asked the Secretary to the Treasury how the Development Grant has been distributed up to the last date for which the information is available?

The Development Commissioners have recommended advances partly by way of Grant and partly by way of loan for the following amounts, in round figures:—

£217,000	for agriculture, co-operation, and rural industries.
£166,000	for the development of fisheries, including fishery harbour improvements.
£15,500	for forestry.
£19,500	for the omprovement of inland navigations.

In some cases the amounts included in the above totals represent the recommendations of the Commissioners in respect of the first year's work under schemes which will involve much larger expenditure as they are gradually brought into full operation. More detailed information will be given in the Annual Report of the Development Commissioners, which will be laid before Parliament in due course.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is proposed that Regulations shall be made under Section 10 of the Finance Act, 1911, entirely prohibiting the sale of blended British and foreign wines, or whether it is proposed only to provide that blended wines shall be clearly so described; and, if the former, whether strong representations have been received in opposition to this course, and why it is thought necessary to give a monopoly to foreign wines at the expense of the large and growing trade in wines partly grown in this country?

It is not proposed to prohibit entirely the sale of blended British and foreign wines. The Regulations restrict the amount of foreign wine which may be mixed with British wine to fifteen gallons of foreign to 100 gallons of British wine, and provide that such blended wines shall be sold under the designation of a British wine.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware of the feeling in Ireland adverse to old age pensioners being deprived of their pensions by the fact of undergoing treatment in union hospitals, which in most rural portions of Ireland are the only available institutions, while on the other hand recognising the reasonableness of the ratepayers being paid 4s. weekly for their maintenance, leaving 1s. of the pension available for their personal use, subject to power on the guardians' part to take less than 4s. where, for special reasons, more than 1s. weekly is reasonably needed for a pensioner's private purposes; whether he is aware that the present administration of the Old Age Pensions Act in this respect, is causing dissatisfaction; whether he will explain why the burden of maintaining in illness a person who when in health is entitled to the old age pension falls on the ratepayers and the payment of the pension is terminated; and whether, having regard also to the hardship arising in many cases under the new Act by old age pensioners, when deprived of their pensions through admission to union hospitals, being unable after leaving hospital to obtain the pension again till a new claim has been made and investigated and a meeting of the subcommittee held to sanction the same, often involving several weeks' delay, and seeing that the disqualification alleged to arise in such cases has never been decided by any Court of Law to legally exist, he will take steps to meet the wishes felt in Ireland with regard to the question of union hospital treatment and old age pensions?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the question asked on this subject by the hon. Member for North Londonderry on the 6th March.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he will state why the claim of Joseph Anderson, of 2, Kew Villas, Bemerton, Salisbury, to an old age pension has on appeal to the Board been disallowed, seeing that he is over seventy-two years of age and, having resided continuously in the United Kingdom since January, 1901, and was absent therefrom for a continuous period of less than three months in 1900, complies with the provisions of Section 3 (2) (e) of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1911?

I understand that the claimant has resided in the United Kingdom since January, 1901, but I have no evidence to show that he was resident here in 1900. Consequently the provision to which the hon. Member refers would not appear to apply in this case.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to the prosecution of Mr. John Williamson, Belfast, under the Vaccination Act; whether the Belfast guardians promised not to prosecute Mr. John Williamson for the non-vaccination of his child whilst so many children's ailments were prevalent in the city; whether, within three weeks of such promise, a summons was authorised; whether, in consequence of the illness of the child, Mr. Williamson obtained from his medical adviser a certificate of postponement in the form of Schedule B, as required by the Vaccination (Ireland) Act, 1863; whether, in spite of this, the magistrate imposed a fine of 20s. and costs; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

I am informed that the Belfast board of guardians at their meeting on the 12th instant had before them a letter from Mr. James Williamson, stating that, in view of the prevalence of children's ailments in the city, he would not allow his child to be vaccinated, whereupon the guardians instructed their solicitor to institute legal proceedings against him. The Local Government Board have no knowledge of a certificate having been presented by Mr. Williamson, as stated, and are not aware of the result of the legal proceedings referred to. The Board have no jurisdiction to interfere in the matter.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will give the number of lieutenants who have retired and resigned each year during the past eight years, exclusive of those who have left for misconduct or to avoid court-martial.

The numbers of lieutenants who have retired and resigned during the eight years from 1904 to 1911 inclusive (excluding those who have left for misconduct or to avoid court martial) are:—

			Retired.		Resigned.
1904	…	…	17	…	6
1905	…	…	20	…	2
1906	…	…	21	…	8
1907	…	…	26	…	5
1908	…	…	26	…	5
1909	…	…	26	…	7
1910	…	…	63	…	7
1911	…	…	55	…	8

Supplementary lieutenants and lieutenants promoted from warrant rank are not included.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War, whether his attention has been called to the inadequate accommodation afforded to the units of the Territorial Force in the districts of Edmonton and Tottenham by the Drill Hall at present in use; whether it is intended to totally rebuild this hall, although some £700 has been recently spent in repairing it; whether he is aware that a site was secured in a more advantageous position by public subscription some years back, and that, owing to the decision of the War Office to rebuild on the old leasehold site, the land acquired by public subscription will now have to be sold?

The Middlesex Territorial Force Association have recently reported that the Drill Hall at Tottenham is beyond repair, and a scheme of reconstruction is now under consideration. About £700 have been spent in repairs and additions to the premises generally, but, with the exception of a new floor to the Drill Hall, which will be available under the reconstruction scheme, very little has been expended on the Drill Hall itself. A site was secured in 1901 for £1,500 by persons interested in the local Volunteers and the Middlesex County Council agreed to find two-thirds of the cost if the remaining one-third were raised by public subscription. Sufficient money was not obtained by subscriptions, and the arrangement with the county council fell through when the Territorial Force came into being. In 1909 the association proposed to buy the site for £1,500 and erect new headquarters. This scheme was considered too expensive, and it was decided to retain and repair the existing premises which are held by the association on a lease, which does not expire till 1963, and under which they were already liable for-dilapidations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has received the protest of the Trinidad Working Men's Association against the introduction of 2,300 indentured labourers during next season; whether his attention has been drawn to the speech of Dr. Lawrence in the Trinidad Legislative Council upon the subject of East Indian immigration; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

I have not received the protest referred to, and at the request of the Colonial Government I have now authorised the introduction of the 2,300 labourers during the next season. My hon. Friend has furnished me with a newspaper report of Dr. Lawrence's speech in the Legislative Council of Trinidad. The incidence of the cost of this labour which is referred to in the speech, is now under the consideration of the Colonial Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of first offenders imprisoned without the option of a fine by Mr. Blackwood Wright during his magistracy of the Port of Spain, Trinidad; the number of persons under the age of eighteen years imprisoned by him without the option of a fine, and for what offences; the number of persons wrongfully imprisoned by him, and released by order of the Governor, in cases not admitting an appeal under the existing law; the number of convictions quashed by the court of appeal as compared with other magistrates of the colony; and the amount of costs paid by the Government in respect of such quashed convictions?

I have no statistics at my disposal which would enable me to answer this question.

asked the Prime Minister whether members of the Civil Service will be permitted to give evidence before the Royal Commission on the Civil Service with the assurance that any criticisms they may make of the present system will not be prejudicial to their advance- ment; and whether they will be allowed to give evidence through representatives who are not members of the Civil Service, their own names being communicated to the chairman of the Commission alone?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the latter part the matter is one for the decision of the Commission, with whom the calling of witnesses to give evidence lies.

asked the President of the Local Government Board what steps have been taken by the Government for the inspection of imported Chinese hair, with a view of finding out the possibility of the importation of leprosy germs and, if proved, of stopping it?

No steps of the kind indicated have been taken. I have no evidence indicating danger of the transmission of leprosy by imported hair, but I shall be happy to inquire into any case which the hon. Member may bring to my notice.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he has received representations with reference to the draft Regulations for the restriction of the use of preservatives in cream; and whether, in view of the difference of opinion as to the practicabilty of the proposals, he can see his way to postpone the operation of these Regulations in order that an opportunity may be given for discussing some modification?

I may refer to the answer which I have to-day given to various oral questions on this subject.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) what are the Regulations intended to be made with regard to the sale of preserved cream; whether these Regulations have the sanction of any dairy societies in Ireland or other bodies interested in its sale; whether he has received a statement from the Kantoher Co-operative Dairy Society, Limited, of Killeedy, county Limerick, to the effect that such Regulations will tend to injure its sale; and what action he intends to take in the matter?

The Local Government Board (England) propose to make Regulations with regard to the use of preservatives in cream and the labelling of receptacles of preserved cream. The sanction of dairy societies is not required for such Regulations, but any representations which such societies or any persons interested in the sale of cream may make to the proper quarter will no doubt receive due attention. No such statement has been received so far from the dairy society mentioned. A communication objecting to the Regulations has, however, been received. The matter is being considered.

asked the Postmaster-General how many third-class clerks are at present employed in the offices of superintending engineers in London and the provinces; how many promotions of third-class clerks, superintending engineers' offices, have been made to second-class clerkships during the past ten years; the average age of such officers when (promoted; and the number of promotions of third-class clerks that have been made direct to the first class of clerks during the past ten years?

The particulars asked for by the hon. Member are not all available, but I will communicate to him by letter such of them as can be obtained.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of his adoption of the Hobhouse Committee's recommendation that Post Office servants employed in London shall receive a higher scale of pay as compared with that assigned to Post Office servants performing similar duties in the provinces, on the ground of the increased cost of living, he will state the reason for employing assistant clerks in the engineering department of the Post Office in London at a scale of pay which is less, in their earlier years of service, than that of clerical assistants who are employed upon corresponding duties in the provincial districts of the engineering department; and will he state, in addition, the reason for granting twenty-one days' annual leave after five years of service to the latter class, as against only eighteen days granted to the former after ten years of service?

Assistant clerks are a class common to the whole Civil Service, and I am not primarily concerned in questions concerning their pay and privileges, nor was their case considered by the Hobhouse Committee. The Prime Minister stated on the 11th instant, in reply to the hon. Member for East Leeds, that the question of the remuneration of clerical Civil servants would not be excluded from the scope of the inquiry by the Royal Commission of which Lord Macdonnell is chairman, and the case of the assistant clerks may come before them. Clerical assistants are a Post Office class. Their period of leave was fixed by me on the same scale as that applicable to sorting clerks and telegraphists.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the captain of the steamship "Glenton," the property of the Ballycastle Shipping Company, was summoned to attend the Swansea Court on the morning of the 28th July, 1911, in respect of the charge of overloading, alleged to have taken place at Glasgow on the 22nd June last; will he state the explanation of the delay between the date of the alleged offence and the date of the taking of the proceedings; is he aware that on the case being called in Court on the 27th July it had to be adjourned till the following day, owing to the failure of the Board of Trade officers and his witnesses to attend the Court, with the consequent result of retaining the steamer for over twenty hours in the port of Swansea; and, seeing that the case was ultimately dismissed by the Court, whether the Board of Trade is prepared to compensate the owners for the detention of their steamer?

As the result of a report from the Board's surveyors at Glasgow, the master of the steamship "Glenton" was charged on 27th July last at the Swansea Police Court, with having allowed the vessel to be so loaded as to submerge the centre disc indicating the load-line on or about 22nd June. As six months are allowed by law within which proceedings may be instituted for this offence, there was no undue delay in this case in instituting proceedings, and the postponement of the hearing for a day was unfortunate but unavoidable. The Board of Trade are unable to entertain any application from the owners for compensation for any loss they may have incurred as a result of the institution of proceedings against the master of their vessel.

asked what number of persons not of British nationality are at present employed, or were employed at the date of the last Return, in the coal coal mining industry or actually working in the mines in Scotland; and what are the respective nationalities of such persons, and the number of each nationality so employed, and in what areas, respectively?

Exact figures are not available, but the number of aliens working Scottish mines is estimated by the inspector of the division roughly at 2,400, of whom the great majority are Poles. I am seeing whether more exact figures can be obtained, and if so, I will communicate them to the hon. Member.

also asked what number of persons not of British nationality are at present employed, or at the date of the last Return were employed, in the coal mining industry or actually working in the mines in England and Wales; and what are the respective nationalities of such persons, and the number of each nationality so employed, and in what areas respectively?

Exact figures are not available, but the estimates given by the inspectors of mines of the number of aliens employed in their respective districts are as follows:—

1. Newcastle District.—A few aliens are employed here and there, not exceeding a few hundreds altogether.

2. Durham District.—No aliens are employed underground. A very few are employed above ground.

3. York and North Midland District.—The number of aliens employed is so small as to be negligible.

4. Manchester and Ireland District.—Aliens are employed in four mines, their total number being about thirty-seven, of whom thirty-four are Poles.

5. Liverpool and North Wales District.—At the time of the last annual Return, eighty-eight aliens, of whom eighty-five were Poles or Lithuanians, were employed in West Lancashire underground, and one in Flintshire above ground.

6. South Wales District.—Very few aliens are employed in the district generally. In four collieries in Brecon, however, one of which formerly belonged to foreign owners, eighty-five aliens are employed, of French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German nationalities.

7. Midland and Southern District.—The number of aliens employed is so small as to be negligible.

The above returns do not include men employed on special work carried out by foreign contractors in connection with sinking shafts by patent processes, etc. Such contractors often employ their own workmen, who do not remain when the work is finished.

asked the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East, as Representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether he can arrange for the alternative plan for the King Edward memorial in Green Park, in the farm of an open colonnade, to be exposed for view in the Tea Room, for comparison with the design at present recommended by the committee?

The model referred to is not in the possession of the First Commissioner but of the sculptor. The King Edward Memorial Committee unanimously decided that it was nsuitable, and as the First Commissioner has not been approached by the committee with any suggestion to carry out this design in a Royal park, he regrets that he is not in a position to meet the request of the hon. Member.