asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the word benefits in lines 11 and 12, page 17, Section 18, Sub-section (2) (ii), of the National Insurance Bill, includes, in the case of a society which can otherwise fulfil the conditions of the Bill, the making in accordance with its existing constitution of an annual return in cash to its members of sums contributed by them to the society for the purpose of division, and not being sums contributed under and for the purposes of the Bill; and whether, if the reply to the preceding part of the question be in the affirmative, the word benefits in line 29, page 45, Section 55 (a), would include, in the case of societies whose constitution at the date of the passing of the Bill so permitted, the making of a return in cash of any sums contributed by the members for the purpose of division?

The intention of the words in Clause 18 is to exclude profit-making concerns. They are not intended to exclude a society which makes a periodical return of contributions or distribution of cash benefits. The words of Clause 55 would not preclude a distribution in cash benefits of sums contributed for such a purpose, but the intention of the Clause is to forbid the distribution in cash of sums distributed for another purpose.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the ranches on the Morley estate, county Cavan, proposed to be divided amongst the tenants, have yet been vested; at how much per acre had this land been valued, and how much per acre is at present paid for similar adjoining land upon this estate; did the same inspectors report in both cases; and, if so, would the difference in the acreable rent be accounted for?

If the hon. Member refers to the former holdings of Mrs. Carson which the Estates Commissioners have acquired for distribution, these lands have been allotted by the commissioners, and the allottees have been put in possession. The lands will be vested at prices which in the aggregate work out at about £4 15s. per acre. The price represents the value of the lands freed and discharged from any tenancy or occupation interest, whereas the prices payable by the tenants for the purchase of the holdings in which they have a tenant's interest represent the value of the landlord's interest only.

asked the Chief Secretary the number of gentlemen at present holding the position of deputy-lieutenant in the county of Cavan; how many deputies-lieutenant can be appointed for this county; and will he state the religious denomination or denominations of the present deputies-lieutenant?

The number of Gentlemen at present holding the appointment of deputy-lieutenant in the county of Cavan is fourteen. The total number allowed for the county is fifteen. There is no record of the religious denominations to which these gentlemen belong.

asked why an old ago pension has been refused to Mrs. Fanny Gallagher, Carrick, Boyle, Derrybeg, county Donegal, whose name is not found is the Census returns of 1841 or 1851 but whose attainment of the statutory age was sworn to by Mr. Owen Boyle, Loughna moran, Crolly, who at the time of his death was himself 100 years of age, as well as by other old people in the district?

In January, 1909, the Local Government Board confirmed the decision of the Dunfanaghy Pension Subcommittee disallowing Fanny Gallagher's claim for a pension, on the ground that there was no evidence of her having reached the statutory age.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can state the reasons in each case of the disallowance by the Local Government Board of the old age pensions granted by the Milford (county Donegal) sub-committee on 5th January to Margery Gallagher, Assendoo, Cranford, and Ellen M'Bride, Corragh, Clonballagh, Downings, the latter of whom is bedridden; whether the Local Government Board will send down an inspector to interview the applicants and make inquiries on the spot, seeing that, whilst no documentary evidence of age is procurable in these cases, the members of the sub-committee, who know the applicants, are unanimously of the opinion that they have both reached the statutory age; whether, where documentary evidence is not forthcoming, sworn declarations by responsible persons will be favourably considered by the Local Government Board; and, if not, if he will explain how such applicants can ever hope to obtain an old age pension?

The Local Government Board upheld appeals of the pension officer against the award of pensions to Margery Gallagher and Ellen McBride on the ground that the claimants had failed to show that they had attained the statutory age. The Board have no authority to reopen the cases by sending an inspector to visit the claimants, as suggested. Sworn declarations or any other evidence submitted in support of a claim are always duly considered by the Board. Ellen McBride was recorded in the Census Return of 1851 as being nine years old.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Michael Maloney, of Lackagh, Drumfin, county Sligo, some two years ago applied to the Riverstown, county Sligo, pension subcommittee for a pension, which was allowed him at the rate of 5s.per week, and that afterwards the Local Government Board reduced such pension by 2s.per week; whether he is aware that this man's sole income is £12 per year, paid in monthly instalments by his son; and, if so, whether this man's claim to the maximum will be reconsidered?

The Riverstown pension sub-committee awarded Michael Maloney a pension of 5s. a week, but on appeal by the pension officer, who considered that he was not entitled to any pension, the Local Government Board determined that he was entitled to a pension of 3s. a week. In coming to this decision the Board had regard to the value of the maintenance and other privileges which the claimant enjoyed on a farm which he had transferred to his son.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he was aware that Mary Murphy, of Lugnaskeehan, Dromahair, county Leitrim, was granted an old age pension of 5s. per week in 1910, but on appeal by the pension officer it was reduced to 4s. per week, on the ground of means; and whether, having regard to the fact that she is living with her son Francis, who makes her a living allowance out of the profits of a small farm, and has no means of her own, she will be granted the full pension, with all arrears?

Mary Murphy was granted a pension of 4s. a week by the Manorhamilton pension sub-committee on 17th December, 1908. On 21st December, 1910, after making a transfer of her holding to her son, she applied for an increase to 5s. a week, which the sub-committee allowed; but on appeal the Local Government Board held that there had been no change in her circumstances to justify the increase asked for.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that an interpreter has frequently to be employed at petty sessions in county Donegal, particularly in the district of Falcarragh; and whether, in the case of future appointments to the magistracy and to clerkships of the petty sessions, he will impress upon the persons directly responsible the importance of securing that magistrates and their clerks shall have a knowledge of Irish?

I am informed that an interpreter has occasionally to be employed at Falcarragh petty sessions, but no difficulty has arisen, as the summons-server acts in that capacity. Two magistrates who sit for this district can speak Irish. I have no power to give the directions suggested.

asked the President of the Board of Education what were the numbers of male and female teachers respectively receiving pensions from the Superannuation Fund at the last yearly audit; what were the numbers of male and female teachers respectively receiving breakdown pensions; what was the total amount standing to the credit of the teachers in that fund; and what is the total number of certificated teachers, male and female, respectively, according to the last available figures?

The following are the particulars which the hon. Member is understood to require:—

	Males.	Females
(1) Number of teacher receiving Annuities from Deferred Annuity Fund on 31st March, 1910	1,037	813
(2) Number of teachers receiving Disablement Allowances on 31st March,1910	441	1,331

(3) Capital of the Deferred Annuity Fund (including Scotland) on 31st March, 1911—	£	s.	d.
2½% Consols	2,250,675	9	2
Guaranteed 2¾% Stock	808,576	6	1

(4) Number of Certificated Teachers in employment on last day of school-year, Statistical year	Males.	Females.
1909–10	33,155	64,749

It is not possible to state the number of certificated teachers who are alive but have left the profession or for some other reason were not in employment on the last day of the school year 1909–10.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the fact that a number of residents in East Road and Bridport Place have recently petitioned the Commissioner of Police against the use of these narrow roads by motor omnibuses, and in view of the fact that the Commissioner of Police has no powers in the matter, he is prepared to take any steps, by legislation or otherwise, to protect the residents and shopkeepers from the serious loss and in convenience they are suffering from this cause?

I can offer no prospect of legislation this Session on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will Undertake to loan the records, including gramophone records, of West African natives at the Colonial Office to the British West African Association for exhibition at Shepherd's Bush?

The records in question were collected in the interests of linguistic and anthropological science, and are deposited with the Royal Anthropological Institution, where they are accessible to students. I am not prepared to sanction their loan for exhibition purposes.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will support the proposal for establishing a permanent exhibition and information bureau of West African subjects to which the various West African Colonies may contribute?

I have received no definite proposals on this subject, but I am of opinion that the requirements of the West African Colonies in this respect are already met by the Imperial Institute and the Commercial Intelligence Branch of the Board of Trade.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the concession for providing electric tramways, lighting, and power to the city of Bombay, granted to the Bombay Electric Supply and Tramways Company, Limited, is the concession the grant of which was the subject of the appeal to the Privy Council of the Bombay Tramway Company, Limited, and others versus the Municipal Corporation of Bombay, heard in May, 1904; whether the concession which was the subject of the said appeal to the Privy Council was the concession granted by the Municipal Commissioner and Corporation of Bombay to one William Gentry Bingham, on 11th March, 1901; whether he is aware that the judgment of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, delivered in June, 1904, affirmed the right of the corporation to enter into the agreement of 11th March, 1901, with the said Bingham, and upheld the legality of that agreement, that the Municipal Commissioner and the Corporation thereafter set aside the concession granted to the said Bingham, and granted a fresh concession to the Bombay Electric Supply and Tramways Company, Limited; will he say whether the substitution of the Bombay Electric Supply and Tramways Company as concessionaires in the place of the said Bingham was with the consent of the latter, and, if not, whether proper notice was served upon him by the Municipal Commissioner and the Corporation of their intention to determine their agreement with him; whether he is aware that the said Bingham entered into the agreement of 11th March, 1901, at the request of the Municipal Commissioner and the Corporation, and that but for the said agreement the Corporation would not have been in a position to give the necessary notice in March, 1901, failing which the Bombay Tramway Company would have been entitled to retain possession of the tramways ill March, 1908; whether the voiding of the concession granted to the said Bingham in 1901 was made at the instance of the Municipal Commissioner of Bombay; whether the Commissioner is an official of the Bombay Government appointed as executive officer of the Corporation; and whether, seeing that the setting aside of an agreement whose legality had been upheld by the Judicial Committee is in the nature of the reversal of a decision of the Privy Council, he will say what action, if any, the Secretary of State will take in the matter?

The Secretary of State understands that the judgment delivered by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council on 3rd June, 1904, on the appeal of the Bombay Tramway Company v. the Bombay City Municipal Corporation, dealt only with questions arising out of a purchase by the Corporation of the undertaking of the company. The company contended that the notice of intention to purchase was invalid, in that the Corporation had entered into an arrangement with Bingham, and were acting, not for themselves, but on his behalf. The Privy Council, in dismissing the appeal, held that the Corporation were acting as principals and not as agents, and that whether they could or could not carry out their agreement with Bingham did not concern the tramway company. The concession stated to have been granted to Mr. Bingham by the Corporation was therefore not the subject matter of the suit, and no question as between these two parties arose or was determined by the judgment. The Secretary of State has no information as to any action that the Corporation or the Municipal Commissioner may subsequently have taken to determine the agreement with Mr. Bingham. He does not propose to interfere in the matter, which is one appropriate for decision by a court of law.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that at a meeting of the Newcastle Board of Guardians, held on 28th April, it was decided that children on remand should be accommodated at the workhouse; and whether, in view of a statement made on the same date by a member of the hoard of guardians that he had on one occasion found eleven children ill the tramp ward, he can state what arrangements will be made for the housing of remand children separately from the other inmates of the workhouse?

My attention has not been drawn to the matter. I may explain that under Section 108 (4) of the Children Act, 1908, a board of guardians may, subject to the consent of the Local Government Board, agree with the police authority for the temporary use of a workhouse as a place of detention for children and young persons required to be detained under that Act. I have not received any application for consent to the Newcastle-on-Tyne workhouse being used for this purpose.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to a fire which occurred in Cecil Court, St. Martin's Lane, on the premises of the Globe Film Company, on the evening of the 17th instant; whether he is aware that this is the third film fire which has taken place in the St. Martin's Lane district within the last twelve months; whether his attention has been drawn to the number of photographic film stores in this district; and whether, in view of the fact that there are at least seven theatres, not to mention the National Portrait Gallery and the National Gallery, within a radius of a few hundred yards, as well as a cinematograph film store in the immediate vicinity of the Alhambra Theatre, he is prepared to take additional steps for the protection of the public in case of fire?

The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply. I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given yesterday to a similar question by the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme. I am informed that it cannot be said that the National Gallery or the National Portrait Gallery are in danger of fire from existing cinematograph stores.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture if an applicant for a record to be made under Section 27 of the Agricultural Holdings Act, 1908, is liable to the person making the record for the full amount of his costs?

The section provides that in default of agreement the cost of making the record shall be borne by the landlord and the tenant in equal proportions.

asked the Lord Advocate whether he can state, for the last three decennial periods, the number of emigrants from Scotland, the changes of population in the purely agricultural counties, and the increase of acreage devoted to deer forests during each period?

Beyond referring my hon. Friend to the various returns relating to emigration to the Census Returns for the period covered by his question, and to the return of deer forests, House of Commons Paper 220 of 1908, I fear I cannot deal with his question satisfactorily within the ordinary limits of question and answer in the House.