asked the Home Secretary whether the terms have been arrived at between the Cambrian combine and its men in the Rhondda Valley for the settlement of their prolonged dispute; and, if so, whether he will now consider the advisability of recommending a full and exhaustive inquiry into the charges against the police and the incidents of the dispute?

I am informed that provisional terms of settlement were arrived at on Monday at the meeting of representatives of the South Wales Coal-owners' Association and of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain, but the terms have not been published, pending consideration by various other associations and parties. Some of the complaints made against the police have already been investigated by the courts, and the courts are the proper authority to investigate the other charges if they have any substantial foundation. I recognise that innocent persons must sometimes be hurt if they get mixed up in such scenes of not and violence as occurred in the Rhondda, Valley; but I fail to find in the statements which have been made to me anything that would justify me in ordering a special inquiry into the conduct of the police, who, I am satisfied, performed difficult and dangerous duties with courage and moderation.

asked the Home Secretary whether he was aware that banksmen employed at the pit-top in the Treharris district of South Wales are required to work 84 hours per week, including an occasional shift of 36 hours running from Sunday morning to Monday morning; and whether it was intended to insert a Clause in the new Mines Bill limiting the hours of work of these men to eight per day?

I have no information as to the hours of work of banksmen in the Treharris district of South Wales. The Eight Hours Act does not limit the hours of workmen employed on the surface, and I do not think it will be possible to deal with the subject in the Mines Bill.

asked the Home Secretary if he will state what was the number of period from 1st January, 1907, to 31st December, 1910, giving the occupation of the offender, costs, if any.

The particulars desired are given in the following table:—

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can give a Return showing the amount of benefactions given to the funds of religious denominations other than the Church of England and the Church of Rome in Wales since the year 1662?

It is not praticable to give this return.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can give a Return showing the total number of persons in Wales who pay tithe, distinguishing between those who pay tithe by an amount exceeding £20 and those who pay tithe to a less amount than £20?

I am informed by the Board of Agriculture that it is very doubtful whether the information desired can be procured, but inquiries are being made as to the possibility of furnishing any such Return.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to the inconvenience and hardship caused to those liable to Inhabited House Duty owing to inaccurate demand notes being served on them by local collectors; whether the contention of the Inland Revenue authority that it is not possible for a collector to be aware of the facts of each individual tenancy in his district represents the view of the Chancellor himself; and whether, seeing that all the information necessary is available to the collector, he will provide for the onus of proof in making such claim resting on him rather than on the person charged?

If the hon. Member will furnish particulars of specific cases in which inconvenience or hardship has been caused in the manner stated I will cause inquiry to be made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, and, if so, will he say how, in the case of domestic servants and other insured persons, the amount of the employer's contributions will be pro vided under the National Insurance Bill at the time when the insured are taking more or less prolonged holidays in the intervals of their situations?

The Bill does not propose that contributions should be paid compulsorily during periods of unemployment of the kind referred to.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether under the National Insurance Bill a member of a friendly society will continue to draw the same benefits from his society as before, or will only receive the same as other people who have belonged to no society; and what advantages the present members of a friendly society will receive under the Act?

If the hon. Member will refer to Clause 55 of the Bill, he will see that members of existing societies will get the whole benefit of the accumulations which they have made up to the time when the Act comes into force, and will in addition get precisely the same advantages as persons not hitherto insured.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, concerning the case of labourers who would pay for unemployment insurance when engaged in a trade covered by the Insurance Bill, whether he intends to provide for the return to them of any money they have paid in cases where they are compelled to take work in some other trade which could offer them no unemployment benefit?

Under the Unemployment Insurance scheme it is not necessary to make any special provision to meet the case referred to by my hon. Friend—namely, that of labourers who work at one time at occupations within the scope of the insured trades and at another time at occupations outside those trades. Such labourers will contribute to the fund so long as they are employed in an insured trade, and thereupon they will become entitled to the benefits prescribed in the Bill whilst unemployed, whether or not they work at another trade in the meantime. Their claim to benefit will, of course, be limited automatically by the rule that not more than one week's benefit is payable for every five weeks' contributions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in conjunction with his National Insurance Bill, he will consider a contributory scheme for old age pensions prepared by Mr. W. H. Lupton, late of the Secretary's Office, General Post Office, under which it is proposed to establish an old age pension fund to which wage earners would be entitled to contribute much in the same way as they now deposit their savings in the Post Office Savings Bank, the contributions receiving interest at 2½ per cent. until the contributor reached the age of sixty-five, when the Government would add 30 per cent. to the accumulations not in excess of £200, and, with the resulting capital, purchase for the contributor an annuity or old age pension at Post Office rates, so that under this proposal a contributor saving £100 would, with the Government bonus of £30, be entitled to secure an annuity of £13 8s. 10d., or roughly 5s. weekly?

I am afraid I do not see my way to throw any further burden upon the State in respect of old age pensions.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Congested Districts Board had purchased the farm of Kilskeagh, containing 450 acres of land, near Turloughmore; whether he was aware that a resolution had been received by the Congested Districts Board from the United Estates Committee of North, South, and East Galway, asking that this grass farm would be handed over to the tenants of the locality who were in need of land, and that they were prepared to pay a fair rent for the same; whether he was aware that the names of a number of tenants had also been attached to the memorial who were prepared to take over the farm; whether it was the intention of the Board to comply with the request of the resolution; and whether it was the intention of the Congested Districts Board to permit a grazier named Mr. Mark Mylotte, of Ballinrobe, to remain in possession for another year of 250 acres of the best land of the farm, while the Congested Districts Board have advertised for grazing stock for the 200 acres of mountain land on this farm?

The Congested Districts Board have received the resolution referred to. The Board have only purchased a portion of the lands of Kilskeagh, comprising 200 acres of poor mountain land. The 250 acres of grazing held by Mr. Mark Mylotte in the same townland have not been offered to the Board, but they are in communication with the owner with a view to purchase.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the tenants on the estate of Mr. F. G. Williams at Cappanagroun, near Waterville, applied to the Congested Districts Board last year requesting them to negotiate for the purchase of the estate; and can he state what action, if any, has been taken by the Board, and with what result?

The Congested Districts Board received an application from the tenants on this estate, and informed the owner of the procedure to be adopted if he desired to negotiate through the Board for the sale of his estate, but so far the estate has not been offered to the Board.

asked whether the Congested Districts Board has requested the owner to sell the unsold portion of the Warden estate, near Sneem; whether the Estates Commissioners gave any undertaking that they would not negotiate for the unsold portion of the estate on condition that the owner agreed to sell the portion which was subsequently sold; and what steps will now be taken to secure that the tenants who have been denied the right of purchase shall be allowed to acquire their holdings?

The Congested Districts Board communicated with the owner, but he refused to sell the portion of his estate near Sneem. The Estates Commissioners gave no such undertaking as that referred to. The lands on this estate purchased by the Commissioners were originally the subject of direct sale proceedings under the Irish Land Act, 1903, but at, the request of the Commissioners, the owner agreed to change the proceedings into a sale to them, so that the lands might be dealt with as a congested estate under Section 6 of the Act. The lands so acquired did not include certain lands which adjoin the owner's residence, and which were not included in the original proceedings.

asked the Chief Secretary if he would state the order of priority in which the estate of the late A. E. Edgeworth, Esq., D.L., of Edgeworthstown, county Longford, now stands; whether any progress is likely to be made in vesting the same this year; and, if not, when it was likely that this estate would be dealt with?

There are three estates of Mr. A. E. Edgeworth pending for sale before the Estates Commissioners, and they are not aware to which estate the hon. Member refers. None of the estates will be dealt with this year, but may be reached next year.

asked the Chief Secretary whether, in case agreements are now entered into by the town tenants of Edgeworthstown to purchase their town holdings along with the agricultural holdings previously purchased (providing the necessary additional cash lodgment, if required in such cases), these latter agreements would be dealt with at the same time as the agricultural part of the estate, when the same comes up; and, if not, could he hold out any hope of a speedy sale of the latter, so as to facilitate a subsequent sale of the town property under the Act of 1909?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that the agricultural portion of this estate, for which purchase agreements have already been lodged, will be dealt with in order of priority. If agreements for the sale of the town holdings are lodged they will be dealt with at the same time.

asked the Chief Secretary if ho would state, by counties, the area of land distributed in Ireland from the beginning of their operations to the present time by the Congested Districts Board and by the Estates Commissioners respectively; the area purchased but not yet distributed by the Board; the area for the purchase of which each body is now in negotiation; and the estimated area of non-residential land in each county not yet touched by the Board or the Commissioners?

The information required by the hon. Member could only he obtained after considerable labour and by withdrawing the staff of the Congested Districts Board and Estates Commissioners from more important duties. I would, however, refer the hon. Member to the last published Reports of those Departments, which give all the information available as to their operations.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can now see his way to grant the inquiry into the present organisation and pay of the Royal Irish Constabulary, asked for in the petition presented to the Lord Lieutenant last month by fourteen of His Majesty's lieutenants, three vicelieutenants, 297 deputy-lieutenants, and 1,215 magistrates?

Having regard to the fact that the scale of pay of the rank and file of the Royal Irish Constabulary was revised so lately as 1908 by an Act of Parliament based on the recommendations of a Departmental Committee which went very carefully into the points raised in the Memorial to which the hon. Member refers, it is too soon to re-open the question by instituting such an inquiry as is asked for in the Memorial, and the Memorialists have been so informed.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that in many cases the claims for subsistence allowance for Census duty performed by members of the Royal Irish Constabulary are being questioned by superintendents on the ground that the duty was not performed townland by townland; whether any instructions were issued to enumerators by the Census Commissioners or the police authorities to perform the duty in this manner; if not, why superintendents are now raising this question; whether he is aware that the claim is for 1s. for over eight hours' duty and 1s. 6d. for over twelve hours' duty for subsistence on such duty; and whether he will direct that the claims be paid without irritating queries being raised by superintendents, who know nothing of the fatigue which enumerators had to endure whilst engaged on this duty?

The Inspector-General informs me that he is not aware that claims for subsistence allowance made by members of the Royal Irish Constabulary in connection with the Census have been questioned on the grounds mentioned. No such instructions were issued to enumerators as suggested in the question. The rates of subsistence allowance are as stated.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, whether ho will explain why Greenwich School boys are precluded from joining the Royal Navy as boy writers and ships' stewards' boys; and whether he is aware that most of these boys are sons of veterans who have given the best part of their lives to the State?

In reply to the first part of the question, the reason is that the ratings of Third Writers and Ships' Stewards are recruited by men entered by open competition. With regard to the second part, I am aware that Greenwich Hospital School boys are mostly the sons of naval ratings and marines of long service. These boys will continue to be entered in the seamen class as before; and I need not remind the noble Lord that this class affords the better opening for a good career in the Royal Navy.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, with reference to the case of Colonel Brabazon, whether, under War Office regulations, no officer can be placed on half-pay without being so gazetted; whether the War Office have at any time been asked by the Admiralty to gazette Colonel Brabazon to half-pay; and, if so, what was the reply; and whether the Admiralty maintain that their discretion gives them the right to ignore the Order in Council, dated 9th May, 1891, which preserved to officers transferred to the Naval Ordnance Department all their rights as Army officers?

I understand that the reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part, the War Office, on being informed of the circumstances of Colonel Brabazon's case did not consider it possible to gazette him to half pay with ante-date. The Admiralty do not dispute the fact that ordnance store officers transferred under the Order in Council of 1891 retain their rights and privileges as officers of the Ordnance Store Department.

asked the Under Secretary of State for War, whether he can now give any further information with reference to the recent suicide of an officer at Parkhurst hospital?

I am afraid I am not yet in a position to give any further information on this subject.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether trials have been made with the Valkyrie type of æroplane; and, if not, whether its capabilities will be inspected and reported upon to the War Office.

No military trials have been made of the Valkyrie aeroplane, but its points and capabilities are known and have been reported to the War Office.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will explain why conscientious objection certificates obtained by soldiers under the Vaccination Acts, 1898 and 1907, are not recognised by the Army authorities in the case of the children of such soldiers living in barracks, no matter in what part of the world they are serving?

It is essential that the troops should incur no risk of infection from families residing in barracks who are unvaccinated, and who are therefore regarded as a menace to the health of the soldiers. Such residence in barracks is a privilege, and those granted the privilege must comply with the sanitary regulations for the use of the barracks.

asked the Under Secretary of State for War, whether Section 40 of the Army Act is treated as protecting a soldier who refuses to have his children vaccinated from being tried by court martial, seeing that this is not a civil offence, and that special provision is made in that Section that no person shall be tried for any offence which is not a civil offence?

The hon. Member appears to be under some misapprehension as to the interpretation of Section. (40) Army Act, which, inter alia, provides that a man shall not be tried under that Section for any military offence which is a specific military offence under any other section. A civil offence is a specific offence under Section [41) Army Act, and is tried under that Section.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War, whether the Army Act is treated by the Army Council as depriving soldiers of their civil rights under the exemption clauses of the Vaccination Acts, 1898 and 1907, should they desire to exempt their children from vaccination under those sections?

The reply to the question is in the negative. The privilege, however, of residing in barracks is denied to families who refuse to be vaccinated, as they are regarded as a menace to the health of the troops.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War, whether the War Office are yet prepared to redeem their promise of the issue of a drill-book for the yeomanry, applicable to drill in single rank and not merely to the drill in two ranks, to which the only available cavalry drill-book now applies?

A training manual for Yeomanry is now in course of preparation, and it is hoped will be ready for issue at the end of the year.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he will state what is the normal death-rate for India; and what was the death-rate during the two years of scarcity, 1897 and 1900?

It is not easy to say what the normal death-rate for India is. The death-rates of the several provinces differ considerably in any given series of years, and the death-rate for British India as a whole is subject to great variations. The mean death-rate for British India in the ten years 1890–1899 was 30.43 per mille, and in the ten years 1900-1909 was 34.52 per mille. The death-rate in 1897 was 36.03 per mille, and in 1900 38.91 per mille.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether the six commissioners about to be appointed will be promoted from among the permanent servants of the Board who have entered the service after passing the educational tests and complying with the rules of the Civil Service Commissioners?

Two of the new Commissioners were permanent officials of the Board. They did not have to pass an examination when originally appointed.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will see that the Report of the Congested Districts Board is issued before the discussion of the Scottish Estimates; and whether, if that is not found possible, he will undertake at a later date to give facilities for its discussion?

I am in communication with my Noble Friend the Secretary for Scotland on the subject, but I am afraid that the Report in question will not be ready by 1st June. I will consider the hon. Member's suggestion