asked the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in view of the importance of insuring uninterrupted coal supplies to the community and commerce, coupled with the apparent inability of mine holders to prevent a general strike by failing to arrange satisfactory terms with their employés, the Government will consider the advisability of taking measures to acquire and nationalise the coalfields, to be owned by and operated for the benefit of the nation?

I regret that I am unable to look favourably upon the suggestion of the hon. Member.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he can state the number of lectures given in the last scholastic year, and the number to be given in the current scholastic year, in each subject by each professor in the National University at Dublin and in the Queen's University at Belfast, respectively?

I would refer the hon. Member to the calendars of the colleges referred to. If the hon. Member desires to know the number of lectures delivered in a particular class or in a specified subject this could be supplied, but the information asked for could not be given within the ordinary limits of an answer to a Parliamentary question.

asked whether the Commissioners of National Education are aware of the decline in the efficiency of the schools in Circuit 8 B since the 1st August, 1907, as shown by the reports of the senior and district inspectors; whether he is aware that for 1909 the reports of the 17G schools in the circuit were: excellent, nil; very good, 15; good, 65; fair, 85; middling or bad, 11; whether the officials can account for so many inefficient teachers segregated in this particular circuit; whether the present district inspector of 8 B is closely related by marriage with one of the chief inspectors, and whether the late senior inspector, knowing this, asked for his transfer to 8 B in order to secure the chief's influence through him on behalf of his own promotion to a vacancy that was likely to take place in the chief inspection in 1907; whether he is aware that, owing to this influence with the chief and with his sanction and approval, the district inspector of 8 B pursues his methods towards the teachers under him, and that this relationship has rendered the right of appeal against reports to the chief inspector of no avail; whether they can state approximately the number of increments awarded in the different grades since 1st August, 1907; the number of teachers deprived of increments and promotion through reports being lowered by the district inspector in the year ended 31st March, 1909; the number of teachers, approximately, recommended for dismissal or retirement for inefficiency since 1907, and in how many cases have the Commissioners acted on his recomemndation; whether the district inspector of Circuit 8 B lowered the school reports by an official order in order to save money for the Treasury, and, if so, can the Commissioners state approximately the sum saved through the increments withheld from the teachers of this circuit since 1st August, 1907; and whether this lowering of reports in Circuit 8 B indicates that the educational efficiency and progress is in such a backward state, and, if so, do the officials of the Board imply that county Down, instead of being the most progressive county in Ireland, is the most backward in educational matters?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that the district inspector of Circuit 8 B is not connected by blood or marriage with any chief inspector past or present, and the Commissioners do not consider that any useful purpose would be served by making a statement in reference to the various queries put by the hon. Member, which seem based mainly on an assumption of relationship between the district and chief inspectors, which has no foundation in fact.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware of the outrages recently committed against the following persons at the places named, and will he say what was the nature of each occurrence: Michael Ryan, at Glanquin, county Clare, on or about 2nd January; Patrick Birmingham, at Kilcogan, county Galway, on or about 8th January; Martin Creavin, at Cahernahoon, Torloughmore, on or abouth 11th January; Pat Kavanagh, at Kinvara, near Ennis, on 20th January; at Gurtanumera, near Portumna, on or about 25th January; Dennis O'Connor, at May-field, near Cork, on or about 29th January; Dennis Chaill, at Ballymurphy, near Kil-fenora, on or about 8th February; and Thomas Pratt, at Gurteenaraineeny, near Killenaule, on or about 11th February?

The constabulary authorities inform me that all these cases were cases of firing into the dwelling house, with the exception of those of Pat Kavanagh, at whom two gun shots were fired, and of Thomas Pratt, in whose case two bombs were flung through the kitchen window, doing considerable damage.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War when an answer may be expected to the petition of storemen employed in the Army Ordnance Department at Woolwich asking for such improved conditions as well bring them on a level with men doing similar work in the ordnance factories and elsewhere?

The matter is still under consideration, but it is expected that a decision will very shortly be reached.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the firm who recently were found to have underpaid their workmen in carrying out a painting contract at Hulme Barracks, South-West Manchester, have been awarded any contract or contracts since the investigation referred to; and whether they are still upon the list of contractors to the War Office or any other Department of His Majesty's Government?

The firm in question made good the under-payments which were found to have occurred, except in the case of three men who could not be traced. They also gave an undertaking that the terms of the Fair Wages Resolution should be most strictly complied with in future. In these circumstances it was not thought necessary to take the extreme step of removing them from the list of contractors on the present occasion, but they were warned that any failure to comply with the undertaking given would result in their removal from the list. They have recently carried out two other contracts under close supervision in regard to the observance of the Fair-Wages Clause.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of discontent among subalterns of the Royal Garrison Artillery on account of the slowness of promotion; that over eighty such officers will have completed twelve years' service in May, 1912; if it is proposed that promotion will in future be by time limit; and, if so, will the service required be twelve or thirteen years, and will subalterns who have qualified for a pension of £120 after fifteen years (by counting service in West Africa, etc., double under R. W.) be given promotion on condition that they retire on twelve years' service?

I am aware of the state of promotion among the subalterns of the Royal Garrison Artillery, and the whole question is now under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will inform the House of the purpose of the present visit to Canada of Mr. Theo Kryshtofovich, Russian agricultural commissioner; and whether he is to negotiate, on behalf of the Russian Government, a commercial treaty with Canada?

I understand that this gentleman is visiting Canada for the purpose of arranging with Canadian manufacturers for the export to Russia of agricultural machinery. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Prime Minister when he will be prepared to lay before the House the composition of the new Estimates Committee; whether this body will annually analyse the Estimates for each Department, or whether it will take those of one or of two Departments each year; whether the body will limit its examination to general criticism or, whether it will make specific recommendations as to particular outlays, on the employment of individuals, or in the execution of specific schemes; and whether its annual Report will be made public.

I regret that I am unable to anticipate a statement which I hope to make on this subject at an early date.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in regard to the swivel bridge (Wellesley Bridge), Limerick, he can state what progress has been made with the work of replacing the old swivel with a new one; and whether he will take care that after the preliminary work of trussing operations do not cease in such a manner as virtually to secure by an evasion of the law a permanent bridge closed to the traffic of the Clare boatmen?

I am informed by the Limerick Harbour Commissioners that they are doing everything possible in this matter, and that meetings have been arranged with the various local authorities interested for the purpose of considering the question of apportioning the cost involved. The Commissioners repudiate any suggestion that they desire to evade their statutory obligations.