there are three cows, a heifer, and other stock, and his means appeared to be about £27 per annum. The Board have no power to re-open the case.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he will direct that further inquiries be made as to the age of Pat Regan, of Whiterock, Manorhamilton, No. 96 R, who was in receipt of outdoor relief, and was refused an old age pension on the ground that he was not the statutory age according to the Census of 1851; and whether, owing to the fact that his name appears on the relieving officer's books as being seventy-four years of age, and that he produced sworn evidence from Allan Nixon, who has been rate collector in the district since 1851, testifying that Regan was over fourteen years of age in 1851, he would be granted a pension?

Regan's age was recorded as seven years in the Census return of 1851, from which it would appear that he is now only about sixty-seven years old. The entries in relieving officers' books cannot be accepted as proof of age, and Allan Nixon's statement could not be taken in preference to the evidence of the Census return, and no other satisfactory evidence was produced. It is not open to the Board to reconsider their decision.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the claim of John Lehane, Knocknaloman, Rathmore, was considered by the Millstreet sub-committee on the 1st December, 1909, and passed by them; whether an appeal was lodged by the pension officer and the claim disallowed by the Local Government Board, and what was the cause then assigned; did Lehane apply again in January of this year, and did he produce a duly-signed baptismal certificate to show that he is seventy-four years of age; was his claim once more allowed on the 2nd February, 1911, by the sub-committee, the pension officer remarking that he did not know why Lehane was kept out of his pension from the start; has Lehane again received notice of an appeal, notice No. 1887, stating that the ground of objection is that he has not resided in the United Kingdom for the whole of the last twenty years; and, seeing that Lehane has been domiciled all his life in Ireland, that he reared a large family there, that even whilst in America, earning means of support for his family, he maintained and supported them in his old home and paid the rent and rates, therefore keeping his present residence intact all this time, will he recommend that he be now granted a pension without any unnecessary delay?

John Lehane was awarded a pension by the sub-committee on the 2nd December, 1909, but the pension officer appealed on the ground that the claimant did not fulfil the statutory condition as to residence, and the Local Government Board disallowed the claim. A fresh claim is at present before the Board on appeal, and the pension officer reports that Lehane states that he has been only eleven years home from America. If it be the fact that the claimant was thus absent from the United Kingdom for more than eight years out of the past twenty, it would appear that, under Section 2 (2) of the Old Age Pensions Act of 1908 and Article 29 (a) (III.) of the Regulations of 1908, he is not entitled to any pension no matter what connection he may have kept up with Ireland during his absence.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the tenants on the M'Ternan estate, parish of Kilaghest, district of Carrick-on-Shannon, county Leitrim, forwarded a memorial to the Congested Districts Board to purchase the estate; and whether, having regard to the fact that there is a large tract of useful turbary and grass lands on the estate, the Board would take steps to acquire it for distribution and the relief of congestion in the district?

The Congested Districts Board have received the memorial referred to. The agent was written to asking if he would offer to sell the estate to the Board, but up to the present they have received no reply.

asked the Chief Secretary if the Estates Commissioners received an offer of sale from the owners of the Curran estate, Newmarket, county Cork, their inspector having make an inspection of the property; what was the nature of his report; and if the Commissioners intend taking any further steps in the matter?

Proceedings were instituted for the sale to the Estate Commissioners of sixty-eight acres of land situated on the townlands of Scarteen Lower and Newmarket, county Cork, the property of the Trustees of G. Curran. After due inquiry the Commissioners decided to make no offer for the lands. The reports of the inspectors are furnished for the confidential information of the Commissioners.

asked the Chief Secretary if he will cause inquiries to be made as to the number and extent of untenanted holdings solely used as grazing ranches in the district of Ballyhea, Charleville, county Cork, with a view to their acquirement by the Estates Commissioners for reinstatement of evicted tenants and division amongst uneconomic holders and deserving labourers?

If the hon. Member will furnish the Estates Commissioners with the names and addresses of the owners of the lands referred to the Commissioners will consider the desirability of communicating with them, but they cannot undertake to make the inquiries suggested in the question.

asked whether any steps have been taken recently to acquire untenanted land on the Roche-Kelly estate, at Ballybricken, county Limerick; have the lands been inspected with a view to a purchase; and, if so, how soon may the arrangements be completed?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his question of 1st March last, to which I have nothing to add.

asked whether the Com missioners intend to acquire by compulsion the untenanted land on the Smith estate, at Ballynanty, Bruff, county Limerick, which has been for the past fifteen years grazed by Mr. Arthur White, land agent, Limerick; and, in view of the number of families evicted from these lands within the past thirty years, will steps be taken at once to have these lands acquired?

After inquiry, the Estates Commissioners have decided not to take any action in reference to the applications for reinstatement received in regard to the lands referred to, and it is not their intention to acquire the lands by compulsion.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he would instruct the Local Government Board to send down their inspector to make preliminary arrangements for the holding of an inquiry into the Second Half-acre Scheme, at Kilmallock, county Limerick, which the rural district council have adopted; and whether, having regard to the urgency of the matter, the Local Government Board will fall in with the wishes of the council and go on with the inquiry?

The Local Government Board consider that until the Labourers Bill now before Parliament passes into law it is inexpedient to hold inquiries into the schemes which have been forwarded to them. If an exception to this general policy is to be made the Board would be disposed to give priority to schemes for building new cottages rather than to schemes for providing additional allotments for existing cottages.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether any reply has yet been received from the agent, Mr. E. H. Bond, Fairy Hall, Rathowen, as to the sale to the Commissioners, for division amongst the people, of the untenanted lands of Prospect, county Longford; and, if not, will the Commissioners now communicate with him?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his question of the 9th inst. on this subject. The Estates Commissioners have not been furnished with the further particulars asked for, and they have not, therefore, addressed any communication to Mr. R. H. Bond.

also asked the Chief Secretary when the Estates Commissioners propose to have the lands of Coolcraff, county Longford, inspected and an offer made to the landlord, Mr. J. W. Bond; and will he direct that notice of the visit of the inspector will be sent to the parish priest, Very Rev. Dr. Langan, P.P., Abbeylara, with a view to some representatives of the people in the district being consulted?

The Estates Commissioners will have the lands referred to inspected as soon as practicable with a view to estimating the price which might be advanced for them. At present they are unable to fix a date for the inspection or to give an undertaking as to the persons to whom notice may be given of such inspection.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to the action of Lord Longford in suing and decreeing for various sums his tenants of Longford townparks and refusing to sell to them as he has already done with the other parts of his estate; whether it is intended to use the forces of the Crown to assist Lord Longford in the recovery of these decrees; and whether, before doing so, in the interests of peace in the locality, he will communicate through the Estates Commissioners with Lord Longford, and suggest to him to sell to the tenants through the Commissioners, and to prevent disturbance in the district?

My attention has been called to the matter referred to in the first paragraph of the question. The Government will be bound to afford the Sheriff whatever protection may be necessary in executing the decrees of the Court of Quarter Sessions. This is not a case for the intervention of the Estates Commissioners.

next asked when the agreements entered by the tenants on the estate of Mr. James W. Bond, D.L., at Farragh, county Longford, will be considered; whether any inspector has yet been sent to these lands; whether any offer has been made to Mr. Bond to acquire the untenanted lands of Klyne on the estate for division amongst the uneconomic holdings; and if so, will the division take place this year or when?

Proceedings for the sale of the estate of Mr. J. W. Bond direct from the owner to the tenants are pending before the Estates Commissioners. The owner has included some 118 acres of untenanted lands on the townland of Rhine, which he proposes to sell to the Commissioners. The estate has not yet been inspected, but the Commissioners anticipate that it will be reached in order of priority during the coming financial year, when they will consider the desirability of acquiring the untenanted land offered by the owner.

likewise asked what steps are being taken to provide land in any part of county Longford, or adjacent counties, for Messrs. Joseph Mullooly, senior, Joseph Mullooly, junior, and Patrick Owens, evicted tenants of county Longford, whose farms have been taken by other tenants, and for whom no provision has yet been made under the Evicted Tenants Act; and whether any action will now be taken to so provide for them, or, if not, when?

The Estates Commissioners have inquired into the applications of Joseph Mullooly, senior, and Joseph Mullooly, junior, for reinstatement in holdings on the estate of Lord Annally, county Longford, and have decided to take no action in their cases. The Commissioners have also received an application for reinstatement from Patrick Owens, and have noted his name for consideration in the allotment of any suitable untenanted land which may be acquired by them.

asked if the Estates Commissioners have received a report from the inspectors who visited the lands of the O'Callaghans, Toorard, Newmarket, county Cork, with a view to its voluntary acquirement by the Estates Commissioners; and what is the acreage of the lands?

The Estates Commissioners cannot identify the estate referred to as pending for sale to them. The hon. Member may, however, refer to the estate of Mrs. Elizabeth O'Callaghan, containing some 114 acres of the lands of Knockna-nagh West, which is the subject of proceedings for sale by the owner direct to the tenants. The Commissioners have not received their inspector's report on this estate.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will state whether a doctor's certificate has now been received from John M'Namee, of Ballymahon Street, Longford, who, after twenty-one years' service in the Army, has been discharged, a sufferer from chronic dysentery; and, having regard to this man's war and other service, will a pension be granted to him?

The certificate has been received and duly acknowledged. The Commissioners of Chelsea Hospital are now considering the case and the man will be examined by a medical board. The decision of the Commissioners will in due course be communicated to the hon. Member.

asked the Under-Secretary for India the amount of opium issued in the Assam Valley districts; the amount of duty levied; and the Treasury price per seer in the years 1907–8, 1908–9, and 1909–10, respectively 1

The figures are:-1907–8—Opium issued, 62,410 seers; duty realised. Es. 17,78,684; Treasury price, Rs. 37 the seer. 1908–9—Issued, 60,370 seers; duty, Rs. 17,20,551; price, Rs. 37. 1909–10—Issued, 57,829 seers; duty, Rs. 17,72,567; price. Es. 40.

asked the Home Secretary whether the British police authorities received from police authorities abroad, or, if they desired information upon such a subject, would have been in a position to receive from the source named information with regard to the movement into this country of any or all of the persons awaiting trial for the recent murders of police constables in Hounds-ditch; and whether, having regard to the fact that the British police authorities on occasion receive information with regard to the movements of foreign criminals and anarchists into this country, arrangements will be made, if such arrangements are not already in existence, to enable the British police authorities to receive such information as would enable them to trace the movements of persons coming into this country whom the police authorities abroad believe to be criminals or professed anarchists?

No information was received from abroad in regard to the persons indicated in the question. I do not think it desirable to enter upon a discussion of the methods for the circulation of information between the police forces of various countries; but the hon. Member may be assured that the Metropolitan Police take pains to obtain and make use as far as practicable of all available information.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in the case of alien immigrants admitted to this country as political or religious refugees, any record has been kept of the information they have given to the immigration authorities with regard to their identity and the persecution by which they declare themselves to be endangered; and whether, in the case of such immigrants, any investigation has been made by communication with British Consuls, abroad or otherwise, to test the accuracy of the information given to the immigration authorities?

The answer to both parts of the question is in the negative. Nothing has arisen to render the action suggested desirable.

asked the Home Secretary on how many of the committee of managers administering the forty-three reformatories and the 140 industrial schools of England and Scotland there are women members, giving his reply under the following heads: the thirty-two reformatories for boys; the eleven reformatories for girls; the eighty industrial schools for boys; the fifty-three industrial schools for girls; and the seven induatrial schools for boys and girls?

The following figures compiled from information in the possession of the Department are thought to be approximately correct:—Boys' reformatories, nil.Girls' reformatories, five, and one managed by a sisterhood.Boys' industrial schools, twenty-two, and three managed by sisterhoods.Girls' industrial schools, forty-one, and twelve managed by sisterhoods.Mixed industrial schools, two, and two managed by sisterhoods.

asked the President of the Local Government Board, what steps have been taken at the Channel ports to medically examine persons arriving from districts in Eastern Europe where plague exists?

The Local Government Board's Order of 1907 requires the Customs Officer, on the arrival of a ship from a foreign port, to ascertain whether the ship is an infected ship, or has come from an infected port, and to question the captain. At the present time the only district in Eastern Europe known to be infected with plague is in the Government of Astrakhan, on the Asiatic borders, an area inhabited by nomadic tribes, who are unlikely to travel to these islands by train and the Channel passage.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can explain the disparity in the figures relating to the hours of labour of railway servants contained in the Return Cd. 5,538, which show that 43.72 per cent. of the passenger engine-drivers and firemen and 73 per cent. of the goods engine-drivers and firemen in the service of the Great-Western Railway Company were employed on one or more occasions for more than 12 hours at a time, whereas the corresponding figures for the London and North-Western Railway Company show that 0.12 per cent. and 0.69 per cent. were so employed by the latter company; and whether, in the interests of the men, and in view of the consequences to the public generally, the Government will take immediate steps to-prevent such excessive periods of duty in future as those shown in the Return mentioned?

The Return no doubt shows considerable variation in the extent to which overtime is worked on the different railways, but I would point out that the only satisfactory index is the percentage of long periods of duty and not the percentage of men over whom these periods are distributed. In the case of the Great Western Railway the figures are—for passenger enginemen, 0.24, and for goods enginemen, 3.49 per cent. It is more difficult to keep the hours of men working with trains within regular limits than in the case of men working at fixed spots, but any representations made by or on behalf of the engine-men under the Railway Regulation Act, 1893, will receive consideration and be dealt with in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Act.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the result of his inquiries into the matter of the employment in Longford Post Office of telegraph messenger boys who have been temporarily disemployed owing to age limit?

I have been unable to find grounds for appointing more postmen at Longford. The question was fully considered a few months ago, and the circumstances remain unchanged. The services of two boy messengers only were dispensed with last year.

asked the Lord Advocate if he would state the number of burghal local authorities in Scotland who have public slaughterhouses, and the number of such local authorities who have appointed or employed veterinary surgeons under The Public Health (Scotland) Act, 1897, and the Dairies, Cowsheds, and Milkshops Orders; and will he say how many burghal

The most recent returns for the year 1909 show that in that year there were 123 burghs in Scotland which had public slaughterhouses, and eighty-two which had not. Every burghal local authority in Scotland has approved one or more veterinary surgeons for the purposes of the Public Health (Scotland) Act, 1897, and of the Order referred to by my hon. Friend.

asked the Lord Advocate if he will state the amount expended during each of the last five years for the cleansing and heating respectively of each school in the parishes of Barvas, Lochs, and Uig, island of Lewis, indicating the average number of pupils in daily attendance at each school?

The statement desired is given, as regards cleansing, in the following Table. No expenditure was incurred by these school boards for heating:—

asked the Lord Advocate whether he is aware that on the 19th January, 1894, the Scottish Education Department issued a circular letter to the school boards in the island of Lewis, signed H. Craik, the then secretary, and stating that their Lordships' attention having been called to the fact that in certain school board districts the children are expected to bring with them to school a daily contribution of peat for the purposes of fuel, it must be understood that any rule requiring such a contribution is not consistent with the regulations under which fees are abolished and the grants in relief of fees are paid; will he state whether this circular has since been rescinded; if not, will he state why children attending the public school schools in the parishes of Barvas, Lochs, and Uig are still expected to carry peats to school as a contribution to the school's fuel supply; and will he say how much was expended for fuel by each of these boards last year?

The circular letter referred to has not been rescinded. I am not aware of any rule coming within the scope of that circular by which children attending the public schools in the parishes mentioned are required to contribute peats to the school's fuel supply. The observance of the practice is voluntary on the part of children and parents. No expense for fuel was incurred last year by any of the schools boards concerned.

asked the Lord Advocate whether he can state what is to become of the accumulated funds of the Scottish Teachers' Superannuation Scheme, started in 1898; and whether payments made by teachers into it are to be refunded, or whether the Department proposes to break arbitrarily its agreement with the teachers and impose upon them a new agreement without consulting them or obtaining their consent?

The accumulated contributions from Scottish teachers are dealt with by Section 19 of the Draft Superannuation Scheme. With regard to the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to Section 14 (6) of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1908, which provides that the Elementary School Teachers (Superannuation) Act, 1898, shall cease to apply to Scotland upon the new Superannuation Scheme taking effect. The Department are at present ascertaining the views of all interested in the scheme in the manner prescribed by Sections 10 and 11 of the Act of 1908.