asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether a numerical limit has been fixed below which small friendly societies will not be recognised as approved societies; if so, what that limit is; and whether such limit will apply to societies included in a county association?

No general minimum of membership has been laid down. The Commissioners, before granting approval to a society, satisfy themselves that it has a reasonable prospect of conducting the work of the Act satisfactorily. But what is the lowest number compatible with this condition depends partly upon the circumstances of each society; and, in particular, special consideration is given in cases where societies can rely upon the assistance of some central body, such as a county association.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will say what arrangements have been made for medical and sanatorium benefit for insurable persons on Fair Isle; whether a qualified doctor will be made available in the first month of 1913; and whether, if neither doctor nor sanatorium benefit are to be available for insurable persons on the island, the contributions from employers and employés will still be exacted on the usual scale?

The whole question of medical benefit in the Highlands is being considered by a Departmental Commission appointed by the Treasury, pending whose Report the Scottish Insurance Commissioners can express no opinion. I understand that arrangements for the provision of sanatorium benefit are under consideration by the insurance committee of the district.

asked whether the Clare Sanatorium will be assisted by the funds of the insurance scheme for sanatoria; and whether credit will be allowed for the money already spent on this sanatorium by voluntary subscribers and helpers?

The Local Government Board have invited the county councils in Ireland to formulate schemes for the treatment of tuberculosis in their respective areas in connection with the Sanatorium Grant. Except as regards the fact of the appointment of a committee to consider questions arising out of the Grant, the Board have no information as to the progress made in county Clare. In the absence of details, no definite reply could be given as to the position of the Ennis Sanatorium in relation to the sanatorium Grant, but no contribution would be made to a voluntary association merely on the strength of past expenditure.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether a man who has been employed in an insured trade and who has paid the unemployment tax gets any benefit from this tax on leaving the insured trade and returning to work on the land?

If, as in the case mentioned by the hon. Member, a workman having been engaged at an insured trade takes other work, his liability to contribute under Part II. of the Act ceases until he resumes work at an insured trade. If he becomes unemployed subsequently to his leaving the insured trade, he does not lose the right to benefit, but can, subject to the fulfilment of the statutory conditions, obtain unemployment benefit in proportion to the contributions which he has already made; or, if he does not draw benefit, he can at age sixty obtain a refund of the contributions under Section 95.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, under the National Insurance Act, Part II., an adult workman employed by three employers, each for two days in a week, has to suffer a total deduction of 6d. from his total week's wages while, if he were employed by one employer for a week, the deduction would be 2½d.

The answer to this question is, generally speaking, in the affirmative. The larger payment in respect of casual labourers is justified by their much higher risk of unemployment, and of course it gives them a proportionately larger claim to unemployment benefit. I would, however, call the hon. Member's attention to the provisions of Section 99 of the Act, which empowers the Board of Trade to make arrangements with employers under which separate periods of employment such as those described may, under certain conditions, be treated, for the purpose of contributions, as continuous periods of employment with one employer. I am sending the hon. Member, a copy of the Regulations made by the Board of Trade under this Section, together with a Memorandum issued on the same subject.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that some employers are stamping the insurance cards with the initials of the firm where the insured person is employed; and whether, in view of the intention of the Act, he proposes to take any action in the matter?

Any action of the nature described would be a breach of the Regulations. If my hon. Friend can give the particulars of any such case, I will have inquiry made at once.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury the result of any inquiry made by the Insurance Commissioners regarding the solvency of the Guardian Bank before approving the Irish Mutual Assurance Collecting Society which the manager of that bank and his clerk are trying to establish at 65, Dawson Street, Dublin; whether any commercial man in Dublin consulted as to the solvency of that bank has given an affirmative answer; and what security the Commissioners have obtained for the proper working of the society mentioned under the National Insurance Act?

The Irish Mutual Assurance Collecting Society, a separate section of which has been approved by the Irish Commissioners, is a body distinct from the Guardian Bank. The Commissioners were therefore under no necessity to investigate the solvency of that bank, which can have no effect upon the funds of the separate section formed by a different society. No advance of funds will be made to the approved society now in question, or to any other, until proper security has been given as required in Section 26 of the Act.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the wages of the men employed in the cleaning work of the British Museum; if he could state how many men are employed on the permanent staff and what is their weekly wage; and if he could state the numbers and wages of those -employed in similar operations by contractors?

The number of men on the regular staff of the British Museum employed in cleaning is eighty-one. Their rate of pay (exclusive of such benefits as holidays and sick leave) varies from 6d. to 6½d. an hour. The number of men engaged on cleaning work and employed through contractors is forty-two. Their rate of pay is 7d. an hour.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what expenditure has been incurred by the Government up to the present in dealing with disputed cases of land valuation under the Finance Act?

Approximately £9,500.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will grant the Return asked for standing in the name of the hon. Member for East Edinburgh? [Mr. Hogge,—Scottish Estimates,—Return showing for each year from 1900 to 1912, inclusive, the number of hours aevoted to the discussion of Scottish Estimates by the House of Commons; the separate Votes, with the amounts thereof, discussed in those years; and the Votes which were not discussed, with the amounts thereof.]

I am afraid that I can add nothing to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary for Scotland on the 1st August.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, for the convenience of Scottish Members, he will cause to be printed separately, as in the case of Ireland, a separate Sessional Volume giving all questions, proceedings, and debates relating to Scotland?

I will consider the suggestion in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary for Scotland.

asked what was the total amount of money expended by local authorities in England and Wales in administering the Poor Law, education, and the maintenance of the main roads during the years 1900 and 1910, respectively; and the portion of such expenditure paid to these authorities from the Imperial Exchequer towards the cost of these services during each year?

The following statement, which has been prepared from the Local Taxation Returns, gives the desired information:—

Items.		Year ended March.		Total Expenditure by Local Authorities met otherwise than out of Loans.	Part of Expenditure in Column 3 which is Estimated to have fallen on
					Rates.	Exchequer Grants.	Other Receipts.
1.		2.		3.	4.	5.	6.
				£	£	£	£
1. Relief of the Poor	…	1900	…	11,002,000	8,160,000	2,164,000	678,000
		1910	…	14,850,000	11,624,000	2,410,000	816,000
2. Education	…	1900	…	10,564,000	5,342,000	4,921,000	301,000
		1910	…	27,790,000	13,840,000	13,059,000	891,000
3. Main Roads	…	1900	…	2,030,000	1,024,000	787,000	219,000
		1910	…	2,853,000	1,856,000	788,000	209,000

There is no specific Grant from the Exchequer towards the cost of main roads. The last two amounts, shown in column 5 of the above statement, are the estimated proportions available for expenditure on main roads of the Grants received by the county councils which were not allocated to specific purposes.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what precedents there are for allowing past services to count for pension on promotion from unestablished to established classes in the Civil Service and Revenue Departments; and what are the powers of the Lords of the Treasury of determining whether unestabished service may count for pension?

Under Section 3 of the Superannuation Act, 1887, the Treasury may, if in, their opinion any special circumstances of the case warrant such a course allow service in a temporary capacity if immediately followed by established service to count for pension. It is the general practice to allow, under the provisions of this Section, so much of temporary service as is similar in charac- ter to the established service following it, subject, however, to any special conditions prescribed with reference to particular classes of employment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can give the amount of duty collected on motor spirit and the amount of the rebate returned for the year 1911–12; and the cost of investigating the claims for rebate for the same period?

The duty collected on motor spirit for the year 1911–12 was £714,318. The rebate of duty amounted to £90,536. I am afraid I cannot give the cost of investigating the claims for rebate.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will give the following information with respect to the clerks employed by the National Insurance Commissioners in Glasgow, the total number of clerks employed, male and female, both, regular and temporary, their hours of employment for each day during a full working week, and the times on the several days of the week at which work was begun and ended?

I assume this question to refer to the Labour Exchanges and Unemployment Insurance service for which the Board of Trade are responsible. The total number of permanent and temporary clerks employed in the Glasgow Divisional Office is about 195, namely, 116 male and 79 female. Their conditions of service were stated in the reply given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member on 8th July last. The ordinary hours of work are eight, but a consider- able amount of overtime has recently been worked owing to great pressure. I regret that I am not at present in a position to give the further particulars asked for, but if the hon. Member so desires I will endeavour to obtain them and will communicate the result to the hon. Member.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) how many outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease have now occurred at or near Swords, in county Dublin; and whether, in view of the probability of further recrudescences of the disease so long as the slaughtering-out process is restricted to the field in which a diseased animal is found, his Department will, with a view to the early suppression of the disease and in the interests of true economy, adopt the more extensive methods of the English Board of Agriculture?

Cases of foot-and-mouth disease have occurred on sixteen places all situate at or in the vicinity of Swords, county Dublin. These constitute practically one outbreak. It is not the fact that the slaughter of animals is confined to a particular field in which disease is found. It is the practice of the Department to slaughter not only the diseased and suspected animals, but also those in contact therewith or which were exposed to the infection. This procedure is in accordance with the provisions of the Diseases of Animals Act, 1894, which does not authorise indiscriminate slaughter.

asked the Chief Secretary whether there are cases of foot-and-mouth disease among children in Dublin; if so, what steps are being taken to prevent the spread from this source of the most infectious disease that afflicts either animals or man; and whether he will take steps to make the disease in its human form notifiable by doctors to the local authorities during its serious prevalence in the United Kingdom?

There is no foundation whatever for the extraordinary allegation in the question. Not a scrap of information, either official or private, has reached the Local Government Board as to the existence of foot-and-mouth disease among children in Dublin, and the public health department of the corporation assure me there is not, and never has been, a case of the kind.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he can state approximately the number of cattle and sheep exported annually through the ports of Dublin, Drogheda, Dundalk, and Belfast from the county of Meath; and whether, having regard to the interests involved, he is considering any scheme which might reduce to a minimum the loss to the stock owners caused by the closing of the English ports in the unfortunate event of their continued closing being thought necessary?

The total exports of cattle and sheep from each of the four ports named to Great Britain in the year 1911 were, in round numbers: Dublin, 670,000; Drogheda, 49,000; Dundalk, 44,000; Belfast, 153,000. The Department have no information as to what proportion of these exports came from county Meath. As regards the latter part of the question, the English Board of Agriculture and Fisheries have informed the Department that from the 12th instant the ports of Dundalk and Newry will be added to those from which cattle can be landed in Great Britain for immediate slaughter. The Department hope that in a short time a similar arrangement may be made as to Dublin and Drogheda. The Department have the interests concerned under their consideration all the time and they are in communication with the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries as to the earliest moment at which further relaxation may with safety be made.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he has been able to peruse poems that have recently been published in the local Connaught Press in celebration of defeats sustained on Irish soil by the forces of this country, and especially to two odes entitled "Streams of Saxon Blood" and "Guerre à Mort," celebrating victories gained by Grace O'Malley and General Humbert, respectively, over English troops, and appearing in the "Mayo News" of 20th July and the "Midland Tribune" of 13th July; and whether the Irish Government intend to initiate proceedings against those responsible for their publication?

But for the question of the hon. Member, I should never have seen these two odes. No Government could think of making them the subject of proceedings.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to an offer made in the Land Judge's Court, on 15th July, by the Congested Districts Board to purchase, at a price representing thirteen years' purchase of the judicial rents, the estate known as the Birdfield estate, near Lahinch, county Clare; whether the judge, in refusing to approve of the offer, stated the offer was not a proper one and in no way represented the value of the estate, and that it would be equivalent to a reduction of 10s. in the £ on rents already low, that he had no confidence in the Congested Districts Board, as from experience he could not rely on any offer made by them; and whether the Irish Government intend in the near future to reconstruct on a less partisan basis the membership of the Congested Districts Board?

I have seen a newspaper report of the learned judge's observations. The offers of the Board are always based up an estimate of value made by a competent staff of valuers under the careful supervision of one of the permanent members. The subsequent fall in Land Stock could not be foreseen and any increase in the amount of stock to be paid for an estate might seriously affect the tenant-purchasers' annuities. Taking Stock at 84 the offer of the Board represents fourteen and a half years' purchase of the gross rental of the estate, or fifteen years' purchase of the reduced rents, which the owner has accepted for a number of years past; and not thirteen and a half as represented by Mr. Justice Ross. There is no intention of reconstructing the Board.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he has recently received a memorial from the tenants on the estates of Sir Hervey Bruce, in county Derry, asking him, as representative of the Government, to have statutory compulsion applied to their landlord to sell their holdings to them in accordance with the intentions of Parliament; whether he is aware that Sir H. Bruce bought one of these estates in 1871 from the Clothworkers for fifteen years' purchase, then increased, and in some cases doubled the rents, kept the tenants of all his estates out of the Land Courts, confiscated the turbary appurtenant to the holdings, and now refuses to sell except at twenty-nine years' purchase of the rents fixed by himself; if he will say how much this price exceeds the average price under the Purchase Acts in the last completed year; and, seeing that the tenants in question have always been industrious and orderly, and in view of the danger of leaving them without redress, whether he will accede to their request?

I have received the memorial referred to. I have no information as to the accuracy of the statements in the question, nor have I any power to comply with the prayer of the memorial.

asked the Chief Secretary whether, seeing that Dr. Day, of Cork Street Fever Hospital, Dublin, has evicted two tenants, Sullivan and Moroney, of Killorglin, county Kerry, in order to compel them to purchase, steps will now be taken by the Estates Commissioners to use their powers to purchase these farms compulsorily, and so save two families loss and trouble?

The Estates Commissioners have no information as to the matter referred to, nor can they identify the estate as the subject of proceedings for sale before them under the Land Purchase Acts.

asked whether the Congested Districts Board or Estates Commissioners have yet completed the purchase of the Corscadden estate, in Cleragh, Glenade, county Leitrim; and, if not, whether the Congested Districts Board will take immediate steps to secure this waste estate for distribution and relief of congestion?

The estate referred to has not yet been purchased by the Congested Districts Board. The necessary maps and documents to enable an inspection of the property to be made have not yet been lodged.

asked the Chief Secretary the reason of the delay of the sale of the O'Rorke estate, Clonberne, Moy-lough, county Galway; whether he is aware that it is nearly three years since negotiations took place between the Land Courts and the Estates Commissioners; and what is the present position in the matter?

This estate is the subject of proceedings in the Land Judge's Court, and the Estates Commissioners proposed to acquire it under Section 7 of the Irish Land Act, 1903. The Congested Districts Board, however, refused their consent under Section 58 of the Irish Land Act, 1909, to the acquisition of the estate by the Commissioners, and the Papers in the matter were transferred to the Board with a view to proceedings being taken by them for the purchase of the property. The Board had the estate valued, and issued an offer to the Land Judge in January, 1911. The offer was not accepted as the owner was not satisfied as to the quantity of land he was to repurchase. Further negotiations are now pending with a view to the purchase of the estate by the Board.

asked when the tenants on the Leahy estate, situate in Castletown Bere, will be paying annuities in lieu of rents?

The Leahy estate has not yet been vested in the Congested Districts Board, and it cannot therefore be stated when the estate will be resold to the tenants.

asked when the tenants on the Leigh White estate, situate in Castletown Bere and Glengarriffe, will be paying annuities in lieu of rent in accordance with their agreements?

This estate has not yet been vested in the Congested Districts Board, and it cannot at present be stated when the estate will be resold to the tenants.

asked if the owner of the Popham estate, in the townlands of Ballymore, Lisserdrea, Ballylugnagun, near Boyle, county Roscommon, has offered to sell his interest in these lands to the Congested Districts Board; if the necessary maps and deeds have been lodged, and, if so, on what date; if any further action has since been taken by the Board; and, if not, will he state the reason for the delay?

The estate referred to has been offered for sale to the Congested Districts Board, and the necessary documents have been lodged. An inspection and valuation of the lands will be made as soon as practicable.

asked the Prime Minister (1) the items which make up the amount of £169,000 for land purchase, other charges, on page 4 of Cd. 6154; (2) the items which make up the amount of £592,000 in the expenditure column for Land Purchase (Land Commission), on page 4 of Cd. 6154; (3) the items which make up the amount of £32,000 for Class 3, Law and Justice (other services) on page 7 of Cd. 6154; (4) the items which make up the amount of £169,500 for the Congested Districts Board on page 7 of Cd. 6154; (5) whether he can state, in respect of the Civil Service Estimates for the year ending 31st March, 1913, Class 3, No. 17 (Irish Land Commission), the amount of the expenditure which would be defrayed under the provisions of the Government of Ireland Bill by the Imperial Government and by the Irish Government out of the transferred sum; and (6) whether, in respect of the Estimates for Civil Services for the year ending 31st March, 1913, Class 2, No. 38, Congested Districts Board, the amount of the expenditure which would be defrayed, under the provisions of the Government of Ireland Bill, by the Imperial Government and by the Irish Government out of the transferred sum?

Of the total net sum provided in the Civil Service Estimates, 1912–13, for the Land Commission (in round figures £616,000), it is estimated that £592,000 relates to expenditure in connection with land purchase, and that £24,000 relates to other services of the Land Commission. The former sum represents the charge which would fall on the Imperial Government under the Government of Ireland Bill, and the latter the charge which would fall on the Irish Government to be met out of the transferred sum. The salaries of certain of the Land Commissioners (amounting to £12,000 in all) are borne on the Consolidated Fund, and it is estimated that of this sum £9,000 is expenditure in connection with land purchase. In addition to the expenditure in respect of excess stock provided for in the Land Commission Vote, a further sum of £160,000 for this purpose is provided out of the Ireland Development Grant (Class VII., Vote 4). The item, "Land Purchase—other Charges—£169,000," shown on page 4 of Cd. 6154, includes this sum of £160,000 and the sum of £9,000 for the salaries of the Land Commisioners. The sum of £24,000, being the estimated cost of the services other than land purchase provided for on the Land Commission Vote, is included in the item, "Class III.—Law and Justice—other services £32,000," shown on page 7 of Cd. 6154. The item, "Congested Districts Board, £169,000," shown on the same page, represents (in round figures) the total of the Vote for the Congested Districts Board (Class II., No. 38). The whole amount of this expenditure will be defrayed by the Irish Government out of the transferred sum.

asked how much untenanted land the Estates Commissioners have purchased, or arranged to purchase, in the county of Limerick; and who are the owners, and what are the prices paid and the number of acres purchased from each owner?

Up to the 31st March last, the Estates Commissioners acquired some 6,240 acres of untenanted land in county Limerick, and negotiations are pending for the purchase of a further area of some 4,500 acres. Particulars of the lands purchased are given when they are resold in the Monthly Returns presented to Parliament, and it would be contrary to the Commissioners' practice to give the particulars asked for in regard to lands which are still the subject of negotiations.

asked what evidence the Local Government Board had before them when they decided that John McCarthy, of Greeneguilla, Rathmore, was not entitled to a pension; on what grounds is he not entitled; and from whom was the evidence on which he was disqualified got?

John McCarthy's claim for an old age pension was disallowed by the Local Government Board on the ground that his means, as shown from the pension officer's report, were, in the Hoard's opinion, in excess of the statutory limit.

asked the Chief Secretary the number of appeals to the Local Government Board sent forward by the pension officers since the Old Age Pensions Act came into force; and the number of cases in which the Local Government Board either confirmed the appeal of the pension officer or reduced the amount which he thought the applicant was entitled to?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the question asked by the hon. Member for East Marylebone on 10th July.

asked whether the case of James O'Rourke, of Conrea, Rossinver, county Leitrim, who was de- prived of an old age pension in July, 1910, on the ground that his age could not be found in the Census, notwithstanding the fact that he produced certificates from the parish priest, the medical doctor, and other reliable people, will now be reconsidered and his pension regranted?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on 8th August, 1911, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the President of the Local Government Board how it is that the claim of John Bustard Walker, number in sub-committee register 5,298, of Shoreditch, sent in for an old age pension on 11th November, 1911, and again en 12th June, 1912, was not heard until 21st June, 1912; and how it-was that at the hearing of the case no cognisance was taken of the statements made in the second claim?

I am making inquiries into this case, and will communicate with the hon. Gentleman when they are completed.

asked the Chief Secretary whether, in view of the fact that the Intermediate Board has no control over history courses in primary schools, steps will be taken to secure that in the next set of rules issued by the Intermediate Board the outlines at least of early Irish history shall form part of the junior grade course, with a view to seeing that pupils presenting themselves for examination in the intermediate will have been grounded in the most important part of Irish history, and not be confined, as at present, to the last four centuries of the Christian era?

The Board of Intermediate Education are not in a position to say what action will be taken by them when framing the Programme of Examination for 1914 in regard to the teaching of early Irish history. They are alive to its importance.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the people of Dunloe Upper, Cullina Upper, and Dirre, near Beaufort, are very much handicapped by the absence of a suitable road leading into their holdings, and that if the old Board of Works road from Dunloe were improved it would benefit about eighty families; and whether the Congested Districts Board or other authority will undertake the necessary improvement?

No representations have been made to the Congested Districts Board with regard to the road referred to. It is not the duty of the Board to make or repair roads except in connection with improvement works carried out on estates purchased by them. The matter would appear to be one for the county council who are specially empowered to make and maintain roads.

asked on what basis Ireland's share of the Parliamentary Grant under the Workmen's Unemployment Act is computed when the sum allocated for the whole of Ireland is only equal to that granted to the city of Edinburgh distress committee?

No allocation of the Unemployment Grant to Ireland for the current financial year has yet been made, and the Local Government Board will base their application to the Treasury upon the claims made by the various distress committees, as well as upon consideration of the urban populations in the three countries.

asked what was the sum total of Grants to convent and monastery national schools made last year in the cases where the communities adopt the principle of classification?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that the total salaries and Grants paid to the teaching staffs of convent and monastery schools on the classification principle for the financial year 1911–12 was £31,138.

asked what were the Grants for teaching made last year by the Intermediate Education Board to convent schools, Christian Brother schools, monastery schools, and other Roman Catholic schools, respectively, under clerical head teachers, and Roman Catholic schools under lay head teachers; and how many Roman Catholic secondary schools have nuns, brothers, monks, other clergymen, and laymen at their head?

The amount's paid by the Intermediate Education Board for Ire- land (including music bonus) in respect of the year 1911 to schools as classified in the question were as follows: Convent schools, £10,080 18s. 6d.; Christian Brothers' schools, £11,061 7s. 7d.; monastery schools, £1,348 12s. 3d.; Roman Catholic schools under clerical head teachers, £11,268 7s. 1d.; and to Roman Catholic schools under lay head teachers, £432 17s. 8d. The numbers of Roman Catholic secondary schools in connection with the Intermediate Education Board for Ireland having nuns, brothers or monks, other clergymen and laymen at their head in 1911 were, respectively, as follows: Nuns, 72; brothers or monks, 75; other clergymen, 51; laymen, 8; and laywomen, 2.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he was aware that the anti-Home Rule party have reverted to the system of manufacturing crime in Ireland; and whether, in making out Returns, he considered doubtful and unproved cases?

Doubtful cases are not included in the Police Returns—only what appear to be genuine cases are included.

asked the Chief Secretary what steps he proposes to take to remedy the grievances under which assistant teachers in Irish national schools suffer, seeing that 5,000 men, trained and certificated, doing excellent work, are condemned while assistants to third grade with the salary attaching to that grade?

I am not in a position to add anything to the general statement I made on this subject on the 31st July. The question of the promotion of assistants is at present under the consideration of the Commissioners of National Education.

asked whether, under the new education scheme, the cases of teachers who have been compelled to retire on the service limit and through inefficiency will be considered; whether pensions would be retrospective; and, if so, how far?

I beg to refer the of proceedings in the Land Judge's Court, hon. Member to the answer I gave to the 25th ultimo.

asked how many Irish industrial and reformatory schools, respectively, last year were in charge of Protestant, Roman Catholic, and mixed committees; how many were in charge of communities of monks and communities of nuns; what were the respective Grants to these various categories of schools from the Exchequer, rates, and subscriptions; what is the annual expenditure on the office of chief inspector, including the salaries of his assistants and travelling expenses; are the accounts of these schools audited; and, if not, how does the chief inspector assure himself that no part of their revenue is diverted from the clothing, feeding, and education of their inmates to other purposes?

The following Table gives the information required:—

Committee.		No. of Schools.	Grants.
			Exchequer.	Rates	Subscriptions.
Reformatory Schools—			£	£	£
Protestant	…	1	1,722	726	25
Roman Catholic	…	4	7,955	3,786	280
Mixed	…	—	—	—	—
Totals	…	5	9,677	4,512	305
Nuns	…	2	865	374	148
Monks	…	2	7,090	3,412	132
Totals	…	4	7,955	3,786	280
Industrial Schools—
Protestant	…	5	11,186	5,644	780
Roman Catholic	…	60	84,795	37,415	4,242
Mixed	…	1	1,950	834	—
Totals	…	66	97,931	43,893	5,022
Nuns	…	49	53,554	23,366	2,465
Monks	…	9	27,534	12,130	1,497
Totals	…	58	81,088	35,496	3,962

Annual expenditure (for the financial year 1911–12) on the office of the chief in-

spector and his assistants and on travelling:—

Salaries	…	£2,331
Travelling	…	458
Incidents	…	395
Total.	…	£2,984

As regards the last two paragraphs of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the similar question of the hon. Member for South Londonderry on 10th July.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that discontent exists amongst the tenants on the Kirk estate, Castletown, Queen's County, relative to> the proposed distribution of the bog, in consequence of a portion thereof having been provisionally allotted to one man, to the inconvenience and loss of the majority of the tenants, who hitherto enjoyed tur- bary rights and other privileges thereon; and will the Estates Commissioners see, before sanctioning the sale, that the rights and privileges of the great majority of the tenants in this matter shall be safeguarded?

The matter referred to will be duly inquired into by the Estates Commissioners when they are dealing with this estate.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether steps will be taken to improve the pier at Portmagee, county Kerry?

I am not in a position to add anything to the reply given to the question asked by the hon. Member on this subject on 16th September, 1909.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Congested Districts Board will build a house for John Sullivan, Baslickane, Waterville, in accordance with the promise given by the inspector, as Sullivan did not possess the necessary means; for what reason did the inspector refuse building material and suggest the giving of a loan, when he knew Sullivan could not afford to build a house; what charge was placed on the other tenants for building grants of £700, in view of the fact that Sullivan was expected to pay £l a year for a loan of £30, or £l 7s. 6d. for a loan of £50; whether a permanent member of the Board will inspect the farm and house; and can he state what steps, if any, will be taken by the Board to meet Sullivan's claim, seeing that he has paid his annuity punctually?

John Sullivan lived in a thatched cottage on the farm, and when provided with a holding preferred to continue to reside in the cottage to having a new house erected by the Congested Districts Board, and paying portion of the expenditure in the form of an annuity. As soon as he became a tenant purchaser of his holding he intimated to the Board's senior inspector that he proposed to erect a new house, and he was promised a loan to assist him to do so. Loans are granted to tenant purchasers, and may be made repayable in fifty years by an annuity of £2 17s., payable half-yearly. For a loan of £50 this would mean a payment of £l 8s. 6d. a year. The advances made to the other tenants for new houses were added to the purchase price of their holdings, and are repayable by an annuity of £3 5s., payable by half-yearly instalments, and extending over about 68½ years. For a loan of £50 this would mean a payment of £l 12s. 6d. a year. It is not proposed that a permanent member of the Board should inspect the farm and the house. The Board are still willing to make a loan to Sullivan upon the necessary formalities being complied with.

asked the Chief Secretary what the Estates Commissioners now propose to do in the cases of the following evicted tenants in county Cavan, namely, Thomas O'Donnell, Drumconlister; John Reilly, Armagh; and Patrick Kane, Killeshandra?

The Estates Commissioners do not propose to take any action in these cases.

asked the Chief Secretary how many evicted tenants have yet to be provided for in county Limerick; and will he give the names and addresses?

One hundred and fifty-nine county Limerick evicted tenants, or their representatives, have been reinstated in their former holdings or provided with new holdings, and six whose applications have been provisionally noted for consideration in the allotment of untenanted land by the Estates Commissioners have not yet been provided with holdings. It is not considered desirable to give the particulars asked for in the second paragraph of the question.

asked whether the Congested Districts Board has received a resolution passed by the Glenties Rural District Council at their last quarterly meeting respecting the improvement of landing facilities at Burtonport harbour, close to the railway terminus; and whether, having regard to the dependence of the population of the district upon the fishing industry, the Board will continue to press the matter upon the attention of the Development Commission?

The Congested Districts Board have received the Resolution referred to, and it will be submitted to the Board at their meeting next week.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the Commissioners of Public Works are slow and have refused in most cases to grant a loan in cases where the vesting orders have not been issued by the Land Commission to the tenants; and, in view of the anxiety of tenant farmers throughout Ireland to improve their holdings by means of building hay sheds, etc., will some steps be taken whereby an agreement can be reached and the loan granted pending the issue of the vesting orders, and in the cases where any arrears of rent were due at the date of purchase, as it would seem that such cause is the chief obstacle to granting loans, will the rigid rule adopted heretofore be withdrawn?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South-East Cork on the 18th March last.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if a German firm has secured a sub-contract with the Government contractors to supply 700 tons of steel piles for the naval base at Rosyth; if any English firms tendered for the contract; and, if so, for what reason it was given to a German firm?

I ought to preface this reply with the statement that the main contractor is not restricted to securing steel piles under sub-contract from British sources. The question apparently refers to the supply of steel piles to the value of about £700. The suggestion that this sub-contract was secured by a German firm is not correct. In this case two English firms tendered and the contract was secured by one of them. The steel, I understand, was rolled in Belgium.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can state, in reference to his comparison between the prospective strength in battleships of the British and German fleets in 1914, which was given as thirty-three actual British against a possible twenty-nine German battleships, the aggregate tonnage of the two fleets, respectively; the aggregate horse-power of the two fleets, respectively; the total number of guns, above 9-inch guns, in the two fleets, respectively; the total number of men on the ships of the two fleets, respectively; and the total number of men who will presumably, if the present conditions of service be continued, have completed five years or more of training on the two fleets, respectively.

In the case of the German fleet it is not possible, and in that of the British fleet not desirable, to give the prospective information asked for in the question. I do not therefore propose at present to add to the very full information contained in the various Parliamentary Returns.

asked the names of all officers who were called away from the Admiralty to take part in the manœuvres?

Admiral His Serene Highness Prince Louis of Battenberg and Rear-Admiral David Beatty.

asked whether retired officers of the Royal Navy were offered £40 as a bounty and 25 per cent, of their pay (in addition to their monthly pay) while they were serving in ships for the manœuvres?

The answer is in the negative. Under Order in Council of the 4th July, 1895, retired officers employed in the manœuvres receive the full pay and allowances of their rank on the retired list, together with a bonus of 15 per cent. for every pound of the full pay—exclusive of allowances—earned by them, their retired pay being suspended. Equipment allowances are also payable in certain cases under the conditions shown on page 941 of the Quarterly Navy List.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether during the progress of the late naval manœuvres wireless messages were sent from the Admiralty directing the movements of vessels composing the defending Fleet; whether he is aware that this proceeding resulted in the success of the invading force and created a state of chaos in the Fleet; whether after 2½ days the Admiralty gave the Commander-in-Chief of the defending force an order to take over supreme command of the defending force; whether, at the moment of taking over command the Commander-in-Chief of the defending force had no accurate knowledge as to the disposition of that force; whether a patrol was thrown across the North Sea, half of which patrol was under the control of the Admiralty and the other half under the command of the Commander-in-Chief of the defending force; and if he will state whether it is the intention of the Board of Admiralty to manœuvre the Fleet in Home waters by wireless in the event of hostilities?

The manœuvres were organised and conducted by the First Sea Lord, assisted by the War Staff. Sir William May acted as umpire-in-chief. Full reports from him and from the principal officers concerned have now been received and will be carefully studied. It has been the rule in recent years to treat the manœuvres of the Fleet as confidential exercises, and there is no reason for departing from that position at the present time. The Noble Lord is well aware of this rule, and he will not expect me therefore to deal with the assertions he has seen fit to place upon the Notice Paper.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can state that none of the Committee appointed to inquire and report on the question of oil fuel for warships are personally interested financially in any oil company?

I purposely refrained from recommending for service on this Commission any person connected with the oil trade, and I have no reason to suppose that any of the distinguished gentlemen who have consented to act as Commissioners have a private financial interest in the matter. Had it been otherwise in any case acceptance of office would, no doubt, have been declined.

asked the number of lieutenants who have applied to leave the Navy; the number of continued service men who have left the Navy at the end of their first engagement since 31st March, 1910; and the number of men who have applied to leave at the end of their first engagement?

The number of continuous service men who left the Navy at the end of their first engagement during the period 1st April, 1910, to 31st March, 1912—the latest date for which figures are available—was 3,143. There is no information as to the number of men who have applied to leave at the end of their first continuous service engagement, but it may be observed that the Admiralty has no power to refuse such applications. It is not clear to what period the Noble Lord refers in the first part of his question, and I therefore cannot answer it. I must ask him to state his question in a more precise form.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, owing to orders received from the Admiralty by wireless, the Fleet, assembled at Tor Bay after the manœuvres, left so hastily for Weymouth that 60 tons of fresh beef provided for the Fleet were left on shore; and can he inform the House why the above order was given?

No information on this subject has reached the Admiralty. If the Noble Lord will give me particulars of the matter to which he refers, I will have inquiry made; but he must be aware that the movements of fleets engaged in exercises are sometimes unexpected.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether His Majesty's Ship "Hannibal" had not been in dock for two years when called out for the manœuvres; whether her bottom was so foul that her boilers and engines had to be worked at full speed to get twelve knots out of her; and whether he will state the length of time that has elapsed since other ships of the Seventh Battle Squadron have been docked?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The "Hannibal" had only been nineteen months out of dock. With regard to the second part, the bottom was probably somewhat foul; the speed realised has not yet been reported. The answer to the last part of the question is: "Cæsar," one month; "Illustrious," thirteen months; "Magnificent," twelve months; "Majestic," thirteen months; "Mars," three months; "Prince George," seven months; "Victorious," eighteen months. The practice in force is for ships of the Third Fleet to be docked biennially.

further asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, during the late manœuvres, the reserve battleships had on board each of them from 400 to 500 Reserve men made up of pensioners, Immediate Reserve, Royal Fleet Reserve, Royal Naval Reserve, and Coastguards, most of these ships having from only fifty to eighty active service ratings on board; and whether he can inform the House how many days would elapse before the Admiralty think a vessel manned in such a manner would be efficient to fight an action?

This question has been put down in a form which is very likely to mislead the public. No Reservists at all were employed upon the ships of the Second Fleet with the exception of the Sixth Cruiser Squadron. Reservists were employed upon ships of the Third Fleet, and this is the proper arrangement upon which their mobilisation is based. The figures given by the Noble Lord are inaccurate. Considerably more than half of the total complements employed on the battleships of the Third Fleet were composed of active service ratings of the Navy. In no case did the number of active service ratings fall below double the maximum number stated by the Noble Lord, and in the case of half the Third Fleet battleships employed the number of active service ratings was five times the maximum number given by the Noble Lord. The last part of the Noble Lord's question is a matter of opinion, but there is no reason to doubt that the Third Fleet ships mobilised for the manœuvres would compare favourably in fighting efficiency with the reserve squadrons of any navy in the world, and as a matter of fact these vessels acquitted themselves very satisfactorily during the manœuvres, in which they were employed under the most severe conditions.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the Reserve men who volunteered for the manœuvres were supplied by the Admiralty with only one serge suit, in which they had to coal, muster, and carry on their other duties; and whether he is aware that some of the pensioners who served in the Fleet for the manœuvres had not been to sea for fifteen years?

A kit sufficient for the short period of the manœuvres was supplied to all pensioners employed, and the serge suit was supplemented by a duck suit in cases in which it was considered necessary. In all, 123 volunteer pensioners were accepted for service in the manœuvre fleets out of total complements of nearly 80,000 men. There is no information as to the time individuals among these 123 had been absent from the sea, but I understand that they were found to be active, able-bodied, and well-conducted men. I am not prepared to waste the time of the Department, which is already fully occupied, on inquiries into a few odd cases to which in any event no objection should be taken.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether certain of His Majesty's ships have had to unload all or the greater part of their ammunition and go into port with very little coal in their bunkers in order to enter certain docks in His Majesty's dockyards, and, if so, what provision the Admiralty proposes to make to meet so serious a situation; whether there is no dock at Newcastle that can take a "Dreadnought" at all states of the tide; whether the "Monarch" and other ships had in consequence to be sent to Southern dockyards; and, if so, whether the Admiralty proposes to remedy this state of affairs?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; as soon as the new lock at Portsmouth is complete this will not be necessary. The answer to the third part of the question is in the affirmative. As the docks at Newcastle are not the property of the Government, it is not proposed to take any action as regards them. The necessary facilities for His Majesty's ships exist elsewhere.

asked the Secretary for War whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the parks committee of the Belfast Corporation has refused an application for the use of the Ormeau Park for a camp for the troops drafted into that town; whether in consequence a battalion of Highlanders is uncomfortably crowded into barracks; and if he proposes to take any steps to ensure that the men have proper camping space in Belfast?

The parks committee originally refused the application, as stated; but on the following day rescinded their motion, and decided to grant the request. In the meantime other arrangements of a more satisfactory character were made for accommodating the troops, who are not uncomfortably crowded.

asked the Secretary for War whether, in view of the dissatisfaction caused by the recent Army Order disentitling officers of cadet corps from receiving the salute from men of the Regular or Territorial Armies, he will consider the advisability of rescinding the Order?

No Army Order to this effect has been issued. This question of salute is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether officers commissioned by lord lieutenants of counties for cadet service are thereby exempted from liability for jury service; and, if not, whether, with a view to encouraging men to undertake the duties of officers of cadet corps, he will endeavour to secure this privilege for them?

These officers are not exempt from jury service. Such exemption would require statutory authority, and at the present time I do not think it would be possible to pass the necessary legislation, even assuming it to be desirable to do so.

asked the President of the Board of Education what has been done towards a settlement of the schools question at Grantham?

The detailed proposals referred to in my last answer on this subject to the hon. Member were received by the Board on the 24th April from the local education authority, and the Board communicated their criticisms upon the schemes submitted on the 3rd May. On the 18th June the local education authority put forward other proposals, upon which the Board instructed their divisional inspector and their architect to visit the existing schools and report fully to the Board upon the premises. A report on the premises of each school has been forwarded to the authority, who were furnished on the 25th July with the Board's observations on their new proposals. The Board have been informed that the authority are in negotiation for the purchase of a site of about two acres in the south-western part of the borough, and they have asked that the question of the provision of suitable and sufficient school accommodation in the borough may be treated with the utmost possible dispatch, and have warned the authority that the continued infringement of the regulation of the code with respect to overcrowding is a serious breach of the conditions of Grant and that plans of the proposed site and buildings of the new school should be forwarded to the Board without delay. The Board were informed on the 27th July that the local authority have arranged to hold a special meeting at an early date to receive the reports of the managers upon the Board's suggestions and that after the special meeting a further communication will be sent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of cattle-maiming cases brought to the notice of the authorities in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, respectively, during the years 1909, 1910, and 1911?

The offence of killing and maiming cattle is not shown separately in the Scottish Criminal Statistics, and no figures are yet available for England and Wales and Ireland for 1911. The number of offences of killing, maiming, or wounding cattle (Section 40 of the Malicious Injuries to Property Act, 1861) in England, Wales, and Ireland, respectively, in 1909, was: Twenty-five, two, and eighty-three; and in 1910, eighteen, four, and ninety-one.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Report of the Royal Commission on Divorce will be issued before the House resumes sittings in October; and, if so, whether the volume of the Report containing the recommendations of the Royal Commission will be sent to all hon. Members so that they may utilise the vacation in studying the Commission's findings?

I am informed that the Report of this Commission is now in its final stage, but that owing to the continued ill-health of the Chairman, Lord Gorell, it is impossible to complete the Report by the end of August, as had been anticipated. The final consideration has been postponed till October, and the Commissioners understand that Lord Gorell's medical adviser considers that there is good hope that he will then be able to resume his duties as Chairman of the Commission. In this event the Report will be-issued shortly afterwards.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can now give the House any further information as to the date on which the Report of the Royal Commission on the Divorce Laws is likely to be presented?

I am informed that the Report of this Commission is now in its final stage, but that owing to the continued illhealth of the Chairman, Lord Gorell, it is impossible to complete the Report by the end of August, as had been anticipated. The final consideration has been postponed till October, and the Commissioners understand that Lord Gorell's medical adviser considers that there is good hope that he will then be able to resume his duties as Chairman of the Commission. In this event the Report will be issued shortly afterwards.

asked the Home Secretary if, in order to avoid the necessity of men who desire to work and are wantonly attacked by strikers being compelled to arm themselves with firearms, he will make more adequate provision for the protection of non-union labourers?

The Port Authority is responsible for the policing of the docks, but the Metropolitan Police have always been ready to give assistance where it has been needed. The use of firearms has been unnecessary, and the Port Authority, I am glad to say, have prohibited firearms being brought within their premises.

asked whether the arrests made in connection with the dock disturbances on 31st July include any of the unionist workers whose violence made it necessary for those attacked to shoot in self-defence and in face of overwhelming numbers; and if any steps will be taken to secure the punishment of Mr. Ben Tillett, who has urged his followers to adopt any means at their disposal to prevent non-unionists working?

The answer to the first question is that the arrests made on 31st July include both unionist and non-unionist workers; to the second, the answer is in the negative.

asked, whether a representative of the firm employing the non-unionist labourers who were attacked by strikers on 31st July called at the Home Office on that day and asked for protec- tion; if such protection was refused; if the men who were attacked fired at their assailants in self-defence; and if, although he refused to meet the employers concerned with a view to devising means to prevent a recurrence of disturbances, he afterwards saw Mr. Ben Tillett, who threatened some time ago to shoot Lord Devonport, to receive complaints from him as to the action of the non-unionists in defending themselves against acts of brutality?

I presume the question refers to Messrs. Houlder, who called at the Home Office on 31st July with regard to an attack on their workmen in the South-West India Dock. Their request for protection was not refused. On the contrary, the Permanent Under-Secretary of State, who saw them, said if protection wore required outside the docks it would be given at once by the Metropolitan Police, and that if it were required in the docks, the Port Authority was responsible, but assistance would be given by the Metropolitan Police if the Port Authority applied for it. He undertook to communicate at once with the Commissioner of Police, and, on doing so, found that assistance had already been given at the request of the Port Authority's chief constable. There was no shooting either by unionists on non-unionists in this case. I declined to see Messrs. Houlder later in the day. Some hours after the matter had been disposed of, and the necessary police assistance given, I received a deputation in the evening from the Labour party and the Strike Committee on a new and urgent matter, and Mr. Tillett was present.

asked the Home Secretary whether inspectors from Scotland Yard have at any time been in the habit of advising taxi-cab drivers to hoot half-a-dozen times at every street corner or crossing; and whether, in view of the annoyance caused to the public, especially during the hours commonly devoted to sleep, by the excessive and inconsiderate use of warning signals, he will take such steps as may be necessary to impress upon taxi-cab and other motor drivers that in order, so far as possible, to obviate the use of warning instruments they should drive at a low rate of speed when approaching a crossing?

Such advice is not and has at no time been given by inspectors of the Metropolitan Police. Drivers, on being licensed, are strictly enjoined to exercise at all times great care in driving through the London streets.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the fact that the Home Office have just issued the general Regulations under the Coal Mines Act, 1911, with a notice that all objections must be lodged within thirty days, and that the holiday season is now in full force, and, in consequence, many mining engineers and business men will be away on their holidays, he will be willing to extend the period during which objections may be lodged?

The hon. Member has been misinformed. No draft of general Regulations under the Act has yet been issued. Drafts are now under consideration, but are not yet ready to be issued under the Act.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any inspectors of horses have been appointed under the Coal Mines Act of 1911; if so, how many; and for which districts have they been appointed?

No appointments have yet been made. A very large number of applications have been received, and, in accordance with the promise given last year on the Coal Mines Bill, these have been referred to the Board for Mining Examinations for consideration. It is proposed to appoint one inspector for each of the six divisions into which the country will eventually be divided for inspection purposes.

asked the Undersecretary of State for India whether he is aware that a statement has recently been issued, under the auspices of the International Federation of Master Cotton Spinners and Manufacturers' Associations, to the effect that men well qualified to judge have expressed the opinion that, by improving and extending the cultivation of cotton in India, the production of cotton in that country could in a comparatively short time be made to equal that of the United States of America; whether this source of increasing the wealth of India is receiving his attention, and especially with regard to instructing the farmers and the provision of proper seed; and whether the Government of India has already taken steps to promote objects by financial assistance?

The Secretary of State is aware that sanguine estimates have been published as to the possible increase in the cotton production of India. But all such estimates largely depend on certain assumptions as to the superior attractiveness of cotton as a crop over other valuable staples that at present are preferred by the Indian cultivator, on the course of prices, and on other conditions, which may or may not be realised. The Indian Governments are endeavouring, so far as their financial resources permit, to promote agricultural improvement, both in respect of cotton and of other crops, by means of seed farms and by other methods.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has information that the President of Peru has presented the proposed scheme for the reform of administration in the Putumayo district, which was promised to be laid before the legislature of Peru some time before 28th July, 1912; and, if not, will he make inquiries as to the delay?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. Subsequently to the decree of 22nd April, 1912 (enclosure 2 in No. 49 of Blue Book) by Article 3, of which the plan of reform was to be submitted to the legislature of Peru before 28th July, 1912, the President of Peru decreed on 30th May, 1912, that Dr. Paredes should visit the Putumayo region to study and formulate a plan of political, administrative, and judicial reforms, and should present the result of his labours as soon as possible to an Auxiliary Commission at Iquitos, who should draw up a report upon his work; both the work of Dr. Paredes and the report upon it are to be remitted to the principal commission created by the decree of 22nd April, and the term within which the principal commission is to present the definitive plan of reforms is prorogued till January, 1913. (See 29046/12.)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if the withdrawal of this country from the Brussels Convention will have any effect on the proposed agreement between Canada and the West Indian Colonies, and the sanction of this Government being given to the same?

The withdrawal of this country from the Convention in no way affects the proposed agreement between Canada and the West Indies.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been drawn to the efforts of the rural district council at Dursley to acquire a site for a housing scheme; and, seeing that half the land required has been offered by Mrs. Poole at a reasonable price, but that the Bristol Corporation, who own the other portion, have put on their land a price which the rural district council consider unreasonably high, will he say what action he will take?

My attention has been drawn by the Rural District Council of Dursley to this matter, and, with a view to assisting the council, I recently sent one of my inspectors to confer with them. As the Noble Lord is aware, it is not competent to the council to acquire the land of the Bristol Corporation compulsorily under the First Schedule to the Housing, Town Planning etc., Act, 1909. The Board are advised that the greater part of Mrs. Poole's land could be utilised without acquiring the lands of the Bristol Corporation, but it may be preferable to acquire a different site which would be of sufficient extent to accommodate all the houses which it would be desirable for the council to provide.

also asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that at a recent meeting of the Oakhampton Rural District Council, when a letter was read from the Rural District Councils Association stating that they were collecting information on the housing question for the Local Government Board, it was stated that Chagford thirty years ago was an industrial centre, now it was simply a town for visitors, the consequence was that working men had been dispossessed and were now crowded together; and, in view of these facts, what powers do the Local Government Board possess to remedy this state of things?

I have not seen the report of the meeting referred to, but I have had some correspondence with the rural district council, who recognise that there is a necessity for better housing accommodation at Chagford, and I have no reason to doubt that they will do what is necessary to secure the provision of that accommodation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state what costs are to be given to the various interests represented at the "Titanic" Inquiry; whether any costs will be awarded to any shipping interest; and what the cost of the Inquiry to the Board of Trade has been?

The cost of the Inquiry to the Board of Trade is approximately £17,500, but the total amount cannot be definitely ascertained at present. The Wreck Commissioner has given costs to the following parties represented at the Inquiry:—

	£	s.	d.
National Union of Ships' Stewards	68	2	0
British Seafarers' Union	72	0	6
Imperial Merchant Service Guild	250	0	0
Marine Engineers' Association	212	10	7
Third Class Passengers	630	0	0
National Sailors' and Firemen's Union of Great Britain and Ireland	750	0	0
Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Workers' Union of Great Britain and Ireland	750	0	0

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state the names of the representatives on the Advisory Trade Committee who represent the working classes under the Labour Exchanges Act in Scotland; and whether, in view of the representations of the Trades Council of Edinburgh, he will either set up a separate Committee for the East of Scotland or meet their wishes for representation on the Advisory Committee in such a way as will restore their confidence in the representative nature of the Committee?

The Advisory Trade Committees are intended to represent large areas, and within those areas their members have been selected in consultation with the principal workmen's associations concerned to represent industries rather than particular localities. This has been explained to the Edinburgh Trades Council. The Board of Trade are not prepared to set up a separate Committee for the East of Scotland, or to alter the constitution of the present Committee, but as vacancies occur, they will bear the wishes of the Edinburgh Trades Council in mind subject to the condition laid down above, that the basis of the constitution of the Committee is industrial rather than local.

EMPLOYEE'S PANEL.
Name.	Qualification.	Nominated by.
Archibald Gardner	General Secretary	Scottish Painters' Society
Bailie Robert Brown, J.P.	General Secretary	Scottish Miners' Federation
George Ferguson	District Delegate	Amalgamated Society of Engineers
Thomas Henry Hill	Technical Adviser	Ship Constructive and Shipwrights' Association
William G. Sharp	District Secretary	United Society of Boilermakers and Iron and Steel Shipbuilders
John T. Howden	District Delegate	Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners
James M. Jack, J.P.	General Secretary	Associated Ironmoulders of Scotland
James Gavin	General Secretary	Amalgamated Society of Steel and Iron Workers of Great Britain
John Templeton	General Secretary	Scottish Typographical Association
Arthur Bain	Secretary, Aberdeen Mill and Factory Workers' Union	Newmilns and District Textile Workers' Union and Friendly Society
J. F. Sime	General Secretary	Dundee and District Union of Jute and Flax Workers
John G. Muir	District Secretary	Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants
Mrs. Annie R. Turner	President of Women's Labour League	Women's Trades Union League
Miss Margaret H. Irwin.	General Secretary	Scottish Council for Women's Trades
Councillor Hugh Lyon	General Secretary	Scottish Horse and Motormen's Union
Councillor G. Carson, J.P.	Secretary, Trades Union Congress, Scotland, and Glasgow Trades Council	Appointed direct by Board of Trade
Joseph Fraser	General Secretary	United Operative Masons and Granite Cutters' Union.
O'Connor Kessack	District Secretary of National Union of Dock Labourers	Board of Trade direct

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the building of the Labour Exchange offices in Dublin have yet been commenced; if not, what is the cause of the delay; and will he speed on the building of these long-delayed premises?

I am informed by the Irish Department of Public Works that the plans of the permanent building for the Irish Divisional Office and Dublin Labour Exchange have been completed, and that tenders for the building will probably be called for in the course of a few days. As I have already informed the hon. Member, the building is being erected by the owner of the site, and not by the Department of Public Works. Difficulties have been experienced in estimating the requirements of the combined Labour Exchange and Unemployment Insurance staff which will be housed in the building, but I do not anticipate any further delay.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the rider of the jury at Crewe on 22nd July, at the inquest on Mrs. James, who fell from a train through the opening of a carriage door, to the effect that some safety fastening for railway carriage doors is urgently required; and whether, in view of the number of accidents that occur in this way, he will take any steps that may be necessary to compel railway companies to adopt such fastenings?

It does not appear from the Coroner's report to the Board of Trade that the jury made any recommen- dation as regards safety fastenings, and, as my right hon. Friend has stated on previous occasions, the Board are unwilling to recommend any arrangement which might tend to hinder the egress of passengers in an emergency.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he proposes to take on the withdrawal of this country from the Brussels Convention to prevent the Continental Beet Sugar Trust from regulating the price of sugar and destroying the cane sugar industry which must of necessity be outside the Trust?

I am not aware of the existence of any Continental Beet Sugar Trust. Seeing that the Sugar Convention, as amended by the Protocol of March last (which has been signed and ratified by the principal sugar exporting Continental States) will remain in force after the withdrawal of this country, I cannot see that the contingency contemplated by the hon. Member is likely to arise.

asked the increases in the amounts of sugar imported into England from the West Indies since the Sugar Convention has been in existence?

The direct imports of sugar from the West Indian Islands and British Guiana during the seven years prior to 1903, the year in which the Convention came into force, were 366,000 tons. During the seven years 1904–10 they amounted to 451,000 tons. Figures for 1911 on this basis are not at present available, but the quantity of sugar consigned from the West Indies and British Guiana to the United Kingdom for that year was 54,000 tons.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give any information as to the number of strikers who have been re-engaged by the Port of London Authority?

I have no official statistics on the subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) to what extent the assurances given by the railway companies at the time of the railway strike last summer have been carried out; what is the aggregate additional amount of wages now being paid by the railway companies in accordance with such assurances; and (2) whether, at the time of the railway strike last year, the railway companies were given to understand that, if they increased the amounts paid by them in wages to their men, the Board of Trade would be prepared to allow an increase of rates to be charged by the companies; whether the Board of Trade are proposing to allow the companies to make such increase in rates; and, if so, when?

I am not aware of any assurances given by the railway companies at the time of the railway strike last summer to the effect that they would increase wages, and I cannot state the aggregate amount of the increases of wages which have since been conceded or arranged. It is proposed in the Railways Bill which has been introduced to give effect to the undertaking given by the Government to the companies, of which I am forwarding a copy to the hon. Member.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in consideration of the complaints made on account of the unhealthy conditions of seaman's quarters on merchant ships, he will consider the advisability of issuing information and plans showing how adequate provision for ventilation and other methods of ensuring healthy conditions have been satisfactorily provided on various classes of ships, and generally explaining to shipbuilders and owners by what means the Regulations under the Merchant Shipping Acts may be best carried out to ensure the health of seamen on board such ships?

The Board of Trade already issues information on this subject in their "Instructions as to the Survey of Master's and Crew Spaces," a copy of which I will send to my hon. Friend.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Lough Swilly Railway Company have, during the present year, raised the fares charged to migratory labourers and to fishworkers between Burtonport and other stations, and the terminus of the line at Londonderry; that the company has also raised the rates on certain classes of goods from 10s. 10d. to 15s. per ton; that many complaints are made by traders and others of the delay in the delivery of goods; and whether, having regard especially to the fact that the Letterkenny and Burtonport line was built with public money, and is worked by the Lough Swilly Company under an agreement with the Irish Board of Works, any steps can be taken to ensure the more satisfactory working of the line?

I have not received any complaints in these matters, but I am sending a copy of my hon. Friend's question to the railway company for their observations, and I will communicate with him on receipt of their reply.

asked the Postmaster-General if he can arrange for the erection of a letter-box in the neighbourhood of Glenahilt, Burtonport, county Donegal, in view of the number of residents in the district between Burtonport and Keadue Strand who are without convenient facilities for the posting of letters?

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

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that his Department has consented to establish a public telephone call office at Rostrevor, he will grant similar facilities to Down-patrick, the capital town of county Down, which is in every way more important from a commercial and central point of view than the village of Rostrevor?

I am having inquiry made into the question of providing telephone facilities at Downpatrick.

asked the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the constant complaints made by subscribers to the telephone in the Metropolitan area of overcharges; and if he will consider the desirability of having records of the number of calls of each subscriber taken each week, so that some opportunity may be given to subscribers of checking the demands of the Post Office?

I beg to refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave yesterday to a similar question asked by the Noble Lord the Member for the Newton Division of Lancashire.

asked the Postmaster-General when the subsidiary repairing workshop at Dublin, recommended by the Factories Committee, will be established?

I am not yet in a position to fix a date.

asked the Postmaster-General if arrangements will be made to utilise the printing press taken over by the Post Office exclusively for the printing of forms used in England, so that the whole of the Irish post office telephone printing may be given out to the Irish printing contractors?

I regret that I am unable to make the arrangements suggested. The press is used for the printing of certain forms which were formerly required by the National Telephone Company in respect of the whole of its system and are now in use by the Post Office; and as electros and standing type are available for the purpose it would be both uneconomical and inconvenient to have the forms for use in Ireland printed separately. As I stated in my reply to the hon. Member some weeks ago, the amount of this printing is trifling. There is, of course, no question here of the withdrawal of work from Irish contractors.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the number of telephone trunk lines unoccupied except during the busiest hours of the day, he can see his way to offer facilities for the use of such lines at reduced rates at other times?

It has for some years been the practice to allow the use of telephone trunk lines for double periods at the ordinary fees or for single periods at half the ordinary fees between the hours of 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. I am glad to be able to state that more recently I have also arranged to allow the use of telephone trunk lines during the less busy hours of the day under monthly contracts for daily periods of fifteen minutes or more on payment at the following rates: For the first or second quarter-hour period, three-quarters of the ordinary rates, according to the time occupied; for the third and fourth quarter-hour periods, one-half of the ordinary rates; and for each additional quarter-hour period, one-quarter of the ordinary rates. The times for which such arrangements can be made must necessarily depend upon the demands of the ordinary trunk service, but as a rule special contracts can be accepted for the use of lines before 9 or 9.30 a.m.; between 1 and 2 p.m., and after 4.30 or 5 p.m., and I hope that the arrangement will be of considerable use to those business undertakings which require to have two or more establishments in different towns, as for instance, where communication is necessary between the London and provincial offices of a newspaper or between the London office and a provincial factory of a manufacturing business. Saturdays and Sundays may, if desired, be excluded from the contracts. For long periods of not less than six hours between 5 p.m. and 6 a.m. still more favourable rates of charge are in force, based on the actual length of the line used. The rates are as follows:—For six hours' use, £2 10s. per mile per annum; and for twelve hours' use, £3 10s. per mile per annum. For periods of between six and twelve hours the charge is as for six hours with an addition of 5s. per mile per annum up to a maximum of £3 10s.

asked the Postmaster-General when the trunk telephone system will be extended to Cavan; when were the necessary guarantees given; and will he state the cause of the delay?

A canvass to ascertain the amount of support forthcoming at Cavan for an extension of the telephone trunk system to that town has just been completed, and I am glad to find that I shall be able to carry out the extension at once if a guarantee on the usual basis is forthcoming. The necessary guarantee has not yet been given, but the local authorities at Cavan are being approached in the matter. There has been no delay beyond what was necessary for the canvass at Cavan. The extension will be by way of Clones and in continuation of an extension from Monaghan to that place which is now being carried out under a local guarantee.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is in a position to abolish the Regulation which requires correspondence intended for transmission to the Far East by the route of Siberia to be specially superscribed?

I am glad to be able to inform the hon. Member that all letters and postcards posted in the United Kingdom and addressed to Hong Kong, China, or Japan, except those specially superscribed by the senders for transmission by another route, will in future be forwarded viâ Siberia. The new arrangement will begin in connection with the mail to be dispatched from London on Wednesday next.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the convenience to the public, especially in rural districts, of the existing arrangements by which postmen on their rounds carry postage stamps, he can make provision by which a similar arrangement may be possible in the case of insurance stamps?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to a similar question on the 17th July.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the total force at present employed in Post Office and telephone factories and mechanics' workshops in Great Britain and Ireland, respectively; and what will be the estimated numbers when the recommendations of the Factories Committee have been carried into effect?

The figures are 1,465 in Great Britain, and 12 in Ireland. It is not yet practicable to furnish an estimate of the numbers as they will be when the recommendations of the Factories Committee have been carried out.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that the Special Board appointed to inquire into and report upon the cases of those engineers denied the new scales of pay authorised under the reorganisation of the engineering department completed their labours some weeks ago, and also that the delay which has taken place in announcing the result of the reconsideration is giving rise to a feeling of unrest and discontent. amongst the officers affected, he will give some indication of the nature of the points of difficulty not yet settled?

I have now been able to come to a decision on this matter, and I find that I shall be justified in granting the new scales of pay to a considerable number of engineers who were left on their old scales in the first instance. The changes will take effect as from the 1st July, 1911.

asked the Lord Advocate how many persons against whom warrants of apprehension were issued on charges of misappropriating trust property in Scotland since 1st January, 1901, have absconded and have not been brought to justice, stating the number of cases for each year in which such cases occurred, distinguishing between testamentary and other trusts, and classifying the cases for each year according to the capacities in which the absconding persons had control of the trust property?

The information asked for is contained in the subjoined Table:—

Testamentary Trusts.		Other Trusts.
Year.	Law Agent.	Law Agent.	Banker.	Secretary or Treasurer of Friendly or other Society.	Collector of Rates, Treasurer of School Board, etc.	Factor or Agent.	Cashier or Malinger.	Total.
1901.	—	1	—	3	—	—	—	4
1902.	—	—	—	1	—	—	—	1
1903.	—	—	—	2	—	—	—	2
1904.	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	1
1905.	1	—	—	—	1	—	—	2
1906.	1	—	1	2	1	—	—	5
1907.	1	—	—	1	—	—	1	3
1908.	1	—	—	—	—	—	2	3
1909.	—	—	—	—	2	1	—	3
1910.	1	1	—	2	2	—	—	6
1911.	—	—	—	—	1	—	—	1
1912.	—	—	—	1	—	1	—	2
Total	5	3	1	12	7	2	3	33

asked the Attorney-General how many applications the Public Trustee has received in each year, and all together, since the Public Trustee Act, 1906, came into operation, for him to act as trustee in testamentary and mar- riage trusts, respectively, which fall, or would fall, to be administered under the law of Scotland; and how he has dealt with such applications?

No statistics have been kept of the Scotch trusts submitted for the acceptance of the Public Trustee. If an estimate were to be asked for it might be fair to say that in five years not less than 500, and this would be verified if desired, although it might take some time to take out the figures. It should also be noted that the fact that the Public Trustee Act, 1906, is expressed not to extend to Scotland has doubtless caused many people to abstain from approaching the Public Trustee on the matter. The tendency of the applications from Scotland to the Public Trustee latterly has been on the increase.

asked the Attorney-General to what extent the provisions of the Public Trustee 06, relating to the appointment of the Public Trustee as custodian trustee have been utilised for testamentary trusts and marriage trusts, respectively, as compared with the provisions for his appointment as ordinary trustee?

The answer is that out of 2,993 appointments of all kinds accepted up to 31st March last the Public Trustee had only been appointed as custodian trustee in thirty-two cases, or an all-round percentage of 1 per cent. The public evidently prefer that they should be able to resort to the services of the Public Trustee as a full ordinary trustee rather than as a merely passive custodian of trust property.

asked the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, if he can now state whether funds will permit of permanent pavement being laid down at the bottom of St. James's Street, on that portion under the jurisdiction of the Office of Works, during the Recess, in view of the strong representations from the Commissioner of Police and the Westminster City Council?