asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the case of workers under twenty-one, the scale of contributions will be at the ordinary rates in all cases, irrespective of wages earned, except in the cases where no wages are earned, in which case the employer pays the whole contribution, that is to say, will the contribution be for males 7d. per week, of which the employer pays 4d. and the worker 3d., and for females 6d. per week, of which the employer pays 3d. and the worker 3d.?

The answer is in the affirmative.

also asked if the amount of the employed person's wages for the purposes of the National Insurance Bill are computed in the same way as in the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1906, Schedule 1, Section 1, sub-section (b), namely, his average weekly earnings during the previous twelve months, if he has been so long employed, but if not then for any less period during which he has been in the employment of the same employer, or is it proposed to consider each week separately, and to base the contributions of employers and workers upon the wages actually earned during the said week?

The daily wage will be computed for each week separately.

asked the Chancellor whether he will issue, for the convenience of Members, a translation of the Bill recently passed by the German Reichstag amending the law relating to sick insurance?

I understand that the revised text of the Bill has not yet been published. I am making arrangements to obtain it as soon as it is out, and I have already undertaken to consider whether an epitome of the measure can be issued for the information of the House.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that Mary-O'Connor, register number 425 of the Sneem sub-committee, has been deprived of an old age pension, although her age could not be traced in the Census records; and whether, in view of the collateral evidence submitted, steps will now be taken to restore her pension?

It does not appear from the facts before the Local Government Board that this woman was ever in receipt of an old age pension. A claim made by her was disallowed by the Board on appeal on 7th September, 1909, she having produced no evidence that she had attained the statutory age. A later claim was disallowed by the Board on 20th February, 1911, on the same grounds. The claimant's family could not be traced in the Census Returns of 1S41 or 1851. It is not open to the Board to reconsider their decision.

also asked on what grounds the claim of Ellen Reilly to an old age pension, which was granted by the Derriana sub-committee, Caherciveen district, has been refused, in view of the evidence submitted as to her age, and of the fact that, in spite of repeated applications, the Census Office has not traced her name in the Census Returns?

The Local Government Board decided on the 2nd June, 1911, on a question raised by the pension officer that Ellen Reilly had not attained the age of seventy years. She furnished no satisfactory evidence of age, and her name did not appear in the return of her family in the Census of 1841.

further asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Mary O'Connor, register number 356 of the Sneem sub-committee, has been deprived of her old age pension though her age could not be traced in the Census records, and evidence has been given of her having attained the statutory age; and whether steps will be taken to restore the pension?

A question was raised by the pension officer in this case as to the pensioner's age, and on appeal the Local Government Board decided that she had not attained the age of seventy years. Her name did not appear in the return of her parents' family in the Census of 1841, and the family could not be traced in the 1851 Census Return. She did not know the date of her birth, and furnished no evidence of age. It is not open to the Board to reconsider their decision.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Bridget Mangan, whose registered number on the Sneem sub-committee's register is 393, was deprived of an old age pension by reason of a statement by one of the pension officers that her name had been found in the Census, and that she had not attained the statutory age, although search in the Census by the sub-committee was made and her name could not be found; whether he is aware that a second pension officer failed to find her name in the Census records; and whether, in view of the evidence of age which has been given and of the mistake made by the first pension officer, her claim will now be admitted?

The Local Government Board decided on 25th May, 1911, that Bridget Mangan was not entitled to any pension. The pension officer who raised the question reported that the Census of 1851 showed her to be nine years of age at that date, and the Board satisfied themselves through a search of the Census records by one of their own officers that this report was correct, and that the return related to the claimant. It is not open to the Board to reconsider their decision.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Michael Sullivan, of Ardeen, register number 427 of the Sneem sub-committee and number 79 of the pension officer, was deprived of his old age pension, although his son had been married in 1900 and has been in occupation of the farm since that year; that no marriage agreement was made, as it was not the custom of the district at that time to execute such marriage agreements; that since 1900 Michael Sullivan has only the grass of two cows for the support of his wife and himself; and whether, if Michael Sullivan now executes a marriage agreement with his son whereby he retains the grass of two cows only, his pension will be restored to him?

The pension in this case was disallowed by the Local Government Board on 26th November, 1909, on the ground that Michael Sullivan had not attained the statutory age. Since then he has made two claims, which were disallowed by the Board on appeal on the ground that his moans as calculated under the Old Age Pensions Act did not entitle him to any pension. The Board were satisfied that he was still the actual owner of the holding. It is not open to the Board to reconsider their decision; and in any case if Sullivan were (as the hon. Member suggests) to deprive himself of property in order to qualify for the receipt of a pension, the income or yearly value of that property would, under Section 4 (3) of the Old Age Pensions Act, still have to be taken as part of his means.

asked the Chief Secretary what steps, if any, have been taken to secure the reinstatement of Mr. Michael Shanahan in his holding on the estate of the Knight of Kerry, Valentia Island, county Kerry; can he state by whom the farm is at present being grazed; and whether he is aware that it is situated at a distance from the home farm?

The Estates Commissioners received an application from Michael M. Shanahan for reinstatement in a holding formerly occupied by his father on the estate of the Knight of Kerry, and after inquiry and consideration decided to take no action in the matter. The Commissioners cannot say whether this holding is being grazed at present. They understand it is worked by the owner as a home farm.

asked whether the Congested Districts Board has now been furnished with all the necessary particulars for the purchase of the Fuller estate, near Caherciveen; if not, will a further request be sent to the agent and inspection be undertaken without delay; whether he is aware that an eviction has lately been carried out, although the delay in completing purchase negotiations is in no way due to the tenants; and whether steps will be taken to prevent the tenants being harassed, evictions carried out, and the importation of planters threatened, pending the settlement of the purchase terms?

The Congested Districts Board have now been furnished with the necessary particulars to enable them to have the estate referred to inspected, with a view to deciding whether they will purchase it or consent to a direct sale to the tenants. They will have the property inspected as soon as practicable, having regard to the other engagements of their staff. The Board have no information regarding the alleged recent eviction, and cannot interfere in any proceedings between the present owner and the tenants.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the tenants of the Sugrue estate, Fermoyle, near Caherciveen, sent a memorial to the Congested Districts Board in December, 1909, asking that the purchase of the estate should be completed; what steps, if any, have been taken to acquire the property from the trustee, Mr. Myles O'Mahony; and whether negotiations have now been completed?

The Memorial referred to was received. The Congested Districts Board communicated with the trustee who has informed them that those interested in the estate are not prepared to negotiate for a sale at present.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he has received any representations from Irish associations or traders asking for the extension of Greenwich time in Ireland; is he aware that France has adopted English time; and will he consider favourably representations coming from Ireland in favour of this reform?

Representations have been received from the Chambers of Commerce of Dublin and Londonderry and the Dublin Mercantile Association in favour of the adoption of Greenwich time in Ireland. I am aware that France has adopted it, and as I have already stated if there was any general demand in Ireland for the change the Irish Government would be prepared to consider the matter.

asked the President of the Local Government Board, whether he has conferred with the Board of Agriculture as to the methods likely to prove effectual in preventing a well-managed herd of dairy cows from giving at any time milk below the standard set up by the milk regulations; and whether he will communicate the result to the Secretary of the Darlington Farmers' Protection Association?

Correspondence is proceeding between the two Departments.

asked the President how many passengers from and into the United Kingdom were enumerated between the Censuses of 1891 and 1901, and between the Censuses of 1901 and 1911; how he accounts for the difference between the net outward movement thus recorded and the increase of population shown by the Censuses of 1901 and 1911, taken in conjunction with the record of births and deaths registered during the intercensal periods; and whether he will cause an estimate of the population of the United Kingdom founded on all the available figures to be prepared annually and inserted in the Statistical Abstract?

The number of passengers arriving in the United Kingdom in the ten years 1901 to 1910 was, so far as recorded, 11,136,558, and the number of passengers recorded as departing in those ten years was 12,788,370. The corresponding numbers for the preceding ten years were 7,770,610 arrivals and 7,206,852 departures. My hon. Friend is doubtless aware that the returns of passenger movement have only been complete since the beginning of 1908; the totals for the precise intercensal periods cannot be stated. The relation between the figures of the Census and those derived from the passenger returns is dealt with in the Annual Report for 1910 on Emigration and Immigration. This Report will be issued tomorrow, and I will send a copy of it to my hon. Friend. With reference to the second part of the question, I understand that the subject of improved estimates of the numbers of the population year by year is engaging the attention of the authorities concerned.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the fact that during the last thirty years the method of estimating the total population of the country adopted by the Registrar-Generals of England and Scotland has produced results which, on the whole, compare very unfavourably with the official estimates for Ireland and with estimates made by private persons for England and Scotland; and whether he will consider the desirability of causing future estimates of the population of England and Wales to be based on the recorded figures of natural increase and inference from the Board of Trade and other official records of migration?

As my hon. Friend will have gathered from the Preliminary Report of the Census which has been published, the whole question is receiving careful consideration with a view to seeing whether the methods of estimating can be improved.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of young persons between the ages of fourteen and sixteen who have been registered at the juvenile labour exchanges in the county of London, and how many have obtained skilled employment?

The following statements give the information desired so far as it is available. The number of juvenile applicants between fourteen and seventeen registered at the juvenile labour exchanges in the County of London during the five months ended 26th May, 1911, was: Boys, 18,218; girls, 10,563; total, 28,781. The number of vacancies filled during the same period was as follows:—

Trades.	Vacancies Filled.
	Boys.	Girls.	Total.
Building and Works of Construction	112	…	112
Mining and Quarrying	5	…	5
Metals, Machines, Implements and Conveyances	434	74	508
Textiles	27	40	67
Dress	270	1,093	1,363
Conveyance of Men's Goods and Messages	4,012	20	4,032
Agriculture	17	1	18
Paper, Prints.. Books, etc.	419	435	854
Wood, Furniture, Fittings, etc.	300	86	386
Chemicals, Oil, Grease, etc.	32	41	73
Bricks, Cement, Pottery, etc.	26	13	39
Food, Tobacco, Drink and Lodging	590	420	1,010
Skins, Leather, Hair, etc.	91	135	226
Precious Metals, Jewels, Watches, Instruments and Games	38	24	62
Gas, Water, Electricity Supply, and Sanitary Service	28	…	28
Commercial	848	190	1,038
Domestic (outdoor)	133	700	833
Other General and undefined:
(a) General Labourers	30	…	30
(b) Others	1,240	1,280	2,520
Total	8,652	4,552	13,204

asked the Postmaster-General whether a telephone service is established in agricultural districts where at least five farmers signify their willingness to subscribe: whether this arrangement applies to Ireland; whether he is aware that Rathkenny, county Antrim, where there is a large co-operative creamery, a railway station, and the works of an iron ore company, is four miles from the nearest telegraph office at Brough-shane; and, as the telephone is much desired by the creamery and others in the district, will he arrange for the establishment of such a service at an early date?

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension in supposing that a rural telephone party-line can be supplied in any district where five subscribers are willing to rent telephones. The arrangement recently made is to provide party-lines in connection with existing Post Office Exchanges, when for each line there is an average of three subscribers per mile of the route length from the Exchange and a minimum of five subscribers. It is, of course, necessary that the relative positions of the premises of each group of subscribers should permit them to be conveniently served by the same line. As Rathkenny is about five miles from the nearest Post Office Exchange at Ballymena a party-line to that exchange could not be provided for five subscribers, but I am inquiring whether any other arrangement is possible.

asked the Postmaster-General the average number of days' sickness per man per annum for two years of men employed in Post Office work for whom a medical officer's fee of 8s. 6d. per annum is paid?

The figures for the male force (excluding clerical and supervising classes) are approximately as follows:—

1909.		1910.
Staff.	Sick-rate.	Staff.	Sick-rate.
115,731	6.06 days.	118,216	5.96 days.

Clerical and supervising officers are not provided with free medical attendance unless their wages fall below a certain limit. The available returns of the sick leave of these two classes do not distinguish between men entitled to and those not entitled to free medical attendance, and the information desired by the hon. Member as regards these classes could therefore only be obtained by calling for further elaborate returns from the whole country, which he will probably scarcely think necessary.