asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether it is the intention of the Estates Commissioners to give Mrs. Margaret Windle, evicted tenant on the estate of O'Grady Delmege, at Glensharrold, county Limerick, an allotment of untenanted land in lieu of that of which she was deprived by the late J. C. Delmege in the year 1879, the Commissioners having repeatedly signified their approval of the bona fides of Mrs. Windle's claim?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that Mrs. Windle's name has been noted for consideration in the allotment of untenanted lands for which the Commissioners are at present in negotiation.

asked the Chief Secretary whether, when untenanted land has been offered for sale to the Estates Commissioners by the owner of an estate who has sold the tenanted holdings direct to the occupiers, it is the practice of the Commissioners to defer the purchase of such untenanted land until they come to deal with the purchase agreements in their due order of priority; and, seeing that the practice of postponing the acquisition of untenanted land in this manner is opposed to the spirit of the Land Purchase Acts and the Evicted Tenants Act, and that it is desirable that all available untenanted lands should be acquired as speedily as possible for distribution amongst evicted tenants, small holders, and deserving labourers, will he recommend that the practice or regulations of the Estates Commissioners shall be so altered as to enable them to purchase and distribute the untenanted or grass lands on any estate without waiting to have it dealt with in its order of priority?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that estates are dealt with as far as practicable by them in their order of priority. It may happen that if the untenanted land is offered to the Commissioners apart from the tenanted they may defer the allotment of the untenanted land until such time as they are dealing with the tenanted portion of the estate in order that the wants and circumstances of the tenants may be fully considered in such allotment.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he has pressed the Treasury on behalf of national school assistants in Ireland to grant a margin of ten in the present averages necessary to retain the services of teachers in Irish national schools?

A change in the rules governing the tenure of assistant teachers has been recommended by the Irish Government, and the matter is again being brought under the notice of the Treasury.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether Hulme Barracks, situated in South-West Manchester, are to be abandoned for use by the Regular Army; if so, when they will be vacated; whether he can say if they are to be afterwards used for the Territorial Army; and, if so, whether the whole of the site now occupied will be so used, or whether any of it will be available for other purposes?

There is no present intention of giving up Hulme Barracks, which are now in occupation. A portion of the barracks is not required for Regular troops, and it is in contemplation to make it available for Territorial units.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether it is proposed to invite the Governments of countries whose subjects engage in fishing in the English Channel to enter into a convention, for the purpose of regulating the police of the fisheries in the English Channel outside territorial waters, similar to the convention regarding the North Sea entered into in 1882?

His Majesty's Government have made certain proposals to the French Government for a new Fisheries Convention to apply to the English Channel; but the examination of these proposals by the French Government is, we understand, not yet sufficiently advanced to permit of an exchange of views on the subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when the Departmental Committee on Railway Amalgamations and Working Agreements are going to issue their Report?

I understand that the Committee expect to complete their Report in a few weeks.