asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the grave financial difficulties in which many traders have been placed by the stoppage of trade in consequence of the coal strike, he will give instructions that persons so situated shall be allowed reasonable time for the payment of their Income Tax this year if in other years they have been regular payers?

The Income Tax on profits assessable under Schedule D of the Income Tax Acts for the year 1911–12 was due on or before 1st January, 1912—that is, two months before the commencement of the coal strike—and has already been paid by the vast majority of traders. In any case where payment has not yet been made, and the circumstances are shown to be those indicated in the right hon. Gentleman's question, special consideration will be given. I may add that the announcement made on this subject in yesterday's newspapers is wholly unauthorised.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he can state what steps, if any, are being taken by the Department in the direction of developing the coalfields of Arigna, situate in the counties of Sligo, Leitrim, and Roscommon; and has any Report been received as to the quantity of coal and iron to be obtained in that region?

Part of the coalfields in this neighbourhood are being worked by private enterprise. The Department's mineral expert inspected these coalfields in 1904. He was of opinion that Slieve-an-Ierin district was worthy of being prospected for coal. The Arigna mines were inspected in 1903 by a mining expert employed by the Treasury in connection with a proposal to provide special transport facilities for that district. The expert estimated the amount of workable coal on the northern and southern sides of the Arigna River at 4,650,000 tons. Ironstone also occurs in the neighbourhood of Arigna and in other districts. The Department do not undertake the work of prospecting, that being a matter for private enterprise; but they afford all available information to inquirers respecting the occurrence of mineral deposits in Ireland.

Will the right hon. Gentleman send me a copy of the Report?

I shall be glad to do so.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether there is any intention of extending the Minimum Wage Bill to Ireland?

You had better ask the Prime Minister that question.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether there is any record in the police reports that the thirteen pigs at Mr. Dodson's farm at Sprotborough reported to have died or been destroyed or buried had been ailing; and whether any investigation was held which proved them to have suffered from swine fever; and, if not, will he say why the penalty of eight months' quarantine and consequent financial loss to the owner should have been based upon their death?

The answer to the first part of the question is that no such statement appears in the original Reports, which consist merely of the entry of numbers under various heads; in a schedule, but in reply to my subsequent inquiries of the police they gave as the reason for the slaughter of eight pigs by the owner that the pigs were ailing. As regards the ninth, they said the owner stated that it was suffering from broken ribs. With regard to the four slaughtered by veterinary surgeons, they gave no reasons. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative. The Board cannot undertake, with the staff at their disposal, to investigate every case of death in an infected place. The answer to the last part of the question is that the period of quarantine was not a penalty but a measure of precaution for the protection of other pig keepers. The isolation of the premises was required before the death of the thirteen pigs referred to.

Is it not a fact that no evidence that these pigs were suffering from swine fever has been secured by the Board of Agriculture, and is it not the fact that veterinary opinion showed that some of them had died from tuberculosis?

I have no information to the effect that some of them had died from tuberculosis. I have already stated that the isolation of the premises was required before the death of the thirteen pigs referred to.

The point is that there is no veterinary opinion to bear out the suggestion that these other pigs died of swine fever, but there is very strong veterinary opinion in the opposite direction.

If the hon. Member has that information perhaps he will be so good as to send it to the Board.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the pigs were burned or buried. It is important.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he will state by whom the viscera of the animal suspected of swine fever at Sprotborough were examined in the Board's laboratory in view of the statement made by his predecessor in office in reply to a question in this House on 2nd August last, that the opinion of the local veterinary inspector was accepted by the Board?

The Board's local veterinary inspector examined the pig, and pronounced the case to be one of swine fever. He sent the viscera to the Board's laboratory for examination. The viscera were there examined by a member of the Board's veterinary staff working under the direct supervision of the chief veterinary officer. I have referred to the answer given on 2nd August last, and, although it does not refer to the investigation made in the laboratory, it certainly does not warrant the assumption that no such investigation was made. If the hon. Member would care to see the reports I shall be happy to show them to him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that legal action has been taken by the Government of the Union of South Africa against Ahmed Moosa Bhyat, a British-Indian trader of the Transvaal, under the Townships Amendment Acts of 1908 and 1909 of that province, to deprive him of the virtual ownership of certain freehold property situate in the Township of Boksbury, purchased by him and registered in the name of Lewis Walter Ritch, in respect of which no compensation will be granted; and, if so, what steps have been taken by His Majesty's Government to procure relief?

A case is pending on this matter in the South African Courts, and I must await its result before I can answer questions in relation to it.

Has the right hon. Gentleman ever considered the effect of this upon our fellow-subjects in South Africa?

I do not like to express an opinion on the law in relation to a case which is now being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the Union of the South African Colonies and the amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria has led to a block in promotion in the Colonial service; and if he is prepared to advise the making use of Clause 1, Sub-section (a), of the Pensions Act, 1911 (1 and 2 Geo. V., c. 24).

Clause 1, Sub-section (a) of the Pensions Act, 1911, will be made use of whenever it is deemed advisable to do so in the interests of the public service.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that in the official explanatory leaflet, No. 6, issued by the National Health Insurance Commissioners, no mention is made of the fact that a cottage let at a rent less than the economic rent will be included in the calculation of the remuneration on which the amount of the workman's contribution to the Insurance Act is based; and whether, in view of the fact that a cottage let at a rent less than the economic rent would often bring a workman's contribution from the lower rate to the ordinary rate, he will see that this leaflet is amended and attention drawn to this fact, in order to prevent misunderstanding and disappointment?

The hon. Gentleman has overlooked the statement in the first paragraph of page 2 of the leaflet, where it is definitely stated that "remuneration means wages and the value of other things a workman may receive" I see no reason for the alteration of the leaflet referred to.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that the established men of His Majesty's dockyards are anxious to know the official interpretation of the National Insurance Act as regards themselves, and the contributions which will be required of them under the Act; and if he will consider the advisability of issuing an explanatory circular or other means of satisfying these men?

An Inter-Departmental Committee has been appointed to consider the application of Part I. of the Insurance Act to public departments; and immediately their Report is received measures will be taken to bring to the notice of all persons affected the exact position they will occupy under the Act.

asked what was the profit derived during the years 1910 and 1911, respectively, from the Scrivenery Department of the Law Courts; how many clerks are employed in that department; what is the length of the holiday allowed to these clerks; and what is the average wage per annum distributed to these clerks?

After allowing for the wages of the writers in the Scrivenery Department and for management, there was a balance in 1910 of £1,427 4s. 9½d., and in 1911 of £1,465 6s. 0½d., but from these sums must be deducted expenses for housing, firing, lighting, stationery, etc., the exact amount of which cannot be ascertained for the Scrivenery Department separately from the rest of the High Courts of Justice. The number of writers is forty-two and they have three weeks' leave in the year. Their average earnings for the last ten years amounted to £160 10s. per annum.

asked whether a small extra Grant can be given to the Meteorological Office in order that the number of centres in Scotland from which meteorological data are sent may be extended and more reliable weather forecasts drawn up?

The Meteorological Committee have under consideration the question of establishing an additional telegraphic reporting station in Scotland.

asked the Poet-master-General whether he will give the number of words and messages originating from the United Kingdom included in the total of 1,850,000 words which passed over the Pacific cable in the year 1911; and, if the exact number is not available, will he state what was the approximate number?

I am informed that the number of words and messages during the year which ended on the 31st March, 1911, are respectively 484,182 and 33,026.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, with a view to minimising the nuisance arising from the inconsiderate use of whistles at all hours of the night for the purpose of calling cabs, he will consider the advisability of facilitating the extension of cab-rank telephone installations?

The Post Office has already arranged for the installation of telephones for summoning cabs in 307 cab offices and shelters in the Metropolitan district, and I am always willing to consider the practicability of extending the arrangement to other points.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, with reference to his statement on the 28th November last that the Advisory Committee on Commercial Intelligence were being consulted on the advisability of appointing Trade Commisisoners for the principal Crown Colonies or groups of Colonies, any decision has yet been arrived at?

The Advisory Committee on Commercial Intelligence were of opinion that there was no sufficient reason for the appointment at present of a permanent Trade Commissioner in any one of the groups of Crown Colonies, but they made some suggestions for the fullest utilisation of the services of the Official Correspondents to the Commercial Inteligence Branch now resident in these Colonies, and this matter is now under consideration of the Board of Trade.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether there is in his Department any definition or standard of vinegar, based either upon the substances from which it is manufactured or upon the percentage of acetic acid which it contains; and whether, in the absence of a due percentage of the above acid, prosecutions of its vendors under the Food and Drugs Act are authorised by the Board?

There is no statutory definition of vinegar for the purposes of the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, but, in view of the numerous representations made to them on the subject, the Board stated their views as to the proper significance of the terms "vinegar," "malt vinegar," and "artificial vinegar" in a letter addressed to the secretary of the London and County Vinegar Brewers' Association on 15th December last. The Board have no power to authorise prosecutions under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts.

What steps are being taken to ensure that the letter is being acted upon by all the traders concerned?

I will send the hon. Member a copy of the letter, and he may rest assured that it gave great satisfaction to those who are in favour of pure vinegar. I think there is a probability that the definition set forth in that letter may be adopted by the best manufacturers.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman to take notice that with regard to vinegar the important point is not the percentage of acetic acid, but the presence of by-products according as it is manufactured by distillation or by fermentation?

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been drawn to the summary of a report to be shortly submitted by the Finance Committee of the Metropolitan Water Board on the financial position of the undertaking; whether he is aware that it is stated in such summary that the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, caused the Board a loss of £17,000 per annum alone on the rateable value of licensed premises, and that the recent quinquennial revaluation of the Metropolis disclosed a rate of increase for 1911 of only 3 per cent., as compared with 18.89 per cent, in 1881 and 7.45 per cent, in 1891, representing a further heavy loss of revenue; and, seeing that the total deficiencies of the undertaking are placed at £200,000, as on 31st March, 1912, whether the Local Government Board contemplate any amending legislation with a view to prevent any extra burden being thrown on the ratepayer in the Metropolitan area?

My attention has been called to this matter, and I understand that the Metropolitan Water Board are considering the promotion of legislation.

Will the ratepayers of the Metropolitan District be exempt from any further taxation?

The views of the Water Board are to be submitted to the Local Government Board, I think, on Thursday morning, by a deputation.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether, seeing that there are no regulations of the Scottish Education Department forbidding primary school teachers to give their pupils such secondary instruction as would justify their presentation in single subjects at any examination, he will explain how it is that passes in single subjects do not count for the course that ends in the leaving certificate, and if, therefore, it is not the case that practically teachers in rural schools cannot train their pupils so as to pass into the university?

Neither the junior student's certificate nor the leaving certificate has any direct value in relation to university entrance, but passes in single subjects, for which it is open to teachers in rural schools to prepare their pupils, are accepted by the universities of Scotland as exempting pro tanto from their own preliminary examinations.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is an idea prevalent throughout all the rural schools of Scotland that single subjects do not count in the course that ends in the certificate?

No. The single subjects count as far as they themselves are concerned for entrance to the university.

They do not.

asked the Secretary for Scotland if his attention has been directed to a Return given by the Secretary to the Board of Agriculture (Ireland), showing the amount of money advanced by the Board for the purchase of motor boats and for furnishing motors to sailing boats; and if he will bring the said Return before the notice of the Departmental Committee now engaged on this subject and request them to publish with their Report the experience of the Irish Board?

asked the Secretary for Scotland if his attention has been directed to a Return given by the Secretary to the Board of Agriculture (Ireland), showing the amount of money advanced by the Board for the purchase of motor boats and for furnishing motors to sailing boats; and if he will bring the said Return before the notice of the Departmental Committee now engaged on this subject and request them to publish with their Report the experience of the Irish Board?

If the Return which my hon. Friends have in view is the Report on the Sea and Inland Fisheries of Ireland for 1910 (Command Paper 5933, of last year), I may say that it has been brought to my notice, and also, I understand, to the notice of the Departmental Committee referred to. It is for that Committee to decide what they should publish in their Report.

When will the Report be forthcoming?

I cannot tell exactly.

Can this Departmental Committee refuse to received evidence tendered to them?

I do not think they are in the least likely to. This particular Report will be before them. The point is whether they should embody it in their Report. That is certainly a matter for themselves. It is not necessary for them to do so, because it is already printed.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that they have refused evidence?

Not this evidence. I am not aware of it. If the hon. Member will put down a question I will inquire into it. Of course, they would refuse evidence which they thought was irrelevant to their inquiry.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the reference entrusted to the Royal Commission on the Civil Service, he will add an instruction that the Commissioners should be empowered to inquire into the operation of the regulations which preclude a Postal, Customs; Excise, or clerical employé who has been unjustly condemned and fined without a fair trial from obtaining an impartial investigation by the Privy-Council or of petitioning the Sovereign for an inquiry?

I cannot accept the assumptions contained in the hon. Member's question. It rests with the Commission to decide the scope of the terms of reference, to which I am not prepared to add.

Am I to understand that it is within the power of the Commission to take into consideration the operation of these regulations in their inquiry?

No, Sir. It is within the power of the Commission to interpret the scope of the reference, but they cannot go outside of its actual terms. The Prime Minister states that he is not prepared to act in the way suggested by the hon. Member.

asked what was the value of the produce and manufactures of the United Kingdom consigned to the Union of South Africa and British India, respectively, during 1911, and the percentage of wholly or mainly manufactured goods in each case?

The total value of the exports of the produce and manufactures of the United Kingdom to the Union of South Africa in 1911 was £20,180,000, of which 88.1 per cent, consisted of goods wholly or mainly manufactured. The corresponding exports to British India were valued at £52,246,000, of which goods wholly or mainly manufactured represented 94.5 per cent.

May I ask the hon. Gentleman whether the enormous increase in the exports from this country to the Union of South Africa is in his opinion due to the preference which South Africa grants to this country?

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that the pensions granted to established men in His Majesty's dockyards are calculated, not on the gross wage, but on such wage after deductions for pension; and if he can see his way to get the system altered?

Such pensions are awarded by the Treasury under the provisions of Section 2 of the Superannuation Act, 1859, and that Department has no power to base their calculations on other than actual and established rates of pay. The system is common to the whole Civil Service, and could not be altered for one department alone.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the tax is not charged on income less Income Tax, but before Income Tax is deducted?

I am aware that under this Act the pension is on the salaries and emoluments of officers in an established capacity, and the Treasury has no alternative.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that men under the rank of chief petty officer are allowed, at their own expense, to wear honorary badges for good conduct but do not receive pay for the same, though the same men do obtain increase of pension for such badges; and if he will consider the granting of pay for these badges?

The question as to the grant of pay for good conduct badges to those ratings at present entitled to honorary badges has received the careful consideration of the Board of Admiralty, but it is not regarded as advisable to make the change proposed.

asked the Secretary of State-for the Home Department who it is has the making of the minor legal appointments in connection with the London Courts under his jurisdiction; are these made by nomination or by competition; and, if by the former method, will he take-steps to see that some form of competition, will be introduced?

If my hon. Friend is referring to the clerical staff of the Metropolitan Police Courts, these are appointed, in the case of clerks, by a limited competition among second division clerks nominated from the different Departments of the public service; in the case of assistant clerks, by a limited competition among the ushers and assistant ushers of the Courts and others nominated for the purpose.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether these appointments will be inquired into by the Royal Commission, and, if not, will he use his influence to get them included?

I will inquire into the question.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what steps, if any, the Congested Districts Board have taken to acquire by purchase the estate of Mr. J. G. Reynolds, of Ballymote, county Sligo, which is situate in the townland of Doonally, electoral divisions of Ballinakill and union of Sligo?

The Congested Districts Board are in communication with the owner with a view to the purchase of the estate referred to, but they are not at present in a position to make any farther statement in. the matter.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether any correspondence has taken place between the Estates Commissioners and the Master of the Rolls re the purchase by the former of the Boyd estate, county Wexford, consisting of the townlands of Scotsland, Duncormack, and Weneytown, with a view to their subdivision amongst uneconomic holdings in the district; and, if not, whether lie will request the Commissioners to undertake? these negotiations forthwith?

The Esates Commissioners are informed by the solicitors for the owner that the Master of the Rolls has recently made an Order giving permission for the institution of formal proceedings for the sale of this estate to the Commissioners.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the estate of Castleneyno, owned by Mr. Stack (agents, Messrs. J. D. Robinson, Sligo), and situate in the townland of Bally-sumaghan, electoral division of Ballinakill and union of Sligo, has yet been offered for sale to the Congested Districts Board?

The estate referred to has been offered for sale through the Congested Districts Board, and they hope to consider the question of purchasing it at an early date.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he has received a resolution from the county Kerry Evicted Tenants' Association complaining of the action of the Estates Commssioners in their treatment of William O'Neill, evicted tenant, Clashedmond, Ballyseedy, Tralee; and will the Commissioners explain how it is that on their first inspection they declared him a suitable person under the Evicted Tenants Act, and when pressed to do something they decide to take no action in the matter?

I have not received the resolution referred to. 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 5th December last.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman how it is that this man, having been declared a suitable person on the first inspection, has not been reinstated?

I think if the hon. Member will refer to the answer given on 5th December last he will discover some reason.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that, owing to a mistake in the address of Michael Gallagher, of Leckaun, Drumkeerin, county Leitrim, he was deprived of his old age pension, and whether, having regard to the fact that Gallagher produced convincing evidence before the local sub-comittee, including himself in person and a certificate from the Census Office, on the strength of which he was again granted a pension, the Local Government Board will reconsider his claim and award him all arrears due?

The hon. Member appears to be under a misapprehension. Michael Gallagher was not deprived of his pension owing to a mistake in his address. His pension was discontinued on a question raised by the pension officer that he had not reached the statutory age. The Local Government Board have no power to reopen the case.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners have considered the applications of the following tenants for reinstatement, and what have been their decisions respectively: Matthew Feehily, Johnston estate, Drumkeerin, county Leitrim; Francis Flynn, son of Michael Flynn, Marsham estate, Drumkeerin, county Leitrim; Anne Travers, alias Trower, Marsham estate; Kate Fallon, Marsham estate; William Porteus, Marsham estate; Mrs. O'Donnell, Montgomery estate?

The Estates Commissioners, after inquiry and consideration, decided to take no action on the applications for reinstatement of Matthew Feehily, Francis Flynn, and Catherine O'Donnell. The applications from the children of Anne Travers, deceased, and from William Porteus were not received within the period limited by the Evicted Tenants Act, 1907, and have not been considered by the Commissioners. The Commissoners cannot find that they have received any application from Kate Fallon.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he will state on whose authority twelve town tenants in Manorhamilton were arrested on the morning of 6th January last and tried by a Court consisting of one resident magistrate, who sat in the day-room of the police barracks and refused to admit the public; whether he is aware that the magistrate refused to hear evidence in defence of the prisoners, who were charged with intimidation by booing a bailiff, and sentenced them to a term of one month's imprisonment or, in default, to give bail for their future good behaviour, and whether he will state under what Act of Parliament these prisoners were tried, and why was a Catholic holiday, when people were going to prayers, selected to disturb the town by the drafting in of a large force of police to arrest these men?

The persons referred to were arrested by the direction of the Attorney-General. The resident magistrate sat in the day-room of the police barracks, as stated, to hear the charges, but the Press and the public were admitted as far as the accommodation would allow. The magistrate allowed the solicitor for the defence to cross-examine the police witnesses, but refused, as he was legally entitled to do, to hear evidence for the accused. The prisoners were tried under the Act 34 Edward III., cap. 1, and the jurisdiction vested in magistrates by the Commission of the Peace. The arrests were effected and proceedings instituted on 6th January without any regard to that day being a Catholic holiday.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that several of these prisoners were tried by the Star Chamber system and were innocent of the charge, and will he consider the advisability of revising this method with the view of substituting the old Tory system for Star Chamber trial?

I do not quite understand the reference to the Star Chamber system. I am not in a position to say, of my own knowledge, whether these persons were innocent or not.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he can state how many persons were convicted of unlawful assembly at the Winter Assizes held in Ireland in 1911; and how many were sentenced to imprisonment with hard labour for the offence?

At the Winter Assizes, 1911, twenty persons were convicted of unlawful assembly. Of these seventeen were bound over to keep the peace, and three were sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard labour.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he hopes to bring about any improvement in the condition of secondary education in Ireland this year?

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member's question on this subject on 29th February.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he will now consider the justice of abolishing standard numbers in the grading or classification of Irish teachers; and whether in doing so he will refund to all teachers promoted but not paid during the past two years the arrears due on account of such promotion?

I am not prepared to recommend an indefinite increase of the numbers in the several grades of national teachers. With regard to the second paragraph, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave yesterday to the question of the hon. Member for Mid-Armagh on this subject.