asked the Under-Secretary of State for War, whether double company commanders in Infantry regiments have now been ordered to be mounted, and will, therefore, have to keep a horse during the training season; and, if so, what is the method to be adopted under the present regulations by the officers concerned for the purpose of recovering from His Majesty's Government the additional expenses for groom, cleaning materials, shoeing, etc.

Horses are being provided at the public expense for commanders of double companies, except in those cases where the officers prefer to use privately owned horses. In both cases the horses will be maintained at the public expense while used on the public service, and the officers will each be entitled to a soldier servant as a groom.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether any types of motor lorry are not admitted for registration in the motor transport reserve; and, if so, what is the reason for such differentiation?

It is considered of the utmost importance that the number of spare parts required on mobilisation should be reduced to a minimum. This object can only be obtained by limiting the number of types of motor lorry admitted for registration.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is yet in a position to give the House detailed information as to the new experimental rifle and its ballistical performance?

No, Sir. I am not yet in a position to give any detailed information on this subject.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War what amount of small arm ammunition with pointed bullets has now been manufactured; how many rifles have been re-sighted for use with such ammunition; and how many rifles so re-sighted have been issued to the troops?

Eighty-six million mark 7 cartridges have been accepted, and four millions are under inspection. One hundred and twenty-nine thousand rifles have been re-sighted, and 74,000 new rifles have been manufactured with sights suitable for mark 7 ammunition. Approximately 150,000 rifles have been issued.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War at what age small arm ammunition is struck off the war reserves; and what is the earliest date of manufacture of ammunition now forming part of the war reserves?

There is no age limit for small arm ammunition in reserves, but the oldest ammunition in such reserves is used for practice and replaced by newer ammunition received, so that a turnover is always going on. The earliest date of ammunition in reserve at home is 1907 Mark VI.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War (1) if he will give the numbers of the battalions of Infantry, regiments of Cavalry, and batteries of Royal Horse and Field Artillery stationed in Ireland, as shown in the Army List of March, 1912; if he will say, in the event of the departure on foreign service of the six divisions of the Expeditionary Force, if any Regular battalions of Infantry, regiments of Cavalry, or batteries of Artillery would be left in Ireland; if so, how many organised and mobile units of each arm would be left in Ireland; whether, in the event of the departure of the six divisions of the Expeditionary Force abroad, it is the intention to garrison Ireland by means of the Territorial Army; if so, would the garrison of Ireland in time of war be stronger or weaker in number than the present garrison of Regular troops when mobilised; and (2) if he will say how many 3rd battalions and 4th battalions Special Reserve there are at present in Ireland, and whether it is necessary to subtract from the 410,000 troops left at home, after the departure of the Expeditionary Force by statement 1st June, 1911, all Regular troops then stationed in Ireland, all Special Reserve and all Regular Reserve and Line soldiers attached to Special Reserve battalions stationed in Ireland, and all Territorial troops required to garrison Ireland in time of war, in order to determine the number of troops available for duty in Great Britain; and if he will say whether the members of the National Reserve, both officers and men, are liable on mobilisation to be drafted into the Territorial Army; and, if so, would they be liable for service in Ireland under the officers of the Territorial Army?

I will reply at the same time to this question and to the next question. The numbers of units in Ireland are as follows:—

It is not considered expedient to publish any information concerning the disposition of the troops left behind on the departure of the Expeditionary Force. The members of the National Reserve are not liable to be drafted into the Territorial Army on mobilisation, as they have undertaken no such liability.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the war reserves of stores, which are the subject of the joint certificate of the Quartermaster-General and the Master General of the Ordnance, include small arm ammunition with pointed bullets (Mark VII.) and, if so, what proportion of the war reserve of small arm ammunition on 31st March, 1912, consisted of cartridges with pointed bullets?

The certificate for 31st March, 1912, will include Mark VII. ammunition. It is not in the interests of the public service to publish information regarding the details of reserves.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he would furnish information showing the numbers of candidates at the last three examinations for the first division and the second division; and the respective numbers of those candidates who received appointments after each examination?

The examination for Class I. clerkships is combined with that for the India Civil Service and for Eastern Cadetships, and the very great majority of candidates offer themselves for all three services. The following figures therefore show the total number of candidates for the combined examination and the number who received appointments—( a ) in Class I.; ( b ) in the Indian Civil Service or as Eastern Cadets:—

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he has caused any Report to be made respecting the methods employed in the Montesorri school for young children at Rome; and, if so, whether he will cause the Report to be circulated?

In March, 1911, Mr. E. G. A. Holmes was asked to inspect and report on the Montesorri system of infant training and education, and the Board were furnished in due course with his Report. I am having it published and will send the hon. Member a copy as soon as it is printed.

asked the President of the Board of Education on what grounds examinations in botany and geology have been discontinued in the different polytechnics throughout the country, seeing that the trade of this country with the different parts of the British Empire is daily increasing, and that elementary scientific knowledge is required on the part of those sent out of this country to manage estates growing such plants as tea, coffee, sugar, cocoa, different fruit trees, rubber, timber, cotton, fibre, and bananas, and also an elementary knowledge of geology is required on the part of persons sent out of this country to manage, open up, and develop mines in different parts of the Empire, and more especially in view of the fact that London has become the greatest centre of mining interest in the world?

The grounds upon which the Board decided to discontinue the examinations referred to are indicated in Circular 776.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the disciplinary proceedings against Police Constable Stab, the defendant in the case of Treacher v. Stab, have been considered; and, if so, whether he will state the result?

Yes, Sir, and the constable was called on to resign.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Governor-General in Council is prepared to assent to the representations made by the people of Burma in favour of the establishment of a university for that province?

The Government of India hope to establish a separate University for Burma as part of their general policy in higher education, but no definite proposals have yet been formulated.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Government are taking any measures to effect the repeated desire of the community of Rangoon to establish a High Court for the province of Burma and its dependencies tinder a Royal Charter?

I would beg to refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to a similar question put by him on the 7th July, 1910. The Secretary of State in Council sees no reason to modify the decision that a Chartered High Court is not required.

asked the Attorney-General whether he is prepared to tender any advice to His Majesty's Government as to the institution of criminal or other proceedings against the directors of the White Star Line for having permitted the "Titanic" to take a route in latitude 42 at a time of year when notoriously such a course was attended by danger from floating icebergs?

Pending the official inquiry before Lord Mersey, I am not prepared to give any advice as to the institution of proceedings against any persons in relation to the "Titanic" disaster.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state, with reference to the "Titanic" disaster, the numbers, respectively, of each sex carried by the "Titanic" as first-class passengers, second-class passengers, third-class passengers, and crew, and the numbers saved of each sex and class, respectively?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the number of women and children who perished in the recent wreck of the "Titanic"?

As far as can at present be ascertained by the owners of the vessel, the number of women and children who perished in the wreck of the "Titanic" is 156.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the "Titanic" carried mails; if so, what amount of postal matter was lost; what were the destinations of the mails; and whether the places most affected have been publicly informed that letters destined for them have perished?

The "Titanic" carried 3,366 bags of letter, etc., mails, and fifty-two receptacles of parcel mails. The total number of parcels was 763. The letter mails were for the most part intended for places in Canada, the United States of America, Mexico, and Central America. A comparatively small amount of correspondence was included for places in the West Indies and South America and for His Majesty's ships in North American ports. All the parcel mails were for the United States. An official notification of the loss is being sent by to-day's mail to the offices of destination. Notification to the public of the countries to which the mails were addressed is a matter for their respective postal administrations. I am not aware what measures have been taken by them to notify the public of their loss.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the children of school age in the Bromsgrove workhouse, and, if so, when and how often; whether the guardians have refused to take any definite steps to remove the children from the workhouse; and, if so, whether he intends to compel the guardians to remove the children from the workhouse, and, if so, how; whether he is aware that the infants' nursery has been condemned by Mr. Wethered, the Local Government Board's inspector, and that the guardians have up to now taken no steps to provide other accommodation; and whether he proposes to compel them to provide proper accommodation, and, if so, how; whether he is aware that Mr. Wethered has repeatedly urged the guardians to provide additional staircases at Bromsgrove workhouse for use in case of fire; and, seeing that the guardians have done nothing, whether he proposes to compel them to make this workhouse safe, and, if so, how?

My attention has been called to the matters referred to, and I have been in communication with the guardians of the Bromsgrove Union in regard to them. The guardians have boarded-out all eligible children, and last year they selected a house as a children's home, but the water supply was found to be unsatisfactory. I have since written to them with regard to another proposal for the removal of the children. This question, as well as the improvement of the infants' quarters and the provision of additional staircases at the workhouse, is at present receiving my serious consideration.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, during the week ending 13th April, some telegraphists in the Central Telegraph Office were compulsorily detained after midnight beyond the period which would enable them to catch their last trains home; whether any effort was made to retain the services of volunteers; and whether, in view of his recent promise that permission should be given to leave in time to catch a last train, he will order that his instructions shall be enforced?

It is the case that during the week in question some telegraphists in the Central Telegraph Office were compulsorily detained after midnight in order to cope with the exceptional pressure of work consequent on the introduction of the Home Rule Bill. Notice of the arrangement had been previously given to the whole staff. Efforts were made to secure the services of volunteers, but without success. My recent promise, to which the hon. Member refers, was intended to apply to times when the work was not very abnormal. It is obvious that at times of exceptional pressure the controlling officers must exercise their discretion, and detain officers if necessary in order to prevent delay to telegrams.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, on the opening of a new Stores Department in Birmingham, men employed in London at wages ranging from 25s. to 28s. a week were faced with the option of being transferred to Birmingham or losing their employment; whether he is aware that the transfer of the men involved not only the breaking up of home ties in London, but a loss in wages of about 3s. a week, the minimum wage at Birmingham being only 21s. a week; and whether he can reconsider this matter with a view to the men who were transferred suffering no pecuniary loss.

The transfer of men from London was the necessary consequence of the extension of the Stores Depot at Birmingham. The provincial scales of wages in the Post Office are less, than the London scales on account mainly of the difference in the cost of living. The reduction of 3s. in the money wage on transfer from London to Birmingham does not represent any loss of real wages. None of the men in question are receiving so little as 21s. a week, which is the starting wage of new entrants of twenty-one years of age.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that the Scottish Education Department has ordered or proposes to order the amalgamation of the Forres Landward District School Board with the Forres Burgh School Board; whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the ratepayers of the landward district are unanimously opposed to the amalgamation; whether he is aware that the effect will be that an increase in rates will fall upon the landward ratepayers without a corresponding benefit to them; and, seeing that alteration of the incidence of taxation at the ipse dixit of a Government Department is not authorised by the Scottish Education Act of 1908, whether he will arrange that the Forres Landward School Board district shall continue a separate district unless the ratepayers therein are by a majority agreeable to amalgamation?

I am aware that after full inquiry by a Commissioner of great experience in terms of Section 22. of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1908, the Scotch Education Department propose to order the amalgamation of the Forres Burgh and Landward School Board districts. I am advised that there will be corresponding benefit for any increase of rates. In reference to the last part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to Section 22 of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1908. The question of a temporary differential rate for the Landward district is still a subject of negotiation.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture how many applications for small holdings have been received; how many approved by the Lindsey, Holland, and Kesteven county councils, in the county of Lincoln; and how many of such approved applications have been supplied to small holders.

The answer to the question is statistical in character.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture what is the total acreage of land purchased under the Small Holdings Act under compulsory powers and by voluntary agreement during the past four years?

The total quantity of land purchased during the four years ended 31st December, 1911, was 78,870 acres, of which 73,602 acres were purchased by agreement, and 5,268 acres compulsorily.

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 22s. 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 48 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; and will he say whether he will have an inquiry held by an officer of the Board into this matter to ascertain the facts?

^* The amounts charged under this head bring the total rent charged by the county council to £226 l1s.