moved certain Amendments to the Standing Orders relating to private business.

Perhaps I may be allowed to state the effect of this and certain subsequent proposed alterations. There are only two points involved. The first one relating to Standing Order 26b is to assimilate the rule in England and Wales to that at present existing in Scotland and Ireland, namely, that where any Bill proposes any work on the banks of a river the plans shall be submitted to the Conservators of that river, if there are any. The other proposed Amendments are all part of the one proposal, the object of which is to facilitate the consideration of private Bills in the early part of the Session in order that Members may not be called upon for their services so much in the months of June and July. It is done in this way: by assimilating the procedure on company Bills to that on other Bills and putting all the Bills on one level, namely, that what are called the Wharncliffe Standing Orders will have to be complied with before the Bill comes before the Committee, instead of as now, before it comes before the House on Second Reading.

I beg to move, "That Standing Orders 220 (Lords Amendments to be printed prior to consideration, etc.), and 246 (Notice of consideration of Lords Amendments) be suspended until the Adjournment of the House for the Autumn Recess:

May I just ask the right hon. Gentleman as to the word "shall" in the Amendment? Does it make it obligatory to consider the Amendment on the day on which the House shall next sit, or does it only empower the House to do so: it looks obligatory?

If it is set down and no objection is taken it will go forward: if any hon. Member takes objection, the consideration will be deferred.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Imperial Merchant Service Guild, as representing the captains and officers of the British merchant service, has caused urgent representations to be addressed to him regarding the dangers presented by the extinguishing of the navigational lights in the Red Sea by orders of the Turkish Government; whether these lights are still extinguished; and, if so, whether, in view of this continued menace to the safety of British ships, which preponderate in the navigation of the Red Sea, he will now consider the desirability of cooperating with the German and French Governments to bring further pressure to bear upon the Turkish Government in order that these lights may once again be exhibited?

Representations were made by the Guild in a letter dated 6th October last, to which a reply was returned defining the attitude of His Majesty's Government in accordance with statements since made in this House in answer to questions on the subject. Since that date I have received no communication from the Guild. So far as I am aware the lights in question have not been relit, but for the reasons already given. There are no further steps that His Majesty's Government could take without a departure from neutrality; nor is there any reason to suppose that the attitude of France and Germany differs from our own. We are of course anxious to see the lights restored and would not neglect any favourable opportunity of bringing that about.

Has the right hon. Gentleman been in communication with the Governments of France and Germany on the question?

No, Sir, I do not think we have been in communication. We have no reason to suppose that they take any different view to our own.

If these islands in the Red Sea are perfectly worthless could not some negotiations be entered into with Turkey to acquire them?

We had negotiations with Turkey in the earlier stages of the war, and we found that unless there was some agreement that the war should not be prosecuted in the Red Sea the Turkish Government would take objection to restoring the lights; and it was not found possible to come to any agreement for the neutralisation of the Red Sea.

Could any arrangement be come to to acquire these islands?

I think that is absolutely out of the question. A war is proceeding between two other Powers. We are absolutely neutral, and for us to make any proposal to acquire territory belonging to one or the other is impossible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether he can make any statement with regard to the closing of the Dardanelles; and what action His Majesty's Government intends to take in the matter in order to prevent a repetition of the holding up of British ships and merchandise which has caused so much inconvenience in the past?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given yesterday to the hon. Member for West Staffordshire. There seems no occasion for the present to take any action.

asked whether any negotiations are now in progress for the termination of the war in Tripoli?

I have no information on the subject from either of the Governments concerned.

asked what was the first date on which he had reports as to the ill-treatment of natives in the Putumayo district?

My attention was first drawn to this matter as a result of the articles which appeared in "Truth" in September and October, 1909.

asked whether the crimes charged against men in the employ of the Peruvian Amazon Company and the charges against the methods of the company's administration on the Putumayo have been considered with a view to ascertaining how far the directors of the Peruvian Amazon Company, who had been on the Putumayo, were personally cognisant of the crimes disclosed in Sir R. Casement's Report; and whether any charge will be preferred against the directors or officials of the company?

When the matter was first brought to their notice the British directors made it clear that they had no knowledge of the state of affairs; they appointed a Commission, which was evidently sent in good faith to inquire on the spot. I am not aware of any ground on which His Majesty's Government could take action respecting them.

Why was there not included in the Blue Book which was issued any correspondence between the company and the Foreign Office?

Because we did not think that the correspondence which took place between the company and the Government was really material to the main point at issue, which was the treatment of British subjects, Barbadians, who were in the Putumayo, and the general state of affairs in that district.

Were they not officers of the directors who perpetrated these cruelties, and is not the principal responsible for his agents?

They were agents of the company who were there.

Has the company's Commission reported to the company, and, if so, have the Foreign Office seen the Report?

Yes, Sir, I understand that the company's Commission did report to the company.

Have the Foreign Office seen that Report?

I am not quite sure that we have seen the Report, but in any case the Report of Sir Roger Casement, who was instructed by us, is the document to which I attach the most importance.

Is there any conflict of opinion between the two Reports, the Report sent in to the Foreign Office and the Report by the Commission appointed by the company?

So far as I recollect the Reports were to the same effect. Of course, the one for which I take responsibility is that of Sir Roger Casement.

May we take it that the directors fully recognise the validity and truthfulness of Sir Roger Casement's Report?

Oh, yes. So far as I am aware the directors have never disputed the state of affairs which was disclosed. What they have contended was that they were entirely ignorant of the state of affairs before Sir Roger Casement's and their own Commission went there.

asked the right hon. Gentleman if, in view of the impossibility of checking the methods of collecting rubber by a company more or less of an English character, he could, either with or without the assistance of the American Government, appoint a Consul at Iquitos, with instructions to forward regular reports of the treatment of the Indians?

A salaried British Consul has recently been appointed at Iquitos His instructions will be found on page 160 of the Blue Book. The United States Government have made a similar appointment.

asked (9) whether any of the persons whose names were brought by him before the Government of Peru in March, 1911, as being guilty of gross atrocities in the district of Putumayo have yet been arrested and punished; (10) whether he has any information showing that the system of forced labour in the district of Putumayo, as described by Sir Roger Casement in 1910, has since been modified or abandoned?

I have no information at present beyond what is contained in the Blue Book. The instructions to our Consul are to send a Report, and until he has been able to visit the district and send a Report, I shall have no further direct information.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether there are any British subjects among those who have been tortured?

I cannot give more information than the Blue Book, which explains that there were Barbadians in the district when Sir Roger Casement went there, and that he attended to their complaints and their condition, and, I think, brought some of them away.

Is the Consul British?

Yes, he is a British subject.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when the Report of the British Consul may be expected?

No, Sir, I cannot say that definitely. He has not yet been able to visit the district of Putumayo. I am instructing him that he should concert with his United States colleague, who is there with the object of visiting the district, as soon as that can conveniently be done—the district is not easily accessible —because I want to have a Report as soon as he can conveniently send it.

Will the district visited by the Consul at Iquitos comprise other tributaries of the Amazon besides the Putumayo?

That is a very long way from the question on the Paper.

asked what steps have been taken in reference to the atrocities reported from Peru, in connection with the Amazon Rubber Company; and whether this is a British company?

As regards the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the recent Blue Book. The answer to the second part is in the affirmative; the company is now, I believe, in voluntary liquidation.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give the House and the public any assurance that pending the negotiations which he told us are taking place with the Peruvian Government, and the inquiries which are being made, that none of these atrocities are still continuing, and whether any steps can be taken to put an end to them?

I cannot give any more direct information about the state of affairs in the district until I have received the further Report from our Consul. It must be borne in mind that the district is one in which we have no jurisdiction ourselves, and in which we do not intend, and obviously it would be impossible for us to intend, to incur any responsibility for its administration. I thought it right, when I heard that there were Barbadians there, to send a British Consul to inquire into the state of affairs. Having got the information which that inquiry produced, I thought it ought not to be kept to ourselves, and it has been published. Beyond that I cannot promise any definite steps.

Are we to understand from the right hon. Gentleman's statement that he is without knowledge as to whether these atrocities are still being continued, and can no steps be taken to secure that an end shall be put to them pending inquiries?

I should not put it in that way. I should say with regard to the administration of the district, for which we are not and cannot be responsible, I cannot undertake the responsibility of making a statement as to what is actually going on there, except when I happened to have direct information on the subject.

When did the British Consul get to Iquitos, and how long has he been there?

He got there early in this year, and he has been there for some months. He was not well on his first arriving there. He has already made one journey to the neighbouring district. The instructions to him now are, as soon as he can conveniently do so, to go to Putumayo. I have also told him to concert with his United States colleague, who has been sent there, we believe, for the same purpose of getting information.

Is it not a fact that one of the directors, who was a member of the Board when the atrocities were committed, holds office under the Crown?

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will give me notice of that question.

asked whether the Government has any official information that the Reforms Decree of March, 1910, applicable to the third area of the Congo on 1st July of this year, has come into operation; and whether a British Consular representative will visit this area before the end of the year and report on its condition; and will the House be placed in possession of that Report when received?

The Reforms Decree came into operation automatically in the third area of the Congo on 1st July. The answer to the other questions is in the affirmative.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Belgian Government has officially confirmed the assurance given by the Belgian Minister in London on 2nd January, 1912, that Belgium has formally renounced the system adopted by the Congo State of working the products of Congo lands; whether he has taken note that the Belgian Colonial Council throws doubt on the permanence of the change, and apparently disputes the inherent rights of the natives to harvest and barter natural products; and whether representations have been made?

The answer to the first question is in the affirmative. It is not necessary to make representations to the Belgian Government in regard to opinions expressed in the Colonial Council.

Do I understand from the answer of the right hon. Gentleman that the Colonial Council has no responsibility in this matter in regard to the Congo?

The only responsibility we recognise is that which rests with the Belgian Government.

asked what were the imports of Southern Nigeria and the Gold Coast, respectively, for the year 1911; and what is the population of Southern Nigeria and the Gold Coast, respectively; and what were the imports of the Congo for the year 1911, and what is its population?

The figures as regards Southern Nigeria are: Imports, £5,681,000; population, 7,858,689; and as regards the Gold Coast: Imports, £3,651,000; population, 1,503,000. The imports in both cases include bullion and specie. The figures for imports into the Congo State are -available for only the first six months. They are £839,612, and include merchandise only. As regards the population, no census has been taken, but I understand that it has been estimated in a recent Belgian official publication at 15,000,000.

Would it be possible to separate the specie from the other imports of Nigeria?

I will inquire whether that can be done.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many of the prize competitions at the annual meeting of the National Rifle Association at Bisley are fired under service conditions and on principles absolutely consistent with the musketry regulations, with service regulation targets and rifles as issued for service?

The Queen Mary's Territorial prize competition and the three other competitions based on it are the only competitions which fully comply with the conditions stated in the question. Other competitions nearly comply with these conditions.

asked what is the number of officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of the Regular Forces detailed for duties connected with the annual meeting of the National Rifle Association at Bisley, and the length of time occupied by these duties; whether the whole of these men were taken from a single brigade at Aldershot; to what extent have the arrangements for brigade training in that command, and to what extent has the brigade or musketry training of the officers and men, been affected in consequence of their withdrawal?

The numbers detailed are as follows:—Seventy-seven officers, 342 non-commissioned officers, three buglers, and 801 privates. The majority of these were employed for twelve days, but a few men of the Royal Engineers, Army Service Corps, Royal Army Medical Corps, and Army Ordnance Corps have to remain at Bisley for one month. To reduce the dislocation of the training programme, officers, non-commissioned officers, and men detailed from the Aldershot Command were changed after the first week for a party of similar strength. No one brigade furnished the whole of the men, but a considerable number came from the 5th Brigade. In many cases, field practices have been postponed and will, be carried out at another time.

Have non-commissioned officers and men got extra pay for this work?

I should like notice.

asked whether any hospital is to be built in the flying sheds at Larke Hill; and whether a doctor is in attendance during flying hours, seeing that the late Captain Loraine had to be conveyed some miles to the nearest hospital in an ordinary cart?

It is not intended to build a hospital at Larke Hill, as the distance from the sheds there to the hospital at Bulford is only two and a half miles; moreover, the military flying establishment will be moved from Larke Hill after the conclusion of the competitions which are about to take place. A medical officer is always in attendance at Larke Hill whenever flying is going on. The hon. Member will understand that when extended flights are taking place it is impossible to ensure that there will always be adequate medical assistance in the immediate vicinity of any accident that may unfortunately happen.

asked when the Enniskillen regiment, now stationed at Wei-Hai-Wei, is likely to go to India, seeing that a year ago they were sent to Wei-Hai-Wei for a few weeks only, whilst their families were sent to India to await their immediate arrival?

It is probable that the 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers will leave North China for India about the 9th November and arrive at Madras about the 4th December.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can recommend that a money Grant be given to the parents of Sergeant-Major Wilson, who was lately kilted during aviation, seeing that they were largely dependent on him for their living?

There is no power under Regulations to make such a Grant, but I will consider if I can do anything as a special case when the necessary particulars are available.

Do not the circumstances of the case make it very special, the parents of the man being dependent upon him?

That may or may not be so.

asked whether the Special Reserve is to be used for oversea service as complete units, or whether the men and officers are to be sent separately to reinforce the Expeditionary Force abroad?

The Irish Horse and the twenty-seven Extra Reserve battalions would be sent abroad as complete units. The remainder would furnish drafts as required.

Will not these drafts come to an end very soon?

No, it will depend on the number of men available and the number of drafts required.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the British and Colonial Aeroplanes Company, of Filton, Bristol, are supplying the War Department with aeroplanes or other flying craft; and, if so, whether he is aware that this firm is paying from 5s. to 10s. per week less than the standard rate of wages to a number of artisans employed by the firm; and whether he proposes to take any action in this case?

No complaint has been received, but if the hon. Gentleman will furnish precise particulars of any infringement of the Fair-Wages Clause the matter shall be inquired into.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can make any statement as to the recent accident to Lance-Sergeant Cowan, 5th Devons, at Bisley Camp?

The cause of this accident is being investigated. I am not yet able to make a statement on the matter.

asked if any organisation has yet been formed to take the place of the disbanded railway engineer battalion at Crewe; and, if so, what?

As I explained to the hon. and gallant Gentleman, in reply to a question put by him on 4th July, there is no intention of forming any organised unit. The men required will be specially enlisted in the Army Reserve.

asked whether it is proposed that the late Quartermaster-General to the Forces should proceed on a tour of inspection to Cape Colony, Sierra Leone, and the Mauritius; whether any of these places, and, if so, which, were included in any recent tour of inspection by the Inspector-General of Oversea Forces; whether the Inspector-General of Oversea Forces is considered competent to report on all military questions affecting countries and stations visited by him; if so, why it is necessary to send another general officer to inspect them; what is the estimated cost of that general officer's tour, and will he be accompanied by a staff officer; and what does the Inspector-General of Oversea Forces cost the country annually in pay, travelling, and other allowances, including passages on men of war?

Lieut.-General Sir H. Miles, accompanied by a staff officer, has been sent on a special mission to carry out a complete examination of the administrative arrangements in the commands concerned with which the Inspector-General was unable to deal in detail in his inspection, and which are largely connected with the Quartermaster-General's department. He is empowered to give decisions on behalf of the Council in those matters. The late Quartermaster-General is pre-eminently fitted to undertake this work. The various points raised in the question do not therefore arise.

Will the right hon. Gentleman answer the last two paragraphs of the question?

I have said it does not arise, because it is assumed it is not worth while to send this officer. Our opinion is that he will perform a most valuable service, and the savings he will be able to effect without reducing efficiency will far more than cover the cost of the tour.

Is it to be assumed that Sir Ian Hamilton is unable to conduct this inquiry?

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will put down a question on the whole point if he wishes it fully explained. Sir Ian Hamilton's principal duties do not concern these administrative details of Army expenditure which Sir H. Miles has gone to report about.

:. May I still ask the right hon. Gentleman to give me a reply to the last part of the question?

I can get the exact figures for any one year if the hon. and gallant Gentleman will put down a question.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will state the date when the grass farm at Witley of 150 acres was presented to the Government for 21 years at a peppercorn rent, and the number of horses which are now kept on that farm for military purposes; and what is the total number of horses which the Government expect to accommodate on grass farms before October next?

The grass farm in question was presented on 17th July, 1911. There are now ninety-nine horses on the farm. The grazing arrangements are for Cavalry horses only, and it is expected that about 650 Cavalry remounts will be accommodated on grass by next October.

Where are the other grass farms which the Under-Secretary alluded to the other day?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to an accident with the new Mark VII. rifle at Pirbright on or about 15th July last, whereby a corporal of the 3rd Worcestershire Regiment was injured in the right hand, and the rifle jambed with a bullet in the barrel; whether a full inquiry has been held, and what steps have been taken to prevent the repetition of such accidents in the future?

It is presumed that by the expression "the new Mark VII. rifle" is meant a rifle resighted to fire the new Mark VII. ammunition. The rifle with which the accident occurred is now at Enfield, and a full investigation is being made to ascertain the cause of the accident. Until this is completed it is not possible to state the steps which may be necessary to prevent the repetition of the accident. Many millions of Mark VII. ammunition have been fired without any accident which could be attributed to it.

Will the right hon. Gentleman let me know when he is able?

Yes, I will send the hon. and gallant Gentleman notice.

asked the Undersecretary of State for India whether the Lieutenant-Governor of Bihar and Orissa has been consulted regarding the establishment of a new High Court at Patna; whether the Government of India contemplates the establishment of such a Court; and, if so, at what cost to the taxpayer, who is at present served by the High Court in Calcutta?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. At the present stage I am not in a position to give any reply to the second and last parts.

asked whether there has been any alteration in international circumstances, or in our treaties with foreign Powers, since a statement was made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1906 that, after consulting the Law Officers of the Crown as to whether any international difficulty would be caused by discontinuing the grant of British pilotage certificates to alien shipmasters and after careful consideration, the Government had decided that they could deal with future applications; and, if there has been any such alteration since that statement was made, whether it necessitates the repeal of Section 73 of the Merchant Shipping Act of 1906, by which the grant of British certificates to aliens was prohibited for the future?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. But as has been already stated in reply to previous questions in this House, persistent remonstrances and representations have since 1906 been addressed to the Foreign Office by certain foreign countries and especially by France, whose contention was based not on any specific claim that British pilotage certificates must under treaty be granted to French shipmasters and mates, but on the general ground that French shipping is entitled to enter British ports without paying higher charges than those imposed on British shipping in the same ports. As the effect of Section 73 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1906, had, according to the French contention, been to impose on certain French vessels higher charges than those imposed on British vessels in the same circumstances, it was in their view necessary to endeavour to find some practical method of redressing this inequality. After careful examination of the question through a Joint Commission, His Majesty's Government considered that the case would probably be best met by the enactment of a frequency exemption applicable to British and foreign vessels alike which trade regularly with the same port, and a clause for this purpose was inserted in the Pilotage Bill introduced last year. I understand, however, that this proposal though in accord with the recommendation of the Pilotage Committee, and acceptable to the French Government as a solution of the international question, raised unforeseen practical difficulties for the pilots; and I do not think I am wrong in saying that the pilots as a body would greatly prefer the more strictly limited and carefully guarded exemption embodied in Clause 19 of the present Bill, although in form this Clause introduces a limited exception to the operation of Section 73 of the Act of 1906. There is no question of the repeal of Clause 73.

Will the right hon. Gentleman reconsider in that case the redrafting of the Clause so that those who are concerned may more clearly understand what it means?

Will the hon. Gentleman kindly put a question to-morrow?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can give any information as to the number, calibre, and present condition of the guns at St. Helena; and when were they last fired?

It is not considered expedient to publish information regarding the armaments of forts. These defences have been handed over to the charge of the Admiralty.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the fact that hitherto the same horses have been employed in several Territorial mounted corps, either of Yeomanry or Artillery; and whether he will consider the necessity of taking effective steps to put a stop to this practice?

It is understood that the same horses are sometimes used by more than one corps at the annual training at camp, but this practice is limited to a considerable extent by the fact that the camp periods of mounted units overlap. For instance, twenty-eight Yeomanry units were up for training simultaneously at the end of May. I am not aware of any scheme which would obviate this practice without involving considerable additional expenditure.

If the horses' hoofs were marked, would not that put an end to the practice?

I do not think that would put an end to it.

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider that method?

I will consider any suggestion that comes from the hon. and gallant Gentleman.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he proposes to draw up regulations to define more precisely the terms under which the payment of salaries of Members are now made, and to redress the anomalies which now exist?

I do not think that any such regulations are called for, but if the hon. Member will bring to my notice the particular points which he has in mind, I shall be glad to have them investigated.

May I ask if we will have an opportunity of discussing these payments? If so, I shall be able to bring a case forward.

That is a matter which is not in the hands of the Minister. It is in the hands of those Members of the Opposition who make arrangements for the Votes put down for discussion.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration whether directors of half-a-dozen companies should, while drawing fees from those companies, be paid a salary of £400 a year as Members of this House?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can state the number of tons of indiarubber that were shipped to this country through the Iquitos (Peru) Custom House for the six years ending 31st December, 1910, and the approximate sum realised by the sale of such rubber on the London market; whether he is aware that firms registered in this country have acquired monopoly rights for the collection and production of India-rubber over large territories in the Republics of Peru and Brazil; and whether, in view of the enhanced profit consequent on such monopoly, it is his intention to place any tax on ascertained profits derived from the sale of indiarubber in this country?

Perhaps the hon. Member will repeat to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade the inquiries made in the first part of the question. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture in what counties gooseberry mildew has been most prevalent during the present season; and whether recent official Returns indicate, after comparison with those of the previous three years, that this disease is on the increase in Great Britain?

American gooseberry mildew has unfortunately been prevalent during the present season in most of the counties in which gooseberries are grown, and a larger number of cases have been brought to the knowledge of the Board this year than in the previous three years. The increase in the number of cases reported is partly attributable to the exceptionally unfavourable season and partly to the more general observance of the requirements of the law as to the notification of the disease.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that at the half-yearly meeting of the British North Borneo Company, held in London on 11th July, the chairman stated that a widespread system of vaccination was to be introduced amongst the natives; under what powers are the company permitted to introduce such a system in the territory in which their operations are conducted; will such a system be compulsory; and, if so, will the Government intervene, in view of the loss to British prestige which will follow even the indirect introduction of compulsory vaccination?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The powers of the company are derived from their charter, which my hon. Friend will find on pages 192–199 of Cd. 3108. They are entitled to administer their territory as an independent State, except as is otherwise provided in the Charter or in the Treaty of Protection. I am not aware whether it is intended that vaccination should be compulsory, but, in any case, I am not prepared to intervene in the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why British subjects are allowed to enter into indentures of labour which practically amount to slavery and are deported to countries like the Putumayo district of Peru, where they are treated in the manner referred to in the Casement Report; and whether, in view of that Report, he will take steps to prevent the recruiting of British labour for Peru and all places outside the British Empire?

I am not aware that British subjects are ever allowed to enter into agreements which practically amount to slavery or that they are deported. In practically all the British West Indian Colonies there are laws to regulate the engagement and emigration of labourers. A list of the laws then in force will be found in Cd. 3827, and since the date of that Paper other laws have been passed where circumstances have required. The laws differ in accordance with varying local conditions, but, speaking generally, the principle is that the Government should have power to prevent the recruiting of labour for any foreign country, and that recruiting for countries for which it is permitted should be subject to safeguards, such as the execution of the contract before a magistrate. In addition to securing a law in 1907, giving the Governor in Executive Committee power to prohibit recruiting for any foreign place, the Government of Barbados has issued warnings against accepting employment in South America, which, I understand, have been effectual. Similar action in respect of any foreign territory can be and is taken in any other British West Indian Colony in which there is reason for it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if indentured labourers working in our Colonies under Regulations sanctioned and approved by the present Government are placed under special laws never explained to them, in a language they do not understand, imposing criminal liability for the most trivial breaches of contract in place of civil liability, liable to imprisonment with hard labour, in some cases to three months, for negligence, carelessness, and even for an impertinent word or gesture to the manager or his overseers?

The hon. Member will find full information as to the terms upon which indentured labourers are employed in those Colonies which recruit such labour in the Report of the Committee on Emigration (Cd. 5192), which was laid before Parliament in 1910. In the course of that Report the subject of the penal provisions of the labour laws was fully considered and explained, and the recommendations of the Committee are receiving attention.

Does the right hon. Gentleman think that a proper way to treat labourers who have not got the Parliamentary vote?

asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the number of representations made by rating authorities in Scotland in favour of the passing this Session of the Land Values (Scotland) Bill, introduced by the hon. Member for the Trades-ton Division of Glasgow, and to the fact that that measure is based on the Bill of the same name which was introduced by the Government in 1907 and 1908 and passed through all its stages in this House in each of these years; and whether he can give facilities for it in this House during the present Session?

I understand that a considerable number of representations have been received from rating authorities in favour of the Bill. I fear it is not possible to give facilities for its discussion before the Adjournment, but I will consider whether they can be given at a later date.