asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether an approved society will be compelled to offer the same facilities for insuring under the Bill to women as to men?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state ion what grounds the claim of Mrs. Julia Hartnett, of Moher, Murroe, county Limerick, for a pension was rejected by the Local Government Board; and, having regard to the fact that this woman is eighty-seven years, and that whatever living was marked out for her twenty-five years ago, when her son got over the farm in marriage, was cut away from her when her husband died twelve years ago, and having regard to the fact that she has since been living on the goodness of her son, upon whom she has no legal claim, will the poor woman be allowed the pension?

The Local Government Board disallowed Julia Hartnett's claim in October, 1910, on the ground that the value of the maintenance and other privileges she enjoyed on her son's farm was more than £31 10s. a year. The farm is a large one of 400 acres, carrying seventeen cows.

asked on what grounds an old age pension has been refused to the following claimants in the Waterville district: Patrick Moran, Spunkane; James Clifford and Bridget Clifford, Garryglas; Bridget Kelly, Brahig; Mary Fenton, Farranahoun?

The pension was refused in each of the cases mentioned on the ground that no sufficient proof was forthcoming that the claimant had reached the statutory age.

asked what steps, if any, have been taken to secure the reinstatement of Mrs. Mary Fenton, an evicted tenant on the Fitzgerald estate, Kenneigh, near Waterville?

The Estates Commissioners received an application from Mary Fenton for reinstatement in a holding on the Fitzgerald estate, county Kerry, formerly occupied by her, and, after inquiry and consideration decided to take no action in the matter.

asked whether the Congested Districts Board have yet made an offer for the purchase of the Hunter estate, in the parish of Turlough, county Mayo, maps of which were lodged on behalf of the landlord several months ago with a view to a voluntary sale?

The Congested Districts Board have not made an offer for the purchase of the estate referred to, as it has not yet been formally offered for sale. The solicitors for the owners stated on 29th September that the maps and other necessary documents would be lodged with the Board, but up to the present they have not been received.

asked whether the Congested Districts Board have yet made offers for the purchase of the Fitzgerald estate in the parishes of Turlough and Kildacomoge, and the Phibbs' estate in Kildacomoge parish, county Mayo, both of which have been valued by the Board's officials; and when they hope to complete the negotiations for the purchase of these properties?

The Congested Districts Board have not yet made offers for the estates referred to. Offers will be issued as soon as practicable, having regard to the engagements of the Board's staff and to the priority of the estates.

asked whether an originating request, with maps, etc., has been lodged with the Congested Districts Board by the owner of the Malley estate, at Straid, county Mayo, with a view to a voluntary sale of the property; and, if so, when, approximately, the Board expect to have the sale completed?

The Congested Districts Board have recently received the maps and documents necessary for a preliminary inspection to be made and to enable the Board to consider whether they will make an offer for purchase of the property. The case will be taken up as soon as practicable.

asked whether Mr. Richard Gibbons, Westport, has lodged an originating request with the Congested Districts Board with a view to a voluntary sale to the Board of his estate in the parishes of Turlough and Kildacomoge, county Mayo; and whether Captain Martin has lodged an originating request respecting his estate at Toomore, near Ballyvary, county Mayo?

The Congested Districts Board inform, me that neither of the owners referred to have lodged originating requests with a view to a voluntary sale of their estates to the Board.

asked if the vesting orders will be issued in connection with the estate of Mrs. Bertha Dillon, Rathgordan, Herbertstown, county Limerick, within this year; and, if not, how soon.

The Estates Commissioners hope that the holdings of the great majority of purchasers on this estate will be vested during the present month.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the complaints that have been made of the lack of adequate supervision by the managers of coal mines of the underground workings of their mines; and whether he will consider the advisability of inserting an amendment in the Coal Mines Bill, requiring personal supervision on the part of the manager at stated intervals of all parts of the mine?

The Royal Commission on Mines took evidence on this subject, and provisions have been inserted in the Mines Bill which is now before Parliament, for strengthening the existing law in this respect. I am afraid that if intervals were fixed, as suggested by my hon. Friend, for visits by the manager, they would tend in practice to be treated as a maximum rather than a minimum standard, and the present responsibility of the manager, which is to exercise daily personal supervision of the mine, would be weakened rather than increased.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can state the number of the Indian troops dispatched to Bushire; and whether their functions are strictly confined to the reinforcement of the Consular guards at the British Consulates in the interior of Persia?

Four squadrons of the 39th Central Indian Horse are being dispatched from Bombay. They are intended to reinforce the Consular escorts at Bushire, Shiraz, and Ispahan, pending the execution by the Persian Government of effective measures for the restoration of security of life and property in Southern Persia. Their functions will be limited to those of Consular escorts.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether two bodies of Russian troops have arrived at Enzeli, on the Caspian seaboard of Persia, and at Julfa, near the Persian frontier, respectively; if so, can he state their number; whether His Majesty's Government have received information to the effect that these troops are to be followed by larger forces; if they have not received information in this sense, will they make inquiries of the Russian Government; and can he inform the House to what places in Persia these Russian troops are proceeding, and with what object?

His Majesty's Government are informed by the Russian Government that the Russian Consular escorts are to be increased at Resht and at Ispahan, the former by 100, the latter by 150 men. His Majesty's Government have not received information to the effect that these troops are to be followed by larger forces, nor have they reason to suppose that there is need for inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any official information as to numerous murders of Bulgarians having been committed by Turks in the Macedonian provinces; and when he will be able to publish the recent Consular Reports?

The information received by His Majesty's Government shows that there has recently been a revival of the activity of the bands in Macedonia, and that a considerable number of members of bands, including the Bulgarian chiefs Apostol and Jemo Semerjieff, have been killed by Turkish troops. We do not consider that the publication of the Reports received from His Majesty's Consular officers would serve any useful purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any information as to the killing of non-combatant Arabs by the Italian troops in Tripoli?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to-day to the hon. Member for East Mayo as to information received from British Consuls.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any publication has been issued in recent years by His Majesty's Government giving information as to the powers and constitution of Parliamentary Committees in European countries charged with the consideration of foreign affairs; and, if so, on what dates such publications were issued?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the Report of the Committee appointed early in 1910 to inquire into the working of the factories department of the Post Office will be published, and, if so, when; whether he is in a position to give any information regarding the recommendations of that Committee; whether he can say on what date these recommendations will be brought into force; whether he is aware that, although the existing clerical stall of the factories department was declared redundant on the 4th March, 1910, the official policy to be pursued in disposing of that staff has not yet been definitely declared; and whether he can now state how the redundant staff will be disposed of?

The Committee has reported, and the Report is now under my consideration. I fear that I cannot, at the present moment, make any statement with regard to the recommendations of the Committee, or with regard to the publication of the Report.

asked the Lord-Advocate whether his attention has been called to the decision of Mr. Commissioner Macintyre, one of the Crofter Commissioners, in the case of John Macrae, crofter, against Mr. H. S. C. Smithson, of Lentran, Inverness-shire, under which Mr. Macrae, whose croft consisted of nine acres arable and four acres pasture, at an annual fair rent of £6 10s., was found entitled to £295 as compensation for improvements on the holding; what were the improvements; on what annual value was the holding rated when Mr. Macrae renounced his holding; has the holding been let to another crofter; and, if so, at what rent and at what value has it been entered in the valuation roll to the new holder?

The facts of the case are as follows:—This holding was formerly rented at £8 10s. In 1888 the Crofters Commission fixed a fair rent of £6 10s. for it. The crofter, John Macrae, renounced the tenancy and the renunciation took effect at Whit Sunday, 1911. He lodged an application with the Crofters Commission in terms of Sections 8 and 10 of the Crofters Act, in which he claimed a sum of £449 12s. 6d. as compensation for permanent improvements. In order to obtain an immediate judgment both landlord and crofter agreed by Joint-Minute to refer the claim to the sole decision of Mr. Commissioner Macintyre. Mr. Macintyre heard the parties and inspected all the subjects in respect of which compensation was claimed. These consisted of a good slated dwelling-house, byre, stable, cart-shed, poultry-house and (with consent of parties) 2,200 yards of wire fencing, etc. After the inquiry Mr. Macintyre fixed the compensation due at the sum of £296, as representing the value of the improvements to an incoming tenant. The holding has been let to another tenant, who has undertaken to pay the landlord (Mr. Smithson) such sum as might be awarded the outgoing crofter for the permanent improvements, he, by his arrangement with Mr. Smithson, being entitled to compensation for improvements in like manner in the event of his quitting the holding. The fair rent of £6 10s. applied to the land embraced in the holding and did not include any consideration for the permanent improvements which were executed by the tenant. The holding is entered in the Valuation Roll of last year as being of the annual value of £6 10s. The Valuation Roll for the current year is not yet published.

asked the hon. Member for Southampton, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, if he has received a complaint that the enginedrivers and their assistants employed at the South Kensington generating station are being paid considerably less than the standard rate of wages; and, if so, what steps has he taken in the matter?

The reply is in the affirmative. While the First Commissioner is not prepared to admit that the engine-drivers and their assistants employed at the South Kensington generating station are being paid considerably less than the standard rate of wages, he is giving the matter his careful consideration, and hopes shortly to be in a position to arrive at a decison.