asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he would state when it is proposed to commence the general issue of the revised Form IV. to owners of land in Ireland?

Form IV. will be issued in Ireland according as the names and addresses of owners of property are ascertained. Five thousand forms will probably be sent out within the next three or four weeks.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury when copies of the amended Form IV. issued in Ireland will be placed in the Vote Office for the information of Members, in accordance with the undertaking given a fortnight ago?

I have to-day placed a few copies in the Vote Office.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he is now able to state how many contracts are at present in existence between Government Departments and private firms, together with their money value, for which competitive prices or tenders were not received?

I am making inquiries on the subject, but I am not yet in a position to state their result.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the fact that the transfer of assistant clerks from one department to another at their own request has become general since the publication of the Order in Council dated 21st December, 1907, he will take steps to amend his ruling of the 2nd April, 1909, respecting the seniority of assistant clerks who transferred prior to 21st De-comber, 1907, especially as it is the practice in many departments to allow full seniority, the Postmaster-General having, on the 4th December, 1909, granted this concession to all assistant clerks employed in the Post Office without reference to the date of transfer?

I think it necessary to leave the question of the seniority of assistant clerks transferred before 21st December, 1907, to be determined by the departments in which they are serving.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what differences in the duties charged on home, colonial, and foreign spirits have existed at various dates since 1860; and if he will explain the character and the amount of the differentiation at the present time?

The desired information will be found in Appendix No. 1 to the Report of the Industrial Alcohol Committee, 1905 (Command Paper No. 2477), to which I beg to refer the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he is aware that the existing surtax imposed on colonial and foreign spirits entering the United Kingdom is based on a Report of the Inland Revenue of 1866 and is calculated so as to allow for compensation for duty on foreign grain, ¾d., and loss from having to rectify spirit, and this in separate buildings not less than half a mile away, thus incurring a loss in manufacture and transit on spirits which have already paid duty, 2¼d.; and whether, seeing that at the present time there is no duty on either foreign or colonial grain, and that the duty on whisky is paid on the finished article, he intends to reduce or abolish the present surtax, or whether he will cause an inquiry to be made into the Excise Regulations in this country for the purpose of ascertaining accurately what the present surtax, if any, should be against foreign and colonial spirits respectively?

A full account of the origin and history of the surtax is given in Appendix I. to the Report of the Industrial Alcohol Committee, 1905 (Command Paper 2,477). The existing rates were fixed in 1902, after a full and careful inquiry, and I see no reason for re-opening the question at the present time.

asked whether it is the custom to tax the pensions granted to widows of deceased officers, even when such pensions are under £100 per annum; if so, when this practice was adopted; and, in cases where such pensions have been paid without deductions, are arrears now being stopped?

Where such pensions are paid to widows resident in the United Kingdom, Income Tax is deducted only in cases where no claim to exemption has been proved. If the widow is resident abroad, tax is deducted in accordance with the provisions of Section 71 (1) of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910. The reply to the last part of the question is in the affirmative as regards cases where liability has arisen.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that, under the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, a voluntary conveyance of property inter vivos is chargeable with the full ad valorem Stamp Duty, and in the event of the death of the donor within three years thereafter is also chargeable with the full amount of Estate Duty; and whether, bearing in mind that no fresh interest is created by the latter event, he will make provision in the Budget of 1911 for a deduction from the Estate Duty payable in such cases of the amount of the Stamp Duty paid on the execution of the deed of gift?

The reply to the first two parts of the question is in the affirmative. The question raised in the third part of the question was considered in the discussion on the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, but was not accepted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Attorney-General for Ireland if he has seen a memorandum by Sir Charles E. Barton, Commissioner of Valuations, interpreting the results of the decisions in the cases of the London and Northwestern Railway Company v. Llandudno Improvement Commissioners, and Williams (Liverpool) v. London and Northwestern Railway Company, as follows: liable for full rates, Stationmaster's house, goods office, tank-house, and tank; liable only for to one - fourth rates goods store, engine-shed, signals, goods platform, approach, and siding; will he say if the cities of Belfast and Dublin have acquiesced in the new rating; whether this would in any way bind provincial urban districts; and what are the dates of the respective judgments referred to?

I am informed that at the request of some of the railway companies provisional certificates interpreting the decisions referred to were issued by the Commissioner of Valuation in respect of certain statements. These were sent out for the purpose of enabling settlements to be made between the railway companies and the rating bodies. The certificates had no binding power. I understand that settlements have been come to in Dublin and Belfast. The dates of the respective judgments were 1897 and 1899.

asked whether a signed memorandum segregating valuations on land, buildings, etc., was issued by the Valuation Office in December of last year, and by whom was this memorandum signed; are similar segregations set out in the valuation lists supplied to each urban district, and is this the basis of the rates to be struck for each ensuing year; was any provision made for altered rating on railway premises in the lists last referred to; and will the matter have immediate attention?

Provisional certificates as described in the last question were issued in December and were signed by the Commissioner of Valuation. In valuation lists there is no segregation as to rates, but a division of the Valuation of each station is set out in them in accordance with the legal decisions. The last part of the question is not understood.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that first-of-first-class teachers under the Board of National Education, Ireland, who were, until 1900, accustomed to receive a triennial increase of salary, and entitled while giving satisfaction to expect a continuance of this and of assistance in teaching, have, in consequence of the rules of 1900 raising the minimum average attendance, received no increase since then and have been deprived of assistance, though the numbers of their pupils continue the same, and in the official reports their schools are described as excellent; whether he is aware that in some such cases a reduction of even one pupil leads to a reduction of salary; and, seeing that rules producing these effects are anti-educational, since in practice they operate only against high-class teachers, for many of whom a change of residence would mean destruction of their career, if he will move to have the rules relaxed at least in favour of teachers who were in the service before those rules came into operation?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that under the system of payments in operation prior to 1900 national teachers were not entitled to triennial increments. The system of triennial increments was introduced in 1900 on the abolition of the results system of payments. In 1900 all teachers received as an initial income under the new system the average of their total incomes from all State sources for the preceding three years, and the Commissioners are of opinion that the new rules do not operate inequitably with any body of teachers, and they have expressed their willingness to investigate any cases of alleged hardship accruing to individual teachers if such cases are specially submitted to them.

asked the Chief Secretary if he was now in a position to say that the teachers of national schools in Ireland will be paid their salaries monthly as from the first of next month?

As I have already stated in reply to questions on this subject, no provision has been made in the Estimates for the coming financial year for the monthly payment of salaries of teachers. The proposed change would necessitate the provision of £285,000 for the first year, and a further increase in the Votes of over £5,000 per annum.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board will take measures to secure the grazing farm known as Chaldramoran, and situated near Ballyruddy, Elphin, for division among the smaller tenants of the adjacent uneconomic holdings?

The lands referred to have been purchased by the Congested Districts Board, and they will, with as little delay as possible, prepare a scheme for dealing with them.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners have asked Messrs. Coates and Fanning, fee-farm tenants of non-residential grass farms on the Pollard Urquhart estate, Westmeath, now for sale, to sell those farms for the relief of congestion on that estate; whether they expect to acquire those farms for that purpose; whether, in view of the congestion on that estate, they have made any attempt to prevent the vendor of it from selling an untenanted portion of it to an adjoining owner of extensive property; and whether, pending their finally dealing with an estate, the Commissioners take any steps to protect the prospective interests of tenant purchasers?

The reply to the first paragraph of the question is in the negative. The Estates Commissioners understand that the lands referred to are held by Messrs. Fanning and Coates, subject to a fee-farm rent, and that they are in the occupation of sub-tenants. The Commissioners have no knowledge of the sale of any untenanted land by the owner of this estate to an adjoining owner. The holdings on the estate referred to have been vested by the Commissioners in the purchasing tenants in accordance with their agreements under the Land Purchase Acts.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that 400 tenants on the R. C. Lynch estate, in the Tour-makeady district of the Connemara division, county Galway, purchased some four years ago by the Congested Districts Board, are deprived of the right they exercised of cutting turf on the adjoining Clements estate, which contains a vast area of bog; whether, in view of the fact that the Lynch estate, now Congested Districts Board, suffers from want of turf, he will urge on the Congested Districts Board the desirability of purchasing the Clements estate, and making provision for the 400 tenants of the Lynch estate to have access to the bog thereon; and whether the Congested Districts Board have entered into any negotiations for the purchase of the Clements estate?

The Congested Districts Board are not aware that the tenants on the Lynch estate had a right to cut turf on the adjoining Clements estate, but the Board were informed that possibly the tenants on the former estate might not be able to continue to get their turf on the latter. A road has therefore been made giving access to a bog on the Lynch estate. The Board are unable to say whether there is enough bog on the Clements estate to supply turf for any considerable time to all the tenants on the two estates, but further inquiries will be made. Mr. Clements was willing to sell his estate to the Board some years ago, and the question of purchasing from him will again be considered by them.

asked the Chief Secretary whether, in view of the fact that the Estates Commissioners have directed their inspector to make a minute inspection of the holdings of each town tenant in Ballingarry, county Tipperary, he will state the amount of the purchase money the Estates Commissioners are prepared to advance in respect to each holding provided the balance of the purchase money is paid in cash by the occupiers?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that the inspection referred to was a preliminary one. The holdings are not the subject of proceedings for sale before the Commissioners, and until purchase agreements are lodged under the Land Purchase Acts, the Commissioners will not take any further action in the matter.

asked the Chief Secretary whether, in view of the statutory liability of the Irish ratepayers, he will state the names of all the properties in dealing with which the late Mr. Commissioner Finucane dissented from his colleagues, holding that those properties were so badly congested and the holdings so manifestly inadequate security for the prices, with no means of improving or enlarging them, that they were unfit to be declared estates for the purposes of the Land Act of 1903?

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member's question on this subject on the 15th instant.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that a promise was made to the people on the Arran Isles, county Galway, that valuers from the Congested Districts Board would visit the island for purposes of inspection and valuation, so long ago as last December; is he aware of the position of those poor tenants living away in the Western Ocean; and will he suggest to the Congested Districts Board the expediency of lending an attentive hearing to the many requests made by those poor island congests for a relief, in the direction of purchase, etc., of their sad lot?

The Congested Districts Board are negotiating for the purchase of the Arran Isles, county Galway, and are most anxious to complete the purchase as quickly as possible. It has not been practicable to have an inspection and valuation of the estate made before now.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners, before sanctioning the sale of the Sealy estate, Kilbrittain, county Cork, will insist on the landlord restoring to Mr. John Hurley the fourteen acres from which he was evicted, and which is still in the possession of the landlord?

When this estate, which is being sold direct to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903, is reached in order of priority the application of John Hurley for reinstatment in his former holding will be inquired into by the Estates Commissioners. The eviction apparently took place more than twenty-five years before the passing of the Irish Land Act, 1903, and the case cannot, therefore, be dealt with under the Evicted Tenants Act.

asked the Chief Secretary, in view of the value attributed to peat, and the care bestowed upon the preparation of it for fuel in Sweden, Germany, and other Continental countries, if he would state the reasons why the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction neglect it in Ireland, where that substance is so plentiful, especially now when the ownership of bogs is changing hands; and why the Department is op posed to obtaining and circulating in Ireland a report on the methods and cost of preparation practised on the Continent, and the value of the peat so prepared as compared with coal?

The Department of Agriculture in Ireland have carried out experiments, made inquiries, published information, advised intending promoters of peat industries, and afforded technical advice and instruction to persons engaged in these industries already established in Ireland. A report on the making of turf in Holland and Sweden was published in the Department's Journal for March, 1904, and one on the peat industry of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, in June, 1902.

asked the Chief Secretary, whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Charles Galwey, of Ballydaheen, Mallow, an old, blind fiddler, who has been deprived of his old age pension by the local Excise pension officer on the ground that the year of his birth could not be traced in the parochial register or in the Census Office in Dublin, notwithstanding the unanimous resolution of the Mallow Pension Committee that from their local knowledge and inquiries they are satisfied that he is above seventy years of age; are such applicants to be permanently debarred from pensions in the absence of certificates of their ages; and, if not, when or under what circumstances local Pension Committes can obtain old age pensions for them?

The Local Government Board upheld the pension officer's appeal in this case on the ground that there was no satisfactory evidence that Galwey had attained the statutory age. No general rule or restriction is laid down as to what evidence other than that of baptismal certificate or of Census returns can be regarded as sufficient proof that a claimant has attained the age of seventy years. Any evidence submitted in cases coming before the Board is duly considered.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that Patrick Condon, Milestone, Thurles, was granted a pension on 30th January, 1911, by the Templemore pension sub-committee, the first payment to be made on Friday, 3rd February, 1911, and that the pension officer has not yet issued a book of pension orders to enable Patrick Condon to draw his pension; and whether he can state the reason of the delay?

I am making inquiries as to this case, and will communicate the result to the hon. Member in due course.

asked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that the local pension committee granted a pension to James Long, of Clouncrippa, Feenagh, in the county of Limerick, having carefully considered the facts of his case, which are as follows: that, owing to a domestic trouble, he assigned the interest in his holding, consisting of fifteen acres, I. P. M., and six cows thereon, to his son Garrett for a nominal sum of money; that subsequently Garrett married and worked the holding in his own right, allowing his father an annuity of £5; and that James Long has no other means of support, and can testify on oath to the above facts; and whether, as there is no question of age involved but one of means, the pension officer holding that the assignment of the land and stock was not genuine, the Local Government Board will carefully consider the facts before they give a decision on the case?

The Local Government Board have already on two occasions last year upheld appeals of the pension officer against decisions of the local pension subcommittee awarding James Long a pension of five shillings a week on the ground that his means exceed the statutory limit, and a third claim is now before them on appeal by the pension officer on the same grounds. The holding is of the size mentioned, and it is alleged that its transfer to Long's son was on account of domestic trouble. Any statement which Long may make with a view to showing that the assignment was not made in order to qualify for the receipt of a pension will be duly considered.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can say on what ground Cornelius Curtin, of Knockfierna, Ballingarry, in the county of Limerick, was refused an old age pension; if he is aware of the fact that a statutory declaration was made by two old men in the district before a magistrate that the applicant is over seventy years of age; and whether, as he can get no further proof of his age, the pension in this case will be granted?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on 29th July last. Cornelius Curtin made a further claim in August last, which was disallowed by the local pension sub-committee and also by the Local Government Board on appeal by Curtin on the ground that there was no satisfactory evidence that he had attained the statutory age.

asked what action the Estate Commissioners intend taking in the case of Mr. John Lordan, who was evicted from a holding on the Stawell estate, Kilbrittain, county Cork?

The Estates Commissioners have decided to take no action in this case.

asked the Attorney-General for Ireland whether he can state the circumstances under which the case of the Crown against Andrew Kennedy for an assault upon Mr. Martin O'Dwyer, county councillor, Ballagh, county Tipperary, was withdrawn; whether it is within the knowledge of the peace authorities that this assault was committed; and what steps will now be taken to secure that a proper magisterial investigation is held into the charge against this man Kennedy?

The case of the Crown against Andrew Kennedy was not withdrawn, but was dismissed by the magistrates under the following circumstances. Mr. O'Dwyer, as I am informed, first took proceedings against the man Kennedy for the assault, but when the charge came on at Petty Sessions for investigation on 7th January, 1911, Mr. O'Dwyer's solicitor applied to have the case withdrawn, in order that his client should take a civil action against Kennedy for damages. The magistrates acceded to the application, whereupon the police instituted a criminal prosecution against Kennedy for the assault. On the hearing of the charge at the suit of the police on the 21st January, 1911, the magistrates dismissed the case without prejudice, holding that the police were precluded from prosecuting by the complaint entered by Mr. O'Dwyer. It would appear to be open to Mr. O'Dwyer to take any proceedings as to which he may be advised.

asked the Chief Secretary whether, for the convenience of Members from Ireland, he can now state when he will take the Second Reading of the Irish Labourers Bill?

I should be glad to get the Bill through its Second Reading any night, and have made numerous attempts to do so, but without success, owing to opposition. As I have already pointed out, a financial resolution will be necessary before the Bill goes into Committee, and this will afford an opportunity for a statement with regard to the objects of the Bill, which, however, are already known.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can state what sum was spent on the administration of the Greenwich Hospital funds for the year 1909–10; what proportion it bore to the expenditure on actual pensions; and whether the payment of pensions to officers and to widows is authorised under the scheme?

The cost of administration at the Admiralty for the year 1909–10 was £4,079 10s., or somewhat less than 3 per cent. of the actual expenditure on pensions—£137,488 15s. 11d. The payment of pensions to officers is authorised by the Greenwich Hospital Act of 1865 (Act 28 and 29 Vict., c. 89), and of pensions to widows by the Greenwich Hospital Act of 1883 (46 and 47 Vict., c. 32).

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty when he will announce a decision regarding the recommendations of the Committee appointed to inquire into the Department of the Accountant-General of the Navy on the 2nd January, 1909.

The matter is now under the review of the Board of Treasury who, I am given to understand, are considering it with reference to certain administration questions affecting other Departments of State. The Report was confidential, but the decisions to be taken on its recommendations will, I trust, not be long delayed.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if the Board of Admiralty have received representations from the Devon-port Dockyard Sailmakers' Association in regard to their wages, and if it is proposed to give the sailmakers an increase of wages; and are the sailmakers in the employment of private firms executing Government contracts getting on an average 5s. a week more than the sailmakers employed in His Majesty's dockyard?

Representations have been received, and are still under consideration, in connection with the annual petitions from dockyard employés. The Admiralty is not in possession of sufficiently complete information as to the wages paid by contractors to give a positive answer to the latter part of the hon. Member's question, but it is not anticipated that the answer would be in the affirmative.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state the expenditure on new naval construction and armaments by the United Kingdom and Germany, respectively, in each year since 1890?

Expenditure on new naval construction and armaments in each year since 1890:—

	United kingdom.	Germany.
	£	£
1890–91	3,272,851	1,844,712
	3,208,695*
1891–92	3,352,035	1,734,900
	2,960,487*
1892–93	2,916,712	1,412,935
	2,066,677*
1893–94	2,833,707	1,363,945
	1,030,129*
1894–95	5,039,945	972,930
	62,128*
1895–96	6,787,980	1,062,535
1896–97	8,658,566	1,252,340
1897–98	6,762,789	2,454,400
1898–99	8,068,725	2,565,600
1899–00	9,297,356	2,832,750
1900–01	10,025,551	3,401,907
1901–02	10,332,780	4,653,423
1902–03	9,782,217	4,662,769
1903–04	12,398,133	4,388,748
1904–05	12,964,419	4,275,489
1905–06	11,368,744	4,720,206
1906–07	10,486,397	5,167,319
1907–08	849,589	5,910,959
1908–09	8,521,930	7,795,499
1909–10	11,076,551	10,177,062
1910–11	14,741,474	11,392,856
(Probable expenditure.)
1911–12	17,559,685	11,715,752
(Estimated expenditure.)
* Expenditure met out of Naval and Imperial Defence Acts, 1888 and 1889.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the Church Lads' Brigade is now recognised by the War Office; and what conditions of such recognition have been agreed to by the Church Lads' Brigade?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any organisations for boys other than Cadet Corps are now recognised by the War Office; and, if so, the nature of the conditions they have agreed to, and the privileges to which they will be entitled?

I will reply at the same time to Question No. 105 which apparently refers to the same subject. The Church Lads' Brigade as a whole has not yet received official recognition, but the governing body of that organisation has informed the War Office that a large majority of their units desire to be recognised. Subject to the provisional Cadet Regulations issued in May, 1910, the conditions of recognition are determined by the county associations concerned, but there is no reason to suppose that any conditions would be laid down which could not be accepted by organisations like the Church Lads' Brigade.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether labourers employed in the Ordnance Department at Colchester only receive 17s. 6d. per week; and whether the case of these men has received or will receive the consideration of the Advisory Board?

The question of the minimum wage at Colchester is under consideration as part of the general question of increases in the minimum wage.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider the possibility of sending representative detachments of the Welsh regiments to be present at the investiture of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales at Carnarvon on 13th July, 1911?

The question is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for War if his attention has been drawn to the stagnation of promotion in the junior ranks of the Royal Garrison Artillery; and, if so, what steps does he propose taking to relieve matters, so that the period of service in the ranks of second lieutenant and lieutenant in the Royal Garrison Artillery should be nearer the average length obtaining in the other branches of His Majesty's Service?

As regards the first part of the question, promotion has now recommenced in the Garrison Artillery. As regards the second part of the question, the periods of service in the ranks of second lieutenants and lieutenants in the Field and Garrison Artillery are almost the same, and are considerably shorter than in several regiments of Infantry of the Line. No steps in the direction suggested therefore appear necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the firm of Boulton and Paul, of Norwich, who are carrying out certain work for the War Department, do not pay the standard rate of wage to their employés, and that they work longer hours than those agreed to by other employers in the district; and whether, under those circumstances, he will take steps to compel this firm to observe the conditions of the Fair-Wages Resolution?

So far as can be traced this firm does not at present hold any War Office contract, although it is possible that they may have received some small local order. If the hon. Member can give me particulars of the work to which he alludes, and of any infringement of the Fair Wages Clause in connecton with such work, I will have further inquiry made.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the rates of pay of naval officers are quoted in the Navy List; and whether he can see his way to having the rates of pay of military officers quoted in the Army List?

I am afraid that considerations of space alone render the proposal impracticable. The information mentioned is given in the quarterly edition of the monthly Navy List, which runs to about 1,000 pages. The quarterly edition of the monthly Army List already reaches to 1,234 pages, and I do not think it is practicable to add to the considerable number of additional pages which this proposal would involve.

asked the Secretary of State for War, with reference to his statement in the Memorandum relating to the Army Estimates, 1911–12, that commanders of mounted and infantry brigades of the Territorial Force will, as a rule, henceforward be Regular officers of the rank of colonel or lieutenant-colonel, appointed from the half-pay list, but that Territorial officers and Regular officers on retired pay will continue to be eligible, will he state how many of the officers who now hold these appointments complete their tenure of them on 1st June next, and of them how many are Territorial officers and Regular officers on retired pay, respectively; how many have applied for the extension of their period of command under paragraph 60 of the Regulations for the Territorial Force, and in how many cases will such extensions be granted; and, of fresh appointments to be made, how many will be filled by Regular officers on the half-past list, by Regular officers on retired pay, and by Territorial officers respectively?

Twelve commanders of Territorial Force Brigades complete their tenure on the 31st May, of whom three are Volunteer officers, eight are ex-Regulars on retired pay, and one is a Regular officer on the Active List. Five of these officers have applied for extensions, but it has been decided to refuse them, as it is proposed to appoint Regular officers from the half-pay list to all these vacancies.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many of the recommendations of the 1901 Committee on the reorganisation of the War Office have been carried into effect?

The recommendations of this Committee were carried into effect almost in their entirety. Many of them, however, were subsequently superseded by the recommendations of the 1904 Committee on the reconstitution of the War Office presided over by Lord Esher.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any opportunity will be available for discussing the case of Colonel Waldron and the petition presented by him to the Secretary of State?

The question can be raised when the Vote for my salary is under discussion.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether all the reports furnished by the various officers consulted with reference to the qualifications of Colonel Waldron for promotion to the rank of general have been furnished to that officer?

Under the King's Regulations, the yearly confidential or other official reports on an officer, if adverse, have to be communicated to him verbatim; but when the question of an officer's fitness for promotion by selection to higher rank comes before the Selection Board, the Board is guided not only by the official reports, but also by the personal knowledge which the members of the Board may possess of his qualifications for employment in a higher grade. Mere seniority gives no claim to promotion, the rule being to select for advancement the fittest officers for the appointments tenable by them if promoted. Sir Neville Lyttelton is understood to have consulted Lieutenant-General Parsons privately about General Waldron, who afterwards appears to have become acquainted with the correspondence; but this private communication was not of a nature to prejudice the Board against General Waldron. I may add that no officers were consulted by the Selection Board, nor were any reports placed before the Board other than the Annual Confidential Reports and the correspondence above referred to.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many inspectors of elementary and secondary schools respectively have been appointed by the Board in each of the last five years; and how many of those appointed had had a practical teaching experience of at least ten years in the type of school they were called upon to inspect?

It is now the practice of the Board to appoint inspectors of elementary schools in the first instance to the grade of junior inspector. It is contrary to the accepted practice of the Board to appoint junior inspectors over the age of thirty-five. This practice is only departed from on rare occasions, when it is desired to secure the services of a particular candidate with special qualifications. In view of the normal age of appointment (which is certainly under thirty) it will be obvious that a junior inspector cannot, as a rule, at the time of his appointment have had so much as ten years' experience of teaching in any school. During the past five years the following appointments of junior inspectors have been made:—

Year of Appointment.		Number of Appointments.	Number having experience in teaching in Elementary Schools.	Number having 10 years' experience in teaching in Elementary Schools.
1906	…	1	—	—
1907	…	1	1	—
1908	…	7	2	1
1909	…	8	2	—
1910	…	17	12	2
Total		34	17	3

In the present year five junior inspectors have been appointed. Three of them had experience of teaching in elementary schools spread, in the case of one of them, over ten years. During the same period thirty-live appointments have been made to the full rank of His Majesty's inspector of elementary schools. With one exception these appointments have been made by promotion of junior inspectors or sub-inspectors already in the service of the Board. It is not possible to say precisely how many years' experience of teaching in public elementary schools each of them had had, but in the case of eleven of them who were formerly sub-inspectors I may point out that they were required under the Regulations governing their appointments to be certificated teachers employed in a public elementary school or training college or a central class for the instruction of pupil teachers, and to have received their parchment certificate. The one full inspector appointed otherwise than by promotion had had more than ten years' experience of teaching in public elementary schools. The following statement shows the number appointed in each of the past five years, and the number of them who had had practical experience in teaching in elementary schools:—

Year of Appointment.	Number of Appointments.	Number having experience in teaching in Elementary Schools.
1906	5	1
1907	8	5
1908	6	2
1909	5	4
1910	10	7
Total	34	19

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he has yet received a reply from the Government of India as to whether on the North-Western State Railway in India 10,000 screw couplings are now required, at an estimated cost of £13,000, to replace one year's breakages; whether the breakages of screw couplings and draw gear constitute one of the largest sources of accident and damage to rolling stock on this railway; whether the cost of repairs and renewals of coaching and goods stock on this railway, during the year 1909, amounted to approximately £145,000; whether at least 30 per cent., or £43,500 of this amount, is due to failures of the existing system of draw gear; whether the locomotive, carriage, and waggon superintendents were unanimously of the opinion at their last conference that the present system of side buffers and screw couplings was obsolete and of inadequate strength for modern requirements, and that the only means of remedying this was to adopt an automatic-buffer coupler; and whether the annual sum which would be saved, by eleminating the present breakages of couplings alone, would pay at least 4 per cent. on the capital cost of the adoption of an efficient automatic coupler?

As I stated, in reply to a similar question in July last, the matter is within the competence of the Railway Board, whose attention was then drawn to it. I have nothing to add except that an order has been received from the North-Western State Railway, and is under execution, for ninety sets of a central buffer coupling for trial.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether recent corrsepondence with the Indian Government has thrown any fresh light on the question of cotton-growing in India; and whether, in view of the fact that only an infinitesimal proportion of the large Indian export comes to or is suitable for British manufacturers and use, he will, in the interests alike of Indian agriculture and the British cotton trade, cause expert investigation to be made in order to ascertain whether finer grades can now be grown, as there are indications that in bygone days the finest grades were grown in India?

The latest information on the subject which the Secretary of State has received is to the effect that the deterioration in the quality of Indian cotton is due to admixture of seed, defective and careless cultivation, and a constant and profitable foreign demand for short-stapled cotton. Expert investigations have for some time past been made by the Agricultural Department of the several provinces, and measures are being taken by the selection of seed, and the establishment of seed farms, to improve the indigenous species and to encourage the cultivators to improve their methods. The Secretary of State is in correspondence with the Government of India as to the possibility of enlarging and extending these experiments.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India, whether he can state approximately what was the average price per pound actually obtained by Indian growers for their cotton produce in, each year separately for the five years. 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, and 1910?

My hon. Friend will perhaps be content with the average price of raw cotton at each of three typical marts in India in 1906, 1907, 1908, and 1909. The marts taken are in Bombay, Central Provinces, and Berar respectively.In 1906, the average prices were 3.9 pence, 4 pence, and 3.7 pence.In 1907, 3.8 pence, 4.3 pence, and 3.5 pence.In 1908, 3.4 pence, 4.6 pence, 3.7 pence.In 1909, 4.2 pence, 4.3 pence, 4.1 pence.Figures for 1910 are not available.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India what was the number of cases in which a capital sentence was carried out in each province in India during the last two years for which figures are available?

The statistics are as follows:—

Province or Administration.	1908.		1909.
Bengal	20	…	13
Madras	53	…	35
Bombay	59	…	79
United Provinces:
North-Western Provinces	91	…	82
Oudh	70	…	42
Punjab	59	…	103
Central Provinces	39	…	33
Burma	82	…	80
Eastern Bengal and Assam	11	…	15
North-Western Frontier Province	10	…	26
Coorg	0	…	0
The Andamans	5	…	7

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he would state in connection with the constitutional affairs of Malta, when, and under what circumstances, was the present constitution granted; in how many ways have the Maltese protested against the present constitution; for how many years was the abstention policy followed by the elected members; by whom was the government of the island carried on during the periods of abstention; whether His Majesty's Government consider legislative decisions arrived at in the absence of one of the constituent elements of the constitution to have the effect of law; how many protests have been lodged with the Government by the elected members, by members of constituted bodies, and private individuals in the island against the constitution; how many resignations of elected members have taken place since the present constitution has been in force; under what conditions have the newly-elected members proposed to take their seats; whether any despatch was sent to the Governor by the Home Government; if so, what date does it bear; how many of the candidates standing at the recent election were in favour of constitutional reform and against reform, respectively; what were the results of the elections in relation to the question of reform or otherwise; whether any promise was made by the Colonial Office that the question would be reconsidered; when the new Lieutenant Governor will take office; what instructions will be given to him relative to the constitutional question; and whether any visits, and, if so, how many and what were the respective dates, have been paid to the Colonial Office by the elected members on the subject of the Constitution?

With reference to the first two paragraphs of my hon. Friend's question I would refer him to the Parliamentary Papers on the political condition of Malta numbered 715, 1660, 2023, and 5217. The abstention policy was followed by the elected members from 1904 until 1907—and the Government was carried on, as usual, during that period with the advice of the executive council, and, in matters of legislation, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council. Under Section 46 of the Order in Council of 3rd June, 1903 the Legislative Council is not disqualified for the transaction of business by reason of any vacancies among the members, provided that six members at least besides the president are present. The accounts of the protests against the existing Constitution and the resignations of the elected members may be conveniently read in the last two Parliamentary Papers to which I have alluded. Since the date of the last published correspondence all the elected members but one have resigned (two of them twice), and the seven vacancies were filled in February by the election of members, all but one of whom are new to the Council of Government. I am not aware that the newly-elected members have communicated their intentions to the local Government. My hon. Friend's reference to a despatch from the Home Government is not sufficiently precise to enable me to answer it. As far as I know, all the candidates at the recent election advocated constitutional changes. No promise has been made by the present or the previous Secretary of State that the question of constitutional change will be reconsidered. The new Lieutenant-Governor will assume office in the course of the summer—but no exact date can be fixed. It is not usual to issue instructions to the Lieutenant-Governor, who is strictly subordinate to the Governor, and none will be issued to Major Clauson. Two of the elected members, Mr. Azzopardi and Mr. Mattei, had an interview with my right hon. Friend's predecessor in August, 1909, and since then these gentlemen have been received informally by myself, but no records have been kept of the dates of those interviews.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he has received a resolution from the Bucklow board of guardians respecting the Local Government Board's new Poor Law Order; and, if so, whether he proposes to take the action which the guardians desire?

I have received a letter from the Bucklow board of guardians suggesting that the proposed Order should not be issued until boards of guardians had had time and full opportunity of considering it and making representations with respect to any point on which in their opinion amendment might be desirable. I have already explained that it has not been my intention to take any action on the Report of the Departmental Committee until sufficient time has been afforded for consideration of the Report by the Poor Law authorities.

asked whether attention has been drawn to the statement recently made at a demonstration of transport workers at Hull to the effect that sailors and firemen of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, and the Atlantic coast of America and Great Britain, had already decided on a day when they would strike work; and whether, in view of the fact that five-sixths of our food supply comes from beyond the seas, steps will be taken to prevent a shortage, in view of its effect on the food supplies of the poor of the United Kingdom?

I have seen the statement referred to. I do not propose, as at present advised, to take any special steps in the matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the districts in which the provisions of the Trade Boards Act are in operation, the trades affected, and the results, so far as can be ascertained?

Trade Boards under the Act have been established for ready-made and wholesale bespoke tailoring, for paper box-making, for hammered and dollied or tommied chain-making, and for machine-made lace and fancy-net finishing. The Tailoring and Box-making Boards cover the whole of Great Britain, and, in accordance with the provisions of the Act separate Boards for these trades are being established in Ireland. Neither of these two Boards have yet fixed a minimum rate of wages. The Board for lace finishing, which is practically confined to Nottingham, has given notice of rates proposed to be fixed. In the chain-making trade alone, which is centred in the Cradley Heath district, rates have been fixed, but it is at present much too early to make any statement as to the effect of the Act in this trade.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the reason why, in the prices of bread, wheat and flour given in the "Labour Gazette" for February for twenty-seven of the principal towns, the city of Sheffield is not included; and whether he will give directions that it be included in future issues?

The object of the table referred to is to give the price at which the bulk of the bread consumed is obtained, and as it is customary in Sheffield for most of the bread consumed there to be made at home, any shop prices quoted would probably relate to special qualities of bread, and such prices would not be comparable with those for towns in which bread is more generally bought.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will show for each of the past ten years the percentage unemployed among carpenters and joiners, and the value of wooden house-frames and joiners' work imported into the United Kingdom; and if the figures show that in those years when the import of foreign joinery has been large the unemployment amongst British joiners has been small, and vice-versâ how the Board accounts for this state of things?

The following table gives the figures asked for by my hon. Friend:—Table showing the value of wooden house frames, fittings, and joiners' work imported into the United Kingdom, and the percentage unemployed among Trade Union carpenters and joiners in the United Kingdom, in each of the years 1900–1910.

Year.		Value of Imported Joinery.	Percentage returned as Unemployed among Carpenters and Joiners
		£	Per cent.
1900	…	1,195,314	2.2
1901	…	1,153,759	3.3
1902	…	1,145,154	3.8
1903	…	469,227	4.5
1904	…	332,627	7.3
1905	…	317,288	8.0
1906	…	272,949	6.9
1907	…	224,596	7.2
1908	…	209,632	11.3
1909	…	185,487	11.5
1910	…	205,428	8.2

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the total values of exports from the United Kingdom to Germany and Australasia respectively?

The following statement shows the declared values of the exports in 1910 from the United Kingdom to Germany, Australia and New Zealand:—

Country to which Exported.	Exports of United Kingdom Produce.	Exports of Foreign and Colonial Produce	Total Exports.
	£	£	£
To Germany	36,922,000	17,943,000	54,865,000
To Australian Common-wealth	27,631,000	3,412,000	31,043,000
To New Zealand	8,629,000	751,000	9,380,000

asked if the President of the Board of Trade (1) will state the average annual value of imports for home consumption, total imports, exports of British produce, and total exports, including re-exports, respectively, for the quinquennial periods of 1901–5 and 1906–10; and (2) average annual value of imports of manufactured goods for home consumption; total imports of manufactured goods; export of British manufactured goods; export total, including re-exports of manufactured goods, respectively, for the quinquennial periods of 1901–5 and 1906–10?

The following statement gives the information desired:—

Import and Export Trade of the United Kingdom.
I.—All Articles.
—	Annual Average, 1901–5.	Annual Average, 1906–10.
	£	£
Imports for Home Consumption (i.e., Total Imports less Re-Exports)	471,545,000	539,601,000
Total Imports	541,808,000	629,959,000
Exports of British Produce	296,955,000	397,497,000
Total Exports (including Re-Exports)	367,218,000	487,855,000

II.—Articles wholly or mainly manufactured.
—	Annual Average, 1901–5.	Annual Average, 1906–10.
	£	£
Imports for Home Consumption (i.e., Total Imports less Re-Exports)	115,695,000	126,094,000
Total Imports	135,442,000	151,740,000
Exports of British Produce	239,335,000	316,936,000
Total Exports (including Re-Exports)	259,082,000	342,582,000

asked the President of the Board of Trade, whether he is aware that among the confidential information recently circulated to traders by the Board of Trade was a statement that tenders had been locally called for in South Africa for certain fencing material, and that full information relating to the same could be obtained from the High Commissioner; and that the same confidential document stated that Sir Richard Solomon had not yet received information on the subject; and whether he can take steps to ensure that in future the same document shall not contain statements contradictory of one another?

The following is the circular referred to:—Commercial Intelligence Branch, Board of Trade, 73, Basinghall Street, London, E.C., 20th January, 1911.Tenders for Fencing Material for South Africa.Gentlemen,—I beg to state for your information, but not for publication, that His Majesty's Trade Commissioner for South Africa (Mr. R. Sothern Holland) telegraphs:—"Tenders are being advertised for a large quantity of fencing material for Department of Agriculture, tenders are due on 22nd February, High Commissioners can give you all information."I am informed by the High Commissioner for the Union of South Africa (72, Victoria Street, London, S. W.) that he has not yet received information regarding this competition, but that particulars may possibly be received by the next mail (on Monday next).—I am, Gentlemen, your obedient servant,(Signed)Thos. Worthington.

asked whether any regulations have been made, or whether it is proposed to frame regulations, to control the expenditure of money for assisting unemployed labourers to emigrate?

The question of the relation of Labour Exchanges to the Dominions will be, as I have already stated, discussed at the forthcoming Imperial Conference.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is now able to state what the arrangements are for taking men on by the shipping companies at the various London docks; and if men are now engaged for short periods of only one and two hours duration?

The usual arrangements for taking on men at the London Docks are as follows:—"The principal times of 'call' are at seven and eight a.m., and after the dinner hour at one p.m. Additional calls are made, if necessary, at nine and ten a.m., and the Port of London Authority occasionally take on men for special short engagements at two or three p.m. Where no minimum period of employment is recognised, employers are in the habit of taking on men at all hours of the day, as it suits their convenience. The Stevedores' Society stipulates for five times of calling only—namely, at 6.45 a.m., 7.45 a.m. (for discharging only), 8.45 a.m., 12.45 and 5.45 p.m. Afternoon calls for men starting work after the tea hour or later are made at five and six p.m.; but these are not frequent, and due notice of the call is usually given beforehand." The usual minimum period of employment is four hours. Cases in which men are taken on for shorter periods are believed to be exceptional. A minimum sum of 2s. is paid even for shorter periods than four hours.

asked the Postmaster-General what methods were adopted in selecting the sorting clerks and telegraphists nominated by the postmaster at Manchester for service on the secretary's special event staff for the current year; whether the fact that the junior candidate selected was known to be a non-unionist was taken into favourable consideration when the selection was made; and whether, the man thus retained will be required to retire, in accordance with the agreement subsisting between the department and the staff, at the end of the current year?

The normal period of service on the special staff is five years, and six of the Manchester officers completed that period in December last; but as only two will complete their five years next December, it was deemed advisable, in order to equalise the retirements, to retain two of the six another year. The selections for retention were made solely on the ground of suitability for the work. It appears that one of the two was a member of the Telegraph Clerks' Association and the other not; but the selections were authorised without knowledge of this. Both officers will retire from the special staff at the end of the year.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he will state the general lines of the scheme of afforestation which has been submitted by the Board to the Treasury to be laid before the Development Commissioners?

Communications on this subject are passing between the Commissioners and the Board, and no general statement respecting it can at present be conveniently made.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture in how many cases the Commissioners of the Board have found it necessary to take action in supplying the demand for small holdings in counties where the county councils have refused to do so; and whether the non-interference in all other cases is due to the fact that the Board is satisfied with the way in which the county councils have administered the Act?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on the 14th instant. In the case of one county council and one county borough schemes have been prepared by the Commissioners for the provision of Small Holdings, and the Board have made orders directing the Commissioners to carry the schemes into effect. The Board are satisfied, on the whole, with the administration of the Acts by the county councils, with some few exceptions. The Board are in constant touch with the councils, and will not fail to take whatever action seems best adapted to ensure the proper administration of the Act.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the extensive duties which devolve upon the Small Holding Commissioners under the Act, and in view of the fact that there is so much demand for their services in different parts of the country, the Board will consider the advisability of adding to their number?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether valuation fees are only repayable to small holdings committees if they have been actually paid to land valuers or to the county council land agent, and not if they were included in the agent's salary; and, if so, whether, in view of the desirability of giving the agent a fixed salary, he will agree to repay these fees according to scale, even though they are only earned as part of the agent's salary?

The answer to the first part is in the affirmative. If an agent is paid a fixed salary the Board have no power to repay more than such part of his salary as is proportionate to the amount of time spent on work in relation to the acquisition of land.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture how many small holdings of fifty acres and under there are now in England and Wales; how many there were in 1907; and how many have been constituted under the Small Holdings Act, 1908?

In 1910 the number was 288,802, and in 1907 289,093. The number of small holdings actually established under the Act on 31st December, 1910, was 5,605.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether, in order to meet the requirements of approved applicants who are waiting for small holdings, he will consider the question of the acquisition of glebe lands for the purpose?

The Board issued a circular to county councils on 16th May, 1908, calling their attention to the desirability of acquiring glebe lands. They have also made rules providing that in all cases of the sale of glebe under the Glebe Lands Act, 1888, notice of the sale must be given by the incumbent to the county council.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether the quantity of land acquired or agreed to be acquired (referred to in Column 4 of the Table supplied on 13th March, 1911), is the total land acquired or agreed to be acquired for small holdings up to 31st December, 1910, under the Small Holdings Act, 1908, since the Act came into operation?

The answer is in the affirmative.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether the officers of the Board who investigated the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease at Chobham, Surrey, made any inquiries with the view of ascertaining if such outbreak was due to the use of contaminated vaccine lymph or other sera; whether the order to which reference was made in the Board's Annual Report for 1909, bringing all experimental inoculations of animals with the living virus of certain highly dangerous diseases under the effective control of the Board, has been prepared; and, if so, when will it be issued?

Such inquiries were made, but no evidence was obtained indicating that the outbreak was in any way due to contaminated vaccine lymph or sera. The question of the issue of an Order of the character referred to is still under consideration.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that in many districts the regulations of the Board in reference to sheep dipping, with a view to the prevention of sheep scab, are rendered superfluous and ineffective owing to the ignorance or carelessness of the police constable who supervises the process of dipping; and whether, in order to reduce the prevalence of this disease and so enable the stringency of the present regulations to be relaxed, the Board will appoint competent and experienced inspectors to undertake this work?

The administration of the sheep dipping order rests with the local authorities, and it is open to them to appoint special inspectors to carry out this duty if they think fit to do so. I may say, however, that the superivsion at present exercised by the police is, generally speaking, of a very satisfactory character.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that inconvenience is caused by the present sheep-scab regulations to flock owners in a non-infected area where the only sheep market of the district is just within the boundary of a large adjoining scheduled area; and whether the Board will consider whether the spread of sheep-scab would be as effectively checked without the present inconvenience if, except in districts where mountain sheep capable of jumping fences are kept, the scheduled area were in each case limited to a radius of five or six miles round the site of the outbreak of the disease?

If the hon. Member is referring in the first part of his question to the Board's Sheep Dipping Orders, certain difficulties arise as regards the exposure of sheep in markets adjoining dipping areas during those short periods of the year in which compulsory dipping orders operate. These difficulties cannot, however, be avoided if compulsory dipping is to be carried out effectively. The answer to the last part is that the Board do not see their way to carry out the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Lord Advocate whether the Coast Erosion Committee have yet published their Report; and, if so, whether, in view of the expense incurred by the Committee, anything which they have advised will be done in the near future?

My right hon. and learned Friend has requested me to reply to this question. The Royal Commission on Coast Erosion have not yet presented their Report, but I understand that they anticipate being in a position to do so within the next few weeks.