asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state when the last promotion from the minor staff officer lass to a junior clerkship was made in the Customs Statistical Office; how many new class assistant clerks were at that time serving in the Statistical Office who had refused nominations for promotion to port clerkships; and, in view of the fact that an assistant clerk who is offered a nomination for port clerkship is stated to have capacity to perform work of a different and higher type than minor staff officers, will he state why the last vacancy for a junior clerk was filled by promotion from the minor staff officer class, having regard to the number of assistant clerks of exceptional merit who had refused promotion to port clerkships?

The last promotion from the minor staff officer class to a junior clerkship in the Statistical Office was made in November, 1910. Four new class assistant clerks who had refused promotion to port clerkships outside were then serving in the office. The qualifications for promotion to higher positions in the Statistical Office cannot be properly compared with the qualifications for promotion to the general service outside, because the whole character and conditions of the work are different.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, having regard to the fact that the new system of valuation for licensed premises in Scotland has been promised for some time and is still under consideration, he will agree that the annual licence value should in the meantime be calculated on the amount of liquor taken into the premises for consumption during the year?

I must refer the hon. Member to an answer which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave to the hon. Member for Wandsworth on 7th March, to the effect that he could not propose any alterations of the principles upon which the Liquor Licence Duties are based until the process of ascertaining annual licence values in accordance with the method prescribed in Sub-section 2 of Section 44 of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, is completed. That system was strongly urged upon him, and he adopted it, after full consideration and discussion, in preference to the alternative system suggested in the question.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, if he can state in what manner and under what statute he proposes to proceed to prevent the importation of cardboard tokens in imitation of coins?

The Board of Customs and Excise are being instructed to stop the importation of these "imitation coins" under the provisions of the Revenue Act, 1889, Section (2).

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Development Commissioners, whether that Department have yet considered the advisability of making a grant from the Development Fund to improve the canal communication from the Weaver Navigation to Stoke-upon-Trent, as recommended by the Royal Commission on Canals?

No application has yet been received by the Development Commissioners from any source for a grant for this service.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury have yet come to a decision with regard to the question of reckoning, for superannuation purposes, the Army service of ex-Royal Engineers actually rendered to the Post Office; and, if not, whether he can state when a decision upon the subject is likely to be reached?

In the present state of the law, service with the colours cannot be counted as civil service for the purpose of civil superannuation allowance; and I am unable to recommend an amendment of the law in this respect.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, seeing that the deliveries of halfpenny and penny postage stamps by the new contractors between 1st January and 8th March represent less than one day's consumption, and that only about two months' stock of such stamps is now held at Somerset House, instead of six months as heretofore, both he and the Postmaster-General are fully satisfied that, with the deliveries at the present low rate, there will not be in the near future a shortage of supply, which must entail inconvenience to the public and serious dislocation of postal business?

Since the 8th March there has been a large and continuous increase in the deliveries, and there is no reason to fear shortage of supply.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that, according to the report of the Auditor-General, the English Local Government Board have sanctioned the payment of old age pensions to people who surrendered their interests in farms of from forty to fifty acres in order to become eligible under the Act; is it the rule that all such claims are admitted; and, if so, is Section 4 (3) of the Old Age Pensions Act, which is being put in force in Ireland with such rigidness and severity, inoperative in England. Wales, and Scotland; what is the reason for allowing people such as have been quoted by the Auditor-General to obtain a pension, whilst at the same time and under the same law a person who only holds fifteen acres of land in Ireland, and who surrenders it according to the old custom to his or her children in case of marriage, is deprived of the benefits of the Act; and have special instructions been given to the pension officers in Ireland to appeal against the decision of the local committees in all such cases, or was it the intention of those who promoted the scheme that the treatment to be meted out to applicants in Ireland was to be more stringent than to those similarly situated in this country?

The Report to which the hon. Member alludes does not indicate whether the two claims instanced by the Comptroller and Auditor-General were allowed by a local pension committee or by the Local Government Board on appeal; but I infer from the allowance of the second claims that in each instance the claimants satisfied the pension authorities that the provisions of Section 4 (3) of the Old Age Pensions Act did not apply. As regards the second, third, and fourth parts of the question, I can only say that, so far as concerns the estimates of means submitted to pension committees by pension officers, the rule is the same in all parts of the United Kingdom—namely, to apply the provisions of the section when they are applicable, and not to apply them where they are not applicable. The answer to the fifth and sixth parts of the question is in the negative.

asked the Chief Secretary if he will state why Michael McAndrew, of Ballycastle, county Mayo, was deprived of his old age pension?

The particulars furnished are insufficient to enable the Local Government Board to identify the claimant with certainty, but if the hon. Member is referring to Michael McAndrew, of Ratheskin, Kincur, Killala, the claim was disallowed by the Killala pension sub-committee in December, 1908, on the ground that his means exceeded the statutory limit, and the decision of the sub-committee was upheld by the Board on appeal.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether for the financial year 1909–10 there was deducted from the new sinking fund the sum of £2,800,000; and whether, in his estimate of the surplus of the financial year 1909–10 as being £4,300,000, the sum of £2,800,000 is treated as having been returned to the sinking fund before estimating the surplus, or whether that sum is included in the estimated surplus of £4,300,000?

The Fixed Debt charge for the year 1909–10 was put at £24,500,000 by Clause 92 of the Finance Bill, 1909, as passed by the House of Commons in 1909. Owing to the difficulties caused by the rejection of that Bill in the House of Lords, it was found necessary in the Treasury (Temporary Borrowing Powers) Bill, 1910, to enact that the amount of the Fixed Debt charge to be issued in 1909–10 should be limited to the amount required for the annual charges directed by the National Debt and Local Loans Act, 1887, or any other Act, to be paid out of that charge, and the amount required for the redemption of the Exchequer bonds of 1905. Accordingly, the total sum issued was £21,757,661 3s. 9d., a reduction of £2,742,338 16s. 3d. on the figure of £24,500,000 mentioned above. The figure of £4,300,000 given by me on the 20th ultimo as the estimated surplus of revenue over expenditure in respect of the year 1909–10, so far as the revenue attributable to that year can be distinguished from that of 1910–11, is arrived at on the basis of a Fixed Debt charge of £21,757,661 3s. 9d.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that in Scotland and Ireland there has been a greater falling off in the production of spirits than in England, due to the fact that the greater portion of the product is pot-still in Scotland and Ireland, while in England it is almost entirely produced by patent still, the figures being for Scotland 21 per cent., for Ireland 17½ per cent., England being about 11 per cent.; and, if so, whether some change will be made so as to enable the manufacturers of pot-still whisky, which is produced from homegrown grain, to compete with patent spirits, which is principally manufactured from imported stuffs, the production of the latter being further cheapened by the manufacture of yeast in the same process, which is not possible in the manufacture of pot-still whisky?

I am aware of the fact that there was a greater falling off last year in the production of spirits in Scotland and Ireland than in England; but I would point out that a large proportion of the spirits made in England is not used for potable purposes, but is methylated; and as there has been no reduction in the quantity of methylated spirits manufactured, the proportionate decrease in the production of English spirits during the year is naturally smaller than in Scotland and Ireland.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why a married woman residing with her husband is not allowed to recover rebate of Income Tax on her separate property in the case where the joint income of husband and wife does not exceed £160 per annum; but has to depend on her husband to recover the tax and hand it over to her?

I may refer my hon. Friend to the provisions contained in Section 45 of the Income Tax Act, 1842.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he would, in conjunction with the President of the Board of Education, favourably consider the advisability of receiving a representative deputation of the Incorporated Association of Assistant Masters in Secondary Schools, in order to afford an opportunity to the association of placing its views on the questions of salaries, pensions, and registration before them, in view of the fact that these subjects call for administrative and legislative action?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question for him. I have already, in reply to correspondence, intimated my willingness to receive a deputation of the Incorporated Association of Assistant Masters in Secondary Schools. It is improbable that my right hon. Friend will be able himself to be present, but I have undertaken to communicate to him the views of the deputation in so far as they affect his Department.

asked the Chief Secretary what were the dates between 1902 and 1908 on which the required annual conferences were held in the Limerick circuit between one or other of the chief inspectors and the three local inspectors of national schools?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the question asked by the hon. Member for South Wexford on this subject on the 6th instant.

asked the Chief Secretary (1) whether he will state the number of evicted tenants in the Dingle Union whose cases have been inquired into and passed, but who have not yet been provided with land; and whether he proposes to take any steps to hasten the process of reinstatement of those men; and (2) whether he will state the number of applications from evicted tenants under the Evicted Tenants Act, the number inspected, and the number passed as entitled under the Act in the Western Division of county Kerry?

I will answer these two questions together. The statistics of the Estates Commissioners are not kept by unions or by Parliamentary Divisions. I would refer the hon. Member to Table XXVII. of the Appendix to the Report of the Estates Commissioners for the year to 31st March, 1910, which gives particulars of the applications for reinstatement received to that date from evicted tenants in county Kerry, and the manner in which they have been dealt with. The outstanding cases will be proceeded with as rapidly as possible.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland upon what date purchase agreements were lodged with the Estates Commissioners on behalf of tenants on the estate of Colonel Everard, county Meath; what rate of interest is being paid in lieu of rent; whether there is any exceptional delay in completing the sale; and, if so, what is the cause of the delay?

There are two estates belonging to Colonel Everard, in the county Meath, pending before the Estates Commissioners for sale direct to the tenants. The purchase agreements on the first estate were lodged on 2nd January, 1906, and in the second estate on 27th October, 1908, and 26th April, 1909. The tenants are paying interest in lieu of rent at the rate of 3¾ per cent. per annum on the purchase money. The estates have not yet been reached in their order of priority.

asked whether three evicted tenants from Lord Gormans-town's estate were given farms on the M'Cann estate at Brigstown, Ardee, county Meath; if they were allowed a grant to build houses; whether it was expended; whether they have entered into occupation of the farms; and if they are precluded from selling them for a period of time?

Two evicted tenants from the estate of Lord Gormanstown have been given holdings on the estate of T. S. McCann, county Meath, and the holdings were vested in them on 28th February, 1907. They were given free grants in one case for buildings, and the purchase of stock. They signed the usual deed of covenant charging the free grants on the holdings, but providing that if, inter alia, their interest in the holdings was not sold within five years from the date of vesting the charges would then cease.

asked the Chief Secretary (1) whether any sums of money were paid to tenants whose holdings on the Morley or Crookenden and Casey estate, county Cavan, were increased, or who got new farms, and if equal treatment was meted out to all; do the Commissioners consider that any land on this estate is worth 10s. per acre; is he aware that one of the inspectors promised prospective tenants sums of money for repairs to houses, etc., to get the land taken up, and endeavoured in other ways to cause a rivalry amongst the tenants to bid for the ranches; and will he say what is the highest and lowest price per acre now charged to the tenants for the ranches referred to or, if there has been a loss on the transaction, what is the extent of the same; and (2) whether any ranches have been acquired on the estate; how much per acre was paid for Mrs. Carson's land and the other portions acquired, respectively; who negotiated in these transactions; and, if not yet completed, whether he will say what is the present position?

The Estates Commissioners have purchased this estate under Section 6 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, and with a view to relieving congestion are in negotiation, through their inspector, to acquire Mrs. Carson's interest as tenant of some 550 acres on the property for £999. If the Commissioners acquire such interest the lands will be divided up as untenanted land into separate holdings or enlargements, and the Commissioners will ex- pend such sums as they may sanction for buildings, fences, and other purpose. They have not yet acquired possession of the land, and have not therefore expended any money on such improvements. With a view to preparing a scheme for the resale of the lands, if acquired as untenanted, the inspector informed the proposed allottees of the amounts he would be prepared to recommend the Commissioners to expend on improvements, and mentioned the amount which he considered they might give by way of free grants. Certain of these persons have refused to purchase on these terms, and the proceedings have consequently been delayed, and the Commissioners are not in a position at present to give the information asked for in the concluding portion of the question.

asked the Chief Secretary if his attention has been called to Rules 105 (a) and 105 (b) of the National Commissioners of Education providing (hat teachers promoted from a lower to a higher grade receive on promotion the salary fixed for the grade to which they are promoted, and that awards of continued good service salary are made triennially to the teachers of schools with an average attendance of twenty or above when the work done in the school shows merit and the general condition of the school is satisfactory; if he is aware that these rules have been violated in the case of five teachers promoted to first-of-second grade and eight promoted to first-of-first grade in 1909, and thirty-one promoted to first-of-second grade and twelve promoted to first-of-first grade in 1910; and if he will state the amount saved to the Treasury in each year respectively by this departure from the rules of the Commissioners?

I am aware of the rules referred to. The Commissioners of National Education inform me that it would take considerable time to determine the amount withheld from the teachers in consequence of the limitation of numbers in the higher grades.

asked the Chief Secretary, whether he is aware that, recently, the sergeant of police at Broadford, in the county of Limerick, forbade the publicans there to give drink to travellers when attending hurling and football matches or funerals, and that a couple of Sundays ago they were not allowed to supply any drink, though persons travelled over three miles to a hurling match there; whether, if this be denied by the sergeant, he will direct a local inquiry into the matter so that the publicans may get an opportunity of vouching for its accuracy, or take any other steps that he may think necessary?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a similar question asked on the 16th instant by the hon. Member for North Cork.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that on the 3rd July, 1907, Mr. P. J. Ahern gave evidence relative to the congestion prevalent in Glensharrold rural district before the Royal Commission on Congestion sitting on that date at Listowel; and whether, having regard to the nature of such testimony and the poverty-stricken condition of the bulk of the Glensharrold tenantry, who are only small holders, the Congested Districts Board will give effect to Mr. Ahern's evidence by acquiring the property and scheduling it as a congested area?

The petition referred to does not appear to have been received by either the Congested Districts Board or the Estates Commissioners. The estate referred to is not pending for sale under the Land Purchase Acts before the Estates; Commissioners. The lands are situate in a county in respect of which the Congested Districts Board have not any powers, and they cannot, therefore, acquire the property. They have no power to make any addition to the congested district counties.

asked the Chief Secretary whether any action has been recently taken by the Fermoy Rural District Council to compel contractors for labourers' cottages to fulfil the terms of their bonds as to the time within which contracts should be completed; whether he is aware that three years frequently elapse before cottages are built after contract has been taken, when the time allowed by the district council is six months; and will the Local Government Board take any steps to prevent delay of this kind in future, and to insist that present contracts shall be more diligently performed?

The building of a large number of cottages in a particular rural district often involves delay, and where such delay seems avoidable the practice of the Local Government Board is to urge the council concerned to impose upon dilatory contractors the penalties provided for in their bonds. The first batch of tenders for the erection of cottages authorised under the Fermoy Rural District Labourers (Unopposed) Order, 1908, was only accepted in February, 1909, so that three years have not yet elapsed in a single case since the contract was entered into. The period specified in the contracts for building cottages in this district is six months as stated, and on 4th February last the council resolved that contractors for the erection of labourers cottages who are not making satisfactory progress with their contracts are to be fined in accordance with the terms and conditions of such contracts.

asked the Attorney-General for Ireland whether he is aware that off-wine licences are held by a number of persons in Ireland trading as chemists or druggists, and that their premises are subject to the licensing laws in regard to hours of opening and closing; that some of these off-wine licence holders open their premises and keep them open during prohibited hours; and, if so, whether he will give people engaged in the licensed trade similar privileges?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the late Attorney-General to a similar question on 4th June, 1907.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether a Commission has been, or is still, sitting to inquire into the organisation of the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors; what was the scope of the inquiry; whether the Commission considered the position of apprentices in the engineer manager's department, and whether the Commission has reported; and, if so, whether their Report will be published?

A Committee is now inquiring into the organisation of the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors and certain cognate subjects, including the question of the prospects of the apprentices in the engineering department. The Committee has not yet presented its report, and, therefore, I am not in a position to answer the last part of the hon. Gentleman's question.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that, except under very early and preferred promotion, chief ships' cooks in the Royal Navy cannot reach the maximum rate of pay allowed by the Service; whether he will consider the advisability of so amending their scale of pay as to place them on a level in this respect with other similar ratings; whether chief ships' cooks are now employed as instructors; if so, what payment is made them for the extra work; and, if no payment is made, will he consider the question of making some payment for this kind of work?

Prior to 1908 the scale of pay of a chief ship's cook was 3s. a day, rising after three years' service to 3s. 6d. a day. In that year, on the recommendation of a committee which inquired into cookery arrangements of the Fleet, the scale of pay for cook ratings was improved, the pay of a chief ship's cook being raised to 3s. 6d. a day, proceeding by triennial increments of 3d. a day to a maximum of 4s. 6d. a day. It is probable that the highest rate of the scale can only be obtained by chief ship's cooks who have received early promotion or who may be specially permitted to remain in the Active Service after completing time for pension, but this is not regarded as affording any reason for again altering the scale of pay which was adopted after careful consideration. As in the case of other naval ratings, certain chief ship's cooks and ship's cooks are employed in giving instruction in technical knowledge, which they have themselves acquired in the Service. This is part of their ordinary duty, and it is not contemplated to grant extra pay to them on this account.

asked whether cold storage for the men's food is provided upon any battleships and cruisers; and, if so upon which of them?

Cold storage has already been provided in twenty-five battleships and twenty-six cruisers. The battleships are: Eight "Dreadnoughts," two "Lord Nelsons," "Swiftsure," "Triumph," six "Formidables," six of the "Canopus" class, and the "King Edward VII." The cruisers are: Four "Invincibles," three "Minotaurs," six "Cressys," eight "Diadems," three "Highflyers," and two "Powerfuls." Cold storage is also being provided in the battleships and first-class cruisers under construction.

asked what have been the programmes of battleships and "Invincibles" from 1900 to the latest available date for Great Britain, Germany, the United States, France, Austria, Italy, and Japan, giving the totals for each nation?

The information requested is as follows:—

Battleships. "Invincibles."
Great Britain, to the 31st March, 1912	34*	…	…	8
Germany, to the 31st March, 1912	28	…	…	5
United States, to the 30th June, 1912	23	…	…	—
France, to the 31st December, 1911	16	…	…	—
Austro-Hungary, to the 31st December, 1911	11	…	…	—
Italy, to the 30th June, 1911	8	…	…	—
Japan, to the 31st March, 1911	6	…	…	1
*Exclusive of two purchased in 1903–4 whilst building from the Chilian Government.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the suffering caused in Woolwich, owing to the removal of the torpedo factory to Greenock, by the discharge of all the men who are unable to move to Greenock, and of the fact that the only chance of giving these men employment depends upon the amount of work allocated by the Admiralty to the ordnance factories in the coming financial year, he will guarantee to place such orders with the factories as will enable the men now thrown on the streets to be offered employment?

No men have been discharged who have not been given the option of transfer to Greenock, except those who were entered on a purely temporary engagement since last June. Every endeavour is being made to give preferential treatment in finding Government employment for those men who have claims through length of service under the Crown. It would not be practicable to adjust the orders for ordnance work required for the Navy in the manner suggested by my hon. Friend.

asked whether the Admiralty have bought or feued any land at Greenock for housing the men working at the new torpedo factory; if so, what price was paid and for how many acres; and, if not, has the local authority bought land and put up houses for a similar purpose?

The answer to the first part of my hon. Friend's question is in the negative. With regard to the last part the local authority has not, so far as the Admiralty are aware, bought any land for this purpose, but the Scottish Garden Suburb Company have acquired certain land at Gourock, about half a mile west of the torpedo factory, and are erecting workmen's cottages. A certain number of these cottages are being built in accordance with plans approved by the Admiralty.

asked the Secretary for War whether the Army Council will reconsider their reply to Lieutenant A. B. James, late of the Kaffrarian Rifles, Cape Colony, as embodied in their letter, O 79/J/423 (F.2), of the 8th September, 1910, in view of the sums spent in repatriating and compensating rebels after the late Boer War?

The reply is in the negative. It was necessary for the Army Council to fix a date after which no claims could be considered, and I regret that I am not able to make an exception to the rule.

asked the Secretary for War, whether he is aware that under the system now adopted by the War Office for the supply of horses by contract from a distance, for the purposes of the annual manœuvres, glanders was introduced into the district of Salisbury Plain, from London, in 1908, pink-eye in 1909, and parasitic mange in 1910; whether, and to what extent, such horses are submitted to veterinary inspection prior to their acceptance; and whether in future further safeguards can be provided against the infection of local live stock with disease so imported?

There is no record at the War Office of any outbreak of glanders at the annual manœuvres in Salisbury-Plain district in 1908, of pink-eye in 1909, or parasitic mange in 1910. All hired horses are inspected by an officer of the Army Veterinary Corps as to their freedom from contagious disease, etc., before being taken into military employ, and are under the supervision of the Army Veterinary Service during their employment.

asked whether the estimated annual cost of the Cavalry soldier, £67 10s. 7d., includes provision for his horse and remounts; and, if not, what is the annual additional cost in that respect?

Book.	When revision was begun.	When first set up in type.		When passed for press.	How long kept standing.	Cost of keeping type standing.
		Date sent to Printers.	1st proof received.
Field Service Pocket Book	March '09	24.9.09	15.11.09	Not yet	Since Nov. 1909	£7	4	0
Manual of Engineering	April '09	10.11.09 Plates Dec. '09, App. III. Sept. '10, Index Nov. 1910	29.11.09, and various dates in Dec, 1909 and subsequently	31.1.11	Since Nov. 1909	3	1	0
Manual of Signalling	Feb. 1910	15.4.10	27.5.10	Not yet	Since May 1910		14	0

The printing was ordered under a running contract entered into by the Controller, His Majesty's Stationery Office, after competition. These three publications, therefore, were not put up to special tender. The Field Service Pocket Book is largely composed of extracts from drill-books, all of which are under revision, and the delay in reprinting has been caused by the desire to bring out an edition which will embody all the changes in contemplation in other books. It was originally intended to reprint the "Manual of Signal-ling" as it stands, but the opportunity offered to bring the naval and military systems into accord at those points where they meet and the necessary trials have delayed the issue of the new book, which, however, is now in final proof, and will go to press in the course of the next month.

The figures mentioned do not include provision for the horse. The average cost of the troop horse, including replacement, forage, saddlery, stabling, etc., is about £31 15s. a year.

asked when the revision of the field service pocket books, manual of engineering, and for signalling was begun; when, in their revised form, they were first set up in type; how long the proofs were retained before they were passed for press; how long the type has been standing; was the printing offered for open tender; and what is the cost of keeping the type standing?

The information is as follows:—

asked the Secretary for India whether he had been requested in April, 1910, to transmit the documents relating to the International Hygiene Exhibition, Dresden, 1911, to the Government of India; and, if so, whether he has received any intimation from the Government of India as to whether it is proposed to send an exhibit to Dresden?

The documents mentioned by the hon. Member were transmitted to the Government of India. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can state the number of chambers, the number of members of each chamber, the duration, and whether that duration is fixed, in the case of each Parliament in His Majesty's self-governing Colonies?

Statement as to Number of Chambers, Number of Members, and Duration of Parliament of Self-Governing Dominions.
Dominion.	No of Chambers.	Number of Members of each Chamber.				Duration of
		Upper.		Lower.		Membership of Upper Chamber.	Lower Chamber not to exceed.
Dominion of Canada	2	Senate	87	House of Commons	221	Life	5 years
Newfoundland	2	Legislative Council	Unlimited (actually about 21)	House of Assembly	36	During the King's pleasure	4 years
Commonwealth of Australia	2	Senate	36	House of Representatives	75	6 years	3 years
New South Wales	2	Legislative Council	Unlimited (minimum 21) actually 53	Legislative Assembly	90	Life	3 year"
Victoria	2	Legislative Council	34	Legislative Assembly	65	6 years	3 years
Queensland	2	Legislative Council	Unlimited actually 41	Legislative Assembly	72	Life	3 years
South Australia	2	Legislative Council	18	House of Assembly	40	6 years	3 years
Western Australia	2	Legislative Council	30	Legislative Assembly	50	6 years	3 years
Tasmania	2	Legislative Council	18	House of Assembly	30	6 years	3 years
Dominion of New Zealand	2	Legislative Council	Unlimited actually 40	House of Representatives	80	7 years*	3 years
Union of South Africa	2	Senate	40	House of Assembly	121	10 years†	5 years
NOTES.—Further information regarding the duration of membership of Upper Chambers may be found in H. C. 81 of 1910. In the case of Lower Chambers power exists in each case of earlier dissolution by the Governor-General or Governor respectively.
* Life in the case of persons summoned before 1891.
† As to tenure after the first period of ten years has expired see provisions of 9 Edward VII., chap. 9 (quoted in H. C. 81. 1910).

asked the President of the Board of Education if his attention has been called to the fact that the University College School, Hampstead, proposes in future not to admit to the school any scholars of the London County Council; and whether this school receives any money grants from Government or other public sources?

I have seen newspaper reports to this effect. The school does not receive grants from the Board of Education. I am not aware whether it receives grants from any other public source.

The information desired is contained in the following statement:—

asked the President of the Board of Education what number of children between twelve and fourteen years of age are now under instruction in the public elementary schools of England and of Wales, respectively?

No information is available at present as to scholars between twelve and fourteen years of age later than that given in the Return to the House of Commons, No. 338. The number of scholars between twelve and fifteen, years of age on the admission registers of ordinary public elementary schools in the statistical year ended 31st July, 1910, was, in England 1,009,363, and in Wales 74,701. This figure represents the aggregate of the numbers on the admission registers of the different schools on the last day of the school year for each school.

asked the President of the Board of Education if the numbers of pupils entering as bursars and pupil teachers under the Board during the last few years show a considerable decline; whether he can give the figures for the successive years 1907–8 to 1910–11; whether there is any likelihood of a great shortage of teachers in the near future; and, if so, what steps he proposes to take to make the teachers' profession more attractive?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The answer to the second part is:—In the first of the four years, 11,292; in the second, 9,565; in the third, 7,915; and in the fourth, 5,997. As to the answer to the third part of the question such diversity of opinion appears to exist that it is not clear whether the occasion has arisen for formulating any such proposal as is suggested in the fourth part.

asked the President of the Board of Education if the action of the Board as to the removal of Towyn Church School from the grant list last year, and the refusal of recognition of the same school this year, was taken upon the advice of any official of the Department who had visited the place; and, if so, how many visits were paid to Towyn by such official and at what date?

Every decision of the Board with regard to the Towyn Church School has been taken with full regard to all the circumstances of the case and after full consultation with officers of the Board who have made themselves familiar by personal visits with all the local circumstances. I cannot give the precise number of visits paid to Towyn by the Board's inspectors or the dates on which they visited. Such information appears to me to be immaterial. The facts in this case are not in dispute so far as I am aware.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether his atten- tion had been called to the allegations made against Mr. White, headmaster of the Kingston Magna School, near Gillingham, Dorset, to the effect that during the election he employed the children of his school for the distribution of political leaflets, and otherwise used his position for party purposes; whether any inquiries have been made by the Board into the matter; and what action they propose to take?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part of the question the Board requested the local education authority to inquire into the circumstances, and, if the allegations proved correct, to take steps to prevent a repetition of such action on the part of teachers in public elementary schools. The Board were informed by the local education authority on 7th March that the managers of the school had held an inquiry into the charges brought against Mr. White, and unanimously came to the conclusion that "not one of the charges formulated against Mr. White has been substantiated by evidence." I do not think that any further action on the part of the Board of Education is called for.

asked the Home Secretary whether, after the passage of the Parliament Bill, he would consider the advisability of introducing a Bill dealing with the hours of work of women and children in mills and factories, or whether he would be prepared to support such a Bill if introduced by a private Member?

The hours of work of women and children in factories are already closely regulated by the Factory Act. Perhaps the hon. Member would inform me later what particular amendments to that Act he desires.

asked the Home Secretary how many of the persons who have been released on ticket-of-leave since December, 1910, have failed to report themselves; and how many of these persons remain undiscovered?

I am unable to give the total number of licence-holders who have failed to report to the police, put in the Metropolitan Police district alone thirty-four persons have been gazetted this year on this account, of whom up to now twenty-four have evaded arrest.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has yet received the Report by the Chairman of the Prison Commission (England) on the International Prison Congress last September, held at Washington; and whether he will have this Report laid upon the Table of the House and circulated with the parliamentary papers?

I have received the Report, and hope to lay it before Parliament shortly.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government intend to adjourn the sittings of the House for one month from 25th May?

I would refer my hon. Friend to my answer to a similar question by my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme on Thursday, 23rd March.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any statistics showing the number of lace machines that are at work, respectively, in Nottingham, and in Ayrshire, and in the Bridge-ton district of Glasgow, or showing the output of lace curtains in these various districts?

I am not in a position to state the number of machines used in the lace industry, or to give particulars of the output of lace curtains for particular districts. As stated in Section 13 of the Preliminary Tables summarising the results of the Returns received under the Census of Production Act, 1906 (pages 11 and 12 and 43 and 44, Cd. 5,162), the output of lace curtains was as follows:—

	England and Wales.		Scotland.
	£		£
Cotton Lace Curtains and Piece-Goods made on Curtain Machines	664,000	…	762,000
Muslin Curtains and Piece Goods	—	…	166,000

The value of finished lace goods of all kinds, as returned by lace warehouses in England and Wales was £3,646,000, and in Scotland, nil; the value of curtains finished cannot be separated from this total.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any employers in the Dominions oversea have made application to the Labour Exchanges for labour; whether he is aware that in certain cases labour has been supplied to Canadian employers through the Labour Exchanges; who paid the expenses of these men; and has any correspondence on the subject passed between the Labour Exchanges Department of the Board of Trade and the Assistant Commissioner of Canadian Immigration in London; and, if so, will he lay the same upon the Table of the House?

Various applications have been received from employers in the Over-seas Dominions for labour, and some of these have been filled after consultation with the representatives in London of the Dominion concerned. The expenses of these men have, so far as is known, been paid either by the employers or by the men themselves. In no case have expenses been advanced by the Labour Exchanges. The Board of Trade have received a communication from the Canadian Assistant Superintendent of Emigration in London with reference to a particular case, which is now under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if the Portsmouth or any other Labour Exchange has supplied any men to London printing firms whose men are on strike; whether the Portsmouth Exchange has received applications for work at these London firms in response to advertisements appearing in the local newspapers; and whether arrangements have at any time been made whereby the Labour Exchange authorities have supplied men applying for this work in London with free passes supplied by the employers enabling them to obtain free railway fares to London?

As I have already informed my hon. Friend on 20th March, no vacancies for printers in the London area have been notified to the Portsmouth Exchange, and no printers have been supplied through that or any other provincial Exchange for work in London. Vacancies affected by the dispute in the London printing trade have been dealt with at the London Labour Exchanges in strict accordance with the provisions of the General Regulations governing the procedure of Labour Exchanges in such cases. One application for an advance of fare to enable the applicant to proceed to London in response to a newspaper advertisement for printers was received at the Portsmouth Exchange and was, of course, refused. No arrangements of the kind described in the last part of the question have been made.

asked the President of the Board of Trade: (1) The value of the produce and manufactures of the United Kingdom consigned to the United States, France, Belgium, Holland, and Canada, respectively, during 1910 and the percentage of wholly or mainly manufactured goods in each case; and (2) the value of the produce and manufactures of the United Kingdom consigned to Australia and New Zealand and to Germany, respectively, during the year 1910, and the percentage in each case of wholly or partly manufactured goods?

The following statement gives the information asked for in these two questions:—

Countries to which consigned.		Total Exports of Produce Manufactures of the United Kingdom.	Exports of Articles wholly or mainly Manufactured.	Percentage of wholly or mainly Manufactured Exports to total Exports.
		£	£	Per cent.
Germany	…	37,031,000	26,020,000	70.3
France	…	22,463,000	14,408,000	64.1
Belgium	…	10,887,000	7,418,000	68.1
Holland	…	12,695,000	8,747,000	68.9
United States	…	31,447,000	24,745,000	78.7
Canada	…	19,645,000	17,083,000	87.0
Australia	…	27,571,000	24,907,000	90.3
New Zealand	…	8,753,000	7,770,000	88.8

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can state the number of emigrants from the United Kingdom during the year 1910 to countries other than European, and the number of immigrants from the same countries during the same year?

The number of passengers of British nationality who left the United Kingdom for places out of Europe in 1910 was 398,000, and the number that arrived from those places was 164,000. The returns do not distinguish emigrants and immigrants from other passengers.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he will consider the possibility of so amending the Poor Law as to make it legal for boards of guardians to contribute to the support of children now chargeable to the State, and classed as orphans or deserted, in the British possessions oversea?

I should doubt the expediency of amending the law in the direction indicated by the hon. Member.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether, in view of the fact that the Tees Valley Water Board have no statutory authority to make a contribution towards the cost of the erection of a denominational school, the auditors of his Department will surcharge this Board for the contributions which they have made?

The auditors of the Local Government Board exercise independent functions and there is an appeal to me against their decisions. I cannot legitimately forecast the action which the auditor may take in the case referred to in the question.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if the new work provided by the Central (Unemployed) Body for London will engage a total of 220 additional men for a period of four weeks only, and a further 320 men who were employed in other work and are being transferred to this new work; and, under these circumstances, what further schemes of work he proposes to suggest to the Central Body in order to absorb the thousands of men who are and have been registered, and for whom no work appears, under present arrangements, likely to be found?

The work to which I understand the hon. Member to refer was estimated to employ 440 men for four or five weeks. I am informed, however, that the Central (Unemployed) Body have found it possible to employ 540 men on this work, of whom 220 are additional men, to be employed for four weeks, and 320 are men who would have been discharged, but will now be continued in employment for a further period of five weeks. The great bulk of the work which the Central Body have been able to provide has been found in the parks and open spaces, and I am informed that no further work can be undertaken there owing to the lateness of the season.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he will state, in regard to the 475 committees consisting of members of boards of guardians only, whose appointment has been approved by his Department under Article 4 of the Boarding-out (Within Unions) Order, 1909, on how many there are no women members?

The information asked for by my hon. Friend is not available.

asked the President of the Local Government Board, if he will say what are the principal diseases in respect of which aliens are ejected under the Aliens Act; how many have been refused admission into England in 1909 and 1910 by the medical officer; and what number were rejected under each of the specified diseases?

Leave to land under the Aliens Act is refused, not by the medical inspector, but by the Immigration Officer, who, in medical cases, is guided by the certificate signed by the medical inspector. An immigrant must be refused to land "if he is a lunatic or an idiot, or owing to any disease or infirmity appears likely to become a charge upon the rates or otherwise a detriment to the public." During 1909 leave to land was finally refused under the foregoing provision in 417 cases, and during 1910 the number of cases was 206—a total of 623 for the two years. The particular grounds of objections may be thus classified:—

——	1909.	1910.	Total.
Trachoma	238	61	299
Other eye diseases	—	25	25
Venereal diseases	57	33	90
Skin and scalp diseases	23	2	25
Lunacy or idiocy	4	1	5
Tubercular diseases	3	5	8
Miscellaneous diseases	5	5	10
Infirmities likely to lead to chargeability (including cardiac disease, deformity, senile decay, paralysis, etc.)	87	74	161

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he will explain why the figures relating to the deaths from small-pox in Prussia for the years 1906, 1907, and 1908, which he gave in this House in July last, and those cited by the Registrar-General, on page 132 of the Seventy-first Annual Report and on page 134 of the Seventy-second Annual Report, are all three at variance; and will he state which statistics are correct?

I understand that the figures given in the Registrar-General's seventy-second Report correspond with the corrected figures issued by the German Imperial Health Office. Those published in the seventy-first Report were supplied to the Registrar-General by the President of the Prussian Statistical Department, but appear to have been provisional or un-revised figures. The figure of 107 in the answer to my hon. Friend's question of the 29th June last should have been 114. With this correction, the information then given agrees with that in the seventy-second Report of the Registrar-General.

asked the Postmaster-General if the proceeds of the sale of all the halfpenny and penny stamps are credited to the Post Office revenue?

With the exception of stamps used for Savings Bank deposits and for postal orders the proceeds of the sale of all the halfpenny and penny stamps are credited in gross to the Post Office revenue, but if the hon. Member will refer to the details of that revenue given on page 25 of the Finance Accounts of the United Kingdom (H.C. 201 of 1910) he will see that certain "Payments out of Receipts" are made to the Inland Revenue Department, railway companies, etc.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether it is intended to retain the Ennis Ordnance Survey Office for revision purposes on the completion of the portion of the survey already allotted to the Ennis division; and whether he is aware of the feeling in favour of the convenience for public work of retaining in Ennis the Survey Office?

The answer is in the affirmative.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture if he will state the number of applications received by the Lindsey County Council for holdings under the Small Holdings Act of 1908 up to the 31st December, 1910; the number of applicants approved as suitable and the number of acres required by them; and the number of applicants provided with holdings and the number of acres?

:

Number of applications	715
Number provisionally approved	524
Number of acres required	9,502
Number of applicants satisfied	168
Number of acres provided	2,202

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture why it is that in respect of the counties of Bedford, Gloucester, Hereford, Hertford, Soke of Peterborough, Nottingham, Warwick and Worcester, the Board are unable to state how many of the applicants have been approved as suitable applicants; whether it is the duty of the Commissioners, acting under the directions of the Board, to ascertain the demand in the several counties; and whether the Board will instruct their Commissioners to obtain any further returns from the councils which have not supplied these particulars?

The Board see no reason why, as in the ease of other counties, these figures should not be given, and will call for them at once.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture in what counties the Board, acting through their Commissioners, have already prepared and carried out schemes under Sections 4 (2) and 6 (2) of the Small Holdings Act, 1908; how much land has been comprised in such schemes; and how many applicants have been provided for?

Two such schemes, the Borough of Portsmouth and the Soke of Peterborough. The former comprises seventy-three acres and the latter 200 acres. No applicants under these schemes have as yet been placed on the land.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture if he will state when the report on the administration of the Small Holdings Act of 1910 will be ready?

This report is with the printers and it is hoped to issue it before Easter.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether the Board have yet exercised any of the powers conferred on them by Sections 20 and 49 (3) of the Small Holdings Act, 1908, under which the Board may themselves acquire land in any part of the country, and, after dividing it, fencing it, and erecting houses and other buildings upon it, as required, in order to adopt it for small holdings, may let it to applicants directly without the intervention of a county council, and form co-operative societies and credit banks amongst their tenants; and whether, in case of their not having yet exercised these powers, they have any intention of doing so?

The answer to both parts of the question is in the negative.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the fact that in the county of Derby eight applicants have been provided for out of 179, in the Soke of Peterborough 14 out of 119, in Middlesex 12 out of 219, in East Sussex 19 out of 208, in West Sussex 5 out of 146, and in the North Riding of Yorkshire 7 out of 299, so that in these six counties only 65 men have been provided for in three years out of 1,170 applications; whether the Board considers this to be a satisfactory rate of progress; and, if not, whether they have taken, or are taking, any steps to assist the 1,105 disappointed applicants?

The 1,105 disappointed applicants to whom my hon. Friend refers include those who have been rejected as unsuitable, those who have withdrawn, and those who have obtained land privately, being only about 270 unsatisfied. In the Soke of Peterborough the Board have declared the county council in default, and have made an Order directing the Commissioners to carry out a scheme. In the North Riding a special Commissioner was appointed, and his reports have been sent to that county council.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture how many of the eighteen schemes proposed by their Special Commissioner, Mr. E. O. Fordham, for the supply of small holdings in Wiltshire, and forwarded more than a year ago by the Board of Agriculture to the Wilts County Council, have yet been carried into effect?

Seven schemes have been submitted and confirmed resulting in the acquisition of 508 acres wholly or partly carrying out these schemes.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether the Board have yet inquired as to the circumstances which led to the eviction of James Gardiner, of Carnforth, in Lancashire, by his landlord, Charles Gillow, at a time when James Gardiner was applying for land under the Small Holdings Act; whether they are satisfied that this eviction was carried out in consequence of James Gardiner's application for land, as stated by their special commissioner, and was a deliberate attempt on the part of Charles Gillow to defeat and discredit the working of the Act; and whether the Board will undertake to see that James Gardiner obtains the small holding he requires?

Inquiry has been made. The evidence obtainable by the Board is not sufficient to justify the statement that a deliberate attempt was made by Mr. Gillow to defeat and discredit the working of the Act. It is not possible to undertake to provide a house and land for Mr. Gardiner, as he admits that he is not able to pay such a rent as would secure the county council against loss.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture if the Board will, pending the elaborating of a complete scheme for the encouragement of light horse breeding as the result of the grant recently made by the Development Commission for this purpose, allocate out of such grant during the next summer a small sum to provide prizes at the shows of those societies in the South-West of England which have for many years kept a local register of horses free from hereditary unsoundness, for horses of approved types entered in such registers?

I shall be glad to consider the suggestion of the hon. Member, although it lies somewhat outside the scope of the Board's proposals.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the county council were consulted before framing the recent horse-breeding scheme for county Kerry; and will he explain why Tralee and Dingle are not included as centres for the draught horse scheme?

The county councils were not consulted. No centre was fixed for Tralee, shows having been arranged for at Listowel and Killarney. If it can be guaranteed that there are to be found in the Dingle district any mares possessing the characteristics of the Irish draught type the Department of Agriculture will undertake to send their judges to that centre.

asked the Lord Advocate what steps are being taken to ascertain the area suitable for afforestation in Scotland; and which are the best centres?

The Secretary for Scotland has in view the appointment of a Committee to make inquiry as to a suitable demonstrative forest area in Scotland; until that Committee has reported, it would be premature to undertake the detailed consideration of the subject mentioned by my hon. Friend, though the Secretary for Scotland will not fail to bear it in mind.

asked the hon. Member for Southampton, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether he will consider the possibility of throwing into the public thoroughfare at Marlborough Gate so much of the St. James's. Palace private garden as would enable a footway not less than eighteen feet in width to be made along the outside of the said thoroughfare, without in any degree narrowing the roadway for vehicular traffic, in order to minimise the dangers to foot passengers at an unprotected corner, and in order to complete the monumental improvements connected with the Mall; and, if so, whether it would be possible to have this improvement completed before the Coronation procession, which is to pass this way?

The First Commissioner regrets very much that he is unable to take this proposal into consideration at present. There is a great deal of work to be done in preparation for the Coronation, and he could not undertake anything more during the current year.