asked the Secretary to the Treasury what amount has been granted by the Road Board to Ireland, giving the various amounts granted to each county under separate headings?

The following Grants have been made from the Road Improvement Fund to County Councils in Ireland:—For the improvement of road crusts—

			£
Antrim	…	…	4,194
Armagh	…	…	2,432
Clare	…	…	2,600
Cork	…	…	8,274
Down	…	…	4,257
Dublin	…	…	3,000
Fermanagh	…	…	1,298
Galway	…	…	4,700
Kildare	…	…	1,200
Kilkenny	…	…	1,460
Leitrim	…	…	1,700
Longford	…	…	1,250
Meath	…	…	1,250
Monaghan	…	…	1,550
Queen's	…	…	1,050
Roscommon	…	…	2,640
Sligo	…	…	2,000
Tipperary—
North Riding	…	…	1,350
South Riding	…	…	277
Tyrone	…	…	2,800
Waterford	…	…	1,138
For road widenings and improvement of curves and corners:—
Cork	…	…	1,476
Fermanagh	…	…	72
			£51,968

The Grants made to County Councils in Ireland up to the 31st March, 1912, amounted in the aggregate to £51,968. In addition Grants amounting in the aggregate to £38,032, and loans amounting to £13,000 have been indicated towards works of improvement of which the details are still under consideration and discussion.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state the number of appointments of clerks of the first division during each of the years 1900–11 by examination and by promotion from the second division respectively; the total number of first division clerks at present employed; the number of appointments to the intermediate class by examination and by promotion from the second division respectively; and the total number of intermediate clerks employed at the present time?

The number of appointments to the first division in the years 1900–11 is as follows:—

—		By Open Competition.	By Promotion from the Second Division.
1900	…	29	6
1901	…	33	5
1902	…	13	5
1903	…	39	6
1904	…	34	1
1905	…	15	3
1906	…	34	6
1907	…	18	2
1908	…	19	6
1909	…	17	3
1910	…	32	7
1911	…	27	5
Total for 12 years		310	55

The number of appointments to the intermediate class since 1905, when the grade was first created, is as follows:—

—		By Open Competition.	By Promotion from the Second Division or Staff Clerkships.
1905	…	—	295
1906	…	25	2
1907	…	30	22
1908	…	75	66
1909	…	81	36
1910	…	62	25
1911	…	62	5

These figures include twenty appointments in the offices of the Crown Agents to the Colonies and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. I am unable to state, without making inquiry of each Department, the total number of first division clerks at present employed. The total number of clerks of the intermediate class is about 720.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, when an application is to be made by a Scottish local authority to the Development Commissioners for assistance in building any harbour, it is the duty of that local authority to apply first to the Treasury; whether the matter is then sent to the Scottish Office for their approval; whether it then goes to the Board of Trade, and, if approved by them, is returned to the Scottish Office; whether it then comes back to the Development Commissioners, who, if approving of it, hand the proposal to the Treasury to deal with; and, if so, will he adopt some more direct method in the future?

Under the Development and Road Improvement Funds Act, 1909, an application for a Grant from the Development Fund must be made to the Treasury and forwarded by the Treasury to the Government Department concerned for transmission, with their report, to the Development Commissioners, who then make their recommendation to the Treasury. This procedure is statutory and I have no power to alter it. The Board of Trade is the Government Department primarily concerned with harbours, but in the case of a Scottish fishing harbour the Scottish Office and the Scotch Fishery Board would also be consulted.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what is the approximate profit made during the past financial year by the Treasury by receiving in cash the purchase instalments under the Irish Land Purchase Acts, and with such cash redeeming the stocks issued since 1891 to the selling landlords (Guaranteed Land Stock and Irish Two and Three-quarter per Cent. Land Stock) at a discount, which during the past year has averaged over 20 per cent.?

No profit is made by the Treasury by the investment of the Sinking Fund instalments under the Irish Land Purchase Acts. As staged on 18th March last, in answer to a question by the hon. Member for the Enfield Division, any benefit arising from the purchase of stock at a discount with these instalments accrues to the tenant purchasers.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if the Estates Commissioners have declined to take over from the Congested Districts Board the Wakely estate. Mount Shannon, county Clare; and will he explain the reasons which induced the Commissioners to arrive at such a decision?

This estate is the subject of proceedings for sale before the Estates Commissioners direct by the owner to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903, and will be dealt with in its order of priority.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he received a copy of a resolution passed by the Glenamaddy, county Galway, board of guardians, calling his attention to the state of unrest which exists in the district owing to the attitude taken up by a number of the local landlords in regard to the sale of their properties; whether he is aware that Mr. Johnstone is proceeding at present against his tenants for the recovery of their lands; and, having regard to the special circumstances of the Glenamaddy Union, namely, the state of congestion which exists and the attitude of the landlords in regard to sale, whether he will call the special attention of the Congested Districts Board to the matter so that the compulsory provisions of the Act of 1909 may be applied?

A resolution has been received from the Glenamaddy Rural District Council with regard to the issue of processes for the recovery of rent on the estate referred to. The Congested Districts Board do not propose to take any steps at present in regard to the compulsory acquisition of estates in this district.

asked the Chief Secretary whether, having regard to the need for the distribution of the Kerveguen Estate, county Meath, between local uneconomic holders, the Estates Commissioners will again approach the vendor with an increased offer; whether he will state if the amount already offered will necessitate the imposition of an annuity on the untenanted land equal to that now chargeable on the Brennan portion; and whether the Commissioners, when investigating the title to the Brennan Estate, were supplied with documentary evidence that the two estates were equal partitions of one estate?

The Estates Commissioners have communicated to the vendor their preliminary estimate of the amount which they are prepared to advance for the purchase of these lands. Their estimate, as the hon. Member has already been informed, was fixed after inspection, and they are not prepared to increase it.

asked the Chief Secretary if the Estates Commissioners have received a reply from the owner of the lands of Ballynanty, Bruff, county Limerick, as to his willingness to sell the untenanted land which is at present in the hands of a grazier?

The Estates Commissioners have not communicated direct with the owner in the matter, but they have directed one of their inspectors to make inquiry when in the neighbourhood, and they await his report.

asked the Chief Secretary if any inspection has yet been made on the estate of Stafford Delmege, at Knocklong, county Limerick; are the Commissioners aware that the landlord at the time of sale pledged himself to hand over the untenanted land on the estate to the Commissioners; and, in view of the fact that he has not done so, will steps be taken to refuse an advance on the property until the original agreement be carried out and the land taken up and distributed?

This estate is the subject of proceedings for sale direct by the owner, and he has included some fifty acres of untenanted lands in the proceedings pending before the Estates Commissioners. The Commissioners anticipate that it will be reached in order of priority during the present year, and when it is being dealt with due inquiry will be made as regards the untenanted land.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he is aware that a firm, called Thomas and Co., have been extensively selling worthless rubbish as manure in many districts in Ireland, and that a number of cases brought by the firm against purchasers were recently dismissed with costs by His Honour Judge Doyle, in the Mayo County Court, on the ground of fraud on the part of the plaintiffs; and will he cause warnings to be circulated against the purchase of such manures, and, as the same firm sells the same stuff in Devon and other districts in England, will he call the attention of the English Department to the matter?

The Department are aware that the firm mentioned has been selling inferior manures in Ireland. Proceedings instituted by the firm for the recovery of the cost of manures supplied by them in county Mayo resulted in the dismissal of the cases with costs. Evidence as to the inferior quality of the manures was given in these cases by official experts. The Department have issued posters in each of the last three years warning farmers against purchasing low grade manures, and their agricultural staff, inspectorial and educational, have constantly warned farmers to the same effect. The Department have learned that the same firm sells manures in England. They have no reason to assume that the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries are not cognisant of the proceedings of the firm, but the Department will draw the Board's attention to the proceedings in Court against this firm.

also asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland), whether in any cases, and, if so, in how many, proceedings have been taken under Section 32 (b) of the Irish Land Act, 1909, for cutting down trees; and has the Department any staff or inspectors to enable it to give some effect to this enactment?

No such proceedings have been instituted by the Department. No officers have been appointed specially for the purposes of the Section mentioned. The Department's forestry staff deal with the matter as far as practicable, with the assistance of the county instructors in agriculture.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) what particular districts of county Limerick did the engineer to the Department inspect as to coal, etc.; did he go through East Limerick, or that portion of it where it is said coal can be had, namely, Ballybrood, Drumkeen, Pallasgrean, Herbertstown, Kilteely, Ballybricken, and Caherconlish; and, if not, will steps be taken to make an inspection as soon as possible?

The districts visited by the Department's mineral expert were those of Glin and Abbeyfeale. He will inspect the localities mentioned in the question at an early date, probably in the course of next week.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the attention of the Law Officers or of his Department has been called to the practice of the constabulary authorities in charging expenses of witnesses in police cases who attend voluntarily and are able to pay their own conveyance against the county councils' funds under Section 4 of 14 and 15 Vic, c. 85, instead of under the head of prosecutors' and witnesses' expenses, thus throwing the burden on the county rates instead of on moneys provided by Parliament for expenses of Crown prosecution in Ireland; will he inform the constabulary authorities that Section 4 is only intended to apply to witnesses and others attending unwillingly, or for whose conveyance provision must be made if they are to attend at all; and is he aware that in a recent cattle-stealing case in county Mayo the police put the expenses of the willing and solvent prosecutor, the owner of the cattle, as a charge on the county under Section 4?

The matter referred to has recently been brought to the notice of the Irish Government. I am advised that these accounts have been prepared in strict accordance with Statute, and the Irish Government see no reason for departure from the existing practice. The answer to the final paragraph of the question is in the affirmative.

asked the Chief Secretary when Mr. J. K. O'Connor, of Castle-island, county Kerry, was appointed one of the justices of the peace for the county of Kerry; if he is aware that Mr. J. K. O'Connor has been reported by an Election Court for the corrupt practice of corruptly supplying drink to voters for the purpose of corruptly influencing such voters, and that he was refused a certificate of indemnity; will he state what proceedings have been taken against Mr. J. K. O'Connor, and will he also state the date when the Attorney-General for Ireland sent to the Lord Chancellor of Ireland the report of the Election Court and the evidence on which it was based, in accordance with the procedure prescribed by Statute; on what date the Lord Chancellor removed Mr. J. K. O'Connor's name from the Commission of the Peace for the County of Kerry, and on what date he communicated to Mr. J. K. O'Connor the fact that he had removed his name from the Commission of the Peace for the country of Kerry; and if Mr. J. K. O'Connor's name appears in a list of persons found guilty of corrupt and illegal practices at elections in the East Kerry Division of the c aunty of Kerry?

The Lord Chancellor informs me that Mr. O'Connor was appointed to the Commission of the Peace for the county of Kerry in 1904. In 1908 he was reported by an Election Court as guilty of corrupt practices at a municipal election, and proceedings were taken at Petty Sessions to have him returned for trial, but the magistrates refused informations. The case does not appear to have been reported by the Attorney-General of the day to the late Lord Chancellor, but the latter, having regard to a subsequent decision of the High Court in a similar case, and deeming that the name of a person disqualified by law from acting as a magistrate should not be retained in the Commission of the Peace, directed the omission of Mr. O'Connor's name. As the returning officer's published list of persons found guilty of corrupt or illegal practices included Mr. O'Connor's name it was not deemed necessary to make any further communication to him on the subject of his disqualification.

asked what deductions have been made from Government Grants in aid of local taxation in Mayo county during the past five years; and the grounds for such deductions?

The following deductions were made from Grants in the case of county Mayo in each of the last five years in respect of land purchase transactions: Year ended 31st March, 1908, £54 5s. 4d.; 1909, £l,875 12s. 4d.; 1910. nil; 1911, £256 2s. 5d.; 1912, £179 4s. 3d. In the year ended March, 1910, a sum of £129 17s. 5d. was added to the share of the county in the Death Duty Grant on account of sums repaid to the Guarantee Fund established under the Land Purchase Acts of 1891 and 1903.

asked the Chief Secretary how many licensed publicans have been appointed justices of the peace in Ireland since 1st January, 1906; have any and how many of them since ceased to be licensed publicans in compliance with undertakings given by them to do so; and is it intended to appoint any more publicans to be justices and to allow them to continue publicans or assign their licences to a wife, son, or other near relative, notwithstanding the protests of the temperance societies that the publicans, whose trade causes nine-tenths of the ordinary crime in Ireland, are unsuitable persons to make into magistrates; and has he received many protests from the Irish Temperance League against such appointments?

As I have stated in reply to a question asked by the hon. Member, the Lord Chancellor informs me that in order to furnish the particulars required it would be necessary to examine the papers connected with every appointment to the magistracy in Ireland during the period mentioned, which would take a considerable time and serve no useful purpose. He also informs me that it is the general practice not to appoint licensed publicans as magistrates, and that the number of those holding the Commission of the Peace is believed to be very small. I have received no protests from the Irish Temperance League against such appointments.

asked why extra police have been drafted into Elton district, county Limerick; how many have been stationed there heretofore, and what is the reason for the increase; and, in view of the peaceful state of the district, will they be withdrawn so as not to increase the rates in the district?

The police authorities inform me that the number of men available for duty in the Elton district is not in excess of the fixed quota. The requirements of the district cannot be carried out with a smaller force. The present strength of the force does not entail any charge on the rates.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that John O'Dwyer (Kate) and Mary O'Dwyer, Ballagh, Gooldscross, county Tipperary, were allowed an old age pension by the Cashel pension sub-committee but were disallowed by the Local Government Board on appeal; and whether, seeing that they live with their son on a farm of twelve acres, valuation £4 10s., and that John O'Dwyer (Kate) is in receipt of an Army pension of 6d. per day for service in the Indian Mutiny, he will state the grounds upon which the Local Government Board determined they were not entitled to a pension?

These claims were disallowed on the grounds that the claimants' means derived from the farm and the Army pension exceeded the statutory limit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that, in connection with alterations now being made to Hendon parish church, there is a possibility of settling the question of the exact site of the grave of Sir T. Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore, whose body is interred there in a position at present unknown; and whether, in the event of the grave being discovered and its being necessary to remove the remains, he will, on behalf of the State, see that the transfer is made with proper ceremonial to a fitting place and will cause the site to be marked with a memorial commensurate with his fame and public services?

I have no funds at my disposal for such a purpose, but in the event of the grave being discovered, I shall be prepared to invite the Government of the Straits Settlements to consider the question of providing funds for a suitable memorial, either by a Government Grant or by means of a public subscription in the Colony.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the number of executions in Northern Nigeria during the years 1908–10 was so much greater than in any other Crown Colony?

The number of executions in Northern Nigeria during the years referred to was not greater than in any other Crown Colony. In comparing such statistics it is essential that the population of the Colonies concerned should be borne in mind, as well as the characteristics of the various races of which the population is composed.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the county education committee of the Somerset County Council have passed resolutions regarding the shortage of supply in teachers, bursars, pupil teachers, and others, and asking that an inquiry should be made at once by the Board of Education regarding this shortage; and will he state what steps, if any, he proposes to take in the matter?

I have received copies of the resolutions referred to as having been passed by the education committee of the Somerset County Council. The question to which they relate has been engaging my attention for some time past and the hon. Member may be interested to learn that I have invited a deputation from the County Councils Association to discuss the problem with me on the 16th of this month.

asked the President of the Board of Education, if he will give the total number of admissions of bursars and pupil teachers throughout England during the years 1905–6 to 1910–11, inclusive and separately.

The numbers of pupil teachers recognised for the first time during the year, and of bursars recognised for the year are as follows:—

ENGLAND AND WALES.
Years.	England.		Wales.		Total.
	Pupil Teachers.	Bursars.	Pupil Teachers.	Bursars.	Pupil Teachers.	Bursars.
1905–6	9,885	—	952	—	10,837	—
1900–7	11,018	—	883	—	11,901	—
1907–8	8,297	2,043	747	193	9,044	2,236
1908–9	5,210	3,507	552	286	5,762	3,793
1909–10	3,839	3,341	415	353	4,254	3,694
1910–11	2,593	2,764	392	272	2,985	3,036

TOTAL PUPIL TEACHERS AND BURSARS.
Year.	England only.	England and Wales.
1905–6	9,885*	10,837*
1906–7	11,018*	11,901*
1907–8	10,340	11,280
1908–9	8,717	9,555
1909–10	7,180	7,948
1910–11	5,357	6,021
* Pupil Teachers only.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the county education committee of the Somerset County Council have passed a resolution asking that the Board of Education should at once change the present arrangement according to which all trained teachers leave training colleges at one period in the year, as such an arrangement not only inflicts hardships on the teachers concerned, but also deters parents from encouraging their children to become bursars or pupil teachers; and will he state what action he proposes to take in the matter?

The question as to the possibility of a change indicated in the question is one which has been for some time under the consideration of the Board, and has been discussed by them with various local education authorities. I may refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my predecessor on the subject in this House on 13th July of last year, a copy of which will be found on page 71 of the Board's last Report. Particulars will be found on the same page as to an arrangement for double entry, which has now been introduced as an experiment in two training colleges provided by the London County Council.

asked the Secretary for Scotland, what number of higher grade pupils have been awarded bursaries by county committees and the number of these pupils who afterwards have taken the intermediate certificate; and, in view of the belief that bursaries are in some instances given where the recipients are not mentally able to profit by them, would he institute a rational examination to determine the standard of scholarship required before a bursary can be awarded?

As the first set of intermediate bursars appointed under the present system will only become ripe for the award of the intermediate certificate at the close of the current session, my hon. Friend's inquiry is somewhat premature; but, in view of the precautions taken by the committees, I have no reason to believe that the number of bursars who fail to complete the course satisfactorily will be at all considerable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department who has the nominating of the ushers and assistant ushers in the Metropolitan police courts; is the competition to which they are subjected a competitive examination; if so, in what subjects; and will he issue a regulation that these positions should be in the future open to competition without nomination?

Assistant ushers are appointed by the Secretary of State, subject to a qualifying examination held by the Civil Service Commissioners. The majority of the vacancies in recent years have been filled by ex-soldiers. Vacancies for ushers are filled by promotion from the class of assistant ushers. I see no reason for any change of practice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that a number of men in the Y Division of the Metropolitan Police who, in common with men of other divisions, did many hours of overtime in connection with the late strike of carmen, have received no compensation either in time or wages, whereas men of the L Division and the A Division are stated to have had their full time allowed off; and, if so, can he say whether it is intended to give similar consideration to the men of the Y Division as opportunity offers?

The grant of "time off" to men in the A and L Divisions, to which the hon. Member has called attention, appears to have been due to a misunderstanding on the part of the superintendents of these Divisions. Men of all the Divisions did a great deal of extra work on the occasion referred to, and for this they received the usual extra allowances. It was also taken into account in according to the whole force a substantial increase of pay which dated back so as to cover the period of special stress, and in view of this it was not intended to incur the great dislocation of duties which would have resulted from giving "time off" to the whole force.

asked whether all land in Wales is subject to a tithe rent-charge; and, if not, what proportion is so charged?

At the time of the commutation the proportion of the total acreage of land in England and Wales subject to tithe rent-charge was 76 per cent. No separate calculation was made for Wales. I am unable to say what is the proportion of land so charged at the present day either in England and Wales jointly or in Wales alone.

also asked what amount of money is obtained yearly from the tithe rent-charge in Wales; what amount goes to the Welsh Church; and what amount to lay persons?

:I would refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on this subject on the 5th and the 14th March, which supply all the information at my disposal.

asked the Prime Minister whether he proposes to introduce legislation to give effect to the recommendations of the Report of the Departmental Committee on the position of tenant farmers on the occasion of any change in the ownership of their holdings?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. My Noble Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board will introduce a Bill in the other House in the near future to carry out such of the recommendations of the Departmental Committee as the Government wishes to see translated into law.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether the East Stour Small Holdings Association is charged by the Dorset County Council practically as much rent for 98½ acres of land, the worst part of Hunger Hill Farm, East Stour, as the previous tenant paid for the whole farm of 179 acres; whether, in addition, they have to pay a sum of 23s. per acre or thereabouts as compensation to the previous tenant, on the portion rented by them, for manures, etc., whilst two other tenants renting direct from the landlord forty-eight acres of the same farm have had little or no compensation to pay; whether he is aware that the small holders assert that the whole of the manure made during the last two years of the previous tenancy, excepting about ten loads, was carted off the portion of the farm they rent on to other portions of the farm not rented by them; will he say whether he will have an inquiry held by an officer of the Board into this matter to ascertain the facts?

I am not in possession of all the information necessary for a full reply to this question, but I am making inquiries. Perhaps my hon. Friend would be good enough to postpone the question for a week.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he will state what action the Government has taken or intends to take in regard to the Report of the Committee appointed to inquire into the position of tenant farmers and the acquisition of their holdings?

:I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I have just given to the Noble Lord the Member for the Newton Division of Lancashire (Viscount Wolmer).

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture when the results of the Census of Production with regard to agriculture are likely to be published?

The Report will, I hope, be published soon after Easter.

asked the President of the Local Government Board what is the excess of births over deaths in Great Britain for each of the ten years ending with 1911, and including that year; and what was the rate per 1,000 of such excess in relation to the population?

The excess of births over deaths in Great Britain in each of the ten years 1902–11, and the rate of such excess per 1,000 persons living, are shown in the following Table:—

Year.		Excess of Births over Deaths.	Rate per 1,000 Persona Living.
1902	…	459,297	12.26
1903	…	491,166	12.98
1904	…	450,227	11.75
1905	…	466,136	12.08
1906	…	460,170	11.81
1907	…	445,365	11.32
1908	…	473,451	11.88
1909	…	450,506	11.22
1910	…	465,470	11.48
1911	…	403,462	9.86

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether the Wandsworth Board of Guardians has applied to him for permission to pay all their non-resident male officers a wage of not less than 30s. per week; and whether he has declined to agree to the proposal on the ground that other boards of guardians, might follow the example of the Wandsworth Board and submit similar applications; and, if this is so, whether he has considered the possibility of a family being housed, fed, and clothed on less than 30s. per week in London?

I may refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to-day to the hon. Member for South West Ham, from which it will be seen that the application of the Wandsworth guardians is still under consideration.

asked the President of the Local Government Board, the amount of the loans sanctioned by the Local Government Board under the Housing Acts for building houses or cottages for each year from 1900 and 1905, and from 1906 to 1910, both years inclusive in each case?

The amounts of the loans sanctioned by the Local Government Board for the erection of houses for the working classes under Part III. of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, since the year 1900 are as follows:—

Year.					£
1900	…	…	…	…	354,923
1901	…	…	…	…	236,889
1902	…	…	…	…	178,307
1903	…	…	…	…	147,343
1904	…	…	…	…	207,23
1905	…	…	…	…	114,128
1906	…	…	…	…	78,167
1907	…	…	…	…	66,321
1908	…	…	…	…	129,727
1909	…	…	…	…	49,254
1910	…	…	…	…	124,778
1911	…	…	…	…	111,289
1912 (three months)				…	133,975

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Durham miners' strike and provident funds are merged; and, if so, whether the Registrar of Friendly Societies proposes to protect the provident portion of the fund from being rendered insufficient to meet the liabilities attached thereto?

I have no official information with regard to the first part of the question. With regard to the second I am informed that the Registrar of Friendly Societies has no powers which enable him to control the provident portion of the fund.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total loss of the British and Irish population, respectively, owing to emigration (i.e, the excess of Board of Trade emigrants over Board of Trade immigrants) in each of the last ten years ending with and including 1911; and what was the rate per 1,000 of such loss in each year in proportion to the population?

The excess of the number of passengers, described as British subjects, who left ports in the United Kingdom for countries out of Europe over the number of those who arrived in the United Kingdom from Countries out of Europe in each of the years 1902 to 1911 was as follows:—

Years.		Excess of Passengers for, over Passengers from, Countries out of Europe (British Subjects only).	Proportion of Excess of Outward Passengers to the Estimated Population of the United Kingdom.
			Per Thousand.
1902	…	101,547	2.4
1903	…	147,036	3.5
1904	…	126,854	3.0
1905	…	139,365	3.2
1906	…	194,671	4.5
1907	…	235092	5.4
1908	…	91,156	2.1
1909	…	139,693	3.1
1910	…	233709	5.2
1911	…	261,809	5.8

asked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the number of emigrants sailing from Scottish ports annually during each of the eleven years 1901 to 1911, inclusive, distinguishing as far as possible emigrants of Scottish nationality and domicile from emigrants of other nationalities passing through Scotland; and whether he can give any indication as to the number of emigrants of Scottish nationality and domicile sailing from other ports of the United Kingdom during those years?

The figures given below show the aggregate number of passengers of Scottish nationality who left, and arrived at, ports in Scotland, and other ports in the United Kingdom, and of passengers not of Scottish nationality who left, and arrived at, ports in Scotland in each of the years 1901 to 1911. Traffic between ports in the United Kingdom and ports on the Continent of Europe is not included in these figures. The information hitherto furnished to the Board of Trade does not enable emigrants to be distinguished from other passengers outward, and no statement of the domicile of passengers is available.

STATEMENT showing the Passenger Movement between Scottish Ports and places out of Europe in each of the years 1901 to 1911. (Compiled from the Passenger Lists furnished to the Board of Trade under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1906.)
Year.		No. stated to be of Scottish Nationality.	Other British.	Aliens.	Total.
Number of Passengers Outward.
1901	…	11,011	31	3,860	14,902
1902	…	12,867	31	7,064	19,962
1903	…	20,134	63	7,229	27,426
1904	…	23,522	55	6,219	29,796
1905	…	27,648	13	11,192	38,853
1906	…	38,335	10	17,878	56,223
1907	…	48,114	11	21,560	69,685
1908	…	25,545	183	3594	29,322
1909	…	34,252	168	7,490	41,910
1910	…	55,211	133	9,872	65,216
1911	…	57,417	488	6,776	64681

Number of Passengers Inward.
1901	…	3,536	974	2,811	7,321
1902	…	3,395	902	3,069	7366
1903	…	3,551	1,036	4,826	9,413
1904	…	4,389	1,109	4,707	10,205
1905	…	4,915	1,271	6,445	12,631
1906	…	5,847	1,460	8,849	16,156
1907	…	7,423	1,949	11,113	20,485
1908	…	8,302	2,408	11,488	22,198
1909	…	6,342	2,362	7,252	15,956
1910	…	7,880	2,469	9,222	19,571
1911	…	11,31	2,669	12,792	26,802

Excess of Passengers Outward over Passengers Inward.
1901	…	7,475	- 943*	1,049	7,581
1902	…	9,472	- 871*	3,995	12,596
1903	…	16,583	- 973*	2,403	18,013
1904	…	19,133	- 1,054*	1,512	19,591
1905	…	22,733	- 1,258*	4,747	26,222
1906	…	32,488	- 1,450*	9,029	40,67
1907	…	40,691	- 1,938*	10,447	49,200
1908	…	17,243	- 2,225*	- 7,894*	7,124
1909	…	27,910	- 2,194*	238	25,954
1910	…	47,331	- 2,336*	650	45,645
1911	…	46,076	- 2,181*	- 6,016*	37,879
* Excess of Passengers Inward over Passengers Outward.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War would a Civil servant in the Post Office who is a member of the Territorial Force, in the event of mobilisation of these forces either as a trial or for actual defence, receive full civil pay during such period of mobilisation?

As was stated by my predecessor in answer to a question by the Noble Lord the Member for Horsham, on 6th May, 1908, the arrangements to be made on the embodiment of the Territorial Force will be a matter for consideration when the occasion arises; and I concur with him in thinking it unnecessary to make any statement on the subject at the present time.

asked the Postmaster-General what progress has been made towards securing the twenty-five subscribers for a trunk telephone call office at Longford; and whether the canvasser has been sent to that district as promised?

Arrangements have been made for a canvass at Longford as soon as possible after Easter, when the canvasser is likely to be more successful than at the present moment.

asked the Postmaster-General whether there is any regulation of the Department which provides that notes of the Royal Bank of Scotland are not to be accepted at rish post offices except at a discount of 6d. in the £; is there any similar rule as to notes of the Bank of Ireland at English or Scotch post offices; will he consider whether such vexatious regulations might be abolished in the interest of public convenience; and is he aware that notes of Scotch banks have a large circulation in the North-East of Ireland?

There is no regulation which precludes postmasters in Ireland, or elsewhere, from accepting bank notes which, like those issued by Scottish and Irish bankers, are not legal tender. It is left to their discretion to judge whether the local facilities for the negotiation of such notes justify their acceptance as cash. In Ireland the postmasters as a rule accept Scottish notes at their value or charge a commission, according to the practice of the local bank. I think this reasonable, and I am not prepared to lay down any rule in the matter.

asked the Postmaster-General, whether he has received a memorial from the people of Ballydine Cross, Goold's Cross, county Tipperary, and surrounding districts, requesting him to improve the postal facilities of the district by erecting a pillar-box at Ballydine Cross; and whether, seeing that this is a thickly-populated area without a post office, the nearest being three miles, he will take steps to comply with their request?

The memorial has not yet reached me; but I have called for a report on the subject, and I will communicate the result to the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he was aware hat a request for the number of officers at their maximum in the Shrewsbury office had been refused to the representative of the staff who required the particulars for the purpose of compiling evidence to be submitted to the forthcoming committee; whether this statement could be easily supplied from the local records; and whether, in view of his assurance that information which was readily obtainable should be given, he will supply the desired information?

The hon. Member presumably refers to an application made for information regarding officers in receipt of the maximum wage at Shrewsbury. The particulars requested related to length of service and the period for which they have been at their maximum, and could not be obtained without a scrutiny of past records, and in these circumstances I do not consider that it could be described as readily available.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the number of words included in the 1,859,000 passing over the Pacific cable for the year ending 31st March, 1911, which were directed to the United Kingdom and to other countries on the east side of the Atlantic Ocean?

I am informed that the total number of words sent over the Pacific cable in messages for countries on the East side of the Atlantic Ocean during the year ended 31st March, 1911, was 617,775, of which 584,368 were destined to the United Kingdom.

asked the Postmaster-General if he could state what number of words passing over the Pacific cable during the eleven months ending 29th February, 1912, were directed to the United Kingdom or other countries on the east side of the Atlantic Ocean; and what number of words for the same eleven months originated from countries on the east side of the Atlantic Ocean?

I am informed that the approximate number of words passing over the Pacific cable and directed to the United Kingdom and other countries on the east side of the Atlantic, Ocean during the eleven months ended 29th February, 1912, was 632,697. In the reverse direction the number was 502,348.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that Thomas Dwyer and Joseph Weston, rural auxiliary postmen, Dundrum, county Tipperary, have to be on duty from 7.30 a.m. to 12 noon each day, that they have to walk fourteen miles each and are not allowed to use a bicycle, and that their weekly pay amounts to 10s. 9d. each, no sick pay allowed and no holidays; and whether he will see his way to increase their weekly pay, allow them sick pay, and permit them to use their bicycles?

I am having inquiry made in the matter, and I will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether, under the scheme for pensions for superannuated teachers in Scotland, the proposed pension age is sixty, whereas the age in England is sixty-five; and what is the reason for making a difference between the two countries?

The superannuation scheme for teachers in Scotland provides that all teachers who come under the scheme shall retire on attaining the age of sixty-five, but any teacher has the option of retiring with an allowance of a correspondingly reduced amount after he has attained the age of sixty. Under the Scottish scheme the benefits allowed are less because of the optional retirement at sixty than they would have been had the age of sixty-five been adhered to. The difference referred to is only one of the many differences between the two countries as regards education and many other matters. I see no reason why the schemes should be identical.