asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, in view of the fact that the Kanturk Rural District Council have made an improvement scheme under the Labourers (Ireland) Acts, 1883 to 1911, and have petitioned the Local Government Board for Ireland to hold an inquiry into the scheme for the purposes of confirmation, the petition being lodged in October, 1911, as there is included in this scheme proposals for 160 new houses to replace 160 houses condemned by the sanitary officers, will he at once order the inquiry to be held?

The petition for an inquiry in this case was received by the Local Government Board on the 11th of November last. The scheme involves 305 cottages, of which it would appear that 128 are proposed on the grounds of the unfitness of existing dwellings. Six hundred and forty-one cottages have already been authorised in this district, and the scheme must accordingly await its turn as regards the inquiry, in accordance with the principle of giving priority to those districts where the needs for housing accommodation are greatest.

asked the Prime Minister if, for greater lucidity, he will illustrate by an example of practical working the effect of the provision in Clause 16, Subsection (2), paragraph (b), of the Government of Ireland Bill, that a drawback shall be allowed on articles sent from the one country into the other equal to the drawback which would be allowed upon the exportation of the articles from the country from which they are sent?

Clause 16 (2) (b) refers to Customs Drawbacks payable when the Custom Duties in Great Britain and Ireland differ, and provides that where drawbacks are allowed by Great Britain or by Ireland on exportation they shall similarly be allowed on the removal of the goods from one country to the other. For instance, if Ireland reduced the present Sugar Duty by 50 per cent., the result would be that goods containing sugar, manufactured in Great Britain and sent to Ireland, would receive ls. 10d. per cwt. on the quantity of refined sugar contained (as is now the case when such goods are exported), and similar goods manufactured in Ireland and sent to Great Britain would receive l1d. per cwt. on the sugar content. If Ireland abolished the Sugar Duty such goods sent from Great Britain to Ireland would still receive the same drawback, but there would be no drawback on Irish-made sugar goods sent to Great Britain.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the Archbishops of Canterbury and York recommended, in substitution for the service of the day, and to be used in connection with the recent strike, forms of prayers not contained in the Book of Common Prayer and not authorised by lawful authority; and whether any appli- cation was made to him by the archbishops to secure that forms of prayer for that occasion should be issued by the King in Council?

I am aware that, following a practice which is not unusual on special occasions, the archbishops commended to their provinces forms of prayers to be used in connection with the recent strike. The use of those prayers was not, I understand, obligatory on any beneficed clerk, and therefore no such application as that suggested by the hon. Member in the latter part of his question was necessary.