asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been drawn to the compulsory winding-up of the Pomona Haulage Company, Limited, at Manchester, on 15th March; whether the same persons were also interested in the Co-operative Banking and Investment Society, Limited, the Mutual Money Society, and the Mutual Rubber Growers, Limited; whether these were registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act, 1893; whether the Registrar-General received correspondence calling his attention to these companies in December, 1909, when the Mutual Money Society was in liquidation; whether the Registrar took any action in the matter; and, if so, with what result?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the President of the Board of Trade to his question of 3rd April last in regard to the Pomona Haulage Company, Limited, which is a company registered under the Companies Acts. The Co-operative Banking and Investment Society, Limited, and the Mutual Rubber Growers, Limited, are societies registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act. The Mutual Money Society was registered as a specially authorised society under the Friendly Societies Act. It was dissolved by Instrument of Dissolution registered 27th November, 1908. Certain of the same persons appear to be concerned in the three societies named. The Registrar of Friendly Societies has no knowledge whether these persons are interested in the Pomona Haulage Company, Limited, but is making inquiries on the subject. In December, 1909, the Registrar of Friendly Societies received complaints as to the Co-operative Banking and Investment Society, Limited, which he inquired into. The Registrar did not find that the transactions in question were contrary to the Rules or the Act of Parliament, and he referred the applicants to Sections 18 and 50 of the Industrial and Provident Societies Act, 1893, under which a certain portion of the members have power to apply to the Chief Registrar for the appointment of an inspector. No such application has been made. Complaints have also been made in September, 1910, and January, 1911, and later, relating to the Mutual Money Society as to non-payment of dividends and otherwise as to the conduct of the dissolution. The Registrar of Friendly Societies has procured a copy of the accounts in the dissolution, but he has no jurisdiction to interfere in the matter.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he would state out of what fund clerks of pension sub-committees and county secretaries to pension committees in Ireland are paid; and whether, directly or indirectly, any portion of their salaries for their duties in these positions comes out of the local rates?

These officers are paid out of the Old Age Pension Vote. No portion of their salaries falls on local rates.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what are the reasons which prevented old age pensions being granted to Thomas Heelan, Glenshask, Lismore, county Waterford, and his wife, they being seventy-two and seventy-four years of age respectively, and having no property or other income which would exclude them; and whether the pensions were refused under the decision of the local committee or of the Local Government Board?

Thomas Heelan appears to have made three claims, the first of which was rejected by the local pension sub-committee. The two subsequent claims were allowed by the committee, but on coming before the Local Government Board on appeal by the pension officer they were disallowed on the ground that Heelan's means exceeded the statutory limit. Two claims made by his wife Ellen Heelan were disallowed for a similar reason. These claimants reside on a farm, particularly well stocked and cropped, which the husband assigned to a son in October, 1909. They have also a sum of £270 in the bank.

asked the Chief Secretary the grounds upon which Michael Fox, Mullaworina, Ballymahon, county Longford, has been refused an old age pension; whether he is aware that this man has executed an assignment to his son, who is now recognised as tenant in possession by the Land Commission; and will he direct that he be now placed on the pension list?

Michael Fox has not been refused an old age pension, but he is in receipt of a pension at the rate of two shillings a week. Originally he was in receipt of five shillings a week, which, on a question by the pension officer, was reduced to two shillings by the Pension Sub-Committee. Fox then took steps to have his farm transferred to his son, and raised a question that he was entitled to have his pension increased to five shillings again. This question the Local Government Board considered they had no jurisdiction to determine, having regard to the decision of the courts in the Pawley case. If a claimant or a pensioner has property which disqualifies him for the receipt of a pension at a certain rate, the assignment of such property to another person does not necessarily remove the disqualification, having regard to the terms of Section 4 (3) of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1908.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the teaching of the Irish language has been taken up in the national schools of Granard, Purth, and Abbeylara, North Longford, by the North Longford Coisde Ceanntair of the Gaelic League, which body, out of its own slender resources, has been employing an Irish teacher to train the children for the past year; whether the Irish inspector, whose duty it is to examine the children, for results fees, in Irish, came unexpectedly to do so, and as a result of his report only one school qualified for fees, whereby the financial results, on which the committee relied, were very much lessened, and the Gaelic League committee placed in difficulty to continue the employment of a teacher; and whether, under these circumstances and with a view to helping the committee, which consists of the clergy and teachers of the district, to do so, he will request the Education Board to direct the inspector to give notice of another examination within the ensuing three months with a view to giving the schools a further chance of securing the help in fees which they require to maintain their Irish teacher?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that Irish is taught in the schools referred to, but they have no information as to whether a teacher has been employed by the body mentioned to teach the children. An organiser of Irish language instruction-visited the schools recently, and his reports have not yet been furnished to the Commissioners. They have therefore no information at present as to the financial effect these reports may have.

asked whether Clause 4 of the Dublin Police Bill is intended to enable the opening of public Houses on Sunday in Rathmines, Rathgar, Booterstown, Blackrock, and Kingstown, as well as in Drumcondra, Fairview, Clontarf, and Kilmainham as all these districts are within the Dublin metropolitan police district, though only the four latter are in the county borough of Dublin.

No change in the law is contemplated, except in respect of the portion of the City of Dublin added to the Dublin Metropolitan Police District by order in Council dated 23rd October, 1901, under the powers conferred by Section 61 of the Dublin Corporation Act, 1900. The area thus added to the police district comprised the urban districts of New Kilmainham, Drumcondra, Clonliffe, and Glasnevin, Clontarf, and certain town lands.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Private Patrick Kielty, No. 8785, of the 2nd Battalion Leinster Regiment, was, on 2nd February, 1911, discharged as medically unfit for further service after two years and 308 days, of which two years and fifty-four days were in India; whether this young man had joined for seven years, with five years' reserve, and is now thrown on his parents' hands, a burden, owing to perforation of the ear whilst on duty in India; and will he direct that either a gratuity or a pension be granted to enable these people, who have a large family and are only poor labourers, to support this invalided soldier?

Patrick Kielty's disability is not in any way due to his Army service, and consequently it is not possible to award him any pension from Army funds. He received a gratuity of £3 on discharge.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War, whether his attention has been called to the case of Private Thomas Malone, No. 3544, late of the 2nd Battalion Leinster Regiment, who after eleven years and seven months service was discharged without his deferred pay, which amounts to £26; whether in this man's case a desertion was condoned and he was reinstated in his regiment, and did two years and seven months without any record against him in India; why was he discharged when five months of his time was incomplete, which if it had been given to him would entitle him to full deferred pay; and will he direct an inquiry, on oath, into this man's case with a view to justice being done him?

Inquiries are being made into this ease, and in due course I will inform the hon. Member of the result.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War how many messengers under twenty years of age have been discharged from the War Office for reasons other than of health or conduct, and how many have been engaged during each of the last five years; and whether he will make arrangements so that no boy be engaged unless the War Office can hold out to him, if he prove satisfactory, a reasonable prospect of permanent employment?

The figures are as follows:—

—	1906.	1907.	1908.	1909.	1910.
Attained age limit	5	2	2	1	3
Resigned	19	24	10	16	16
Obtained other appointments	9	9	9	4	9
Total	33	35	21	21	28
Appointed	32	21	21	23	28

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any fresh instructions have recently been given to the policemen at the corners of Park Lane and Hamilton Place in respect of the regulation of traffic at those corners?

The present arrangement is temporary only; it is necessitated by road repairs, which will, I understand, be completed in a day or two.

asked the President of the Local Government Board, if he can state in how many cases women health visitors have already been appointed, in the absence of any Health Visitors Act, either by county councils or by rural or urban district councils, and by virtue of what Act of Parliament has this been done?

I am unable to state in how many cases women have been appointed to perform the functions of health visitors by county and district councils, nor am I aware of the authority under which such appointments have been made. In several instances officers, such as inspectors of midwives, school nurses, and assistant inspectors of nuisances have been utilised to give advice as to the nurture and care of infants.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he can give the number of small-pox cases in London during the last four weeks and the percentage of vaccinated, re-vaccinated, and unvaccinated cases amongst them?

The following table gives the particulars respecting the patients removed to the hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board during the four weeks ending 1st April:—

—	Ages of Small-pox Patients				Total cases.	Deaths among these cases
	0–10.	10–20.	20–35.	35 and over.
Vaccinated	0	1	2	2	5	0
Unvaccinated	4	1	0	0	5	1

None of the cases are stated to have been re-vaccinated.

asked the Postmaster-General how many representations have been received by his Department in reference to the telephone service in Ireland during the last two years; are the rural districts in Ireland served as adequately as similar districts in Great Britain; and will he have the question of extension of telephone facilities in Ireland considered without further delay?

I regret I am unable to state the precise number of the representations as to the telephone service in Ireland which have been received in my Department during the last two years, but they have been numerous. It is difficult to make a comparison between the relative extent of telephonic facilities in rural districts in Great Britain and Ireland, but I am continually considering questions of extending facilities to rural districts in Ireland, and I am glad to say that a number of such extensions have recently been carried out.

asked whether any steps have been taken to give an early post at Fedamore, county Limerick; if so, how soon may the proposed change take place; and, in view of the inconvenience caused by the present system, will steps be taken to have the matter dealt with as soon as possible?

Arrangements have been made to meet the wish expressed in the hon. Member's question, and I hope that there will be little further delay in carrying out the change.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that post- men are being employed at the Walsall post office on duties proper to sorting-clerks and telegraphists; that the surveyor has stated in a reply to a memorial that this was done to avoid overtime; and whether he will direct that the postmen so employed shall be paid the scales of wages proper to sorting-clerks and telegraphists?

It is the practice to provide for the work of absent sorting-clerks and telegraphists by the employment, where such are available, of established leave substitutes. When such are not available, and circumstances admit of it—i.e., without undue pressure on the staff, the work is performed on overtime, but if there would be undue pressure, or the absence is likely to be of any length, it is thought better to make use of postmen rather than to have recourse to casual labour. Postmen so employed are paid the pay of a sorting-clerk and telegraphist at one step above the minimum of the scale, or his own wages, whichever is greater. No departure from these rules was made in the case of Walsall.

asked the Postmaster-General if, among other reductions in Ireland of superior officers and transferring of the duties performed by them to London, one of the two Post Office engineering districts is to be reduced to one composed of Royal Engineers; whether Mr. Masaroon, one of the assistant superintending engineers, has been transferred from Dublin to Liverpool; and whether his place is to be filled by another man in Dublin?

It is not proposed to transfer to London duties now performed by superior officers in Ireland, nor is it proposed that either of the two Post Office engineering districts in Ireland should be reduced to one composed of Royal Engineers. Mr. Masaroon, who recently requested a transfer to England, has been moved from Dublin to Liverpool. In view of the fact that in relation to the volume of engineering work the supervising force in Ireland was disproportionate to that in other parts of the United Kingdom it is not proposed to fill Mr. Masaroon's place in Dublin.

asked how many post offices have been added to the branch at Pontefract during the term of the present postmaster, and whether the increases to his salary have been proportionate to the increase of work?

The post-mastership of the Pontefract office is at present vacant. During the late postmaster's tenure of office seven sub-post offices were added to his control. The increases of salary granted to him were in accordance with the authorised scale, and allowed full credit for all work performed.

asked the Postmaster-General what progress, if any, has been made with the negotiations to introduce the telephone system from Mullingar to Longford, and when a definite decision on the question may be expected?

The position remains unchanged, as I am still awaiting the decision of the Treasury on the general question of extensions of the trunk telephone system in Ireland. I understand, however, that that decision will not long be delayed.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture if the Department has made, or caused to be made, any experiments in electrical stimulation; and, if so, can he state where such experiments have been conducted, with what crops, at what cost, and with what results?

Yes; experiments of the kind were carried out by the University of Bristol, to whom a grant of £50 was made by the Board in aid of the expenses. A report on the subject was published in the Board's Journal for April, 1910. I shall be glad to send a copy to my hon. Friend.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the value of the researches and experiments of Professor Priestly, of Bristol University, and others as showing the effect of the discharge of positive electricity on the development and the acceleration of growth of plants, the Board will either increase their present grant of £50 for the advancement of this work, or apply for a grant out of the Development Fund for this purpose?

The Board anticipate that under a general scheme for the promotion of agricultural research, which is now under the consideration of the Development Commissioners, funds will be available before long for investigations of the character suggested.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether the Board has yet addressed a further communication to the Development Commissioners on the subject of the constitution of the advisory committee on fishery matters; and, if so, with what result?

The matter is still under consideration.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the public protest made by the vice-chairman of the Norfolk County Small Holdings Committee against the recent refusal of the President to confirm the order of the county council for the acquisition of land for small holdings at Shouldham, he will state the reason for that refusal?

The order was made in respect of a field of thirty acres which the commissioner considered to be one of the best, if not the best, on the farm. The President came to the conclusion that the acquisition of this field would involve considerable hardships to the owner who is also the occupier, and as he was prepared to offer at a reasonable rent another field of sixteen acres which adjoins other small holdings, and was quite suitable for the purpose he decided not to confirm the order.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he can state generally the reasons for the fact that, in spite of the efforts made by the Board to provide small holdings for the 30,000 men who have applied for land under the Small Holdings Act, there are now fewer small holdings in the country than when the Act was passed?

The decrease in the aggregate number of small holdings in 1910 compared with 1907 is due mainly to the growth of urban districts and to the fact that very many of the small holders for whom land has been provided under the Act, already held some land, in which case there is no increase in the aggregate number of small holdings. I might add that, although there was a decrease of 291 small holdings in 1910 as compared with 1907, there has been an increase of 1,626 since 1908. The subject is very fully described in the Report prefixed to the Agricultural Returns for 1910 (Part I.) which has just been issued.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether the Board, through their Commissioners, have taken any steps to ascertain how long applicants have been left by the various county councils without the opportunity of "obtaining land; and how many applicants have withdrawn their applications?

The Board will take steps to ascertain the information desired by my hon. Friend.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture (1) if he will state how many of the small holders on the Woodrow estate, Catshill, of the Worcestershire County Council are a year or more in arrear with their instalments of purchase money; how-many persons agreed to buy holdings on this estate; how many of them are still in possession of their holdings; and what is the area of land held by each person; also (2), how many of the tenants of the Cats-hill allotment estate of the North Bromsgrove Urban District Council were in arrear with their rent on 29th September, 1910; what is the total number of tenants on the estate; the acreage of the same; and the rent paid?

The Board are making inquiries both as to this matter and that to which my hon. Friend refers in the next question. I will acquaint him with the result.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture if, in view of the hardship inflicted on the Bedford small holders by the Bedford Allotment Gardens (Swine Fever) Order of 1910, he will have an inquiry made into the practicability of now removing the order?

I have made inquiry into this matter and I am satisfied that the Order is necessary for preventing the spread of swine fever, and that it could not safely be withdrawn.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he will furnish a Return of the prosecutions for illegal trawling for the fishery districts of the East Coast of England and of Scotland during 1910, including the prosecutions of Foreign trawlers by the Board of Trade, with particulars of the fines imposed?

The following statement will give the information desired with regard to the East Coast of England:—

District.	Nature of Offence.	No. of Defts.	Penalty on each			Cost on each.
			£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.
Northumberland	Steam trawling	1	10	0	0	1	14	10
			and for feiture
North Eastern do.	Illegal trawling do.	2	1	0	0		3	9
		1	19	8	6		11	6
Eastern	Steam trawling	1	2	0	0	1	17	8
Suffolk and Essex*	—	—	—			—
Kent and Essex*	—	—	—			—
* Trawling is not prohibited within the seas comprised within the limits of these districts

So far as the question refers to Scotland it should be addressed to the Scottish office, and as regards foreign trawlers to the President of the Board of Trade.

asked the Lord Advocate if he can state what proportion of the sum of £100,000 voted by Parliament for the relief of unemployment has been allocated to Scotland during the past financial year; to which distress committees grants have been made by the Local Government Board, and the amounts paid to each committee, respectively?

Out of the total sum voted by Parliament during the last financial year, £8,500 has been allocated to Glasgow, £5,000 to Edinburgh, £550 to Dundee, and £250 to Aberdeen—a total of £14,300.

asked the hon. Member for Southampton, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether his attention has been drawn to the narrowing of the footway owing to the protection of the wooden hoardings on the site of the Government offices in Great George Street, especially as hoardings have also been erected on the opposite side of the road, which is causing great inconvenience to pedestrians; and whether he will take steps to have the hoardings put back at an early date?

This inconvenience to which attention is drawn is one that is within the First Commissioner's personal experience, but he is afraid that it must be tolerated for some little time. The hoarding, which has been erected by arrangement with the Westminster City Council, is necessary for the protection of the public, and for the convenience of carrying on building operations on the site. It will not be retained longer than is absolutely necessary. The Office of Works has no connection with the hoarding on the opposite side of the street,

asked the hon. Member for Southampton, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether, in view of the healthy amusement and unconscious manual self-instruction rendered available for young children in London by the provision in St. James's Park, Battersea Park, and Kensington Gardens of large sand plots for the purpose of digging and the erection of sand castles, he will take steps to afford the same facilities in various parts of Hyde Park prior to the coming summer season?

The First Commissioner has every sympathy with the desire of the hon. Member for the extension of sand plots for children; but he is not prepared at present to adopt his suggestion as regards Hyde Park.