asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to the special conditions obtaining in connection with friendly societies whose branches are grouped in districts, with their sick funds centralised in the district organisations, which are entirely independent financially of the grand order; whether he is aware that the effect of this district consolidation, or pooling, has been that some districts which were in an insolvent condition have been made solvent by this district combination or pooling, combined with increased contributions from their members, whilst other districts refusing to adopt such a policy remain insolvent; if so, whether it will be possible, under the terms of the National Insurance Bill, for such district organisations otherwise qualified under the terms of the Bill to be accepted as approved societies; and, if not, whether he will consider the alteration of the Bill making such a course possible?

Districts of a society with branches will not be approved apart from the main society, but the Bill enables the districts to maintain complete financial control of their own contributions.

asked what is the position under the National Insurance Bill of a woman outworker who takes home quantities of work and employs other people in its making-up; will she be considered an employer of such persons and will she be expected to collect the insurance money, and in her case will the original employer deduct from her earnings; and, if so, on what amount will it be deducted, the gross or net earnings of the person concerned?

It would be a question to be determined from the facts of a particular case whether the woman in question was herself the employer of the persons who did the work or whether she was the agent for the person from whom she obtained it.

asked the Chancellor whether he is now in a position to inform the Customs port clerks of a date on which he is prepared to grant the interview first solicited by them on 5th September last in regard to the recommendations of the Customs and Excise Amalgamation Committee; and, if not, whether he will assure the Customs port clerks that it is his intention to receive their deputation?

I regret that the pressure on my time is so great as to make it impossible at present for me to receive a deputation on this subject. As regards the latter part of the question, I can give no pledge except that I will consider the matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the adoption by the Treasury of the recommendations of the Hobhouse Committee on the Amalgamation of the Customs and Excise Departments, whereby over 100 second-class principal clerks in the offices of collectors of Customs and Excise are recommended to be reduced from the supervising grade in which they hitherto ranked to that of the officer grade; whether he is aware that twenty-seven of these principal clerks have already passed the examination for the rank immediately above them and others had practically completed their preparation when the examination was discontinued; is he aware that the Board of Inland Revenue in 1903 abolished the examination for the promotion of clerks to the principal clerkship as unnecessary; and, seeing that this imposition of two examinations on these officials will, in the event of failure, entail an actual loss in salary of at least £500, and, in the event of their surviving their superannuation, an additional loss, in the case of average lives, of at least £500, whether he will take steps to ensure that good faith is kept with them in accordance with the assurance given by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to the House of Commons on 10th June, 1908, to the effect that no hardships would be allowed to accrue; whether he will give an assurance that these officials will be retained without any further examination on them; and will he say if it is contemplated to examine the clerical staff in all Government offices when they arrive at fifty years of age before further promotion?

The case of these clerks was fully considered by the Hobhouse Committee, and there is no ground for the suggestion that the change involves any loss of dignity to them, or that efficient clerks will not do as well in the way of promotion as on the old lines.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he proposes to take any steps before the end of the Session for the purpose of improving the position of secondary education, and especially the secondary teacher, in Ireland?

I expect to have an opportunity of conferring with the representatives of the secondary teachers when I am in Dublin during the recess, and I hope that, as a result of our conference it may be possible to do something to improve the position of the secondary teacher.

asked whether, when turbary is sold to tenants, the Estates Commissioners require that passages to the respective plots are given before they finally sanction sale?

The matter referred to in the question is considered by the Estates Commissioners when they are dealing with the estate, and they take such steps as they consider desirable and practicable.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can supply, with reference to the Ashbourne Acts, 1885 to 1888, information as to the number and rental of farms now held under that Act; the number of farms which, under that Act, have become the property of the occupier; the term of years required to enable a tenant, under the rate of payment fixed, to become complete owner of his farm; the restrictions, if any, which hinder a tenant from disposing of his tenant right; the monetary or other assistance which a tenant receives from Government; the approximate number of tenants whose applications to the Land Court for the fixing of an equitable rent has not yet been settled, and the reason of such delay; and as to the extent to which these Acts have been superseded by later legislation?

The Land Commission inform me that under the Land Acts, 1885 to 1888, advances amounting to £9,992,536 were made, for the purchase of 25,367 holdings, to the tenants. The number of purchasers who, on the 1st November, 1911, were paying annuities under these Acts was 25,365, and the annual amount payable was £316,078 (the term "rental" is not properly applicable). Advances under these Acts are no longer made. All the holdings sold under these Acts are the property of the tenant-purchaser, subject only to the repayment of the advance, and to any declared superior charges on the holdings. Under the Acts, 1885–8, the advances were repayable in forty-nine years by an annuity of £4 per cent., but under Section 25 of the Act of 1896 the term of repayment may at the option of the purchaser be extended on the decadal revision system and the annuity reduced accordingly. The term "tenant-right" is not applicable to holdings purchased under the Land Acts. A purchaser under the Acts of 1885–8 can freely dispose of his holding subject only to the payment of the annuity and the declared charges (if any). Purchasers under the Acts of 1885–8 received no monetary assistance from the Government. On 31st October the number of applications to fix fair rents pending for hearing was 1,224, of which 1,000 were lodged during that month. These cases are being disposed of without delay. It would not be possible, within the limits of an answer to a Parliamentary question, to state the extent to which the Acts of 1885–8 have been superseded by later legislation. Advances for purchase are now made under the Act of 1903 as amended by that of 1909, to which Acts I would refer the hon. Baronet.

asked when and what was the name of the first estate which, sold under the 1909 Irish Land Purchase Act, was vested in the tenants; in how many cases of sales of estates under this Act has the purchase money been already paid to the vendor, giving the longest and shortest time involved in vesting the holdings and paying the purchase money to the vendors?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that, excluding cases of outstanding holdings on estates the subject of proceedings for sale under the Act of 1903 at the passing of the Act of 1909, in respect of which purchase agreements were not lodged until after 15th September, 1909, and which were, therefore, financed under the Act of 1909, the first estate sold under the latter Act would appear to be that of Lady Errington, in which the Commissioners advanced the purchase money and vested the holdings in the purchasing tenants on 28th July, 1910. Up to the 23rd instant advances amounting to £889,346 have been made under the Act of 1909 in respect of 3,072 holdings situate on 394 estates. It is not possible to give the information asked for in the concluding portion of the question, but it may be stated that estates sold under the Act of 1909 are dealt with irrespective of estates agreed to be sold under the Act of 1903, and the purchase money is advanced as soon as the lands have been inspected, and the Commissioners requirements as to title, boundaries and other matters are complied with.

asked the Chief Secretary when he expects to be able to make a statement regarding the application for a Grant for the improvement of Dingle pier and harbour?

The case of this pier and harbour is, with others, under the consideration of the Development Commissioners. I am not in a position to make any further statement in the matter.

asked whether the estate of T. R. Twiss, Scartaglin, has been inspected yet; and, if so, will the Commissioners see that a road to the turf plots is given to the tenants?

Neither the Estates Commissioners nor the Congested Districts Board have any information regarding the estate mentioned.

asked the Chief Secretary whether in June last he was aware, in connection with the stoppage of the old age pension of Mrs. Anne Butler, owing to her being in Kilkenny union hospital for a serious ailment, that the master of Kilkenny union and one of the medical officers, Dr. Buggy, were personally before the committee in respect of this and six other cases of hospital patients whose pensions were sought to be stopped, and that the committee were satisfied, on the medical officer's testimony, that these patients were suffering from various serious and definite ailments, and that the entry debility, stated by the pension officer to appear in the hospital books, had been entered only probably by routine; will he say on what grounds the Local Government Board refused, or failed to have regard to, such medical testimony; whether their decision would be favourable to Mrs. Butler's continuance of pension if they had found her to be suffering from the definite ailment testified by the doctor attending her; and whether, having regard to the position of hospital patients who are deprived of old age pensions unless paying full average cost for their maintenance, which in many cases exceeds 5s. per week, without any decision of any Court that treatment and maintenance in a union hospital is outside the exemption of medical relief in the Old Age Pensions Act, and also to the inability of unions in Ireland to enforce payment or just payment of maintenance out of old age pensions in cases where hospital patients should make such contribution, he will afford facilities for having the law authoritatively ascertained in the one respect and altered in the other?

The answer to the first portion of the question is in the affirmative. The Committee held the view stated, but it appears that the ailments referred to were of a chronic and permanent character, and there is nothing to show that the entries in the books were made as a mere matter of routine. Having regard to the nature and circumstances of the cases, the Local Government Board held, on the principles laid down in their circular letter of the 30th December, 1908, that the medical relief was subsidiary to ordinary maintenance. In these circumstances the answer to the next portion of the question is in the negative. The legality of the Board's decisions can be challenged in the Courts. I cannot hold out any hope of an amendment of the law to the effect indicated in the question.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that the old age pension of an old person named Emily Sail, living in the Poplar district, has been stopped by the pension officer, the reason stated for this action being that the woman received the pension three weeks too early in January last; and whether it is within the power and discretion of a pension officer to stop a pension in this manner ten months alter the local pension committee has passed it as correct?

I am making inquiries and will inform the hon. Member of the result.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether, in regard to old age pensions, the amount can be claimed from the date of the passing of the Supplementary Act, or if local pension committees have authority to fix the date of payment?

A local pension committee in deciding on a claim, for an old age pension cannot give retrospective effect to their decision. Under Section 5 (2) of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1908, a pension commences to accrue on the first Friday after the claim has been allowed, or in the case of a claim provisionally allowed on the first Friday after the day on which the claimant becomes entitled to receive the pension.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it was by the order of the Board that the Coastguards at Aldeburgh were refused permission to take part, as hitherto they have always done, in the mayor's procession to church on the Sunday after his election; if not, who gave such an order; and whether he will take steps to see that the presence of these men on such occasions may be permitted in future?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The invitation was a private one from the Mayor-elect to the divisional officer, who, acting on a previous ruling from the former district captain, refused the invitation. If it is desired that the Coastguards should join in civic processions, official application should be made to the Admiralty.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in next year's Navy Estimates, consideration will be given to the necessity of improving the ratings of coopers, blacksmiths, painters, and plumbers in the Royal Navy?

The position of these classes of naval ratings has been very carefully considered, and it is not proposed at present to introduce any change into their conditions of service.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether he is aware that the bands of the 4th Sussex Battalion, 2nd Home Counties Artillery, Territorials, and the 1st Home Counties Royal Engineers, Territorials, have been engaged by the Eastbourne Borough Council to play on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays; that some members of these bands cannot take part in the engagement on Mondays and Wednesdays in consequence of their ordinary employment and substitutes have therefore to be obtained from outside; whether this is an infraction of the recent order against unenrolled members; whether he is aware that the borough accountant, who engaged the bands, is a lieutenant in the Territorials and should be cognisant of such order; and whether he proposes taking any action in the matter?

Inquiries are being made into these matters.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether soldiers in receipt of a lodging allowance are obliged to surrender this and enter quarters when such become vacant; and whether lodging allowance or residence in barracks is reckoned as part of their pay?

I have nothing to add to the reply which was given to the same question put by the hon. Member on the 2nd instant.

asked how many effective aeroplanes are now owned by the War Department; how many of them are of English and French manufacture; and how many of each sort have been purchased since 1st January, 1911?

There are twelve effective aeroplanes at present owned by the War Department, and three more are under reconstruction in the factory. Of these nine are of English and six of French manufacture. Seven aeroplanes of English and four of French manufacture have been purchased since 1st January, 1911.

asked (1) why, seeing that sergeant-trumpeters, band-sergeants, wheeler-sergeants, smith-sergeants, and cook-sergeants all draw proficiency pay, the sergeant artillery clerk is debarred from doing so; also (2) why a sergeant of the Royal Garrison Artillery receives 2d. a day more pay than a sergeant artillery clerk; and why a sergeant of the Royal Garrison Artillery performing the duties of company accountant receives 8d. a day more pay than the sergeant artillery clerks?

The various sergeants mentioned in this and the other question are, in contrast with the sergeant artillery clerk, required to maintain a standard of fighting efficiency in addition to being qualified as specialists. The further 8d. which the company accountant receives is given for additional duties which the sergeant artillery clerk does not perform, and is conditional on the performance of those duties.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether any decision has yet been come to with reference to the generous gift to the nation of £10,000 from an anonymous donor, an Englishman beyond the seas, last August towards the purchase price of a full-sized rifle range to be acquired near one of the thickly-populated parts of England; and, if not, whether the claims of the Midlands will be fully considered?

The allocation of this most generous gift has not yet been finally settled.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that since last January eight officers have left the 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays); whether all the circumstances under which these officers have left their regiment are entirely satisfactory in every case from the point of view of the public service; whether throughout the year this regiment has been short of its proper complement of officers; and whether, in view of the present dearth of regimental officers, he will consider the advisability of holding an inquiry into the cause of the present shortage in the 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays)?

Of the eight officers mentioned one was promoted to command another cavalry regiment and another officer was permanently appointed to the Ordnance Department. The remaining six officers retired voluntarily: of these two had been passed over for promotion. There are at present four vacancies in the regiment. There would not appear to be any reasons for holding the inquiry suggested.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the attention of the Secretary of State has been called to the case of Colour-Sergeant G. W. R. Perkins, of the 3rd Battalion East Surrey Regiment, who in October last was tried by a court-martial on certain serious charges, and was convicted and sentenced to be imprisoned and to be dismissed from the Army; whether doubt has been thrown upon the evidence of handwriting and certain other evidence upon which the conviction was founded; and whether the Secretary of State will cause an inquiry to be made into the matter?

Colour-Sergeant Perkins was convicted as stated. I am not aware that any doubt has been thrown on the evidence produced beyond that contained in the cross-examination and statement of the counsel for the defence at the trial. The whole of the proceedings have been examined by the Judge Advocate-General, who has decided that they are valid.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether the Board require in connection with claims for grant to evening classes, that distinction should be made between students who have received their previous day education at public elementary schools only and those who have received their previous education at day schools, wholly or partly elsewhere than at public elementary schools; and, if so, what is the reason for requiring this distinction to be stated on the claims?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. In considering the organisation of evening classes it is obviously necessary that information should be available as to the extent of the general education which students have previously received in order to secure that courses of instruction may be provided suitable to the qualifications and needs of the students who come to evening schools; and it is clearly also desirable to keep statistics showing the percentage of scholars in elementary schools who continue their education in evening schools. I am not aware that any difficulties have hitherto been occasioned by collection of these useful figures.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, in a telegram addressed to Dr. M'Clure and read at a meeting at Leeds University on 21st October, 1911, his predecessor promised that the question of the formation of a teachers' registration council should be taken up as early as possible after the meeting of Parliament; and what his intentions are with regard to the establishment of a teachers' registration council.

I informed the hon. Member for North Somerset on 14th November that I was unable to tell him when the Order in Council establishing a teachers' registration council would be issued as questions relating to the finance of the proposed scheme remained to be settled. I am now in communication with the Treasury on the matter, and hope that it may be found possible to issue the Order in Council before long.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will introduce legislation to safeguard the interests of elementary school teachers who have been dispossessed from schools closed by order of the Board of Education?

I do not see in what way I could with advantage introduce legislation to meet the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, on 27th February, 1911, a petition praying for increased prospects was received from the assistant clerks in the Home Office; what are the average age, length of service, and salary of the signatories to this petition; land whether a reply to it can shortly be expected?

A petition was received on the date referred to from seven of the senior assistant clerks in the Home Office. The average age of the signatories is between thirty - five and thirty - six years; the average length of their service as assistant clerks thirteen to fourteen years; the average length of their total service in all capacities nineteen to twenty years; their average salary £130. The requests put forward in the petition were to a large extent covered by a recent decision of the Treasury with regard to similar petitions from assistant clerks throughout the Civil Service, which was communicated to them in April last. Inquiry is being made as to other points mentioned in the memorial, and I do not yet know whether any case can be made for a special recommendation to the Treasury.

asked whether the Secretary of State will consider the advisability of giving officers of the Indian Army on getting their pilot certificates as aviators the same gratuity of £75 as is now given to officers of the British Army?

This is a question upon which the Secretary of State must await proposals from the Government of India, and must depend upon an intention to institute an air battalion or some similar organisation.

asked the Undersecretary for India if a rebate of the Excise Duty on cotton goods manufactured in India is granted in the case of such goods being exported from India; and, if so, is the rebate granted irrespective of the destination of the goods, or is it only granted in respect of goods consigned to certain specified countries?

The answer to the first question is in the affirmative. The rebate is granted in respect of Indian manufactured cotton goods consigned to any port out of India and irrespective of destination. As I stated in the answer given to a question asked by the hon. Member for Birkenhead on July 4, the system of collecting the cotton Excise Duty in Indian mills is such that exports of cotton goods are practically made from bond and are not assessed to duty.

asked when, now that the scheme for the reorganisation of the political department under the Government of India has been matured, the expressed expectation of the Secretary of State for India that the Bombay political department should be reorganised on similar terms is likely to be carried out; and whether there is any reason that this reorganisation should not include Bombay political agents of the first and second grade?

As I stated in the House in April last, there is no reason to doubt that the Government of India will give due weight to the suggestion to which the hon. Member refers. They will doubtless also consider whether there is any reason for bringing first and second grade political agents on to the time scale.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to the charge of 2½d. per word still imposed by the Indian Government on all ordinary messages passing between countries on either side of India; and whether, seeing that nearly 10,000,000 messages annually are involved and that the extension of telegraphic business is handicapped by that high levy, steps can be taken at an early date to materially reduce the same?

The telegraph transit rate of India for ordinary messages passing via Madras between countries east and west of India is 35 centimes, approximately 3½d. a word. According to the figures given in the Administration Report of the Indian Telegraph Department, 3,751,386 words of traffic including press messages were transmitted in 1910–11 of the kind and by the route indicated. Figures are not available as to the number of messages; but a message may be taken to contain an average of ten words. The approximate number of messages would thus be 375,000, or about 3¾ per cent. of the amount of traffic which is alleged in the question. No steps are at present in contemplation for the reduction of the rates.

asked the Secretary for the Colonies if he will give the figures for the cost per mile for constructing and I equipping the Baro-Kano Railway in Northern Nigeria, the railway in the Gold Coast Colony, the Sierra Leone Railway, and the Uganda Railway?

The capital expenditure up to the present date has been approximately:—

Baro-Kano Railway	£3,650 a mile.
GoldCoast (Sekondi-Coomassie)	£10,500 a mile.
Sierra Leone	£4,200 a mile.
Uganda	£9,700 a mile.

It should, however, be noted that the above figures include, in the case of the last three railways, all capital expenditure since they were opened for traffic. The opening of the Baro-Kano railway for traffic has not yet been announced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he would consider the advisability of taking steps to secure that the press rates to the East, South Africa, and Australasia be based on a scale for distances, as are the ordinary rates of 2s., 2s. 6d., and respectively, whereby, with a 9d. press rate for Australasia, the rate to South Africa would be 7½d. per word, and to the East 6d. per word?

It is not the general practice to base telegraphic rates on a scale for distances, as many other matters have to be taken into consideration; and I do not at present see my way to take action on the lines suggested by the hon. Member for securing reductions in the charges for press telegrams to South Africa and the East.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that, whereas the press rate to the Sraits Settlements is 9d. per word, to Ceylon it is 9½d. per word, and that India continues to charge a terminal rate of 1½d. per word on Ceylon press messages against a transit fee of only 07 centime per word on Straits Settlements press messages; and whether he proposes to take any action in this matter?

The Press rates to the Straits Settlements and Ceylon are as stated in the question. India charges a transit rate of 10½ centimes, or 1d. per word on Ceylon messages, and not a terminal rate of l½d. as stated. Ceylon continues to charge, as it did before the reduction of rate in 1909, 5 centimes, or ½d. per word as its terminal rate, and this addition to the Press rate to India brings the total charge up to 9½d. per word for Ceylon. India charges a transit rate of 7 centimes a word on Press messages for the Straits Settlements, this amount being its decreased proportion of the through rate arrived at when the Telegraph Administrations concerned reduced the Press rate from 1s. 4d. to 9d. No action is proposed at present.

asked the President of the Local Government Board what is the number of the population, as revealed at the Census of 1911, in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, respectively, under the following heads: males above twenty-one, males above twenty-five, females above twenty-one, females above twenty-five, married men above twenty-one, married men above twenty-five, married women above twenty-one, and married women above twenty-five years of age?

It will be some time yet before the figures desired will be available.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he would cause an inquiry to be made into the sanitary condition of those districts in the town of Harrogate where persons of the working class live, the quantity of available housing accommodation for members of the working class, and its quality?

A careful inspection of these districts was made so recently as 1908, and I cannot see my way to arrange for another at the present time.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if the Government proposes to pass the Shop Hours Bill this Session?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. I must refer the hon. Baronet to my announcement that I intend to make a statement this week dealing with the business to be taken during the remainder of the Session.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can state the number of female sorting clerks and telegraphists in Ireland who received the marriage allowance when leaving the service for matrimonial purposes?

The number of female sorting clerks and telegraphists in Ireland who received marriage gratuities during the three years ended 30th September, 1911, is as follows:—

Year ended 30th September, 1909	…	13
Year ended 30th September, 1910	…	17
Year ended 30th September, 1911	…	19

asked the Postmaster-General why there should be only three deliveries in the week to the village of Annafamey, between Shercock and Carrickmacross, county Cavan; and whether he proposes to have this grievance looked into and a daily delivery provided?

I am having inquiry made in the matter, and I will communicate the result to the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will consider the establishment of a system for the delivery of stamps by messenger boys up to a limited amount for each delivery, so as to obviate any risks being incurred by the messenger boys while at the same time increasing the convenience of the public?

I will give this matter further consideration, and will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General what revenue was derived from the telephone service in Ireland as regards exclusively Irish calls for the years 1908, 1909, 1910, and to the most recent available date in 1911; and will he give the figures for the same service and years in Scotland?

I regret that I am unable to give the precise information desired by the hon. Member, as the greater part of the local business in both countries is in the hands of the National Telephone Company. I have, however, had the annexed statement prepared of the receipts in respect of all calls on the Post Office trunk lines originated in Ireland and Scotland by Post Office subscribers and by subscribers of the National Telephone Company in the years ended the 31st March, 1908, 1909, 1910, and 1911, and also of the receipts in respect of the Post Office Local Exchange systems in the two countries during the same years.Statement showing the receipts for trunk calls from Post Offices and National Telephone Company's systems, and for Telephone Exchange rentals, and message fees from Post Office system only:—

Year ended	Ireland.		Scotland.
	Trunk Calls.	Exchange Subscriptions and Message Fees.	Trunk Calls.	Exchange Subscriptions and Message Fees.
	£	£	£	£
31 March, 1908	7,301	3,224	66,237	60,524
31 March, 1909	8,332	4,475	68,927	63,622
31 March, 1910	10,356	6,878	77,359	63,090
31 March, 1911	12,267	8,134	86,857	67,456

also asked the Postmaster-General whether he has received from the Burnley Town Council, the Burnley Chamber of Commerce, the East Lancashire branch of the National Union of Journalists, and from other public bodies resolutions of protest at the public inconvenience that will be caused by the proposal to close the Burnley post office for telegraphic purposes at 9 p.m. instead of 10 p.m., to which hour it has always hitherto been open; whether he is aware that the cost of keeping the office open up to this hour is estimated to amount to less han £30 a year; and whether, in view of the importance to the town as a whole of retaining telegraphic facilities to the same extent as is usual in all places of equal size and business, he can see his way to reconsider the matter?

I am inquiring into the matter, and will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his department anticipated a large amount of telegraphic news work during this Autumn Session; whether as a consquence any special arrangements have been made in the Central Telegraph Office to ensure the prompt transmission of late night news work; and whether, in view of the complaints during the early portion of the year, any steps have been taken in that office to obviate the detention of the staff at midnight on compulsory overtime duty?

A large amount of telegraphic news work is always expected during the Session of Parliament, although the amount varies from day to day. Suitable staff arrangements are made to deal with the varying volume to be expected from day to day. If it exceeds expectation and is handed in about midnight, staff must be kept on duty to deal with the excess; but this is not of frequent occurrence.

asked the Lord Advocate if he is aware that the ground landlords have so far decided not to assess themselves for the cost of the proposed new parish church at Kirkintilloch, Dumbartonshire; if in consequence the cost will fall upon the real rent heritors or feuars; if this cost is estimated at a sum approaching 4s. in the £ of the real rent of the parish; and whether, in view of the effect of this on many poor feuars, some of whom are receiving parochial relief, he proposes to take any steps in the matter?

I have no information in regard to the assessment referred to by the hon. Member, but will cause inquiry to be made if he will furnish me with any statement which he may have received.

asked the hon. Member for the Stroud Division, as representing the Charity Commissioners, in how many counties have the inquiries been completed into endowments subject to the provisions of the Charitable Trusts Acts, 1853 to 1894; what are the counties in which inquiries are being pursued; what are the counties where no inquiries have been made; how many persons are engaged in holding the inquiries; and when it is estimated the whole inquiry will be concluded?

Inquiries under the Charity Inquiries (Expenses) Act, 1892, have been completed in the administrative counties, in England, of Berks, Durham, Lancaster, London, Wilts, and the West Riding of York; in the county boroughs of Exeter and Plymouth (in Devonshire), Gateshead and Sunderland (in Durham), Barrow-in-Furness, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Preston, and St. Helens (in Lancashire), and Bradford, Halifax, Huddersfield, Leeds, and Sheffield (in the West Riding of Yorkshire); and in Richmond, Kew, and Petersham (in Surrey). Inquiries under the Act have also been completed in the following counties in Wales, namely, Anglesey, Carmarthen, Carnarvon, Flint, Glamorgan, Merioneth, and Mongomery, and in the county boroughs of Cardiff and Swansea (in Glamorgan). Prior to the Act, in the year 1888, similar inquiries were completed in the county of Denbigh. Inquiries are being pursued in the county of Devon. No inquiries under the Act have been made, or are now in contemplation, in any counties or county boroughs other than those mentioned. One Assistant Commissioner is engaged in holding the inquiries in the county of Devon. It is estimated that these inquiries will be concluded in the course of next year.