asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that in the city of Limerick the division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians which exists there has refused to admit applicants who desired to join the approved society established by the Order under the National Insurance Act, on the grounds that their fathers had served in the Royal Irish Constabulary; and whether the Ancient Order of Hibernians is acting within its rights as an approved society in refusing to admit persons to membership for insurance purposes on those grounds?

I am informed that there is no truth in the statement in the first part of the question, but that, on the contrary, persons of the class referred to have been accepted as members.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer where an insured person has in the course of the year been resident in the area of three or more insurance committees, which committee will be paid 1s. 3d. in respect of such person?

Under Section 61 (1) of the Act all sums available for sanatorium benefit in a county or county borough in any year are to be paid or credited to the insurance committee at the commencement of the year, and under this provision it will be necessary to credit the whole 1s. 3d. in the case of each insured person to the insurance committee of the area in which he resides at the commencement of the year. The financial adjustments necessary in the case of persons leaving from one area to another in the course of the year are still under consideration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can state the number of National Insurance Act lecturers employed up to the present; the number of private and the number of public meetings held; and the total expenditure incurred for salaries, for expenses, and for stationery?

The number of lecturers who have been employed at different times is 129; 7,264 meetings and lectures in courses have been held. These included lectures to insured persons generally and training courses for societies' officials arranged by the Commissioners, and also meetings arranged by societies and organisations which were addressed by the official lecturers. At the discretion of the societies organising these meetings, some of them were open to the public, others were open to certain classes of the public, and others were limited to members of their own or allied societies. A large part of the cost of these meetings (for hire of halls, advertisements, etc.), was borne by the societies arranging them. The cost borne by the Commissioners for salaries and expenses is approximately £16,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons have applied for posts under the National Insurance Act; how many appointments have been made; how many of the appointments made have been given to members of the Civil Service; and how-many to other persons?

With regard to the first part of the question I would refer the Noble Lord to the figures I gave in answer to the hon. Member for Tavistock on the 29th instant. With regard to the second part of the question, I would refer him to the detailed figures I gave in answer to the hon. Member for Eastbourne on the 25th instant. Forty-eight of the persons appointed were from outside the Civil Service, the remainder (376) were already Civil servants (in two cases ex-Civil servants), or were appointed on the results of the ordinary examinations held by the Civil Service Commission.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether there was on the Committee of Selection appointed by the Insurance Commission a member of the Board of Customs and Excise who, prior to the amalgamation, was a member of the Excise service; whether there was on the Committee any representative who belonged to the Customs service prior to amalgamation; and, if not, in view of the fact that out of thirty Civil servants appointed to inspectors and assistant inspectors fourteen appointments had been made from the Excise branch of the service against one officer from the Customs branch placed on the reserve list for such appointments, he would arrange on any future committee of selection for the Customs branch to be represented by an officer of equal Departmental standing with the representative of the Excise branch of the service?

I presume the hon. Member refers to the Committee of Selection for the Outdoor Staff of the Commissions. The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, and to the last two parts in the negative. The Committee of Selection consisted of five members; it was nominated jointly by the Commission, and included representatives of two other public Departments besides the Board of Customs and Excise, and its chairman was the First Civil Service Commissioner. The suggestion contained in this question that one branch of the Customs and Excise service did not receive fair treatment is an entirely improper reflection upon the work of this Committee.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will consider the advisability of establishing a branch of His Majesty's Stationery Office in Cardiff, especially considering the fact that a Government Department has lately been established in that city?

There seems to be no immediate need for a branch of His Majesty's Stationery Office in Cardiff. The Noble Lord's suggestion will be kept in mind.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will state the approximate cost per head of each of the principal branches of the Civil Services in Ireland, in England and Wales, and in Scotland, respectively, for the most recent year for which such Returns are available?

The following Table shows in respect of 1911–12 the approximate cost (per head of the population) of the services specified, as allocated in the Revenue and Expenditure Return, Parliamentary Paper, No. 190 of 1912 (page 15):—

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give a Return of the number of registered holders of Consols upon the 5th July of 1909, 1910, 1911, and 1912, classified according to their holding on the following basis, namely, numbers holding £100 to £500 each, £500 to £1,000 each, £1,000 to £10,000 each, £10,000 to £50,000 each, £50,000 to £100,000 each, £100,000 to £500,000 each, and numbers of over £500,000 each.

I will refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave this afternoon to the hon. Member for Saffron Walden.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the attention of the Estates Commissioners has been brought repeatedly to lands available and suitable for restoring evicted tenants and enlarging uneconomic holdings in county Cavan, by mere outsiders; have any of their officials made any move whatever; why no apparent effort has or is being made to restore the county Cavan evicted tenants; and will he, in the circumstances, have the Evicted Tenants Act, as regards Cavan at any rate, included in the Expiring Laws Continuance Act?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that 100 county Cavan evicted tenants, or their representatives, have been reinstated or provided with other holdings as purchasers, and there are now only eleven county Cavan evicted tenants whose applications have been provisionally noted for consideration, and who have not yet been provided with holdings. The Commissioners exercise their discretion, and make such inquiries as they consider necessary as regards lands which they may require for the purposes of the Evicted Tenants Act, and the relief of congestion. The powers of compulsory purchase given by the Evicted Tenants Act will not expire until 31st December next, and as it will be possible to provide for the evicted tenants who may properly be dealt with under that Act without any subsequent exercise of those powers, it is not intended to include the Act in the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Commissioners of National Education have received a copy of a resolution adopted by the County Down National, Teachers' Association, calling for an additional Grant of £6 5s. for every teacher not provided with an official residence; whether the sum is now annually paid to each teacher living in an official residence; and can he state when those teachers not having an official residence will get a Grant to assist them to pay their rent?

The Commissioners of National Education have received the resolution referred to. When an official residence for a national teacher is provided locally by means of a loan from the Board of Works the Commissioners pay half the annual instalment required by the Board of Works to clear off the loan so long as the house is used bonâ fide as a residence by a teacher. This half instalment is paid to the manager of the school. The manager may charge the teacher a rent not greater than a half instalment, but many of the managers make no charge for rent. Half the annual instalment on a loan of £250 (the maximum loan) is £6 5s. The provision of official residence is, in the first instance, a matter for the local parties interested in the school. The Commissioners have no funds from which they can make Grants for any other residences.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to the effect of Rule 86 (a) of the Commissioners of National Education in the case of Miss Eliza Hennessy, late junior assistant mistress in Tolerton national school, Roll No. 11,321, Queen's County; whether, after thirty years' efficient service, she was discharged without any fault on her part when the average attendance of pupils temporarily reached fifty; whether she received no compensation on dismissal; whether there is a precedent in any department of public service for such treatment of officials; and whether anything will be done to compensate this lady or to avert a like result in the case of others of her class?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that Miss Hennessy was appointed work mistress in Tolerton national school in March, 1882, and served in that capacity up to March, 1904, when she became junior assistant mistress. In December, 1911, the manager's attention was drawn to Rule 86 (a) of the Commisisoners, which lays down that when an average attendance of fifty pupils is maintained in any school a fully qualified assistant must be appointed, and he was asked what steps he would take to carry out this rule. The manager had given the required three months' notice to the junior assistant mistress, and he subsequently notified the appointment of a fully qualified assistant from 6th May, 1912. The Commissioners have recently decided that junior assistant mistresses who have given very efficient service, and who are over forty-five years of age, will not be disturbed in their positions under the rule, but Miss Hennessy, who is fifty years of age, had not succeeded in obtaining good reports on her work during the last two yaers. The Commissionrs have no funds at their disposal for compensating junior assistant mistresses who lose their positions owing to the operation of the rule in question or any other cause.

asked the Prime Minister, in view of the want of Parliamentary control over the Irish Board of Intermediate Education, of which successive Chief Secretaries have frequently complained, if he will state whether and how control of that body is to be conferred on the Irish Parliament set up by the Government of Ireland Bill?

It will be open to the Irish Parliament to make such amendments of the existing Statutes as they think proper for the purpose.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the representations of the Royal Irish Constabulary as to their position under the proposed Government of Ireland Bill have yet reached Dublin Castle; and whether a reply has been sent; and, if so, will he state the nature and, if not, when does he propose to send a reply?

The representations of the Royal Irish Constabulary as regards their position under the Government of Ireland Bill have been received, and they are at present under consideration.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) if he will now consider the advisability of permitting livestock for immediate slaughter to be sent into Dublin by rail from parts of the country outside the prescribed area?

It is hoped that it may soon be possible to arrange for such movement if no further cases of foot-and-mouth disease should occur.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland), if the stock owners or shippers whose livestock were held up in transit when the first outbreak of alleged foot-and-mouth disease occurred will be compensated for the loss they were put to through no fault or neglect on their part; and, if so, how the amount of such compensation will be assessed?

The answer is in the negative. The Department regret the inconvenience and loss resulting from the restrictions imposed in consequence of foot-and-mouth disease; but there is no power to pay compensation in such circumstances.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether any laboratory research was made in connection with the recent outbreak of disease among cattle at Swords, in Ireland; whether he is aware that a large section of experts are of the opinion that the distemper which broke out amongst the cattle at that place was not what is known as foot-and-mouth disease; and that many of the best known symptoms of that disease were absent in each of the alleged cases; and whether, if no such research has as yet been made, he will call to his assistance the best analytical advice available if another case occurs?

The diagnosis of the cases of foot-and-mouth disease at Swords, county Dublin, was made by the Department's chief veterinary inspector, who has had a very large experience in that disease, both in Great Britain and Ireland. The Department are not aware that doubt has been cast by anyone upon that diagnosis. The Department are advised that it is not requisite that the whole train of recognised symptoms should be presented before a reliable judgment can be formed, and that it is not necessary to follow the course suggested in the latter part of the question to establish the nature of the disease. The inadvisability of carrying out laboratory experiments in this disease in the United Kingdom is pointed out in the recent Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Foot-and-Mouth Disease.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he is aware that under the Diseases Animals Act, 1894, the obligation resting on local authorities to keep an appointed veterinary inspector does not apply to Ireland; and, if so, will he take steps to prevent danger to the health of our herds being caused by the Diseases Act being administered in Ireland by unskilled persons?

Every inspector appointed by a local authority in Ireland under the Diseases of Animals Acts is required to have the qualifications of a veterinary surgeon except in cases where it is impossible to procure or where for sufficient cause it is undesirable to appoint a person so qualified. There are at present 119 inspectors to the local authorities, 103 of these are fully qualified veterinary surgeons, and three others are registered practitioners under the Veterinary Surgeons Act, 1881. As vacancies occur in the local authorities' staff the small number still remaining of non-professional local inspectors are being replaced by inspectors possessing the full professional qualifications. The administration of the Diseases of Animals Acts in Ireland is under the control of the Department of Agriculture in Ireland, and, in addition to the inspection staff of the local authorities above described, the Department have themselves in constant employment on this duty in the various counties and ports a large staff of veterinary officers, all of whom are members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) when foot-and-mouth disease broke out in Swords, near Dublin; what radius was declared infected; has this radius been in any way altered; and is it being rigidly enforced?

Foot-and-mouth disease was found to exist at Swords, county Dublin, on 30th June. An Order was at once issued prohibiting movement of animals into, out of, or within a very wide scheduled district, comprising the county borough and the county of Dublin, and the counties of Meath, Kildare and Wick-low. On 14th July the Department, as the result of investigation, being satisfied that there was no danger from foot-and-mouth disease in so wide an area, reduced this district to one comprising the county borough and county of Dublin and a large portion of county Meath, having a radius on the average of about seventeen miles. No movements of animals can take place either into, out of, or within this district except with a licence of an inspector of the Department. The restrictions are being rigidly enforced.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he proposes to accede to the request of the Lord Mayor of Dublin to reduce the radius around outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in Ireland to seven miles, or less than half what is regarded as essential for safety in Great Britain?

A much larger area than would be covered by a fifteen-mile radius was in the first instance declared by the Department when the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease occurred at Swords, county Dublin. This area was on the 18th July reduced to one having a radius of about seventeen miles on the average. As soon as the Department consider that such a course can be taken with entire safety, and not until then, they propose to contract further the limits of the scheduled district. This is the usual procedure adopted in Great Britain also.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture the nature of the restrictions still prevailing at the ports in consequence of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease at Swords in June, and when it is hoped to remove them?

No cattle, sheep, goats, or swine brought from Ireland can be landed at any port or place in Great Britain unless they are brought from certain specified Irish ports for slaughter at the foreign animals' wharves at Glasgow, Birkenhead, Bristol, and Deptford. The extension of the existing facilities for the landing of stock for slaughter depends upon the success of the measures which have been taken for the suppression of disease in Ireland, and it is not possible for me to make any definite statement at present. As regards the admission of stock otherwise than for slaughter at the foreign animals' wharves, I may say that I am in communication with the Irish Department as to the measures to be adopted for a closer inspection of the animals than has hitherto been possible, and for their being fed and watered prior to shipment.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to the charge which Mr. Justice Madden delivered to the grand jury at the opening of the assizes in Galway on Friday last, in which the learned judge stated that the law in certain districts in county Galway could not be administered owing to the gross intimidation which prevailed; and whether, in view of this condition of affairs, he proposes to take any steps in these districts to restore confidence in the power of the law, and to put an end to the intimidation which exists?

I have seen a newspaper report of the charge of the learned judge referred to. The police are doing all that is possible to prevent intimidation and outrage, but the difficulty is to obtain evidence against offending parties, and I am not aware of any measure that would meet the difficulty. I am happy to say that some improvement has recently taken place in the county, especially in the West Riding.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he has recently received further communications from bodies of tenants in Ireland complaining of unfair treatment as compared with their neighbours who have purchased, owing to their landlord's refusal to sell in accordance with the intentions of Parliament in the Land Purchase Acts; and, in view of the feeling on this matter and the common desire of all parties to settle the land question before a Parliament has been set up in Ireland, whether it is intended to accomplish that purpose by putting the existing compulsory statutory powers in operation or by fresh legislation this Session?

The Estates Commissioners have received communications from tenants on a number of estates who have not come to terms with their holdings under the voluntary provisions of the Land Purchase Acts. The Commissioners will consider the question of acquiring these estates under the compulsory provisions of the Land Purchase Acts where such provisions apply, and the Commissioners consider it desirable to institute such proceedings. There are, however, estates with a total purchase money of over £34,000,000 at present pending before the Commissioners as the result of voluntary sales by landlords to tenants, and, in the opinion of the Commissioners, it would be premature to consider the question of universal compulsory sale while so large an arrear of voluntary sale cases exists.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that, as a result of the new intermediate rules, no provision is made for the teaching of Irish history previous to the year 1485; whether he is aware that when the preparatory grade was retained Irish history was not presumed to start before the date of the Norman Conquest of England; and whether steps will be taken to secure that some knowledge of the early period of Irish history is required from pupils in Irish intermediate schools, in view of the fact that the removal of the preparatory grade has now reduced Irish history to a period consisting of the last four centuries?

The courses in Irish history in the programme of the Intermediate Education Board for 1913 commence at the year 1485 A.D. For the year 1912 the course for the Preparatory Grade covered the period from 1066 A.D. to 1485 A.D. The Board, however, hope that the Irish history of the period before 1485 will be taught in the Preparatory Schools, and so far as possible their inspectors will use their influence to see that this is done.

asked the Secretary of State for War what reason exists for William John Watts, of the Ordnance Clothing Department at Stirling, who was recommended four years ago for transfer when a vacancy occurred on account of his wife's consumption, not being transferred, seeing that his character in the service was exemplary, and that he has been for many years a civilian foreman and recommended by his officer for principal foreman for the Ordnance Department in any branch, and that several appointments have recently been made at Tidworth, one being at the present time likely to occur?

The hon. and gallant Member has apparently been misinformed. Only one vacancy has occurred at Tidworth, which was filled by a transfer from Devonport owing to reduction of establishment. Nothing is known at the War Office of any vacancy being likely to occur at Tidworth. The question of a transfer of W. J. Watts to a station in the South of England will be borne in mind, but the claims of others must be considered when vacancies, which are very few, occur.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any orders have been issued within the past ten weeks to any barracks in the South of England to the effect that soldiers of two years' service who desired might take their discharge; if so, can he state from which barracks men have taken their discharge and the number of men discharged from each barracks; what are the reasons for the issue of such orders; and to which barracks, and upon what dates, were these orders issued?

The reply is in the negative. No such orders have been issued.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether H. A. Grimshaw, who is shown on page 147a of the July, 1912, Army List, as promoted second lieutenant on probation in the 3rd Dragoon Guards, 5th June, 1912, has been credited with the pay of a second lieutenant for the 5th June, 1912; if so, what authority has the Army Council to refuse to pay No. 3297, Sub-Conductor H. B. Stickney, Army Ordnance Corps, his pay when he was promoted sub-conductor, 21st May, 1910, vice S. J. Miller, in view of Sections 37 and 136 of the Army Act, which authorise the pay of officers and soldiers without distinction or any deduction; will a reason be given for omitting Stickney's name from the monthly Army List; and what is the name of the sub-conductor who has drawn the pay relinquished by Sub-Conductor S. J. Miller on his promotion to conductor, 21st May, 1910, in view of the fact that no sub-conductor has appeared in the Army List bearing date of promotion 21st May, 1910?

I regret that I can add nothing to previous answers to questions on this case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can state what is the maximum amount of compensation payable under the Established Church (Wales) Bill to the patrons of the livings of Grosmont in the county of Monmouth, Herbrandston in the county of Pembroke, Ilston in the county of Glamorgan, Pwllcrochan in the county of Pembroke, Kegidoc in the county of Denbigh, Montgomery in the county of Montgomery, and St. Martin in the county of Salop?

The maximum amount of compensation to the patrons of these and other livings is determined by Clause 16, by which the Welsh Commissioners are given power to compensate all lay patrons whose right becomes extinct, provided the total amount of compensation granted shall not exceed one year's emoluments of the benefice, taken on an average of three years immediately before the passing of the Act. Application for compensation must be made within six months after the passing of the Act.

asked the Home Secretary if he will undertake to introduce an Amendment to the Established Church (Wales) Bill, so as to provide that compensation shall be paid to the registrars of the dioceses in Wales and Monmouthshire, and to the managing clerks engaged in such diocesan registries, on terms similar to those provided by Section 45 of the Irish Church Act, 1869, for the Irish diocesan registrars and their managing clerks?

The case of diocesan registrars who will lose any emoluments in consequence of the passing of the Bill is already provided for, but the case of managing clerks is different. Their tenure of office is not of a freehold nature, but the Government will be prepared to consider any special cases of hardship on the Committee stage of the Bill.

asked the Homo Secretary what provision has been made for installing life-saving apparatus at each mine; will he state whether facilities are given to the workmen for training with the rescue apparatus that is now given to officials; and will he state if it is his intention to appoint inspectors to see that the said Act is carried out by special inspectors for this class of work?

An Order was made by me in April last under the Mines Accidents (Rescue and Aid) Act, which provides for the training of rescue brigades and the supply of breathing apparatus at coal mines. At the end of the year I propose to call for a return from each mine as to the provision made in pursuance of the Order. As regards the second paragraph of the question, the Order does not discriminate between officials and workmen, but requires that the persons trained for rescue work and in the use of breathing apparatus shall be picked men, carefully selected on account of their coolness, powers of endurance and knowledge; it would be highly dangerous to allow either officials or workmen to be trained indiscriminately for this work. The Order will be enforced by the inspectors of mines who are fully competent to do so. It would not be desirable to appoint special inspectors for the purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is yet in a position to state when he will receive the deputation from the Eastern Shipping Company and hold the promised inquiry relating to the Penang Dock?

I have found it necessary to refer some points arising out of this question to the Law Officers of the Crown. I have not yet received their report, but when I have done so I will lose no time in dealing with the matter. The hon. Gentleman appears to be under some misapprehension. I have not undertaken to receive a deputation, and, as at present advised, I do not think that there is any necessity for me to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) whether in British North Borneo registers will be kept to show what persons have been successfully vaccinated; whether registers will be kept to show the vaccinal condition of any persons who contract small-pox; whether such records will be accessible to the public for inspection, and (2) whether conscientious objection to vaccination will be recognised and respected in any law or ordinance that may be introduced into British North Borneo on this subject; whether compensation will be granted to persons who are forced to be vaccinated in the event of them being injured by the operation, or to their relatives in the event of them being killed by it; and whether, in the case of children, such compensation will be paid to their parents or guardians?

I have no information on the points raised in this question and in my hon. Friend's other question (No. 3). His Majesty's Government does not interfere with the internal administration of North Borneo by the company.

asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to a speech made by the Secretary of State for War at Northampton foreshadowing the reform of the Poor Law; whether the Secretary of State in this voiced the opinions of the Cabinet; and whether the proposed Poor Law reform will involve more State interference with poor people or less?

I have seen a brief report of the speech. I gather that my right hon. Friend was expressing in general terms, with which I see no reason to differ, his views on the desirability of further social reforms to follow old age pensions and other boons conferred by this Government. He made no specific proposals.

asked the Prime Minister whether it is the intention of the Government to pass through the Commons this year the Naval Prize Bill, which last year passed Third Reading, and was rejected by the House of Lords?

I cannot yet state whether the House will be asked to pass the Naval Prize Bill before the close of the year.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether, when a vaccination officer who finds that the parent or other person having the custody of any child, respecting whom he has not received any of the certificates required under the Vaccination Acts, has removed from his district to that of another vaccination officer, it is his duty to give notice to the vaccination officer of the district to which they have removed with the view to the vaccination of the child and the due transmission to him of a copy of the necessary certificate; and, if so, seeing that the Vaccination Acts require the public vaccinator to send the certificate of successful vaccination direct to the vaccination officer for the district where the child was born, whether he will issue instructions that in future the public vaccinator for the district where the child was vaccinated shall send a copy of the certificate to the vaccination officer for the district where the child was vaccinated to enable him to claim the fee which he has earned?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. In regard to the second part, Section 21 of the Vaccination Act, 1867, as amended by Section 6 of the Vaccination Act, 1871, provides that the public vaccinator who has vaccinated a child and has ascertained that the operation has been successful, shall transmit a certificate of the successful vaccination of the child to the vaccination officer of the district within which the birth was registered; but if the district is not known to him, or if the birth of the child has not been registered, in either of those cases the Statute requires the public vaccinator to send the certificate to the vaccination officer of the district within which the operation was performed. In the circumstances I could not properly issue instructions to the effect desired.

asked the President of the Local Government Board (1) why, for the second time, the gift of £6,000 by an Australian for the purpose of helping people to emigrate to Australia has not been taken full advantage of; and (2) whether he is aware that the person in Australia who supplied the £6,000 to assist emigration to Australia considers the lack of co-operation on the part of the emigration authorities in this country a menace to the advancement of imperial migration; and whether he will have copies of the correspondence published which has passed between the Central (Unemployed) Body for London and the British Immigration League in Australia, which has been acting for the person in Australia who gave £6,000 to help emigration to Australia?

I understand that it was not possible for the Central (Unemployed) Body to take full advantage of the offer referred to within the limits of time prescribed by the term of the offer. The answer to the first part of the hon. Member's second question is in the negative. As regards the latter part of it, I may say that the Central (Unemployed) Body are at present in recess, but I am not aware of any sufficient grounds for asking them to allow the correspondence in question to be published.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state what is the present weekly cost of maintaining the Labour Exchange at Northallerton; and how many people have been found situations through its agency?

The Northallerton Labour Exchange has only recently been opened and the staff has been almost exclusively occupied in work connected with unemployment insurance. The cost cannot be separated from the general cost of Labour Exchanges.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the reasons why the Board of Trade took no steps to inquire into the case of Mr. Morgan, late second mate of the s.s. "Glenfinlas," when he was sent home from abroad and immediately placed in a lunatic asylum; and why the Board has refused assistance to the widow?

In the case referred to by the Noble Lord, full inquiries were at once instituted by the Board of Trade. It was found, however, that in the circumstances there was no action which the Board could take which would have been of any assistance to Mrs. Morgan.

Asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the fact that, according to the tables given in the Blue Book on the Progress of Merchant Shipping, printed 13th June, 1910, the wages of first mates in vessels over 1,500 tons decreased by 5s. a month between 1890 and 1908, and there has in the same period been no appreciable increase in the wages of first mates on any size of vessel except those below 500 tons; that the wages of boatswains on vessels of 1,500 tons and over have decreased by sums varying from 2s. to 7s. per month, and have only increased on vessels of under 500 tons; that the wages of carpenters have decreased on all sizes of vessels by sums varying from 2s. to 8s. per month except on vessels of over 2,000 tons, where they have increased by 3s. per month; and that between the years 1880 and 1908 the wages of engineers of all grades decreased on vessels of over 2,000 tons from 12s. to 44s. per month; whether he has any more recent figures than 1908 available, and, if so, whether they show any increase in the rates since 1908, and to what he attributes the stationary or falling wages of mates, engineers, and petty officers in the British merchant service during a period when the cost of living for the families on shore of the married men has materially increased; and what action, if any, he proposes to take in the matter.

The statements of the hon. Member with regard to the rates of wages up to 1908 are substantially correct. Later figures, bringing the statistics up to 1910, are to be found in the White Paper, Cd. 6180, published in May last. These do not show any general increase except in the case of first mates. The hon. Member must form his own conclusions as to the reason for the facts stated. The Board of Trade have no power to regulate the rates of wages paid to persons serving in the mercantile marine.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give the exact form of words, agreeable to the Admiralty, in which he intends to move Clause 19 of the Pilotage Bill?

Adequate notice of the exact terms of the proposed Amendment will be given. Substantially the effect of the Amendment will be to give the Admiralty the power to veto the Grant of pilotage certificates under the Clause to aliens in the case of any ports where in their opinion such a course would be prejudicial to public safety. Another Amendment will be proposed to correct a drafting error by inserting the word "foreign" before "ship" in line 21 of the Clause.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that bee disease is prevalent in many parts of the country and threatens ruin to the industry of bee-keeping in numerous districts; whether he is aware that legislation is urgently needed in order that regulations may be framed and enforced for the purpose of checking this highly infectious disease; and whether he can promise such legislation in the near future?

The answer to each part of the question is in the affirmative. A Bill dealing with the subject was introduced in this House last Friday.

asked the Postmaster-General why, in the case of a combined tradesman's shop and post office, where there is a public telephone installed, it is not possible for the public to use the telephone after 8 p.m., when the post office department is closed?

Public telephones at shops which are also post offices are generally available so long as the premises are open for any purpose; but in some cases it may happen that there is no one in attendance after the ordinary hours of post office business who is capable of attending to the call, especially if it is a trunk call. If the hon. Member will kindly let me know what case he has in view, I will make inquiry as to the circumstances.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can give a list of the investments, with their respective amounts, held on behalf of the Post Office Savings Bank?

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement showing the securities held on behalf of the Post Office Savings Bank on the 31st December, 1910, which appears on page 77 of the Postmaster-General's Report for the financial year ended 31st March, 1911. A statement giving the same information in respect of 31st December, 1911, will shortly be circulated.

asked the Secretary for Scotland if he has received a representation from clubs in Glasgow, including the Glasgow Liberal Club, protesting against Clause 10 of the Temperance (Scotland) Bill; and, if so, whether it is his intention to give effect to the desires of the members of the Glasgow Liberal Club, numbering 1,205, or to the Clause introduced and carried in the Scottish Standing Committee and supported by both Scottish and English Liberal Members?

I have received petitions and representations of the character referred to from both Liberal and Conservative Clubs and from a number of workmen's clubs in Glasgow. The intention of the Government will be stated at the usual time, when the discussion on the Report stage of the Bill takes place.

asked the Secretary for Scotland how many appeals by pension officers were allowed by the Local Government Board for Scotland during the period from 1st October, 1908, to 31st March, 1912?

The information desired is set out in the following table:—

asked the Secretary for Scotland the educational expenditure in Scotland for the last financial year under the heads, Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Technical Education, and other purposes, respectively?

The net expenditure by school boards in Scotland during the year 1910–11 was as follows:—

asked the Lord Advocate if, having regard to the recent and costly inquiry made by Mr. Addison Smith into the affairs of the City of Glasgow Friendly Society, the society has been approved without the recommendations of the inspector for the better government of the society being carried out and also without the knowledge of the Assistant Registrar of Friendly Societies in Scotland, where the society has its head office and does nearly all its business; and, if the society has been approved without the recommendations being carried out, what guarantees exist that they will now be given effect to by the management?

A separate section of the City of Glasgow Friendly Society has been approved by the Joint Committee, of which Committee the Registrar of Friendly Societies is himself a member. Before approval was granted the Joint Committee was informed by the Registrar that he had received a sufficient undertaking that the recommendations made by the inspector will be carried out.

asked the amount of sick benefit the employés in the Royal Parks are at present entitled to and the amount they will be entitled to when the National Insurance Act has been in operation six months; and whether they will be entitled to the sick benefit provided by the Act after the first four days' sickness?

The Regulations respecting the grant of sick pay to temporary employés in the Royal Parks have been revised, and the new Regulations take effect as from 23rd July. Prior to that date the sick leave privileges were as follows:—Foremen, labourers, etc.—Under one year's service, no sick pay; over one and under ten years' service, half-pay for two calendar months; over ten years' service, three-quarter pay, instead of half-pay.Temporary park-keepers and gatekeepers received sick pay as for established officers (

asked the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether he is aware that the then First Commissioner stated, on 19th July, 1883, that a new entrance would be made to Regent's Park at Clarence Gate, and that a broad strip of ornamental garden on the side of the latter would be thrown open to the public, and, on the other hand, that two separate parts of the same ornamental ground would be reserved to the lessees of the Crown property in the vicinity and will be secured to them for the remainder of their leases; whether His Majesty's Government, having regard to the value of such addition to the park, will cause these two separate reserved parts of the ornamental gardens to be added to that already open to the public as soon as the leases subsisting before 1883 have expired; and on what date or dates the aforementioned leases will expire?

The improvements promised by the Board in 1883 have been carried out. The First Commissioner is unable to give any undertaking in regard to the reserved ornamental gardens, as he is legally bound to preserve them for the use of the leaseholders until 1932, the date when the last of the leases expires.