asked the Postmaster-General whether a request has been issued by his Department to the National Health Insurance Commissioners asking that the Commission will not offer appointments to women Civil servants in the Post Office unless specially recommended by the heads of the Departments, as they are short of staff; and whether this request has had any influence on applications from the Manchester office?

No such request has been made to the National Health Insurance Commissioners.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, for the working of the National Insurance Act, Part II., it has been found necessary to make new appointments in the Labour Exchanges; if so, how many appointments have been made; and whether those newly-appointed are under conditions precisely similar to those previously appointed?

It has been necessary largely to increase the Labour Exchanges staff owing to the larger number of Labour Exchanges opened, and also for dealing with the administration of Part II. of the National Insurance Act. The total number of appointments of all kinds made during the present year is 989. New scales of pay for certain grades of officers have been introduced, and these have been made applicable to the existing members of the staff of the same grades. No change has been made in the conditions of appointment.

asked the President of the Local Government Board (1) whether it is proposed that the beds available for the purposes of sanatorium benefit in fever and other hospitals shall be reserved chiefly for advanced cases of tuberculosis; (2) how many medical men in charge of small-pox, fever, and other hospitals approved by the Local Government Board for the purposes of sanatorium benefit, where it is proposed to treat early cases of consumption, have held appointments or been trained in special institutions for the treatment of tuberculosis; (3) how many of the medical men holding senior appointments in small-pox, fever, and other hospitals, approved for the purposes of sanatorium benefit, come up to the special standard laid down by the Local Government Board in their Memorandum of 14th May, and repeated in their Memorandum of 6th July?

I am advised that the beds available at isolation hospitals will, in many instances, be used not only for advanced cases, but also for cases requiring short periods of training and treatment and for cases under observation. As regards the medical men who are now in charge of existing institutions, I cannot say what are their exact special qualifications, but they all possess general knowledge of the methods of treatment of tuberculosis, and, as I have already informed the hon. Member, the Board have only given provisional approval for a period of six months to these institutions.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether a driver of a motor car, who also looks after the car, will under any circumstances have to be insured under Part II. of the National Insurance Act?

From decisions given by the Umpire, of which I am sending copies to my hon. Friend, it would appear that contributions under Part II. of the Act would not ordinarily be payable in respect of the driver of a motor car who also looks after the car. There may be special cases in which contributions would be payable, as, for instance, in the case of a workman who is mainly employed in repairs and only occasionally drives or who is employed by manufacturers both to drive motor cars in order to test them, and also to do adjustments and repairs.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of registered friendly societies and branches of friendly societies existing on the 4th May, 1911; and the number of friendly societies and branches of friendly societies which have become approved or have established State sections under the National Insurance Act?

The number of registered friendly societies and branches existing on 4th May, 1911, was 27,458. Up to 31st July, 1912, 19,589 registered friendly societies and branches, or separate sections thereof, have been approved.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that the firm of Joseph Owen and Sons, Limited, timber merchants, of Melrose Road, Lverpool, compelled their employés to sign a form stating their age and the name of the society they had made their approved society for the benefits of the National Insurance Act, and that the firm stopped 4d. from the wages of all their employés under sixteen years of age; and whether he will approach the firm upon the matter and point out the illegality of their action?

I have made inquiry into this case, and it has been pointed out to the firm that to require employés to state the name of their approved society is inconsistent with the principle of the Act—that insured persons should have freedom in the choice of their society. I am satisfied that the allegation contained in the second part of the question, that the firm stopped 4d. from the wages of those of their employés who are under sixteen, and therefore not insured, is without foundation.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that nuns employed as nurses in workhouse hospitals in Ireland receive only about £30 per annum each, out of which they have to clothe and support themselves, and that, in time of illness, they have their own communities to fall back on for medical and other attendance; and whether, under the circumstances, they will be allowed to claim an exemption from contribution under the National Insurance Act.

If, as would appear from the facts as stated in the question, the nurses are under a contract of service with the workhouse authorities, they must be insured. The Commissioners have no power to allow exemption to any persons unless they are persons qualified for exemption under the terms of Section 2 of the Act.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will consider whether onion-peelers, whose work is purely temporary, may be placed in the same category as pea pickers and flower gatherers for the purposes of the National Insurance Act?

The Commissioners will be glad to consider the question if an application is made to them, containing full particulars with regard to this employment, and showing that there are grounds for regarding it as class of employment which is ordinarily adopted as subsidiary employment only.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury when the allowances recommended by paragraph 236 of the Report of the Committee on the Amalgamation of the Customs and Excise Departments are to be granted to all the officers concerned; and, in view of the fact that the allowances have already been granted to some officers, will the Treasury consider favourably the advisability of a retrospective application of the scale to the other officers?

The payment of the allowances in question is dependent on the abolition of the existing Customs arrangements as to attendance and overtime pay. The application of the new arrangements recommended by the Committee is under consideration. A few Custom officials who have been transferred from Customs to Excise duties, to which the present Customs arrangements do not apply, have been granted the allowances as a matter of equity.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of Licence Duty paid by clubs in the year 1911–12?

The yield of the Club Duty in the year ended 31st March, 1912, was about £53,000.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that William Dunne was evicted from a farm of eighty acres at Milltown, Queen's County; that his daughter and only surviving child, Mary Dunne, wife of Daniel Cooke, Maryborough, applied on the 6th March last to the landlord, Mr. John Edge, of Milltown, in whose occupation the land remained since Dunne was evicted, to be reinstated in her father's farm; whether he is aware that on the 16th March last a policeman called on Mrs. Cooke and questioned her as to having written to Mr. Edge about her father's farm; whether he will say on whose authority the policeman acted on visiting Mrs. Cooke, questioning her on private matters in connection with her family history, and asking her at whose instigation she sent the letter and who wrote it for her; and whether it is intended, where evicted tenants make respectful application to the landlord, that the police are to be at the disposal of the landlord with a view of intimidating the representative of the evicted tenant?

William Dunne held a farm of eighty acres at Milltown, Queen's County, from which he was evicted by the landlord about the year 1846 for non-payment of rent, The land was purchased six years ago by Mr. Edge, whose family had been tenants since Dunne's eviction. On 7th March last a letter was received by Mr. Edge from Mrs. Cooke, the daughter of William Dunne, demanding the surrender of the farm. The landlord took no notice of the letter, but it was given to the police by his housekeeper. Owing to the nature of the letter it was the duty of the police to make all possible inquiries, but there was no desire or attempt on their part to intimidate Mrs. Cooke.

asked the Chief Secretary what is the cause of the delay in reinstating the representatives of William Westerman, who was evicted from a holding on the Davis estate, Thomastown, county Kilkenny; is he aware that Westerman was asked by the late Inspector Sydney G. Smith if he would accept an alternative holding on the Lyster estate, which he consented to do, but did not succeed in being reinstated; and, in view of the fact that the holding from which he was evicted is supposed to be still derelict, he will prevail on the Estates Commissioners to take steps to acquire it so as to enable Westerman's family to be restored to their former holding?

The Estates Commissioners have decided to take no action in this matter. They are not aware that Westerman was asked to accept a holding on the Lyster estate, and they see no reason to alter the decision already arrived at.

asked what the Department of Agriculture propose doing at Blackwater, county Wexford; and when the work will be commenced?

The Department in response to a request by the Wexford County Council recently had a survey made at Blackwater, with a view to preparing a plan for a landing stage there. The plan which is not yet ready, will be forwarded to the county council as soon as practicable. Further action with regard to the matter will rest with the county council.

asked the Chief Secretary if he -will direct the attention of the Department of Fisheries in Ireland to the prevalence of epizootic disease among trout on the Continent, so that they may take whatever steps are necessary to prevent the extension of this disease to Ireland?

The Department have full information as to the occurrence of disease among trout on the Continent, but see no reason to apprehend its introduction into Ireland, as it would appear from experiment to be incapable of communication by ova.

asked the Chief Secretary whether any agreement has been come to between the representatives of Jonathan Massey, deceased, and the Estates Commissioners for the purchase of the untenanted lands situate at Glenville and Ballylin, Ardagh, in the county of Limerick; and, if not, whether it is the intention of the Estates Commissioners to acquire these lands compulsorily for the relief of congestion on the estate?

The Estates Commissioners have communicated to the owner their estimate of the price which they would be prepared to advance if formal proceedings for sale are instituted under the Land Purchase Acts. The owner, who is understood to be abroad, has not instituted such proceedings up to the present. The question of compulsorily acquiring the lands has not yet been considered.

asked the Chief Secretary when the sale of the Mahony estate at Mountcollins, in the county of Limerick, will be completed by the Estates Commissioners; and whether they have yet taken steps to carry out the Report of their inspector for the improvement of the estate?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on 27th June, to which I have nothing to add at present.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been called to the narrow entrance to the Prince of Wales Basin at Devonport; whether he is aware that the "Marlborough" is the largest ship that can pass through the lock; and what steps he proposes to take to widen the entrance?

This and all other points affecting the basin accommodation at Devonport are fully appreciated by the Board of Admiralty.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the South Devon trawling industry has quite recently suffered damage through aggressive action by foreign trawlers within territorial waters between Start Point and Berry Head; and whether he will direct the patrolling vessels to give special attention to these waters?

No complaints of illegal trawling have been received by the fishery cruisers. No special orders as to this area (which is within that patrolled by cruisers of the Devon and Cornwall Fisheries) are considered necessary, but any specific complaints as to illegal trawling in these waters would be inquired into, and steps taken to prevent such practices.

asked the First Lord of Admiralty whether he is aware that at Woodstock, in the neighbourhood of Cape Town, there are about 100 young men being trained as naval cadets, and that their training is subsidised to the extent of £200 per annum by the Government of the Union of South Africa; if so, whether he will consider the desirability of making arrangements through the officer commanding the Cape station to receive applications from such of these cadets as may desire to enter the Royal Navy; whether the examination in this case as to physical fitness and other qualifications could be held at Cape Town; and whether such cadets as may come up to the required standard may be selected as seamen and drafted from the Cape station as if joining the Royal Navy at that place?

The suggestion of the hon. Member will receive careful attention, and I am having a report called for from the Commander-in-Chief on the Cape station as to the qualifications of these young men. The entry of seamen for continuous service is at present confined to those who have passed through the harbour training establishments at home as boys. The Commander-in-Chief on the station has power to enter ten boys a year when a Government opportunity occurs for sending them home, and his attention was drawn last year to the Woodstock naval cadets with a view hon. entering boys as occasion offers. As the hon. Member is aware, Government opportunities occur at rare intervals, and I fear that the cost of sending boys home by freight is prohibitive.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if the carpenters of the Royal Navy have had no increase of pay for nearly thirty-five years; if, in consequence of dissatisfaction as to remuneration, there is an insufficiency of carpenters and shipwrights; if, during the recent manœuvres, shipwright pensioners had to be recruited from the dockyards to complete the complement of ships; and is there any prospect of an increase of pay being given those public servants before the end of this year?

The pay of carpenters and shipwrights is now under the consideration of a Departmental Committee, and their inquiry will shortly be completed. There was a slight shortage of shipwrights for the manœuvres at Devonport, and volunteers were called for from pensioners, eight ratings employed in the dockyard being embarked.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can give the actual figures at the present moment showing the shortage of officers, non-commissioned officers, and men, re- spectivcly, of the Special Reserve; whether any of the twenty-seven extra Special Reserve battalions are up to strength; and what is the shortage of officers, non-commissioned officers, and men, respectively, in these battalions?

The figures for 1st July are as follows:—

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the shortage in the rank of captains in the twenty-seven 4th battalions, Special Reserve, is due to the fact that no subalterns are qualified by examination for promotion to the rank of captain; and, if this is not so, if he will give the number of subalterns who are qualified by examination for promotion to the rank of captain, as well as the number of subalterns who are not so qualified?

The precise information required is not available at the War Office, and can only be obtained by calling for detailed reports from the various commands. The information required shall be forwarded to the hon. Gentleman in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can now make any further statements as to the recent accidents to Lance-sergeant Cowan, 5th Devons, at Bisley Camp, and the late Sergeant Thomson, Glasgow Battery, 3rd Lowland Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, at Budden, respectively?

In the case of the accident to Sergeant Cowan, the only way in which the mishap can be accounted for is that a misfire occurred, and on extracting the cartridge the bullet was left in the chamber of the rifle; that when the next cartridge was inserted in the chamber the bullet was forced into the case by the bullet already in the barrel; on firing, the case gave way near the base owing to the high presssure caused by the weight of the two bullets, and the escaping gases blew off part of the bolt-head. In the case of the accident to the late Sergeant Thomson, the end of the vent, to which is attached the tube-chamber bush and the nut securing it, was fractured; the end of the vent, with bush and nut, being blown off and striking Sergeant Thomson. This was a converted vent; all the new vents are made in one piece, and an accident of this kind is not likely to occur. All the converted vents stood proof charges without any failure, but in order to prevent any possibility of a recurrence of these accidents all practice with the vents of this type has been stopped.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider the advisability of providing an allowance for horses for brigade and signalling officers of Territorials when such officers are engaged on their annual training at brigade or divisional camps?

On mobilisation, the divisional and brigade signalling officers, to whom the question evidently refers, will be furnished with bicycles. It is not intended, therefore, to provide them with an allowance for horses when engaged at their annual training at brigade or divisional camps.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the Territorial battalions now training at Hereford have not yet been supplied with tripod mountings for their machine guns; and whether, in view of the inconvenience in using the old heavy carriages in enclosed country, he will state whether the tripod mountings will be supplied during this year's training?

Issues of tripod mountings to the Territorial Force are now proceeding, but the battalions mentioned will not receive them in time for this year's training.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether vaccination is still insisted upon for men who obtain employment in the Ordnance factories; whether any man who is disabled in consequence of vaccination receives sick pay; if sick pay is not now granted, when did any new regulation to that effect come into operation; and what was the reason for departing from the former custom?

Vaccination is still insisted on for men who obtain employment in the Ordnance factories, subject to the discretion of the medical officer. A man who is disabled in consequence of vaccination does not receive sick pay if he undergoes the vaccination as a condition of being taken on. Owing to a misunderstanding of an earlier ruling, it was found in 1908 that a practice of giving pay to men vaccinated on entry was growing up, and the ruling against it was therefore made clear. It was not considered that men who underwent vaccination in order to qualify themselves for employment should do so at the expense of the public. I am considering whether any relaxation of the rule as regards sick pay is possible.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, under the Elementary School Teachers (Superannuation) Bill, women teachers will be unable upon voluntary retirement after fifty-five to receive their promised pension of £1 per year for each year of recorded service for as many years as they have served as teachers, or whether such pension will only be obtainable at sixty-five; and whether he realises that the efficiency of a school is likely to be adversely affected by the non-retirement until the age of sixty-five for the sake of their pensions of teachers who are partially incapacitated or anxious to retire before that age?

The Bill does not provide for retirement at an age earlier than sixty-five. I have asked the Departmental Committee which I have appointed to inquire whether the funds at my disposal will enable any arrangement for earlier retirement to be made and whether such an arrangement will be preferable to other forms of benefit which have been suggested. I am fully aware of the educational considerations involved.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many public elementary schools in England have gardens attached to them for instructional purposes; and whether, in view of their value to children, he is taking steps to establish them wherever possible?

During the current year instruction in gardening is being given at 2,484 schools. There are, in addition, twenty-three centres attended by scholars from more than one public elementary school at which instruction in gardening is also given. I am sure that ail local education authorities are fully aware of the importance which the Board attach to the work done in school gardens, but I shall lose no opportunity of encouraging and facilitating their establishment wherever the circumstances of the school permit.

asked the President of the Board of Education if the South Court of the Victoria and Albert Museum contains sculptured monuments to which several casts in an adjoining northerly court are germane from the point of view of art and education; if the metal work collections are exhibited in courts still further north; and whether the casts of sculptured monuments were originally acquired by the museum for the special purpose of supplementing the collection of cognate original sculptures with a view to forming as complete an illustration of such architectural decorative work as is reasonably possible?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The sculptured monuments presumably referred to are placed in the West and East Halls (Rooms 48 and 50), and the casts in the Square Court (Room 46). The South Court and the adjacent bays (Rooms 25–37) contain some of the metal work collections. The answer to the last part of the question is in the affirmative.

asked the Home Secretary what are the powers exercisable by a parent or guardian in respect of a child until he attains the age of fourteen or, in the case of a girl, sixteen, referred to in Clause 25 of the Mental Deficiency Bill?

It would be impossible to give a full statement of these powers within the limits of an answer to a question, but I may say that the only respect in which parental control of a child under the age of fourteen (or, in the case of a girl, under the age of sixteen) differs from that exercisable in respect to a child over those ages respectively is that under those ages the child is in law deemed incapable of exercising a choice, and therefore the parent, unless his character is such as to prevent the Court from interfering on his behalf, has an absolute right to the custody of the child and to control his training and place of residence.

also asked the Home Secretary whether he will lay upon the Table of the House a Paper setting out the Sections of the Statutes referred to in or affected by the provisions of the Mental Deficiency Bill?

The Mental Deficiency Bill contains references to the Lunacy Acts, 1890 to 1911, to the Education Acts, 1870 to 1911, to several of the Poor Law Acts, to the Criminal Lunatics Act, 1884, to various provisions of the Local Government Act, 1888, of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1884, and the Public Health Act, 1875, to the Old Age Pensions Acts, and to the Inebriates Acts. To reprint all these provisions would involve the publication of a bulky and expensive volume. But if the Noble Lord would indicate those particular provisions which he would wish to have reprinted, I will consider whether it is possible to meet his views.

asked whether a ballot in favour of weekly payments, as provided for by the Coal Mines Act, 1911, is valid, if taken before the Home Office instructions were issued?

I am advised that a ballot for the purpose of ascertaining whether the majority of the persons employed at a mine desire the provision of the Act as to weekly payment of wages to apply to the mine is not valid unless car- ried out in accordance with the Home Office Rules of 22nd June last, made under Section 118 of the Act.

asked whether any opportunity can now be afforded to the House of discussing the annual Report of the Prison Commissioners, or whether the entire administration of His Majesty's prisons is to be withdrawn from the purview of the House for a period of two years at least?

As my hon. Friend knows, the control of the business of the House is not in my hands.

asked the Home Secretary when he expects that the new Regulations with regard to lead and dust in potteries will come into force?

I am expecting to receive Sir Ernest Hatch's report in the course of the next few days. If, as I understand he hopes is the case, he has been successful in securing general acceptance of the rules on the basis of certain modifications agreed to by the representatives both of the employers and workers, it should be possible to bring the Regulations into force before the end of next month.

asked what, during 1911, was the amount of salaries and expenses of the two inspectors who personally saw 291 vivisectional experiments out of the 95,203 made in that year?

The salaries of the inspectors amounted to £893, and travelling and incidental expenses to £140. The seeing experiments performed is, of course, only a small portion of the work of these gentlemen.

also asked whether the irregularities by six licensees referred to in the Return of Experiments on Living Animals for 1912 were reported by them or were discovered by the inspectors through witnessing the 291 experiments which they saw personally; and whether, in the case of the 94,912 experiments which the inspectors did not see, the Home Office depended entirely on the reports of the licensees themselves, or possesses or used any machinery to discover or check irregularities in case licensees declined to incriminate themselves by reporting them?

There were no irregularities in the 291 experiments in which the inspectors witnessed the operations. In one case the irregularity was detected by the inspector seeing the animals (cats) after they had been operated on. In the other cases the irregularities were detected from the reports made, or papers written, by the licensees. The check upon irregularities, especially any of a serious nature, is afforded by the large number of animals (many thousands) under experiment which are seen by the inspector on his visits after the operation or inoculation.

asked the Home Secretary whether Charles Gray, a suffragist, now undergoing a term of imprisonment in Wandsworth Prison, has been forced to wear prison dress and denied the privileges of Rule 243a; and whether he can see his way to extend those privileges to this prisoner?

As I stated in reply to a previous question, this man was convicted of a serious assault, and was sentenced to hard labour. He cannot therefore be allowed the privileges of Rule 243a.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that some of the assaults committed near Tower Hill, about which he is making inquiries of the City Police, were committed by members of the K Division of the Metropolitan Police; if he will inquire of the R Division as well as the City Police; and if he wishes to be supplied with the names of the witnesses, as well as the numbers of individual constables alleged to have committed the assaults?

The Commissioner of City Police reports that no such incident as was described in my hon. Friend's former question occurred at the place he mentioned, or, so far as he can ascertain, at any other place in the neighbourhood. No complaint has reached him of any person being assaulted on the day in question; but, if my hon. Friend will supply the particulars he now offers, further inquiry will, of course, be made.

asked the President of the Local Government Board why old age pensioners entering the workhouse infirmary should thereby lose their pensions when such persons on entering any other kind of hospital do not lose them; whether he has allowed pensions to be paid in certain cases to old age pensioners in infirmaries; and whether it is in his power always to do so?

Old age pensioners entering a workhouse infirmary in order to obtain medical or surgical assistance are ordinarily not disqualified for receiving a pension, and pensions have been allowed to continue in many such cases. Cases sometimes arise, however, in which ordinary Poor Law relief must be regarded as preponderating over any medical assistance which may be afforded. In such cases, and in other cases in which the statutory conditions are not satisfied, the Board are precluded from allowing the pensions to continue.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether a board of guardians has power to appoint as chaplain to the union two persons, one a Church of England clergyman and one a Nonconformist minister, a Nonconformist minister only, or to leave religious ministrations to voluntary organisations; and have the guardians power to allow a Nonconformist minister to use the chapel of the union?

The Regulations of the Local Government Board contemplate the appointment of chaplains who are clergymen of the Church of England, and for the great majority of workhouses such appointments are made. It is open to guardians to appoint religious instructors for the spiritual care of Roman Catholic or Nonconformist inmates, and appointments of this kind have been made in many workhouses. Where a workhouse chapel has not been consecrated it is competent to the guardians, if they think fit, to permit religious services to be held therein by ministers of any denomination. The services, however, should be held at such times as will not interfere with the ministrations of the appointed chaplain.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether, in view of the fact that the secretary of a body called the Rural District Councils Association has, at the request of the Local Government Board, issued a circular to the various rural district councils asking how many cottages have been built during the last three years, and as to the number of houses suitable for the working classes which are at the present time vacant and fit for habitation, he will invite the secretary to obtain in addition information as to the number of villages where rural district councils are unwilling to issue closing and demolition orders for fear of increasing the existing scarcity of cottages, and unable to build cottages without adding to the rates of their district?

The replies to the circular referred to are now being received, and I do not think I could properly invite the association to send out another circular at the present time.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the overcrowded conditions In the village of Chinley, in Derbyshire, and to the fact that it was stated at the Chapel-en-le-Frith Rural District Council that one cottage of two bedrooms contained seven persons, a mother, two sisters, a daughter aged 17, and two men lodgers, whilst another of two bedrooms and an attic contained eleven persons, a mother, daughter and her husband, four daughters, aged 15 to 21, two sons, and two lodgers; and what action he proposes to take in the matter?

My attention had not been drawn to the statements referred to, but I will make inquiries into the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many motor cars are licensed at the present time in the United Kingdom; how many of these are of foreign manufacture; and how many are of British manufacture?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. There are no official statistics, but, according to a table that appeared in the Press, the number of motor cars of all classes that were entered in the registers of the registering authorities in December last was 266,258. This number cannot, of course, be taken as indicating the number of cars in actual circulation at the time. The proportion of cars of British and foreign make respectively cannot be stated.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, after the settlement of the strike of August, 1911, the Port of London Authority raised their charges to the merchants and traders by 7½ per cent.; and whether he can state in round figures the amount of this 7½ per cent. increase, and also in round figures the cost in additional wages and improved conditions granted to the men in August, 1911?

I have communicated with the Port of London Authority, and will furnish my hon. Friend with a copy of their reply.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Great Eastern boats plying between Ipswich, Harwich, and Felixstowe are very often overcrowded during the holiday season, and that with 700 or 800 people aboard the two boats provided on these vessels would be of practically no use in an emergency; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

The Board of Trade have not received any complaints with regard to the overcrowding of the steamers referred to, but I will cause inquiries to be made in the matter. As my hon. Friend is aware, the rules relating to life-saving appliances on all classes of ships will shortly be revised.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, now that the purely legal inquiry into the "Titanic" disaster required by the Merchant Shipping Acts has taken place, he will order an inquiry to be held into the causes of the accident, including the responsibility of his own Department?

The Inquiry that has been held by Lord Mersey fully covered all the causes of the casualty, together with the administration by the Board of Trade of the Merchant Shipping Acts, so far as relevant to the matter. I have already informed the House of the steps that I am taking to revise the Rules and Regulations of the Board of Trade dealing with safety at sea.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any direct life assurance business is now transacted by Lloyd's underwriters; and if so, whether the deposits of £2,000 required by the Assurance Companies Act of 1909 have been made, and statements showing the extent and character of the business transacted have been deposited with the Board of Trade?

No deposits have been made and no accounts have been furnished by any Lloyd's underwriters in respect of life assurance business. So far as I am aware, no life assurance business in the ordinary sense is transacted by Lloyd's underwriters, and although policies insuring against losses which might arise indirectly owing to death may possibly have been underwritten from time to time, I have no information as to the terms of any such policies.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state how many Lloyd's underwriters have complied with the requirements laid down in Schedule 8, paragraphs B and C (1) (b), of the Assurance Companies Act as regards the furnishing to the Board of Trade of a statement showing the extent and character of the business effected by him; and how many Lloyd's underwriters, in lieu of complying with paragraph B (1) (a) and (b), have elected to comply with paragraphs B and C (2) of the Schedule and supply to the Board of Trade an auditor's certificate in lieu of a full statement showing the extent and character of the business transacted?

No Lloyd's underwriters have furnished the Board of Trade with a statement showing the extent and character of the business effected by them, in accordance with Schedule 8 (B) and (C) (1) (b) of the Assurance Companies Act, 1909. Five hundred and eleven Lloyd's underwriters elected to comply with the alternative requirements contained in Schedule 8 (B) and (C) (2), and furnished the Board with auditors' certificates. Seven of those underwriters have died or resigned.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total amount of the premiums received during the year 1911 by Lloyd's underwriters in respect of accident and fire insurance contracts?

I regret that I am unable to furnish the information asked for.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state what is the amount of the deposits, if any, furnished in accordance with the Eighth Schedule (b) and (c), 2 (3) of the Assurance Companies Act, 1909, by Lloyd's underwriters as security for the due fulfilment of their fire and accident insurance contracts; the amount of the security furnished in the form of guarantees; and whether any of the guarantees which may be furnished as an alternative to a deposit are given by persons who are not members, of Lloyd's Underwriters' Association, and, if so, to what extent?

The amount of the deposits furnished in accordance with Schedule 8 (b) and (c), 2 (b) of the Assurance Companies Act, 1909, by Lloyd's underwriters as security for claims in connection with fire and accident and other non-marine business is £207,000. The amount of the security furnished in accordance with the provisions referred to in the form of guarantees, is £3,376,740, and of this amount guarantees to the extent of £491,530 have been given by guarantors who are not members of Lloyd's.

asked the Postmaster-General, with reference to the answer given by him on the 19th August, 1911, when he stated that he anticipated that the occasions would probably be more numerous when the mails would reach New York in time for despatch by the night trains on Thursday nights, if he would state on how many occasions from that date to the present was there an arrival at New York in time for the mails to be despatched to the West by the ordinary night mail trains, in addition to the arrival of the "Mauretania" on the 28th September, when her mail was in time to go forward by such trains, but that ship was not detained at Queenstown to embark mails as, owing to the railway strike, all were put on board at Liverpool; was he aware that since the disaster to the "Titanic" the vessels are taking longer courses and that, as far as the homeward bound ships are concerned, earlier starts have been arranged for the Cunard steamers so as to ensure early arrival; and, in these circumstances, would he take into consideration the whole question and arrange for despatching the mails from Liverpool and so save the time expended at Queenstown, thus, ensuring an early arrival at New York?

On the occasion to which the hon. Member refers, when the "Mauretania" reached New York on Thursday evening the 28th of September last, a call had been made at Queenstown and mails from Ireland had been embarked there on the morning of the 24th. The mails for Canada, Chicago and the West of the United States were forwarded from New York by trains leaving at 12.25 a.m. and 3.5 a.m. on Friday the 29th. The mails for the West were forwarded at the same time on Friday on four other occasions at about the same pediod of last year. I am aware that a longer course to and from New York is now being taken, and that an earlier start from New York is being made by homeward bound Cunard steamers. The omission of the call at Queenstown by the Cunard Packets sailing from Liverpool would, as I have previously stated, involve in present circumstances a serious curtailment of the facilities for late posting throughout the United Kingdom. This would be the case even in Liverpool. The only return for this positive inconvenience, which would operate every week, would be the problematic advantage of an occasional earlier delivery of the correspondence in the United States of America; and I think there can be no doubt that in present circumstances the balance of advantage rests with the maintenance of the existing arrangement.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the amount paid in wages per week by the contractor at New Bridge Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne, to the drivers of the parcel post vans; what hours they work per day and per week; what is the rate of payment for Sunday work; and whether they are paid for Sunday work separately and above the week's work?

I am making inquiry, and will communicate the result to the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the want of postal facilities at Rosslare Harbour station; is he aware that orders for berths on board the Rosslare and Fishguard steamers sometimes arrive a day too late owing to the fact that the Post Office authorities have crossed off Rosslare and inserted Kilrane instead; and will he see that this new arrangement is cancelled for the convenience of the public?

I will have inquiry made and will communicate the result to the hon. Member.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether from districts in Ireland live hares have been imported to the Parish of Great Bowden, near Market Harborough, which is now also infected by foot-and-mouth disease; and whether he will, for the present, stop any importation of live hares into this country from Ireland in order to prevent possible infection?

Inquiries have been made, but no information as to the arrival at Great Bowden of hares imported from Ireland can be obtained. I do not think that anything would be gained by the prohibition of the importation of live hares from Ireland. The number imported must be very small and the risk of the introduction of disease through their agency must, as matters now stand in Ireland, be infinitesimal.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether, while the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease near Shepton Mallet, in Somerset, was known on Tuesday, 23rd July, and the animals infected were slaughtered on 24th July, notification was only given of the restrictive Order to a few farmers on 25th July, and the majority of farmers were not informed of the Order till 26th July; and, if so, whether he will make arrangements to hasten the process of notification?

A telegram reporting the suspected existence of foot-and-mouth disease near Shepton Mallet was received by the Board on the 23rd July. One of the Board's veterinary inspectors was immediately instructed to visit the premises, but after considering the reports received on the subject, the Board's chief inspector considered it desirable that he should visit the premises and inspect the animals personally. He did so on the morning of the 24th July, and a telegram was received form him soon after 1 p.m. confirming the existence of the disease. An Order, which had been prepared in advance, prohibiting the movement of animals and the holding of markets in an area surrounding the infected place was at once made, and telegrams announcing the fact were sent at 3.15 p.m. to the local authorities, the chief constables, the superintendent of police, and the railway companies concerned. Copies of the Order were sent later in the day. I am informed by the clerk to the Somerset County Council that the Board's telegram was received after office hours, but that it was forwarded to the chief constable on the evening of the 24th, who sent a copy at once to all police superintendents, and that the Order was printed on the 25th instant, and that prints and placards were posted to the police and others on the same evening.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture, if he can say how soon he will be able, consistently with public safety, to relax the restrictions affecting the removal of dairy cattle in the Leeds district?

Animals can now be moved freely both into and within a very considerable portion of the West Riding Scheduled Area, including almost the whole of the city of Leeds. I hope, if all goes well, further to modify the restrictions early next week. If the hon. Member has any particular case of difficulty in mind, perhaps he would kindly communicate with me respecting it.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he can give any information regarding the three outbreaks in Cheshire of foot-and-mouth disease; and if the Board have any knowledge of how the disease was brought into the district?

There have now been five outbreaks in the Cheshire area, all on farms immediately adjoining each other. Every possible clue to the cause of the original outbreak has been, and is being, followed up, but so far no satisfactory theory has been established.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he can give the particulars of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Shrewsbury market on Tuesday, and if he can trace the origin?

Perhaps the hon. Member will allow me to refer him to the full statement which I made on this subject yesterday.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that the embargo against the importation of hay into this country from Ireland is causing inconvenience and loss to shippers and farmers alike in Ireland; and, seeing that the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has been confined to a small area in the parish of Swords, county Dublin, and is now virtually at an end, will he take steps to have those restrictions removed immediately?

Perhaps the hon. Member will allow me to refer him to my previous replies on this subject. For the reasons therein given it is not possible for me to allow the importation of hay into Great Britain from Ireland to be resumed until it is clear that foot-and-mouth disease has been completely stamped out.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he can now see his way to remove the restrictions prohibiting the importation of Irish cattle into this country, seeing that the late outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Ireland, which has been confined to a small area in the parish of Swords, county Dublin, is now stamped out?

I am afraid, if I may judge from experience in Great Britain, that it is too soon to assume that foot-and-mouth disease in Ireland has been absolutely stamped out and that there is no danger whatever of its recrudescence. In these circumstances, I cannot withdraw any of the restrictions to which the hon. Member refers, but I shall, of course, keep the position steadily in view.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he will state what compensation is being given for stock slaughtered in connection with the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease; what is the total number of cattle slaughtered to date; what is their estimated value; how much has been paid in compensation; and on what basis that compensation is calculated?

The payment of compensation for animals slaughtered in connection with outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease is governed by Section 15 of the Diseases of Animals Act, 1894, which provides that where the animal was affected with the disease the compensation is to be the value of the animal immediately before it became affected, and in every other case its value immediately before it was slaughtered. It is only possible for me to give the other information asked for in the question so far as compensation has actually been paid. Up to yesterday a sum of £19,371 had been paid for compensation in respect of 1,010 cattle, 2,017 sheep, 107 swine and a goat.

asked the President of of the Board of Agriculture whether any further outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease have occurred; and whether he has been able to trace the cause of the recent outbreaks in Somersetshire and Cheshire?

The answer to both parts of the question is in the negative.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether the applications of the Sea Fisheries Committees of Devon and of Cornwall for a Grant from the Development Commission to facilitate the provision of auxiliary motor power in fishing boats have yet been transmitted to the Development Commissioners?

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture what progress has been made with regard to the scheme for assisting the co-operative movement among inshore fishermen by supplying them with loans for installing motor power?

A special inquiry has been conducted in Devon and Cornwall by an officer of the Board, and in the light of the information collected by him the Board propose to arrange for further inquiries on other parts of the coast, with a view to obtain material for a policy generally applicable to the inshore fisheries. I must add, however, that in my speech in this House on 26th June last I explained that the policy of the Board would be not to make loans direct to fishermen, but to encourage and aid the formation of cooperative credit societies through which fishermen would be able to obtain loans at easy rates.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture at what date he expects to complete the re-organisation of the Fisheries Department so as to carry out his proposals in regard to inshore fisheries?

I have already set on foot inquiries directed chiefly to discover the best means by which the Inshore Fishermen may obtain credit for the provision of boats, gear, and motive power. Further inquiries on a comprehensive scale dealing with various aspects of the problem will be undertaken at an early date. Some time must elapse before I am in a position to frame a definite scheme, but no avoidable delay will be incurred.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture the number of co-operative societies existing in England, among dairy farmers, market gardeners, and small fruit growers, respectively?

Four hundred and seventy-one co-operative societies are affiliated to the Agricultural Organisation Society, but in the great majority of instances their operations are not defined with sufficient exactitude to enable me to give separate figures in respect of the particular classes of agriculturists mentioned in the question. A considerable number of small unregistered societies such as cow clubs also exist, of which no statistics are obtainable.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether his expert advisers share the view expressed by some scientific experimentalists that a heavy dressing with kainit or other potassic manure in the first week of January of land about to be sown with oats is a certain preventative of stem eelworm and frit-fly in that crop; and, if so, whether he will publish advice to farmers to this effect so as to avoid the recurrence of the present widespread oat sickness?

Dressings of potash salts have been shown to be beneficial in cases of attack by stem-eelworm, and are already recommended in the Board's leaflet on this pest. But the Board are not aware of any scientific evidence indicating that kainit or other potash manures act as a preventive of frit-fly.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he is aware that the West Riding County Council have been refused all further loans for purchase of land for small holdings by the Public Works Loans Commissioners, owing to the fact that the county council do not charge the rent of the small holders with a payment for sinking fund; and what action the Board of Agriculture advise the county council to take in view of the fact that all further development of small holdings is being stopped?

I was not aware of the facts stated in the first part of the question, but the difficulty to which the hon. Member refers has occurred in other parts of the country, and the matter is under the consideration of the Government. I should have thought, however, that in the case of the West Riding no difficulty would be experienced in borrowing money required for the purchase of land otherwise than from the Public Works Loans Commissioners.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture what is the official record of Mr. H. G. Maurice, who is to be appointed Assistant Secretary for Fisheries; when did he enter the public service and how; what positions he has held; what is his present age; and what salary was he receiving previous to his appointment to the new post?

Mr. Maurice is thirty-eight years of age. In September, 1904, he entered the service of the Wiltshire Education Committee as Assistant to the Director of Education. From June, 1905 to November, 1907, he was employed as a temporary barrister in the Board of Education. In November, 1907, he was appointed a junior examiner under that Board, and at the same time became private secretary to Sir Robert Morant. Since October, 1909, to the present time he has been my private secretary, for two years at the Board of Education, and since October, 1911, at the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries. Mr. Maurice was called to the Bar in 1904. At the time of his appointment as Assistant Secretary of the Fisheries Division, he was receiving £650 a year.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether the number of peasant proprietors in France decreased from 1,134,000 in 1862 to 589,000 in 1902; whether there has been a further decrease; and whether the French Government have taken any, and, if so, what steps to check it; and whether he will put the House in possession of full information with regard to the rural exodus in Continental countries and the measures adopted by them severally to deal with it?

According to the official French statistics the figures quoted in the question refer not to peasant proprietors, but to persons engaged partly in cultivating land of their own and partly in working for others as day labourers. Moreover, the later of the two years mentioned should apparently be 1892, not 1902; no official statistics for 1902 are yet available. The total number of persons cultivating their own land in France was approximately 3,800,000 in 1862, and 3,380,000 in 1892. It would not be possible to supply the information asked for in the latter part of the question without a long and laborious inquiry, and I doubt whether the value of the results would be commensurate with the amount of time and work expended.

asked the Attorney-General whether his attention had been called to the fact that on the 26th April last a special general meeting of the Law Society passed a resolution declaring that the experimental working of compulsory registration of title in the county of London since January, 1899, has proved that the system is complicated, dilatory, and costly, and alleging that the Amendments recommended by the Report of the Royal Commission on Land Transfer are not calculated to and cannot remove defects which are fundamental; and whether the Privy Council will now consider the expediency of revoking the Order applying compulsion to the county of London under the power given to the council by the Land Transfer Act, 1897, Section 20, Sub-section (4)?

My attention was not called to the resolution referred to, and I must not be taken to agree with its tenour or with its representation of the Report of the Royal Commission. I think it unlikely that the Privy Council will move in the way suggested, for which the Royal Commission made no recommendation.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether there have been any, and, if so, how many accidents caused in Scotland since 1st January, 1901, by the bursting of defective small arms, distinguishing the fatal from the non-fatal, and stating, as regards each case, the date on which it occurred, the nature and age of the defective small arm which burst, and whether the defect was an original defect or a defect caused by age and wear?

I have no means of information as to the total number of such accidents, but have obtained particulars regarding those reported to procurators fiscal, as under:—

asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware that, since the passing of the Australian Commonwealth Act, doubts have arisen as to the right of trustees to invest moneys in certain Colonial securities previously recognised as trustee investments; and whether he can see his way to introduce legislation to remove these doubts?

I am not aware to what doubts the hon. Member refers. Perhaps he would communicate with us.

asked the Secretary for Scotland the age of the chairman of the Liberal Association of Inverness-shire, who has been appointed to a clerkship on the Land Court; what is his salary; what is the amount of pension attached to the appointment and at what age is it payable; what legal training did he have and for how long; in what business capacity has he been engaged since that time; whence was his agricultural knowledge derived; whether he gives his full time to the business of the Land Court; whether the Land Court has been given powers to make appointments of such importance without reference to the Secretary for Scotland; whether this gentleman has now to take up his residence in Edinburgh; and whether there is no Civil servant qualified for the post?

The appointment was made by the Land Court under Section 3, Sub-section (7), of the Small Landholders Act. The salary of the gentleman in question is £200, rising to £300. The pension conditions for Land Court staff will be those ordinarily applicable to such posts; but, in view of Mr. McTavish's age on appointment being sixty-one, I do not anticipate that any question of pension will arise in his case. I understand that he served a full legal apprenticeship of five years with a solicitor, and that later on he entered into a grain and agricultural produce business, from which he has acquired considerable agricultural knowledge. His full time will be given to the business of the Land Court, and he will reside in Edinburgh.

asked the Secretary for Scotland if he can state the total amount of money which has been given or promised by the Development Commission to Scottish fishery harbours from the institution of the Commission to the present date?

The Development Commissioners have hitherto recommended advances by way of Grant and loan up to a total amount of £112,850 for the benefit of Scottish fishery harbours, including Berwick-on-Tweed, which is within a Scotch fishery district.

asked the Secretary for Scotland the number of hours devoted to the discussion of Scottish Estimates in each year since 1900, giving the number of hours in each year, respectively; and whether he will state the separate Scottish Votes taken in those years and those which were not discussed?

I am sorry that I am not in a position to give the information desired, as I have no further source of information than the records which are equally open to my hon. Friend.