asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the employés in the lighting and ventilating department of the Houses of Parliament will be exempted from the operation of the National Insurance Act?

The position of these employés under Part I. of the National Insurance Act is under consideration. I fear I cannot yet make a definite announcement. As regards Part II. by Section 91 of the Act, decisions as to whether any workmen or class of workmen are included in the insured trades, rest with the Umpire appointed under this part of the Act. I understand that the Board of Trade have made an application to the Umpire for his decision on this matter.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War when the pamphlet relating to the insurance of soldiers under Part I. of the National Insurance Act will be issued?

Two special Army Orders on this subject dated 26th and 27th June respectively have been published and will be distributed to all concerned in the course of this week.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can make arrangements which will enable employers to obtain a receipt for money paid for insurance stamps, so that proof of payment may be shown to the assessor of Income Tax when demanded?

No difficulty is found by taxpayers generally in obtaining allowance of such expenses as they are entitled to deduct from their profits for assessment to Income Tax, and I do not think the arrangement suggested by my hon. Friend would be desirable.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state, in regard to the case of a large firm who let out work to master-men who engage and pay their own journeymen, whether the master-men or the big firm will be considered as the employers of the journeymen for the purposes of the National Insurance Act; whether the master-men themselves will be liable to become employed contributors under the Act; and, in the case of master-men who do work for three or four big firms concurrently, which of those big firms will be considered to be employers under the National Insurance Act?

Cases of the kind referred to in the question are dealt with as regards Part I. of the Act in the Provisional Regulations made under paragraph (6) of the Third Schedule of the Act, which have been already presented, and in the Provisional Regulations under paragraph (5) of the same Schedule, which are about to be presented; I will send copies of both Regulations to the Noble Lord.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that the insurance card is stated on the face to be the only evidence of payment of contributions, this applies to contributions paid by the employer; if so, in view of the fact that the insurance card is, generally speaking, in the custody of the employed person, what is to happen if the employed person loses the card; and, in such case, will the employer be liable to a £10 fine if it is alleged, although wrongly, that he has never affixed the stamps?

The words on the insurance card to which the hon. Member refers, are to inform the contributor that he will not be credited with contributions unless the card is handed in. An employer charged with not having paid contributions will not be precluded by these words from giving other evidence to show that he has in fact paid the contribution. The employer, therefore, will not be liable to a fine simply because the employed person has lost his card.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that at 2 p.m. on the 25th instant the General Post Office at Coventry was still without the list of approved societies which the Secretary to the Treasury stated the day before were in the possession of all post Offices; whether a similar default has occurred at other post offices; and, if so, what steps he will take to enable the public to get the full benefit of all the documents issued by the Insurance Commissioners?

Lists of societies approved up to date can be obtained free on application at the Insurance Commission, and will be obtainable at the post offices this week. I may say that I have never stated that the list was at present in the possession of all post offices, but only that they will shortly be obtainable free at any post office.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the case of the Customs port clerks has been thoroughly considered in the proposed amalgamation of the Customs and Excise services; and if he proposes to take any steps to remedy the objections already pointed out to him by this body to the recommendations of the Amalgamation Committee?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. In regard to the second part, certain concessions were announced by me to the deputation which appeared before me on the 3rd ultimo, and I see no reason to make any further modifications of the Committee's recommendations.

asked the Chancellor whether he will explain under what authority a bank deducts Income Tax from dividends becoming due in July in the absence of any statute confirming the Resolutions of the House of Commons in respect of Income Tax; whether his attention has been called to the case of Bowles v. Bank of England before the Court of Chancery on Friday; and whether, in view of that case, he will take any and, if so, what steps to safeguard the interests of the revenue by accelerating the passage of the Finance Bill or otherwise?

The authority for the long established custom of bankers to deduct Income Tax from dividends payable before the Finance Bill of the year becomes law is the Resolution of the House of Commons in Committee of Ways and Means. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the third part, I am not in a position to make any statement while the matter is still sub judice.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that recently tenants in the town of Kilrush, West Clare, have received Forms 35 and 36 under the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910; whether he can state what taxes, if any, it is proposed to levy; whether he will take note that the tenants are already paying to the landlord in Kilrush rents which they consider excessive in proportion to the value of their property; and whether, in these circumstances, any additional taxes will be levied on the landlord and not on the tenants?

I assume that my hon. Friend refers to copies of provisional valuations made under the provisions of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910. I am unable to state what Increment Value Duty, if any, may arise on occasions for the collection of the duty, but I would point out that a tenancy subject to statutory conditions under the Land Law (Ireland) Acts is not an interest in respect of which liability to duty can arise.

asked the Chief Secretary when the Maguire estate, near Swanlinbar, county Fermanagh, was sold to the tenants under the Land Purchase Acts; and why the representatives of the late owner, some of whom are in poor circumstances, have not yet received any portion of the purchase money or any dividends from it?

The sale of the estate in question is being carried out before the Land Judge. In the case of twenty-seven tenants, proposals were lodged in the Land Commission in December last; the holdings were inspected early in the present year, and provisional orders sanctioning the advances applied for were made in most of the cases in April last, but no final order by the Land Judge declaring the tenants to be purchasers has yet been lodged with the Land Commission. The queries raised upon other cases are being discharged by the solicitors having carriage, and there appears to be no reason why the sales should not shortly be closed.

asked whether any steps have been taken or will be taken by the Estates Commissioners or the Congested Districts Board to acquire the farm attached to Gortoral House, near Swanlinbar, county Fermanagh, for distribution amongst the uneconomic holdings in the immediate neighbourhood, most of which are valued at £7 or under and are insufficient to provide decent livelihoods for the occupiers and their families?

This estate is not situated in a congested district county. There have been no negotiations between the Estates Commissioners and the Land Judge for the purchase of any land on the estate. The only residential farm in Gortoral townland which appears to correspond with the farm mentioned in the question is being sold by the Land Judge to the occupying tenant.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware of the fact that the principal towns of West Clare, Kilrush, Kilkee, Miltown, Malbay, Ennistymon, and others, are each held almost entirely by a single landlord; whether the Congested Districts Board will acquire the estates so represented under the Land Act of 1909; and whether, in view of the discouragement of all development produced by the present system, he can give assurance that the question will now be dealt with?

The primary duty of the Congested Districts Board is the relief of agricultural congestion, and it is not one of their duties to purchase town property except where a town or village is portion of an estate mainly agricultural. As re gards Kilkee, the Board initiated proceedings for acquiring compulsorily the estate upon which the town is situate, but they have no power to acquire town property compulsorily, and therefore Kilkee was not included in the sale of the estate which has recently been arranged between the Board and the landlord. The estates round Miltown Mal bay and Ennistymon have not yet been acquired by the Board, and no statement can yet be made as to either of these places. The Estates Commissioners inform me that they have purchased certain lands on the Vandeleur estates in the vicinity of Kilrush, but the town holdings were not included in the lands acquired by them. The Commissioners propose to sell the Kilrush Urban District Council 55 acres of untenanted land in the manner provided by Section 36 of the Local Government Act, 1898.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if the Estates Commissioners can say how soon the vesting orders will be issued on the estate of Colonel Hare, at Castletown, Doon, county Limerick; and, having regard to the rate of interest—namely, 4 per cent., which the tenants are paying, will the matter be expedited so that the tenants may begin to gain some advantage by the sale?

This estate is the subject of proceedings for sale direct by the owner to the tenants, and is on the principal register of direct sales (all cash). It will be dealt with in its order of priority, but having regard to its position on that register, and the claims of other estates, the Commissioners are not at present in a position to say when it will be reached in its turn.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that in the case of the Knockerskaw property in the Kilshanny District, West Clare, now in the possession of R. L. Joynt, the Congested Districts Board sent down an inspector in September, 1910, but that the estate has not yet been sold; and whether steps will be taken to expedite the matter?

The estate was inspected as stated and the Congested Districts Board made an offer for purchase in April, 1911, which was not accepted by the owner. Negotiations for purchase have not since been opened.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Irish Parliament will have power to deal with questions affecting Irish railways, or whether the complaints of Irish traders and others as to rates, disputes concerning railway companies, hours of labour of railway employés, and rules for the prevention of accidents will continue to be decided by the Railway and Canal Traffic Commission?

As to the first part of the question, the answer is in the affirmative. As to the second part of the question, the jurisdiction of the Railway and Canal Commission will continue except so far as it may be altered by Act of the United Kingdom Parliament or (in the case of purely Irish matters) by Act of the Irish Parliament.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the refusal of the Athlone Board of Guardians to enforce the Vaccination Acts; and whether it will be competent for the Irish Parliament to alter or repeal these Acts?

The board of guardians are apparently divided on this matter. They have been advised to enforce the Acts, and urged not to do so; and in each case have marked the letters "Read." The Irish Parliament will have power to legislate on the subject.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he will give the number of withdrawals and threatened withdrawals of salary from national teachers in the Dublin (No. 1) District from 1st January, 1911, to 1st January, 1912, and from 1st January, 1901, to 1st January, 1912; will he say how many teachers have been threatened with withdrawal of salary since the present senior inspector was appointed to the Dublin (No. 1) District; and whether he can take any steps to prevent the wholesale dismissal of teachers in the Dublin (No. 1) District likely to result from the action of the senior inspector?

The Commissioners of National Education do not consider that it would be in the public interest to give the particulars asked for. If any definite complaint is made to them as to the action of this inspector they will carefully investigate it.

asked what amount has been realised by the Estates Commissioners in selling timber on lands acquired for evicted tenants since the passing of the Evicted Tenants Act, 1907?

The Estates Commissioners are only aware of one estate acquired by them under the Evicted Tenants Act in which timber on the lands was sold by them. The sum so realised was £625.

asked the number of national schools in Mayo county in which Irish was taught for fees during the years ending June 1909, 1910, 1911, and 1912 respectively?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that the number of national schools in county Mayo in which Irish was taught for fees for each of the years ended 30th June, 1909, 1910, 1911, and 1912 was 240, 253, 238, and 172 respectively.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that at present there are some forty to fifty vacancies for gunners (G), and that, although there are almost that number qualified in all respects for promotion through the change of ratings adopted in 1907, these men are barred from promotion for twelve months; whether he is aware that a number of petty officers, second class, old system, who have held that rate for seven years or more, have to go a further twelve months for promotion to gunner, and that under the old system petty officers, second class, were eligible for promotion to gunner after twelve months holding that rate; and whether, in the case of petty officers, second class, he can see his way to reduce the time they must serve as petty officers, first class, before promotion to gunner?

There are at present thirty-nine vacancies for Gunner (G) unfilled. As regards the second and third parts of the question the answer is in the negative. There are no petty officers second class (old system) who have qualified for gunner waiting promotion. Eighteen leading seamen who have passed their examinations for warrant rank are serving at sea with the rating of acting petty officer, and they will be eligible for promotion after twelve months as acting petty officer if recommended. The answer to the fourth part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the fifth part, petty officers second class (old system) are, as in the past, eligible for promotion after a year's service in that rating, but, as previously stated, there are no qualified candidates waiting promotion.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty what percentage of Class B Fleet Reserve is employed in the Royal dockyards at Chatham, Portsmouth, and Plymouth who are under forty-five years of age?

Four hundred men under forty-five belonging to Class B are employed in the yards referred to. This number is 2.3 per cent. of the total of Class B, or 86.4 per cent. of the numbers of Class B who are employed in the three yards.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War what provision has been made for the protection of Sheerness, Portsmouth, and the other dockyards against the visits of dirigible airships and aeroplanes; and if notice has been given forbidding such visits?

I am afraid I cannot make any statement on this subject at present.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War, whether he is aware that Messrs. Venesta, Limited, of Silvertown, who are contractors for the supply of map pressers to the War Department, pay their wood machinists at the rate of 8d. per hour, which is 2d. below the trade union rate for wood machinists; and whether he proposes taking action in the matter?

Careful enquiry has been made, but no order for map presses, to the firm mentioned can be traced.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War, whether he is aware that the Annual Report of the Sanitary Commissioner with the Government, of India for 1910 states that the two cases, of small-pox which occurred among European troops at Quetta and Bangalore in that year had been successfully revaccinated in 1908 and 1909, respectively; why this information was omitted from the British Army Medical Report for 1910, which merely records that the men had good marks and had been vaccinated in infancy; and whether he will give instructions to prevent the future suppression from the Army Medical Reports of material information as to the vaccinal condition of small-pox patients amongst the troops?

The facts contained in the British Army Medical Report are communicated to the War Office from the Army Headquarters in India, with whom rests the responsibility for their correctness. Any instructions such as are suggested in the last part of the question would be for my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for India to give. I have spoken to my hon. Friend, who has promised to make inquiries about these cases.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the discomfort caused to residents in the neighbourhood of the Royal aircraft factory by the continuous noise of the engines at the factory, which are kept running incessantly day and night, including Sundays; and whether, seeing that the factory has been placed in a residential district, he will take steps to mitigate the nuisance by reducing the noise and restricting the working of the engines to the daytime?

At certain periods it is essential that the gas making engine of the factory should be kept running continuously, but endeavours are being made to take steps to abate the noise.

asked the Under-Secretary for War how many bayonets have been manufactured for the War Office during each of the last ten years, showing the number in each year made by Government factories and the number made by private firms, and also the number made lay Sheffield firms during each year?

Detailed information as to purchases of warlike stores cannot, in the public interest, be disclosed, but of the bayonets ordered in the last ten years 49 per cent. were obtained from the ordnance factories and 51 per cent. from the trade. The orders to the trade are not necessarily allocated on a geographical basis, but the Sheffield firms secured more than half of the trade orders.

asked the Under-Secretary for War if he is aware that, owing to an order promulgated by the Commander-in-Chief in India on the 2nd May that there is no possibility of certain officers being appointed to the Indian Army and that no further applications from officers of British service for appointment to the Indian Army should be submitted, many subaltern officers of British regiments serving in India have had their future careers injured, if not ruined; and, if so, what steps he proposes to take in order to redress their grievances?

From eighty-three to eighty-five gentlemen per annum are commissioned to the Unattached List for the Indian Army. Should this number prove to be insufficient to fill all the vacancies that occur subaltern officers of British units serving in India may—if they fulfil certain conditions—be appointed to the Indian Army to fill vacancies for which no officers of the Unattached List are available. The Commander-in-Chief in India has sent round a circular saying that for the present at least the Unattached List officers will absorb all probable vacancies, and that therefore there is no possibility that certain officers of British units who have qualified for and applied for transfer to the Indian Army can obtain such transfers. The circular adds that for the present no further such applications for transfer can be received. It is, no doubt, the case that many young officers serving in British units in India (and also their parents) are much disappointed, but there is no real grievance, since they have all been fully aware that they had no claim on the Indian Army, and could only be admitted thereto if the supply of Unattached List officers proved to be insufficient. I may, perhaps, add that all these candidates for transfer who obtained their commissions in the British Army from the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, had the opportunity while at that establishment of gaining appointments to the Unattached List for the Indian Army by passing out of the College sufficiently high on the list, but did not succeed in doing so.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis has standing instructions to refuse information to a public body or other body, such as the Wimbledon Park Ratepayers' Association, as to the number of police employed in a certain district under his jurisdiction, the number of police employed on point duty in that district, and the place where constables may be found on such point duty; and, if that is the case, for what reason has he instructions to withhold such information from the public?

It has always been the rule not to supply information as to the numbers and the disposition of police in any particular district; and the Commissioner of Police is strongly of opinion that it would be contrary to the public interest to allow any departure from this rule.

asked the Home Secretary if he is aware that an application for an order to visit Mrs. Pethick Lawrence in Holloway prison was refused by the Prison Commissioners on the 21st June, on the ground that all visits had been suspended; can he say whether this suspension was in view of her intended release on 24th June, or whether visits have been suspended in the case of all suffragette prisoners; and, if so, can he state the reasons for such suspension, and say how long it is to remain in force?

The application was declined because Mrs. Lawrence was refusing her food at the time. The suspension had nothing to do with her release, which was not anticipated at the time of the application. Visits to prisoners are dependent on good behavour, and are suspended if and so long as they refuse food, or are guilty of other disobedience to Regulations and discipline.

asked the Home Secretary if he has inquired, and seen his way to intervene, into the case to which his attention has been already called of a tramp who was sentenced at the Midhurst Police Court, on 17th June last, to fourteen days' hard labour for concealing the sum of 4d. of his own in the padding of his wooden leg in order to secure on false pretence of destitution, admission for a night's lodging in the Midhurst Workhouse?

I have made inquiry in the case, but find it is not one in which I can recommend any interference with the sentence.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can give the total amount of money paid in tithes in Wales per annum, showing the amount paid to the Church and the amount paid to other bodies?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the President of the Board of Agriculture to a question of the hon. Member for Plymouth on the 5th March.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will grant the Return standing in the name of the Member for East Nottingham? [Sir J. D. Rees,—Transport Strike (Out-patients treated),—Return of persons treated as in-patients or out-patients for injuries received in connection with the transport strike, with brief particulars in each case.]

Yes, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state what foreign countries permit British pilots to navigate their waters with or without pilot certificates; and also in what countries is such navigation prohibited?

supplied the following particulars:—

I. Countries in which British masters may pilot their own vessels without certificates.

Denmark, except in certain ports where, owing to difficulties of navigation, pilotage is compulsory.

Germany, in the following ports: Prussian ports generally, Wismar, Hamburg Harbour. Ships ascending the Elbe from Cuxhaven to Hamburg must carry a sworn pilot, "but rather on account of the Customs regulations than for the navigation."

Italy, in all ports.

United States of America, in the following States and districts: Maine, New Hampshire, Washington, Oregon, Great Lakes.

II. Countries in which British masters may pilot their own vessels with certificates.

France, in the port of Marseilles.

Germany, in the Prussian ports where pilotage is compulsory.

III. Countries in which British masters must pay pilotage dues but are not compelled to take a pilot on board.

France.

Norway.

IV. Countries in which British masters cannot pilot their own ships:

Belgium.

Finland.

Germany (in ports not included above).

Netherlands.

Portugal.

Russia.

Spain.

Sweden, with certain exemptions.

United States of America (in States not included above).

In Belgium, the Netherlands, and Russia, if a master does not take a pilot on board he is subject to no penalty further than the payment of the full dues. The Committee did not receive information as to whether this also applied to the other countries enumerated in this class.

asked the Home Secretary whether, from the Registrar-General's Returns or elsewhere, he can give the number of people in this country who have married their deceased wife's sister since it became lawful to do so, giving, if possible, the occupations of the men?

I find that this information cannot be obtained.

asked the Home Secretary whether a manager of a public-house who has signed an agreement with a firm of brewers who are the owners of the house, and in which for purposes of the law the manager is described as tenant and occupier, is a shop assistant within the meaning of the terms of the recently enacted Shops Act?

I am afraid I cannot undertake to advise as to the application of the Shops Act in particular cases. The answer to my hon. Friend's question must depend on the circumstances of each case, and I can only say that, as a general rule, I believe a licence holder who is the manager of a public-house would be held to be the occupier for the purposes of the Act.

asked the Home Secretary whether it would be possible so to amend the statutes of the Imperial Service Order as to make officers and men of the Corporation of Trinity House eligible for the Imperial Service Order and the Imperial Service medal; or, if not, whether there is any decoration to which men employed in lighthouse work are at present entitled by long and meritorious service?

The Imperial Service Order is confined to the Civil Service of the Crown, and I do not think it would be possible to extend the Order and the medal beyond that limit without entirely altering their scope and purpose.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he has yet had a reply to his telegram to the Government of India of the 15th May, asking the result of their consideration of the scheme for the formation of a woman's Indian medical service?

The Government of India have replied that they have now collected the information for which they were waiting, and that they will deal with the matter without avoidable delay.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he can give a statement showing the number of motor cars registered with the Council of the County of London during each of the years 1900 to 1911?

I have been furnished by the London County Council with the following figures:

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman is now prepared to allow the terms of reference to the Industrial Council to lie upon the Table of the House?

The following is a copy of the letter addressed to Sir G. Askwith:

TERMS OF REFERENCE.

Board of Trade,

Whitehall Gardens, S.W.,

14th June, 1912.

SIR,

The Government are anxious to have inquiry made into certain matters which appear to them to be difficulties in the way of peaceful and friendly relations between employers and workmen.

They would be obliged to the Industrial Council if they would carefully consider these points, take such evidence as they think fit, and report to the Government the conclusions to which they may come.

The Government will give the most earnest attention to any recommendations that the Council may be able to make.

The questions which they desire especially to refer to the Council are as follows: (1) What is the best method of securing the due fulfilment of Industrial Agreements; (2) how far, and in what manner, Industrial Agreements which are made between representative bodies of employers and workmen should be enforced throughout a particular trade or district?

I am, etc.,

(Sgd.) SYDNEY BUXTON.

Sir George Askwith, K.C.B.,

Chief Industrial Commissioner.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has received from the Hammersmith and Shepherd's Bush Ratepayers' Association a request that an inspector should be sent to make a thorough examination of the roads and tramway tracks owned by the London United Electric Tramway Company, Limited, in the borough of Hammersmith; if he has received a memorial signed by ratepayers of the borough of Hammersmith making the same request; and, in view of the fact that the condition of these tracks has been brought before his Department for the last four years by the association, what action, if any, he proposes to take?

Complaint has been received of the condition of the tramway track in Hammersmith and of that part of the road which is repairable by the tramway company, and an inspection thereof has been asked for. The position is, however, peculiar, and does not appear to be understood by the hon. Member. The company's undertaking in Hammersmith is being acquired by the London County Council, and I understand that when the purchase is completed the track will be relaid. The purchase price has to be fixed by arbitration, and the arbitrator's award has already been issued. As regards the actual state of the track and roadway, a referee was appointed by the Board of Trade in November last, on the application of the Hammersmith Borough Council, to determine certain points as to the manner in which the track and roadway had been maintained, and his determination, which was issued in May, was in favour of the tramway company. There is no foundation whatever for the suggestion in the last part of the question that there has been any remissness on the part of the Board of Trade. It must be evident that no inspection which they could order could affect the position, as there is no question that the present condition of the road and tracks is unsatisfactory.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the Post Office telephone service propose only to receive cheques to bearer; and whether he will take steps to have this Department adopt the usual business practice of taking cheques to order.

Subscribers to the Post Office telephone service are requested to make cheques payable to bearer in order to facilitate local negotiation; but there is no compulsion in the matter. If the hon. Member is aware of any case in which cheques made payable to order have been refused, I shall be glad if he will send me particulars.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will explain why a letter addressed to the Post Office Telephone Department should remain unanswered for six weeks; and whether he will take steps to ensure that this Department, if they are unable to adopt the usual business practice of replying by return of post, will invariably adopt a time limit, say of fourteen days, in which to acknowledge a communication?

If the hon. Member will give me particulars of the letter to which he refers, I will ascertain the cause of the delay in sending a reply. It is the rule of the Post Office that the receipt of letters is acknowledged at once. Whether a reply can be sent by return of post depends on the nature of the inquiry.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the case of Mrs. Askew, of Southall, who after twenty years in the employ of the National Telephone Company, and whose husband was also for many years in their employ, has been superseded on transfer with a gratuity of £12; and whether this treatment is in accordance with the repeated pledges he gave to this House during the passage of the Telephone Transfer Act?

As a result of the transfer it was necessary to close the Exchange at which Mrs. Askew was employed. She was offered a position of equivalent importance in another part of the Metropolitan area, but was obliged to decline this on account of illness. She was therefore awarded compensation on the same basis as that adopted in the case of sub-postmasters whose offices are closed without notice. I am unable to see that the course that has been followed conflicts with any of my pledges.