asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether it is within the powers of the Development Commissioners to assist in the development of coal mines; if so, whether he will call their attention to the report made by the mineral expert to the Department of Agriculture in Ireland on the coalfields at Coalisland, county Tyrone, to the effect that workable coal is there in abundance, estimated at sixty-three million tons; and whether the Commissioners will take this report into consideration with the object of rendering assistance in the development, of this important industry?

The development of coal mines does not fall under any of the heads enumerated in Section 1 (1) of the Development and Road Improvement Funds Act, 1909, in respect of which advances from the Development Fund are specifically authorised, and if my hon. Friend will refer to page 33 of the first Annual Report of the Development Commissioners, he will see that the Commissioners have been advised that the general words at the end of Section 1 (1) cannot be held to cover economic development that is not in eodem genere and cognate with the subjects specifically named.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the Ardfert old age pension sub-committee resigned as a protest against the action of the local pension officer, Mr. Humphreys, who, as they think, supplied the Local Government Board with wholly erroneous estimates of the means of applicants for pensions; whether this action of the sub-committee was afterwards approved by the Kerry County Council; and whether, seeing that injustice has been done by his conduct to the various applicants for pensions, and in view of the indignalion that prevails in this district on account of this officer's conduct, a sworn inquiry will be ordered into the whole matter?

I am aware that the Ardfert Pension Sub-Committee have resigned and that their action has been approved Ly the Kerry County Council. I have also seen copies of the resolutions passed by these two bodies. The resolutions do not, as I read them, charge the officer with supplying the committee or the Local Government Hoard with erroneous information as to the facts relating to any claim or question. Such a charge would be so serious that, if it was intended, I must ask for it to be substantiated by full particulars with a view to such action as may be necessary. On the other hand, I cannot take any action if the reason for the sub-committee's action was that the officer has exercised his right of appeal in cases where his own opinion, based on the facts elicited in the course of investigation, differed from that of the committee themselves. In such cases the officer would be failing in his duty if he did not exercise his right of appeal. I may add that the appeals were decided in the officer's favour by the Local Government Board.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that at the time of the signing of the terms for the sale of the Wandesforde (Castlecomer) estate, county Kilkenny, some eighty-three tenants on the said property declined to complete the signing until they were informed by a letter from the Estates Commissioners that before the sale was ratified the Commissioners would send down an inspector to value the farms (the tenants signing under duress); whether the Estates Commissioners have done so; and, if not, whether any steps can now be taken to satisfy the people who were misled into signing?

This estate is being sold under the Land Purchase Acts direct by the owner to the tenants at terms agreed on between the parties, and the great majority of the holdings on the estate have been vested in the purchasing tenants. The Estates Commissioners cannot identify any such letter as that referred to by the hon. Member, and no duress was proved. They have no power to fix prices in the case of holdings which come within the zonal provisions of the Irish Land Act, 1903. In cases not within these provisions the Commissioners have notified the vendor of the amounts they are prepared to advance, and if purchase agreements are lodged in the outstanding cases the Commissioners will proceed with the vesting of the holdings in the tenants, otherwise they cannot be included in the sale.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland as to whether the Pauls-town (county Kilkenny) estate of the representatives of the late Mrs. Francis Maud Hazel is yet complete, and as to whether the untenanted portion of this estate is included in the sale; is he aware of the number of uneconomic landholders residing in the neighbourhood of this estate; and will he impress on the Estates Commissioners the desirability of acquiring the untenanted lands for distribution amongst those and others who may be entitled to portions thereof?

This estate is the subject of proceedings for sale before the Estates Commissioners, but has not yet been reached in order of priority to be dealt with by them. The owner has offered to sell some 200 acres of untenanted land to the Commissioners at their esti- mated price, and in the allotment of the Jands, when acquired, the wants and circumstances of the occupiers of small holdings in the neighbourhood will be duly considered.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, at the intermediate examinations in 1911) 30 per cent. in the combined subjects arithmetic and algebra secured a pass, whereas in 1912 the student who did not get 30 per cent. in each failed; whether in the rules algebra and arithmetic form one subject for a pass; on what grounds, in face of Rule 28 (o), did the Commissioners make this change without notice to schools; whether, in view of previous practice and of the rules, the Commissioners will order that all students who got 30 per cent. in the combined subjects and are qualified otherwise be awarded a pass?

The Commissioners of Intermediate Education inform me that under Rule 28 (a) for 1912 the minimum number of marks on which students may pass the examination in any subject is 30 per cent. on each pass paper in that subject. As there were separate papers for arithmetic and algebra, as in 1911, the Rule referred to clearly lays down that students must obtain 30 per cent. in each of those papers in order to pass the examination. The Rules for 1912 were published twelve months before the examination, and it cannot, therefore, be said that the change was made without notice to the schools.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Mrs. Honora Kenny, of Ballylennen, Castle-comer, county Kilkenny, has repeatedly brought the nature of her grievances under the notice of the Estates Commissioners, asking them to send down an independent inspector to arbitrate between her and her late landlord as to fencing and damages caused through coal pits being sunk on her land; if so, what steps the Commissioners intend taking to make an equitable arrangement; and whether he is aware that, as a protest to the way she has been treated and in order to have the Commissioners mediate to have the matter settled, payment of the annuity was not made until a decree was obtained and additional costs placed on Mrs. Kenny?

The Estates Commissioners have received communications from Mrs. Kenny and her husband, Patrick Kenny, of the nature referred to in the question. The Commissioners, after inquiry, informed Kenny that they considered that he had been fully compensated for any land taken for mining purposes, and that the vendor had taken all reasonable steps to keep the roads leading to the coal mine properly fenced and efficiently maintained. The holding has been vested to Mrs. Kenny, and if she does not pay the land purchase annuity in respect thereof the Land Commission have no option but to institute legal proceedings for its collection, and, if necessary, to put the holding up for sale under their statutory powers.

asked if attention has been called to the comments of certain of the judges of the King's Bench Division, Ireland, reflecting strongly in certain respects upon the procedure adopted with reference to the trial of the Belfast prisoners; and whether any fresh instructions have, as a result, been issued to those acting nominally for the Crown in the matter?

The attention of the Government has been directed to the judgment of the King's Bench Division in Ireland in the case of prisoners charged in connection with recent riots in Belfast. The Court, having decided that the procedure adopted by the Crown was legal, it is not necessary to issue any further instructions. As the justices who claimed jurisdiction presumably acted through ignorance, their conduct does not call for further action.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, having regard to the fact that the average reduction to date in judicial rents fixed for a third statutory term has been 9?, per cent., he can state the average price in Ireland for the years 1890–4 or 1891–5 (as most convenient) for the following commodities, two-year-old cattle per head, oats per 112 pounds, and hay per 112 pounds, as compared with the average prices for the same commodities for the years 1906 to 1910; and whether with regard to other agricultural products for the periods in comparison, he can state generally whether the prices have shown a trend in an upward or downward direction?

The average prices obtained in Irish Markets and Fairs during each of the quinquennial periods mentioned for Irish cattle over two but under three years old, Irish oats, and Irish hay were:—

—	1890–94.			1891–95.			1906–10.
	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.
Cattle two to three years old, per head	8	17	10	8	11	9	10	2	4
Oats, per 112 lbs		6	4		6	1		5	10½
Hay, per 112 lbs		8	1¾		3	2¾		3	2

The general trend of the prices in Ireland of other Irish agricultural products for the periods in comparison has shown an upward direction.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office the average weekly earnings of men employed as drillers in the barrel room for the two months ending 30th November, 1912?

:£1 15s. 9d. The question is being considered whether there are any grounds for any extra payment during part of this period.

asked the Secretary for War the approximate number of horses on the 31st October last, or nearest convenient date, in Cavalry regiments, Horse Artillery, Field Artillery, howitzer and heavy batteries, Mounted Infantry, and other mounted units, respectively, serving in the United Kingdom?

The numbers of troop horses in units at, home on 31st October, 1912, were as follows:—

Unit.	Number.
Household Cavalry	790
Cavalry of the Line	7,936
Military Mounted Police	109
Royal Horse Artillery	1,425
Royal Field Artillery	4,871
Royal Field Artillery (Howitzer Batteries)	1,045
Royal Garrison Artillery (Heavy Batteries)	124
Royal Engineers	1,050
Army Service Corps	1,466
Mounted Infantry	883
	19,699

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is drafting fresh regulations whereby more elementary school teachers will be promoted to be junior inspectors; and whether these posts will be filled by nomination, and, if not, by what means?

I am proposing to appoint assistant inspectors of a new class, in place of junior inspectors and sub-inspectors, as vacancies arise, and I hope to include in the new class teachers from public elementary schools. I am not in a position to make any definite announcement as the matter is still under discussion with the Treasury. No alteration is contemplated in the practice of filling vacancies, as they arise, by nomination.

asked the Under-Secretary for India what were the instructions given to Mr. Lutyens and to the Expert Committee of which he is a member before they went out to visit Delhi?

The instructions given to the Town-Planning Committee of experts to which the hon. Member refers were to examine sites and to advise the Government of India as to the laying out of the new Capital.

asked the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, whether he has any information as to the arbitration which is to decide the boundaries of Peru, Columbia, and Ecuador in respect of disputed districts of the tributaries of the Amazon; and when any date can be given for an award being given?

The President of Columbia stated in a message to the Chambers in July last that the modus vivendi arrived at with Peru in 1911 should be observed pending a definite rectification of the frontier, but I have no information as to a tripartite arbitration.

asked the Prime Minister what action he proposes to take to secure the passage of the Railways Bill, in view of the undertaking on the subject given to the railway companies by the Government over a year ago; and if he has received any representations on the subject from the companies?

The Bill will be introduced in the course of the present week. I have received representations on this subject from various quarters, including the traders and the railway companies.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether it has been brought to his knowledge that the granting of pilotage certificates to masters and mates under Section 599 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, represents financial saving to shipowners, particularly to those owning vessels engaged in the coasting trades, who thereby avoid the payment of ordinary pilotage dues in compulsory pilotage waters: whether he is aware that, with but very few exceptions, masters and mates holding these pilotage certificates, after examination, are granted no extra remuneration whatever; and whether, in the Pilotage Bill which is now before the House, he will embody some provision whereby, in cases where the pilotage certificates of masters and mates are availed of for purposes of pecuniary gain to shipowners, there will be some provision made that those whose pilotage certificates are thus availed of shall receive reasonable recompense from shipowners for their services?

I have received and considered a communication on this subject from the Imperial Merchant Service Guild, but I do not think that the question of remuneration of masters and mates could be satisfactorily dealt with in a Pilotage Bill.

asked the Postmaster-General-how many sub-postmasters and mistresses have lost their offices through shortages of cash balances since 1908; how many were imprisoned through cash deficiencies during the same period, and the number dismissed and the number fined at the Police Courts; how many have been deficient in their cash and stock that are still in office; and whether any steps are being taken to prevent the holders of post offices using the cash balance in hand?

There are more than 22,000 sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses in the United Kingdom, and it is not possible to say, without calling for special returns, how many of these have been reported since 1908 for cash deficiencies. A sub-postmaster who does not keep his accounts properly may show a cash or stock deficiency which disappears on adjustment; but the matter would, in the first instance, be dealt with, as a matter of course, as an actual deficiency. Since 1908 there have been nineteen prosecutions for the misuse of official moneys, and in each case the person charged was convicted and sentenced to a term of imprisonment. I think that the standing procedure in regard to the check of stock and cash balances in sub-post offices sufficiently provides against the irregular use of official moneys.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he can make any statement as to the proposed regulations respecting the importation of livestock from Ireland into Great Britain?

Perhaps the hon. Member will allow me to refer him to the reply I have given to-day to the similar question addressed to me by the hon. Member for North Westmeath.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether the Board of Agriculture for Scotland have schemes in contemplation for the settlement of small holders in the island of Tiree, in addition to those already proposed at Greenhill, Baugh, and Balinae; and, if so, how soon the Board's decision will be made known?

The Board of Agriculture for Scotland have other schemes for land settlement in Tiree under consideration, and the Board has been in correspondence with the proprietor for some months on the subject. Towards the end of this year the Board expect to propose further settlements upon one or other of the farms in the island, but it must be understood that I cannot give a pledge.

asked the hon. Member for Morpeth, as Chairman of the Committee on Public Petitions, if he will state what is the total number of signatures to petitions received against the Established Church (Wales) Bill?

The total number of signatures to 6,337 petitions against the Established Church (Wales) Bill, which have so far been counted, is 1,657,503. Signatures to the remaining 782 petitions that were presented up till and including Monday, 2nd December, have yet to be counted.