asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland how many applications have been made for the Attorney-General's fiat for prosecutions in Ireland under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1906; and on how many occasions permission to bring proceedings has been refused?

There have been eight applications. On two occasions the fiat has been refused.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether recruiting officers are employed to get recruits for the Territorial Force, at salaries of 30s. a week and 2s. 6d. for each recruit enrolled; and, if so, why it is found necessary to adopt this new method of obtaining recruits for a Volunteer Force?

Permission was granted in February last to any Territorial Force Association which had realised surplus funds to pay a recruiting reward not exceeding 1s. 6d. should the association consider such a course advisable as an experiment for a year only. No authority has been given for the employment of-paid recruiters. Nothing is known at the War Office of the case mentioned. If the hon. Gentleman can supply me with details, I will make inquiry.

asked the Under-Secretary for India whether he is aware that the average lowest price of silver as quoted in London from 1873 to 1887 was as high as 50 l–16d. an ounce, as against only 39 5–8d. for the years 1888 to 1893; that 29 per cent. of the depreciation took place in a period of only fifteen months on the closing of the Indian mints in 1893, when all future contracts became subjected to a daily settlement for gambling differences; that the price gradually fell in a state of panic by 1902 to 24d.; and whether he will cause inquiries to be made as to whether there have been any other root causes at work to account for the price depreciation since 1888 other than the introduction into London in that year of this metal as a gambling commodity under the bear and bull systems of options and futures?

The average lowest prices of silver for the periods 1873 to 1887 and 1888 to 1893, as given in the first part of the question, appear to be approximately correct; but the calculation that 29 per cent. of the depreciation took place in fifteen months on the closing of the Indian mints cannot be verified. The lowest price reached in 1902 appears to have been 21 ll–16d. It would not be within the Secretary of State's province to institute inquiries such as are suggested in the latter part of the question.

asked the Secretary for Scotland, whether he can state the number of old age pensioners in the county of Dumfriesshire, and the total amount of the payments in pensions paid to them during the last administrative year?

The number of old age pensioners in the county of Dumfriesshire on the last Friday in March, 1912, was 1,665, and the cost of their pensions in the financial year 1911–12 is estimated at approximately £21,300.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture what Grants are made by his Department for the building, equipment, and upkeep of farm institutes?

The terms on which these Grants are to be made have not yet been finally settled.