asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that heavy motor-omnibuses do considerable damage to the roadways of London and make no contribution towards the cost of their maintenance as do the tramways, he will consider the possibility in framing the next Finance Bill of imposing such charges upon these vehicles, and distributing the proceeds of the same in such a way as to secure that they make a fair contribution towards the repair and maintenance of the highways?

I must refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to the hon. and learned Member for West St. Pancras on 9th October last.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, if he can lay upon the Table the Papers or calculations on which the new estimates have been based showing that the amount payable for old age pen- sions in Ireland has reached the maximum and should henceforward decrease each year?

The number of pensions payable on the last Friday of each year since the passing of the Old Age Pensions Act are given on page 81 of the last Report of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise (Cd. 6242). The pensions payable in Ireland on the last Friday in March, 1912, were 205,317. The corresponding figures for the two subsequent quarters have been:—

Last Friday in June, 1912	204,636
Last Friday in September, 1912	203,644

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that the estate of the late James Garrett was realised some time ago, but that the executors are unable to make a final distribution to the residuary legatees because the Commissioners of Inland Revenue say that they are not in a position to state that no assessment for Increment Value Duty falls to be made in respect of certain properties belonging to the estate for which provisional valuations have not yet been completed; and, in view of the hardship involved by the delay, can it be directed that a valuation be made at once, as the case is the more oppressive owing to the circumstance that the properties in question consisted of leaseholds and freeholds, principally licensed premises, which realised substantially less than the original cost?

I have made inquiry into this matter and I find that the completion of the valuation is delayed by objections raised to the provisional valuation by the persons interested in the property. I am, however, told that with the information as to the nature of these objections, which is now before them, it will be possible for the Commissioners to state that no assessment to Increment Value Duty will fall to be made on the properties in question.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he will call on the Estates Commissioners to say when the bog passes on the Archdale estate, in the townland of Currygranny, parish of Cloonguish, county Longford, will be completed in order that the tenants can take home their fuel, now so much needed, as this estate is now being vested in the tenants?

The Estates Commissioners have sanctioned a Grant in connection with the making of bog roads on this estate. Portion of the work has been completed, and the rest of the work will be done as soon as practicable.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland), if he is aware that the Lough Swilly Railway Company have withdrawn the special fares, long available on that line, for fishermen, fish-workers, and migratory labourers; and whether the Department, in the exercise of their statutory powers, propose to take any action in the matter?

No representations have been made to the Department as to the fares in question. If particulars are supplied the Department will consider whether they could usefully take any action in the matter.

asked the numbers of male persons and of female persons in Ireland who stated their age to be twenty-one years at the last Census; and the numbers of male persons and of female persons who then returned their age as twenty-five years?

The figures asked for are not available. On the 2nd April, 1911, the numbers of males and females aged twenty and under twenty-one years were respectively 44,961, and 41,573, and there were 159,005 males and 171,211 females whose ages were between twenty-five and thirty years.

asked the President of the Local Government Board the numbers of male persons and of female persons in England and Wales who stated their age to be twenty-one years at the last Census; and the numbers of male persons and of female persons who then returned their age as twenty-five years?

The numbers as returned at twenty-one years are 304,131 males, and 331,632 females; at twenty-five years, 293,303 males, and 333,923 females.

asked the Chief Secretary when the maps and papers relating to the Phibbs Irwin estate (in Chancery), situate in the parish of Turlough, county Mayo, were lodged with the Congested Districts Board, with a view to a sale; has the estate been inspected by the Board's valuers; and when the Board hope to be able to make an offer for the estate?

The maps and documents necessary for a preliminary inspection to be made of this estate are being lodged with the Congested Districts Board to-day, but the Board cannot say-when they will make an offer for its purchase.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state when Mr. D. G. Fitzgerald lodged with the Congested Districts Board the maps of his estate situate in Turlough and Kildacamogue parishes, county Mayo, with a view to a sale thereof; when the estate was inspected by the Board's valuers; and can he explain why the Board has not yet made an offer to the landlord for the purchase of the estate?

The maps and documents necessary for a preliminary inspection to be made of this property were lodged with the Congested Districts Board on 29th April. 1911, and the estate was inspected at the end of July, 1912. The Board have not yet issued an offer for the purchase of this estate.

also asked the Chief Secretary if he can state whether the owners of the Hunter estate, parish of Turlough, county Mayo, have lodged maps of the estate with the Congested Districts Board with a view to sale; and is he aware that the agent of the property promised in writing over two years ago to have the necessary maps and papers lodged forthwith?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on the 17th October, to which I have nothing to add.

likewise asked the Chief Secretary whether the maps and other necessary papers relating to the Darcy estate, Turlough, county Mayo, were lodged with the Congested Districts Board over a year ago, with a view to a sale; and whether the Board have yet made an offer to the landlord for the purchase of the estate, and, if not, can he state, approximately, when an offer will be made?

The maps and documents necessary for a preliminary inspection to be made of this estate were lodged with the Congested Districts Board in November, 1911. The Board have not yet made an offer for the purchase of the property, but they hope to consider the question of doing so at their next meeting.

asked whether the Congested Districts Board have sold Ardagh House, with nine acres of land on the (late) Palmer estate, county Mayo, to a Mr. Savory; or for what term the house and lands, with gaming rights over the district, have been let to Mr. Savory, who had no previous connection with this congested estate?

The Congested Districts Board have not sold Ardagh House to Mr. Savory, but they have let the house and nine acres of land to him on a lease for seven years from the 1st of April, 1911. The sporting rights over O'Ghillies Mountain, on the Sir R. Palmer estate, have been let to Mr. Savory up to the 1st March, 1913, and over the Jones estate adjoining up to the 1st March, 1914.

asked whether the offer of Mr. Fitzgerald-Kenny to sell his estate in Mayo county to the Congested Districts Board includes 200 acres of untenanted grass lands; and will the Board refuse to negotiate with him until such lands, required for the relief of congestion on the tenanted portion of the estate, are included in the proposed sale?

The estate referred to has been offered for sale to the Congested Districts Board, but they have not yet had the property inspected, and cannot, therefore, give the information asked for.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is prepared to grant a continuation of Sessional Paper No. 93 to the financial year ending 31st March, 1912?

The Return referred to showed the agricultural prices for the calendar years 1881 to 1909 and not for the financial years. If the hon. Member will move for a continuation Return to the 31st December, 1911, I will offer no objection to its being granted.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, during the past six months, instructions have been given to district inspectors, head constables, or sergeants of the Royal Irish Constabulary to ascertain the cause of the difficulty in getting recruits for the Royal Irish Constabulary; if so, whether such instructions contained a query that if sixpence per day increase was given to members of the force it would have the effect of stimulating recruiting; and what is the intention of His Majesty's Government with regard to carrying into effect any contemplated increase in the pay of members of the Royal Irish Constabulary?

No such instructions have been issued to the Royal Irish Constabulary as there has been no necessity for doing so. The last increase of pay was granted to the rank and file of the Constabulary in 1908, and, as I have already informed the hon. Member, it is too soon to reopen the question.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware of the systematic overtime being worked at Fort Matilda Torpedo Factory; can he state the average number of hours worked for each man this year; and can he take steps to stop excessive overtime in this factory?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part, the men employed on overtime each work fifteen hours a week extra, but there has been a considerable reduction in the number of men so employed since the earlier part of the year. As to the third part, my hon. Friend can rest assured that the subject will be carefully watched.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that several established workmen have been discharged to pension in the cooperage department of the Royal William Victualling Yard; and will he say when it is proposed to fill these vacancies in the establishment?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. It is not proposed to fill these vacancies on the established list, as the decreased cooperage work in the victualling yards would not warrant it. Further, the percentage of established to hired coopers at the victualling yards is considerably in excess of the usual proportion of established to hired men.

asked the Secretary for War whether the Royal Small Arms Factory were allowed the opportunity of tendering for a contract for the supply of 50,000 rifles recently awarded to the Birmingham Small Arms Factory?

The requirements of the Royal Small Arms Factory are in all cases fully considered when orders for rifles are in contemplation, and the occasion referred to was no exception to the rule.

asked the Secretary for the Colonies whether the male children above twelve years of age of all immigrants into Australia and New Zealand from the United Kingdom who are British subjects are laid under statutory obligation to become conscripts, or to render compulsory military service, in those Dominions after a residence therein exceeding six months?

Under the Defence Act of the Australian Commonwealth all male inhabitants of Australia who have resided therein for six months and who are British subjects, except those exempted by the Act, are liable to be trained between the ages of twelve and twenty-six. Under the Defence Act of New Zealand all male inhabitants of New Zealand who have resided there for six months and are British subjects, are liable to be trained between the ages of twelve and thirty. There are certain exemptions from the Act. I cannot accept the hon. Member's description of those subject to compulsory training as "conscripts."

also asked the Secretary for the Colonies whether the children of Germans, Italians, Greeks, and other alien nationalities who have settled, or who may settle, in Australia are immune from all the provisions of the Commonwealth Defence Acts, 1903 to 1911?

The provisions contained in the Defence Act of the Commonwealth with regard to compulsory training are confined to British subjects.

asked the Secretary for the Colonies whether he will state in which of His Majesty's Dominions and Colonies there is any system of conscription or compulsory obligation to render military service; and whether he will state in each instance between which ages those statutory obligations operate?

replied as follows:—

asked whether the Government adheres to the policy indicated at various times by Lord Morley of appointing where possible Indian medical practitioners of sufficiently high standing and experience to teaching posts in the Indian medical colleges; and whether steps were taken to ascertain whether such men were available before filling the newly created posts in the anatomy and pathology departments in the Grant Medical College, Bombay?

The Secretary of State adheres to the policy stated in general terms by my hon. Friend. As regards the Grant Medical College, I would refer my hon Friend to the answer I gave to a question on the subject on 28th October which still holds good.

asked what amount of rupee notes are now current in India?

The amount of the note circulation at the 22nd November (the latest date for which figures are available) was about, 6,738 3–4 lakhs of rupees.

asked whether it was at the suggestion of the Indian Government that the limit beyond which the paper currency reserve was not to be invested in British Government securities was doubled last year and further Consols purchased, which has resulted in a loss by depreciation of £108,219?

The legislation for raising the limit was proposed and undertaken by the Government of India, and the Act was passed unanimously by the Governor-General's Legislative Council. The Government of India did not suggest the particular sterling securities in which the investment should be made.

asked whether, in view of the fact that trade in India is being greatly hampered by lack of rolling stock, and that no additions can be made by the railway companies before the end of 1913, the Government will, under these circumstances, give immediate permission to those merchants who are willing to do so to supply their own wagons for use on the Indian railways?

It is not the case that no additions to rolling stock can be made before the end of 1913? A considerable amount is now under supply, to be sent out before the end of 1912–13, and further large amounts will be bought in 1913–14 The Secretary of State believes that there are considerable disadvantages, as pointed out in paragraph 11 of the Report of the Committee on Indian Railway Finance and Administration, in allowing private wagons to be used on railways. The Government of India share this view, and it is not proposed to introduce this system in India.

asked the Under-Secretary of Sate for India if he is aware that on the following dates purchases of silver for the India Office were completed by Messrs. Samuel Montagu and Company—namely, 9th and 26th April, 28th May, 7th and 27th June, 5th July, 13th and 17th August, and 2nd, 11th, and 24th September; whether notifications of the due completion of these contracts were sent to his Department by Messrs. Samuel Montagu and Company; and, if so, why the correspondence has been omitted from the Papers already furnished?

I informed the hon. Member on 22nd November that there were, in addition to the published correspondence, letters forwarding contracts notes for the instalments of the purchases, which would be circulated if he so desired. When the instalment referred to in any such letter was the last of a purchase, the firm usually, but not invariably, mentioned the fact. I attach a specimen letter of the kind mentioned:—

"Messrs. Samuel Montagu and Company to the India Office, dated 26th June, 1912.

"We have to-day purchased £13,000 silver, being the balance of your last £250,000 order.

"We have the pleasure of enclosing the contract.

"Samuel Montagu and Company."

"Samuel Montagu and Company.

"No 61. "London,

"26th June, 1912.

"Bought for the Secretary of State for India £13,000 fine bar silver.

"At 28 5/16 per oz. std.

Delivery 27th inst."

asked the Home Secretary whether he will inquire into the case of a youth named Frank Smith, aged seventeen, who on 4th November was sentenced at the Marylebone Police Court to a fine of £5 or a month's hard labour for obstructing the police and, in addition, to six weeks' hard labour for having a bullet in his possession; whether he is aware that it was shown in evidence that the bullet had been picked up by the prisoner in his employer's shop, and that he himself does not possess a pistol or firearm of any description; and whether he will see his way, under these circumstances, to remit the second portion of the sentence?

I have already made inquiry in the case, and I find that the facts have been misrepresented. Smith, who was extremely violent, was convicted of two assaults on police officers, and might have been convicted of a third assault on another officer, whom he threw to the ground. The possession of a bullet formed no element in the charges against him, and the magistrate did not even know that he had one in his possession.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Metropolitan police employed on patrol and point duty in the Metropolis have instructions to report any cases of dangerous driving which may come to their notice, irrespective of whether such dangerous driving has caused an accident or not; and, if so, how many such cases not causing an accident have been reported since 1st January this year, and how many convictions have been obtained?

The Metropolitan police have instructions to report any case of dangerous driving coming to their notice, whether an accident results or not. The total number of cases reported since 1st January, cannot readily be ascertained; but Police Court proceedings were actually taken in 615 such cases in which no accident occurred. Of these proceedings 358 were taken under Section 1 of the Motor Car Act," and 257 under Section 54 (5) of the Police Act, 1839. There have been 530 convictions.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the fact that Messrs. Gurney and Embleton, fined 22s. and costs each for collecting for the indigent blind on the public streets, were not specially warned by the police, and that the police admitted at the Court that there was no obstruction of traffic on the street, he will order that their fines be refunded to them?

My right hon. Friend is informed by the Commissioner of Police that these men were fully aware of what was required of them. When Gurney gave notice of the proposed demonstration a copy of the regulations was given him and carefully explained. When, immediately before the demonstration, Embleton and Gurney were issuing collecting boxes, they were again cautioned, as were the collectors. In these circumstances the Secretary of State cannot take any action in the matter.

asked the Home Secretary what was the precise amount of the costs of the trial Rex v. Pethick Lawrence and others; what counsel appeared on behalf of the Crown and what fees were paid to each, respectively; were these counsel all present throughout the trial; if not, who was absent; what was the total amount of counsels' fees and disbursements, respectively; were the costs taxed and by whom; and have the costs or any portion been recovered by execution upon the household effects of the defendants, or some and which of them?

The cost of the trial was £998 12s. 8d., of which £77 13s. 6d. was paid by the Central Criminal Court. The counsel engaged on behalf of the Crown were, at Bow Street Mr. Bodkin and Mr. Leycester, and at the trial the Attorney-General, Mr. Rowlatt, Mr. Bodkin, and Mr. Graham Campbell, of whom the latter took the place of Mr. Leycester, appointed a Metropolitan police magistrate. The disbursements amounted to £48 18s. 2d., and the fees to £949 14s. 6d., divided as follows:—

The Attorney-General	…	£351	16	6
Mr. Rowlatt	…	71	0	0
Mr. Bodkin	…	340	8	6
Mr. Leycester	…	68	10	0
Mr. Graham Campbell	…	117	19	6

No record is kept of counsel's attendance during the trial, but, with the exception of Mr. Rowlatt, all counsel were in regular attendance. The costs were taxed by the Taxing Master; a portion of the costs has been recovered by execution upon the household effects of one of the defendants, Mr. Pethick Lawrence.

asked the Prime Minister if the effect of the Foreign Enlistment Bill now before the House will be, if passed, to authorise His Majesty's Government to ratify The Hague Convention No. 13, which by Article 6 declares that a neutral is not bound to prohibit the export or transit for either belligerent of arms, munitions of war, or in general of anything which could be of use to an army or a fleet; which, while by Articles 12 and 13 it forbids a belligerent warship to be entertained in a neutral port for more than twenty-four hours, yet allows that entertainment for a longer period at the will of the neutral Power; which, by Article 15, fixes at three the number of belligerent warships to be allowed at the same time in one of the ports or roadsteads of a neutral, but permits the number to be extended by the neutral Power at will; which, by Article 19, enlarges the right of the belligerent to take in a neutral port during war coal to fill up its bunkers to a full normal of peace time; and, which, by Article 23, makes any neutral port a place of secure detention for any prizes taken by a naval belligerent unable to secure their passage to its own ports by investing a neutral Power with the right to sequester such prizes; and, seeing that many of the rules in this Convention would diminish the sea power of this country and are officially declared to be entirely new, will he undertake to give to this House an opportunity of debating the Convention before any steps are taken to ratify it on behalf of this country?

The answer to the first part of the hon. Member's question is in the negative. The second question therefore does not arise.

asked the President of the Local Government Board the number of notifications of phthisis since the notification of this disease became compulsory?

The notification of all known cases of pulmonary tuberculosis became cumpulsory in England and Wales on 1st January, 1912, and from that date up to the week ending 23rd November, 1912, 102,100 cases were notified.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the provision in Clause 9 (1) of the Pilotage Bill that pilotage shall continue to be compulsory in every district in which it is compulsory at the passing of that measure, whether he will now give a list of the pilotage districts in which pilotage is compulsory; and whether he will consider the advisability of simplifying the law in this respect by embodying that list in a schedule to the Bill, to be afterwards modified or added to by pilotage Orders made under Clause 6 (1) (h) and Clause 9 (2) of the Bill?

It is not always possible to say definitely whether pilotage is compulsory or non-compulsory at any particular port without an examination and interpretation of the local Acts and Charters affecting pilotage at that port. One of the principal objects of the Bill is to provide that all questions of this kind affecting local pilotage authorities should be inquired into, and finally determined by Provisional Orders, thus simplifying the law. In the meantime it is proposed in the Bill that the position as regards pilotage at the various ports shall be undisturbed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when it is proposed to publish a further Report, in continuance of that published by the Board in 1894, relating to co-partnership and profit sharing in agriculture?

A Report on Profit Sharing and Co-partnership in various industries, including agriculture, will be issued to-morrow.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what were the imports (quantities and values) of woollen and worsted manufactures into the United Kingdom from France during each of the five years from 1907 to 1911; and what were the exports of woollen and worsted manufactures (quantities and values) from the United Kingdom to France for the same five years?

The figures are given on pages 193 and 195 of Volume II. of the "Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom with Foreign Countries and British Possessions, 1911" [Cd. 6336.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total amount of tea exported from China and India, respectively, during the years 1890 to 1897 and the years 1908 to 1911, inclusive?

The following statement, in which the figures for Ceylon have also been included, gives desired:—

			British India.*
Years.			By Sea.†	By Land.	Ceylon.	China.‡
			Lbs.	Lbs.	Lbs.	Lbs.
1890	…	…	107,014,993	1,004,640	45,799,519	222,052,800
1891	…	…	120,149,407	1,198,624	67,718,371	233,337,867
1892	…	…	114,722,447	887,824	72,279,985	216,357,467
1893	…	…	126,832,475	984,704	82,269,353	242,777,467
1894	…	…	129,099,310	796,208	85,376,323	248,308,267
1895	…	…	137,710,205	1,201,312	98,581,061	248,757,333
1896	…	…	148,908,461	1,512,784	110,095,194	228,378,800
1897	…	…	151,451,817	886,704	114,466,318	204,287,733
1908	…	…	235,843,908	1,117,648	179,398,312	210,151,467
1909	…	…	251,362,787	1,108,128	192,886,545	199,792,400
1910	…	…	256,524,351	2,046,128	182,070,094	208,106,667
1911	…	…	262,740,158	2,653,392	186,594,055	195,040,400
* The figures relate to the twelve months ended 31st March of the years following those stated.
† Including "tea waste for the manufacture of caffeine"—which amounted to 1,961,940 lbs. in 1911.
‡Including brick and tablet tea. The above figures unavoidably include a certain amount of tea originally imported from elsewhere and subsequently again exported. The particulars for 1911 are known to include 3,212,800 lbs. of imported tea re-exported without further manipulation and 10,644,133 lbs. of imported tea (mainly dust) used for blending with China teas and exported in the form of brick and tablet tea.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the manner in which frozen meat is distributed, being covered with very thin canvas and sacking, put on the floor of filthy goods wagons, thrown on to the platforms of stations where it lies for hours, while at country stations clogs roam around it; and whether, in the interest of the public health, he will consider the desirability of introducing legislation to require that such frozen meat should be carried only in special vans, suspended from hooks, and not allowed to touch the ground?

The attention of the Board of Trade does not appear to have been called to this matter. If the hon. Member will furnish me with particulars of any cases in which frozen meat has been treated in the manner described, I shall be glad to have the matter looked into, and to consider whether any steps need be taken.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture what are the words in Section 22 of the Diseases of Animals Act, 1894, or elsewhere in that or any other Statute, which authorise the Board to make an Order overriding the Order of a local authority except for the purpose of prohibiting or regulating the, consignment of diseased or suspected animals?

It is provided by Section 22 of the Diseases of Animals Act, 1894, that the Board of Agriculture may make such Orders as they think fit for prohibiting or regulating the movement of animals and for authorising a local authority to make regulations for any of the purposes of the Act or of an Order of the Beard. These provisions enable the Board to limit the scope of regulations made by a local authority for the prohibition or regulation of the movement of animals.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of subscribers I on the Post Office telephone system in London for the financial years ending 1910, 1911, and 1912; the number of complaints received from subscribers concerning overcharges for calls during those years; and in how many cases of complaint against overcharges have allowances or rebates been made on accounts for calls in those years?

It is not possible to give the actual number of subscribers at the periods mentioned, but the number of Exchange telephones rented by subscribers was as follows:"—

		No. of Telephones.
Year ending 31st March, 1910	…	64,200
Year ending 31st March, 1911	…	73,305
Year ending 31st March, 1912	…	81,381*
(*Excluding exchanges transferred from National Telephone Company.)

No separate record has been kept of the number of complaints received from subscribers concerning overcharges for calls, but the number of letters of all kinds received in connection with accounts for local service, most of which are merely inquiries for details, is as follows:—

1910	…	…	…	8,841
1911	…	…	…	9,573
1912	…	…	…	17,126

The cause of the heavy increase for the year ending 31st March, 1912, was the application to the Post Office system in November, 1911, of the system of prepayment for local fees previously in force in the National Telephone Company's I system which naturally produced considerable correspondence. (This system was described in an answer to the hon. Member for Penrhyn and Falmouth on the subject on 16th July.) The number of rebates granted during the years in question are 40, 39, and 42, respectively.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been i called to the dissatisfaction and unrest which exists in the Engineering Department of the Post Office amongst engineers in classes which have recently been made I redundant; whether this condition of affairs has been caused by the delay which has taken place in reviewing the cases of the officers concerned; and if he will state when he expects to be able to announce to the staff the names of the officers to whom he proposes to grant the benefit of the new; scales of pay?

I hope to make an announcement on the subject in the course of the week.