asked the Secretary to-the Treasury whether the Local Loan Three per Cent. Stock of 1912 was redeemable on the 5th January, 1912; whether it has yet been redeemed; and, if not, when holders of the stock may expect it to be redeemed?

The conditions as to the redemption of this stock are prescribed by Section 8 (3) and (4) of the National Debt and Local Loans Act, 1887 (50 and 51 Vic., c. 16), which provided that Local Loans stock should not be redeemable until after the expiration of twenty-five years from 1st April, 1887, and that thereafter it may be redeemed at any time after not less than one month's notice, such notice to be given by means of a resolution of the House of Commons signified by the Speaker in writing and printed in the "London Gazette." The Section further provides that not less than five million pounds capital stock shall be redeemed at one time, and that subject as aforesaid, the mode of redemption shall be determined by an Act to be hereafter passed. It will be seen from the above that His Majesty's Government are under no obligation to redeem this stock, and they have no present intention of proposing to Parliament to do so.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that for the last two quarters the average attendance at the Knockeenahone Girls' School, county Kerry, has been over fifty; can he, therefore, explain why the manager, Monsignor O'Leary, Castle-island, did not appoint an assistant teacher, as required by the rules of the Commissioners of National Education; and, in the interests of the pupils attending this school, will he state what steps it is proposed to take in the matter?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that the average attendance of pupils at this school has been over fifty for the past two quarters, and they propose to recognise the present junior assistant mistress, who is a trained teacher, as full assistant teacher from 1st October, 1912.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners intend to reinstate or supply with new farms the following evicted tenants, all living near Killeshandra: John Reilly, Crenagh; Thomas O'Donnell, Drumconlester, and Patrick Kane, Killeshandra?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on the 6th August last to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that the tenants of the Letterilly estate, county Donegal (landlords, Mrs. Mary Orr and others), who signed agreements for purchase in or about November, 1904, are still paying interest in lieu of rent; and whether he can say what is the cause of the delay in this case and when it is expected that the purchase of the estate will be completed?

This estate was originally the subject of direct sale proceedings by the owner to the tenants, but the Estates Commissioners decided, with the consent of the owner, to purchase the estate themselves, and they are carrying out certain improvements thereon. They expect to be in a position to vest the holdings at an early date.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to a publication entitled Fight or be—, issued by the Kingscote Press, 3, Dyer's Buildings, Holborn Bars, in which an attempt is made to raise ill-feeling in this country against Germany; and if he will take steps to have the book suppressed, on the ground that it makes an inflammatory attack on a friendly Power?

My attention had not been called to this publication, but I have now had an opportunity of seeing it, and I am satisfied that anyone who reads it may safely be left to estimate it at its proper value.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he will give the complete correspondence which has taken place this year between the India Office and Messrs. Samuel Montagu and Company in regard to the purchases of silver, instead of extracts from certain letters, as already furnished?

The correspondence circulated in accordance with the hon. Member's previous question consisted of the full text of the letters instructing Messrs. Samuel Montagu and Company to purchase, and of such letters from the firm as were mentioned therein. In no case was an extract given. I am now circulating with the Votes copies of such other letters as were received relating to the various orders and to the terms. There were, in addition, some letters from the firm forwarding contract notes for the instalments of the purchases and correspondence on such matters as dates of shipment, destination, insurance, etc. These will be circulated, if the hon. Member so desires. Many points of detail were settled and reported orally."From Messrs Samuel Montagu and Company, to India Office, dated 5th March, 1912."We have the pleasure to acknowledge your letter of yesterday's date with an order to purchase for the Secretary of State for India silver to the value of £500,000, we to use our discretion as to the times and in what amounts we buy. All purchases to be made, until further notice, for forward delivery, but not beyond 31st July. We take full note of all instructions concerning payment and eventual shipping. We succeeded in buying to-day about £50,000 at a fall of 3/16 of a penny in the forward price, and have left the market weak. It is quite possible that we may judge it advisable to abstain from buying for you altogether to-morrow, as there is nothing so likely to provoke comment as appearing to have no silver for sale for any length of lime. That is why we have secured rather more than an average amount to-day. We are sending you a contract, and shall, later on, send you an authorisation to pay all sums due to us on account of shipments or deliveries to the Union Bank. You will notice that we have secured a portion of to-day's purchase for delivery, 30th June.""Messrs. Samuel Montagu and Company, to India Office, dated 22nd March, 1012."We have the pleasure to inform you that we have just completed your order for £500,000 silver by the purchase of £70,000 for delivery in about two months at 26 15/16""Messrs. Samuel Montagu and Company, to India Office, dated 26th March, 1912."We beg to acknowledge with thanks your order to purchase for the Secretary of State for India a further sum of £250,000 fine bar silver on the same conditions as the previous order of the 4th March. We have today purchased £15,000 two months forward at 267/8 as per contract enclosed.""Messrs. Samuel Montagu and Company, to India Office, dated 19th April, 1912."We beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of yesterday's date. We take note of its contents and have, to-day, postponed £101,000,

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the India Office have been purchasing railway rolling stock of the Metropolitan Amalgamated Railway Carriage Company and other makers, and whom, and when, upon a system of deferred payments?

In September last the Secretary of State ordered certain wagons from the company mentioned. The payment is to be made in cash, but the company undertook to purchase at an agreed rate bonds of an Indian Railway Company up to the amount of the cost of the wagons, if called on by the Secretary of State to do so. No similar arrangement has been made with any other firm.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether any steps are being taken by the India Office to accelerate the dispatch of the promised further Report from the Government of India in reference to the imprisonment of Mr. William Channing Arnold, editor of the "Burma Critic"; and whether there is any reason why he should not forthwith be released on bail pending the receipt of such Report and the arrival in this country of Mr. Arnold's legal adviser?

The Secretary of State has made it clear to the Indian authorities that the matter should be expedited as far as possible. In regard to the second part of the question, the Secretary of State is advised that, as the Government advocate has declined to certify misdirection in the Chief Justice's summing up, there is no provision in law to enable the Chief Court to entertain an application for Mr. Arnold's release on bail.

asked the Postmaster-General whether applicants to local postmasters for extra employment at Christmas time have been compelled, in the first instance, to register their names at a Labour Exchange; and whether he has given instructions to the officials at such Labour Exchanges that preference in all cases is to be given, irrespective of other considerations, to applicants who are below forty-five years of age?

The additional assistants required for the Christmas pressure are being recruited through the Labour Exchanges. The limits of age for candidates are, and have been for some years, nineteen and forty-five, and in view of the generally exacting nature of the Christmas work in the Post Office, I do not think it would be advisable as a rule to admit men over forty-five years of age. I may add, however, that the cases of men over that age who have been previously employed in the Post Office and have given satisfaction receive special consideration.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the telephone recently installed at Worcester in place of the old Ericsson is causing inconvenience to the business community; whether he is aware that repeated complaints have been made to the Post Office about the same; and whether he will take steps to have the matter put right without delay?

The Ericsson type of instrument has been found to be unsuitable and unreliable when fitted to circuits connected with an Exchange such as that at Worcester, which is worked on the modern central battery system. I am not aware of any general complaint being made on the subject at Worcester, and I can hold out no expectation that the Ericsson instruments can be reinstated.

asked the Postmaster-General the present position of matters as regards the proposed enlargement of the Cork Post Office?

There has been difficulty in settling some of the details in connection with the plans of the proposed alteration of the Cork Post Office, but I will expedite the matter as much as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in those cases where British ships sail from home ports or ports abroad with deck loads, any official notifications as to the nature, extent, and weight of these deck loads are, in the first place, sent to the Board of Trade or their representative officers; and whether, in those cases where deck loads are carried from ports in the United Kingdom, they are invariably inspected in the first place by Board of Trade nautical surveyors possessed of experience in the carriage of deck loads and knowledge of the necessary precautions required, in order that, as far as possible, it may be ascertained by the Board of Trade that these deck loads are of such a character and have been so secured as to ensure the greatest possible safety in cases of heavy weather being met with?

There is no general obligation on masters of ships to notify the Board of Trade when deck loads are carried. Deck loads carried from the United Kingdom are not inspected by the Officers of the Board of Trade in all cases as a matter of course, but only when there is some special reason for an inspection.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture what is the total I rent at which each of the twenty holdings purchased for the purpose of small holdings by the county council of Wiltshire is let?

The Board have asked the county council to supply the desired information. When it is received, I will communicate it to the hon. Member.