asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state whether, to do £100 value of work per week in a laundry, employment is found for sixty workers and employer's insurance amounts to 15s., whereas in other industries, such as motoring, twenty men would suffice; and whether, seeing that laundries would pay much larger contributions than other industries, he can reconsider their position under the National Insurance Bill?

It is anticipated that practically all industries will experience an almost immediate and palpable gain through the increased efficiency of labour in consequence of the National Health Insurance, and the more labour an industry employs the more it will profit.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland is he aware that the population of the county Longford, Ireland, has been reduced from 141,000 in 1841 to 43,000 in the present year; and will he, under these circumstances, have the promise made two years ago to divide 395 acres of the lands called the Scotch quarter, in the parish of Clonguish, county Longford, and off which lands 1,200 people were evicted in the fifties, now restored to the young men of this parish and put a stay, if possible, to the emigration of the youths of this district?

The population of county Longford in 1841 was 115,000, and in 1911 was 43,000. The hon. Member presumably refers to the Douglas estate, and I would refer him to my reply to a question on this subject asked by the hon. Member for North Langford on 10th April last, and to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what progress, if any, has been made with the sale of the Barton Boyton and Colquhoun estates, in the parish of Inver, county Donegal, with reference to which there have been negotiations, extending over a long period, with the Congested Districts Board, and what is the prospect of the division of the large grazing ranch known as Brenter; and whether, having regard to the urgency for the expediting of these matters in the interests of peace and well-being of the inhabitants of these districts and the keen disappointment created by the delay, steps will be immediately taken for the settlement of these matters?

The Congested Districts Board inform me that the necessary documents have been lodged in the case of the estate of Colonel B. J. Barton, and an inspection will be made and a decision arrived at regarding purchase as soon as practicable. As regards the Boyton estate, the owner has two estates, one of which is being sold direct to the tenants through the Estates Commissioners, and she prefers not to sell to the tenants on the other estate pending the completion of the first sale. In the case of the Colquhoun estate, the owner is willing to negotiate for sale, and the necessary steps and schedules are being prepared, and the property will be inspected as soon as practicable. The farm of Brenter forms part of the estate of Mr. George Bustard, and the Board have recently taken steps with a view to purchasing the estate.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Michael Burns, Rassan, who gave evidence in the North Louth petition, was assaulted some time ago by one William Kelly, also of Rassan, and that Kelly stated when assaulting Burns that the reason he did so was because of the evidence he had given; and can he state what action was taken in the matter, and what protection is to be given to men in the position of Burns, who are being persecuted for having furthered the ends of justice?

The Inspector-General informs me that Michael Burns was assaulted by William Kelly at Rassan, on May 3rd. Both parties were under the influence of drink. Police inquiries were made, and Burns denied that the assault was in consequence of his having given evidence at the election petition. The police did not witness the assault, and no legal proceedings were taken. No persons are being persecuted, as suggested by the question.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the polling station for Creggan Upper electoral division has been removed from Shelagh national school, where it was formerly, to Ballybinavy, within 200 or 300 yards of the neighbouring county of Armagh; that the former station at Shelagh was central for the district; that the returning officer, a solicitor, is named Mr. McGahan, formerly agent for Mr. Hazleton; that if this change is sanctioned it will result in keeping numbers of old people from going to the poll at any future election; whether he is aware that the same returning officer has changed the polling station for the neighbouring electoral division of Barrons-town from Drumsinnott national school to the post-office at Hackballscross, within 200 yards of the outside of the electoral division; and what steps do the proper authorities intend to take in the matter?

The Local Government Board have no official information on the subject. Under Rule 13 of the Election Order of 16th February, 1899, relating to the election of county and rural district councillors it devolves upon the returning officer to determine the number and situation of polling places and stations subject to the two provisions in the rule.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received any complaints that the boys sent out to work from the Dorset Farm School compete unfairly with the agricultural labourer of the neighbourhood; and, if so, whether he has inquired into the matter?

I have made careful inquiry with regard to certain complaints which have been made by one gentleman. I find that when the boys in this school are employed outside their own farm, it is only for short periods, and on special work which would not in the ordinary course be done by local agricultural labourers.

asked the Undersecretary of State for India whether he can state the mortality from plague in India during the months of May and June, respectively, together with the total number of deaths from this cause during the current year, giving the figures for each province separately?

supplied the following particulars of the plague mortality in British India and Native States:—

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if his attention has been drawn to Ordinance No. 9, of 1911, Southern Nigeria, and to the difficulty imposed by Clause 2 upon merchants and manufacturers in the stamping of the exact number of inches on every piece of woven goods, and if it is permissible for such merchants importing folded woven goods into Southern Nigeria to omit the inches in stamping the goods and to stamp the yards and quarter yards only, so long as the length stamped upon such goods is not in excess of the actual length of the piece?

The requirement to which my hon. Friend refers was not introduced for the first time by the Ordinance of 1911, but has been in force since 1893, and I am not aware that any serious difficulty has been experienced in complying with it. The object of the law is to safeguard the interests of the purchaser, and it is unlikely therefore that exception would be taken in practice to an understatement of the length of any piece.

asked the President of the Local Government Board why the awards to public vaccinators in 1909 were so much larger in total amount than in previous years, seeing that less vaccinations were performed?

The awards paid to public vaccinators in a particular year depend not on the total number of vaccinations performed in that year, but on the number of vaccinations performed by the public vaccinators recommended for awards after the inspection of their work by medical inspectors of the Board. It is not possible to maintain the amount of vaccination inspection in each year at a uniform level.

asked the President of Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the proceedings at the meeting of the Mitford and Launditch board of guardians held at Gressen-hall workhouse on 10th July; whether he proposed to hold any official inquiry into the conduct of the master at which the guardians shall be heard; and whether it was with his authority that Captain Hervey threatened that the master would lose his pension unless the guardians at once removed him from his temporary appointment?

I have seen a report of the proceedings at the meeting of the board of guardians, and I have received from them a copy of the resolution which was passed. It does not seem to me that the case calls for a formal inquiry such as is suggested. As I understand, the statement made by Mr. Hervey to the clerk had reference to the fact that if the master, whose resignation had been required by the Local Government Board, continued to act as master for any length of time it might be necessary for them to issue an order determining his employment.

asked the Postmaster-General whether Bernard Heaney, who was rural postman at Cadamstown, Birr, King's County, was dismissed in April last because of certain charges being made against him by the Post Office authorities; on what grounds was he dismissed, and, after his dismissal, on what grounds did the Post Office authorities refuse to give him a reference; and whether, in view of the circumstances of the case, will the whole matter be inquired into and the man reinstated in his old position, or will he at least get the reference which he asks for?

Bernard Heaney was dismissed for posting bogus letters in order to make his duty appear to be heavier than it really was and so bring about an increase of pay. As he admits the offence there is no need for further enquiry. He cannot be reinstated. He will be supplied with a "reference," in which, of course, it will be necessary to state the circumstances in which his services were dispensed with.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can say the number of men signing the unemployed register at the Greenock Labour Exchange on the day the manager of the Greenock Labour Exchange proceeded to the Highlands to seek for men to fill the vacant positions; and can he say if managers of different Labour Exchanges have authority to publish in the local press the number of vacant situations in the district?

Fifty-two men either registered or renewed their application at the Greenock Labour Exchange on the day in question. I may, however, point out that the manager's journey to the West Highlands had connection with the engagement of apprentices only, and that every effort had been made, without success, to find suitable apprentices in the neighbourhood before the journey was undertaken. It is customary in some districts to furnish to local newspapers a monthly summary of the work of the exchanges, including the number of vacancies notified and filled, in the same form as the monthly statement with regard to the principal exchanges which appears in the "Board of Trade Labour Gazette."

asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware that the rules of the Supreme Court, which require that, in an action brought by debenture holders in the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice to enforce their security, registered debentures must be produced in chambers by the holder personally or by a solicitor, cause expense and inconvenience, and might usefully be dispensed with, having regard to the provisions of the Companies (Consolidation) Act, 1908, Section 100; and will he approach the proper authorities to suggest that this rule be altered, and that the register of debenture holders, required by the above-mentioned Act to be kept, be accepted as primâ facie evidence of the persons entitled to participate in the benefit of the judgment, thereby avoiding the expense at present caused to the investing public in this respect?

The proper authority to deal with this matter is the Rule Committee of the Supreme Court, and I will bring it to their attention for their consideration, with a view to their determining whether the suggestion of the hon. Member can be accepted.