asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can state to whom the weekly contributions under the National Insurance Bill would be payable in the case of schoolkeepers and others employed in non-provided schools; and, if deducted from their wages, whether the deductions in London will be made by the London County Council or the managers?

I am unable to give a general answer to this question, which must depend upon the facts in each particular case.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, in view of his promise of last year, he will arrange with the Treasury to pay the salaries of the Irish teachers monthly from the 1st April, 1912, as the present arrangements, whereby teachers are paid quarterly on account and are paid in full only once each year in April, cause anxiety and loss to the teachers?

The hon. Member appears to be under a misapprehension. While everyone agrees as to the desirability of adopting the system of monthly payments I have been careful to refrain from making any promise as to the date of the change, and the Treasury, with whom I have been in correspondence on the subject, do not see their way to make provision in the Estimates for 1912–13 for the largely increased expenditure which would be involved.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can see his way, in view of the crimeless and peaceable state of the district, to have the additional police station at Rathlea, near Easkey, county Sligo, closed, and so effect a saving in Irish expenditure?

The responsible police authorities are of opinion that this station cannot at present be dispensed with. No portion of the cost of the station falls on the county rate.

asked the Chief Secretary the cause of delay in issuing vesting orders in the case of the tenants on the Cappaloughlin and Clonard, Queen's County, estate, of the Commissioners of Education; and, in view of the fact that the agreements have been lodged more than five years ago, and that the tenants are paying 4 per cent. interest in lieu of rent, will he see that their farms are transferred to them with the least possible delay?

This estate is being sold direct by the owners to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903, and is on the principal register of direct sales. The purchase agreements were lodged in June, 1907. It will be dealt with in order of priority, but having regard to the claims of other properties, the Estates Commissioners are not at present in a position to say when it will be reached. Meanwhile the tenants are bound to pay the interest in lieu of rent which they contracted to pay in their purchase agreements.

asked if the untenanted lands on the Lord Massy estate, at Castle-cormell, are in the hands of the Estates Commissioners; and how soon may they be distributed?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on 1st August last, to which I have nothing to add at present.

also asked what is the cause of delay in completion of sale in the Shiels estate, at Cahirconlish, county Limerick; when were purchase agreements lodged; and how soon will proceedings be brought to a close?

The estate is the subject of proceedings for sale under the Land Purchase Acts direct by the owner to the tenants. The purchase agreements were lodged in December, 1906. It is on the principal register of direct sales, and will be dealt with in order of priority, but the Estates Commissioners are not at present in a position to say when it will be reached.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the draft regulations for the manufacture and decoration of pottery, based on the Majority Report of the Departmental Committee on lead, were issued several months ago; and, if so, what is the reason for the delay in laying them upon the Table of the House of Commons?

The draft regulations referred to were issued on the 6th of September and the period of forty days was allowed, in pursuance of the Act, for the submission of objections by or on behalf of persons affected. Two hundred and forty-three such objections were lodged. Most of the objectors accept the main principles embodied in the draft, but ask for modifications in regard to details which it is suggested would press hardly on certain branches of the industry without materially improving the conditions of work. The term "pottery" includes a large number of trades differing considerably in their methods of manufacture, and widely scattered over the country, and these objections have necessitated visits by one of the inspectors to a number of works in different districts. The points raised have not yet been fully dealt with and some further time must elapse before the difficulties of all the varied branches of the industry can be disposed of, but there seems reasons to hope that this may be accomplished without a public inquiry. If this proves to be the case a very considerable saving of time in bringing the regulations into force will have been effected.

asked the Lord Advocate whether the new superannuation scheme for teachers is intended to affect those teachers who have already retired on account of age or of ill-health; and whether the statement in the memorandum that, apart from the possible liability for contracts already made, the teachers' payment will relieve them of all responsibility for pensions is intended to suggest that, in the case of such teachers, school boards should discontinue those supplements to small pensions which they have hitherto been in the habit of granting at the pleasure of the Board?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, and to the second in the negative.