asked the Secretary to the Treasury how many new class assistant clerks are employed in the Post Office Savings Bank, Education Office, and Customs Statistical Office, respectively; how many new class assistant clerks have been promoted; and how many are at present under nomination for promotion in each of these Departments?

The figures asked for are as follows:—

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can state the circumstances under which the application of Benjamin Keelips, Laurel Vale, Tanderagee, county Armagh, for a labourer's cottage was refused; whether this man applied for a cottage three years ago and was dismissed from employment for going to see about it; whether he is aware that he is at present paying 1s. 3d. a week for a mud cabin without sanitary accommodation; and what action, if any, he proposes to take in the matter?

It appears from the Minutes of Proceedings of the Tanderagee Rural District Council, on 22nd February, 1907, that the application of Keelips for a cottage was rejected by the council on the ground that the house he occupied provided sufficient accommodation. The Local Government Board have no information regarding his alleged dismissal or present accommodation. The council are promoting a further improvement scheme, but Keelips has not renewed his application, although it would appear open to him to do so.

asked why Mrs. Margaret Casey, of Glensharrold, Ardagh, in the county of Limerick, has not received the old age pension, although the Glin sub-committee, on the 3rd May, 1911, granted it to her?

An appeal has been made to the Local Government Board against the award of a pension to Mrs. Casey, and the case is at present under the consideration of the Board.

asked whether Jane Dennehy, of Tanyard, Millstreet, had her claim to a pension allowed by the Mill street pension sub-committee on the 1st November, 1910; whether this decision was appealed from by the local pensions officer, who first informed her she was only sixty-four years of age, afterwards modifying this to sixty-nine years, and finally stating she was sixty-seven; was her claim disallowed on the grounds that she had not reached the statutory age, and how was this decision of the Local Government Board arrived at; and, inasmuch as Jane Dennehy produced a certificate from the clerk of the union showing she was placed on the outdoor relief list on 8th February, 1890, and that her age was then recorded as being fifty, and further that she can produce the affidavit of two respectable neighbours to prove she is now over seventy years, will he state whether her pension will be forthwith granted?

The pension officer appealed against the award of a pension to Jane Dennehy, but the Local Government Board have no information regarding the statements he is alleged to have made to her on the subject of her age. She was unable to furnish satisfactory evidence that she had attained the statutory age. Her parents' family was traced in both the Census returns, but her name did not appear in the 1841 Census, and she was returned as being four years old in 1851. These results were verified by means of a special search instituted by the Board in the Census returns. It is not open to the Board to reconsider their decision.

asked the Chief Secretary upon what grounds the Local Government Board for Ireland have decided that Michael Heraty, of Mace North, Aughagower, Westport, is not entitled to an old age pension; and can he give the details of Heraty's alleged income as estimated by the local pension officer?

The Local Government Board disallowed Heraty's claims as they considered that his means were in excess of the statutory limit. The value of his crops, grass, and turf is estimated by the Board at £15, and the amount realised by sale of stock £22. In addition, he had a, cow, calf, ass, and poultry.

asked why Timothy Mahony, of Knockatoumpane, Tullylease, county Cork, has been deprived of his old age pension; whether the applicant is almost blind; and whether some of the oldest and most respectable farmers in the district have made written statements that he is over seventy years of age and are prepared to verify their statements on oath?

The Local Government Board have no information regarding the condition of Mahony's eyesight, but several farmers have made written statements on their belief that he is over seventy years of age. The pension of which he was in receipt was discontinued by the Kanturk Pension Sub-committee in June, 1910, on a question raised by the pension officer that Mahony was not the statutory age. The sub-committee disallowed a further claim on the same ground, and Mahony then appealed to the Board. His family was traced in the 1841 Census, but his name did not appear in it, and the pension officer reported that the claimant is the youngest of six children, three of whom were born prior to 1841, and the remainder subsequently. The Board accordingly confirmed the decision of the subcommittee on the ground that Mahony did not fulfil the statutory condition as to age.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to the proposal to abolish the petty sessions district of Lack, county Fermanagh, and have the petty sessions court at Kesh or Ederney; have any steps been taken to consult the wishes of the people of the eighty-three townlands in the petty sessions district; is the change supported on the ground that it inconveniences justices, none of whom reside in Lack petty sessions district; and could this objection be obviated by the appointment of some suitable persons resident in the district?

My attention has not been called to this proposal. The alteration of petty sessions districts in Ireland is vested by statute in the hands of the magistrates at quarter sessions. There is no power to direct that magistrates shall adopt any particular course in revising petty sessions districts.

asked whether inquiry has recently been made by an inspector of the Estates Commissioners into the facts of the eviction of J. Wallace, formerly of Donoughmore, county Cork; if so, whether these inquiries have elicited the fact that the evicted tenant never parted, by agreement or otherwise, with his interest in his former holding; and, seeing that every one to whom the circumstances of the eviction are known regard this as a case to which the benefits of the Evicted Tenants Act should apply, will steps be taken by the Estates Commissioners to provide for the immediate reinstatement of Wallace and his family?

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave on 4th July, 1910, to the question on this subject addressed to me by the hon. Member.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War whether any of the troops on duty upon the day of the Royal Progress will receive the Coronation medal?

The exact allotment of Coronation medals has not yet been finally settled.

asked the Under Secretary of State for War at what date the promise given to the men at the Royal Arsenal that there should be a revision of the wages which stand at 26s. a week will take effect?

I presume my hon. Friend is alluding to the statements made by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary in the Debate on the Ordnance Factories Estimates on 13th June, in regard to regrading. The question of revising the wages of men other than those then mentioned is now under consideration.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he has received an appeal from J. S. Eyles, ex-staff quartermaster-sergeant, Army Service Corps, to reopen his case, so that he may state his claim either for reinstatement in the Army or a character which would enable him to obtain Government employment; and, if so, what action he proposes to take in the matter?

This ex-soldier appealed to have his case reopened. The ease was very thoroughly considered by the Army Council, and there do not appear to be any grounds for complying with his request.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether negotiations are in progress between the Colonial Office and the British South Africa Chartered Company, with the knowledge and consent of the Union Parliament of South. Africa, for the purpose of arranging an agreement to enable the Chartered Company to sell its rights to the Union Parliament?

No, Sir.

asked the Undersecretary of State for India whether he is now in a position to give the House any information as to the result of his inquiries concerning the wages paid to workmen engaged by Messrs. Guest, Keen, and Nettlefold upon contracts for the Indian State railways?

I must refer the hon. Member to the answer given yesterday to a similar question by the junior member for Merthyr.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Board of Trade are in possession of the fullest possible details of the tragedy which took place on board the steamship "Strathord," of Greenock, on the voyage from Las Palmas to Barry; whether the whole of the facts as to the habitual gambling which took place in the forecastle of the vessel have been disclosed; and whether, in view of the whole of the circumstances, he will institute the fullest public inquiry into this affair in order to make everybody acquainted with the dangers that exist through the employment of Chinese on board British vessels?

Full inquiry was made into the deaths which occurred on the "Strathord" when the vessel arrived at Barry on 6th June, but no reference was made by any of the witnesses examined to any habitual gambling on the part of the crew.

asked the Postmaster-General how many sorting Clerks and telegraphists at Cork have been appointed telegraph overseers within the past ten years; what was the age and service, respectively, of these officers at the time of their promotion, and what time had each been in receipt of the maximum wages of his class before obtaining promotion; how many members of the Cork telegraph staff are at present at the maximum of the class of sorting clerks and telegraphists; how long has each been in receipt of the maximum wages of his class; what are the wages and service, approximately, of these officers; how many sorting clerks and telegraphists in the telegraph department of the Cork Post Office possess first-class certificates in technical telegraphy and telephony, second-class certificates in same, certificates for the position of assistant superintendents, and medals for high proficiency in technical knowledge, respectively; how many Cork candidates were successful at the technical examination, held this year; what steps, if any, he intends taking to relieve the stagnation of promotion in the telegraph office, Cork, affecting adversely both men of long service and the officers who possess technical certificates; and whether it is his intention to promote eligible members of the Cork staff to all vacancies now existing or anticipated in the ranks of the supervising classes in the postal and telegraph departments at Cork?

As regards the particulars asked for in the earlier part of the question, I will make inquiry and communicate with the hon. Member. With regard to stagnation of promotion the Parliamentary Committee expressed a strong opinion that no appointments should be created simply to give promotion, and increased pay, to officers who may for some time have stood at the head of their class. The Committee believed the scales of pay which they recommended to be fully adequate both for the character of the work performed and for affording a sufficient means of livelihood. I am in agreement with the Committee's views. The promotion of members of the Cork staff to existing or future vacancies will depend upon the qualifications of the officers concerned.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) whether his attention has been drawn to the complaints recently made by the "Cork Free Press" with reference to the delay of its press telegrams on the night of the Debate on the Parliament Bill in the House of Lords, Monday, 3rd July, the delay averaging over two hours; whether he is aware that complaints of delay to press work have several times of late been made in the Cork Press; and will he say whether these delays are due to the non-provision of adequate staff, and, if so, whose fault this is; what steps does he propose to remedy the state of things complained of; and (2) why on the afternoon of the 6th July, between. 4.15 p.m. and 6 p.m., the Press Association Sporting One Service was deliberately delayed in the Cork post office and preferential treatment given to news received later on the general news wire, under the personal supervision of the superintendent of telegraphs; what time this Press Association Sporting One Service was received in Cork, what time it was written, and the time of reception and completion of the other news referred to; and whether, in view of complaints of a like nature, he will now deal suitably with this irregularity and whatever official is responsible for it?

I will make inquiry with regard to the hon. Member's questions, and communicate with him.

asked the hon. Member for Southampton, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether he is aware that the firm of Messrs. R. Tozer and Sons, contractors for the cartage of coal, do not pay the proper rates of wages to the wheelwrights and painters in their employ, the wheelwrights receiving 1d. and 1½d. and the painters 2d. less than the rate of 9½d. per hour, besides working fifty-nine hours per week instead of fifty-four; whether he will take into consideration the advisability of the Office of Works undertaking its own cartage; and whether, in the meantime, he will take steps to secure compliance with the Fair-Wage Clause on the part of the contractors?

Messrs. Tozer are contractors for the cartage of coal and for no other purpose. The firm has signed the Fair-Wages Clause, so far as the Government contract for cartage is concerned, and the First Commissioner has no reason to suppose that the firm in question is not loyally carrying out the conditions of that Fair-Wages Clause. He does not see his way to depart from the usual practice of the Government Departments in the direction suggested by the hon. Member.