asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Treasury possesses powers which enable it to require, without additional remuneration, an attendance of forty-eight hours per week from Customs Port Clerks, who at entry were conditioned to an attendance of seven hours per day, and have hitherto received payment at fixed rates approved by the Treasury for all attendance in excess of seven hours on any one day; and whether the Treasury possesses similar powers in regard to all other established Civil servants or, if not, in what manner the conditions of service of Customs Port Clerks differ from those of other established Civil servants?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Noble Lord the Member for West Perthshire on 8th May last, and to the hon. Member for South Bedfordshire on 20th May last. It is within the general power of the Treasury to fix the remuneration of established Civil servants.

asked whether any person claiming the property of Mrs. Helen Blake, née Sheridan, has claimed as next-of-kin through her uncle Dr. William Sheridan?

I do not find that any person claiming the property of Mrs. Helen Blake has claimed as next of kin through one Dr. William Sheridan, but for the reasons I explained in answer to a similar question yesterday it is not possible to make a clear and definite statement on this point. It is not known, and it is not admitted that Mrs. Helen Blake had an uncle named William Sheridan.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, having regard to the decision of Parliament in the Treasury Solicitor Act, 1876, that the accounts of estates of intestate persons lapsing to the Crown shall be deemed to be public accounts, and to the acquisition by the Treasury of the property of Mrs. Helen Blake, née Sheridan, who died in the same year, 1876, by omitting to advertise for next-of-kin in Ireland, where she was known to have relatives, if he will say in virtue of what authority the Treasury now refused to state the annual gross and net income from the realty of that estate, the total income from it since acquired by the Treasury, and the amount received for any part of it that may have been alienated?

I am advised that the provision in the Treasury Solicitor Act, 1876, mentioned does not impose any obligation on the Treasury to publish such details as the hon. Member now asks for. I am, however, communicating with the hon. Member.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will have all the evicted tenants in Cavan who have applied under the Evicted Tenants Act, 1907, but whose cases have not yet been dealt with, notified of the decision of the Estates Commissioners, whether that decision be favourable or otherwise; is he aware that these people in many cases are not in a position to apply direct for the information here sought; and, if it is officially inconvenient to supply the information individually, will he have a statement furnished to the Member for West Cavan for his information and convenience?

The Estates Commissioners have already in the vast majority of applications for reinstatement under the Evicted Tenants Act, 1907, notified the applicants of the decision arrived at in their cases. In any cases in which this has not been done the Commissioners, on hearing from the applicant to this effect, will at once inform him of the result of his application if a decision has been arrived at in the case.

asked the Chief Secretary if he can give any information as to the nature and results of the experiments recently carried out by the Congested Districts Board in regard to kelp-burning on the West Coast of Ireland?

The result of the experiment made by the Congested Districts Board will not be known, it is expected, for some time.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether the collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum of book illustrations, engravings, drawings, etchings, and such like examples, as appertain to pictorial and realistic art, can now be separated definitely from designs for decorative and architectural work, and these latter be removed to those rooms in the museum where students are allowed to study original objects of cognate materials?

In many cases students do not work in the students' rooms, but in the galleries. Facilities are given to students to study designs in the Departmental Students' rooms, and, as I have already informed the hon. Member, so far as is possible arrangements are made for placing the designs for various materials in proximity to the objects of cognate material in the galleries.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will cause the congestion of the halls at the Victoria and Albert Museum, containing reproductions of famous historical monuments, to be relieved by removing some of the casts of the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth century sculptured pulpits, candelabra, tombs, and the like, into the long southern court of the museum, which is but now partially filled with corresponding original works of less artistic importance for the purposes of serious study than those so well reproduced in the casts above mentioned?

Some of the difficulties connected with the position of the collection of casts are referred to in Section 5 of the Report on the Museum for the years 1909–10, and the hon. Member will find set out in that Section some objections to the course he suggests. The question of the disposal of the casts is now under consideration.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can give a statement showing the number of persons killed and injured, respectively, by vehicles in the City of London and the Metropolitan Police district together, during each of the years 1900 to 1911?

The number of persons killed or injured in the streets by horse-drawn or mechanically propelled vehicles (including motor cycles) is as follows:—

asked the Home Secretary whether he is prepared to sanction the co-operation of the Metropolitan Police in carrying out the powers entrusted to the London County Council by the Metropolitan Ambulances Act, 1909; and whether he has had any com-

munication with the county council on the question?

I can only repeat what my predecessor said in 1910, that if any proposal for the co-operation of the police is made I shall be glad to consider it with every wish to do whatever may be practicable. I have had no communication from the London County Council on the subject.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that there is a considerable number of persons in the Metropolitan area carrying on the business of fried fish sellers whose shops are only open for serving customers between noon and 3 p.m. and after 7 p.m., and that the hours of assistants employed in these shops are consequently unusually light; and whether he is willing to consider the propriety of exempting shops conducting the business named from the operation of the Shops Act, 1912?

I have received one or two representations from the class of shops referred to. The only provision in the Act which is likely to cause them any trouble is that which gives every assistant a weekly half-holiday. I have no power to grant any exemption from this require-

ment—that could only be done by Parliament—and I doubt if Parliament would agree to deprive the assistants in these shops of their half-holiday except possibly on terms similar to those proposed in the Bill for refreshment houses introduced by the hon. Member for Hammersmith.

asked the Home Secretary if he has any report of the present condition of Miss Ada Wright, a suffragist prisoner in Aylesbury gaol; if she is being forcibly fed; if she is able to retain the food which is forced through her nostrils; and, if not, what method is being adopted to keep her alive; and whether her condition is such as to make her immediate release necessary?

The state of this prisoner's health has been carefully watched by the medical officer, and, as it is no longer satisfactory, he has recommended her release. She has been fed by tube in the usual way.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has suspended the main provisions of Rule 243A, made by his predecessor in office for the treatment of political offenders; in particular, whether the special privileges conferred by the rule are now made dependent upon the performance of a task of work, or whether the Governor of a prison has the power to alter or suspend the provisions of the rule without his authority or sanction; and whether such authority or sanction has been asked for or given?

I have not suspended the main provisions of Rule 243A made by my predecessor. The rule does not apply specially to what are described as "political offenders," nor does it confer specified privileges. The rule reads as follows:—"In the case of any offender of the second or third division whose previous character is good, and who has been convicted of, or committed to prison for, an offence not involving dishonesty, cruelty, indecency, or serious violence, the Prison Commissioners may allow such amelioration of the conditions prescribed in the foregoing rules as the Secretary of State may approve in respect of the wearing of prison clothing, bathing, hair-cutting, cleaning of cells, employment, exercise, books, and otherwise.

"Provided that no such amelioration shall be greater than that granted under the rules for offenders of the first division."

My hon. Friend will see that it merely allows of such mitigations of the ordinary prison discipline as the Secretary of State may from time to time approve, being accorded to certain prisoners. The mitigations of prison discipline which have been accorded under the rule to a prisoner may be forfeited if he refuses to obey the Prison Rules or otherwise misconducts himself. My authority is not required by a Prison Governor before enforcing the prison regulations in this respect; but on the recent occasion which my hon. Friend has in mind, I was, in fact, informed, and approved of the course taken. Prisoners enjoying the benefit of the rule are now required to work, but only on the lighter forms of labour, such as needlework in the case of women. The earning of remission of sentence and the privilege of visits and letters are dependent on the performance of this work.

asked the Home Secretary what steps are taken to enforce the orders of His Majesty's judges with regard to the expulsion from the country of criminal aliens?

His Majesty's judges do not make orders with regard to the expulsion of criminal aliens. They have no power to do so. Recommendations for expulsion may be made by any Court by whom an alien is convicted of an offence within the terms of Section 3 (1) (a) of the Aliens Act, 1905. On the submission of such a recommendation to the Secretary of State, it rests with him to decide whether or not an Expulsion Order should be made against the alien. Since the Act came into force Orders have been made in about 95 per cent. of the cases recommended.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether vesting orders or transfers made by the Welsh Commissioners under Clause 8 of the Established Church (Wales) Bill will be chargeable with £1 per cent. ad valorem Stamp Duty on the capital value of the property transferred, as being conveyances or transfers operating as voluntary dispositions inter vivos within the meaning of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he will state the total Excise revenue of India in the following years: 1874–5, 1884–5, 1894–5, 1904–5, 1905–6, 1906–7 1907–8, 1908–9, 1909–10, 1910–11, 1911–12, and the estimated revenue for 1912–13?

The following was the total gross Excise Revenue in India for the years given:—

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether certain officers who were accepted as candidates up to and including December, 1910, for the Indian Army have now been notified that direct appointments to that from the Military College will suffice for some time to come; and, if so, whether, in view of the fact that such officers have at their own expense qualified by the higher standard in Hindustani in order to obtain commissions in the Indian Army, he will consider the possibility of curtailing the direct appointments till such time as such officers as were accepted prior to December, 1910, have been appointed?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; as regards the second part, officers of British units serving in India have, on becoming qualified, been allowed to register their names as applicants for transfer to the Indian Army, but on the distinct understanding, expressly laid down in Indian Army Regulations, that they can be appointed to the Indian Army only when vacancies occur which no Unattached List officers are available to fill. I might add that for the most part these applicants have joined the British Army from the Royal Military College, and that while there they had the opportunity of gaining appointments to the Unattached List for appointment to the Indian Army by competition, but failed to pass out high enough to secure them.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether he is aware that the secret commissions and profits payable as the price of Belgian, American, and other foreign pressure upon China in 1910 amounted to some 60 per cent. of the price contracted to be paid by China to Baron Erlanger's group, known as Pauling and Co., for the construction and equipment of the Chinchow-Aigun Railway, leaving only 40 per cent. to be devoted to actual construction and equipment, and that the purpose of the six-Power group comprising parties to those arrangements, and bound in advance to contractors and others, is, with the help of their respective Governments, to discharge their secret engagements at China's expense, and to their own private advantage; and, if British support is to be given to this group so composed, to what condition of independent supervision of the expenditure is the support subject;(2) whether he is aware that the American group and Baron Erlanger's quasi-British group acted under a secret compact, dated 6th October, 1909, whereby the latter undertook to pay the former 2½ per cent. secret commission on the contract price for the construction and equipment of the Chinchow-Aigun Railway, the return for which was the diplomatic pressure of the American Government in coercing China into giving the contract to Baron Erlanger's group, then refused British diplomatic support in this transaction; and that to enable this firm to recoup itself for this and other secret commissions, amounting to 60 per cent. of the contract price, the pressure was used to force China to accept inferior materials and degraded work; and what measures are now being taken to prevent the six-Power group, comprising the parties to that secret compact, enforcing it upon China under the pretext of foreign supervision controlled in practice by themselves, with what they describe as the support of their respective Governments;(3) whether the contracts made in 1910 between the Chinese Government and the American group of financiers, consisting of J. P. Morgan and Co., Kuhn Loeb and Co., the First National Bank of New York, and the National City Bank of New York, for a loan of £10,000,000 for the financing of the Chinchow-Aigun Railway, and between the Chinese Government and Baron Emile Erlanger's quasi-British group, known as Pauling and Co., for the construction and equipment of the said Chinchow-Aigun Railway, at a contract price of upwards of £7,000,000, are still in force, or have been cancelled formally or otherwise; and whether the agreement between the American and the quasi-British group for the payment of secret commission will be allowed to operate in connection with the six-Power loan, or to apply to any advantage or equivalent which the quasi-British group may obtain in the event of the abandonment of the Manchurian Railways?

I have no knowledge of the transactions to which the hon. Member refers in these questions. I can only undertake to answer questions which concern His Majesty's Government. I am not aware that there is any foundation for the charges that the hon. Member makes, and as they cannot be examined in this House I think it would be more to the purpose if he would bring them outside the House, where some reply would be possible. With regard to the last part of this question, the conditions of the forthcoming loan to China are, as I have previously stated, the subject of confidential negotiations, but the Governments interested will not give their approval to any scheme which does not provide adequate guarantees for the proper and useful expenditure of the proceeds of the loan.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has any statement to make with respect to the progress of the loan negotiations with the Chinese Government and the steps being taken to protect British interests?

The chief British interest involved at present is that if British money is lent to China it should be used by the Chinese Government to establish security and order. This is kept in view in all negotiations to which His Majesty's Government is a party. It is, of course, an interest common also to other countries concerned in loan negotiations with whose Governments we co-operate.

asked the Secretary for Foreign Affairs if the purpose of the Russian and Japanese participation in the six-Power financial group is to control the expenditure of British and French money in Mongolia and Manchuria, will he explain how such control is to be reconciled with the protection of the interests of investors and with the integrity of the Chinese Empire?

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave on the 13th ultimo to a similar question.

also asked the Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether he is in a position to state whether the six-Power financial group insist upon China taking a £60,000,000 loan and submitting to foreign supervision, meaning supervision by dependants of the group, for five years, during which term no issue of bonds and no business of any description involving China's credit shall be undertaken without the sanction of the supervisors appointed by this group; in view of the spirit which this attempt to create a monopoly has evoked in China,. and the probable consequences of enforcing it on the unwilling Chinese, whether His Majesty's Government still support the group; and, if so, in what way British business firms are to be protected during the period mentioned from their proposals being examined by foregn competitors?

I must repeat once again that there is no question of forcing money on the Chinese Government. His Majesty's Government have throughout made their support of any loan which the Chinese Government may request conditional on adequate guarantees being secured for the proper and useful expenditure of the proceeds. This object, it is clear, can only be attained by some scheme of wise and effective control, but the form such control may eventually assume will necessarily be the result of an agreement between the groups and the Chinese Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether and when he will lay copies of the treaty of 30th March, 1912, establishing a French protectorate over Morocco; and, in view of M. Poincaré's statement that the promised Yellow Book is postponed, will he issue with it Papers explaining the measures proposed to be taken by the French Government to put a stop to abuses in the sale of land and measures proposed with regard to the levying and collection of Customs dues in Morocco?

The treaty establishing a French Protectorate over Morocco, and the measures with regard to the sale of land, have not yet been communicated to His Majesty's Government. The question of Customs dues in Morocco is still under discussion between the French and Spanish Governments.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in the event of the Government of Ireland Bill and of the Franchise and Registration Bill passing into law, he proposes to take any and, if so, what steps to prevent electors qualified in Ireland who have also qualifications in Great Britain from exercising the franchise with regard to representatives in the Imperial Parliament as well as in the Irish Parliament?

The Prime Minister has asked me to reply to this question. There is nothing to prevent a Parliamentary elector in Ireland from exercising his franchise both for a Member of the Irish Parliament and for a Member of the Imperial Parliament.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that the Willesden Board of Guardians are at present undecided as to whether to place their proposed new buildings for aged and infirm paupers close to the infirmary in a pleasant situation and under the administration of the medical officer, or close to the able-bodied workhouse and under the administration of the master; whether it was by his instructions that the district inspector of the Local Government Board attended the meeting of the guardians on 9th June and, after requesting the Press not to report his remarks, urged the guardians to place their new institutions under workhouse rather than infirmary administration; and whether he will state what is the policy of the Local Government Board as to placing aged and infirm paupers under medical or work house administration, assuming that the practical circumstances of the case render either course equally convenient?

I have approved generally of the plans for the new buildings referred to, and I understand that there is a large majority of the board of guardians in favour of the site propose. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative. I understand that the inspector did not suggest in any way that the "new institutions" should be placed under workhouse rather than infirmary management. As regards the last part of the question, I may say that the whole of the buildings will for the present remain under one administration.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been drawn to the protests made against the action of his Department in keeping up a number of small-pox hospitals which are never likely to be again required; and whether he will consider the advisability of some steps being taken to do away with or greatly reduce the expenditure, amounting to about £20,000 a year which this involves?

My attention has not been drawn to any such protests as are referred to. Small-pox hospitals are maintained by local authorities, and not by my Department, and I do not think it can be said that they are never likely to be again required for the purpose for which they were provided. In recent years such outbreaks as have occurred have been brought under control very promptly, and small-pox hospitals have formed an indispensable part of the machinery required for this purpose I may say that I have encouraged local authorities to use their small-pox hospitals, subject to suitable safeguards, for the treatment of cases of pulmonary tuberculosis and other purposes, when they are not required for small-pox and when they are suitable, and know a number of cases in which local authorities are so using these hospitals.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the present Regulation issued by his Department requires payment of small amounts for trunk line telephone services in regard to Marlborough to be made at Bristol; and whether he can arrange in future for such payments to be made at the local post office to avoid the trouble of constant remittances of small amounts, and the unpleasantness of peremptory demands for such payments which are now issued by his Department under the threat of instant disconnection of all services?

I understand that the National Telephone Company's subscribers at Marlborough paid all their accounts to the district office at Bristol, and that similar arrangements prevailed in most parts of the Kingdom. The accounting arrangements of the transferred system are being altered so as to allow of the payment of all telephone accounts at local post offices, and I hope shortly to make this system general throughout the country.

asked the Postmaster-General, in view of the fact that at the General Post Office factory at Nottingham, since the transfer of the telephone works, 400 persons paid on an hourly basis have suffered a reduction of pay owing to a reduction in their hours, and only sixty persons paid on a weekly basis have received any increase; and, in view of the fact that these 400 have been notified that they must be insured under the National Insurance Act, whether he will explain how the loss in wages to the employés due to a decrease in hours is compensated for by other privileges; and, if so, what these privileges are?

It is a fact that over 400 persons have had their normal weekly hours of work reduced from fifty-two to forty-eight, and because they are paid at an hourly rate there has been a corresponding reduction in their total earnings. The question whether the hourly rates at present being paid are proper is receiving consideration. All such persons will get the benefit of the shorter hours, and those continuously employed will receive the privileges of annual leave and sick pay which were not enjoyed under the Company. When the National Insurance Act comes into force these persons will, if they have served the prescribed qualifying period, be entitled to receive two-thirds sick pay for not more than three months in twelve under the rules of the Post Office, and on the expiry of such sick pay will receive the sick benefits provided for under that Act.

asked the Postmaster-General what were Mrs. Murphy's qualifications for appointment to the charge of Portumna Post Office; whether, before appointing her to the charge of the post office at Portumna, he had carefully examined into the claims and capabilities of the twelve local persons applying for the position; whether he was aware that two of these twelve persons had personal experience of the work and management of such offices, one of them for a period of three years previously; and whether it is to be understood in future, in appointing persons to local post offices in Ireland, that local connection with and experience in managing such offices is to be a bar instead of a recommendation?

The claims and qualifications of all the candidates for the appointment at Portumna were carefully considered; and Mrs. Murphy was selected because she appeared to me to be more suitable for the post than any of the local candidates. Due weight is always given to local knowledge and experience; but neither of the two local assistants referred to could be regarded as suitable for the position.

asked the Postmaster-General if a highly paid and untrained man has been sent from England to fill a position in the Dublin stores department of the General Post Office; whether an officer already in the service has received a week's notice of dismissal so as to make room for the newcomer; if so, will he say whether any further importations are contemplated; and, if so, what steps will be taken to carry out the promises given by him that the Dublin staff would not suffer by the changes of the control of the Dublin stores from the Irish Secretary to the Controller of Stores in London?

I will ascertain the facts and communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that discontent prevails amongst traders engaged in the drapery and soft-goods trades owing to the alleged rough handling of parcels sent through the Post Office since the system of packing the parcels in bags instead of in baskets has been adopted?

I beg to refer the hon. Member to the answers upon this subject which I gave to the hon. Member for the Northern Division of Islington on the 19th and 22nd February, and to the hon. Member for Southampton on the 3rd of April last. Any allegation of rough handling in the post will at once be examined if the hon. Member will supply me with details.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the inferior quality of the paper used for telegraph forms, ink having the same effect as if applied to blotting paper, and thus making copy in tissue books impossible; and, if so, whether he proposes to take any steps in the matter?

I have received a few complaints on the subject recently, but the paper used for the forms is of the same standard as has been used for many years past. It is found to meet general requirements, and, having regard to the expense which would be involved, I should not feel justified in asking the Stationery Office to raise the contract standard of quality. For the information of those who find it convenient to keep copies of their messages, I may mention that books containing twenty forms of superior quality, with embossed stamps, interleaving, and carbon paper, are sold by the Post Office at the price of 10s. 2d., and I understand also that certain private firms which have been authorised to print telegram forms can supply them specially made up into books for manifolding purposes.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that potato disease has, during the last week, made its appearance in many parts of England; and whether, in view of the loss to poor cultivators which always follows an outbreak of this disease at the end of June or beginning of July, he will make known through the provincial Press the certain advantage of spraying the crop with a solution of copper sulphate and lime in checking the development of the disease?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. A warning notice has been issued to the Press, a copy of which I shall be happy to send to the hon. Member.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can say what was the net amount of the Japanese Imperial Debt at the close of the financial year last before the commencement of the recent war with Russia, at the close of the financial year next after the end of the war, and at the close of the last financial year?

The following statement shows the total amount of the Japanese National Debt outstanding at the undermentioned dates:—

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether a disease, hitherto unknown in Great Britain, broke out among some of the horses engaged in the recent International Horse Show in London; and whether he can give the House any information as to the character and place of origin of this disease?

So far as I have been able to ascertain, no horses at the recent International Horse Show in London suffered from any disease other than the minor disorders to which horses are commonly subject at such shows—coughs, colds, sore throats, and the like. If the hon. Member will communicate to me the information on which he based his question, I will gladly make further inquiry.

asked on what date the Board of Agriculture first became cognisant of the recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in county Dublin?

The Department of Agriculture for Ireland first became cognisant of this outbreak on the afternoon of Sunday last.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture at what time, on what day, from what port, and by what boat the first animals found on slaughter at Liverpool to have been affected with foot-and-mouth disease left Ireland?

No information of a definite character could be obtained as to the vessel by which the diseased animals, the tongues and feet of which were found at the Liverpool abattoirs, were brought to this country. The animals subsequently found to be affected left Dublin by the s.s. "Slieve Bloom" at 12.45 p.m. on Saturday, 22nd instant.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether animals imported from Ireland, marked with the Irish inspection mark, are subjected to further veterinary examination on arrival at an English port; and whether such examination takes place before or after landing?

Every animal imported from Ireland is subjected to veterinary examination by officers of the Irish Department and is branded with a crown prior to shipment. They are not examined by officers of the Board on their arrival, but in certain cases, e.g., at Liverpool, Bristol, and Glasgow, the veterinary inspectors of the various local authorities attend either at the wharves or at the market places in order, if possible, to detect any cases of disease.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether, when the recent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in England were located and dealt with by restrictions and regulations limiting the movement of livestock within the affected area and its radius of environment, on the non-infected areas outside livestock auctions and markets were held and the movement of animals was allowed; and, if so, whether, in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture in Ireland, he will consider the advisability of adopting a similar system in regard to fat Irish livestock imports?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The reply which I have given to the similar question addressed to me by the hon. Member for Cork City will supply the answer to the second part.