asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take into consideration the exemption of the coach-building trade from the list of trades mentioned in the Sixth Schedule to the National Insurance Bill, having regard to the fact that it is now a decaying industry, ill-fitted to bear the burden of additional taxation, owing to the increase in the number of mechanically-driven cars, and that it is largely only a season's trade?

I understand that the Institute of British Carriage Manufacturers are contemplating the sending of a deputation to confer with me on the subject referred to by the hon. Member, and I shall, of course, consider any representations they may desire to make.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the Old Age Pensions Act, 1908, expressly makes pensions payable in advance, so that, a person whose 70th birthday anniversary falls on the week-day (Friday) appointed for payments to start from is broadly and reasonably entitled to payment beginning with such birthday; and, seeing that the legal rule which regards a person as having attained a particular age on the day before the corresponding birthday anniversary, which is regarded as part of the following year of age, enables such a person to obtain payment on the Friday birthday in England and Ireland and is itself based on grounds which govern legal computations of time in respect of various other matters also, whether he will ascertain whether or not the same practice holds good for Scotland; and, if not, whether he will give Scotland the benefit of the same reasonable manner of computation in the Bill amending the Old Age Pensions Act which is about to be brought in?

As stated by my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury in the Debate on the Second Reading of the Old Age Pensions Bill recently introduced, it is intended to include a provision in the Government Bill to rectify this anomaly.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what progress has been made by the Congested Districts Board towards the purchase of the estate of Colonel Ormsby, parish of Kilfian, North Mayo; and to what cause the delay in dealing with this estate, first by the Estates Commissioners and afterwards by the Congested Districts Board, is attributable?

If the estate referred to is that of the late Miss Marion Ormsby, including the townlands of Annaghmore, Glencalry, Lower Breaffy, Ratheskin, Annaghbeg, and Ummerantarry, the Congested Districts Board are negotiating with the owner, who is at present having forms and maps prepared to enable the Board to inspect the lands with a view to making an offer for their purchase. Preliminary inquiries were made by the Estates Commissioners with a view to the acquisition of 208 acres of the townland of Gortnaraby on this estate, but no formal proceedings were instituted, as the Congested Districts Board did not give their consent under Section 58 of the Irish Land Act, 1909.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty on what date was the survey taken on which the present chart of Lough Swilly is based, when the last survey was completed and on what date was the draft of the new chart handed over to the hydrographic department, and when the new chart will be published; and whether, seeing the importance of this lough to the Scotch, English, and Irish fishing craft, and shipping generally, he will take steps to expedite the publication of the new chart?

The answer to the first part of the question is 1855; to the second, 1909; and to the third, April, 1910. As regards the fourth part of the question, all important changes affecting navigation in the Lough have already been placed on the charts. Changes affecting the shallower portions of the Lough will shortly be placed on the chart. In reply to the last part of the question, I may say that it is not proposed to publish a new chart, but only to complete the correction of the existing chart.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can see his way to granting a holiday either before or after the Coronation Review, to the officers and men employed in Government tugs, who, through the exigencies of the services, will not be able to get a holiday on the day of the review?

The Noble Lord is apparently under the impression that the dockyard will be closed on the date of the Coronation review. That is not the case, and the officers and men to whom he refers are therefore in the same position as the other employés in the yard.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can now state the number of men recruited by the manager of the Greenock Labour Exchange during his recent trip to Stornoway and other outlying districts; the trade or occupation of the men so engaged; the number of vacancies for labourers which were registered on the books of the Greenock Labour Exchange when the trip was sanctioned; and whether the manager has charged up his expenses incurred in connection with the trip; and, if so, what is the amount thereof?

The number of lads engaged as apprentices through the instrumentality of the Greenock Labour Exchange is between fifty and sixty, but it is probable that as a result of the arrangements which have been made this number will be gradually increased. The lads so engaged were without prospect of settled employment other than at labouring work. The term of apprenticeship for the lads engaged by this means is for five years, at a rate considerably higher than the standard rate for apprentices in the district, and forms of indenture to this effect have been signed in every case. The vacancies notified were not for labourers, and no labourers were engaged. If, however, my hon. Friend desires, I will make inquiries as to the number of unfilled vacancies for labourers registered at the Greenock Exchange on the date referred to. The expenses of the manager amounted approximately to £20.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if the attention of the Board of Trade has been called to the operations of the National United Assurance Society, Limited, a society formed since the Assurance Companies Act, 1909, and which company has been and is carrying on life assurance; whether such society has lodged the sum of £20,000 to entitle it to carry on life business; and whether the society is endeavouring to transfer its liabilities to another society called the National Assurance Friendly Society, Limited; and what steps the Board of Trade intend to take in the matter?

My attention has been called to the operations of the National United Assurance Society, Limited. So far as I know the society has not carried on life assurance business, but I am informed that at one time it carried on another form of assurance business under the Assurance Companies Act, 1909, namely, bond investment business. The Board of Trade have for some time past been conducting inquiries into the matter, and if they are so advised proceedings will be taken for the recovery of penalties for the non-payment of the deposit under the Assurance Companies Act. I have been told that individual policy-holders have transferred their policies to the National United Provident Friendly Society, but the Board of Trade have no control over any contracts which individual policyholders may like to make.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been drawn to a memorial addressed to him from the Postal Telegraph Clerks' Association regarding the methods of selection for promotion in the Central Telegraph Office, which was returned in the first instance by the secretary to the Post Office on the grounds that the subject matter had not been represented locally before appeal was made to the Postmaster-General, and in the second instance on the grounds that the representations which had been made could not be regarded as an effort to secure a full discussion of the matter locally; and whether, in view of the fact that this matter had been fully represented to the Controller of the Central Telegraph Office, the Postmaster-General will inquire into the circumstances in order that the right of associations to appeal to him may be maintained?

In the case referred to by the hon. Member no representations of a nature which could possibly be regarded as complying with the Regulations were made to the Controller of the Central Telegraph Office before the memorial was submitted to me, and it was therefore necessary, in accordance with the procedure established by my predecessor, after consultation with the associations representing the staff, to regard the memorial as irregular. The right of appeal by the associations to the Post-master-General is in no way affected.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, having regard to the fact that the accounts work connected with the intelligence duty in the Central Tele- graph Office is to be transferred, for purposes of economy to another department where female labour only is employed, he will consider, with a view to effecting further economies, the transference of the work at present allocated to the telegraph traffic section of the secretary's office to the Central Telegraph Office, to which office this work incidentally relates and where the duties of the traffic sections are performed on many occasions?

The hon. Member is probably referring to an arrangement whereby—when the staff of the secretary's office are not in attendance—news agencies are allowed to send urgent lists of addresses and additions thereto to the Central Telegraph Office direct. It would not be economical, and I do not think it would be advisable to transfer the work of giving notice with regard to special preparations to the Central Telegraph Office. It affects a large number of offices which are not subordinate to that office.