asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the case of Mrs. Elizabeth Pitkin, of Bletchley, who became entitled to an old age pension of 5s. per week on 18th October, 1911; whether, owing to delay in the valuation of certain property in which Mrs. Pitkin had an interest, her pension was not paid for nineteen weeks from this date; and whether it is proposed to grant to Mrs. Pitkin the arrears due to her, amounting to £4 15s.?

My attention has not previously been drawn to this case, and I have not yet had time to ascertain the full facts. I will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as the necessary inquiries have been completed.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been called to the action of a Mr. O'Connell, recently appointed Clerk of the Crown and Peace for the West Riding of the county of Cork, in dismissing Sir James Long, deputy-clerk, from the position he has held for some thirty-eight years with a blameless record of faithful service, and appointing in his place a clerk named Mullins, formerly in the employment of Mr. Wright, Clerk of the Crown for Cork City, but who was dismissed for neglect of duty; and, if so, what action he proposes to take in the matter?

The Irish Government have no control over the selection by Clerks of the Crown and Peace of assistants in their office. The Clerks of the Crown and Peace are personally responsible to the Crown for the proper discharge of their duties, which they are bound to perform in person with such clerical aid as they deem necessary. Mr. O'Connell informs me that he did not dismiss Sir James Long from his position as assistant in the office, but that the latter terminated his connection with the office by his own action.

asked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that Mr. C. H. Denroche, 24, Nassau Strreet, Dublin, acting for Mr. R. A. Knox, owner of the Rappa estate, county Mayo, asserts that all necessary documents to enable the Congested Districts Board to negotiate for the purchase of this estate have been in the Board's possession more than five years; that prior to September, 1906, the whole-estate had been inspected by the Board's staff, an offer made for the whole, and eventually a portion purchased through the Land Judge's Court; and, if so, will he explain why it was stated officially on the 13th December, 1911, that, so far, the necessary documents had not been furnished by the owner; and if any recent steps have been taken to acquire the estate and with what result?

Mr. Denroche's statement referred to is correct. The reply given to the hon. Member's question on the 13th December was based on a misapprehension. The Congested Districts Board have been in communication with Mr. Denroche regarding the purchase of the untenanted lands in the neighbourhood of Rappa Castle, but they are not yet in a position to make any further statement in the matter.

asked when the Congested Districts Board intend to make offers to the landlords for the purchase of the Fitzgerald and Phibbs estates, in the parish of Keeloges, county Mayo?

The question of making offers for the purchase of the estates of D. E. Fitzgerald, and Miss Henrietta Phibbs, situate in the Union of Castlebar, county Mayo, will, it is expected, be considered by the Congested Districts Board at their meeting in April next.

asked the Chief Secretary if it is upon his recommendation that it is proposed to make a further Grant of £5,000 towards the purchase of the old toll bridge at Waterford; and if he can explain the reason for this additional subsidy and enumerate the other purposes, besides the purchase of the old toll bridge, to which the former Grant of £33,000 has been applied?

On the recommendation of the Irish Government, a further Grant of £5,000 has been made to the corporation of Waterford to supplement the former Grant of £33,000 towards the expenditure of £71,000 incurred by the corporation in purchasing the undertaking and rights of the Bridge Commissioners of Waterford with a view to the removal of the existing bridge and the building of one suited to present requirements.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that certain Queen's scholars who were in training during the years 1898–1900 got, on their first appointment as teachers under the National Board, a higher salary than £56 per annum, exclusive of residual capitation grant, and that the Auditor-General subsequently surcharged the Commissioners of National Education the extra amount paid these teachers; and can he state the number of Queen's scholars who completed a two years' training course in 1900 and passed with special distinction, who were paid at the rate of £56 per annum, exclusive of capitation grant, and of those paid at a higher rate than £56 per annum, exclusive of capitation?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that they are not in a position to make a statement in regard to this question unless the names of the teachers referred to, and the schools in which they were serving, are furnished to them.

asked the President of the Local Government Board the number of persons in the United Kingdom who were in receipt of indoor and outdoor relief, respectively; and the number of paupers, total, per 1,000 of the population on 1st January, or other date, in the years 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890, 1900, 1905, 1910, and 1912?

I may refer my hon. Friend to the Comparative Statement of Pauperism (Cd. 5454 Session 1910), which gives the information he requires as regards England and Wales down to 1910. The figures for 1912 are not yet available, but I hope to be able to send them to him in the course of a few days. As regards Scotland and Ireland, I must refer my hon. Friend to the Secretary for Scotland and the Chief Secretary for Ireland.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that on Sundays, when Cornish fishermen do not go to sea, French fishermen, when they think that they can do so without being seen, lift the crab-pots which are laid at Handeeps, near the Eddystone; and whether he is now in a position to take steps for the adequate protection of the Cornish fishermen?

Inquiries were made last year as to the alleged lifting of crab-pots at Handeeps by French fishermen, but it was not found possible to obtain sufficient information to justify any action by the Board of Trade in the matter.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has taken exception to the reassessment of the telephone system within the Rochford Union of Essex; and, if not, why he has objected to paying the rates in respect of any increase which the reassessment has involved?

:I assume that the hon. Member refers to the telephone lines taken over from the National Telephone Company. In regard to these lines the Government have decided to pay contributions in lieu of rates on the assessments as they stood on the 30th June last; and if the lines within the Rochford Union have been reassessed since that date the new assessments cannot be recognised. The assessments accepted by the Government are not subject to modification as wires are added or removed.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the growing needs of the neighbourhood of East Ham, he will direct that the postal and telegraph facilities to be given to the public after the completion of the new Crown post office in that district shall be the same as in the adjoining borough of West Ham, where the head office is open till 11 p.m.?

The new branch office will be open to 9 p.m. which is one hour later than the office which it replaces. After that hour it is considered that the requirements of the district as a whole will be adequately met by the facilities afforded at the Stratford branch office, in the borough of West Ham, which is open till 11 p.m.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has received a request from the parish council of Bowes, in the North Riding of Yorks, addressed to the Secretary of the Post Office, asking under what conditions and at what cost telegraphic and telephonic facilities could be granted to this village; whether he is aware that smaller and more remote villages in the district have these facilities already; and whether he will state the amount of guarantee required from the inhabitants of Bowes to enable these facilities to be accorded them?

I have received such requests from the parish council of Bowes, and I have informed the parish council that in view of the very small use which would be made of them the provision of telegraph and telephone facilities at Bowes would not be warranted even under guarantee. The estimated capital cost is £172, and the average number of telegrams to be sent would be just over one a day. There is already an office for the acceptance of telegrams at Bowes Railway Station, about half a mile from the post office.

asked the Secretary for Scotland if the amount of the Grant from the Treasury in aid of the new superannuation scheme for teachers has yet been arranged; how much is it; and what amount consequently falls to be paid by the school boards and out of the Education Fund respectively to complete the money required to finance the scheme?

The amount of Grant from the Treasury for the ensuing year for the purpose named is approximately £45,000. The amount of the contribution which falls to be paid by school boards and other school managers has been estimated at £44,000, and the sum which will fall to be paid out of the Education (Scotland) Fund is estimated at £68,000, after allowing for the sum of £18,000 at present paid under Section 13 of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1908. Against the contribution to be made by school boards and other managers there must be set the relief they will obtain with regard to allowances now being paid, the annual amount of which would have increased rapidly but for the new superannuation scheme.