asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he has considered the advisability of granting preventative men a service scale of pay so that, on arriving at their maximum salary of 33s. a week, they would proceed to the maximum salary of the next higher grade?

When the report of the Committee on the Amalgamation of the Customs and Excise Department has been received and considered the conditions of the Waterguard Service and the Preventive men's request for a service scale of pay will form the subject of consideration by the Department.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the pension granted to Thomas M'Connach, of Longford, and withheld from him on the ground that his wife was receiving outdoor relief for the support of an orphan grandchild, is now being paid; and will the amount kept back from him be also paid?

Thomas M'Connach has been in receipt of a pension since 6th January, 1911. He was previously debarred from receiving a pension under the pauper disqualification clause, and I have no power to allow him any payment in respect of pension for any period prior to 6th January, 1911.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can say on what ground Thomas O'Dea, of Glensharrold, Ardagh, in the county of Limerick, was refused a pension by the Local Government Board, although on the statement of a respectable old man in the district that he was over seventy years of age, together with a certi- ficate from his parish priest to the same effect, his name not being in the census returns, the Glin sub-committee were unanimous in granting it to him; and whether, as he can give no further proof of his age, he can say when he will get the pension?

The Local Government Board upheld the pension officer's appeal on the ground that there was no satisfactory proof that Thomas O'Shea (not O'Dea) had reached the statutory age. He will obtain a pension as soon as any evidence can be produced to satisfy the pension authorities that he has attained the age of seventy years.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to resolutions passed by the Granard National Teachers' Asociation calling for better conditions in salaries and pensions; and whether, having regard to the sympathetic reply of the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the subject last November, any scheme may be expected this year?

I have received several resolutions from National School Teachers associations to the effect indicated in the question, but I am not in a position to make any statement on the subject.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can state the circumstances under which James Kelly, of Maghera, county Derry, who was arrested on a charge of stabbing on 4th September last, and afterwards acquitted at the assizes, was refused bail, especially with regard to the action of the local district inspector in the matter; whether any rebuke has been administered to the district inspector; and whether it is proposed to offer some compensation to Kelly for the deprivation of his right to bail?

In this case bail was refused owing to the serious condition of one of the injured persons. The question of bail is a matter for the magistrates dealing with the case. No rebuke has been administered to the district inspector, who does not appear to have failed in discharging his duty in the case. The answer to the last paragraph of the question is in the negative.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he can make arrangements, following the example of the War Office, whereby the contributions from parents for training and maintenance of naval cadets at Osborne and Dartmouth can be reduced?

I shall be glad to consider whether the arrangements made by the Army Council can in any measure fairly be made to apply to the different conditions of the naval colleges.

asked the number of promotions during the current year of men belonging to the engine-room artificers, up to and including the rank of lieutenant?

The number of promotions, from 1st March, 1910, to 1st March, 1911, of men belonging to the engine-room artificers, up to and including the rank of engineer lieutenant, is as follows:—

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will revise the scale of pay of the engine-room artificers, in accordance with the increased cost of living and higher rates in civil life since the last rates were made many years ago?

This question has received full consideration. The engine-room artificers are the best paid of any class of naval rating, and although it is true that the actual rates of pay for engine-room artificers have not been increased since 1882, the introduction of the warrant rank of artificer engineer in 1897, of the commissioned warrant rank of chief artificer engineer in 1903, and of advancement to the rank of engineer lieutenant in 1904, have immensely improved the prospects of the class as a whole.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what amount of money has been granted by the Austrian Delegations for the building of the four "Dreadnoughts "mentioned by him in his speech to the House in July, 1909; and when the "Dreadnoughts" in question are likely to be finished?

The Naval Estimates for 1911–12 have not yet finally passed the Austro-Hungarian delegations, and any sum proposed for the building of the four Austro-Hungarian "Dreadnoughts" is still subject to amendment. The only official information we have respecting the Austro-Hungarian "Dreadnoughts" building is that one will be launched in the middle of this year and another at the end of the year.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that Messrs. Gwynnes, of Hammersmith, are unfair employers; and if they have been required to sign the Fair-wage Clause as a condition of getting Admiralty orders?

No complaint as to the fairness of the wages paid by the firm referred to can be traced. The Fair Wage Clause is made a condition of Admiralty orders placed with them.

asked whether, in connection with the Staffing Committee's Report, dated 3rd September, 1909, on the petition of the Admiralty and Outports Clerical Federation, dated January, 1908, he will issue the necessary instructions for the Committee's recommendations, which are favourable to the petitioners and no longer under discussion, to become operative at once?

I presume the hon. Member's question refers to the Committee appointed in 1908 to inquire into the question of the Writing Staff of the home dockyards. The principal recommendations of that Committee are still under consideration. In the meantime the Admiralty have decided to authorise certain minor changes as recommended by the Committee, and the necessary steps are now being taken.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can state approximately when the Government workers' contributory pension scheme will commence to operate?

The scheme has not yet been passed as sound, and the actuarial calculations necessary to determine this point are very laborious. I hope that they will be completed in three or four months' time, after which it is proposed to have a conference with the men's representatives. I can assure the hon. Member that I have every desire to allow this scheme to be brought into early operation, but it is of the greatest importance to all concerned that it should be placed on a thoroughly sound basis from the start.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is with his sanction that the privacy of several persons in the Bodmin district has been invaded by persons stating that they were calling, on the authority of the War Office, to investigate the capacity of horses and stables in view of a possible invasion; whether it was by his authority that a village school in this neighbourhood was thus visited; and the children informed of the purpose of the visit; and whether similar visits have been made elsewhere?

Nothing is known at the War Office of the particular matters mentioned, but it is obvious that inquiries of this character must from time to time be made throughout the country either in order to obtain information as to our resources for purposes of defence or to instruct officers in the method of moving and billeting troops.

asked the Secretary for the Colonies whether he has considered the advisability of assisting unemployed working men and their families to emigrate to Colonies where there is a demand for their labour?

The general question of emigration will be discussed at the forthcoming Imperial Conference.

asked the Secretary for the Colonies why the exceptional import duties are still being enforced in the island of Montserrat, to build up a reserve which is not insisted upon in other Crown Colonies, especially in view of the fact that the excess of taxation over expenditure is more than sufficient to meet any possible preference in the import duties on Canadian produce?

Experience has abundantly shown the need for financial caution in the West Indies, and the policy of building up reserve funds in time of prosperity is now adopted in most of the West Indian Colonies. The accumulated balances of Montserrat are now over £9,000, and it is not proposed that the reserve fund should exceed £10,000. Accordingly it should be possible to consider the question of reducing taxation in the island at no very distant date.

asked the President of the Board of Education, if he will state what is the number of higher grade primary schools in England and Wales; the number of pupils attending; and the total amount of State grant voted for their upkeep during the year ended March, 1910?

I do not quite understand what the hon. Member means by "higher grade primary schools." There is considerable diversity of curriculum between public elementary schools in different parts of the country and between different schools in the same locality. This diversity is the outcome of the attempt to adapt the schools to the needs of scholars as affected by their capacities, the circumstances in which they live, and the probable period of school life. There is no variation of grant except in the case of a small number of schools, known as higher elementary schools, which are distinguished from other public elementary schools not so much by a difference of grade as by a curriculum intended to provide special instruction bearing on the future occupations of the scholars, whether boys or girls.

asked the President of the Board of Education what additional number of free places would be available in the 125 secondary schools which have been allowed to make less than the usual provision of 25 per cent. of free places in the event of the general application of the normal requirement?

I regret that, owing to a clerical error, the answer I gave the hon. Member on 22nd February was slightly inaccurate. The number of schools in which a reduction of the normal requirement has been made is 124, not 125 as stated. In these 124 schools the number of free places actually required for the current school year was 957. The number which would have been required at the full rate of 25 per cent. is 1,820. But the number actually given was 1,201, and fifty-four more were offered but not taken up. Therefore the additional number of free places which would have been available over and above those actually offered is 565.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many villages or hamlets of more than 150 inhabitants in England and Wales are two miles or more from an elementary school?

The Board have no means of obtaining this information.

asked the Secretary for the Home Department in how many cases in each of the five years, 1906–10, leave to land has been granted to aliens, who would otherwise have been rejected, under the provision contained in the Aliens Act, 1905, Section 1, Sub-section 3, by which leave to laud is not to be withheld in the case of immigrants who show that, having resided in the United Kingdom for not less than six months and having embarked therefrom to some other country, they have been refused permission to land in that country and have returned direct therefrom to the United Kingdom?

The exemption cited has never been operative. The reason is that the "hips which bring the aliens in question from extra European ports back to the United Kingdom have ever since the Aliens Act came into force been exempt from inspection under Section 1 (4) on conditions secured by bonds against the landing of undesirable immigrants.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will state what action has been taken, or is contemplated, By his Department respecting the deadlock between the House of Keys and the Manx Legislative Council with respect to the finances of the Isle of Man?

The difficulties that have arisen on the question of originating financial proposals in the Isle of Man are between the Lieutenant-Governor and the Members of the House of Keys in the Tynwald Court. After consultation with the Treasury, I have conveyed to the Lieutenant-Governor my approval of the action taken by him as being in accordance with constitutional practice. Papers on the subject will, in due course, be laid on the Table of this House.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if the Government or the registrars are taking steps to provide compensation under the Act of 1906 to an enumerator who happens to receive an accident in discharge of his duty in connection with the Census of 1911?

No special steps or special provision appear to be necessary. Any claims which become payable will be met out of the ordinary provision.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he will state how many local authorities have now represented to the Board the expediency of amending the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1909, by substituting a judicial tribunal for the local government as the appeal tribunal under the Act; whether he is aware that the local bodies making such representations include the following metropolitan borough councils: Battersea, Chelsea, Fulham, Hammersmith, Hampstead, Kensington, Lewisham, Westminster, and Wandsworth, and that the Camberwell Borough Council, the respondents on Mr. Arlidge's successful appeal to the Local Government Board, have also expressed their dissatisfaction with the appeal procedure of the Board?

Representations to the effect mentioned have been received by the Local Government Board from thirty-two local authorities out of over 1,800 such authorities in England and Wales. I am aware that the thirty-two local authorities referred to include the nine Metropolitan Borough Councils named, and also the Borough Council of Greenwich, and that the Camberwell Borough Council have also expressed some dissatisfaction in regard to the method of procedure adopted in connection with appeals to the Board under the Act of 1909. Out of the thirty-two local authorities who have made representations not one has had any experience of the Board's inquiries into appeals under the Act of 1909, nor do I find that these authorities have any special claim to be heard in this matter, based on action taken by them under the Housing Acts. According to the Returns furnished to the Board under Section 44 of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, for the years ended 31st March, 1909, and 31st March, 1910, no closing orders were made by the ten Metropolitan Borough Councils mentioned in either of those years, and only three of that number report any action under Part II. of the Act of 1890 in the same years. Of the twenty-two provincial authorities included, eight authorities report no action in either of those years under that part of the Act of 1890, and only four of the same twenty-two authorities made or obtained from the justices any closing orders during those years.

asked the Postmaster-General how many villages or hamlets of more than 150 inhabitants in England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, respectively, are two miles or more from a post office at which there is a postmaster in charge.

The information asked for is not available, and could only be obtained at an expenditure of money and labour which would not, La my opinion, be justified. If the hon. Member will be so good as to give me the names of any villages which he thinks are not provided by the post office with adequate facilities, I shall be happy to make inquiries and acquaint him with their result.

asked the cause of the delay in building the central post office in Woolwich?

The question of additional accommodation for the work of the Woolwich Head Post Office has been attended with considerable difficulties. The plans that have now been prepared for an extension of the existing office involve the appropriation of certain land at present in use for War Office purposes, with regard to which I am in correspondence with the Treasury. I hope that it will be possible to arrive at a settlement before long.

asked the Postmaster-General if he has received a petition, extensively signed by traders and residents in and near the Finchley Road, pointing out that the present facilities at the local post offices are inadequate; will he consider the expediency of establishing in the Finchley Road a post office for South Hampstead for postal and telegraph busi- ness only; and will he arrange for an earlier delivery of letters in the morning?

A petition has been received, but I cannot agree that the present facilities at the local post offices in and near the Finchley Road are inadequate, and I do not therefore consider it expedient to establish a post office in that road on premises devoted to post office work alone. As regards the morning delivery of letters in the locality in question, I find that, as, under normal conditions, it is completed within the authorised time, I should not be justified in incurring additional expense for the purpose of acceleration.

asked the Lord Advocate how many villages or hamlets of more than 150 inhabitants in Scotland are two miles or more from an elementary school.

While the Department have no precise information on the point, they have no reason to suppose that there is a single village or hamlet of more than 150 inhabitants in Scotland in the position described in the question. Should any such case be brought to their notice, they will make immediate inquiries as to the provision of educational facilities by the School Board of the district, but they do not propose to institute any general inquiry which, from the nature of the case, would be elaborate and difficult without any corresponding practical result.