asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Insurance Commissioners propose to issue regulations showing who will be responsible for the payment of contributions under the National Insurance Act in the case of a farmer who contracts with a man to work his farm, the farm servants being engaged by the sub-contractor?

Where the farm servants work under the general control and management of the farmer, the case will fall within Paragraph 6 of the Third Schedule to the Act. The question of the action to be taken by the Commissioners under that paragraph is now being considered.

asked the names of the friendly societies which will admit women to membership under the National Insurance Act?

I regret that it is not possible to give any information, on this subject. No societies have yet been approved, and the Commission are therefore unable at present to state what particular societies will admit any members for the purposes of the Act.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he can state whether the Insurance Commissioners have written to the secretaries of trade unions asking them to become lecturers for the purpose of explaining the Insurance Act, and whether they were informed that if they proved themselves possessed of ability they would stand a good chance of being appointed inspectors under the Act and thus secure a good position for life?

As will be seen from the White Paper which was circulated last night, some trade union officials have received appointments as temporary lecturers. It is quite untrue that any promise has been given of permanent employment.

asked by what authority the Welsh National Commissioners issue unsolicited circulars in Welsh to clergy and others in an English county other than Monmouth?

I presume the hon. Member refers to the Memorandum which was sent by the Welsh Commission to the clergy in the four Welsh dioceses. The hon. Member will recognise that clergymen resident in England, but close to the border may, in some cases, be able to assist in the supply of information respecting the Act to insurable persons who are, or are likely to become residents in Wales.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he has received a resolution passed unanimously by the Kerry County Council calling attention to the inconvenience caused and expense incurred by the holding of criminal prosecutions at Tralee instead of at Listowel; whether he is aware that witnesses and others in these cases are usually poor persons who cannot afford to pay railway fares from Listowel and hotel expenses at Tralee for several days; and whether he will say on what grounds this expense and public inconvenience is inflicted on the people of Listowel and surrounding districts?

I have received no such resolution, but a resolution of similar purport was received in July last, and referred in accordance with the Statutes governing the matter to the Privy Council. After full consideration the Privy Council decided that no change should be made in the existing arrangements for the discharge of criminal business in county Kerry, and the county council was, therefore, informed that His Excellency was unable to comply with the application.

asked the Chief Secretary if the alleged difference in cost between quarterly and monthly payments to national school teachers in Ireland is the reason for refusing the latter, will he state the amount of the difference and how it is made up, with paper and printing so cheap and free postage?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the question on this subject asked by the hon. Member for Mid-Armagh on 27th February of last year.

asked what encouragement, if any, is given by the Board of National Education to students entering, the training colleges who have a knowledge of the Irish language or ability to teach it; whether such knowledge or ability is an essential qualification for admission to any one of those colleges or essential at any part of the course; and whether that course comprises any other Irish educational subject which is similarly treated by the Commissioners?

The Commissioners of National Education offer encouragement to King's scholars entering training colleges who have a knowledge of the Irish language by awarding annually prizes to those who, at the close of their final year of training, pass the examination generally and obtain a certificate of competency to teach Irish. The prize winners are eligible for a further award if subsequently reported to have shown high merit in the teaching of Irish for two consecutive years. A knowledge of Irish is not an essential qualification for admission to a training college, nor is it essential at any part of the training college course. It is, however, an optional subject, and credit is given for any marks obtained in it as such, at the entrance examination. The only distinctively Irish educational subject in the-King's scholars' curriculum is the Irish language. Latin and French, as well as Irish, are optional subjects, but Irish is the only one of these languages for which prizes are offered.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he has received from several Irish public bodies expressions of opinion as to the desirability of repealing the Public Bodies Order, 1894, issued by the Local Government Board for Ireland, and the rating provisions of the Local Government Act of 1898 by which the small occupiers were made for the first time responsible for the payment of poor rate; and what steps he intends to take?

The Local Government Board have received some Resolution from local bodies on the subjects mentioned in the question. So far as the Public Bodies Order, 1894, is concerned, the Board's experience is that it is working very well throughout the country, and they see no reason for any amendment at present. With regard to the suggested repeal of the provisions of the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898, so far as they apply to rates on valuations of £4 and under, I am not prepared to recommend any amendment of the Act in the direction indicated by the hon. Member.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the tenants on the Roper estate, Agha-cashel, county Leitrim, made application to the Congested Districts Board for the purchase of the estate; and whether, having regard to the congested state of the district and to the fact that there is a tract of grazing land available for distribution which is now held by non-residents, the Board will take steps to purchase the estate and relieve congestion?

The Congested Districts Board have received applications from the tenants of the estate of W. Roper Little, situate in the electoral Division of Agha-cashel, to purchase the property. The Board have been in communication with the owner, but do not at present propose to take any action with a view to acquiring the property compulsorily under the provisions of the Act of 1909.

asked whether applications have been received from tenant purchasers on the Howley Estate, Kilglass, county Sligo, by the Estates Commissioners for a visit from an engineer to inspect the estate and adjust the boundaries and the plots of turbary allotted to the different tenants; and whether, as trouble has been occasioned to tenants on this estate through the failure of the Commissioners' representatives to properly subdivide the bog-land, the Commissioners will now send an inspector to mark out the boundaries and settle the existing difficulties?

The sale of this estate was completed over five years ago, when the turbary allotments were pointed out to the purchasing tenants by the Estates Commissioners' representatives and vested accordingly. The Commissioners cannot now re-open the question of the allotment of the turbary.

asked whether the attention of the Congested Districts Board has been directed to the congested condition of Maherow, county Sligo, and to the poverty of the tenantry all through this district; whether the Board are now prepared to purchase the untenanted land known as the Seven Cartrons and other untenanted portions of the Gore-Booth estate, in order to relieve congestion and enlarge the uneconomic holdings; and whether, in view of the circumstances of the locality, the Board can now send inspectors to visit the district and investigate the circumstances and conditions under which the tenants and labourers are living, with a view to pressing forward negotiations for purchase or taking steps to acquire the lands compulsorily?

The Congested Districts Board have received numerous memorials from the district referred to. The Board are in negotiation for the purchase of tenanted or untenanted lands on Sir Jocelyn Gore-Booth's estate in county Sligo. The estate, which is the subject of negotiations, does not include the Seven Cartrons portion of the property, which are stated to be part of the owner's demesne, and which he has not offered to sell. An offer for purchase of that portion of his estate, which the owner is willing to sell, will be made as soon as practicable. Portion of the estate has already been purchased by the Board.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will furnish particulars of estates in the barony of Erris, county Mayo, already acquired by the Congested Districts Board or Estates Commissioners, giving the name of the estate, acreage, occupied and unoccupied (grazing tracts to be included under unoccupied), number of holdings, date when acquired, price, and whether vested in the tenants; similar particulars, in so far as they may apply, of estates now on offer, with dates when maps, etc., have been deposited, and a statement as to the progress made towards their acquisition; and similar particulars, in so far as they may apply and are within the knowledge of the Congested Districts Board, of all other estates in the barony not yet offered, with a statement of the steps taken by the Board with a view to their acquisition?

I am unable to give the particulars asked for by the hon. Member with regard to the estates acquired by the Congested Districts Board in the Barony of Erris, as the statistics of the Board are not kept by baronies. As regards estates not yet acquired, it would not be desirable, even if it were possible, to enter into details.

asked the Chief Secretary what estates in county Sligo have been purchased by the Congested Districts Board since the passing of the Land Act of 1909, and in how many cases have offers been made by the Board to the proprietors of estates in which sales have not yet taken place; and if he can give an assurance that the work of purchase will be accelerated in county Sligo?

The following estates have been purchased by the Congested Districts Board in the county Sligo since the passing of the Act of 1909, namely: W. J. Griffith, C. S. Boyd, Lord Harlech, H. C. Tweedy, M. O'M. Knott, Sir K. Palmer, E. and A. Lyons, H. M. R. Crichton, Mrs. A. O. Crichton, A. J. Crichton, M. C. Dodwell, P. W. Connolly, Captain H. H. Jones, Sir J. Gore-Booth (part of), and P. J. Costelloe. The Board have also issued offers for the purchase of two other estates, and negotiations are still pending in these cases. The Board will continue to use every exertion to acquire estates voluntarily in the county Sligo, and in cases in which owners are unwilling to sell voluntarily the question of purchasing compulsorily shall be carefully considered.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners have acquired the lands of Bordwell, Clough, Queen's County, Owen's estate; if so, can he say how it is proposed to divide the land; is he aware that there are a number of small holders in the locality whose holdings require enlargement, and that an attempt is being made to secure a portion of the untenanted land for two large farms, to the exclusion of the uneconomic holders; and can he say what course the Commissioners propose to adopt in the matter?

The Estates Commissioners have had an inspection made of some eighty-one acres of untenanted land situate in the townland of Bordwell Big on the estate of the representatives of A. Owen, Queen's county, and have communicated to the owners their preliminary estimate of the price which they would be prepared to advance if formal proceedings were instituted by the owners for the sale of these lands to the Commissioners. They understand the owner is willing to accept their estimated price, and if the lands are acquired by the Commissioners the wants and circumstances of the adjoining smallholders will be duly considered when the Commissioners are dealing with the lands.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can state the number of cottages built under the provisions of the Irish Labourers' Cottages Acts, distinguishing those built before the Act of 1906 came into operation and those built since; the amount of money granted by the Treasury and out of the local rates towards the cost of the cottages; and the amount of money lent by the Treasury and the rate of interest charged for the loans?

I would refer the hon. Member to Parliamentary Return No. 192 of last Session, which gives full information as to cottages built or in course of erection on 31st March, 1911, the latest date for which figures are available. The number of cottages built up to the 31st March, 1907, under Acts prior to the Labourers Act, 1906, was 21,948. Prior to that Act loans were granted on the same terms and conditions as under the Public Health Acts, but under the Act of 1906 the terms of repayment are £3 5s. per cent. per annum, covering principal and interest for a period of 68½ years. Thirty-six per cent. of this charge is recouped by Government, leaving 64 per cent. to be borne by the local authorities. Section 18 of the Act of 1906 provided for the annual distribution out of the Exchequer Contribution under the Land Purchase Act, 1891, of a sum of about £31,000 in respect of the cost of cottages provided prior to the 1st November, 1906, which is equivalent to a subsidy of £1 8s. 8d. per annum for each cottage so provided.

asked on what evidence the Local Government Board disallowed the pension granted to Dominick Friel, Barnaderrig, Drumcliff, county Sligo, at the rate of 5s. per week and reduced this amount to 1s. per week?

The claimant was in possession of a well-stocked farm, part of it under tillage, the remainder being used for grazing. His means did not appear to entitle him to a pension of more than 1s, a week, and accordingly his application for an increase of his pension to 5s. a week was refused.

asked the Chief Secretary on what grounds Mrs. Margaret Casey, of Glensharrold, Ardagh, county Limerick, did not receive an old age pension of 5s. a week, having regard to the fact that she has only eleven and a-half acres, I.P.M., of cut-away bog, the valuation of which is £1 5s., and four cows and a horse, for which she has to buy hay; and whether, under these circumstances, he will take steps to see that she gets a full pension?

The Local Government Board upheld the pension officer's appeal, and allowed a pension of 3s. only as it appeared that claimant's means exceeded £23 12s. 6d. a year. The Board have no power to reopen consideration of the case.

asked the Chief Secretary on what grounds the Local Government Board refused an old age pension to John O'Brien, of Tenekilla, Ballyahill, in the county of Limerick, although the Glin sub-committee awarded him 5s. per week, from the fact that he had 18½ acres of land, the valuation of which is £8 17s. 6d., and premises valued at £1 10s., with eight cows and one horse, which he assigned to his son on marriage for £180 with an annuity of £13; whether, as the pension officer awarded him 2s. a week, he will explain why the Local Government Board refused him the pension altogether; and whether he will now be awarded the 5s. a week if he again applies for it?

The Local Government Board considered that John O'Brien's means exceeded £31 10s. a year, and they have no power to reopen consideration of the case.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention was drawn to a handbill recently circulated in county Down addressed to Irish girls, in which it was stated that the Irishman who has chosen to wear the English uniform has chosen to serve the enemy of Ireland, and it is the duty of every Irishwoman who believes in the freedom of Ireland to show her disapproval of his conduct by shunning his company; and what steps he is taking to ascertain the authors of the handbills?

The police are not aware that any such notice has been circulated.

asked what sum the Development Commissioners propose to spend on the improvement of the pier and harbour in Dingle?

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave on 27th November last to the question on this subject addressed to me by the hon. Member.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that cattle-drives have recently taken place in the following districts: On Thomas Flynn's lands, Moyna, Buckfield, Westport, on or about 11th January; on Phady O'Brien's lands, Bally-ogan, on or about Sunday 28th and Monday 29th January; near Carrigaline on 7th February; and on a grazing farm at Syl-vane, Tuam, in the occupation of Messrs. Lynskey, on or about 10th February; and what steps he is taking to prevent these occurrences?

The constabulary authorities inform me that a cattle drive from the lands of Thos. Flynn, on 11th January last, and two drives from the lands of Thady O'Brien on 29th January and 2nd February respectively have been reported. The cases alleged to have taken place near Carrigaline and Sylvane are not believed by the police to have been genuine. All reasonable steps are being taken by the police to prevent such occurrences.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether there has been any delay in the delivery of armour plating for the battle-cruisers "Australia" and "New Zealand"; what was the cause of the delay; and by how much the two ships will exceed their contract period of construction?

There has been some delay in delivery of armour plates for the "New Zealand" and "Australia," attributable to unforeseen difficulties encountered by the armour-plate contractors. The probable delay in the completion of the ships cannot at present be stated.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the ammunition with the new bullet, manufactured since 25th March, 1911, has been wholly satisfactory; and whether any difficulty has been met with either in Government or other factories in obtaining a uniform standard?

Owing to the higher pressure in the Mark VII. cartridge variations of hardness of the case have more effect on extraction than with Mark VI. It is therefore necessary to obtain great uniformity of metal of the cartridge case, and this has given some difficulty in manufacture. This difficulty has now been overcome, and the ammunition issued to the troops is satisfactory.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War why the issue of horse-rugs to mounted units has been stopped; whether it is the conclusion of the Army Council that horses which are clipped do better through an English winter without rugs; and whether he has any official Reports showing whether the horses of the Army have benefited from this treatment during the recent severe weather?

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply which I gave to a question put on this subject by the hon. and gallant Gentleman the Member for the Central division of Finsbury on 13th December last.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will give general instructions to officers commanding Territorial divisions to consider the recommendations of battalion commanders and Territorial associations as to dates of training convenient to the men; and if he will prevent such representations being overruled as has occurred in the case of the 5th Battalion Suffolk Regiment.

Paragraphs 304 and 344 Territorial Force Regulations lay down that the programme of training and the formation of camps will be arranged by the divisional, mounted brigade, or coast defence commanders after consultation with the County Associations concerned. I am not aware of the circumstances of the case mentioned, but I will make inquiries.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will disclose the name or names of the person or persons who divulged certain details of the Army General Annual Report to an outside source so that the "Times" newspaper was enabled to make them public before they had been notified to this House in due season by the Minister responsible; and whether it is proposed to inflict any punishment upon the person or persons implicated in furnishing State information, which has hitherto been regarded as confidential until communicated officially by a Member of the Government to Parliament?

The reply to both questions is in the negative.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether it is contemplated to amend Article 529, Royal Warrant for Pay, by which only quartermasters who have been commissioned since amendments were issued may obtain retired pay of £250 a year; and why those who were commissioned before the amendments are to have £50 a year less?

Under Article 529 (e) of the Royal Warrant for Pay, etc., a quartermaster commissioned before 31st August, 1911, may have the benefit of the new scale provided that for every £10 over £200 which he may receive under the new scale he shall have given a year's service after the date of its introduction. No change of this article is contemplated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he could state the number of cotton spinning mills in Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cheshire and Derbyshire, respectively, and the number of persons employed in each county, distinguishing the number of males and females under eighteen years of age in each case?

The figures for 1907, which are the latest available, are as follows:—

asked the Secretary of the Home Department if he is now in a position to announce the rate in the pound in respect of the police rate warrant to be issued on the 1st July next covering the expenditure for the six months to the 31st December, 1912, for the information of the councils of Metropolitan boroughs and the parishes within the Metropolitan police district; and whether he will cause a notification to be sent at the earliest possible date of the amount required to be levied by each rating authority in the aforesaid district?

As the law now stands the maximum rate on 1st July would be 3¼d., i.e., 2½d. for police purposes and ¾d. for the deficiency of the pension fund. But it should be clearly understood that this rate is not sufficient to provide either for the one day's rest in seven or for the normal augmentation of the force to meet the growth of population, without regard to the cost of any special emergency.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the trial and sentence of three ex-constables of Bournemouth at the last Winchester assizes; and, if so, whether he can see fit to advise His Majesty to grant a remission of sentence, in view of the fact that these men claim to have acted under direct orders from their superior officers in committing these thefts, and in view of the fact that an inspector and two sergeants have been dismissed from the force in connection with the affair, though they have not yet been prosecuted for it?

My attention has been called to the case, but I regret that I cannot advise any remission of the sentences. The pleas indicated in the question were fully considered before the learned judge; and, even assuming them to be true, the sentences passed appear to be by no means excessive. The statements made by the prisoners implicating other officers had been carefully investigated, but no evidence which would justify further prosecutions could be obtained. I understand, however, that inquiry is still being made.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, what was the total sugar crop in Russia and the consumption of sugar in that country in each of the years 1910 and 1911, respectively?

According to information communicated to the Permanent Sugar Commission by the Russian Government, the total Russian production of sugar in the season 1909–10 was 1,037,000 tons, and in the season 1910–11, 1,867,000 tons. Corresponding particulars of the production in 1911–12 have not yet been received, but I am endeavouring to obtain the information by telegraph. The quantity of sugar declared for consumption was 1,140,000 tons in 1909–10, and 1,177,000 tons in 1910–11.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he could give any indication, by way of percentage or otherwise, of the approximate reduction in each year since 1st January, 1908, in the remuneration of vaccination officers arising from exemption certificates; and whether he proposes to take any steps to deal broadly and comprehensively with the cases of officers who have suffered serious pecuniary loss, and place their future remuneration on a satisfactory basis?

Owing to the variety in the fees paid to vaccination officers in different districts, I am not able to indicate the percentage reduction of the remuneration of these officers since 1907, but the number of vaccinations in England and Wales has declined from 695,147 in 1907 to 531,567 in 1910. I am endeavouring to deal with the cases of officers who have suffered serious pecuniary loss.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he will state the number of exemptions granted against vaccination in 1908, 1909, 1910, and 1911 respectively; and the number of un-vaccinated people in the United Kingdom, as far as can be estimated, at the present moment?

The number of exemptions received by vaccination officers in England and Wales was as follows:—

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he has made further inquries into the question of enclosed drivers' seats on motor-car bodies; and whether he is in a position to announce that he has taken steps to stop, on grounds of public safety and convenience, the further use of this type of vehicle?

I should not feel justified at present in prohibiting the use of motorcars of the type referred to. The matter will not, however, be lost sight of.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether, in the event of a judicial decision being hereafter given to the effect that the action of county councils in throwing the sinking fund charges, in respect of statutory small holdings, upon the county rates is ultra vires the Small Holdings Act, 1908, such councils will be surcharged by the auditors of his department the amount of the above charges?

I should prefer not to reply to the hypothetical question of the hon. Member. As I informed him in November last, I am not aware of any case of a surcharge by a district auditor on this account.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he will state the percentage allowed by the Gloucestershire, Dorsetshire, Cambridge, and Lincoln County Councils in fixing rents to small holders for, respectively, management expenses, repairs, and contingencies; and if he will state the lowest and the highest rates of such percentages which now exist in schemes approved by the Board?

supplied the following particulars:—Cambridge.

asked the hon. Member for the Doncaster Division, as representing the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, whether he will publish a Return of the Grants which have been made by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to meet endowments given out of private money for ecclesiastical purposes in Wales and Monmouthshire, stating the names and places where the Grants have been made and the amounts and objects of the endowment?

The Ecclesiastical Commissioners will be willing to make such a Return, and will cause it to be prepared accordingly.

asked how much land and tithe rent-charge issuing out of land in Wales and Monmouthshire is applicable to ecclesiastical purposes in England?

The Ecclesiastical Commissioners possess in Wales and Monmouthshire £9,152 commuted tithe rent-charge and land producing about £2,500 per annum derived by them from English Bishoprics and Chapters. On the other hand the Commissioners have in England £722 commuted tithe rent-charge and land producing about £188 per annum derived by them from Welsh Bishoprics and Chapters. There is some tithe rent-charge and other property in Wales and Monmouthshire belonging to English Ecclesiastical benefices, but, while I think the amount is inconsiderable, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have no particulars concerning it.

asked the hon. Member for the Doncaster Division, as representing the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, whether he will state the amount of land and tithe-rent-charge purchased by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in Wales and Monmouthshire?

There has been purchased from lay owners by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners out of grants made in favour of ecclesiastical benefices in Wales and Monmouthshire and annexed to those benefices about 60 acres of land and £512 per annum (commutation value) of tithe rent-charge. In addition the Commissioners have annexed to Welsh Benefices out of their own Welsh property land producing about £700 per annum and tithe rent-charge of the commuted amount of about £24,400.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the post office situate in the grounds of the Duke of York's School, in the parish of Guston, Kent, has recently been closed to the public; and that there is no other post office nearer than Dover, more than two miles distant, where residents in the district can obtain stamps and postal orders and transact general postal business; and whether, in view of the inconvenience thus occasioned to the public in that neighbourhood, he will take steps to reopen this post office to the public or, in the alternative, to provide another post office for the use of residents in the parish of Guston?

I am aware of the circumstances to which the hon. Member refers, and have already arranged for a Post Office to be opened in the village of Guston.