asked the President of the Board of Trade whether workmen who for a time have had to pay for unemployment benefit under Part II. of the National Insurance Act, and who have later been declared to be outside an insured trade, are entitled to have their payments returned to them; and if so, how?

In cases where contributions have been paid under Part II. of the National Insurance Act, and the Umpire has subsequently decided that such contributions are not payable, application for a refund of such contribution will be entertained by the Board of Trade. These applications must be made on the prescribed forms, which are obtainable at any Labour Exchange or other local office of the Unemployment Fund.

asked the President of the-Board of Trade whether he can take steps, to ascertain the cost incurred in administration charges by trade unions who have newly provided an unemployment benefit for their members to permit of their being: able to also receive the State unemployment benefit through the union; and whether, in view of the expense to some unions, he will consider the fairness of some financial relief for the expenses involved in meeting the requirements of the Act?

As was pointed out in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Dundee, on 23rd October, the Board have no power to make any direct payment on account of administration expenses in cases such as those to which my hon. Friend refers, but an association making an arrangement of this kind can obtain from the State an additional refund under Section 106. This provision was intended to cover any increase in the association's cost of administration, and I have no reason to think that it is insufficient for the purpose.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will call the attention of the Welsh Insurance Commissioners to the fears of workmen that the use of obliterating stamps of distinctive shapes or colours by different employers may defeat the intention of the National Insurance Act as to the neutral effect of insurance cards upon the leaving or seeking for employment; and whether he will insist on a uniform shape and colour in obliterating stamps?

I do not think there is any ground for the fears suggested in the question; but if a workman thinks that the method of cancellation adopted by his late employer may have some significance for other employers he can always obtain a new card on changing his employment. Uniformity in cancellation is impracticable, for even if uniform shape and colour were insisted on (and this would be a considerable hardship to employers and makers of cancelling stamps) the date could still be impressed on the stamps at various angles according to the meaning desired to be conveyed, and a uniform angle could scarcely be enforced.

asked the President of the Local Government Board what sums had up to the 1st January, 1913, been granted for the provision of sanatoria and other institutions for the treatment of tuberculosis under the National Insurance Act, 1911, in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, respectively?

The Local Government Board are only concerned with the distribution of the capital Grant in England. No capital Grants have been actually distributed towards buildings, but the Board are negotiating with many local authorities in regard to schemes, and in some cases the arrangements have so far advanced as to enable the Board to promise Grants subject to the concurrence of the Treasury.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that Percy R. Darken, of 223, Clarence Buildings, N.W., being an insured person, was duly recommended for treatment for tuberculosis in his home; that the doctor having charge of the case ordered supplementary diet and bedding and daily visits by a nurse as absolutely essential for the treatment of the case; that the Committee declined to supply these necessaries and, through their clerk, informed the doctor that the treatment ordered by him could not be supplied but must be obtained from the local authority, or the man must be sent to the infirmary; that for some time the treatment ordered was supplied by charity, and that the patient died on 7th January, 1913; and whether he will take steps to see that persons entitled to sanatorium benefit receive the necessaries ordered as being essential by the doctor?

The order for special bedding and other articles for the patient referred to was rather a substantial one, and some of the items required examination to see whether they were really ancillary to his treatment within the limits imposed by the Act. The committee did not decline to supply him with the articles in question, and their cost, amounting to about £10, is being defrayed by the London Insurance Committee.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether any, and, if so, what reply has been given to those insured persons who have applied to be allowed to make their own arrangements for medical attendance and treatment, as provided for in Section 15 (3) of the National Insurance Act?

asked how many applications for permission to contract out of the National Insurance Act for medical treatment have been received by the London County Insurance Committee; and how many by all the committees in Great Britain?

The responsibility for deciding upon applications from insured persons to be allowed to make their own arrangements under Section 15 (3) of the National Insurance Act rests in the first instance with the several insurance committees to whom such applications are made. The committees will require to be satisfied as to the special circumstances of each particular case, and as to the acceptance by the doctor of the conditions required by the regulations as to reports, certificates, and evidence of satisfactory service; and will also, in dealing with all the applications in their area have regard to the general interests of the insured persons in that area. The number of applications received by the committees could not be obtained without a special return from all the committees, which would involve considerable labour at a time of great pressure, and would possess no practical value.

asked the total number of doctors on the London panels after eliminating repetitions of names of practitioners who appear on more than one list?

The total number of different doctors who have signed agreements to attend insured persons with the London Insurance Committee, and whose names have been issued on the borough lists, is 780. Some more names have been received since these lists were printed, and I understand that the number is now nearly 800.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) under what Section of what Act his Department has power to enforce upon stock owners compulsory charges for the feeding of animals at the port of embarkation?

I beg to refer the hon. Member to Sections 22 and 6a of the Diseases of Animals Act, 1894, and Section 2 of the Agriculture and Technical Instruction (Ireland) Act, 1899.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that an old woman over seventy years of age, named Winifred Deignan, was allowed an old age pension at Castlerea on the 3rd October last by the Castlerea sub-committee; that this pension was disallowed by the Excise officer, who gave as his reason that she had given over her farm to her son, who is a married man; and that she is now dependent on what he allows her; and whether, seeing that this woman is unable to work the farm herself, the Local Government Board will reconsider the case?

The facts are as stated. The pension was, however, not disallowed by the pension officer, but by the Local Government Board on appeal under Section 4 (3) of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1908. The claimant, in April last, transferred her farm of ten acres of good and well-stocked land to her married son, who had been living with her for about four years, and the Board accordingly decided her case as being within the scope of the Section of the Act above referred to.

asked the President of the Local Government Board how many old age pensioners there are in the administrative county of the Parts of Lindsey, and what is the total amount they receive per annum; also the number of persons over seventy years of age in receipt of out- door relief in the Poor Law unions of Glanford Brigg, Gainsborough, Lincoln, and Thorne, separately, on 31st December, 1908, and 31st December, 1912, respectively, and the amount of relief paid weekly in each union in respect of such persons on the two dates named?

I will send to my hon. Friend shortly a statement giving particulars, so far as they are available, as regards the points mentioned.

asked what were the qualifications or previous experience of Mr. Pack Beresford, who was recently appointed Poor Law inspector of the Irish Local Government Board?

Mr. Pack Beresford has been in the employment of the Local Government Board from time to time since August, 1904. His first appointment was that of temporary auditor and then he acted as a temporary Poor Law inspector. He was subsequently employed as a temporary inspector under the Labourers Acts and also, by special order of the Board, was appointed to perform the duties of the Bawnboy Rural District Council under the Labourers Acts. Prior to his employment under the Board, he acted as a land agent for five years.

asked whether the Estates Commissioners received a memorial signed by the tenants on the Montgomery, Hamilton, Johnston, Towns-end, and Massey estates, county Leitrim, pointing out the losses, hardships, and inconveniences they suffer for want of a road leading through these estates to the neighbouring towns of Drumkeerin and Dowra; and whether the Commissioners would favourably consider their memorial and make the road or give a Grant-in-Aid of the same?

The Estates Commissioners have received the memorial referred to, but cannot see their way to take any action in the matter.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Return of Irish salaried officials, of which notice now stands on the Order Paper, will be granted: ["Return of all the salaried officials of all the Gov- ernment Departments in Ireland, setting forth in each case the name, present official position, date of appointment, age at that date, whether the appointment was by (a) nomination without examination, (b) nomination with limited competition, or (c) nomination with qualifying examination, present salary, date when pension will accrue, amount of pension in normal course, total of present salaries for each Department, and total for all the Departments."]

The hon Member will find in the annual estimates full information as to the total amount of salaries for each Department in Ireland. A Return is being prepared in continuation of Parliamentary Paper No. 326 of 1911, giving particulars as to salaried officials appointed by nomination, with or without examination. No accurate information could be given regarding the dates when pensions will accrue or as to the amounts of the pensions, as it would be impossible to foretell the effects of deaths, promotions, and other changes. In these circumstances, and in view of the great expense and the immense amount of labour involved in the preparation of such a Return, I cannot see my way to consent to its being granted.

asked what date the control of the Ballinakilla graveyard was handed over by the Commissioners of Church Temporalities in Ireland to the Kanturk Rural District Council; when the clerk to the Kanturk Council was notified of this change; was the approval of the Commissioners of Church Temporalities in Ireland obtained for the erection of a galvanised shed within the enclosure; and will this building be removed if a request is made to that effect?

The burial ground of Ballinakilla was, pursuant to the provisions of the 26th Section of the Irish Church Act, 1869, and the 161st Section of the Public Health (Ireland) Act, 1878, vested by the Irish Church Temporalities Commission in the Burial Board of the Kanturk Union (the rural sanitary authority) by Order dated the 5th August, 1880. The records of the Church Temporalities Commission contain no information as to the galvanised iron shed referred to in the question. The Irish Land Commission as successors to the Church Temporalities Commission has no further control in the matter.

asked if the Commissioners of National Education have in former years asked the Irish Government and the Treasury for sanction for the payment of fees for the teaching of Irish to the children in the junior standards in the national schools, and if such sanction has always been refused; and, if so, what were the reasons for the refusal?

Proposals of the nature indicated have been made by the Commissioners of National Education, and have been laid before the Treasury, but they have been unable to agree to them.

asked what was the amount provided in their estimates by the Commissioners of National Education for the payment of fees for the teaching of Irish in national schools in the school years 1908–9, 1909–10, 1910–11, and 1911–12, respectively; and what was the amount actually paid in fees for the teaching of Irish in each of those years?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that the amount provided in the estimate for Public Education (Ireland) for the payment of fees for the teaching of Irish in national schools (both in bilingual schools and as an extra subject) in the school years 1908–9, 1909–10, 1910–11, and 1911–12, and the amounts actually paid in fees for the teaching of Irish in each of these years were as follows:—

School years.		Estimate,	Expenditure,
1908–9	…	£19,300	£14,899
1909–10	…	£17,000	£13,206
1910–11	…	£15,500	£12,113
1911–12	…	£14,000	£10,644

The payments for 1911–12 are not yet complete; the amount here given is the expenditure recorded up-to-date.

asked what was the amount of expenditure for the last financial year for administration and for inspection, respectively, of reformatory and industrial schools in Ireland?

The amount of expenditure for the last financial year for administration of reformatory and industrial schools in Ireland was £2,526, and for inspection £458.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in the case of an officer recently discharged with disgrace from His Majesty's Navy for embezzlement of public money and in debt to his mess on discharge, the Admiralty decided that his mess debt could not be defrayed out of the sum to his credit on discharge and forfeited to the Crown, as that sum had to be set off against the amount he had embezzled; whether in this case the officer was appointed to the ship to await court-martial, and therefore by the King's Regulations was obliged to join the mess and to pay 2s. a day messing subscription; and whether, in cases of embezzlement of mess money and the offender is dismissed with disgrace, it is the Admiralty rule to grant to the mess any pay due on discharge as a set-off against the amount embezzled?

The facts are generally as stated. The Admiralty are advised that they have no power to appropriate any of the balance of pay, which is forfeited in such cases under Section 53 of the Naval Discipline Act, to meet mess liabilities.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any person at the Admiralty gave or authorised information to the Press that the Naval Estimates are to be raised in the next financial year to £50,000,000; and whether information on naval affairs and naval expenditure will be given in the first place to Parliament, and only through Parliament to the public?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the negative, and to the second part in the affirmative.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the fact that the list of lieutenants in the Navy is over 100 short, he proposes still further to increase this shortage by appointing naval lieutenants to the Royal Flying Corps; and, if not, how he proposes to obtain sufficient pilots for the permanent establishment of the Naval Wing of the Royal Flying Corps?

Lieutenants of the Royal Navy will be appointed to the Royal Flying Corps in such numbers as may be necessary, due regard being had to the requirements of the Service in other directions. In addition to naval lieutenants, Royal Marine officers and officers of other branches of the Royal Navy, and officers of the Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve will be appointed to the Royal Flying Corps, and civilian aviators will be accepted in such numbers as may be necessary, being granted commissions in the Reserve Forces. It is also expected that a certain number of competent pilots may be obtained from warrant officers and men of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has any official information showing that the Imperial German Navy has modified its shipbuilding programme by building six armoured cruisers instead of six protected cruisers as laid down in its published statement; and whether, instead of laying down twelve destroyers last year according to the published programme, it in fact laid down twenty four, and is now about a full year ahead of its normal destroyer programme?

The German Navy Estimates do not recognise the classification of armoured and protected cruisers, but only those of large and small cruisers. It is understood that some of the latter are protected by a certain amount of vertical armour.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the case of Mrs. Ellen Meaney, of Limerick, who asks that her son, Private John Meaney, a boy enlisted in the 2nd Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers, Mal-placquet B. K. L., North Camp, Aldershot, should be discharged and returned to her as he was under age when he enlisted and even now is still under age, as shown by his birth certificate; and whether, seeing the poverty of this woman and her claim that she wants her son's help to support the rest of her family, this woman's prayer will be granted and her son discharged?

Inquiries shall be made into this case and my hon. Friend will be informed of the result as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that, as the result of the permission granted to the honorary secretary of the St. George, Hanover Square, branch of the Soldiers and Sailors Families Association to receive the pensions of those Army pensioners in the workhouse of that district who agreed to the arrangement and to pay them out weekly instead of quarterly, seven out of nine pensioners who were previously in the workhouse have since maintained themselves outside; and whether, seeing that the post offices now pay out old age pensions weekly, he can arrange for Army pensions to be paid in a similar manner, and the benefits found to accrue therefrom extended to all parts of the country?

I am glad to learn that the arrangements made with the branch of the association in question have been so satisfactory. I am considering whether some means can be devised for making more generally known amongst those who are good enough to take an interest in individual pensioners the arrangements referred to by my predecessor in reply to a question put by my hon. Friend the Member for the North Division of Salford on 25th February, 1908. The arrangements referred to are as follows:—

(a) The payment monthly of all pensioners who desire to be so paid, or where it is clearly shown that, owing to their thriftless or drunken habits, such payment would be advisable.

(b) The payment weekly of pensioners in cases where they become chargeable to the guardians, and the latter recommend and are willing to undertake the issue in that way.

(c) The payment weekly of pensioners by responsible persons who are willing to receive the pension quarterly and dole it out weekly to the pensioner.

asked the President of the Board of Education what is the average rate of aid Grant in England per scholar for administrative counties, county boroughs, and for London, respectively; and why this Grant has been so arranged that London must receive a greatly diminished sum per child compared with the rest of England?

The average rate of aid Grant per scholar for England is:—

In administrative counties	…	9s.	4d.
In county boroughs	…	9s.	6d.
In London	…	7s.	4½d.

The variation in the rate of Grant per scholar in different authorities is due to the provisions of Section 10 of the Education Act, 1902, in which the rate at which the Grant is to be paid is laid down.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether the new education scheme outlined by the Lord Chancellor was prepared in his Department after a careful study of the methods adopted in Germany?

asked whether it is proposed in the scheme of education outlined by the Lord Chancellor in his speech at Manchester on 10th January to deal with the religious question in elementary schools; and, if so, whether the new Bill will proceed on the lines of the first, second, third, or fourth Education Bills of the present Government?

My right hon. Friend must refer hon. Members to the answer already given by the Prime Minister on the subject of the Lord Chancellor's speech.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that Mr. Hudspeth, junior inspector of mines, visited the Wharncliffe Silkstone Collieries on 26th November last, after an explosion had taken place, and examined the clothing of some of the men for matches, etc., in the men's absence; and whether, in view of the provisions of Section 35, Sub-section (3), of the Coal Mines, 1911, and of the powers and duties conferred upon inspectors of mines by Section 98, Sub-section (1) (i.), (ii.), (iii.), and (iv.), he proposes to take any steps to prevent such action being taken in the future?

My right hon. Friend is informed that the inspector, in the course of his inspection on the occasion mentioned, found that the management of the mine were not complying with the requirement of the Act as to searching of men before commencement of work, and in view of this he examined in the presence of the manager and under-manager some of the men's coats which were hanging on the side of the road. Section 98 of the Act gives the inspector power to examine all matters or things relating to the safety of the men below ground, and in view of the importance of the matter the Secretary of State would not feel justified in laying down a rule that an inspector should in no circumstances examine clothing found below ground. It is a power, however, which would only require to be used on rare occasions, and should always be exercised, if possible, in the presence of representatives of the men. The inspectors are being instructed accordingly.

asked whether the Home Secretary is aware that at some large collieries where safety lamps are used each lamp is numbered and each man has a lamp of his own; whether he will provide, in pursuance of Section 86 of the Coal Mines Act, 1911, when dealing with safety lamps, that all such lamps shall be numbered, and each man working in the mine shall be supplied each day with his own lamp when it is in proper condition, and, if he is given another lamp other than his own, the number of the lamp and the date shall be recorded in a book kept at the mine for that purpose?

My right hon. Friend is aware that the arrangement mentioned is adopted at a number of collieries. The Act of last Session, while providing that a record shall be kept at the mine of the men to whom the several lamps are given out, does not require that every man shall always have the same lamp; and the Secretary of State is advised that, though the arrangement is question is perhaps the most satisfactory way of carrying out the requirement in the Act, a case could hardly be made out on grounds of safety for rendering its adoption compulsory.

asked the Home Secretary when his proposal with regard to commutation in respect of existing interests of holders of ecclesiastical offices in the Church in Wales will be circulated; and whether he will, at the same time, circulate all the proposed consequential Amendments of the Established Church (Wales) Bill?

My right hon. Friend is not in a position to name a definite date, but he hopes to circulate the Paper within a week. He will consider the suggestion made in the latter part of the Noble Lord's question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, under the Established Church. (Wales) Bill, as worded at present, certain churchyards may be transferred to parish councils; if so, would the buildings thereon also be transferred, such as church houses and schools; and whether parish councils could, if they wished, erect in the said churehyards secular buildings thereon—For example, council schools or parish halls?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The answer to the second part of the question appears to be in the negative, but I should like the hon. Member to give me any particular instances which he has in mind. The answer to the last part is in the negative.

asked the Prime Minister whether he still adheres to his statements, made in this House on 26th April, 1895, that no less than £1,750,000 was paid to the curates of Ireland on the Disestablishment of the Irish Church and that there was an extraordinary and unprecedented multiplication of curates; and whether the Government will resist a repetition of this course of events in connection with Welsh Disestablishment?

I have no doubt my statement was accurate, and I think it would be undesirable that what took place in Ireland in this matter should be repeated elsewhere.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Secretary of State will move the Government of India to publish the Report of Mr. D. J. M'Pherson, Commissioner of Burdwan, who was sent by Sir Andrew Fraser, late Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, to Midnapur to inquire into the allegations made by the plaintiffs in the Midnapur suit?

The Government of India are considering the question.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether Indian military widows' pensions were established when the exchange value of the rupee was 2s. 3d.; and whether it was on that basis that such widows are given full pensions in sterling if they reside out of India at the expense of the Indian taxpayer; whether, as the military widows' fund was instituted by the officers concerned and not by the Government, he will consider whether an equitable claim exists for payment to the widow while residing in India at the rate of exchange which ruled at the time of founding of the fund; whether the extra charge on Indian revenues would be counterbalanced by the fact that the pensions would be wholly spent in India; and whether he will consider the desirability of securing to the widows in question the benefit of the Henley Clause conceded to pensioners of the Indian Army when the Crown took over the direct government of India?

The old Indian military widows' pension funds were established at different dates, and various rates of exchange were applied in the transactions of the funds; but 2s. 3d. the rupee may be taken as approximately the rate at which the pensions, which were fixed in rupees, were converted into sterling for payment to widows resident out of India. Notwithstanding the consequent heavy loss to Indian revenues due to the great fall in exchange, such pensions are still paid to residents out of India at the approximate rate of 2s. 3d. under the guarantee given in the Act 29 Vict. cap. 18, the second section of which follows the principle of the Henley Clause in Act 23 and 24 Vict. cap. 100. Act the time of the transfer of the funds to Government, and since, concessions have been made to widows which go beyond the terms of the guarantee, and the Secretary of State is not disposed to place a further additional charge on Indian revenues, which would not, in his opinion, be justified by the possibility of the expenditure of increased pensions in India.

asked the President of the. Local Government Board the amount raised by local taxation in Wales and Monmouthshire during the last year for which official figures are available; and what was the amount of Government Grants in aid of such local taxation during the same year?

The particulars asked for as regards Wales and Monmouthshire are as follows for the year ended March, 1911:

	£
Total amount of public rates received by the local authorities	3,604,000
Total amount of Exchequer Grants received during the year by the local authorities	1,482,000

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if his attention has been directed to a resolution from the Wexford County Council protesting against the twelve hours' detention period in the case of Irish cattle exported to England as ruinous to the Irish cattle trade; and whether, in view of this resolution and of the effects the regulations of his Department have had for several months past on the Irish cattle trade and upon' Irish trade generally, he will take immediate steps to remove all embargo on healthy Irish cattle?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the latter part of the question, I have nothing to add to the answers which I gave yesterday to several questions on this subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the Board of Trade price index for each year since 1900 upon the same basis as that upon which 100 was fixed for 1871–2?

The Board of Trade index numbers of wholesale prices for the years 1900–12, calculated on the 1871 basis, are as follows:—

Year.					Index Number(1871–100.)
1900	…	…	…	…	83.2
1901	…	…	…	…	79.2
1902	…	…	…	…	78.8
1903	…	…	…	…	78.6
1904	…	…	…	…	78.7
1905	…	…	…	…	77.7
1906	…	…	…	…	80.8
1907	…	…	…	…	85.3
1908	…	…	…	…	82.4
1909	…	…	…	…	82.8
1910	…	…	…	…	87.1
1911	…	…	…	…	86.9
1912	…	…	…	…	92.2*
* Preliminary figure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the number of white officers and native troops and the number of white police officers and native troops in the East Africa Protectorate in the years 1906 and 1912, respectively; what number of such officers, troops, and police wore quartered at Nairobi in the same years; what was the total white population in the Protectorate in the years 1906 and 1912; and what proportion were resident in and near Nairobi?

supplied the following details:—

1. MILITARY FORCES.
3rd Battalion King's African Rifles.		1st Battalion King's African Rifles.
White officers in East Africa Protectorate in 1906	22 (includes 1 warrant officer and 1 non-combatant	13
Native troops in East Africa Protectorate in 1906	1,011	476 (includes 69 non-combatants)
White officers in Nairobi in 1906	12 (includes 1 warrant officer and 1 non-combatant)	13
Native troops in Nairobi in 1906	544	476 (includes 69 non-combatants)
White officers in East Africa Protectorate in 1912	20 (includes 1 warrant officer)	8
Native troops in East Africa Protectorate in 1912	748	317
White officers in Nairobi in 1912	5	1
Native troops in Nairobi in 1912	315	—

2. POLICE.
White officers in East Africa Protectorate in 1906	…	42 (includes white non-commissioned officers).
Men in East Africa Protectorate in 1906	…	2,013.
Numbers in Nairobi not known.
White officers in East Africa Protectorate in 1912	…	53 (includes white non-commissioned officers and white constables).
Men in East Africa Protectorate in 1912 Numbers in Nairobi not known.	…	1,625

3. WHITE POPULATION.
Total white population, 1906	…	…	…	…	1,600 approximately
Total white population, 1911	…	…	…	…	3.175.
White population Nairobi, 1906	…	…	…	…	Not known.
White population Nairobi, 1911	…	…	…	…	995.

N.B.—1. The figures in paragraph I are taken from the last Quarterly Return for the year 1906 and the latest Quarterly Return available for the year 1912.2. The establishment of the Police in 1912 as approved on the Estimates is that shown in paragraph 2; it is not possible to say whether the force was at any time below that establishment.3. The figures in paragraph 3 give the white population for 1911 as the census was taken in that year and there are no later records available.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has received a petition asking for a telegraph and telephone call office at the Camp Street Post Office in Broughton, which is situated at a central point in a populous neighbourhood; and will he consider the same favourably?

I have received the petition and have authorised the establishment of a call office at the post office in question. The establishment of a telegraph office would not be warranted

asked the Postmaster-General whether there is any prospect of reduction in the present charges for telegrams to Japan and China?

I regret that I am not in a position at present to make any statement on the subject.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will say when steps will be taken to further cheapen deferred cable messages to Australia?

As explained to the hon. Member on the 2nd January, a system of week-end cable letters to Australasia at greatly reduced rates was intro- duced on the 1st January. It has not been possible to secure also a further reduction in the case of deferred telegrams at present sent at half-rates.

asked the Secretary for Scotland if his attention has been directed to the refusal of certain local authorities in Scotland to give effect to the provision for exemption of poor persons from payment of burgh rates; and if he can take any steps in the matter?

I am aware that local authorities have taken different views as to the practicability of exemptions under the new conditions introduced by the House-letting Act. I have expressed the view, both in this House and in correspondence, that exemptions are practicable; but I have no power either to interpret the Act with binding authority or to direct how it is to be carried into effect.