asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, having regard to the fact that Clause 28 of the National Insurance Bill was passed in Committee of the House under the Closure Resolutions without explanation or debate, he will now inform the House whether it is proposed under its provisions to constitute a new department for the purposes of auditing the accounts required to be kept under the Act, or whether he will arrange that the audit shall be performed by auditors at present appointed under the powers of the Friendly Societies Act and the Industrial and Provident Societies Act, and thus avoid depriving a number of professional men of the profits of the work which they now perform?

The audit of accounts of societies under the National Insurance Bill must necessarily be conducted by auditors appointed by the Treasury so far as concerns the accounts of the National Insurance. I will consider whether it will be possible to utilise the services of auditors who are not Civil servants under this provision.

asked whether any regulation will be made by the Insurance Commissioners under the authority given in Clause 21, Section 5, of the National Insurance Bill prohibiting meetings of approved societies to which women and young persons have to attend for the purposes of receiving benefits or any other purposes in connection therewith meeting on licensed premises; and, if so, will such regulation permit of such society holding any meetings in connection with its voluntary section in such place as it may itself decide, whether licensed or unlicensed?

I cannot give any pledge as to the manner in which the Insurance Commissioners may exercise the discretion left to them by the Bill. On the general question I would invite the hon. Baronet's attention to the speech of my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General on the 27th October during the discussion of this Sub-section in Committee.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners approached at any time Mr. Abel Buckley, of Galtee Castle, Mitehelstown, county Cork, with a view to the purchase of any untenanted land; and, if so, what result came of the negotiations?

This estate was sold direct under the Irish Land Act, 1903, by the owner to the tenants, who signed purchase agreements for their holdings. The land, in the owner's hands, which he is working himself, is not included in the lands for sale, and the Estates Commissioners are not in negotiation for the purchase thereof.

asked when the Congested Districts Board will carry out the sale and settlement of the Foxborough estate, near Killina, county Roscommon, now managed by Mr. Timothy Rorke; and, seeing that all the tenanted holdings on the estate are uneconomic, whether they will be enlarged by the distribution of the untenanted grass farm on the estate?

The Congested Districts Board are unable to identify the estate from the particulars given. If the name and address of the owner, and the names of the townlands comprising the property are furnished, inquiry will be made.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he will advise the Congested Districts Board to use their compulsory powers to purchase immediately that portion of the M'Causland estate, known as Kloneen Hartland ranch, for distribution among the uneconomic tenants?

The Congested Districts Board are at present considering the question of purchasing the lands referred to, and they are not able at present to make any more definite statement in the matter.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the following gentlemen express their willingness to sell their grazing farms to the Congested Districts Board on fair terms, namely, Mr. O'Donnell, Larkfield, Manor-hamilton, Colonel T. Y. L. Kirkwood, and Abraham O'Connor; and will the Board place itself in communication with these gentlemen?

The Congested Districts Board have during the present month been informed that the owners of the farms referred to expressed their willingness to negotiate for a sale through the Board. Colonel Kirkwood has since died, and the Board will communicate with his representatives and with the two other owners mentioned.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that, in announcing the examinations to be held in February of next year for appointments in the Customs and Excise service, the Commissioners have fixed the age limit for applicants of nineteen to twenty one years of age; whether he is aware that before the Hobhouse Committee sat to consider this matter the age limits were nineteen to twenty-two years, and that this action of the Commissioners, without any previous warning, has penalised many students between the ages of twenty-one and twenty-two; and whether, in view of the effect of this rule on students, the Commissioners will withdraw their decision for this examination at least, and allow students of from nineteen to twenty-two years to compete?

I am aware of the change to which the hon. Member refers. Definite warning has been given for some time past that no announcement could be made as to the limits of age at future examinations; but, as I stated in reply to the hon. Member for the Newbury Division on the 8th instant, it has been decided to allow the former age limits to apply to the examination to be held in February next.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to a speech at Waterford, on the 1st of November, by Captain Tupper, an official of the Seamen's and Firemen's Union, to the effect that the time was coming when the railway workers of Great Britain and Ireland would be all in the National Transport Workers Federation, and then they would have freedom; that never again would the workers submit to be batoned by the police or ridden over by the soldiery; that, if this were again attempted, the people would retaliate with firearms if necessary; and whether he proposes to take suitable notice of the incident and steps to prevent such speeches at meetings in Ireland in the future?

My attention has been called to a speech delivered at Waterford by Captain Tupper on the 31st October. The words attributed to Captain Tupper are taken from a condensed newspaper report of his speech, and a reference to fuller reports shows that his statements as to what workers would do were conditional on the happening of events which were not likely to occur, and had no bearing on the present situation. The Irish Government do not propose to take any action.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can give the names of the solicitors to whom the business of collecting unpaid annuities is sent by the Irish Land Commission; and if be can say upon what principle they have been selected?

I have received from the Land Commission a list of the solicitors who act in cases where proceedings are being taken in the county courts for the recovery of arrears of land purchase annuities due to the Land Commission. I will furnish the hon. Member with a copy of the list. These solicitors are selected by the Commissioners on the ground of being most suitable for the performance of the legal business involved.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that a labourer named Mathew Ryan, of Newtownshandrum, in the Kanturk rural district, lodged a representation in 1907 for the erection of a cottage on the lands of David M'Auliffe, that Mathew Ryan attended the local inquiry, and that his representation was passed by the Local Government Board and embodied in the scheme; whether he is aware that the farmer lodged a petition against the cottage, and that the Recorder of Cork allowed a change of site, and that subsequently the Kanturk rural council appointed another labourer as tenant of the cottage, though Mathew Ryan's existing house had been condemned as unfit for habitation, and the labourer who was selected as tenant lodged no representation, and did not appear before the local inquiry; whether he is aware that Mathew Ryan is a labourer with a large family; and will he say what action he proposes to take in the matter?

The facts generally are as stated, but the Recorder of Cork, in addition to granting a change of site, inserted in the confirming order a condition as to the selection of the tenant. The legality of such a condition in the judge's order, even if the rural district council agreed to it, has since been raised on behalf of Ryan, the original applicant for the cottage, on the ground that it conflicts with Section 29 (2) of the Labourers Act of 1906, and the matter is at present sub judice. The Local Government Board have no jurisdiction in the matter.

asked on what particular grounds the name of Michael O'Rourke, Bohernagore, Kilmallock, county Limerick, was taken from the list of evicted tenants; and, having regard to the fact that this man was evicted by Colonel Lowe, of Sun-ville, Ardpatrick, will the Estates Commissioners again inquire into his case and have his name placed once again in the list?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that O'Rourke's application was not received within the period limited by the Evicted Tenants Act, 1907, and his name was never on the list of applicants noted by the Commissioners for consideration in the allotment of untenanted land. When dealing with Colonel Lowe's estate, which was the subject of proceedings for sale under the Land Purchase Acts, the Commissioners inquired into O'Rourke's application, and decided to take no action in the matter, and they see no reason to consider that decision.

asked the Chief Secretary on what grounds the local pension committee as well as the Local Government Board decided against the application of Mrs. Crowe, Cooga, Doon, county Limerick, for a pension; is he aware that the applicant furnished the pension officer with-an agreement which stated that Mrs. Crowe's husband and herself were to have during their lifetime £20 per year and the grass of a cow; and, having regard to the fact that Mr. Crowe has long since died and this woman is only getting £10 per year, which she and her family can swear to, will he explain how the pension officer makes out this woman's income to be more than £31 10s.?

The evidence submitted did not satisfy the Local Government Board that there was any sufficient reason for reversing the Sub-committee's decision to disallow Mrs. Crowe's claim on the ground that her means exceeded £31 10s. a year. The agreement referred to is not now in the Board's possession, and they are therefore not in a position to state its exact terms.

asked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that on the 4th instant a number of fishing boats, to the total value of over £2,000, were completely wrecked at or near Downings, county Donegal; whether he is aware that there have been several similar disasters during recent years; and whether, having regard to the growing importance of the Donegal herring and salmon fisheries, any steps will be taken to provide a harbour of refuge in Sheephaven Bay?

I am informed that injury to the fishing fleet at Downings Bay, as well as at other places round the coast, has been caused by the recent gale, but an estimate cannot yet be made as to the value of the boats and gear lost. Similar losses have occurred in former years. The project of making a sheltered harbour in Sheephaven has been considered, but it presents much difficulty, and the cost would be very large.

asked how many cases of those who were Queen's scholars during the two years 1899–1900, when it was shown that the new scale of salaries of the Commissioners of National Education worked inequitably, were given special consideration; in how many cases was special consideration refused; and the number of such Queen's scholars who were paid this higher rate of salary from the date on which they were first recognised as teachers?

The Commissioners of National Education could not give the figures asked for in this question without a minute examination of their records, not alone for 1900, but for subsequent years, and this would take a long time and involve considerable expenditure without any adequate public advantage. The Commissioners do not admit that the new scheme of salaries introduced in 1900 worked inequitably. The interests of teachers actually in the service prior to 1900 were preserved in the new rules. Any such teachers who were in training colleges in 1899–1900 received special consideration when fixing their incomes under the new rules in view of any promotion in classification to which they would have been entitled on account of their having entered training colleges. The other students in training in 1900 had never been employed as principal or assistant teachers under the board, and therefore had no claim on the Commissioners for special consideration.

asked the Secretary for the Colonies whether he has recently sanctioned regulations closing the Civil Services and the Police, services of Hong Kong, the Straits Settlements, and the Federated Malay States against all persons, although natural-born British subjects and successful in the open competitive examinations held in London, who are not of pure European descent both in the male and female line; if so, what are the exact terms of such regulations; how are the pedigrees of candidates investigated; and are similar regulations in force in the French, Dutch, or Portuguese colonies in the East?

Appointments in the Civil and Police services of Hong Kong, the Straits Settlements and the Federated Malay States, which are filled by open competition, have for years past been restricted to British subjects of pure European descent in view of the special difficulties arising from racial conditions in those parts of the world. The wording of the regulations was recently altered in order to obviate any possible ambiguity. The exact terms as regards cadets are:—"The cadets, who must be natural-born British subjects of pure European descent on both sides, are selected by open competitive examination."For police probationers the exact terms are:—"Every candidate must be a British subject of pure European descent on both sides, and at the time of his birth his father must have been a British subject, either natural born or naturalised in the United Kingdom."The statements of candidates as to their descent have hitherto been accepted, and no necessity for investigation has arisen. I should, of course, have to consider a suitable mode of investigation if there were good grounds for disbelieving a candidate's statement. With regard to the last part of the question I have no information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been directed to the practice of a number of employers of labour in Belfast engaged in the spinning, weaving, and kindred industries, who, in contravention of the spirit and provisions of the Truck Acts, impose upon their workers fines and penalties and deductions from their wages for breaches of rules made by the employers; whether these rules are submitted to the Department before being imposed on the workers; and whether any, and, if so, what, action can be taken by the Department to prevent the victimisation of these workers?

I have seen the notices as to the terms and conditions of employment which have been issued in the spinning and weaving industries in Belfast. In so far as the notices contain contracts for deductions from wages they are subject to the requirements of the Trucks Acts, and the matter has been engaging the attention of the Department. They do not, however, require to be submitted to the Department for approval before coming into force, and there is only power to take action where a deduction is made which is unreasonable or otherwise not in accordance with the contract, or where the contract provides for a deduction which is unreasonable having regard to all the circumstances. The Department has attempted by negotiations with the manufacturers to secure the modification of some of the provisions which it was thought might operate harshly, but I am sorry to say without success. So far as regards what appears to be the most important point, the question of deductions for bad work, the form of contract provides, in accordance with the terms of the Act, that the deductions shall be fair and reasonable, and shall not in any case exceed the loss to the employer; and it is only in particular cases, therefore, where deductions are made which are not in conformity with these provisions that action can be taken. A close watch will be kept by the Department on the working of these contracts, and proceedings will be instituted in any cases that call for action; and any cases that are brought to the notice of the factory inspectors will be carefully investigated. I may add that the whole question of the conditions of work, earnings and methods of payment in these industries is being investigated by a Departmental Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can state the number of persons who have been incarcerated in lunatic asylums during the past five years for religious mania, the number of suicides during the same period from the same cause, and the number of deaths which have occurred as the result of religious disturbances during the same period?

The statistics of lunacy and of suicide do not distinguish cases of so-called religious mania from other cases of mania, nor are deaths classified under any such head as deaths from religious disturbances. I am unable, therefore, to give the figures the hon. Member desires.

asked the Prime Minister if he can fix a date for taking the Second reading of the Expenses of Aid to Police Bill?

I am not able to make any statement as to this Bill at present.

asked the President of the Local Government Board, whether he can state the number of insane under care in England and Wales per 100,000 of the population in 1880 and in 1010, respectively?

Prom the reports of the Commissioners in Lunacy it appears that the figures, for the 1st January in each year, are as follows:—1880, 279; 1910, 361.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total weight of tobacco of all kinds upon which duty was paid in the financial years 1590–91, 1900–01, and 1910–11, respectively?

The following statement gives the information desired by the hon. Member:—Statement showing the total net weight of tobacco of all kinds, duty paid, retained for consumption in the United Kingdom during the Financial Years 1890–91, 1900–01, and 1910–11, respectively.

Financial Year ended 31st March.				Quantity retained for Home Consumption.
				Lbs.
1891	…	…	…	59,017,350
1901	…	…	…	83,561,083
1911	…	…	…	91,682,925

asked the President of the Board of Trade, whether preference is given at the Labour Exchanges to men who have not served the State in the Army or Navy; and whether the manager of a Labour Exchange is entitled to inform men who have served in the Services that they need not enrol their names, as they will not be taken on for work?

A manager of a Labour Exchange is not entitled to refuse to register any bonâ fide applicant for employment, or to put any difficulty in the way of his being registered. No preference is given to men who have not served in the Navy or Army. The employer who notifies vacancies is of course entitled to specify any conditions which he chooses, and the Labour Exchange manager will naturally not submit to him applicants who do not conform to these conditions. I may add that the Labour Exchanges are within the limits of their powers working in co-operation with the National Association for the Employment of Reserve and Discharged Soldiers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the average percentage of unemployed persons in the several insured trades set forth in the Sixth Schedule of the National Insurance Bill for each of the last ten years?

I may refer my hon. Friend to the Report by Mr. Thomas G. Ackland on Part II. of the National Insurance Bill, especially to the table given on page 14.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) whether the woman in charge of the delivery table at the Derby telegraph office is continually withdrawn to assist in operative work; whether the woman supervisor was engaged partly on instrument work during the whole of the summer; whether male overseers and assistant superintendents have continually to assist in operative work; and, if so, whether he will make inquiry as to the necessity for an increase of staff in this office; also (2) whether girl messengers at the Derby telegraph office, in receipt of 5s. per week, have been left for periods of two hours per day in charge of the delivery table; whether one girl, of fourteen years of age, with five days' service, was placed on this duty, whilst another, with fourteen days' service, has been engaged in relieving the girl typist for holidays; and, if so, whether he will direct that these methods of utilising the services of girl messengers shall cease?

I am making inquiry into the matters mentioned in the hon. Member's two questions, and will communicate later with the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, although it has been officially stated that all full-time assistants are entitled to extra pay at rate and a-half for work performed on Sundays, two assistants at Portrush have been informed that their wages of 25s. per week include payment for Sunday duty which they perform; and whether he will make inquiry with a view to payment being made for Sunday duty at the authorised rates?

I am enquiring into the circumstances of the cases to which the hon. Member refers, and will communicate the result as soon as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can state the number of sorting clerks and telegraphists in Ireland who retired and died in Ireland during the year ended 31st March, 1911, and the causes in each case?

The information desired by the hon. Member is as follows:—Particulars of Sorting Clerks and Tele graphists employed in Ireland who retired on account of ill-health during the year ending 31st March, 1911.

Officer employed at		Cause of Retirement.
Athy	…	Pulmonary Tuberculosis.
Ballinasloe	…	Mental Derangement.
Belfast	…	Hysteria.
Birr	…	Mania.
Belturbet	…	Cerebral Tumour.
Dublin	…	Diabetes.
Dublin	…	Pulmonary Tuberculosis.
Armagh	…	Cardiac Melancholia.
Dublin	…	Bronchitis.
Dundalk	…	Mental Derangement.
Dublin	…	Rheumatism and Cardiac Weakness.
Longford	…	Morbus Cordis.
Donegal	…	Chronic Gastric Catarrh.

In addition to the above one female officer retired on reaching the age of sixty years.Particulars of Sorting Clerks and Telegraphists employed in Ireland who died during the year ending 31st March, 1911.

Officer employed at	Cause of Death.
Belfast	Peritonitis.
Carrick-on-Shannon.	Pleurisy.
Dublin	Pulmonary Tuberculosis.
Dublin	Apoplexy.
Dublin	Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he can give the reasons for refusing the request of the British Dairy Farmers' Association for a grant to enable them to organise the sixth international dairy congress to be held in England in 1913, seeing that the Swedish Government thought it advisable in the interests of farmers in that country to grant £1,500 for the congress held this year at Stockholm; and whether a grant from the Development Fund could be made for this purpose?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on this subject to the hon. Member for Carmarthenshire West on the 7th November. I have no authority to make a grant from the Development Fund.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture, if he can state what is the total acreage of land purchased by agreement for small holdings under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1908; and how much of this has since been sold to applicants?

Under the Act, 49,910 acres had been purchased by agreement up to the 31st December last, of which fifty-two acres had been sold to seven applicants.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture how many

NUMBER OF CATTLE, SHEEP AND PIGS IN GREAT BRITAIN IN THE UNDER-MENTIONED YEARS.
—	1911.	1900.	1890.	1880.
	No.	No.	No.	No.
Cattle—
Cows and Heifers (in Calf or in Milk)	2,825,049	2,620,901	2,537,990	2,241,708
Other Cattle:
Two years and above	1,394,045	1,372,532	1,439,119	1,460,726
Under two years	2,895,170	2,811,737	2,531,523	2,209,612
Total	7,114,264	6,805,170	6,508,632	5,912,046
Sheep—
One year and above	15,944,362	16,314,195	16,756,568	17,186,011
Under one year	10,550,630	10,278,031	10,515,891	9,433,039
Total	26,494,992	26,592,226	27,272,459	26,619,050
Pigs—
All kinds	2,822,154	2,381,932	2,773,609	2,000,842

Acreage under arable land and wheat, and proportion per cent. of land under wheat to total arable land in Great Britain in the under-mentioned years:—

	Arable Land.	Wheat.	Proportion of Arable Land under Wheat.
	Acres.	Acres.	Per cent.
1900	15,708,351	1,845,042	11.75
1907	14,965,563	1,625,445	10.86
1911	14,648,104	1,906,043	13.01

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he can state what is the present head of farm live stock, apart from horses, in Great Britain, and how their number compares with that in the years 1880, 1890, and 1900, respectively?

presented the following figures:—