asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual value at a rack rent of Nos. 33 and 34, Lincoln's Inn Fields; have the premises been put to any use since February, 1909, other than the occupation of a few rooms on one floor for Land Tax clerks; and how much longer is it proposed to permit this Government property to remain practically derelict?

The annual value may be £1,700. The property cannot be advantageously used pending rebuilding. Since February, 1909, there has been no

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will explain the delay on the part of the Congested Districts Board in acquiring the Glenhest, North Mayo, estate of Colonel Knox, which has for some time been under offer to the Board?

The estate referred to has not yet been offered for sale to the Congested Districts Board. The landlord's solicitor has, however, stated that he expects to lodge the maps and forms before the end of this month.

asked the Chief Secretary if the Congested Districts Board have, since February, 1910, made any effort to reopen negotiations for the purchase of the Rappa, county Mayo, estate of Mr. H. A. Knox; if he is aware that the tenantry on this estate are living on con-. Bested holdings; and if steps will be taken to put the compulsory powers of the Board into operation?

The Congested Districts Board have been in negotiation for the purchase of certain untenanted lands on the estate referred to, but the proceedings fell through. Since then the Estates Commissioners have asked the Board for their consent, under Section 58 of the Irish Land Act, 1909, to purchase these lands, and communications are proceeding between the Commissioners and the Board in the matter.

also asked if the Pratt, Coyne, and Walshe estates, in the parish of Lahardane, Crossmolina, have been offered to the Congested Districts Board for sale; and, if not, will the Board, having regard to the congestion prevailing in the district, consider the putting into operation of their compulsory powers for the acquisition of these estates?

The Pratt and Walshe estates have been offered for sale to the Congested Districts Board, but they have not yet been inspected and valued. The Coyne estate has not yet been offered to the Board.

further asked the Chief Secretary if he would state when the Pringle estate, North Mayo, which has been acquired by the Congested Districts Board, was to be vested in the tenants; and if he was aware that dissatisfaction exists amongst the tenantry on this estate owing to the manner in which the Board have refused to allow the smaller tenants to have the benefit of the grazing for this year, letting it instead to large graziers?

The Pringle estate was not vested in the Congested Districts Board until the 18th March, 1911, and, as the estate is large, it cannot be dealt with and resold to the tenants for a considerable time. Meanwhile the Board have retained in their own hands sufficient grass lands to supply grazing facilities for all the small tenants of the estate, who, in response to the invitation of the Board, have notified the extent to which they require grazing. Only the surplus grazing lands have been let temporarily to graziers.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board have been in communication with Captain White relative to the sale of his estate at Ligne, county Cork, and with what result; if he is aware that the tenants on this estate have received final notice, issued on the 19th of April last, that the rents must be paid on 1st May, and that legal proceedings will be taken for its recovery if they are not paid by then; and whether, in view of the fact that much disturbance and hardship is likely to ensue, he can give any assurance to those tenants that the Congested Districts Board will soon acquire this property?

The Congested Districts Board have been in communication with Captain White regarding the lands of Derrycreha and Ardaturrisk Beg, in which. Mr. Lyne has an interest. Captain White's solicitor informed the Board on the 1st April that he was preparing to lodge documents with a view to a sale through the Board, but so far they have not been lodged. The Board are not aware of any proceedings for the recovery of rent, nor have they any powers in such a case.

asked on what grounds Michael Doherty, of Lieter, Culdaff, county Donegal, No. 62 on register, has been refused an old age pension, seeing that he is over seventy years of age?

The Local Government Board upheld the appeal of the pension officer against the award of a pension by the Inishowen No. 5 pension sub-committee to Michael Doherty, on the ground that his means exceeded the statutory limit.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that the Commissioners of National Education have ordered the closing of Crossan National School, in the parish of Kilskeery, county Tyrone, and the transfer of the Protestant children from that school to the Dromore (No. 2) school, which is situated four miles distant, and that the select vestry of Dromore refused to agree to any change which would affect their rights in the Dromore school, in consequence of which the Commissioners have refused to pay the salaries of the teachers of the Dromore school; will he state the salary paid to the teacher of the Crossan National School and the cost of conveying the Crossan children by van to and from the Dromore school; and whether, having regard to the hardship inflicted upon the children and the incenvenience caused to parents, he will request the Commissioners to reconsider their decision in this case?

The Commissioners of National Education decided to withdraw their grants from Crossan national school county Tyrone, owing to the low average attendance, and as the educational needs of the locality could be met by the conveyance of the majority of the pupils to Dromore (No. 2) national schools by means of a covered van. It was also determined that the latter school should be under the joint managership of the Methodist minister—the former manager of Crossan national school—and the rector of the parish of Dromore, who had previously been recognised as sole manager of the school. As the select vestry of the parish of Dromore, in whom the Dromore (No. 2) national school is vested, declined to agree to this arrangement, the Commissioners have decided to withhold their grants from that school until their wishes in the matter of amalgamation have been complied with. The salary of the teacher of Crossan national school is £44 per annum. She receives in addition augmentation grant amounting to £7 per annum, and a payment from residual capitation grant which amounted to £3 10s. for the last financial year. It was estimated that the cost of a van service would be about £40 per annum, but no arrangements for this service have been completed. The Commissioners are not aware that any hardship would be inflicted on the pupils of the Crossan national school by the closing of that school, and they see no reason to depart from their decision in the matter.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many men and boys entered the Navy during the years 1908, 1909, and 1910 respectively?

The numbers asked for are as follows:—

asked the President of the Board of Education whether St. Dunstan's College, Catford, is in receipt of a Government grant; whether an inspection was made and a report issued in 1910; and, if so, whether such report was a favourable one?

The answer to the first and second parts of the hon. Member's question is in the affirmative. With regard to the last part of the question the practice of the Board is to communicate their report to the school authorities, but not to make public its contents without the consent of the Governors.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India the number of deaths due to plague that have occurred in the United Provinces in each year since 1902, with the percentage to the population in each case, the annual number of inoculations against plague, and the annual expenditure on measures for the relief of plague?

submitted the following figures:—

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he will state whether the whole consignment of milk from abroad is tested for tubercle or only a portion of it; and whether, in view of the fact that the milk is so examined, he will state whether the report as to its purity is received before the milk is issued for consumption or after?

I understand that no milk is being imported into this country at the present time. In the past, samples have been taken with a view to examination for tubercle. As these examinations take some time to complete, it is not practicable to detain the milk pending a report, but may say that the samples which have been examined in this way have given negative results.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Imperial Tobacco Trust have endeavoured to create a monopoly for the sale of their goods in Ireland; that arrangements have been made and entered into to partially exclude Irish products from being exposed for sale in the windows of those tobacconists who are granted a bonus under certain terms of contract; and whether hp will, in the interest of producers, manufacturers, and users of Irish tobacco, make inquiries into the operations of the Imperial Tobacco Trust?

My attention has been called to statements as to the methods pursued by the Imperial Tobacco Company in order to promote the sale of their goods in Ireland. As at present advised, I do not think that the suggested inquiry would add materially to the information now generally available as to these methods.

asked the Postmaster-General why the staff of rural postmen at the Poyntzpass sub-office, county Armagh, had been reduced from five to four; if he was aware that many residents are greatly inconvenienced by the consequent delay in the delivery of letters; and if he will state the amount per week saved to the Post Office by the reduction of the staff?

I am having inquiry made in the matter, and I will communicate the result to the hon. Member.

asked whether unestablished female telephonists, with wages from 10s. to 12s. a week, are required to live away from home; and whether, having regard to the impossibility of meeting the cost of living out of such wages, and to the financial inability in many cases of parents to contribute towards their daughters' maintenance, the Postmaster-General will, where-ever possible give instructions for the removal of such unestablished female telephonists to exchanges at towns where their parents live, or make an allowance to meet the extra cost of living away from home?

It is not the fact that unestablished female telephonists are required to live away from home; but one or two cases have occurred in which, owing to the proposed closing of the exchanges to which they have been attached temporary part-time telephonists have been offered employment as unestablished full-time telephonists at other offices as an alternative to their services being dispensed with, although, I may add, it was a condition of their original employment that their services might be discontinued at any time without notice. Any such officer would, when opportunity offers, be allowed to return to the place where her parents live. I am unable to make a special allowance in such cases.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether the Board is aware that the negotiations for acquiring land occupied by Mr. Rae, at Cheshunt, were blocked on the clerk to the council advising that the tenant would be entitled to compensation not only for tillage and severance, but for any loss he might sustain for future profits he might have made out of the land taken during the remainder of his tenancy, an amount computed at the rate of £5 per acre per annum; whether an exactly similar difficulty has arisen at Erith in the case of the compulsory acquisition by the urban district council of fifteen acres of land, part of Parsonage Farm; whether these claims will fall upon the prospective allotment holders, or whether the Board will, under the circumstances, provide the money out of the Small Holdings Account; and, if not, how do they propose to get over the difficulty?

The facts are as stated in the first part of the question. The Board have no power to pay claims of this kind out of the Small Holdings Account.

asked the hon. Member for Southampton, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, if, in tile absence of any fire insurance for the contents of this House or of any reserve fund, the Government would be prepared to reimburse hon. Members any loss they might sustain owing to damage from fire to personal effects or to the valuable contents of Members' lockers?

I beg leave to refer the hon. Member to my reply to his previous question on the 5th instant.