asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Department of the Land Commission dealing with the work of the Estates Commissioners will be under the control of the Imperial Parliament or the Irish Parliament; whether the officers of that Department will be whole-time Imperial officers, whole-time Irish officers, or part-time Imperial and part-time Irish officers; what is the present cost of the Department; what is the number and classification of the officials employed therein; and what portion of the cost of the Department will be defrayed, respectively, by the Imperial and Irish Parliaments?

asked whether the Secretariat of the Land Commission will be under the control of the Imperial Parliament or the Irish Parliament; whether the officers of that Department will be whole-time Imperial officers, whole-time Irish officers, or part-time Imperial and part-time Irish officers; what is the present cost of the Department; what is the number and classification of the officials employed therein; and what portion of the cost of the Department will be defrayed, respectively, by the Imperial and Irish Parliaments?

asked whether the Department of the Land Commission dealing with fair rents will be under the control of the Imperial Parliament or the Irish Parliament; whether the officers of that Department will be whole-time Imperial officers, whole-time Irish officers, or part-time Imperial and part-time Irish officers; what is the present cost of the Department; what is the number and classification of the officials employed therein; and what portion of the cost of the Department will be defrayed, respectively, by the Imperial and Irish Parliaments?

asked whether the Solicitors' Department of the Land Commission will be under the control of the Imperial Parliament or the Irish Parliament; whether the officers of that Department will be whole-time Imperial Officers, whole-time Irish officers, or part-time Imperial and part-lime Irish officers; what is the present cost of the Department; what is the number and classification of the officials employed therein; and what portion of the cost of the Department will be defrayed, respectively, by the Imperial and Irish Parliaments?

asked whether the Accountants' Department of the Land Commission will be under the control of the Imperial Parliament or the Irish Parliament; whether the officers of that Department will be whole-time Imperial officers, whole-time Irish officers, or part-time Imperial and part-time Irish officers; what is the present cost of the Department: what is the number and classification of the officials employed therein; and what portion of the cost of the Department will be defrayed, respectively, by the Imperial and Irish Parliaments?

asked whether the Mapping Department of the Land Commission will be under the control of the Imperial Parliament or the Irish Parliament; whether the officers of that Department will be whole-time Imperial officers, whole-time Irish officers, or part-time Imperial and part-time Irish officers; what is the present cost of the Department; what is the number and classification of the officials employed therein; and what portion of the cost of the Department will be defrayed, respectively, by the Imperial and Irish Parliaments?

asked whether the Department of the Land Commission dealing with the distribution of the purchase money will be under the control of the Imperial Parliament or the Irish Parliament; whether the officers of that Department will be whole-time Imperial officers, whole-time Irish officers, or part-time Imperial and part-time Irish officers; what is the present cost of the Department: what is the number and classification of the officials employed therein; and what portion of the cost of the Department will be defrayed, respectively, by the Imperial and Irish Parliaments?

asked whether the Department of the Land Commission dealing with the Irish Church Fund will be under the control of the Imperial Parliament or the Irish Parliament; whether the officers of that Department will be whole-time Imperial officers, whole-time Irish officers, or part-time Imperial and part-time Irish officers; what is the present cost of the Department; what is the number and classification of the officials employed therein; and what portion of the cost of the Department will be defrayed, respectively, by the Imperial and Irish Parliaments?

The work of the Land Commission consists of three sections: (1) Land Purchase; (2) Land Law (Fair Rents, etc.), and (3) Irish Church Temporalities Fund. Under the Government of Ireland Bill the first of these is a reserved service; the second and third are Irish services. The existing staff of the Land Commission is a common staff for all the purposes mentioned, and the cost of all the sections is borne on the common Vote, subject to the proviso that the cost of the Department administering the Irish Church Fund is recouped to the Vote out of that fund as an Appropriation-in-Aid. The duties of the staff in respect of the three services mentioned overlap to some extent, and the cost of the separate services cannot, therefore, be stated with precision. There are, however, certain branches which are

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether having regard to the fact that Mr. James W. Bond, owner in fee of the lands of Cool-craft, barony of Granard, county Longford, has expressed his willingness to sell these lands for the benefit of holders of uneconomic farms in the district, the Commissioners will again approach Mr. Bond and endeavour to arrange; a sale with him?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his questions on this subject on the 29th April last to which I have nothing to add.

asked whether any further steps have been taken by the Estates Commissioners to secure the untenanted lands known as the Prospect Ranch at Kilrea. North Longford, for division amongst the landless men of that district?

A memorial was received by the Estates Commissioners asking them to acquire these lands, and the Estates Commissioners informed the memorialists that if further particulars were supplied the matter would be considered. The Commissioners have not received the further particulars asked for.

also asked whether it is the intention of the Estates Commissioners to complete the purchase of the Roberts estate at Newtowncashel, county Longford, by securing the untenanted lands of Culnagore Wood for division amongst uneconomic holdings on that property; and whether, if so, an inspector will be directed to enter into negotiations with Colonel Gregg, the present owner, with a view to having the sale carried out immediately?

This estate, which is the subject of proceedings for sale to the Estates Commissioners, includes eighty-nine acres of untenanted land, of which twenty-one acres are situate on the town-land of Culnagore, and is the only untenanted land on the estate.

likewise asked whether the lands of Derrydarragh, on the Collum estate, parish of Newtowncashel, county Longford, will be divided amongst the descendants of former occupiers on that property; whether any applications for allotments have yet been received; and when these applications will be dealt with?

The Estates Commissioners are unable from the particulars given to identify this estate as the subject of proceedings for sale before them, or to trace the receipt of any applications for reinstatement from persons stating that they were evicted from this estate.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that eleven tenants on the Synge estate, in the town-lands of Derryadd and Cloonmore, county Longford, have been refused the right to purchase their holdings, although all the other tenants on the same estate have purchased long ago; and as the objection to some of these eleven tenants, i.e., that they were not solvent, has been removed by the purchase of their tenant-right since by other persons, whether he will direct the Estates Commissioners to inquire into the facts and make an offer for the unbought part of this property?

The portion of the estate already sold was not sold through the Estates Commissioners, but through the Land Commission under the Purchase Acts prior to 1903. It is open to the parties as regards the unsold portion to enter into agreements under the Irish Land Act, 1909, and the lands will be dealt with in order of priority. The lands are not the subject of proceedings before the Estates Commissioners, who have no information in the matter.

asked what is the cause of the delay in completing the sale of Mr. Donal Sampson's estate at Tubbernagoth, Shuaun, Coppabane, Scariff, county Clare; and whether this estate was inspected three years ago by the Estates Commissioners?

This estate is in priority to be dealt with during the present financial year, and the Estates Commissioners, hope to be in a position to issue their formal offer to the land judge for its purchase at an early date.

asked whether the tenants on the estate of Mrs. Alcock, Freshford, county Kilkenny, signed agreements for the purchase of their holdings in the year 1906; what is the cause of the delay in vesting their holdings in them; whether and, if so, why the tenants are now asked by the Estates Commissioners to pay three years' interest; and whether full inquiries will be made into all the circumstances of this case?

This estate is the subject of proceedings for sale direct by the owner to the tenants and purchase agreements were lodged with the Estates Commissioners in 1906. It is on the principal register of direct sales (all cash), and will be dealt with in order of priority on that register. The tenants are not being asked to pay three years' interest in lieu of rent. Their purchase agreements provide that this interest is payable half-yearly on 1st November and 1st May. The form of receivable order contains six spaces for insertion of receipt of each payment as made, and is returned to the purchasing tenant when receipted in order that he may forward it with the next instalment when due.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the holdings on the estate of Colonel Sugrue, at Johnstown, county Cork, were finally inspected some time ago by an inspector of the Estates Commissioners prepartory to vesting them in the occupiers; can he state when the vesting is likely to take place; has the attention of the Estates Commissioners been specially drawn to the case of Patrick Galvin, a sub-tenant on this estate; are they aware that he is quite willing to advance in cash whatever sum may be required of him to redeem the middle interest, and that his right to purchase is supported by the owner; and will the Commissioners, in the circumstances, see that he is included in the sale of the estate?

This estate has been inspected and is in priority for payment during the financial year commencing the 1st April next. The Estates Commissioners are not prepared to declare that Patrick Galvin, who is the sub-tenant of a licensed house and one acre, three roods, ten perches of land, should be deemed a direct tenant for the purposes of sale.

asked what progress has been made towards the distribution of the lands of Ardshill under Section 42 of the Land Act, 1909; whether any persons have been refused portions of this farm, and, if so, how many; into what sized holdings the farm is being divided; and when the new tenants will enter into occupation of the same?

The Estates Commissioners have acquired seventy-seven acres of untenanted land on the Raymond estate under Section 42 of the Irish Land Act, 1909, and proposed to divide it into four allotments, but two of the proposed allottees refused to sign agreements to purchase, and the Commissioners have under consideration the question of allotting the lands to other persons.

asked whether the Estates Commissioners have vested their holdings in the tenants on the Erasmuc Smith property at Pallas, near Doon, county Limerick; if so, has Captain M'Donald Parr signed a purchase agreement, and for what extent of property; and, in view of the fact that the same gentleman has sub-let a portion of his land to Thomas Quigley, will the Commissioners see that the same terms are extended to him as those given by the Board of Governors to Captain Parr?

The reply to the first paragraph of the question is in the negative. Two agreements signed by W. R. M'Donnell Parr for the purchase of some seventy-nine acres which he holds as a tenant on the estate have been lodged with the Estates Commissioners. William Quigley appears to' be a sub-tenant of about two acres on these lands, and his ease with those of other sub-tenants, if any, will be inquired into when the Commissioners are dealing with the estate in order of priority.

asked the cause of the delay in forwarding to Mr. J. M. Kirby, national teacher, Cullen, county Cork, the amount of results fees earned by him for teaching the Irish language during the year ended 30th June, 1912.

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that the delay has been due to unavoidable correspondence with the Board's inspectors on points arising in this case, connected with the non-compliance with the Commissioners' Regulations concerning the teaching of the subject. The necessary inquiries have now been completed, and the payment of the fees will be made at an early date.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, out of 39,241cottages built in Ireland under the Irish Labourers Acts up to the 31st of March, 1912, nearly half were in arrear in their rent in spite of the fact that the rents of the great majority of cottages were under 2s. a week; and can he state the actual number that were in arrear at the date named?

Out of 39,241 cottages built there were 16,467 with rent in arrear. The total amount of rent in arrear on 31st March, 1912, was £8,695, which represents roughly about 10s. per cottage. This sum includes all rents up to 31st March, 1912, which were not actually lodged on that date by the collectors to the credit of the councils, but, as the tenancies are weekly, or monthly, portion of the rents might not be legally payable until a date subsequent to 31st March.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether high-class brood mares are admitted free and unquestioned into England; whether he can explain why European mares intended to be brought to Ireland are obliged to be quarantined in England and treated with mallein; whether he is aware that most veterinarians are of opinion that the mallein treatment leads in many instances to make a mare pick foal; and whether he will consider the advisability of adopting the English procedure?

The first part of this question should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries. Ireland is free from glanders, and as a precaution against the possible introduction of (hat disease, the Department require that horses from the Continent shall be subjected to the mallein test before being allowed to be imported into this country. The Department are not aware that the majority of the veterinary profession hold the opinion referred to in the question. The Department do not propose to alter their present method of procedure in this matter.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if, pending the results of the proposed inquiry, Mr. Mansfield will be reinstated in his position; and whether the Commission of Inquiry will have power to investigate into the whole administration of the Board of Education?

The answer to the first paragraph is in the negative. The terms of reference to the Commission of Inquiry will not cover the whole administration of the Board, but only the working of the present system of inspection and kindred matters.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will in future place the Officers' Training Corps in schools receiving the Board of Education Grant on the same basis as those in endowed schools, so that in both cases the Grant for efficiency may be given to boys of fifteen and upwards; and, if not, on what grounds the poorer schools receive less generous treatment?

The Territorial and reserve Forces Act, Clause 2 (2) (f), lays down that no financial assistance shall be given in respect of any person in a battalion or corps in a school in receipt of a Parliamentary Grant until such person has attained the age of sixteen. This proviso was adopted by Parliament after full discussion, and I am not at present aware of any fresh argument for an amendment of the Act in the direction suggested.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that a sentence of three months' hard labour was passed upon Albert Archer Wildman at Pontefract on 28th October last for stealing a pick valued at 2s. 6d; and, if so, will he cause inquiry to be made as to whether the sentence, in these circumstances, is excessive and ought to be reduced?

I have made inquiry in the case, and I am informed that there are nineteen previous convictions against the prisoner during the last ten years, five of which are for larceny. I can find no sufficient ground for advising any interference with the sentence.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether the Board have condemned the infants' department of the Church of England school at Oxen-hope, in the West Riding of Yorkshire; whether he is aware that the numbers on the registers in that school are sixty-four for the mixed department and thirty-two for the infants' department, and that there is accommodation for 170 infants in the council school at Oxenhope and only fifty-six names on the register; and whether he will explain why, having regard to the interests of economy of the rates and of educational efficiency, it is proposed to transfer the thirty-two infants from the Church of England school to the infants' department of the council school, Oxen-hope?

The attention of the local authority was directed to the difficulty of teaching infants in the existing classroom at the Oxenhope Church of England School in a report of His Majesty's inspector communicated to the authority on the 15th April, 1912. On the 7th June, 1912, the authority were informed that the infants' classroom, which measures 25 feet by 12 feet, and is badly shaped, was not suitable for teaching purposes. The figures given in the second paragraph of the question are substantially in accordance with my information. The managers are proposing to build new classrooms, but the Local Education Authority are objecting to their proposal, and urge, in the interests of economy and efficiency, that the infants should be transferred from the Church of England school to the council school.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the number of unpaid Vice-Consuls acting abroad for the Foreign Office, distinguishing those in European, African, Asiatic, and American countries?

The total number of unsalaried Vice-Consuls at present serving His Majesty's Government abroad, as distinguished from unsalaried Consuls-General, Consuls and Consular Agents, and exclusive of vacant posts, is 543. Of these there are 308 in Europe, twenty-eight in Africa, thirty-three in Asia (including the Indian Archipelago), 171 in America, and three in Oceania.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can, as on 1st November, give the average selling price of the three contract grades (Nos. 1, 2, and 3 Northern) Manitoba wheat at the port of London, and also the Manitoba feed at the same port and on the same date; whether the average price for wheat imported from Manitoba is obtained by averaging the prices ruling for contract grades and for feed; and whether, in the event of his answer being in the affirmative, he will state of what value an average price so obtained may be for purposes of comparison with prices ruling abroad which are for wheat of fair to good milling quality only?

The prices in London per Imperial quarter of Nos. 1 and 2 Manitoba (Northern) wheat and of "No. 2 feed" were, respectively, on the under mentioned dates:—

asked the President of the Board of Trade the approximate increase in the expenditure of the railway companies of the United Kingdom caused by improvement of the conditions for the staff under the settlement of the strike of August, 1911?

I regret that I am not in a position to give the desired information.

asked the Postmaster-general if he will alter the hour for the collection of letters at Bilboa, Cappamore, county Limerick, from 8.25 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., as the present hour is unsuited to the wants, of the people of the locality; and will he try and make arrangements for the sale of stamps, postal orders, and insurance stamps, in this populous district?

I am having inquiry made in the matter and I will communicate the result to the hon. Member.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that cattle in the Argentine suffering from foot-and-mouth disease are killed and sent for consumption to these countries in a frozen condition; whether any risk attends the use of such meat by human beings; and will he state what information his Department have in reference to this matter?

The answer to this question was circulated on Wednesday last.

asked the Attorney General whether he can state the date on which he advised the Chancellor of the Exchequer that the Treasury had no effective reply to the contentions raised by Mr. Gibson Bowles in the case of Bowles v. the Bank of England?

I cannot give any information upon any opinion expressed by me as a Law Officer to a Minister of the Crown in reference to litigation affecting the interests of the Crown.