asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether a letter addressed to the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury on the 20th September, 1910, has been received from the Association of Civil Service Assistant Clerks; whether this letter was an appeal to their Lordships against the interpretation placed by the heads of some Departments upon a certain paragraph of Treasury Order 20537–8; and whether the Association of Assistant Clerks can shortly expect a reply to this letter?

A letter from the Association of Assistant Clerks on the subject of the method of calculation of increments was received on the 20th July last, and in reply the association was informed that any question relating to the increments of assistant clerks should be addressed to the Departments in which they are serving. Subsequent, letters received from the association on the subject have not been answered, but the decision of the Treasury on the point raised has been reaffirmed, and communicated to the Departments.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether, in view of the dissatisfaction which is being caused by delay in the payment of enumerators at the recent Census, he will use his best endeavours to secure their payment as soon as possible?

I would refer the hon. Member to an answer which I gave to a somewhat similar question on 15th March. Though the superintendent registrar's accounts are not due at the Census office until 5th May, some have already been received, and I hope that the payments may be disposed of during the first three weeks in May.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will explain why wood-distilling works have not been included in the Census of Production preliminary tables of timber factories, etc.; and when the figures for these works, which have been collected more than a year ago, will be published?

Particlars respecting the products of wood-distillation were included in Section 22 (Chemicals, Coal-Tar Products, Drugs, and Perfumery Factories and Workshops) of Part III. of the Preliminary Tallies summarising the Results of the Returns received under the Census of Production Act, 1906 (Cd. 5162), which was issued in April, 1910.