asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government has any official information to the effect that Peruvian officials connive, and in some cases actually take part, in the slave traffic between the Putumayo river and Iquitos?

His Majesty's Minister in Lima has reported that accusations have been brought in a Peruvian journal against the house of Arana of traffic in peons with Brazil with the connivance of the late Peruvian Consul-General at Manaos. These accusations have been denied. His Majesty's Minister has also reported that two Government launches have been posted at strategic points on the river frontier between Peru and Brazil to prevent the traffic in Peruvian labourers.

asked whether His Majesty's Government has any Consular representatives at Manaos; if so, will the right hon. Gentleman inquire whether some time in August or September of this year the steamer "Manaos" brought down the Putumayo for sale eight boys and four girls which were re-embarked at the mouth of the Yavari river on the launch "Hamburg" for sale at Iquitos?

His Majesty's Government are represented by an unsalaried Vice-Consul at Manaos who is under the superintendence of His Majesty's Consul at Para. The incident referred to by the hon. Member has been mentioned in a letter from the Colombian Consul-General at Manaos to the British and United States Consul at Iquitos. It is, however, there stated that the Indians were shipped on board the "Manaos" at San Antonio at the mouth of the River lea, which is many hundreds of miles distant from Manaos, and were afterwards transhipped to the "Hemburgo" at the mouth of the River Javery for Iquitos. I will inquire whether there is any confirmation of this information.

asked the right hon. Gentleman if he will say whether the careful inquiry in 1910 into the complaints of unfair monopoly in all business in China enjoyed by Messrs. Jardine, Matheson, and Company, or that company's explanation, which was considered satisfactory, or any subsequent inquiry or explanation, disclosed the fact that during the construction of the Shanghai-Nanking Railway, the head of Jardine, Matheson, and Company, at Shanghai, for the time being was chairman of the Shanghai-Nanking Railway Board, and in that capacity issued orders for the supply of materials for the same to Jardine, Matheson, and Company; and if he will explain what there was in the circumstances to make that arrangement satisfactory to anyone but Jardine, Matheson, and Company?

His Majsety's Government are aware that the Shanghai agent of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson, and Company was also chairman of the Shanghai-Nanking Railway Board at the time in question. The construction of the railway was completed in 1908, and no complaints were received by His Majesty's Government prior to September, 3 910. The complaints subsequently received were against the alleged unfair use by Messrs. Jardine, Matheson, and Company of their position to favour firms for which they were agents. As already stated, in reply to the hon. Member for Thanet on 11th December, the explanations given with regard to these charges were considered satisfactory. It was never alleged, as suggested by the hon. Member, that orders for material were given to Messrs. Jardine, Matheson, and Company themselves.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he will have the contents of the various leaflets issued for the benefit of smallholders epitomized in simple langauge and sub-divided into subjects and indexed for easy reference, and the result bound in a handy form for reference and circulated to smallholders free of charge or at a nominal charge; and whether he will see that the volume includes information as to the rotation and cultivation adopted by the most up to-date small cultivators in Denmark?

The leaflets issued by the Board are already expressed in the simplest possible language, and may be obtained either separately free of charge or in bound indexed volumes at the price of sixpence a volume. The Board have in view the publication of additional leaflets on subjects of special interest to smallholders, and the suggestions made in the last part of the question will be carefully considered.

asked the right hon. Gentleman if he is now in a position to make a statement regarding the exportation of store cattle as well as fat cattle from Ireland, and especially from the provinces of Munster and Connaught?

asked the right hon. Gentleman whether he is now in a position to announce further modifications of the restrictions regulating the importation of Irish cattle to England and Scotland?

I had hoped to have been able to-day to announce some further modification of the existing restrictions, but on Thursday last three heads were found at the city abattoirs-at Glasgow by the meat inspectors of the local authority in which the lesions characteristic of foot-and-mouth disease were present. The lesions were healed, and were three or four weeks old. Inquiries were immediately instituted, and it would appear, so far as we can say at present, that the heads were those of animals which had been slaughtered in Londonderry. The Irish Department are endeavouring by every means in their power to ascertain from whence the animals came, and as a precautionary and temporary measure a new area will be defined by the Irish Department, out of which the movement of animals will not be permitted until the inquiries are complete. But no suspicion now attaches to large districts in Ireland, and I propose to allow the imports of store cattle from those districts to be resumed on Wednesday next, subject, of course, to the detention of the cattle at the place of landing for a period of four days and their isolation and supervision at the farms to which they are moved for a further period of twenty-one days. Some curtailment of the existing scheduled area in Ireland will at the same time be made. The landing of animals for slaughter which are brought from the non-scheduled districts will continue as at present.

Have any steps been taken to confirm, or otherwise, the report he has received in respect to these heads?

Yes, Sir; we have been very careful to have the heads carefully examined. We are not prepared to depend purely on local opinion in that matter. I am afraid the statement I issued this morning is the result of a scientific inquiry.

Has the inspector seen the carcases of these animals to which these heads belonged, and, if so, does the disease appear in the carcases, for these heads may probably come from France?

No, Sir; I am afraid the information we have at present leads us to believe that they came from Londonderry. As I said, I can only give the information we have at present with reserve. The heads came over separated from the carcases as meat; they did not come over on live animals.

Has any Irish Cattle Trade Association intimated to the right hon. Gentleman that there would be the smallest use in the so-called concessions he has made to-day as to store cattle?

They have had no chance of communicating with me, as I have only made a communication to the House a few moments ago. I have no doubt that they will certainly value highly the advantage which will come to their trade through being allowed to import store cattle in this country.

Has the right hon. Gentleman traced any single case of disease to county Tyrone?

That question should be addressed to the Vice-President.

What is the new area?

I think it is accurate to say that after the Birkenhead inquiry, diseased cattle were traced to two places, one in Mid-Armagh and the other in South Tyrone. I wish to say, after conference with my right hon. Friend, I propose to go over the whole of the area scheduled afresh, to examine it critically and see whether I can give relief with safety. It will be done immediately.

What I want to know is whether any definite case has been traced to county Tyrone or not. Is it a fact that it was reported on Thursday evening to the Department in Dublin that there was a suspected case of foot-and-mouth disease at Greystones in the Castle Caul-field police district, that two inspectors for the Department arrived by motor-car and examined the suspected animal?

If the hon. Member wishes an answer to a question full of details like that, he must give notice.

Am I to understand that the standstill orders which are at present in force in part of county Monaghan will be reduced at least to movement out. wards?

I have already made up my mind, so far as regards most of the area that has been scheduled, that the standstill orders may be relaxed, and that movement into and within the area may be permitted, but hon. Members must give me a few hours, at all events, to look over it critically, and see what can safely be done.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that peculiar hardship is inflicted upon the Jewish community in London by the prohibition against Irish cattle at Deptford and Birkenhead; and what modifications in the Order of his Department will be made before Christmas?

An Order was issued on Wednesday last which permits of the landing of Irish cattle for slaughter both at Deptford and Birkenhead, if they are not brought from the district out of which movement is for the time being prohibited by the Irish Department. This Order will, I hope, remove any possibility of the occurrence of the special hardship to which the hon. Member refers.

asked if arrangements have been completed for landing Irish store cattle at Ayr and Greenock under quarantine restrictions, so that they may be, landed at those ports directly it is possible to again permit them to be landed at Dundee and authorised English ports?

Arrangements have been made which will enable Irish store cattle to be landed at Ayr, but it will be some little time before the necessary works are completed. The possibility of providing accommodation at Greenock is still under discussion with the Glasgow and South-Western Railway Company.

Will the arrangements be completed at Ayr before Christmas?

I cannot give a definite date, but I am afraid it will not be before Christmas. It is being pushed on as rapidly as possible by the Ayr Shipping Company and the other authorities concerned.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to an opinion from Mr. R. Ebbit, M.R.C.V.S., Oldcastle, county Meath, in which he refers to a form of non-contagious foot-and-mouth disease called my-coticstomatitis; and whether he has any official information as to its existence in Great Britain and Ireland?

My attention had not previously been called to the opinion expressed by Mr. Ebbit. It is well known that the disease known as stomatitis (inflammation of the mouth) occurs among cattle in Great Britain, and a number of cases have been found recently among cattle imported from Ireland. I must refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the vice-President for information as to its prevalence in that country. The disease is quite distinct from foot-and-mouth disease.

asked whether, once conditions return to normal, the importation of Irish cattle to England and Scotland will be permitted without restriction at landing ports as formerly?

I am afraid that I cannot, in any case, contemplate a return to the conditions existing prior to the discovery of foot-and-mouth disease in the animals brought from Swords in June last, and I am satisfied that it will be in the interests of all concerned that for the future animals brought from Ireland shall be landed at properly equipped landing places, where they can be rested, fed, watered, and closely inspected before they are moved inland. This will take some few hours. The arrangement will be of a permanent character, and such an arrangement will not only afford the officers of the Board a good opportunity of detecting any cases of disease, either amongst cattle, sheep, or swine, but will also lead to a substantial improvement in the condition in which they arrive at their destination, of which serious complaint has been made for many years past.

Does this not imply a direct vote of censure on the Irish Department?

Oh, no, not the very least. It is necessary that we should take care, when animals are landed in this country, that they should be carefully inspected, and rested and watered before being sent on by train.

Will it not be possible to establish in Ireland stations where the cattle might rest for some time and be examined, instead of having the examination done on this side?

Arrangements, which will be made by the Irish Department, provide for the animals to be rested before they go on board ship for a short time.

The right hon. Gentleman said a few hours' delay. Can he tell us how many hours?

I hope it will be done quite safely in twelve hours. At all events, we are fitting it in conveniently with the conditions of the trade.

Has the right hon. Gentleman the concurrence of the Irish Department?

Certainly. The Irish Department and my Department are working together in complete harmony.

Have the authorities been informed that these arrangements will be of a permanent character?

Those who have control of the trade know that these arrangements will be of a permanent character, and I have told many of them, personally, myself.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture when he proposes to open British ports to cattle from county Meath?

I cannot as yet make any announcement as to the date when shipments of animals from Meath can be allowed to be resumed. Everything depends upon the result of the efforts which are being made to locate any unreported cases of disease in the scheduled area, as to the existence of which there us been cause for suspicion. But I hope that the suspension of the trade, at any rate in fat stock for slaughter, may not be of long duration.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he has read and considered the opinion of Sir John McFadyean on foot-and-mouth disease to which his attention has been called?

The passage to which the hon. Member called my attention occurs in a report which was published in the "Journal of Comparative Pathology" in the year 1901. The question at issue cannot very conveniently be discussed in the course of a reply to a Parliamentary question, but I may point out that the immediate context to the passage to which the hon. Member has referred me contains a warning that even in doubtful cases it is wise to diagnose the affection provisionally as foot-and-mouth disease, and to take the usual precautions against the spread of infection. The decision of the veterinary officers of the Board in the particular cases presented to them for diagnosis has been arrived at after the closest scrutiny of the lesions present, and I see no reason to doubt the correctness of their conclusions.

Is it not in connection with the two unconfirmed cases, in which no other animals contracted the disease, that he has scheduled Meath and West Meath?

No, I cannot call them unconfirmed cases. They are confirmed as fully as they can be by the scientific men who act as my expert advisers.

Is it not a fact that no other beast has contracted the disease?

Of this herd I think up to the present none have shown signs of the disease, but that is by no means conclusive proof that precautions must not be taken.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether Sir John McFadyean has expressed the opinion that although the symptoms presented by a single animal may resemble those of the disease in question, the case may be set down as not foot-and-mouth disease when, in spite of abundant opportunities for infection, it does not spread to other cattle or to sheep?

That is in the nature of a speech. The hon. Member should give notice of the question.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether there have been any more outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease during the last four days either in Great Britain or Ireland; and whether lie has made or proposes to make any further alterations in the restrictions in operation last week?

No outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease have been reported to the Board, either in Great Britain or in Ireland, during the last few days. The restrictions in Kent are being gradually withdrawn in accordance with the Board's usual practice in such cases. As regards those in force with regard to the trade between the two countries, perhaps the hon. Member will allow me to refer him to the answer which I have just given to the hon. Member for East Limerick.

I beg to ask the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture, Ireland, a question of which I have given him private notice — namely, Whether he is in a position to announce a reduction of the scheduled area in Westmeath so as to allow free movement of animals in the parishes of Streete, Coole, Castlepollard, Finea, and Castletown, most of which lie seventeen miles from Mullin-gar, where the latest case of disease occurred thirty-nine days ago?

If the hon. Gentleman will raise the question to-night on the Adjournment or to-morrow, I will give an -answer.

Are we to understand the whole question of these scheduled areas is receiving consideration from the Department at the present moment?

Yes.

With a view to revision?

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if his attention has "been drawn to the expenditure of the French Government in encouraging experiments for the production of alcohol and other cheap spirits as a substitute for petrol; if the Development Board has funds available for a similar object; and, if so, why a sum cannot be set aside for the purpose?

The Board have no information with regard to the experiments to which the hon. Member refers in the first part of the question. The remaining parts of the question should be addressed to the Treasury.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture, as representing the First Commissioner of Woods, whether his attention has been called to a resolution passed by the Marylebone Borough Council protesting against the erection of any additional buildings in Regent's Park, and desiring that its value as an open space may be preserved for the use of the public; and whether the Government are prepared to give effect to this resolution by refusing to allow any buildings to be erected or any lands to be enclosed in the park, and throwing open to the public any lands now enclosed whenever leases fall in and a suitable opportunity arises?

The attention of the Commissioner of Woods, who has charge of the Crown estates in London, has been called to the resolution referred to. It is intended to retain, but not to increase, the number of residences at present in the park, and before the surrender or falling in of the lease of such a residence careful consideration is given by the Commissioner, in communication with the Office of Works, as to whether any and, if any, what land held with the house can, with advantage, be added to the area open to the public without unduly affecting the letting value of the residence, and wherever that can be done, land is added to the open area before granting a renewed lease.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that Scottish buyers have been in the habit of attending Gloucester and other west country markets, and have been induced to do so by reading the Board's Market Reports, hitherto applicable to the whole country; and whether, in view of the inconvenience and interference with trade likely to result from the publication of separate Reports by the English and Scottish Boards, respectively, he will consider, in conjunction with the Secretary for Scotland, the desirability of continuing the existing practice?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The Board are in communication with the Scottish Board of Agriculture, and it is hoped that the inconvenience to which the hon. Member refers will be minimised by an arrangement under which persons desiring copies of both sets of Returns will be able to obtain them without difficulty.

asked what is the estimated amount which will be available from the Treasury to pay compensation for animals slaughtered as tuberculous under the Milk and Dairies Bill; and whether and, if so, to what extent local authorities will be required to contribute to the cost of this process?

The compensation to which, I think, the hon. Member refers will be payable, not under the Milk and Dairies Bill, but in connection with the administration of the Board under the Diseases of Animals Acts. The Board propose to make an Order providing for the compulsory slaughter of bovine animals in certain cases suffering from tuberculosis, and for the payment of compensation by the local authorities. The Treasury have agreed to refund to the local authorities one-half of the net cost, and it is estimated that the amount so refunded by the Treasury will be £60,000 in the first year.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he proposes to allocate further moneys derived from the Development Fund or otherwise to the purposes of research in connection with the contagious diseases of animals, and, if so, of what amount; and whether, in promoting such research, he will take into account the expressed willingness of the agricultural departments of several Continental countries to co-operate in such work?

The Board hope shortly to submit to the Development Commissioners proposals for the establishment of a Be search Institution for the investigation of diseases of animals. It would be premature for me to make any statement as to the details of the proposals until the Development Commissioners have had an opportunity of considering them.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the parish council of Collingbourne Ducis, Wilts, were asked through the Marlborough post office if they had any objection to the proposal to close the post office on Thursdays from 1 o'clock; whether he received a copy of the resolutions of the parish council strongly protesting against the proposal, on the ground that it would cause inconvenience to the public, and suggesting that, if a weekly half-holiday was required, it should be arranged for by sending a relief clerk from Marlborough; and whether, in spite of this resolution, he has decided to close the post office on Thursdays from 1 o'clock on and after Thursday next, the 5th December?

The parish council were consulted, and I received a copy of the resolution in which the hon. Member refers. The suspension of post and telegraph business for a weekly half-holiday is now common at the smaller post offices-While the observations of the local authorities are invited on proposals such as this, they are not considered to have a right of veto on the extension of half-holidays. The business formerly done at Collingbourne Ducis Post Office on Thursday afternoons was small, and I do not think any more inconvenience can result from the weekly early closing than at the many other post offices where such arrangements have been introduced in similar circumstances without complaint. As, however, one of the sub-postmaster's staff has to be in attendance for another purpose I am arranging for telegrams to be accepted throughout the afternoon, and also for the office to be opened for half an hour before the despatch of the night mail for the sale of stamps and acceptance of parcels and registered letters.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has received memorials from the cities of Dundee, Arbroath, and Aberdeen urging the extension of the underground telegraph from Edinburgh to those cities; and whether, having in view the periodical overthrow of the overhead telegraph and the consequent disorganisation of business, as was recently exemplified by the storm of 26th and 27th November last, he can hold out any hope of getting this work carried out in the near future?

I have received memorials from these three cities, and I have agreed to receive a deputation soon after the Christmas Recess.

Will the right hon. Gentleman receive a representative from the Arbroath Chamber of Commerce?

I am most anxious that the deputation should be as representative as possible. I shall be very happy if the Arbroath Chamber of Commerce will send a representative.

asked the Post master-General whether he is aware that the telegraphic cable between the islands of Mull, Coll, and Tiree has been broken since the 22nd November, and that during this period the difficulty of communication has been seriously increased in consequence of the regular steamer having been withdrawn by the contractors, Messrs. D. MacBrayne and Co., Limited, of Glasgow, and an inferior boat substituted; whether he is aware that the inhabitants of the island of Mull are also complaining of the inefficiency of the boat at present supplied by the same contractors for the mail and passenger service of that island; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

Unless bad weather intervenes, I hope that, the cable will be repaired in the course of the next few days. I am aware of the circumstances as regards both the steamer services to which the hon. Member refers, and I am having inquiry made whether some improvement can be effected.

With regard to communication with the island of Tiree will the right hon. Gentleman be kind enough to bear in mind the fact that the existing telegraph service has broken down three times in the last twelve months, and that it always breaks down whenever there is a severe storm, and will he also bear in mind the fact that the inefficiency of the mail service is notorious, and will he consider the advisability of establishing a system of wireless telegraphy?

I will certainly make careful inquiry into the circumstances to which the hon. Gentleman has called attention.

asked the Postmaster-General if he has received a petition from Papa Westray praying that telegraphic communication be established with the island of Westray, and if he will inquire into the circumstances of the case; and if the Post Office would bear the same proportion of the cost as they have done in other cases?

I received the petition on the 12th instant and am enquiring into the circumstances.

asked the Postmaster General, if he will direct that in future the telephone directory may be rid of advertisements; that no distinction with regard to type or space may be given in the directory to individual subscribers; and that a somewhat larger or clearer printing of figures, in the interests of short-sighted people, may be undertaken?

I do not think that the large financial sacrifice which would result from adopting the first two suggestions of the hon. Member would be justified. The question of the clearer printing of figures in the Directory is already under consideration.

May I ask if the telephone books of other nations have been brought to the notice of the right hon. Gentleman?

I must ask for notice of any question relating to telephone books. I have seen them, but I cannot give any information about them at present.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can make arrangements for firms, companies, and individuals who require to post large numbers of letters at the same time to have facilities for handing them in direct at the Post Office instead of putting them in the ordinary pillar and other letter boxes, and thus save the time both of the public and the postmen, particularly in view of the risk of damage to correspondence deposited in the pillar-boxes which at present exists?

Any batch of letters for the post can, under the ordinary regulations, be collected from the sender's premises, if the postage amounts to £10, and if reasonable notice is given beforehand. Generally special arrangements are made where any considerable quantity of letters is being regularly sent by any one person. In view of the fact that, according to the reports that have at present reached me, not a single letter has been destroyed in the recent malicious attempts upon pillar-boxes, I do not consider that the circumstances require the imposition upon the counter staff of the additional work which would be involved by the adoption of the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what was the amount of all printed matter produced outside Ireland and sent into that country during the past three years from the Stationery Office, London, or from any other Government Department for use in Ireland?

All Government printing for use in Ireland is done in that country whenever practicable. I am unable to give exact particulars of such exceptions as may have occurred, but they are very small and infrequent.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the superior duties performed by second officers of Customs ceased on the 1st April, 1909, when the £ 10 allowances were withdrawn; whether he can state why a £10 allowance was paid to Customs officers transferred to the Excise while the allowance was discontinued in the case of second officers, although serving under practically identical conditions in regard to irregular attendance?

The duties performed by second officers of Customs did not cease on the 1st April, 1909, but from the date on which the £10 allowance was discontinued the improved scale of salary was granted. As regards the remaining part of the question, I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member on the 7th August last, except that the £10 allowance recommended by the Amalgamation Committee as compensation for diminuition of overtime earnings, to which the hon. Member appears to refer, has since been assigned to all officers, including second officers, who were entitled to receive it. This latter allowance has no connection whatever with the abolished £10 allowance to second officers.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether there is any precedent for reducing the rate of pay to which a group of Civil servants are at any given time actually entitled; whether he is aware that the Committee for the Amalgamation of the Customs and Excise de- clared the principle of reduction to be inequitable even where reforms might have-been cited by "way of compensation, and that, in spite of this, the Board of Customs and Excise have reduced the rates of certain officers from 2s. to 1s. 6d. per hour; and will he say whether this departure from the ruling as to reduction laid down by the Hobhouse Commission will be put right by restoring to such officers the rates which they were receiving prior to 1st December?

The new scale of overtime pay gives certain officers a lower rate than the old scale at one stage of their service, but it gives them a higher rate at another. I am not aware that the Amalgamation Committee imposed any such limitation with regard to the rate of overtime pay as the hon. Member suggests. I cannot admit the principle that one point in the new scale should be considered entirely apart from the rest of the scale, and from other changes which have been made in connection with overtime. Taking the whole of the circumstances into account, I see no reason, as I informed the hon. Member on the 27th ultimo, for departing from the new scale.

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider whether, in view of the duties of the officers, it is equitable to reduce the rates they have been actually receiving? It seems very unfair to do so.

It is a question of the rates for overtime, and I think, considering the length of the overtime, they will make up for it on the new scale.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if the Lords of the Treasury will give favourable consideration to an application by Mr. J. E. C. Larter to be granted a year's salary, with the usual curtailed superannuation allowance, in terms of Circular 17,219/470 of 12th October, 1910, on his retirement this month from the prison service, notwithstanding his having omitted to avail himself at the proper time of the terms of the minute embodied in the circular; and, in considering the merits of the application as an exceptional case, will they keep in view that Mr. Larter is compelled to retire on the grounds of ill-health, after thirty-three years' service, and take into account the special circumstances set forth in his application?

I regret that I do not see my way to accede to this application. Mr. Larter has been awarded the pension for which he is qualified under the Superannuation Act, 1859.

asked the Prime Minister whether it is proposed to introduce, as a Government measure, a measure for the payment of common jurymen?

The question of the constitution of juries is now being inquired into by a Departmental Committee of which Lord Mersey is the chairman. Until their Report is received I cannot say what steps it may be desirable for the Government to take.

asked if a record has been kept of appointments in the Civil Service without open competition since a Select. Committee was set up early in the year to deal with this question; and if he will give particulars of such appointments?

A record of all appointments made to situations comprised in Schedule A of the Order in Council of 10th January, 1910, is kept by the Civil Service Commissioners. Statistics as to all certificates issued by the Commissioners under Clause 7 of that Order during the years 1901–11 may be found in the first Appendix to the first Report of the Royal Commission on the Civil Service, to which body the hon. Member presumably refers. A Return setting forth the name, age, and date of appointment, salary, address at time of appointment, and occupation for the five years preceding the appointment of each person appointed without competitive examination to any position in the public service, from 27th February, 1912, to 1st November, 1912, with an annual salary of £100 and upwards, is now in preparation, and will be laid before the House in compliance with the Order of 1st November.

asked the Prime Minister if his attention has been called to the Clerks of Sessions (Scotland) Bill introduced by the Lord Advocate; and whether, in view of the fact that this is the only Bill introduced into this Parliament which reduces the number of officials and thereby effects a saving to the public Exchequer, he will grant facilities for its speedy passage throught his House?

I can give no pledge on the subject, but I understand the Bill is uncontroversial.

As the number of officials has been increased since 1908 by over 4,000, will this Bill reduce them by one?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is only one Member on the Opposition side who is enthusiastically in favour of this Bill—the hon. Baronet the Member for the City of London?

That is a very important fact.

asked whether it is obligatory for every member of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to belong to the Church of England?

The Act requires that every Commissioner, before acting under the Commission, shall make a declaration that he is a member of the Church of England.

Is it sufficient to have a declaration by a gentleman who has habitually taken advantage of the Toleration Act and says in this House that he is not a member of the Church?

I do not know-to what the hon. Member refers.

asked the Prime Minister, in view of the fact that the High Court has declared to be unlawful the levy between 6th April and 7th August of this year by the deduction of the Bum of £980,000 Income Tax, when no Act of Parliament imposing that tax had yet passed, and in view of the further fact that Mr. Gibson Bowles has consequently obtained repayment from the Bank of England, and still retains, the sum of £52 10s. 8d.,a portion of that £980,000, does he propose to order repayment of the rest of that sum thus unlawfully deducted; does he propose to admonish or otherwise punish the officers of Inland Revenue who, in obedience to an unlawful order from the Commissioners of the Treasury, induced various bankers and others to make the unlawful deduction; does he propose to introduce a Bill of Indemnity for those responsible for the unlawful levies in question; and what steps does he propose to take to prevent such unlawful levies in the future?

Before the right hon. Gentleman answers this question, may I ask whether the illegal practice alleged in. this question was first established seventy years ago under the Tory regime by Sir Robert Peel?

In reply to the first and last parts of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answers given by myself to the hon. and learned Member for St. Pancras West on the 6th November, and by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Dulwich on the 14th November. I do not propose to take the action suggested in the question with regard to the officers of the Inland Revenue Department. In reply to the other question which was asked by my hon. Friend (Mr. Swift MacNeill) the statement which he makes is strictly accurate.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the question was put down for the Prime Minister in his capacity as First Lord of the Treasury and because it impugned the conduct of the Second Lord the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and if the Prime Minister is not pleased to answer is it not the case, first, that the Prime Minister has the responsibility as First Lord of the Treasury, and that the Inland Revenue Commissioners have no responsi- bility as they are bound by Statute to obey the Treasury?

That is a question of which the hon. Member ought to give notice.

If I put the question down, may I ask whether the Prime Minister will answer it? I advisedly put this question down to be answered by the Prime Minister as First Lord of the Treasury.

The administrative business of the Treasury is under the control of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

May I ask whether, since the days of Sir Robert Walpole, the Prime Minister has not been First Lord of the Treasury in order that the responsibility might be on his part?

That requires some historical research.

asked when it is proposed to take the Second Reading of the Railways (No. 2) Bill; and whether, in view of the novelty of the principles embodied in this Bill and its varied effect upon different classes and trade interests in the country, the Prime Minister will allow at least one full day for its consideration?

I cannot yet say when the Bill will be taken, nor what time can be devoted to it. The Government must not be held to admit the accuracy of the suggestion that a novel principle is involved.

asked whether it is proposed at any time to bring in a Bill which will include those Clauses in the interests of traders which were included in the Railways (No. 1) Bill, but have been left out of the Railways (No. 2) Bill?

It is a matter of considerable regret to my right hon. Friend that the opposition of traders and others to the Railways (No. 1) Bill made it impossible for him to deal this Session with its main provisions, many of which were in the interests of the traders. He hopes to be able to reintroduce the Bill in an amended form next Session.

asked whether the Prime Minister is aware that certain Members of the House of Commons believe that the result of carrying an Amendment to the Franchise and Registration Bill enfranchising women would be the resignation of the Prime Minister and the break up of the Ministry; whether this is contrary to his own declarations upon this subject; and whether he adheres to his statement that the Government as a whole will accept and carry out the decision of the House upon this question, so that Members may cast a free and unfettered vote solely on the merits of Woman Suffrage?

I am not aware that any such belief exists among Members of the House of Commons or of any ground upon which it is supposed to rest. My public declarations on the subject are on record, and are perfectly plain and explicit.

Is the right hon. Gentleman prepared to assent to a policy which he has described as a "national disaster"?

If the hon. Member misquotes me he must put the question down.

Will the right hon. Gentleman state when the Committee stage of the Franchise Bill will be taken?

It will be taken after Christmas.

Has the right hon. Gentleman seen the letter written by the hen. Member for West Donegal in which the rumour appears?

I have nothing to add to the answer I have given.

asked how many Advisory Committees have been appointed to collaborate with the Lord Chancellor with regard to the appointment of magistrates in counties and boroughs, respectively; how many magistrates have been asked to attend to "their fair share of magisterial duties or to resign, and how many have resigned; how many, failing resignation, have been removed; how many have been transferred; how the proportion of magistrates to population is fixed; and what is this proportion?

The hon. Member's question has been communicated to the Lord Chancellor. It involves much detail, and an answer would require time to prepare. If the hon. Member presses the matter, I would suggest for his consideration whether it would not be more convenient if he were to move for a Return.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can furnish detailed information as to the case of the ss. "Durham," which vessel left the Soroka, in the White Sea, on 20th October last with a heavy deck-load and arrived recently in the United Kingdom, having carried away her deck-load and sustained considerable structural damage as a result, and is now undergoing repairs at Barry Docks; whether he will take steps to have all cases of structural damage to vessels and injury to officers or crew due to deck-loads reported to the Board of Trade in future; and whether he will issue a tabulated Return of the cases reported in 1913?

The "Durham" left Soroka, White. Sea, on 21st October, and arrived at London on 2nd November, where she discharged her cargo of deals, battens, and boards. I am informed that the vessel met with heavy weather on the voyage and parts of her deck cargo were carried away. The starboard rigging shroud was broken and the foremast was sprung and buckled. The bridge, deck, and chart-house rails and stanchions were damaged, and also some of the hatches. Two of the hold ventilators were broken and sundry deck fittings damaged. Reports of casualties to ships registered in the United Kingdom are already received by the Board of Trade, and I am arranging for the reports of casualties due to the loss of deck-loads to be specially tabulated for the year 1913.

Will the tables to which the hon. Gentleman refers include a report of vessels whose superstructure has been damaged because of deck cargo, even without loss of life?

I will see whether those figures can be obtained.

Is it not possible to prohibit deck cargoes altogether?

That matter is under consideration, but I cannot promise.

If deck loads are prohibited on English ships would it not be another handicap in competition with foreign nations?

asked whether the President of the Board of Trade can give any information as to why the tests in colour vision applied to those serving in the mercantile marine are different from those serving in the Royal Navy; whether it has been brought to his knowledge that the present wool tests, which are now in vogue at Board of Trade examinations, are wholly discredited in the way of reliability; and whether he will take into consideration the desirability of abolishing both present and proposed Board of Trade tests for colour blindness, with a view to substituting practical tests in colour vision under conditions as they prevail at sea and under the ordinary circumstances of service in the mercantile marine?

The whole question of the colour vision tests applied to candidates for certificates of competency in the mercantile marine has been fully investigated by a strong Departmental Committee, and the tests which they have recommended for adoption will be brought into force at an early date. The reasons which led the Committee to recommend these tests will be found stated in their Report. I would refer the hon. Member to the Admiralty for information as to their reasons for adopting the colour visions tests used for officers in the Royal Navy.

In view of the fact that a very large number at present employed in the merchant service may be required to enter into the Admiralty service, does the hon. Gentleman not think it desirable to have the same colour vision test in both services?

That is a question for the Admiralty. The Board of Trade is proceeding on the recommendations of the Departmental Committee.