asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the statement in the last memorandum explanatory of the National Insurance Bill, to the effect that the superannuation of all persons over seventy is undertaken by the Government in this country is accurate?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost would be to extend the Old Age Pensions Act to all those persons who are estimated to become compulsorily insured under the National Insurance Bill in the first year of its operation?

I think the meaning of the paragraph from which the hon. Member extracts half a sentence is clear. It was intended to bring out the reason why it is possible to make the weekly insurance payments much smaller here than in Germany. I expect that substantially all persons compulsorily insured under the Government scheme are likely to be eligible for old age pensions.

asked whether any of the sums available under the National Insurance Bill or the Finance Bill, 1911, for the purposes of the provisions of sanatoria can be allocated towards the cost of Poor Law institutions which have been, or are being, or may be, provided for the treatment of tuberculosis?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Chief Secretary why it is that the old age pension has been taken from the following old ago pensioners, all of whom reside in the Ballinamore sub-pension district, county Leitrim, namely, John Logan, Garradice; James M'Partland, Drumbrick, Deradda; Catherine Logan, Stroke, Deradda; Mary Farrell, Garradice; Ellen Prior, Deradda; Patrick Walshe, Deradda; Anne Fox, Drumcullion, Garradice; Patrick Flynn, Glebe, Garradice; Francis M'Kiernan, Deradda; Bridget Prior, Lisroughty, Garradice; Bridget Creamer, Curraghnawall, Deradda; John Campbell, Glebe, Garradice; Patrick M'Govern, Drumgownah, Deradda; Anne M'Govern, Knox, Garradice; Bridget M'Kiernan, Deradda; James Martin, Greyagh, Deradda; Bridget Creamer, Drumgownagh, Deradda; Ellen Gilheaney, Currandal, Deradda; Owen M'Govern, Kiltyereevagh, Deradda; Patrick Prior, Kiltyhugh, Deradda; James Dolan, Glebe, Garradice; Catherine Honeyman, Glebe, Garradice; Catherine Cannon, Glebe, Garradice; and Bridget Meehan, Curralehan, Deradda; whether any of whom are in absolute poverty; whether an inspector will be sent to investigate the cases, as all the parties were in receipt of the pension, which was granted to them by the Ballinamore sub-pension committee, and from the great number of these old people the pension was stopped in August last; and whether, in this particular pension district, the pensions officer was prejudiced in any way against those whose pensions have been taken from them?

The case of James Dolan cannot be identified. Bridget Meehan's claim was disallowed by the Local Government Board in March, 1909, and does not appear to have since come before them. So far as they are aware she has never been in receipt of a pension. In each of the twenty-two remaining cases, the pension was disallowed on the ground that the pensioner was under the statutory age. Pensions will not be restored to these persons so long as they do not fulfil the statutory condition as to age. In the event of any case coming again before the Board on appeal, an inspector will be sent to visit the claimant, if the Board require further information. Pension officers are not under my control, but as the persons mentioned were not entitled to pensions, I see no reason for believing that the pension officer had any feeling when raising the questions beyond a desire to discharge his duty honestly.

asked the Chief Secretary on what grounds the Local Government Board have disallowed the application of George Cronyn, Caherleske, Callan, county Kilkenny; whether he is aware that the local pension officer declared the applicant was entitled to a weekly pension of 2s.; that the sub-committee of the local pension committee declared the applicant was entitled to the full pension; that on appeal to the Local Government Board it was decided to grant no pension to the applicant, notwithstanding the fact that the local pension officer declared the annual income of the applicant did not exceed £27 10s.; and whether he will take steps to revive the pension to which he is entitled?

The facts are as stated. The Local Government Board, however, are not bound by the pension officer's-opinion, and they estimated that George Cronyn's means exceeded the statutory limit. As he has never been entitled to a pension the question of revising it does not arise.

asked on what basis of calculation the pension officer and Local Government Board has allowed only 2s. per week to Pat Maher, of Reenavana, Doon, county Limerick; and, if the applicant will make an application to the old age pension committee for the full payment, will the Local Government Board be prepared to reconsider their decision in this case?

Patrick Maker's pension was reduced to 2s. a week in July, 1910, on a question raised by the pension officer as Maher's means exceeded £26 5s. a year. There are crops of potatoes and hay on his farm of twelve acres, besides five cows, two calves, pigs, and fowls. In the absence of evidence as to his present circumstances the Local Government Board are unable to state what view they would take in the event of his raising a question for the increase of his pension to 5s. a week.

asked on what grounds the Local Government Board refused a pension to Thomas Ryan, of Farnane Franklin, Cappamore, county Limerick; is he aware that Ryan only holds thirty perches of ground with a small house; that the applicant has six sons, all of whom are hard-working and industrious, and who, two years ago, made up £200 from their hard earnings to buy a small farm, the rent of which was £5, the purchase money being paid by one Thomas Buckley, Ryan's son-in-law; is it on the grounds that Ryan, the applicant, is in possession of this bit of land that his claim has been rejected; and, in view of the fact that this man and various others connected with the sale of this farm are prepared to swear on oath that the place was purchased by the children and son-in-law, and that it could in no way be construed to have anything to do with his claim for pension, will steps be taken to have this case reconsidered?

Thomas Ryan's claim was disallowed on the ground that the Local Government Board were not satisfied that his means did not exceed £31 10s. a year. He owns a smithy and a carpenter's shop, and is reported to have also dealt in cattle. The Board, moreover, were not satisfied on the evidence that the farm recently purchased belong to Ryan's sons. On the last occasion on which his claim was investigated the pension officer reported that Ryan refused to show him the deed relating to the purchase of the farm or the Land Commission receivable orders. In these circumstances, there seems to be no reason for the Board to reconsider their decision, even if they had the power.

asked whether the Estates Commissioners have intimated to certain tenants on the Good all estate, in the county Roscommon, that they will be excluded from the sale unless they consent to the terms offered by the landlord, and that these terms include that certain large grazing tracks upon the estate are not to be included in the sale; and, if so, whether the Estates Commissioners will reconsider the matter with a view to preventing a sale going through upon terms that will perpetuate the present system by which the people and the land are kept apart?

The property referred to is the subject of proceedings for sale to the Estates Commissioners under Section 6 of the Irish Land Act, 1903. Certain tenants have refused to sign undertakings to purchase their holdings at prices fixed by the Commissioners after inspection, and have been informed by the Commissioners that unless they do so at an early date their holdings cannot be included in the sale. The grazing lands referred to are tenanted lands, and the Commissioners have no power to acquire them compulsorily, or to compel the owner to sell the lands to them as untenanted land. The owner has already acquired the interests of two tenants in 147 acres, and is selling this land to the Commissioners as untenanted land for distribution.

asked what is the number to date of the farms in county Clare who have bought or agreed to buy their land under all the Land Purchase Acts, together with the amount of purchase money agreed to be paid and the number of farmers who have not yet been able to purchase, and the estimated amount of their purchase money?

A Return is being prepared, and will be presented to Parliament as early as possible, showing the proceedings in each county under the Irish Land Purchase Acts up to 31sfc March last, in continuation of the Return presented in 1908 (Cd. 4412). I would ask the hon. Member to await the publication of this Return.

asked (1) what progress has been made in regard to negotiations between landlord and tenants on the estate of the Marquess of Conyngham in West Clare; and (2) whether before any settlement between the Marquess of Conyngham and his tenants is sanctioned by the Congested Districts Board, it will be ascertained that the uneconomic tenants of Donagh, who will be deprived of turf owing to the sale of a neighbouring estate, may be enabled to obtain turf on the Conyngham estate?

The hon. Member presumably refers to the estate of the Marquess of Conyngham in county Clare, which is the subject of proceedings for sale direct by the owner to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903. The estate has not yet been reached in order of priority, and until it is so reached the Commissioners will not be in a position to make any statement as regards the turbary which may be on the estate. The Congested Districts Board have no information in respect of this estate.

asked how many tracts of untenanted land have been taken over by the Estates Commissioners and the Congested Districts Board in the Parliamentary Division of North Kerry; when will the untenanted ranch of Moyvane be taken over; and will the occupiers of uneconomic holdings in the locality be provided with lots in preference to persons already in possession of farms?

The records of the Estates Commissioners and the Congested Districts Board are not kept by Parliamentary Divisions, and the information asked for in the first paragraph cannot therefore be given. Part of the lands of Moyvane South, appear to be situate on the estate of Mr. J. V. V. Fitzgerald, the tenanted land on which is the subject of proceedings for sale direct by the owner to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903. The question of acquiring the untenanted land, including the portion of the lands referred to, will be considered by the Commissioners, and if the lands are acquired by them for the purposes of distribution the wants and circumstances of occupiers of small holdings in the neighbourhood will be considered in their allotment.

asked whether any application has been received from the National Board of Education in Ireland for leave to pay the travelling expenses of national teachers attending Irish classes in the Gaelic colleges; whether the travelling expenses of teachers attending classes in cookery, drawing, science, etc., in technical institutes are paid; and, if so, can it be arranged to place teachers attending Irish classes on the same basis?

The answer to the first two paragraphs is in the affirmative. The Estimates for the current year make no provision for the payment of travelling expenses to teachers attending the Training Colleges for the teaching of Irish, but the matter will be considered in connection with the Estimates for the next financial year.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can state the various loans and grants, other than the grants (£50 and £35) and bonuses (£10 and £7) under the provisions of Rule 174 of the rules of the National Board of Education and the corresponding rule of previous years, that have been made since the year 1889 to the several training colleges affiliated to the National Board in Ireland, stating the year in which the loan or grant was made, the amount of the loan or grant and the specified purpose for which the loan or grant was made?

The following loans have been made by the Board of Public Works to the various training colleges under local management which are connected with the Commissioners of National Education on the usual conditions as to repayment since 1889. St. Patrick's Training College, £9,000 in 1891, and £4,000 in 1892 for extension and improvement of the college buildings, and £5,000 in 1896 for erection of chapel. Church of Ireland Training College, £2,000 in 1889 for extension of college buildings. St. Mary's Training College, Belfast, £12,000 in 1898 and £2,653 in 1899 for erection of college buildings, £2,900 in 1901 for additional accommodation, and £2,400 in 1903 for laboratory, drawing-room, and chapel. Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, £16,000 in 1898 for erection of college buildings, and £10,000 in 1904 for deficit on college buildings and to provide chapel, music rooms, etc. The grants to training colleges other than the annual payments under Rule 174 consist of annuities to cover cost of housing (free home grant) and annual repayments of ground rents where such exist. They are as follows: St. Patrick's Training College, annuity of £1,407 3s. 6d., terminable in thirty-five years from its commencement in 1892; ground rent, £192 3s. 8d. Our Lady of Mercy Training College, annuity of £1,139 10s. 3d., terminable in thirty-five years from its commencement in 1892 Church of Ireland Training College, annuity of £1,031 9s. 6d., terminable in thirty-five years from its commencement in 1892; ground rent, £101 10s. 9d.

De La Salle Training College, St. Mary's Training College, and Mary Immaculate Training College

Annuities of £1,000 each, commenced 1911.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state how many students were admitted for the commencement of a two years' course to each college in September last, how many students admitted to each college passed the Easter examination of 1911 in second division and how many of those second division students admitted to each college were assistant teachers when called to training, and how many first division students were left uncalled by each college; whether he is aware that a monitress serving in an Irish national school completed her three years' course last June and obtained first division at the last Easter examination but was not called to training, and that she is able to compete again next Easter; and will he state if the service marks awarded to her at the end of her course will be added on to the total she obtains in 1912?

The numbers of students admitted to the various training colleges last September were as follows:—

Training College.		Men.	Women.
Marlborough Street	…	69	45
St. Patrick's	…	81	—
Our Lady of Mercy	…	—	112
Church of Ireland	…	21	37
De La Salle	…	102	—
St. Mary's	…	—	51
Mary Immaculate	…	—	47
Total	…	273	292

asked from what source money lately given as prizes to teachers who have finished their training course in Ireland was obtained; on what principle was this money allocated; how many students from each of the men's training colleges and each of the women's training collegs received such prizes; for what number of men students is Marlborough Street training college licensed; how many men competed at the Easter examination, 1911, as candidates for Marlborough Street training college; how many of these were successful; and how many were actually called to training for the present session as first year students?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that the prizes referred to in the question were provided out of the entrance fees paid by candidates at the King's Scholarship Examination of 1911, in accordance with the scheme framed by the Commissioners whereby they were awarded to the King's scholars who answered best at the final year examination irrespective of the colleges to which they belonged. The number of students who were awarded prizes were as follows:—

Training College.		Men.	Women.
Marlborough Street	…	1	5
St. Patrick's	…	6	—
Our Lady of Mercy	…	—	10
Church of Ireland	…	1	2
De La Salle	…	19	—
St. Mary's	…	—	11
Mary Immaculate	…	—	13
Total	…	27	41

Marlborough Street Training College is licensed for 130 men students. There were eighty-nine men candidates for this college who attended at the King's Scholarship Examination of 1911. Seventy-five of these passed the examination, and sixty-six of them were admitted to the college for the session commenced in September last.

asked the Chief Secretary when and by whom Mr. James M'Court, of Dundalk, was appointed one of His Majesty's justices of the peace for the borough of Dundalk; whether he is aware that Mr. M'Court has been reported lay an election court for the corrupt practice of bribery, and will he state what proceedings have been taken against Mr. M'Court and if the Attorney-General for Ireland has sent to the Lord Chancellor of Ireland the report of the court and the evidence on which it was based, in accordance with the procedure prescribed by Statute; and will he state on what date the Lord Chancellor' removed Mr. James M'Court's name from the commission of the peace?

Mr. James M'Court was chairman of the council for the Urban District of Dundalk for the year 1910–11, and, as such, was, under the provisions of the Local Government Act, 1898, a Justice of the Peace for the town of Dundalk. He ceased to be chairman in March of the present year and, apart from any other disqualification, would then have ceased to be a Justice of the Peace ex officio. Mr. M'Court also held the Commission of the Peace for the county of Louth, having been appointed in the year 1909 by the late Lord Chancellor. On 27th February of the present year Mr. M'Court was reported by the judges who tried the North Louth Election Petition for the corrupt practice of bribery. On 27th March the Attorney-General made his report to the Lord Chancellor in pursuance of the Statute, and on 4th May Mr. M'Court's name was removed from the Commission of the Peace. A Bill of Indictment for the corrupt practice of bribery was sent up to the Grand Jury of the county of Louth at the last Summer Assizes, and a true Bill was found against Mr. M'Court, but the Attorney-General caused an application to be made to the Judge of Assize for an adjournment of the trial on the ground that owing to the intensity of political feeling in the county of Louth a fair trial could not be had there. It is the intention of the Attorney-General to proceed with the trial in some venue other than county Louth.

asked the Chief Secretary if Mr. Thomas Duggan, of Tralee, county Kerry, who was sentenced on the 13th of November of this year to three months' hard labour for assaulting the police, is one and the same person as the Mr. Thomas Duggan who was sentenced in August, 1910, to one month's imprisonment with hard labour, at Tralee, for assaulting the police; and, if so, whether he is the same person as the Thomas Duggan who assaulted the police in the execution of their duty at Kilmurry, near Castleisland, on the 22nd of June, 1909, by flinging boiling tar and lime into their eyes; and if he is aware that the then Attorney-General for Ireland stated that it would be overstraining the matter to put him on his trial for assaulting the police; and if he will state the number and particulars of the previous convictions against Mr. Thomas Duggan?

The police authorities inform me that the Thomas Duggan concerned in these three cases is one and the same person. The late Attorney-General's statement on the subject will be found in his reply to the question asked by the hon. Member for East Down on 28th July, 1910. I see no reason for publishing a list of Duggan's previous convictions.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland how soon may the application of the Kilmallock Rural District Council be reached in the priority list for its share of the million towards the erection of cottages; and whether, in view of the fact that this council has prepared a scheme and that many deserving labourers are still unhoused in the rural district, the money will be advanced as soon as possible and thus enable the council to carry out their work?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his question on this subject on 15th November.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that there are still a number of evicted tenants in the county Wexford unprovided with holdings; whether the Estates Commissioners have yet acquired the 2,000 acres of untenanted land in county Wexford which they were in treaty for; and, if so, when will the land be distributed amongst the evicted tenants of that county?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that the number of county Wexford evicted tenants or representatives of evicted tenants whose applications for reinstatement have been approved, and who have not yet been provided with holdings is only five. As regards the latter part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on the 14th November.

asked what steps the Estates Commissioners have taken to reinstate Mr. Ryan, Carrick, Loughmore, who was evicted off a farm on the estate of Sir John Garden, Templemore, county Tipperary.

From the particulars given the Estates Commissioners are unable to identify the case referred to by the hon. Member.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland), whether, in the new building being prepared for the Department, any provision is being made for the accommodation of the representative council of agriculture; and whether up to the present the council have been obliged to meet in premises temporarily borrowed for the purposes of holding their meetings?

The question of accommodation for the Department of Agriculture and the bodies and institutions connected with them in the new buildings referred to is at present the subject of communication between the Department and the Commissioners of Public Works. The Department have made representations as to the necessity of adequate provision for the Council of Agriculture. The answer to the latter part of the question is in the affirmative.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can see his way to compensate for wear and tear of clothes those warrant officers who are employed on mine-clearing operations in the approaches to Portsmouth Harbour?

The case of these officers is now under consideration, and it is hoped that a decision will be arrived at shortly.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that men who are entitled to the long service and good conduct medal have sometimes to wait six months from the time the captains of their ships make application to the Admiralty to the time when they receive the medal; and whether he will look into the matter?

In ordinary circumstances there is no delay whatever in issuing long service and good conduct medals. Since July last, however, the Royal Mint, owing to pressure of work, has not been able to meet the demands of the Admiralty for the supply of these medals. The consequent delay in their issue has been notified to the Fleet, and explained in reply to every individual application from commanding officers.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty (1) what amount of iron and steel castings were obtained from private contractors for the dockyard at Portsmouth during the six months ending 30th June, 1911, and also for the corresponding periods of 1909 and 1910; whether such castings could have been made in the foundries of the Department; and, if so, will he state the reasons that induced the Department to give the work to the private contractors: (2) what amount of iron and steel castings were obtained from private contractors for the Devonport Dockyard during the six months ending 30th June, 1911, and also for the corresponding periods of 1909 and 1910; whether such castings could have been made in the foundries of the Department; and, if so, will he state the reasons that induced the Department to give the work to the private contractors?

The figures are as follows:—

——	Portsmouth.		Devonport.		Totals.
	Iron.	Steel.	Iron.	Steel.	Iron.	Steel.
	Tons	Tons.	Tons.	Tons.	Tons.	Tons.
Six months ending—
30 June, 1909	26	272	5	148	31	420
30 June, 1910	35	270	3	116	38	386
30 June, 1911	15	132	2	153	17	285
	76	674	10	417	86	1,091

The dockyards have no facilities for making steel castings, or iron castings of special quality. The quantity of iron castings of ordinary quality bought from the trade is inconsiderable.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that discontent exists among the warrant officers of the Royal Artillery with the present regulations which limit the age of promotion to commission as lieutenant on the list of district officers to those who are not over forty years of age; and whether he will cause an inquiry to be made into this matter with a view to raising the age limit?

I must ask the hon. and gallant Gentleman to refer to my reply to a question put on this subject by my hon. Friend the Member for Woolwich on 11th May, to which I have nothing to add?

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he would enter into communication with the British Cotton-growing Association with a view to having the proposed visit of a deputation to the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan extended to the cotton-growing territories of British East Africa and Nyasaland?

I am in constant communication with the association on the subject of cotton growing in the British Protectorates in East Africa, and they are well aware that, if they considered it necessary in the interests of the industry to send a deputation to any of those Protectorates, I should be glad to facilitate the visit by all the means at my disposal. They have recently been in personal communication here with Mr. McCall, the Director of Agriculture of Nyasaland, who is home on leave.

asked the Prime Minister, in view of the fact that one Parliamentary day is allotted to the discussion of the Scottish Estimates and the difficulty that exists in finding further time, if he will take steps to arrange to refer the Scottish Estimates next year to the Scottish Grand Committee?

I will consider my hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether, looking at a recent case in which a doctor refused to allow a man to be removed to an asylum owing to weakness, although he had himself certified the man insane, he will consider the advisability of preventing any local authority from appointing only one doctor to certify lunatics; and whether the Local Government Board or the Lunacy Commissioners have any power over a single doctor and are able to call in another doctor, if necessary?

The President of the Local Government Board has asked me to answer this question. A local authority has no power to appoint any doctor to certify lunatics for reception into asylums; it rests with the justice who makes the order tinder Section 16 of the Lunacy Act, 1890, to call in any medical practitioner whom he may choose to examine the patient and sign the certificate. Neither the Local Government Board nor the Lunacy Commissioners have any power over the doctor who has given a certificate under Section 19 (2) for the suspension of removal, nor are they able to call in another doctor.

asked the Home Secretary if he will give an estimate of the number of males and females of twenty-five years and over in the United Kingdom, excluding aliens, paupers, and other persons who are disqualified for enrolment as Parliamentary voters?

The estimated figures for the next five years are as follows:—

——	1912.	1913.	1914.	1915.	1916.
Males aged 25 years and upwards*	10,107,000	10,198,000	10,292,000	10,386,000	10,480,000
Females aged 25 years and upwards*	11,319,000	11,420,000	11,522,000	11,625,000	11,729,000
Total	21,426,000	21,618,000	21,814,000	22,011,000	22,209,000
* Exclusive of the estimated numbers of aliens, paupers, and other persons disqualified from voting.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Board of Trade insist upon the appointment of separate auditors to audit the accounts of electric lighting companies (pursuant to the Electric Light Act), and refuse to appoint as their auditors under the Act the auditors appointed by the companies; and whether he is aware that such double audits entail double expense upon the companies concerned, who in many cases would be prepared to appoint the auditors selected by the Board of Trade?

The answer to the first part of the hon. Member's question is in the affirmative. I am aware that the double audits entail some extra—though not necessarily double—expense on the companies concerned, but in view of the special objects of the Government audit I consider that it should be conducted by an auditor who is quite independent of the shareholders.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in reference to the various offices under his control, he can state what proportion of candidates tested for vision are colour blind; whether any classification of results is obtainable as, for instance, with regard to degree or kind of colour blindness, or the association of this defect with any other physical condition; and, if so, whether he can give the statistics for the last five years, supplemented by any comments of the medical authorities which may be useful in the scientific regard of the question?

The only examinations in colour vision conducted by the Board of Trade are those for persons serving or intending to serve in the Mercantile Marine or in the fishing industry. Particulars ofthese examinations are published in an Annual Report on the Sight Tests, a copy of the latest issue of which I am sending to my hon. Friend. As candidates for certificates of competency are required to undergo the sight tests on every occasion on which they present themselves for examination, many persons appear more than once in the total number of examinations, and the figures are therefore no guide to the general incidence of colour blindness. I am not aware of any data showing the association of colour blindness with any other physical condition, but information is available, as to the nature of

the colour defects of candidates who fail to pass the tests. These are classified on the Young Helmholtz theory of colour vision according to whether complete or incomplete red or green blindness is present. The whole question of the sight tests at present in force is now being considered by a Departmental Committee. A table giving the statistics desired by my hon. Friend is appended:—

——	1906.	1907.	1908.	1909.	1910.
Number of Examinations in Colour Vision	6,410	6,564	6,288	6,028	7,393
Number of failures.	57	76	44	71	112
Nature of defects—
Complete Red blindness	10	29	15	20	32
Incomplete Red blindness	9	5	4	15	17
Complete Green blindness	25	31	18	23	42
Incomplete Green blindness	13	11	7	13	21

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in 1877, a sum of £300 was deposited in respect of the Galway and Salthill Tramways Act of that year; whether this sum has been retained ever since, and is now in the Court of Chancery; and whether, since the company has been and is now working to the satisfaction of the public, the money may be refunded to the company?

The conditions prescribed by the Act for the release of this deposit on a certificate by the Board of Trade were not complied with. The sum in question is, I understand, still lying in the Court of Chancery, and I am informed that there is no power to release it except upon an order of the Court.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will explain why so small a percentage of ex-Service men, namely 29.75, are employed under the Board of Trade; and whether, in view of the fact that many ex-Navy and ex-Army men are well qualified for such posts as messengers and attendants, he will give instructions that the percentage of ex-Service men employed under the Board of should be raised to at least 50 per cent. as soon as possible as vacancies occur?

I answered an identical question by the hon. Member on 4th December.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that all the stationery supplies for use in Ireland in the Post Office are supplied from England; and whether he can arrange that the supplies for Irish purposes shall be obtained in Ireland?

Whenever practicable, stationery supplies for use by the Post Office in Ireland are obtained in that country.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that the Postmaster at the Eastern Central office has introduced a now scheme for distributing Christmas boxes at that office, whereby 60 per cent. of the amount raised is to be distributed amongst 200 men, leaving the balance for about 700 men; and whether, in view of the dissatisfaction caused amongst the men concerned, he will cause inquiries to be made so as to enable his Department to prepare a scheme for a fairer and more just distribution of the money collected from the public?

The question of distribution of Christmas boxes is primarily one for the postmen to settle among themselves. If they are unable to come to an agreement they are at liberty under the standing regulations to refer the matter to the district postmaster, whose decision must be accepted as final. I am not prepared to interfere as regards the distribution.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether the animals which die in India of foot-and-mouth disease, or are slaughtered by order, are cremated by the authorities; and if this is also done in Egypt?

I understand that in neither of the countries named do the authorities slaughter out animals affected with foot-and-mouth disease. I have no information as to the disposal, in those countries, of the carcases of animals which die of the disease; but I will make inquiries.