asked the Prime Minister what Courts are intended to be referred to by the words or other Court with a like jurisdiction in Ireland, in Clause 27, page 17, lines 38 and 39, of the Government of Ireland Bill?

The Prime Minister has asked me to answer this question. The definition of a County Court in Ireland under Section 29 of the Interpretation Act, 1889, and under Section 7 of the County Officers and Courts in Ireland Act, 1877, is, I believe, sufficient to include all Courts which exist at present in Ireland with County Court jurisdiction. It will be observed, however, that the Clause applies only to future judges, and the words referred to (which are taken from the Bill of 1893) are intended to cover the case of a Court being hereafter constituted as an inferior Court with County Court jurisdiction, but not actually called a County Court.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether His Majesty's Ship "Thunderer's" control of fire mast has been put where the "Lion's" was?

The position of the fire control station in His Majesty's Ship "Thunderer" is similar to the original position of the fire control station in His Majesty's Ship "Lion." But the heat conditions from the funnel are different, no complaint has been received, and no inconvenience is anticipated.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the Government contemplates the dispatch to Egypt of five battalions of British Infantry, to be stationed at Cairo and Khartoum, and the provision of garrisons for Solloum and Ismailia?

No, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for War if, on mobilisation, the twenty-seven fourth battalions Special Reserve will be made up to war establishment in officers, non-commissioned officers and men, by officers and men from the Regular Reserve?

No, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will give the length of service of the senior Special Reserve subaltern now serving in the twenty-seven fourth battalions Special Reserve; and the number of Special Reserve subalterns now serving in the twenty-seven fourth battalions Special Reserve who are qualified by examination for the rank of captain?

The length of service of the senior subaltern concerned amounts to twelve years two months. As regards the second part of the question, the records are kept in the Commands and no information is available at the War Office.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many officers of His Majesty's Army undergo annually a course of instruction at the School of Economics of London University; and whether any Government Grant is made to the university for giving this instruction?

Thirty officers go through the special course annually. A special fee of £30 for each officer attending and a subsidy of £1,000 a year has hitherto been granted. In future courses the subsidy will be reduced to £600 a year.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can make any statement as to the bursting of the gun at Buddon on Saturday last, whereby Sergeant H. R. Thomson, of Glasgow Battery, 3rd Lowland Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, lost his life?

I shall not be in a position to make any statement in regard to this sad accident until the proceedings of the Court of Inquiry have reached the War Office and the portions of the breech mechanism of the gun have been examined. It is understood that the gun itself did not burst, but that a portion of the breech mechanism was blown off.

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 for War if a change in the uniform of the Royal Artillery is under consideration, and is likely to be made very shortly; and, if so, whether he could issue a notice to that effect, with instructions of such a character, in sufficient time to enable gentlemen cadets now passing out of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, to obtain the new pattern uniform, and so enable them to avoid the expense which will otherwise have to be incurred in complying with the new regulations?

Certain minor changes in the uniform are under consideration, full particulars of which will shortly be published. In the meantime instructions are being issued that gentlemen cadets why may be gazetted to commissions before the changes are notified may utilise their cadet service dress and mess dress pending preparation of the new pattern. No expense will be incurred by the changes as officers will wear out the garments in their possession.

asked the Secretary for War, if the Government has ordered that the Army contractors should supply Argentine beef to the soldiers owing to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease; is he aware that this has produced a glut in the Irish dead-meat trade, notably in Wexford, where there has not been a case of foot-and-mouth disease for over forty years; and if he can say how long this Rule is to remain in existence?

In certain districts difficulty has been experienced in obtaining fresh killed meat owing to restrictions arising from the outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease. The military commands have accordingly been authorised to accept refrigerated meat on suitable terms in cases where they are satisfied that difficulty arising from the outbreak exists.

asked the Secretary for Scotland what was the excess of births over deaths in Scotland during the first six months of the present year; and what was the excess of emigration from, over immigration to, Scottish ports during the same period?

During the first six months of the present year the number of births in Scotland was 62,498, and the number of deaths was 38,399; the excess of births over deaths was thus 24,094. The following table shows the number of passengers between Scottish ports and places out of Europe during the same period:—

—		British.	Aliens	Total.
Outward	…	28,760	3,486	32,246
Inward	…	6,100	4,608	10,708
Balance Outward	…	22,660	—	21,538
Balance Inward	…	—	1,122	—

In view of the revised system of tabulation I may add that during the three months, April to June, 1912, the number of passengers from ports in the United Kingdom who were returned as intending to reside abroad and as having been previously resident in Scotland, that is to say, the number of emigrants from Scotland, was 27,212, of whom 26,931 were British and 281 aliens; of these emigrants, 21,482 (21,228 British and 254 aliens), sailed from ports in Scotland. During the same three months the number of passengers arriving at ports in the United Kingdom who were returned as previously resident abroad and intending to reside in Scotland, namely, the number of immigrants into Scotland, was 4,246, of whom 4,193 were British and 53 aliens; of these immigrants 1,592 (1,578 British and 14 aliens) arrived at ports in Scotland. Corresponding figures for periods prior to April, 1912, are not available.

asked the Secretary for Scotland if he has received a memorial addressed to the Fishery Board (Scotland) regarding the rates of pay of the officers and men employed on board the fishery cruiser "Minna"; and, if so, is he prepared to agree to the terms of the memorial?

The memorial from the officers of the "Minna" regarding their rates of pay has been received by the Fishery Board, and is under consideration by the Board. No such representation has been received in the case of the men, whose rate of pay was increased last year.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether any private and confidential form of report, similar in purpose to that which caused enforced inefficiency among national school teachers in Ireland, has been in use in connection with primary schools in Scotland; if so, whether any complaints of its effects were received; and what proportion of the higher grade teachers left the service in 1900–10, inclusive, without pension, or with a pension of less than £26 a year?

I have no knowledge of the private and confidential report stated to be in use in Ireland, and am consequently not in a position to answer the question as asked. I may state, however, that there is no form of procedure in Scotland by which the inefficiency or comparative inefficiency of teachers as recorded in school reports has any effect upon the pensions which would otherwise be received by teachers on the conclusion of their service.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether any private and confidential form of report, similar in purpose to that which caused enforced inefficiency among national school teachers in Ireland, has been in use in connection with primary schools in England and Wales; if so, whether any complaints of its effect reached the Board; and what proportion of the higher grade teachers left the service in 1900–10, inclusive, without pension, or with a pension of less than £26 a year?

I am not acquainted with the form of report to which the hon. Member refers. His Majesty's inspectors, in reporting upon elementary schools, remark where necessary upon the efficiency of the teaching staff. Copies of such reports are furnished to the managers of the schools and the local education authority. They are not regarded as confidential. Reports are also made by His Majesty's inspectors upon certificated teachers in elementary schools who have attained the age of sixty-five and desire an extension of their certificates on account of special fitness under Section 1, Sub-section (2), of the Elementary School Teachers (Superannuation) Act, 1898. These reports are not communicated to the managers of the local education authority, though their effect may sometimes be stated in conveying the decision of the Board under the Section referred to. The Board furnish, at the request of the Education Departments of the self-governing Dominions or of the candidates, confidential reports upon teachers seeking recognition under them. Complaints are occasionally received with regard to the reports of inspectors upon teachers, but they are of infrequent occurrence. Without an expenditure of labour which, as at present advised, I do not propose to authorise, it is impossible to say how many of the 37,283 teachers who left public elementary schools in England and Wales during the years 1900–1910, inclusive, finally retired from the teaching profession at the age of sixty-five without a pension or with a pension of less than £26 a year.

asked the Secretary of Stale for the Colonies if the High Commissioner for Australia has communicated to him the contents of a message from the Minister for External Affairs, in which it is stated that no cases of immigrants being rejected for slight physical defects such as short sight, have occurred; and whether the Colonial Secretary has received a communication from a British workman, now residing at Whalley, Lancashire, who was recently refused a landing in Western Australia on the ground of short sight, though he has for the last twenty years never lost a day's work through sickness or physical inability to earn his living; and, if so, what action does he propose to take in the matter?

I have received from the High Commissioner for the Commonwealth the statement to which the hon. Gentleman refers. I have also received two letters from a resident of Whalley complaining of his rejection, and I have communicated the statement to the. Commonwealth Government.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can now give a definite reply as to the result of his communications with reference to the Great Northern Railway Company's superannuation fund re the election of representatives of the staff thereon?

I have not yet received a definite reply from the railway company, but I have again called their atten- tion to the matter, and will communicate with my hon. Friend in due course.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will redraft Clause 19 of the Pilotage Bill, which he has stated is extremely limited in its exceptions to the operation of Section 73 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1906, so that it may be properly interpreted by all the interests concerned?

I have already stated that I intend to propose some Amendments to the wording of Clause 19.

asked the Postmaster-General whether any steps have yet been taken to re-establish cable or wireless communication between Tory Island and the mainland?

Arrangements have already been made by my engineers to install wireless communication, and I hope that the apparatus will be in position in about a fortnight. The training of the operators has begun.

asked the Postmaster-General whether postmen are now being, or have lately been, employed instead of sorting clerks on the Highland Railway sorting carriages; and whether, in consequence, for postmen's work at Inverness recourse has been had to casual labour?

Five postmen are employed as sorting clerks in the Highland sorting carriages in substitution of sorting clerks and telegraphists withdrawn to meet season telegraphic pressure at Inverness. Four temporary postmen and one telegraph messenger are employed as substitutes for the postmen. The arrangement is the only one practicable at present if excessive overtime is to be avoided. Casual labour for the sorting clerks' and telegraphists' work was not available.