asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Commissioners of Customs have now received sufficient information from which to arrive at their decision as to the apportionment of the increased Licence Duties under Section 46 of the Finance (1909-10) Act, 1910, in the case of Alexander MacLean, Chichester Arms, 66, Garden Lane, Chester; if not, what additional information is required; and whether, as the matter has now been in the hands of the Commissioners since the 2nd July, 1911, the apportionment can be made at an early date?

I am informed by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise that the apportionment has now been made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the object of Article 2 of the Order, dated the 8th March, 1912, of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise, under Section 10 of the Finance Act, 1911, compelling manufacturers of ginger, orange, raisin, and other British wines to make an entry of the name and address of the person to whom the wine is sent, its quantity and description, and the date of the dispatch; whether, when such wine is contained in a corked, capsuled, and labelled bottle for the purposes only of consumption, such precautions are taken under the apprehension that it may nevertheless be used for improper blending with Foreign vines; and whether, in view of the time, labour, and money expended by British manufacturers in making these entries, sometimes in respect of several different wines and in quantities varying from single bottles to several dozen, especially at busy periods of the year such as Christmastide, the Commissioners will cancel Article 2 of the above Order as being oppressive to the manufacturers while serving no useful public purpose?

It is important that the Commisioners of Customs and Excise should possess full information as to the amount of British wines made for sale, their destination, and the use to which they are put. The regulations referred to by the hon. Member have been drawn up to enable this information to be acquired, and the Commissioners, while anxious as far as possible to avoid hampering trade, must defer any question of the modification of the Regulations until they have some experience of the working of Section 10 of the Finance Act, 1911.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many of the twenty applications from the tax surveying department, recommended by the Board of Inland Revenue to the National Health Commissioners, were from surveyors; how many were from assistant surveyors; how many in each case were for promotions; how many for transfers; and why the whole of the applications should not have been transmitted to the National Health Commissioners, so that they could consider all applications when making appointments in their department?

Of the twenty applications recommended to the Insurance Commissioners, eight, all for promotion, were from surveyors, and twelve, all for transfers, were from assistant surveyors. The whole of the applications were not transmitted, because in selecting thirty-nine officers, including the twenty surveyors and assistant surveyors, the Board of Inland Revenue considered that they had suitably responded to the request of the National Health Commissioners who anticipated filling about ninety appointments from candidates on the established staff of all the chief Government offices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any of the applications of the established clerks to Surveyors of Taxes were sent on to the National Insurance Commissioners; if he is aware the applications were addressed to such Commissioners and, in view of this fact, will he explain why the same were not sent on to the Department to which they were addressed; will he state how many of the 172 applicants have reached their maximum salary; and will he state if these established clerks are eligible for promotion to second division clerkships after long and meritorious service, the same as abstractors, who are paid a lower standard of wages, being of a lower grade?

The circular inviting applications from established clerks to Surveyors of Taxes was, as I informed the hon. Member on the 3rd instant, issued under a misapprehension, and therefore none of the applications resulting from the circular were forwarded to the National Insurance Commissioners. The number of applicants who had reached the maximum salary of their class was fifty-three. Established clerks to Surveyors of Taxes are not eligible for promotion to second division clerkships in the same way as abstractors who have entered the Department through a Civil Service examination.

asked whether a local pension officer is empowered to determine the pension of any person who becomes an inmate of any infirmary or other Poor Law institution; whether any instructions have been issued to local authorities; and, if so, whether a copy of the same will be laid upon the Table of the House?

A pension officer has no power to revoke a pension absolutely. He is required, however, in certain circumstances specified in Section 6 (4) of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1911, to stop payment of pension pending a decision by the local pension committee (or the Local Government Board on appeal) on a question raised in the case of a pensioner who is alleged to have incurred one of the statutory disqualifications, e.g., by the receipt of poor relief other than medical relief. If the question is finally decided in favour of the pensioner the pension is restored with arrears.

asked the Postmaster-General whether officials of the Post Office have been instructed to refuse payment of old age pensions to persons who are temporary inmates of infirmaries or other Poor Law institutions; whether he is aware that payment has been refused because the pension voucher bore the address of such an institution; and, if so, will he state the authority for such action?

It is not within the province of the Postmaster-General to issue general instructions upon such a point as this, and no such instructions have been issued. The duty of a postmaster is to pay an old age pension order on presentation by the person entitled to it unless a stop has been placed upon it by a pension officer. If the hon. Member has any specific case in mind and will acquaint me with its details I will either inquire into it, or will refer it to the proper Department of the Government.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury the amount chargeable on the guarantee fund under the Land Purchase (Ireland) Acts for each of the last five financial years?

The amounts charged against the guarantee fund under the Land Purchase (Ireland) Acts for the five financial years ended 31st March, 1912, were as follows:—

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what is the cause of the delay in giving possession of a portion of the lands of Newtown to the Kells Rural District; whether the Estates Commissioners are aware that many labourers bought cows for the land, and at present have no pasturage for them; and whether, if any prolonged delay must necessarily take place, temporary arrangements will be made whereby the land can be used by those for whose benefit it was allotted?

The Estates Commissioners have decided to allot to the Kells Rural District Council a plot on the lands of Newtown, and when an undertaking to purchase same has been signed by the council possession of the plot will be given to them as soon as practicable.

asked whether any arrangement has been yet made by the Development Commission for encouraging the Irish tobacco industry.

The matter is still being considered by the Development Commissioners.

asked the Prime Minister whether it is contemplated that any British troops should be retained in Ireland after the creation of an Irish Legislature; and, if so, would their retention or non-retention rest with the Irish Government; and would the taxation powers of that Government extend to the imposition of a tax on British soldiers or their general legislative powers to a prohibition of the presence of British soldiers in Ireland?

Neither the Irish Legislature nor the Irish Executive will have any power over the Army.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the names of the parishes and places, if any, from which balances were due on the 31st March, 1912, in respect of the half-yearly warrants issued on the 1st July, 1911, and 1st January, 1912, for the purposes of the Metropolitan Police; and whether immediate action will be taken by the Commissioner of Metropolitan Police to enforce payment of the balances due to the Receiver, in justice to the other rating authorities within the police district who have discharged the aforesaid warrants in accordance with the provisions of Section 23 of the Metropolitan Police Act, 1829?

Nothing was due on the 31st ultimo in respect of the warrant of 1st July, 1911, but, as regards the warrant of 1st January, 1912, balances were due from West Ham and East Ham of £906 and £354 respectively. I think the failure to pay may be due to a mistake by the Overseers as to their legal rights, and that on further consideration they will agree to pay the full sums due; but, if not, the Receiver is bound to proceed to enforce payment in the manner provided by the Statute mentioned in the question.

asked the Secretary o£ State for Foreign Affairs, whether any communications have taken place between His Majesty's Government and the Government of the French Republic regarding the abolition of the legal status of slavery in Morocco; and, if not, whether he will call the attention of the French Government to the urgent necessity of this reform?

No recent communications have taken place between the two-Governments on this subject, but the sentiments of the French Government are known to be in harmony with those of His Majesty's Government on this point. At the Algeciras Conference, the delegates of the Powers unanimously accepted & resolution proposed by the British delegate to request the Sultan of Morocco to adopt measures for limiting and gradually abolishing slavery, and the French delegate stated that he supported the resolution all the more readily because French action in the Sudan and the Sahara had already contributed to arrest the practice of slavery in Morocco.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is willing to state the total amount of the rateable value of premises-in England occupied by companies, associations, and societies who are unable,, under the existing law, to express their views by voting in respect of such premises upon questions of local government and rating, and the proportion of such rateable value to the total of such assessments in England?

The desired informatiorr cannot be furnished with regard to the whole country. A Return on the subject was obtained by the Local Government Board in the year 1906 (House of Commons Paper, No. 215, 1906) from the boroughs of Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, and West Ham, and the-Metropolitan borough of Holborn. This Return showed the total rateable value of each area, and in each case the rateable-value of those hereditaments which were occupied by corporations or joint stock or other companies, but in respect of which no persons were entered in the lists of electors of borough councillors. The Return demonstrated the fact that the value of the property so occupied ranged from 26.6 to 34.7 per cent, of the total rateable value of the several boroughs comprised in the Return.

asked the President of the Local Government Board the total amount of loans raised by local authorities under the jurisdiction of the Local Government Board, and the total amount of debt repaid by the same authorities during the past twenty years?

The total amount of the loans shown in the annual local taxation Returns as having been raised by local authorities in England and Wales during the twenty years ended 31st March, 1910, is £468,616,000. During the same period local debt was repaid to the extent of £131,285,000, and a further sum of £17,042,000 was set aside which remained in sinking funds at the end of the period.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether, in the event of £6,000 or more being again offered by an Australian for the purpose of emigrating 1,000 single men from Great Britain into New South Wales and Queensland, he will say whether the Centra (Unemployed) Body would assist in finding and sending out the men; and how much notice would be required before the men would be ready to emigrate?

I understand that an offer of the kind referred to by the hon. Member has again been made, and that the Central (Unemployed) Body for London are at present endeavouring with the co-operation of other societies to fulfil the conditions of the offer. The notice which would be required in order to comply with the conditions of such an offer would depend upon the state of the labour market, the existence of shipping facilities, and other circumstances.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that His Majesty's 'Treasury, in determining appeals made to my Lords under Section 120 of the Local Government Act, 1888, in respect of compensation for loss of office by Local Government officers, no longer allow any addition to the actual number of years served, notwithstanding the proviso contained in Section 6 (2) of the Superannuation Act, 1909, expressly continuing to Civil servants appointed prior to that date the old Treasury scale and practice of added years; whether the Local Government Board will make representations to His Majesty's Treasury for provision to be made in one of the Treasury Bills, or otherwise, with a view to restoring the former Treasury practice; and whether the Local Government Board will make similar provision in any Bill promoted by them, in view of the hardship now inflicted upon Local Government officers in depriving them of the added years without any equivalent compensation upon abolition of office under the Local Government Act, 1894, or any other Act incorporating Section 120 of the Local Government Act, 1888, or under any Order of the Local Government Board incorporating such Section?

As regards the first part of this question, I must refer the hon. Baronet to my hon. Friend the Secretary to the Treasury. I will note the suggestion in the latter part of the question, but I cannot commit myself to adopting it.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he can see his way to allow boards of guardians to have the option of adopting or not adopting the case paper system?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the cost of telephonic communication between Watford and London, namely 4d. per call; and whether Watford subscribers can be placed on the same basis as subscribers at Redhill, Reigate, and Dartford, and included in the Metropolitan telephone area?

The trunk fee between Watford and London is three pence. I do not regard a charge of that amount as excessive for a telephonic communication between places more than sixteen miles apart, as are Watford and the City of London. I can hold out no prospect of including Watford in the Metropolitan telephone area, which is regarded as being already too extensive.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, if there is any law which gives his Board power to compel the owners of passenger steamers to provide sufficient lifeboats to give a place in them to every human being on the boat in case of a disaster like the loss of the " Titanic"; whether as often alleged, there is no passenger steamer leaving a British port with lifeboats sufficient for that purpose; whether in many cases the lifeboat accommodation is only about one-third of that required; and, if there is no such law, will the Government introduce a Bill for that purpose?

asked the President of the Board of Trade, whether, taking into consideration the reported loss of life which has recently occurred to the passengers of the steamer " Titanic," he will take steps that regulations may be made to compel all steamers to carry boats, rafts, or other life-saving apparatus sufficient to accommodate the whole of those on board?

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he will consider the propriety of framing a regulation for the purpose of preventing British passenger liners for New York, during the spring season, taking the Northern Atlantic route, with a view to establishing crossing records, and (2) whether he can state the exact lifeboat accommodation which was provided on the "Titanic," and what proportion it bore to the authorised number of passengers and crew.

circulated the following:—

[Copy.]

MERCHANT SHIPPING ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 4th July, 1911

Sir Walter J. Howell,

Assistant Secretary,

Marine Department,

Board of Trade.

Sir,—We have the honour to report that your letter of the 4th April with reference to the minimum number of lifeboats to be carried on vessels of 10,000 tons gross tonnage and upwards, and your letter of the 17th May on the subject of the depth of lifeboats, have been very carefully considered by the Merchant Shipping Advisory Committee; and that it was unanimously decided at a meeting held on the 29th ultimo to adopt the report of a subcommittee which was specially appointed to inquire into these questions.

A copy of the report is accordingly forwarded herewith, and the committee desire us to suggest, for the consideration of the Board of Trade, that effect should be given to the recommendations contained in it.

We are, Sir,

Your obedient Servants,

(Signed) NORMAN HILL,

Chairman.

R. W. MATTHEW,

Secretary.

Report of the Life Saving Appliances Subcommittee to the Merchant Shipping Advisory Committee.

In accordance with the decision of the Merchant Shipping Advisory Committee, at their meeting on Friday, the 28th April, we have given careful consideration to the letter of the 4th April from the Board of Trade, in which the Committee were asked to advise:—

(1) As to the manner in which the Table in the Appendix to the Life Saving Appliances Rules should be extended so as to provide for vessels of tonnage up to 50,000 tons gross and upwards; and

(2) As to whether Rule 12 should or should not be revised so as to exempt altogether from the requirement of additional boats and or rafts those vessels which are divided into efficient water-tight compartments to the satisfaction of the Board of Trade.

In considering these questions, we have had specially in mind the fact that the number of passengers carried does not necessarily increase in proportion to the increase in the tonnage of the vessel. This is particularly true in the case of vessels exceeding 10,000 tons, a type of vessel which is practically only built to provide special accommodation for large numbers of first and second-class passengers.

Similarly there is no fixed relation between the tonnage of vessels and the deck space available for the carrying of lifeboats under davits. Increase in the length of a vessel is only one of the factors, and often not the most material factor contributing to the increase in its tonnage, and it should also be remembered, in estimating the space available for the launching of lifeboats, that it is impossible to place davits forward of the bridge, and very undesirable to have them on the quarters of the vessel.

We are strongly of opinion that every encouragement should be given to secure the provision of vessels which by their construction have been rendered as unsinkable as possible, and which are provided with efficient means for communicating with the shore or with other vessels in case of disaster.

In view of these considerations, we have agreed upon the following recommendations:—

(1) That it is questionable whether it is practicable to increase the number of davits;

(2) That any increase in the number of lifeboats to be carried can probably be best effected by providing for the launching of further boats from the existing davits;

(3) That the table should be extended in the manner indicated below, viz.:—

It is further recommended that all passenger vessels of 10,000 tons gross tonnage and upwards should be required to be fitted with wireless telegraphy apparatus.

(4) That the Rules should be amended so as to admit of decked lifeboats of an approved type being stowed on top of one another or under an open lifeboat, subject to suitable arrangements being made for launching promptly the boats so stowed;

(5) That the additional boats and rafts required under the provisions of Division (a), Class 1 (d) of the Life Saving Appliances Rules shall be of at least such carrying capacity that they, and the boats required by columns 2 and 3 of the above Table, provide together three-fourths more than the minimum cubic contents required by column 4 of that Table;

(6) That vessels divided into efficient watertight compartments to the satisfaction of the Board of Trade should (provided they are fitted with wireless telegraphy apparatus) be exempt from the requirement of additional boats and/or rafts. The Committee suggest, in this connection that the Board of Trade should review the requirements designed to attain the standards as to watertight compartments at present enforced by them under Rule 12, having regard to the developments of shipbuilding since the Report of the Committee on the Spacing and Construction of Watertight Bulkheads.

We have also had before us the Board's further letter of 17th May, inquiring whether, in the opinion of the Advisory Committee, it would be advisable to prescribe a maximum depth for lifeboats as compared with their breadth, and, if so, what that proportion should be.

In connection with this letter, we have been supplied by the Board of Trade with reports from their principal officers in Great Britain, giving the dimensions and cubic capacities of the various kinds of boats on five typical ships in each of eight ports.

We recommend that the Board should be advised to alter the Life-Saving Appliances Rules so as to provide that, in future the depth of lifeboats supplied to a British merchant vessel shall not exceed 44 per cent, of their breadth.

(Signed)

NORMAN HILL.

A. M. CARLISLE.

S. CROSS.

WM. THEODORE DOXFORD.

GEO. N. HAMPSON.

ROBERT A. OGILVIE.

T. ROYDEN.

T. ROME.

THOMAS SPENCER.

J. HAVELOCK WILSON.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the Post Office employés in Ireland have been consulted as to their willingness to exchange service under the Imperial Government for postal service under the proposed Irish Government; and, if any of them do not like the prospects of worse pay and insecurity of tenure and diminished chance of promotion likely to result from the change, and wish to retire, will they be compensated or pensioned, or how otherwise dealt with?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. Provisions for the payment of compensation to Civil servants in certain cases will be found in the Government of Ireland Bill.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has received representations from Tutshill, near Tidenham, in the county of Gloucester, in favour of the establishment at the post office there of a public telephone call office; and whether, in view of the increasing population of the village, the increased demand for telephonic conveniences there, and the existing installation of the telephone at the Tutshill police station only forty yards from the post office, he can see his way to comply with such demand.

Representations have been received respecting the provision of telephone facilities at Tutshill, and inquiry is being made with the view to ascertain whether the prospective support will warrant the expenditure which would be involved in providing and maintaining the service.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he will recommend the Development Board to give a grant out of their funds towards promoting the interests of fishermen, as requested in a petition presented by the representatives of the Devon fisheries district; and, if so, what will be the amount of the Grant?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for the Montrose burghs on this subject to which, I fear, I can add nothing at present.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he has received a communication from the Aberdeen County Council on the subject of Swine Fever Orders in Scotland: and whether, in view of the facts stated in the communication referred to, he will advise the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries that the Orders ought to be repealed, so far as the greater part of Scotland is concerned, on the local authorities agreeing to make adequate provision for the examination by their veterinary officers of all swine exposed for sale at market fair grounds or sale yards within their respective districts?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The question of the Swine Fever Orders in their application to Scotland is at present under consideration. In this connection I would refer my hon. Friend to the question addressed to me on the subject by the hon. Member for South Wilts on 14th March last and my reply thereto, to which I am not yet in a position to add anything.

asked the Secretary for Scotland if he can state the number of rating authorities in Scotland, specifying the number of burgh or town councils, county councils, parish councils, and school boards; the total amount of rates raised by each of the four rating authorities; and the total amount of Grants-in-Aid received from the Imperial Exchequer by each of the rating authorities 1

In the financial year 1909-10, the last year for which figures are available, the number of authorities of the classes mentioned was:

There were also in that year twelve Boards of Trust, generally for water supply purposes, representing areas larger than single burghs, which have powers of rating directly or indirectly through the burgh or county authorities; and there were also certain minor assessments for District Fishery Boards and for ecclesiastical purposes.

For further information I would refer my hon. Friend to the Local Taxation (Scotland) Returns published annually, the last published volume of which (H. C. Return No. 215 of 1911) gives the particulars for the financial year 1909–10, the rates raised and grants received being shown in the aggregate for the several classes of rating Authorities (County, Parochial, and Burghal) in tables (3) and.(7) on pages VII. and X. of the prefixed memorandum, and details being given in the tables which follow that memorandum. Additional particulars as regards School-boards will be found on pages IV. and V. of the latest Annual Report by the Accountant for Scotland to the Scotch Education Department (Cd.5644-1911), referred to on page 50 of that Return.

asked the hon. Member for St.George' s-in-the-East, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, if he can say whether all the applications sent in by the London County Council for the use of Hyde Park and Regent's Park for organised games for children in London elementary schools have been entertained; and, if so, whether in the event of there being any need of further space for similar purposes such space will be made available?

As I have already stated, the First Commissioner has provided six grounds in Regent's Park and three in Hyde Park for the playing of organsied games by children in the London County Council schools. The actual allotment of the grounds rests with the council's officer. If the London Education Authority express a desire for more ground the First Commissioner will be glad to consider the request favourably.