asked the President of the Board of Trade if he -will state how many persons in Ireland have been insured under Part II. of the National Health Insurance Act up to the present date?

The number of workmen to whom unemployment books were issued in Ireland under Part II. of the National Insurance Act up to Saturday, 20th July, 1912, was 69,000.

asked the President of the Board of Trade in how many towns in Ireland local agencies have been established in addition to the agency at the Post Office under Part II. of the National Health Insurance Act?

Local agents have been appointed to relieve the post offices at 75 out of a total of 80 places in Ireland. Appointments have been offered in three other places, and arrangements are being made to relieve the only two remaining post offices of the work as soon as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, by a decision of the Umpire given in the "Board of Trade Journal" of the 30th May last, workmen employed as bedstead casters are exempted from the provisions of the Unemployment Section of the National Insurance Act, but that no decision has been given with regard to men who make castings for fenders; whether he is aware that several communications have been addresed by firms engaged in the fender trade to the Umpire and that no answer has been sent, and that at the present moment, when the Act is in operation, fender makers are left in ignorance as to whether their men engaged in making castings have to be insured or not; and what steps does he propose to take in the matter?

I am informed that the Umpire decided yesterday that contributions are payable under Part II. of the National Insurance Act in respect of iron-moulders engaged in making castings for fenders. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of this decision.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that agents of some insurance companies and societies working special sections under the National Insurance Act are now telling their clients that unless they join the particular section they shall lose all benefit under the Act and all premiums paid to those companies and societies; and whether the Insurance Commissioners will take any steps to stop this method of canvassing and to inform the public that it is unauthorised and improper?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Derby on the 26th June. If he will call my attention to any specific case, I will call the attention of the societies concerned to the matter, and I have no doubt that they will take steps to stop the practice. Persons induced to join an approved society by misrepresentation will be free to transfer to any other approved society.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Insurance Commissioners received a letter dated the 26th June from Messrs. Kirkner, Henderson and Company, asking for information on two points; whether he is aware that such letter was not answered until the 11th July; whether one of the questions was entirely ignored; and, if so, whether he will see that a proper answer is sent?

A letter dated 26th June asking two questions has been received from Messrs. Kirkner, Henderson and Company. A circular answering one of these questions was dispatched on the 27th June; a letter answering the other was dispatched on the 11th July. A further copy of the circular has been sent to the firm in case they have mislaid the copy already sent to them.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, under (4) of the instructions issued with the national health insurance contribution card (men), Class A, an employer is subject to a penalty who, being in the habit of employing, say, twenty men at wages of 30s. a week, gives them one month's notice with a promise to re-employ them at the end of such notice on wages at the rate of 29s. 9d. a week, subject to deduction only of the 4d. a week payable by the contributor, the conditions being accepted by the persons employed?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Derby on 15th July. Paragraph (8) of the Third Schedule provides that the employer shall not be entitled to deduct from the wages of or otherwise to recover from the contributor the employer's contribution. In new contracts employers have no more right or power to reduce wages than they had before the Insurance Act was passed. I am glad to say that any attempts which have been made to elude the spirit of the Act in this manner are a very small and, I lope, diminishing number.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether girls not British subjects staying at a convent for two three, or four years, receiving no money wages, maintained wholly and medically cared for during sickness, doing the duties of housework under tuition to fit them for such duties on their return to their home-country, come under the provisions of the National Insurance Act; and, if so, what are the contributions, when payable, by whom, and of what amounts?

On the facts as stated the answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The second does not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury how many of the 344 new posts established in 1911–12 under the Board of Customs and Excise are indoor posts and how many outdoor posts; how many of the fifty-nine new posts estimated for the current financial year are indoor and outdoor; how many new posts, indoor and outdoor, have been sanctioned by the Treasury since the Estimates were made; and will a Supplementary Estimate be presented?

All the new posts provided for in the Estimates for 1911–12 represented staff available for both indoor and outdoor work, with the exception of forty-four new indoor posts and three new outdoor posts. All the new posts provided for in the Estimates for 1912–13 were indoor posts. The number of new posts sanctioned since the estimates for 1912–13 were prepared is 484, including four for indoor duties, and 480 for both indoor and outdoor duties. I am not yet in a position to say whether a Supplementary Estimate will be necessary.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether any investigations as to the mineral resources of county Cavan have been carried out; and, if so, do the reports show that either coal or any other mineral could be profitably worked?

The Geological Survey of Ireland have surveyed the county Cavan, and the maps and memoirs compiled by this Survey contain information regarding the occurrence of minerals in the county. Some time ago the Department's Economic Geologist made an inspection of a supposed find of anthracite coal at Ballyjamesduff. He found that the material in question was a graphitic shale and of no commercial value as a fuel. He also made an inspection at Kilnaleck, where a mine was at one time worked for anthracite coal. He reported that, in his opinion, this deposit could not be successfully worked. Several samples of minerals have been recently submitted by persons in the county of Cavan for purposes of examination, and the Department's expert, when his other engagements permit, will visit the districts where these samples have been found.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he can state why the Local Government Board refused to confirm the old age pension granted to James M'Keown, of Tullywinnie, Camlough, county Armagh, by the Newry Pension Sub-committee on the 2nd May, 1912?

This man's claim was disallowed by the Local Government Board on the ground that his yearly means exceed £31 10s.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Michael and Mary Dowd, of Ardabane, Keel, Castlemaine, have recently been deprived of their pensions on the ground of means, although they only own the grass of one cow, and their married son, to whom they gave their land, the grass of five; and will he state on what grounds the Local Government Board hold that people so circumstanced are disqualified?

The pensions of these two persons were disallowed by the Local Government Board in January last on the ground of their yearly means exceeding the statutory limit. In the following month (February) the husband handed over his farm to his son, reserving only the grass of a cow and a room for himself and his wife and a small plot of ground. Fresh claims on behalf of both were made, and these claims were again disallowed by the Board, having regard to the terms of Section 4 (3) of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1908.

asked when Lord Greville's estates, Westmeath, for which purchase agreements were signed in 1907, will be vested in the tenant-purchasers?

This estate is the subject of proceedings for sale direct by the vendor to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903. It is on the principal register of direct sales (all cash), and, having regard to its position thereon, and the claims of other estates in priority to it, the Estates Commissioners are not at present in a position to say when it will be reached in its turn to be dealt with.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that on the estate of Sir Morgan O'Connell, Ballybeggan, Tralee, sold to the Estates Commissioners, there are three tenants who have not yet got the benefit of purchase; and whether, before the estate is vested, steps will be taken to secure that those men are allowed to purchase their holdings?

The hon. Member appears to be under a misapprehension. This estate is the subject of proceedings before the Estates Commissioners for sale by the vendor direct to the tenants, and the terms of sale are a matter for arrangement between the parties. The Commissioners understand that the three tenants referred to are second-term judicial tenants, and were offered the same terms of purchase by the vendor as were accepted by the other second-term tenants.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that on the Aylmer estate, lately acquired by the Estates Commissioners, there are eighty-nine uneconomic and congested holdings; that the farms of Russellstown and Grangebiggan are situated on the Aylmer estate; will he say whether the said farms are tenanted or untenanted, and, if the latter, have any steps been taken to acquire the same, and is the farm of one Good, of Milltown, in the same district, now up for sale; is it the intention of the Estates Commissioners to acquire these farms in order to relieve the above-mentioned congestion; and, if not, what steps do they intend to take to relieve the said congestion?

The eighty-nine holdings referred to were included in the proceedings instituted for the sale of this estate direct to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903. The Estates Commissioners refused to sanction the advances applied for in respect of these holdings, and suggested that the owner should sell them and a large tract of bog to the Commissioners, which he has agreed to do, and a scheme for user of the bog, which the Commissioners have acquired, is in course of preparation. The two farms first mentioned have not been acquired, and the Commissioners are not at present in a position to state in what manner they may utilise these farms, if acquired. The Commissioners cannot from the particulars given identify the other farm referred to as being the subject of proceedings for sale before them.

asked the Chief Secretary if it is the intention of the Estates Commissioners to carry out their promise of providing a holding for Denis Moylan as an alternative of a holding from which he was evicted on the estate of Lord Monck, Thomastown, county Kilkenny; is he aware that Inspector Sydney E. Smith promised Moylan two years ago to provide him with a holding on the Lyster estate, which was not carried out; and will he see that Moylan will be provided with a holding as soon as possible, as he is legally entitled to such?

The Estates Commissioners received an application from Denis Moylan for reinstatement in a farm formerly occupied by his mother on the estate of Viscount Monck, and now in the possession of a tenant who has purchased it under the Land Purchase Acts. The Commissioners are not aware that any promise was made to Moylan, and they see no reason to alter their decision not to lake any action in the matter of his application.

asked how many evicted tenants, including representatives of evicted tenants were provided with holdings in county Cavan annually for the five years ending 31st March, 1912; what was the total amount granted for buildings and restocking, etc.; how much has actually been paid; and how much of the balance outstanding will be paid?

Ninety-six. County Cavan evicted tenants or their representatives were up to the 31st March last reinstated in their former holdings, or provided with other holdings by the Estates Commissioners, and the detailed particulars are given in the quarterly returns presented to Parliament in the form prescribed by the Evicted Tenants Act, including particulars of sums sanctioned in each case for buildings, live stock, and other purposes. The details of sums expended as compared with sums sanctioned for expenditure in the case of evicted tenants are not abstracted separately in the accounts of the Land Commission, being included in the account of expenditure on improvements generally, and cannot therefore be given without a separate examination of each case, and the result would not justify the time and labour which would be involved in segregating the figures.

asked whether any application for reinstatement as an evicted tenant was received from Mrs. John Ryan, of Moneygall, Dunkerrin, King's County, whose husband was evicted from the Bassett Holmes estate in 1883; and what steps have been taken with a view to providing this woman with a suitable holding elsewhere?

The reply to the first paragraph of the question is in the affirmative. The Estates Commissioners, after inquiry and consideration, decided to take no action in the matter of Mrs. Ryan's application for reinstatement.

asked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that the Wexford County Council have repeatedly asked for an explanation of the reasons for which the Government have made the extra police tax for recent labour troubles in Wexford town a charge on the whole county; if he is aware that this explanation has never been supplied; if he is aware that the Government have now notified the county council that they propose to deduct the amount of this tax—namely, £3,000, from the county local taxation grant; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter?

I can only refer the hon. Member to my reply to a similar question asked by the hon. Member for South Wexford on 15th May. The Lord Lieutenant acted in this matter in the exercise of the discretion vested in him by Section 8 of the Constabulary (Ireland) Act, 1839, and I do not feel called upon to state the reasons which actuated him, though probably the comparatively small rateable value of the town of Wexford would have influenced his decision.

asked whether any and, if so, what arrangement has yet been come to between the Congested Districts Board for Ireland and the Development Commissioners for the improvement of the Dingle pier and harbour; and whether, seeing that the fishing industry in the district is being seriously injured by the insufficient accommodation, steps will be taken to have the matter dealt with as soon as possible?

No arrangements have yet been made for the execution of harbour improvements at Dingle, but the Development Commissioners have intimated their willingness to consider any application that may be approved by the Board of Works, the Congested Board, and the people of Dingle.

asked how many superintendents were employed by the Intermediate Education Board, Ireland, at the annual examinations in the years 1911 and 1912, respectively; what was the total cost in salaries and travelling expenses each year; how much was expended on those who were not teachers; and whether, in view of the salaries paid to assistant teachers in Irish secondary schools, and the number of them available to perform this work efficiently, steps will be taken to secure that while this expenditure of public money is continued it should go to those actually engaged in teaching?

The number of superintendents employed by the Intermediate Education Board in 1911 and 1912 was 320 and 322 respectively. The amount of their remuneration in 1911 was £4,695, and in 1912 £3,456. The travelling expenses incurred by superintendents in 1911 was £792, but the amount incurred in 1912 is not yet known. It would take some time to ascertain in every case whether or not the superintendents appointed are at present engaged as teachers in intermediate schools, and without this information it would be impossible to give an estimate as to how much was expended on those who are not teachers. Approximately 75 per cent, of the superintendents employed this year were teachers.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that on Saturday evening, the 13th instant, a mob of Nationalists attacked a Protestant boy of fourteen, at Kilrea, county Derry, and seriously injured him; that the same mob, having possessed itself of bottles and stones, lay in wait for a Unionist excursion returning from Portrush; that on its arrival the Nationalist mob, rushing from its hiding place, attacked the Unionist excursion, which consisted largely of women, and that several persons were seriously wounded; if any arrests have been made, and what steps were taken by the police in the town to prevent the occurrence; and whether he will institute an inquiry to find out who began the assault?

I would refer the hon. Member to the report of the occurrence which was published with last night's Votes. The boy referred to in the question was a younger brother of William Gordon mentioned in the report, and he joined in the fight with Dempsey on the 13th instant. He was beaten in the row, but not seriously.

asked whether the Congested Districts Board will give special consideration at its meeting on 16th July to the necessity for the construction of a boat slip at Cahirciveen, in view of the approaching autumn fishing season and of the number of fishermen at this centre who are severely handicapped by the absence of proper facilities for hauling up their boats?

This matter was considered by the Congested Districts Board at their meeting on the 16th instant, when it was decided that, if the County Council undertake the construction of the proposed slip at Cahirciveen, the Board will contribute one-half of the cost of construction, provided that the amount they are asked to pay does not exceed £70.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he has ascertained the causes of the rioting and disturbance which have lately taken place at Belfast; and whether the Government proposes to increase the forces stationed there?

The recent disturbances in Belfast are attributable to the state of feeling which always exists in the North of Ireland at this season of the year, accentuated by the Opposition to the Government of Ireland Bill. The question of increasing the force necessary for the normal policing of the city has been for some time under consideration, but no decision has yet been arrived at.

asked whether any timber was sold by the Estates Commissioners on the lands at Carrickmacross on which Mrs. Ellen J. Connolly was given a holding this year; how much was realised by the sale of this timber; whether other sums of money were realised in Ireland by similar sales of timber; and, if so, how much?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that some trees on the property referred to were sold for £30. The Commissioners are aware of only one other case in which timber on the lands was sold by them, and the sum realised was £625.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to the circumstances under which the lands of Peamount, near Lucan, county Dublin, have been, or are said to have been, acquired for the purposes of a sanatorium; whether these lands were some time since required for the purposes of the Evicted Tenants Act by the Estates Commissioners and handed over to a person from the county of Clare as compensation to him for lands alleged to have been surrendered by him in the county of Clare for the benefit of evicted tenants in that county; whether that person has now re-sold the lands for the purposes of a sanatorium; whether that re-sale will be sanctioned by the Estates Commissioners, although land is required for the purposes of the Evicted Tenants Act in the county, and although the lack of land for those purposes has been frequently assigned by the Commissioners as the reason for not having yet restored certain evicted persons in Dublin county to suitable holdings; whether the Commissioners are in the habit of inquiring from applicants for holdings whether they intend to remain on the holdings given to them, and whether they made such inquiry in the case of the person mentioned and received a satisfactory answer; and whether, if the re-sale of the lands has not yet been sanctioned, the Estates Commissioners will consider the advisability of taking over the lands in question and redistributing them amongst persons for whom they have obtained power to acquire lands?

The lands of Peamount have been transferred to trustees for the Woman's National Health Association by the registered owner to whom they were allotted by the Estates Commissioners on his surrendering other lands held by him in county Clare, which were urgently required for the relief of congestion, and to provide holdings for evicted tenants in that county. The Evicted Tenants Act provides that lands allotted to evicted tenants under that Act shall not be transferred without the consent of the Commissioners. The lands of Peamount were not, however, acquired under the Evicted Tenants Act as suggested in the question; they were purchased in the Land Judge's Court by the Estates Commissioners under the Irish Land Act, 1903, and when vested in the purchaser he was registered as owner thereof in fee simple under the Local Registration of Title (Ireland) Act, 1891, and he had full power to transfer the lands without the consent of the Commissioners. The Estates Commissioners have no power to re-acquire the lands for the purposes of distribution even if they wished to do so, which they do not. As regards county Dublin, evicted tenants whose names have been noted for consideration in connection with the distribution of land by the Commissioners, there are now only two persons so noted for consideration, while as regards those already provided with allotments by the Commissioners they have in a number of cases proved most unsatisfactory in working the lands allotted to them. On the lands surrounding Peamount the Commissioners some years ago allotted farms to seven evicted tenants, and equipped them with buildings, and in five cases gave them free grants to stock the lands. Only one of these reinstated evicted tenants is now working the lands to the satisfaction of the Commissioners, and three are not living on the lands at all. With the exception of one evicted tenant, the only purchasers who, in the opinion of the Commissioners, are satisfactorily working their holdings on this estate are persons brought in from other counties, and who surrendered evicted holdings on plan of campaign estates to enable the original tenants to be reinstated.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) the amount expended by his Department in the past financial year on grants to day secondary schools, grants to technical schools, grants to agricultural schools, grants to domestic training schools conducted in convents, grants to other domestic training schools, and grants to all other educational institutions, central administration, technical inspection, and agricultural inspection, respectively?

The following statement gives the desired information:—

	£
(1) Grants to Day Secondary Schools	27,955
(2) Grants to Technical Schools, including all Grants paid to County Committees, County Borough Committees, and Urban and Rural District Committees of Technical Instruction	98,656
(3) Grants to Agricultural Schools(excluding expenditure in connection with buildings and purchase of lands for two schools in North - East and North - West Ulster)	4,270
(4) Grants to Convent Domestic Training Schools	109
(5) Grants to Domestic Training Schools other than in Convents	341
(6) Grants for Drawing and Manual Instruction in miscellaneous schools	1,861

The Institutions and Colleges under the direct administration of the Department are not included in any of the above items. £9,500 represents the cost of inspection in connection with Technical Instruction Schemes. It is not possible to estimate the proportion of the Department's central administration expenses or of the expenses of Agricultural Inspection which is applicable to the administration of the grants enumerated above.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) the total revenue at the disposal of his Department during the last financial year; and what were the sources from which it was derived?

The following statement gives the information required:—

TOTAL REVENUE, 1911–12, £478,028.
	£
Gross Parliamentary Vote, original and supplementary (*excluding £169,750 Grant-in-Aid for Congested Districts Board)	293,419
For Endowment Fund—
Local Taxation (Ireland) Account	83,000
Irish Church Temporalities Fund	70,000
Ireland Development Grant, for the purposes of Technical Instruction	7,000
For Diseases of Animals Acts—
Assessments on Local Authorities for the purposes of the Diseases of Animals Acts and fines there-under	16,111
For Endowment Fund—
Interest on Securities and on moneys deposited	8,498
Total	£478,028

asked the Chief Secretary whether, on the 12th and 13th July, extra police were drafted into Bangor; and, if so, whether he can state the number of such extra police; the districts from which they were drawn; by whom they were requisitioned; whether the local authority made application for them; and, if not, for what reason were they sent?

An extra force of one officer and fifty men from the county of Meath were sent to Bangor on the 12th instant for duty on the 13th on the occasion of a meeting being held at that place. These police were sent at the request of the county inspector, who considered them necessary for the preservation of the peace.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has come to a decision as to the naming of the new cruisers for His Majesty's Navy; and whether one of the new cruisers will be named after the city of Cardiff;

No decision has yet been made.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what are the average wages paid per week to labourers, skilled labourers, and shipwrights in His Majesty's dockyards; what are the deductions per week from each of these three grades of workmen on establishment; and what are the weekly pensions to be obtained by established men in these grades for thirty years' service?

The present rate for labourers is 21s. a week in England and Wales, and 20s. at Haulbowline. This rate will be increased by 1s. from 1st August. As regards skilled labourers, the present rate is from 22s. to 28s. for hired men, the maximum for established men being 26s. 6d. There is also a special rate maximum for skilled labourers of 30s. in the cases of the hired men, and 28s. 6d. in the case of the established men. As from 1st August the minimum for the skilled labourer will be raised to 23s. in England and Wales and 22s. at Haulbowline, and the special rate maximum will be increased by 1s. The rates for shipwrights are 34s. for established men and 35s. 6d. for hired men. As from 1st August these rates will be increased by 6d. a week. The deductions from pay in the case of the established men for purposes of superannuation are 1s. a week for labourers, 1s. or 1s. 6d. a week for skilled labourers, and 1s. 6d. a week for ship- wrights, but labourers are not now being placed on the established list. As regards the amount of pension obtainable after thirty years' pensionable service, the figures would be approximately as follows:

Labourers—	£	s.	d.
Pension	20	10	7	per annum.
Gratuity	54	15	0	per annum.
Skilled Labourers—
Pension	27	17	3	per annum.
Gratuity	74	6	0	per annum.
Shipwrights—
Pension	33	4	9	per annum.
Gratuity	88	12	10	per annum.

This is on the assumption that the classes of workmen in question have opted to come under the Superannuation Act of 1909 and not remain under the Superannuation Act of 1859. I should add that these pensions and gratuities would naturally be larger after forty years' pensionable service. I should add also that they will be slightly increased in time as the result of the wages' concessions which come into operation on the 1st August.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the action of the bandmaster of the Earl of Chester's Yeomanry band in engaging civilians to supplement his band; whether such civilians have been allowed to dress in the King's uniform; and whether, such engagements being contrary to Army Orders, he intends to take any action in the matter?

I am making inquiries on the matter, and will communicate the result to the hon. Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for War if his attention has been called to the attendance of the 6th Battalion Cheshire Regiment band at a Unionist demonstration at Brinnington Lodge; whether such attendance was a breach of the Army Regulations; and, if so, what he proposes to do in the matter?

I am making inquiries on this matter and will communicate the result to the hon. Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the highest and what is the lowest amount that can be earned by the ordinary labourer in Government employment at Woolwich?

The lowest day work rating paid to an adult unskilled labourer at Woolwich is 24s. in addition to privileges valued at 6d. in the £. I am not quite sure what precise meaning to attach to the term "ordinary labourer"; but men of the unskilled labour class may and frequently do carry away wages of 45s. and over.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many advowsons of livings in Wales and Monmouthshire have been purchased from the Crown during the last fifty years; and what was the total amount paid and received for such advowsons?

A complete list of the advowsons sold since the passing of the Special Act (26 and 27 Viet., c. 120), giving the Lord Chancellor powers of sale in the case of a certain class of livings, with their gross value, and the amount paid for them, was given in answer to a similar question addressed to my right hon. Friend by the hon. Member for Chelsea on 22nd May.

asked the Home Secretary if his attention has been called to the case of Mr. James Henson, district secretary, Sailors' and Firemen's Union, who was fined 20s. and costs by the Cardiff stipendiary for addressing a meeting from the balcony of the offices of the Sailors' and Firemen's Union at Cardiff; whether he is aware that for twenty-four years the right of free speech has been recognised in Bute Place, and that during the last year hundreds of meetings were held whilst disputes were on, and that the police did not interfere; whether it is the intention of the authorities to prevent all public meetings being held in the streets of Cardiff; and, if not, why sailors and firemen were prevented and their leaders prosecuted for holding a public meeting?

My right hon. Friend has no information as to this matter, but is making inquiry, and will let my hon. Friend know the result as soon as he is in a position to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he proposes to take any steps during the present Session of Parliament to ensure the purity of flour used in this country, and to render illegal the use of phosphates and bleaching to secure whiteness?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. A Bill is in preparation which I hope to introduce this Session.

asked the President of the Local Government Board the amount of money paid by the Board to the several boards of guardians and sanitary authorities in England and Wales in part payment of salaries for the year 1889, and the amount so paid last year; and what was the total amount paid by these authorities in salaries in each respective year?

The principal Grant to boards of guardians in respect of the salaries, etc., of officers is that paid to them in pursuance of Section 26 of the Local Government Act, 1888. It is a fixed Grant of about £967,000 a year, which has been paid since the year ended March, 1890, inclusive, and represents the sum expended by Poor Law authorities outside London on the salaries, etc., of officers and servants in the year ended March, 1888. In the year ended March, 1910, the cost of the Poor Law officers of the guardians was £1,795,000, but this figure is not exactly comparable with the figure mentioned above. I will furnish the hon. Member with a statement giving particulars of the minor Grants to boards of guardians on account of officers. As regards sanitary authorities, the only Grant is that in respect of the salaries of medical officers of health and sanitary inspectors or inspectors of nuisances. The amount of this Grant in the year ended March, 1889, was £75,500. In the year ended March, 1910, which is the last year for which complete figures are available, the Grant amounted to £180,000. In the former year this Grant was not payable in London. The Grant represents one-half of the salaries of the officers, but there are some cases in which the officer is appointed on such terms that a Grant does not become payable, and the amount of the salaries in these cases cannot be stated.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can now fulfil his promise to have the awards and conditions attaching thereto made under the Coal Mines (Minimum Wage) Act published as a White Paper?

The rates and rules settled in connection with the Joint District Boards under the Coal Mines (Minimum Wage) Act have been printed in full in the recent issues of the "Board of Trade Labour Gazette," with the exception of that for the Bristol district, which will appear in the "Gazette" for August, and it is also proposed to print them, with any amendments and supplementary agreements or awards, as an appendix to the Report on the proceedings under the Conciliation Act for the year 1912. In these circumstances, it does not seem necessary to print them as a White Paper.

asked the President of the Board of Trade of what the staff of the London Traffic Branch of his Department consists, and what are its duties?

The present staff of the London Traffic Branch consists of a superintendent, one technical assistant, three clerks, a typist and a messenger. The principal duties of the branch are to study the problem of London Traffic in all its aspects, to keep the statistics relating thereto up to date, to report on all schemes affecting London traffic for which statutory authority is sought, and to make an Annual Report on the whole subject for submission to Parliament.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the Great Northern Railway Company of Ireland refuse to stop their Sunday excursion trains to take passengers to Warrenpoint; and if he will take such action as will compel the company to carry out their reasonable obligations towards the people of that district?

The railway company inform me that all the Sunday excursion trains which they run to Warrenpoint are specially arranged to convey organised excursion parties to that place direct from their home stations. They add that there is an adequate service of ordinary trains on Sundays enabling passengers from all stations on the north-eastern portion of the company's system to visit Warrenpoint, and this service they believe to be satisfactory to the travelling public concerned.