asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the Anglo-Japanese Agreement of 12th August, 1905, which has been revised and renewed for a period of ten years from the 13th instant, was concluded the day after the prorogation on 11th August, 1905, of a Parliament which never met again, but was dissolved six months afterwards, the treaty being thus kept before its conclusion from the knowledge of Parliament and after its conclusion from being the subject of the expression of Parliamentary opinion, favourable or otherwise; on what grounds has the recently concluded Anglo- Japanese Agreement been kept from the knowledge of Parliament and concluded without its sanction, and why were the representatives of the nation precluded from the expression of their views on its merits and deprived of the gratification of being factors in its achievement; and, having regard to the fact that the revision of the Anglo-Japanese Agreement of 1905 effected by the recent agreement has in the main been rendered advisable and advantageous by the fact that Great Britain is negotiating a general arbitration treaty with the United States, which will not be concluded without the approval of the Senate of the United States and of the House of Commons, what is the reason for the taking of the House of Commons into confidence by the Government in respect to the proposed arbitration treaty with the United States and keeping the House of Commons in the dark with reference to the revision of a treaty rendered necessary by the arbitration treaty as a condition precedent to its conclusion; whether he has any, and, if so, what, explanation to make of the concealment till its conclusion of this treaty from the House of Commons and the committal thereby of these countries, without their sanction or knowledge, to grant international liabilities or obligations; and what is the reason for this practice of secrecy, having regard to the new Imperial policy of admitting the Prime Ministers of the Dominions to complete confidence by submitting to them the general foreign policy of the country inaugurated at the Imperial Conference?

I can add nothing to the very exhaustive answers given to the hon. and learned Member on the 11th May, and what I have previously said this Session about the constitutional practice in concluding treaties. We have observed constitutional practice; the hon. Member desires that we should depart from it.

Is not this constitutional practice of keepng the House of Commons in the dark with reference to treaties comparatively of very recent origin indeed?

It has obtained as long as. I have been in the House of Commons.

Yes, and as long as I have been in the House of Commons, but certainly not in Gladstone's early days; and he protested against it.

Might not it be modified from time to time?

Can the right hon. Gentleman reconcile the fact that this House is going to have full power of discussion over the Anglo-American agreement with the fact that we have had no power over the other?

That is an argumentative question.

I am afraid it is so.

asked whether the draft of the recent Anglo-Japanese Treaty was shown to the Prime Ministers of the over-sea Dominions at the Imperial Conference; whether they approved of it; whether the Dominions are thereby committed to the treaty in a greater degree than merely as parts of His Majesty's Empire; and whether the Japanese Government were informed as to what course of action would be pursued by the Dominions should Great Britain be involved in a war under Article 2 of the treaty?

I must refer the Noble Lord to the reply given by the Colonial Secretary to a question on this subject yesterday. The action to be taken by the Dominions in any war in which His Majesty's Government may be engaged is a matter to be considered by His Majesty's Government in consultation with the Dominions, and is not one for discussion with any foreign Government.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Anglo-Japanese Treaty represents the foreign policy of the Dominions as well as of this country?

The Colonial Secretary said yesterday that the question of the treaty had been discussed with the representatives of the Dominions, and that they had unanimously agreed to it; and that is the case.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Lord Kitchener's appointment to the position of British Agent and Consul-General for Egypt, in succession to Sir Eldon Gorst, will, as in the case of Sir Eldon Gorst, be a purely civil and diplomatic appointment, or will it in any way, and, if so, in what sense be military in its character and duties; if the appointment is in the nature of a military appointment, what provision, if any, will be taken to prevent the recurrence of the strained relations between the Khedive and Lord Kitchener, when Sirdar in 1894, which led Lord Kitchener then to offer to resign his position, the incident being closed by a reluctant and enforced apology from the Khedive, and the promotion to higher rank in the Army of Lord Kitchener; whether the appointment of Lord Kitchener to this post is a preliminary step to his holding with the consul-generalship a position of a distinctively military character; will Lord Kitchener continue to hold his public company directorships; whether, having regard to the feeling aroused by the grant of £50,000 to Lord Cromer on resignation of this office; and to the fact that Lord Kitchener has already received two grants of £30,000 and £50,000 from the public funds, will he say whether there is any intention to propose further contributions from the taxpayer to the Noble Lord for services in connection with this office?

In answer to the first three paragraphs, Lord Kitchener will hold the purely civil and diplomatic appointment of His Majesty's Agent and Consul-General in Egypt in succession to the late Sir Eldon Gorst. The appointment is in no sense military in its character, nor is it a preliminary step to his holding a military appointment in conjunction with that of His Majesty's Agent and Consul-General. With regard to the fourth question, Lord Kitchener will not hold any public company directorships which would be incompatible with the proper performance of his duties. The reply to the fifth paragraph, is that no proposal is being made for contributions from the taxpayer in connection with Lord Kitchener's appointment, except what were given to his predecessor.

With regard to company directorships, as the right hon. Gentleman knows that, having regard to financial questions in Egypt, this is very important, I would ask who is to be the judge whether any of Lord Kitchener's company directorships are incompatible with his position?

I do not up to the present moment know whether Lord Kitchener holds any directorships, or, if so, what they are. I cannot give any more explicit reply on the point until I know what the facts are.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman know that he was, with a great flourish of trumpets, made a director of the South-Eastern Railway Company?

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether the appointment of Lord Kitchener precludes a transference of military power to Egypt, and a movement of troops from Malta, and a concentration of forces in Egypt?

I have already answered that the appointment does not involve any change of general policy in Egypt, and is not of a military character.

Will the right hon. Gentleman assure us that those qualities of conciliation and concession which Lord Kitchener exhibited so successfully in the case of the Peace of Vereeniging will also be brought into requisition in the case of Egypt?

asked what reply has been received from the Russian Government to the representations made by the British Ambassador at St. Petersburg with regard to the imprisonment of Miss Malecka at Warsaw; and whether any particulars of the charge against her have yet been supplied?

I must refer to the answers given yesterday.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this lady has now been fifteen weeks kept in strict solitary confinement in Warsaw, without trial and receiving all that time—

This does not arise out of the question on the Paper.

Would it be in order asking leave to move the adjournment of the House?

We will wait and see.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is in any way cognisant of the reported negotiations for a treaty of absolute arbitration between the United States of America and France; and whether negotiations of a similar character are proceeding between this country and France?

I cannot make statements about negotiations between other Powers to which we are not a party. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will say, besides the 970 pensionable teachers who left the service of the Irish Board of National Education from 1900 to 1910, inclusive, on reduced pensions, and the 1,098 who left on full pensions, how many other teachers that had also been on the pension list left the service in that period?

Apart from the 2,068 teachers referred to in the question, 2,971 teachers left the service under the pensionable age without pension. I understand that a large proportion of these retired in the early years of service and on marriage.

asked what steps-have been taken by the Congested Districts Board towards acquiring the estate of Mr. H. N. Bushby, Ballycroy, county Mayo, and to have the same distributed amongst the congested holdings of the district?

The necessary documents have been lodged to enable the Congested Districts Board to have this estate inspected with a view to deciding whether they will make an offer for purchase, and the property will be inspected as soon as practicable.

asked if the Danesforth, county Kilkenny, estate of Christopher Cavanagh, esquire, 5, Elm Court Temple, London, is about to be vested in the tenants; if so, what steps, if any, have been taken with a view of restoring to her holding Miss Kate Maher, representative of the late Michael Maher, who was evicted from a holding on this estate about six and a-half years ago; and will the Chief Secretary impress upon the Estates Commissioners the desirability of restoring this person to her holding, which is still derelict, before the purchase money is entirely paid over to the vendor?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that the holdings on this estate in respect of which the tenants signed purchase agreements, have been vested in the purchasing tenants. As re- gards the former holding of Maher, the Commissioners furnished the owner with an estimate of the amount which they would be prepared to advance with a view to selling it to the former tenant's representative, and they are approaching him again in the matter.

asked the date upon which the Congested Districts Board first sent their inspectors to value the Clanricarde estate; how many weeks have they been employed upon the estate; the number so employed each week; the number of days per week each inspector has been at work there; and whether the Chief Secretary can give any idea of when the Board will be in a position to make an offer for the estate?

The Congested Districts Board inform me that the first valuer reached the estate on the 3rd May. There are four valuers and two surveyors engaged on the valuation, and the valuers have worked forty-six, forty-five, thirty-eight, and thirty days respectively. The surveyors have worked fifty and thirty days respectively. The Board hope to be in a position to make an offer for this estate in September.

asked if the Congested Districts Board have concluded negotiations for the sale of the Hayes estate, Convoy, county Donegal; if so, what are the terms which have been agreed on; have all the tenants agreed to the terms; and has any arrangement been made as to arrears?

The Congested Districts Board have not yet agreed as to the terms of purchase of this estate, but it has been arranged for a representative of the Board to confer with the tenants this week and discuss the matter.

Can the right hon. Gentleman state the date when the Conference takes place?

Some day this week.

What day?

I will endeavour to find out.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware of the hardships inflicted on a number of persons over seventy years of age in Ireland by being deprived of the benefits of the Old Age Pension Act owing to their inability, through no fault of their own, to produce documentary proof of age; and is he prepared to recommend and carry into effect such changes, either in the Act or in its administrative machinery, as will enable such persons to come within the benefits of the Act?

No persons are deprived of the benefits of the Old Age Pensions Act merely owing to the fact that they cannot produce documentary evidence of age. Any satisfactory evidence—whether documentary or otherwise—that a claimant has attained the statutory age is received, and it would not be possible to dispense with evidence on that point.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland why the old age pension claim of Patrick Smyth, Mullabawney, Attymass, county Mayo, has been disallowed on appeal by the Local Government Board, although six times sanctioned by the Ballina pensions committee; if disallowed on the grounds of income, what are the items constituting the income of the claimant as arrived at by the Local Government Board; for what reasons do the Local Government Board refuse to inform pensions committees how calculations as to claimant's incomes are arrived at by the Board; and whether he will endeavour to arrange an understanding between the Local Government Board and county pensions committees on this question, so as to remove the cause of many appeals and of much friction and misunderstanding in the administration of the Act?

The Local Government. Board have on four occasions disallowed a claim of Patrick Smyth to a pension on the ground that his means exceeded the statutory limit. The case was specially investigated by one of the Board's inspectors, who on visiting the farm found three cows, two calves, a yearling bullock, two pigs, and about a score of fowl. A cow and the bullock were alleged, however, by claimant's wife to be the property of her younger son. The crops consisted of one acre of potatoes, one acre of oats, two roods of hay, and one rood of turnips. The Board would find it quite impossible to enter into a correspondence with all the pension committees throughout Ireland as to the basis of calculation of the income of every claimant in whose case an appeal is lodged on the ground of means. As the appeal is from the decision of the Pension Committee to the Board, their decisions must be based on independent consi- derations and calculations, and not upon any agreement or understanding with the committees whose decisions they are required to review.

asked, having regard to the decision of the Delvin old age pension sub-committee, supported by the declaration of a person seventy-eight years of age, that Thomas Smyth, pension appeal X1419, is entitled to a pension, and the absence of his name from the Census Returns and the parish register, for which he is not responsible, whether the Irish Local Government Board can have the claimant visited by an inspector to judge of his age?

The declaration referred to is a statement on oath of a belief that Thomas Smyth is over seventy years of age. The claimant himself did not know the date of his birth nor did he furnish any evidence of age, and he could not be traced in either Census Return. The Board determined on the 3rd July that Smyth was not entitled to a pension, and the question of sending an inspector to visit him can therefore only arise in the event of the case coming before the Board again on appeal.

Will the right hon. Gentleman suggest any method by which a person over seventy years of age can obtain a pension, if his name is not in the Census Return or on the parish register; and will he accept the affidavit of an older person than the claimant?

Certainly. Sometimes the affidavits of older persons are accepted when they disclose means of knowledge which are sufficient to satisfy a man of ordinary intelligence. I am quite willing to give anybody the benefit of the doubt as to being over seventy years of age, but the hon. Member starts by assuming that a person is over seventy years of age, and then asks me what evidence I would take of that fact. I would consider any evidence as to a person being over seventy years of age, only there must be some evidence that the person making the affidavit has particular sources of information which may be satisfactory or may be entirely worthless.

Will the right hon. Gentleman in this or similar cases consider affidavits presented by older persons than the claimants?

I will consider the affidavit of any older person who has had an opportunity of judging, and shows in his affidavit the reasons why a person may be regarded as being over seventy years of age.

asked if the Chief Secretary can state the reason why the Reverend S. H. Orr, Protestant clergyman, of Dungloe, has been removed, without explanation, from the old age pensions committee of the Dungloe district; if he is aware that this committee now consists of six Roman Catholic clergy and three Roman Catholic laymen, and has not a single Protestant upon it; and if he will make representations on the subject to the Donegal County Council?

I have no power in this matter, as the appointment of a pension sub-committee rests with the local pension committee for the county, which is a committee appointed by the county council.

Does the right hon. Gentleman consider that a fortnight's absence on holiday justifies the reverend gentleman's removal from the committee on which he had been a most useful member and most regular in attendance?

I do not know the particular circumstances of the case, but in connection with these sub-committees the members are appointed by the county council for a particular period, and on the effluxion of that period they cease to be members. I can only presume that the effluxion of time happened during the reverend gentleman's holiday, and that, not because he was away, but because his time of office had already expired, somebody else was appointed in his place.

Having regard to the religious intolerance which is shown in this question, is the right hon. Gentleman aware that two out of the four members, including myself, for this division are Protestants closely connected with Irish Protestant families?

I have no doubt that is so. I understand the complaint was that this Protestant clergyman was excluded from the committee. That is not altogether met by the hon. Member's being a good Protestant.

Is it not the fact that this gentleman was removed from the pension committee at his own request, and that the reason why he requested to be removed was that in his opinion, and that of his own co-religionists, they were not interested in the pension question, as they constituted something less than 2 per cent. of the population of this union?

I do not know, but it is inconsistent with the letter I received.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the case of Charlotte Fiveash, an old age pensioner, who about three weeks since was obliged through illness to enter the West Ham infirmary, and was thereupon compelled to hand her pension book to the collector for the West Ham guardians with an authority to collect the pension, which he has done, and applied the pension to the maintenance of the pensioner in relief of the rates; whether the local pension officer has applied to the guardians for the surrender of the pension book and has been refused; and whether he will give instructions to the guardians that if the case is a chronic one the book must be 'given up, and, if not, the pensioner is entitled, on leaving the infirmary, to all arrears of her pension?

I find on inquiry that the pension officer has not applied to the guardians for the surrender of Charlotte Fiveash's book of pension orders. I understand that the pension is being drawn by an officer of the guardians as agent, in pursuance of an authority given him from time to time by the pensioner herself. So far as the law and regulations are concerned, there is no obligation on the pensioner to give such an authority; but in any case the agent is required on each occasion of drawing an instalment of pension to give an undertaking that he will at once pay the money over to the pensioner. The local pension officer has been instructed to call the agent's attention to this fact.

asked the Chief Secretary if he received early in April a complaint from Mr. Galway-Foley, a retired county inspector of the Royal Irish Constabulary, of the manner in which he had been treated by Sir Neville Chamberlain, inspector general; whether he has inquired into the charges made, and, if so, how and when; and, if not, whether he "will now do so or cause an independent inquiry to be held?

I received a complaint of the nature indicated from Mr. Galway-Foley, a county inspector, who has been retired from the Royal Irish Constabulary in circumstances precisely similar to those in which many county inspectors have been retired. He is over sixty years of age and had attained the maximum pension. His retention in the force would have had the effect of blocking the promotion of junior officers. Having fully considered the statements of Mr. Galway-Foley, and having made all necessary inquiries, I am satisfied that he was not subjected to any unfair or exceptional treatment either on retirement or while serving in the force. I see no reason for any further inquiry.

asked if the Chief Secretary is aware of the loss experienced by Irish farmers owing to the prevalence of red water and other diseases among cattle; and if he will state what steps are being taken, by moans of scientific research, to ascertain the best means of preventing these diseases?

I am informed that red water in cattle is prevalent in many districts in Ireland. An annual grant is made by the Department of Agriculture to the Royal Veterinary College of Ireland for scientific work in connection with this and other diseases of livestock, and an investigation regarding red water has been specially undertaken by the College. Reports on this disease have been published in the Department's Journal, and experiments in its prevention have been made on some of their farms, and are still in progress. A leaflet dealing with the symptoms and treatment of the disease has also been issued for the guidance of stock-owners.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware in connection with this disease of red water that at least £200,000 a year is lost to Irish farmers?

The information I have received is that the losses from this disease among livestock are very considerable and of a lamentable character. I am quite aware of that.

asked whether, in regard to the construction of labourers' cottages in West Clare, the Chief Secretary can state whether the contractor has been paid for a cottage in the Querin division of the Kilrush rural district?

The Local Government Board have no information as regards the matter referred to.

asked the reason of the delay in completing certain labourers' cottages in the Kilrush rural district, West Clare, one of them, in Doonaghlery, in the Kilferagh electoral Division, having been left unslated for many months; and one, in Doonaha, in the Moyarta Division, having been left uninhabitable although the applicant is in urgent need of the cottage; why no mention was made of these cottages in the report of the engineer, Mr. Sheedy, read at the meeting of the Kilrush District Council on 15th instant; when these cottages were contracted for; what date was fixed as the limit for the completion of each contract; what was the amount of the loan; and what loss the council has sustained by non-completion of the contracts?

The Local Government Board have not yet received the minutes of the proceedings of the Kilrush Rural District Council on the 15th instant, and have no information with regard to the matters in connection with the carrying out of the scheme for labourers' cottages in that district to which the hon. Member refers. The specification allows a period of six months for completing a cottage from the date on which the works are laid out, and a loan for carrying out the approved scheme was sanctioned at the rate of £170 per cottage and plot.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the post of Colonial Secretary to the Government of Cyprus is outside the ordinary course of promotion from within the Colonial Service; was it recently given to a captain in the Royal Artillery owing to there being no Colonial Civil servants capable of doing the work; and, if not, why are the whole of the Colonial Office Civil Service passed over?

The officer recently appointed to this post was a member of the Colonial Service, having held the office of Resident in Northern Nigeria for more than seven years.

asked what orders for rails, fishplates, sleepers, or other railway construction material, have been placed, and are now being executed, with the firm of Guest, Keen, and Nettlefold, at any of their Welsh firms, for railways in any of the Colonial dominions?

Orders have recently been placed with the firm of Messrs. Guest, Keen, and Nettlefold, for 4,560 tons 60-lb. British standard specification Bessemer acid steel rails and angle fishplates on behalf of the Federated Malay States Railway, a similar order for 430 tons has been placed on behalf of the Trinidad Railway, and an order has been placed on behalf of the Southern Nigeria Railway for 413 tons steel sleepers and keys. I am unable to state whether any orders have been placed with this firm on behalf of the Governments of the self-governing dominions.

:Has the right hon. Gentleman satisfied himself that the Fair-Wages Clause is observed in this contract?

I cannot say. The contract was made by the other authorities.

asked what was the revenue of Southern Nigeria for 1909–10, and what was the revenue from the importation of spirits for the same period; also from what countries the imports of spirits came, and what was the amount of the imports from each country severally, in gallons and in values, including duties?

asked whether the Colonial Secretary will state what is the present duty on spirits imported into Southern Nigeria; what recent increases of duty have been imposed; and how such increases of duty have affected the importation of spirits, say from 1900 to 1910, inclusive?

Since the 15th of January, 1909, the duty has been 5s. the imperial gallon at a strength not exceeding 50 degrees by Tralles' alcoholometer, with an additional duty of 2½d. for every additional degree of strength, and a reduction of 1½d. for every degree below such strength. The minimum duty is 4s. per imperial gallon. It is not possible to say how the increase of duty has affected the importation of spirits, as the latter is governed by other conditions, affecting trade generally, as well as by the duties. Full information as to the importation of spirits into Southern Nigeria, including the alterations in the duties which have been made from time to time, will be found in the annual reports from the Colony, which are laid before Parliament. The, last report is Cd. 5467.

asked what was the value of all imports into Southern Nigeria for the year 1909–10, and what was the value of cotton imports for the same period?

In Southern Nigeria the calendar year is used for statistical purposes, not the British financial year. I assume that the words "all imports" are intended to mean commercial imports —that is to say imports exclusive of Government imports and specie. On this assumption the figures are, to the nearest thousand:—

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, having regard to the doubt cast by the majority of members of the Financial Relations Commission upon the justice of the process whereby the Treasury revise the sum of revenue collected in Ireland, describing a portion, only as true revenue and giving Ireland no credit for the remainder, whether any independent financial authority, having examined the process, agrees with the Treasury in that use of the term true; whether the un-credited revenue was applied to Irish or to other purposes while Ireland was paying a surplus over Irish expenditure; whether the committee now investigating this subject have examined or will examine a representative of the Treasury on the revision in question; and whether the House will, before the end of the present Session, be furnished with a memorandum ex- planatory of the process worked out in the actual figures for the last completed financial year?

The error to which reference is made in Section 27–28 of the first Supplementary Report, signed by five members of the Financial Relations Commission, was discovered and corrected in 1893 (see House of Commons Return No. 248 of that year), and as steps were immediately taken to correct it, it cannot be said to detract in any manner from the value of the late returns. The replies to the hon. Member's substantive questions are:—(1) The returns have been subject to general public criticism for a long series of years, and so far as I am aware no serious objection has been taken to the basis upon which they are compiled. (2) Revenue collected in Ireland but contributed by other portions of the United Kingdom is treated in the returns as having been applied along with the other revenue contributed by those portions in defraying the local expenditure of the respective portions, and, in so far as it has exceeded the amount necessary for that purpose, as having been devoted to general Imperial expenditure. (3) I understand that the returns in question have been under consideration by the Committee, and that they have taken evidence from a representative of the Treasury on the subject. (4) The process by which the calculations shown in these Returns are made is fully explained in the earlier issues, and there is nothing which can usefully be added to what is there stated. (See House of Commons No. 329 of 1891, No. 93 of 1893, No. 248 of 1893, No. 305 of 1893, No. 225 of 1904, and No. 313 of 1894.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the fact that it is often impossible to obtain at the British Museum literary and scientific works of high value published in France, in Germany, in Italy, or in the United States; and whether the advisability will be considered of making arrangements, either by a system of exchange or by purchase, whereby such works will become available at the British Museum without undue delay?

The British Museum spends a considerable sum every year in the purchase of foreign books, and a book is kept in the reading room, and examined daily by officers of the Department, in which any reader can enter suggestions as to desirable acquisitions, and private advice on the same subject is readily attended to. It may be said, in general, that the British Museum contains a more complete collection of the books of any foreign country than any other library except the national library of that particular country. Indeed, foreign visitors have often stated that they have been able to see in the British Museum books published in their own. country to which they have been unable to obtain access in their own country's libraries. If the hon. Member has any specific cases in his mind in asking the question, I should be glad if he would bring them at once to the notice of the British Museum authorities, who are always grateful for advice and suggestions from competent persons in their efforts to keep their collections complete.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether an office for the use of the assessor and tax collector has now been opened as promised at Mountain Ash; if so, what is the address thereof; and what are the hours for the transaction of business?

The office in question is in Oxford Chambers, Oxford Street, Mountain Ash, the hours of attendance being from 10 to 1, and 2 to 4 o'clock, on Mondays.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the practice of the former contractors for the supply of postage stamps of manufacturing the necessary machinery largely in their own factories has been followed by Messrs. Harrison; whether any provision was made in the contract with Messrs. Harrison as to the employment of British-made machinery, or does part of the machinery now in use come from Germany?

No provision was made in the contract with Messrs. Harrison as to the employment of British-made machinery. I am informed that some part of the machinery in use was obtained abroad.

asked whether the saving of £40,000 on the contract for postage stamps represents the difference between the prices previously paid and the new prices to be paid, and not the difference between the latest tenders of the former and the new contractors; and will the saving of £40,000 relate to any work other than stamp production and executed by other firms than the former stamp contractors?

The figure referred to (which should, however, be £45,000) represents the difference between the prices previously paid and the new prices to be paid for postage stamps. The reply to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the delay in issuing the Report of the committee of inquiry into the Customs and Excise amalgamation and the effect of the present situation on both branches of the service, he will consider the desirability of stating a date to which any benefits conceded to the staff will be antedated?

:I regret to be unable to make any statement in anticipation of the Report of the committee in question.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he can say what has been the total reduction in the effective establishment of the Customs outdoor department occasioned by retirements and other causes since the date of the Customs and Excise amalgamation, 1st April, 1909; and what are the numbers of new entrants appointed since that date to the Customs and to the Excise branches, respectively, to provide for retirements and deaths, increase of work, and other causes, if any?

Since 1st April, 1909, the assistants of both services have been employed on the Customs or the Excise sides as required, and it would be a matter of some difficulty to ascertain how many assistants have at one time or another been employed on purely Customs work; but all Customs' vacancies have been filled as and when required. As regards the higher ranks of the Customs there has been practically no alteration since the date in question.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state what was the comparative approximate volume of work in Customs and Excise warehouses, respectively, before the amalgamation; whether the system recently introduced into the Customs service has been found more complicated than the one which has been superseded; what increase of staff was requested by collectors of Customs and inspectors in London to cope with the additional work involved when the new system was introduced; whether the Customs system of accounts was defective; and, if not, why it was not applied to the comparatively few Excise warehouses, thus effecting economy and avoiding disturbance in service and commercial circles?

It would involve a very large expenditure of time and trouble to prepare the information asked for in the first part of the question. The introduction of the Excise system of warehousing accounts into Customs warehouses was not due to any defect in the Customs system, but to the necessity for establishing a uniform system in a joint service under the control of one Board. It was adopted by the Board of Customs and Excise with the approval of the Treasury, after prolonged and careful consideration, as more satisfactory and economical than the adoption of the Customs system in Excise warehouses.

asked the Attorney-General for Ireland, with reference to the postponement of the trials of the persons accused of illegal practices at the North Louth election, whether the usual, if not the universal, practice of the representatives of the Crown in Ireland in criminal cases is to give private notice of their intention to apply for an adjournment, if such intention exists; whether any such private notice was given to the representatives of the accused in the cases mentioned; whether, in the absence of such notice in those cases, useless expense was incurred by the accused which otherwise would not have been necessary; and whether, under these circumstances, the Government will consider the propriety of recouping the accused the amount of money unnecessarily expended by them in consequence of the action of the Crown?

There is no practice in Ireland of the kind indicated by the hon. Gentleman. In the case in question I do not think any avoidable expense was incurred. The defendants opposed the application for adjournment, and for that purpose counsel would in any event be engaged. It would be impossible to assume that the defendants would acquiesce in the adjournment; and, lest the motion should fail and the trial proceed, it was necessary for the defendants to be present with their witnesses. The ordinary course was followed, and I do not think there is any ground for recouping the accused.

asked the Chairman of Ways and Means whether, in view of the fact that Provisional Order Confirmation Bills are really Private Bills attached to a Public Bill in the form of a schedule, he can take steps to provide that, in all cases where amendments are made in such Provisional Order Confirmation Bills by the other House, printed copies of such amendments shall be laid in the Vote Office or Library of the House of Commons, as in the case of ordinary Private Bills, before the time set aside for the consideration by this House of such amendments?

I need hardly remind my hon. Friend that Lords amendments to Provisional Order Confirmation Bills are, as a rule, of the nature of drafting amendments and are rarely important. To print them in all cases would involve a useless expenditure of public money, but in cases in which important amendments are made they will in future be printed. In reply to the latter part of the question, if the amendments are printed they will be circulated with the Bills in the usual way.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider the desirability of bringing the navigation of an aeroplane over the Henley Regatta course during the progress of the regatta within the purview of Section 1 of the Aerial Navigation Act; and whether he will take action under Section 2 to prevent in future any aircraft from navigating the Henley course after it has been cleared for racing by the Thames Conservancy?

If the matter is brought to the notice of my right hon. Friend by the proper authorities before the next regatta, he will consider whether an order should be made under Section 1 of the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that a boy named Ralph R. Silson, aged fourteen years and ten months, was committed to Netherton training school on 22nd February last; whether he was vaccinated in the institution without the consent of the father having been asked; and whether, seeing that the law only compels the vaccination of children up to the age of fourteen years even in the absence of conscientious objection, he will say under what powers the school authorities acted?

My right hon. Friend is informed that this boy was vaccinated in accordance with the instructions of the medical officer of the school, that all boys must be vaccinated after admission, unless they are in an unfit state of health or have very recently been vaccinated. The boys are committed by the court to the custody of the managers, who are for the time in loco parentis; and it is their duty to safeguard the health of the inmates of the school.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in allotting the time of the re-mander of the Session, he will take into consideration the fact that a full day has not yet been allowed for the Debate on the Education Estimates, and that, whereas in France and Germany efforts are being made to develop not only technical education but higher scientific education and research, these subjects have been barely touched upon in Parliament this year?

asked the Prime Minister if he can yet state when the Foreign Office Vote will be taken?

asked the Prime Minister if he can state when he proposes to take the Second Reading of the Finance Bill?

asked the Prime Minister if he will state when the Vote for the salary of the President of the Board of Agriculture will be taken; and whether, as Members representing Welsh constituencies are anxious to discuss the administrative action of the Board in Wales, he will arrange that opportunity for such discussion may be afforded at an early date?

I will consider the various claims that are being put forward, and make an announcement later.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the Debate on the Education Vote the President of the Board occupied exactly two and a quarter hours, and a private Bill occupied one and a-half hours, leaving three and a quarter hours only for the discussion of national education on one day in the year, apart from any departmental or local grievances?

These facts are familiar and will be taken into account.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give us any assurance that the Foreign Office Vote will be taken?

No, Sir, I cannot give any assurance.

In view of the extravagant demands made by Germany and France, would it not be well that the House of Commons should have an opportunity of discussing the Foreign Office Vote or that the Foreign Secretary should be given an opportunity of making a statement?

I do not think it desirable that matters of that kind should be raised by way of supplementary questions.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he was aware that at some of the country exchanges the Post Office charged an extra 3d. for a telephone trunk call after 8 p.m., with a further fee of 3d. on calls put through after 10 p.m., whereas the National Telephone Company at similar exchanges had made no extra charge for late calls, but, on the contrary, give subscribers the right to speak for six minutes, instead of three minutes, at late hours of the evening without additional fee; would he explain why the Post Office treatment of its customers was so much less favourable in this respect than that of the company; and could he hold out any prospect of approximating the practice of the Post Office to that of the company?

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension in supposing that the use of the Post Office trunk lines is granted to the subscribers to Post Office exchanges on less favourable terms than to subscribers to exchanges of the National Telephone Company. It is the uniform practice to allow all subscribers after 7.0 p.m. to speak for six minutes on any trunk line for the same fee as is charged for three minutes during the day. The Post Office has established over one thousand exchanges outside the London area, and the great majority are in small places to which the National Telephone Company's system was not extended owing to the small amount of business to be obtained. Wherever it is reasonably practicable to do so a continuous service at night and on Sundays is given to subscribers without extra charge, but when this is not possible it is an advantage for subscribers to have general facilities for night calls on payment of moderate fees for the occasional calls actually made, and such limited arrangements are as the business grows changed into a continuous service of the ordinary kind. It is not intended to alter arrangements for continuous service now in force at exchanges either of the Post Office or of the National Telephone Company, or to limit the extension of such arrangements in future.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether, in the light of the Final Report of the Royal Commission on Human and Animal Tuberculosis, the Board would, as in some Continental countries, make it compulsory for all cattle whose milk was sold to the public to be examined periodically to ascertain their freedom from transferable tuberculosis as evidenced by emaciation or visibly tuberculous udders, without necessarily employing the sometimes misleading tuberculin test, and thus produce a national register of sound cattle the milk of which could be purchased with confidence by the public?

In view of the fact that there are over two million cows in milk in Great Britain, the proposal made by the hon. Member is one which might impose a heavy charge upon the local rates, and therefore requires very careful consideration.

Is there a prospect under the proposed tuberculosis Order of throwing this charge on the Exchequer?

That also means a very heavy charge on the taxes.

asked whether, in view of the measures always taken by the Board of Agriculture upon the occurrence of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease to isolate the area in which it occurs, the large trade in pedigree stock carried on between this country and Argentina, and the constant prevalence of the disease in many parts of the latter country, the Board would request the Foreign Office to approach the Argentina Government with the object of limiting its restrictions upon the importation of British stock to animals coming from the actual area which had been scheduled as infected by the Board, instead of extending them to the whole country to the detriment of such trade?

No, Sir. The Board do not see their way, under the circumstances which unfortunately exist at the present time, to adopt the suggestion of the hon. Member.

How can the principle advocated in this question be affected by any particular outbreak?

The present state of things affects the whole question.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he has any fresh information to give to the House with regard to the outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in Middlesex and Sussex; whether any fresh outbreak has occurred; to what extent are animals upon or in the neighbourhood of the infected premises being slaughtered to prevent the spread of the disease; and whether the origin of any of the recent outbreaks has yet been ascertained?

In the first place, may I correct a mistake in the report of what I said yesterday in answer to the right hon. Member for the Strand. What I said was that I was aware of the strong feeling on the opposite side of the House in favour of slaughtering out, but that there was also the same feeling on the Government side. There has been no further outbreak reported in the Middlesex area. The fullest inquiries have been made as to the possible source of origin of the disease in that area, and as to whether any foreign feeding-stuffs, hay, or straw, or other material likely to carry infection have been brought on to the premises, but no evidence has been obtained which suggests that the outbreak was due to such articles, and up to the present its cause remains unknown. As regards the outbreak in Sussex, the Board have decided to order the slaughter of the whole of the stock, which number approximately 2,300 sheep and lambs, eighty-six cattle, and four swine, remaining alive on the three farms on which disease has been found. These animals are now being valued, and slaughter will commence tomorrow. Owing to the number of animals involved the operation of slaughtering them must extend over several days. The veterinary examination of the stock in the neighbourhood is being continuously carried on by a staff of six veterinary inspectors. Six other inspectors are engaged in securing the observance of the restrictions imposed, and in making arrangements for the slaughter of the animals. Up to the present time the veterinary inquiry has not revealed any other centre of disease, but the disease has spread further amongst the stock on one of the affected farms. The origin of this outbreak is not yet known, but a searching investigation into the possible causes of the outbreak is being made. It cannot be ascertained that any foreign feeding stuffs have been brought on to any of the farms.

I would like to ask the hon. Baronet whether it is not a fact that a very serious difficulty is being experienced on the Rye Marshes in effectively circumscribing the infected area, and in slaughtering the animals within it?

I do not think that is so. I think all we are doing is being done very effectively at the present moment.

asked whether swine fever had diminished in England during the last three years, and, if so, to what extent; and whether it was diminishing at the present time as the result of the Board of Agriculture's restrictions?

The number of outbreaks from swine fever in Great Britain fell from 2,070 in 1908 to 1,652 in 1909 and 1,577 in 1910. During the present year there has been unhappily a recrudescence of the disease, the number of outbreaks confirmed during the twenty-eight weeks ended the 15th instant, having been 1,461, as compared with 1,268, 1,000 and 823 respectively in the corresponding period of 1908, 1909 and 1910.

Does not the serious recrudescence of the disease this year show that the very severe and vexatious restrictions are wholly unjustifiable?

I do not think necessarily so.

Can the Board attribute the large increase this year to any special reason?

There is no special reason.

asked whether any compensation was paid to owners of pigs for financial loss suffered in consequence of the restrictions placed upon their movement, owing to the occurrence of swine fever on their own or on neighbouring premises; and, if not, why no such compensation was paid?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The Board are only empowered to pay compensation for swine slaughtered by their order in the public interest.

Will the Board consider the propriety of getting power to pay compensation?

It would require legislation.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he had received a petition, signed by about 1,500 ratepayers of Chorley and stating their case for the erection of a council school; and if he had arranged for an inquiry to be held?

Petitions, purporting to be signed by about 1,300 ratepayers and householders in favour of the erection of a council school, have been received by the Board. These, with other petitions on the same subject, are now under consideration. No necessity for holding an inquiry has yet arisen.

asked if a Wesleyan school was to be closed at Chorley, and, if so, what would be the reduction of school places in the borough; and what steps were being taken to provide adequate council school accommodation for the children in question??

The Board have provisionally fixed the 30th September, 1912, as the date on which the recognition of the Wesleyan School at Chorley will terminate. The school has recognised accommodation for 404 children. The average attendance, according to the latest returns, is 326. The Board communicated their decision to the local education authority little more than a week ago and requested them to give early consideration to the needs of the case.

asked the President, of the Board of Education whether he circularised certain newspapers requesting them to refrain from commenting on the incident known as the Holmes Circular?

No, Sir.

Will the right hon. Gentleman lay on the Table of the House the Circular itself?

I said there was no Circular on that subject. I communicated with some journalistic friends of mine, as I had a perfect right to do.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think, in view of his experience of the way in which his permanent officials kept him in ignorance of what took place in regard to the Holmes Circular, they may have acted in a similar way in regard to this matter?

I do not know to what my hon. Friend refers.

asked whether Mr. D. O'Carroll, pensions officer for the Castlecomer union, who issued an appeal to the old age pensioners of his district for subscriptions to the fund of the Irish Parliamentary party on the ground that it was they who obtained the Old Age Pensions Act, and publicly sent the subscriptions thus obtained to the treasurers of the Parliamentary Fund, was paid out of Treasury funds, although locally appointed, and acted under the control of the Local Government Board; had the Government no power of restraining pensions officers paid by them from turning their position to partisan electioneering account; and, if not, was it open to pensions officers of different politics to Mr. O'Carroll's to exercise similar pressure upon old age pensioners in the interest of their own parties?

What authority has the hon. Member for making grave insinuations against a public officer?

The person referred to in the question is not a pension officer but a clerk to a local pension committee, appointed and dismissable by the committee. He is paid out of the amount allowed to the committee for expenses under Section 10 (4) of the Old Age Pensions Act, but is not subject to the disciplinary control either of the Treasury or the Local Government Board, and the question of withholding the whole or a part of the committee's allowance for expenses would only arise in the event of the committee or of its officers neglecting to discharge the duties out of which the expenditure which it is designed to cover arises. In cases of improper conduct by clerks to pension committees, it rests with the committees to whom they are responsible to take such action as may be necessary.

Has the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for whose heavy labours we make every allowance, expressed no word of censure upon this particularly cruel form of official pressure on these poor people by an official who is now avowedly paid out of Treasury funds?

The whole point of my answer is that the official is not under the control of the Treasury in any way. He is appointed and dismissable by the local pensions committee.

Would the right hon. Gentleman allow without censure old age pensioners in England to have sums deducted from their pensions in the interests of the Primrose League by a Tory official?

As far as I am able to ascertain, no sums have been deducted from the pensioners' payments. If pensioners out of their payments choose to make voluntary payments we have no control either in England or in Ireland.

What is the reply to the last part of the question on the Paper?

I have already pointed out that we have no disciplinary power of any sort or kind over officials of the local pensions committees; therefore we have no power in this or any similar case.

Will the right hon. Gentleman direct the attention of the Gladstone League to this matter?

The Gladstone League deals with real cases of intimidation.

In reference to the reply of the right hon. Gentleman and his remarks as to cases of real intimidation, is it only when Irishmen are members of the All for Ireland League that the Treasury can exercise any control whatever over their own payments?

I can only remark that it does not appear that this case was one of real intimidation.

asked the Prime Minister whether he could see his way to abolishing the Eleven o'clock Rule, seeing that the Government, by moving its suspension eight times out of the last twelve Parliamentary days on which it would have taken effect, had practically shown its failure?

The answer is in the negative. As a rule, at this period of the Session the Eleven o'clock Rule is suspended every night.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the part played by Norfolk men in the naval history of Great Britain, he would give recognition to the fact by naming one of the new warships the "Norfolk"?

This name will be considered with others when selecting names for vessels to be constructed.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether permission has now been granted to the Winchester Voluntary Aid (Women's) Detachment, Hants Company, No. 36, to join the camp of the officers' training corps on Salisbury Plain and supply a clearing hospital on field days?

As it is found that arrangements had been completed and local sanction accorded some months ago without reference to the War Office, on this occasion the Army Council will not refuse sanction for this camp. But such sanction must not be regarded as a precedent, as the Women's Voluntary Aid Detachments have no place in association with troops in fighting or training formation.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War what is the percentage of members of the Territorial Army to the population in Wales, Scotland, England, and Ireland, respectively?

The percentage to the total male population on 1st July, was as follows:

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the announcement that it was intended to introduce a scheme for Customs, examining officers and assistants which would render more hopeful the claims of that deserving class, and that the questions still remaining to be decided by the Customs and Excise Amalgamation Committee are extremely complicated and require most careful consideration, he will give immediate effect to the provisions of the scheme proposed for that class?

I regret to be unable to make any statement on this subject, in anticipation of the Report of the Committee in question, which is practically complete.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the committee of inquiry into the amalgamation of the Customs and Excise Department had been informed of the recent large number of promotions of assistants to second-class officer, second to first-class officer, and of other ranks in the Excise branch of the service; whether the committee of inquiry had given its sanction to these promotions; and whether, in view of the dissatisfaction prevailing in the Customs branch owing to differentiation in the treatment of the two branches, he will cause all promotions or appointments in both branches of the service to be suspended until the report of the inquiry committee is issued?

The promotions in question have been made by the Board of Customs and Excise in the ordinary course of administration, and I am not prepared to take the action suggested.