asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is intended to limit the rate of allowance to approved societies on a uniform scale for management expenses; and what means will be adopted to reduce the present charges for management, in view of the fact that the cost of collection of contributions is entirely done away with and placed on the shoulders of the employers?

No uniform scale of administration expenses is prescribed in the Bill. It will obviously be in the interests of societies to reduce such expenses as far as possible, but by an Amendment which has been introduced into the Bill the Insurance Commissioners are given power to prescribe a maximum for costs of administration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has consulted the Law Officers of the Crown as to whether employers' contributions under the National Insurance Bill will be held to be deductible expenses in arriving at income for the purposes of Income Tax; and, if not, whether he will give an undertaking to include in the forthcoming Budget some provision for the relief of those employers whose margin of profit is small by comparison with the number of employés in respect of whom contributions must be paid?

I would refer the Noble Lord to the answer given by me yesterday to the hon. and learned Member for St. Pancras West.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what steps, if any, have been taken by the Estates Commissioners to acquire 2,000 acres of land in Wexford, for the purpose of distribution amongst the evicted tenants; and if any progress has been made in that direction?

The Estates Commissioners have acquired and distributed amongst 128 evicted tenants some 4,500 acres in county Wexford. They cannot say to what lands the hon. Member refers when he speaks of their acquiring 2,000 acres.

asked what is the extent of the agricultural land represented, respectively, by the sum of £69,675,910 expended on land purchase in Ireland up to 31st March last, and the further £47,616,544 for which application had then been made?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that the total price of lands sold to the 31st March last under the Land Purchase Acts was £67,839,088, and the area is 6,497,162 acres. On the 31st March lands of an estimated value of over forty-five millions were pending for sale under those Acts, and the area is approximately 4,075,400 acres.

asked the reasons upon which the Local Government Board refused on appeal an old age pension to Mrs. Mary Ryan, Turraheen, Rossmore, Gooldscross, county Tipperary; whether he is aware that her husband before his death last February assigned his farm to his daughter, leaving his wife Mary Ryan her support; and whether the valuation of the farm is £14 10s.?

The case of Mary Ryan has been three times before the Local Government Board. In March, 1909, the Board confirmed the decision of the pension sub-committee to disallow her first claim on the ground that her means exceeded the statutory limit. The farm was then assigned as stated, obviously with the view to enabling the claimant to obtain a pension; and her second claim was accordingly disallowed by both the sub-committee and the Board on appeal in May, 1909. The claimant's husband is now dead, but the Board, on consideration of her third claim, were of opinion that the maintenance and other privileges enjoyed by her were worth at least £31 10s. a year, and accordingly disallowed the claim on the 1st instant. The valuation of the farm is stated to be £15. It contains twenty-eight acres, and carries eight cows.

asked the Chief Secretary the date on which a Local Government Board inquiry was held as to the advisability of electrically lighting the town of Killeshandra, in county Cavan; has the Report of this inquiry yet issued; and, in view of the inconvenience to the inhabitants and actual danger to passengers, will he see that first attention is given to this matter, which is one of concern to the people of this district?

The inquiry was held on 9th August last, and the Local Government Board received the Report of their inspector on the 1st instant. The matter is at present receiving the consideration of the Board.

asked the Chief Secretary why the Congested Districts Board has not completed the boat slip out to the end of the quay at Caherciveen; whether he is aware that the fishermen are at present unable to haul up their boats for shelter; and whether, seeing that a number of these boats have been built on loans advanced by the Board, immediate steps will be taken to secure their safety?

The Congested Districts Board will ask their engineer to report on this matter when he is next at Caherciveen. A substantial sum has just been expended upon improving the landing accommodation there.

asked the Secretary for War when the employés at Weedon Army ordnance depôt known as skilled and leading men are to receive the re-grading and increase in wages promised nearly twelve months ago?

Will my hon. Friend kindly refer to the reply given to a question on this subject put by the hon. Member for the West Houghton Division of Lancashire on the 9th instant to which I have nothing at present to add.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that under the existing law a large number of aliens are placed upon the jury lists; and whether he will bring this matter before the Committee about to be appointed to consider the present system of empanelling juries with a view to legislation securing the right to British subjects of trial by their peers?

Without committing myself to the precise accuracy of the hon. Member's statement, I may say that the question he raises is one which the Committee will be empowered to consider.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of the proposal to form into one syndicate the London General Omnibus Company, the London Electric Railways Company, and the Metropolitan District Railway Company; and whether, in the event of such proposal being proceeded with, he intends to take steps to effectively protect the interests of the public and of the employés of the respective companies?

My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has already answered a similar question by the hon. Member for St. Pancras, East, on 6th November, and I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the reply.

asked the President of the Board of Education if, in the present impetus given to technical and agricultural education in England and Wales by the Board of Education and the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, special consideration has been given to the various industrial and economic incidences consequent on the gradual drifting of unskilled labour from the land or purely agricultural areas to the populous centres of industry; and, if such conditions have operated, whether, in view of the advisability, in purely agricultural districts or whole administrative areas of that nature, of linking more closely or more effectively elementary education and practical agri- cultural training, he would be prepared to consider the question of amending and enlarging the special regulations contained in Schedule III. of the current Code of the Board of Education, or provide other special provisions whereby it may be possible for boys during the last year of their elementary school life to receive some special instruction in such elementary farming or agricultural operations as may be prompted by local industrial needs and the individual interests of the scholars, on lines somewhat similar to those given in the Schedule referred to which govern short courses of instruction in dairywork, gardening, handicraft, cookery, laundry-work, and housewifery?

I am fully alive to the considerations referred to in the first part of the question. As regards the second part, the Board encourage, and desire to stimulate, by all means in their power the adaptation, within proper limits, of rural schools to their environment in respect of curriculum and methods of instruction. In this connection I may refer the Noble Lord to pages 19 and 20 of the "Suggestions to Teachers" published in 1905, to the "Suggestions on Rural Education" published in 1908, to page 122 of the Board's Report for the year 1908–9, to Chapter ii. of the Memorandum on the Principles and Methods of Rural Education published in 1911, and to Articles 2, 3, and 4 of the Code. I may also refer him to Circular 778 with reference to classes for teachers in rural subjects. Whether it would be desirable or possible to provide for the payment by special grant under Schedule III. of the Code in respect of specific instruction in agriculture to be given to boys of twelve or thirteen is a question on which I am not at present prepared to express an opinion. The Board have actually sanctioned experiments in giving instruction to scholars in school hours in certain operations of husbandry, such as hedging, thatching, pig and poultry keeping, basket-making, bookkeeping, and I am quite prepared to entertain any well-considered proposals for further experiments of a similar character.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will state, in statute acres, the estimated amount of arable land in Belgium, Holland, Denmark, and Ireland, respectively, with the latest estimate of the amount in tillage, the number of horses, cattle, and pigs, and the population of those countries, respectively?

I have been requested by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to answer this question. The statement below will, I hope, give the hon. Member the information he desires:—

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the strong complaints of the Natal Indians as to the demoralising effect upon those members of the Indian community liable to the £3 annual licence imposed upon male Indians of the age of sixteen years and upwards, and female Indians of thirteen years and upwards, whose contracts of indenture have expired; whether he is aware that evidence was given before the Sanderson Commission on Emigration from India to the Crown Colonies and Protectorates to the effect that, owing to the imposition of the £3 annual licence only 6 per cent. of the time-expired Indians were now able to avail themselves of the right to remain free in Natal, the remaining 94 per cent. being obliged either to re-indenture or to return to India; whether this alternative of compulsory contract-service or compulsory repatriation was contemplated by His Majesty's Government when the measure imposing this tax was assented to, and what steps, if any, His Majesty's Government propose to take to procure the repeal of the tax?

Complaints of this nature have been brought to my notice, and I understand that it is correct that

asked the Prime Minister, with reference to Article No. 23H of the Regulations embodied in The Hague Convention No. 4, which particularly forbids a belligerent to declare extinguished, suspended, or unenforceable in a court of law the rights of action of the nationals of the adverse party, and the statement that it does not abrogate the principle of British law prohibiting all dealings with the enemy and suspending all rights of action on contracts made previously to the war, have His Majesty's Government consulted the Law Officers of the Crown as to whether this article does or does not abrogate that principle; are they aware that on 3rd July, 1907, Mr. Goppert, the representative of Germany, which proposed the article in question, stated that its object was to prohibit such laws on the part of a belligerent as would prevent an enemy subject from obtaining his ordinary remedies from breach of contractual obligations from the tribunals of the other side in time of war; are they advised that this object is not attained by the Article 23H in question, and has a correspondence on the point taken place between Professor Oppenheim and the Foreign Office which has been communicated to jurists of eminence; and, if so, when does he propose to lay that correspondence before this House?

The answer to the first question is in the negative. The hon. Member is probably correct with regard to the statement made by Mr. Goppert, but the official record of the proceedings of the Second Peace Conference leaves it uncertain to which of the various German proposals the statement referred. The answer given by the Secretary of State for the Colonies on the 9th instant shows that, if the German intention was accurately described by Mr. Goppert, His Majesty's Government are advised that the object has not been attained by the insertion of Article 23H in the Land War Regulations. The subject has formed the subject of correspondence between Professor Oppenheim and the Foreign Office, and I understand that the professor has given copies of it to various persons who are interested in the study of international law. The subject is very technical, but the correspondence can be laid before the House if there is any general desire to that effect.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that in the Central Telegraph Office arbitrary averages are set for various classes of telegraph work; whether notices to this effect are given verbally to the staff or posted prominently; whether supervising officers are pressed to maintain the average published by reporting any operator whose output of work falls below it; and whether this policy has his sanction?

I am not aware of the existence of any arbitrary averages for telegraph work. The supervising officers, of course, know about how much work should normally be disposed of on a circuit, and no doubt they have so informed the telegraphists when occasion requires. Indeed, it is their obvious duty to do so. But except in two instances, of which I was not previously aware, no notice on the subject has been posted. Every telegraphist is expected to do a fair day's work, and if particulars can be furnished of any one who has been required to do more, I shall be glad to have inquiry made.

asked the Postmaster-General in what terms a certificate must be given precedent to the grant of an annual increment of salary; and whether any officer who can be certified to have been of good conduct for twelve months is entitled to receive his yearly increment?

In accordance with the terms of Clause 18 of the Order in Council of the 10th January, 1910, an annual increment can only be allowed on a certificate that the officer's service during the year preceding the incremental date has been approved. An officer of the Post Office is not considered to have rendered approved service unless both his conduct has been satisfactory and his duties have been efficiently performed.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the need for sub-post office facilities in the Irishtown (otherwise St. Canice's) quarter of Kilkenny City; whether he is aware that similar facilities in the John Street quarter are much appreciated and found convenient in that district; whether he has been informed that there is frequent congestion and pressure at the public counter of the main post office in High Street, Kilkenny, especially since the closing hour was made eight instead of 10 p.m. and the payment of old age pensions began; whether he is aware that the suggested facilities would serve the new industrial village of Talbotsinch; whether he will consider anew any petition presented to him solely on public grounds without reference to any particular premises; and whether he will ask the opinion of the local authority (Kilkenny Corporation) as to the provision of the sub-post office as suggested?

I am inquiring into the questions raised by the hon. Member.

asked the hon. Member for the Doncaster Division, as Church Estates Commissioner, if he will give a statement, by parishes, of the acreages of the separate holdings of fifty acres or more, and the aggregate acreage of the holdings of under fifty acres of agricultural land, of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in the counties of Leicester, Derby, and Northampton?

supplied the following particulars:—

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether, when giving his sanction to the Crich sewerage scheme, he was aware that the parish council and parishioners generally were opposed to the scheme, but could not fully reveal their opposition owing to the public inquiry being made at the hour of 11 p.m.; that the chairman of the county council declared it was far too expensive and the medical officer of health said it was not necessary; that there has only been one death from enteric in the parish for many years, and that in a part of the parish not touched by the proposed scheme, whilst in the neighbouring district of Winster, where a similar scheme has been laid, a number of deaths have taken place, which, in the opinion of the residents, were caused by the scheme; that, owing to a recent reassessment, rates have been increased 10d. in the £ on houses rented at £5 or less, and that the residents, who are chiefly labouring men receiving small wages, are unable to pay the further rates involved in this scheme; and whether he will delay the present scheme until a further inquiry has been made?

I am aware that the Parish Council of Crich and some of the parishioners are opposed to the scheme, but I am not aware that those opposed to it could not fully reveal their opposition owing to the public inquiry being held at 11 a.m. I find that two gentlemen, who had been appointed at a public meeting held the previous day to represent the ratepayers, were present at the inquiry, and placed their views before the inspector. I am not aware that the Chairman of the County Council has declared that the scheme is far too expensive, nor am I aware that the Medical Officer of Health said it was not necessary. On the contrary, the Medical Officer of Health to the Rural District Council stated at the inquiry that, "in his opinion, nothing short of a comprehensive scheme such as that now proposed would remedy the present unsatisfactory state of affairs, and that the carrying out of the scheme was absolutely necessary," and the County Medical Officer of Health, while admitting the necessity for a sewerage scheme, wrote after the inquiry suggesting certain modifications with a view to reducing the cost, which modifications (so far as they were practicable) had, however, already been recommended by my engineering advisers. In view of the evidence as to the necessity for a scheme I cannot attach much weight to the statements in the question as to mortality within and outside the township. The scheme has been very carefully considered by my engineering advisers, and all practicable modifications have been made with a view to reduction of cost. The scheme being necessary, I cannot see my way to delay it as suggested.

asked the Lord Advocate what has been the excess of births over deaths in Scotland during the first ten months of the present year; and what was the excess of emigration from, over immigration to, Scottish ports during the same period?

The information at present available is applicable to nine months, namely, from 1st January to 30th September last. During that period there were registered in Scotland 93,297 births and 54,008 deaths. The excess of births over deaths during the period in question was therefore 39,289. The following table shows the number of passengers at Scottish ports to and from places out of Europe during the first ten months of 1911:—

asked the Attorney-General what remuneration by way of salary or pension is paid to the following Law Lords: Earl of Halsbury, Lord Ashbourne, Lord Macnaghten, Lord Atkinson, Lord Shaw, Lord Robson, Lord Gorell, Lord Mersey, Lord Dunedin, and Lord Kinnear; and what are the names of any judges, with their salaries, who sit in the Judicial Committee but not in the House of Lords?

In answer to the first part of the question, the Earl of Halsbury receives a pension of £5,000 per annum, Lord Ashbourne receives a pension of £4,000 per annum; Lord Macnaghten, Lord Atkinson, Lord Shaw, Lord Robson receive salaries of £6,000 per annum; Lord Gorell and Lord Mersey receive pensions of £3,500 per annum; Lord Dunedin receives a salary of £5,000 per annum; Lord Kinnear receives a salary of £3,600 per annum. As regards the second part of the question, there are two judges who sit in the Judicial Committee but not in the House of Lords. They are Sir John Edge and Syed Amur Ali. They are paid salaries of £400 per annum, in addition to which they are in receipt of pensions. The hon. Member is, no doubt, aware that certain judges who fill high judicial offices either here or in the Dominions beyond the seas are qualified to sit in the Judicial Committee, but in view of their other duties are seldom, if ever, able to be present.