asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the special medical scheme of the Scottish Clerks' Association was approved of by the English, Scottish, and Welsh Commissioners on the 7th June last; that on the strength of that approval 16,000 new members joined the association; and that on the 5th February of this year, after the benefits under the scheme have become payable, the Scottish Commissioners withdrew their approval; and, if so, what action he proposes to take in the matter, in view of the fact that a letter was written on the 31st October, 1911, by his Department saying that such a scheme as theirs would be permissible.

The special medical scheme of the society has not at any time received the approval of the Commissioners, nor was any indication of such approval given either in the letter of 31st October, 1911 (which I understand to be a letter written on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer while the Bill was before Parliament), nor in the letter of 7th June, 1912, which conveyed the approval of the society for the transaction of business under the Act. No question of withdrawing approval therefore arises.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether communications have been received from agricultural bodies complaining that the compulsory insurance of persons who receive occasional agricultural employment for short periods only, but are not otherwise employed persons within the meaning of the Insurance Act is causing hardship and inconvenience in many districts; whether he can see his way to except such persons from compulsory insurance; and whether those already insured for a short period only can obtain any benefits under the Act?

The Insurance Commissioners have given careful consideration to the position of persons employed casually in agricultural operations. Representations on the subject have been received from time to time from various bodies concerned, but so far no evidence has been adduced which would justify any extension of the Special Orders already made by which potato-pickers and certain other classes of agricultural workers have been excluded conditionally from the compulsory provisions of the National Insurance Act on the ground that their employment is ordinarily and not merely in individual cases adopted as subsidiary employment, and not as a principal means of livelihood. The answer to the last part of the question is in the affirmative. The ordinary provisions of the Act apply with regard to the benefits of the employed contributors referred to, and the Commissioners are forwarding a letter to the hon. Member stating the character and conditions of these benefits.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider the propriety of including, in any fresh taxation he may feel called upon to inflict, the imposition of a charge equal to 10 per cent. on all Continental weekend tickets issued in the United Kingdom?

The hon. Member's suggestion will be duly noted.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Ordnance plans have been supplied to district valuers; what is the cost of the plans so supplied; and is it included in the cost of the valuation?

Up to this date 151,070 Ordnance sheets have been supplied to the district valuers. The cost is borne by the Ordnance Survey, and does not therefore appear on the Inland Revenue Vote.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that claims for Increment Value Duty are made on the difference between the sale price and the amount of the official valuation at the time without regard to the value of the site, he will consider the desirability of not proceeding further with the attempt to ascertain site values of land and of introducing legislation to that end?

The values of a site as on the 30th April, 1909, and also on the date of the occasion are in every case the dominant factors in ascertaining whether any, and, if so, what increment value has accrued, and where the occasion is the passing on death of the property they are the sole criterion. It is accordingly quite impossible for me to entertain the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the issue of George V. specimen coins, Case A, contained no crown piece, although the price charged for the same was greater than in a similar issue of the late King Edward VII.; and, if so, why was the additional charge made?

It is the case that the sum of £10 was charged for sets both in 1902 and 1911, although, as the hon. Member points out, the nominal value of the coins included in a set was 5s. less in 1911 than in 1902. The production of specimen sets of new coins involves extra labour and trouble at the Mint, the cost of which cannot be very precisely estimated in advance. For this reason, and in view of the convenience of a round sum, the price of £10 was adhered to, and I am not in a position to say that this price could safely have been lowered.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the rates of contribution to the Customs and Excise Mutual Guarantee Fund of surveyors, late Customs clerks first class, officers late Excise principal clerks, second class, officers late Customs clerks, and officers late Excise clerks, respectively?

The rate of contribution is determined by the officials of the fund.

asked the Chancellor whether he is aware that notices for Undeveloped Land Tax have been served on the allotment holders, the majority of whom are working men who have purchased their gardens, on what is known as the Porchester garden estate, at Nottingham; and whether, in view of the fact that in the last twenty-five years over £20,000 has been spent in road making, sewering, laying out water mains and top-water drains on the estate, and that this estate of 128 acres is divided into 832 lots of 700 yards each, he will say why claims have been made on the owners of these lots for Undeveloped Land Tax?

The answer to he first part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part, a form on which the owner might claim any exemption or allowance to which he is entitled was sent out with every notice of assessment, and all claims which may be received will be carefully considered.

asked whether it is by the instructions of the Treasury that notices to tenant purchasers of the registration of their holdings state if they desire at any time that a land certificate should be issued, they are to sign and date the annexed requisition; is he aware that Section 31 of the Registration of Title Act, 1891, prescribes that, on registration of a person as owner of land, the registering authority shall deliver to him a certificate in the prescribed form (referred to in the Act as a land certificate) of his title to the land; whether he is aware that instead of complying with the law another notice to purchasers is issued containing a requirement to the effect that if a land certificate is required the form when filled in is to be detached and forwarded to the Registrar of Titles, Henrietta Street, Dublin, and a postal order for 10s., made payable to the Distributor of Stamps, Henrietta Street, Dublin, must be attached to the form before it is forwarded; is this fee exacted irrespective of the size of the holding; at whose instance and under what Statute is the 10s. claimed; how is the money disposed of; and what is the total sum obtained by this means from Irish tenants?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the nega- tive. The notice to which the hon. and learned Member refers is issued on the instructions of the registering authority to inform the tenant purchaser of the registration of his title and of its folio number in the Land Registry. The fee for a copy of the certificate (which is irrespective of the size of the holding) is payable under Section 8 of the Registration of Title Act and Order 13 of the Land Registry Rules and Orders. All receipts from Land Registry fees stamps are paid as to four-fifths into the Exchequer as a set-off to the expenses of the Land Registry, and as to one-fifth into the Insurance Fund set up under Section 92 of the Act. The fees received for these certificates in 1912 amounted to £1,190 10s.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state what cash was received on account of Sinking Fund, since the first issue of Guaranteed Land Stock under the Act of 1891, from all sources, and from each head of the land purchase account, including tenants' annuties, sales of, holdings, guaranteed deposits exchange or surrender of stock, county percentage or payment in lieu thereof, dividends and interests on investments, or any other source; what cash was paid for the £588,351 of Guaranteed Land Stock (1891) and the £292,889 of Guaranteed Stock (1903) held on the 31st March, 1912, on account of Sinking Fund; why was such stock under the Act of 1903 purchased on account of Sinking Fund, and why was the whole of the sums available not invested in the Guaranteed Land Stock of 1891, in view of the fact that the price of that stock is considerably below its redeemable par value; what is the total amount of 1891 stock cancelled, and why is the whole amount of such stock purchased on account of Sinking Fund not cancelled as soon as purchased; must the 5s. per cent. of the advances payable under the Act of 1891, known as the county percentage, be applied since the Land Law Act, 1896, Section 27, towards repayment of capital, and whether the payment to the Sinking Fund is now at the rate of 1¼ per cent. of the nominal amount of the capital, under the combined effect of Section 27 and Sections 1, 4, and 15 of the Act of 1891; are these provisions as to Sinking Fund still operative; whether the stock issued before and after the Act of 1896 was accepted by the vendors and dealt with by the public on the faith thereof; are all the issues of the stock now consolidated, and is any and what distinction made by the Treasury as to the rate and application of Sinking Fund in respect of the several issues of such stock; what sum in cash has been applied in redeeming the £21,164,028 of Guaranteed Two and Three-quarter per Cent. Land Stock, stated to have been redeemed on the 31st March, 1912, and to what extent was such redemption effected by purchases thereof under par, if so, at what price, and how otherwise was such redemption effected; whether under the Act of 1891, Sections 1 and 4, payments to the Sinking Fund have to be made out of the whole land purchase account or, in case of deficiency, out of the Guarantee Fund and the Consolidated Fund; whether deficiencies in the tenants' annuities, as originally provided for, owing to the alteration in the mode of payment, under Section 25 of the Act of 1896, has to be made good out of all these funds; whether the National Debt Commissioners are bound to redeem at par outstanding stock issued under the Act of 1891 so soon as the Sinking Fund held by them, either in cash or securities, equals the par value of stock held by the public; and whether for this purpose stock held by various Government Departments is on the same footing, and if the stock has in any event to be redeemed under the Act of 1891, Section 1, Sub-section (2), at or before forty-nine years from the time of the issue of such stock?

The Sinking Fund receipts under the Purchase of Land (Ireland) Act, 1891, are given under their various headings in the following statement:—

	£
Sinking Fund of 1 per cent	1,547,723
Payments in lieu of county percentage	380,911
Purchasers' insurance money	7,310
Cash lodged for redemptions	101,588
Interest and dividends on investments	235,748
Total cash receipts	£2,273,280

In addition to the above, there has been transferred for redemptions, Guaranteed Land Stock to the amount of

£538,962

The average price at which Guaranteed Land Stock has been purchased for the Sinking Fund is £92 1s. 9d., and the cash paid for the £588,351 at this price was £541,806. The cash paid for the £292,889 Guaranteed 2¾ per cent. Stock was £234,414. The investments of the Sinking Fund are preferably made in Guaranteed Land Stock when it can be obtained at a fair market value, and Guaranteed 2¾ per cent. Stock is purchased when this is not the case. The total amount of Guaranteed Land Stock in the hands of the public at 31st March, 1912, was only £2,080,729. The total amount of Guaranteed Land Stock cancelled to 31st March, 1912, was £2,164,028, and represents a corresponding amount of advances redeemed. It would serve no useful purpose to cancel the stock held in respect of current annuities, as the interest would still remain payable to the Sinking Fund. Since the passing of the Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1896, each £4 of annuity includes £1 5s. for Sinking Fund, but the advantage of such increased Sinking Fund accrues to the tenant-purchasers, and not to the vendors. The whole of the issues of Guaranteed Land Stock have been consolidated. The £2,164,028 Guaranteed Land Stock cancelled to 31st March, 1912, included £538,962 stock transferred, and the balance of £1,625,066 formed part of the general holding acquired at an average price of £92 1s. 9d. The whole of the benefit resulting from purchases of the stock below par accrues to the tenant-purchasers. The payments to the Sinking Fund under the Act of 1891 are made out of the Land Purchase Account, any shortage on that account being charged on the Guaranteed Fund and Consolidated Fund under Section 6, and deficiencies on the tenants' annuities are met as originally provided. Guaranteed Land Stock issued under the Act of 1891 is not redeemable before 1921, and thereafter may be redeemed if and as Parliament may direct. The stock held by Government Departments is on the same footing as stock held by the public.

asked whether the Meagher estate at Liskelly, county Galway, has yet been sold to the Commissioners or Congested Districts Board; and whether the Pollock estate in the neighbourhood of Laurencetown, county Galway, has been sold?

The Estates Commissioners cannot identify from the particulars given in the question the Meagher estate as being the subject of proceedings for sale to them under the Land Purchase Acts. They have acquired some 300 acres on the Allan Pollock estate. Neither of the estates referred to have been purchased by the Congested Districts Board.

asked the Chief Secretary when the scheme for the division of the untenanted lands of Derrydanagh, county Longford, will be put into operation?

The untenanted land referred to has not yet been acquired by the Estates Commissioners, and until it is acquired they will not be in a position to make any statement as to its allotment.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from what source the Local Taxation Account (Ireland) is supplied with funds, and what is the cause of the falling off in its resources, which has necessitated a reduction in the capitation Grant towards the cost of maintenance of pauper lunatics in Irish asylums?

The sources of income as well as a full statement of the annual receipts and payments in respect of the Local Taxation (Ireland) Account are set out in detail in the Returns presented annually to Parliament in pursuance of Section 59 (2) of the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898. The Grants to local authorities in respect of the lunatic poor are paid from the branch of the account established under Section 58 (1) (a) (b) of that Act. Prior to the year 1910–11 the receipts of this branch, supplemented by available balances in current and deposit accounts, were sufficient to discharge in full the liabilities of the account. In 1910–11, however, the balances so available were of small amount, and the income of the account was insufficient to enable it to meet its liabilities in full, and it became necessary in consequence to make a proportionate abatement, under the provisions of Section 58 (5) of the Act of 1898, of the payments to local authorities. The same course has been adopted in 1911–12 and 1912–13.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland the average salary, excluding capitation Grants, paid to principal teachers and to assistant teachers, respectively, in national schools in Ireland appointed since 1900?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that the information asked for would take a very long time to prepare, as it would necessitate a close scrutiny of the official records for over thirteen years. The value of the information would be quite incommensurate with the official labour involved and the cost of procuring it. The salaries of principal teachers, exclusive of capitation Grants, since 1900 have been according to the following scales:—

Grade.	Grade Salary.	Continued Good Service Salary. Triennial Increments.		Maximum.
		Increments.	No. of Increments.
Men—	£	£		£
Third Grade	56	7	3	77
Second Grade	87	10	2	107
First Grade, Second Division	117	10	1	127
First Grade, First Division	139	12	3	175
Women—
Third Grade	44	7	3	65
Second Grade	73	8	2	89
First Grade, Second Division	97	8	1	105
First Grade, First Division	114	9	3	141

Since 1908 all teachers who are paid grade salaries receive an additional annual Grant at the following rates: £10 to each teacher who is paid the salary of the First Grade; £7 to each teacher who is paid the salary of the Second or Third Grade. Assistant teachers appointed since 1900 have been awarded Third Grade salaries.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that, when he introduced the Navy Estimates, the German Government intended to expend several million pounds on aircraft immediately; and, if not, whether he intends to introduce a Supplementary Estimate with a view to increasing the number of British naval aircraft?

As the Prime Minister stated in the House in reply to the hon. Member for Brentford on Wednesday last, all new facts arising after the presentation of the Estimates of the year which may affect the naval or military position are considered by the Departments concerned, and any further action which is found necessary can and will be taken without delay.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that cases exist in Portsmouth Dockyard of men using drills who are unable to obtain drills already ground, although they are checked 4 per cent. under any circumstances; whether he is aware that the men have represented the case through the proper quarter, and have as yet received no reply; and whether he will hold an inquiry into the case?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. Iunderstand that a letter has been received from the Labourers' Union by the local officers in regard to this matter, which is now under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what civilities and attentions were paid by Lord Gladstone, as the representative of His Majesty the King in South Africa, to the officers and men of His Majesty's ship "New Zealand" on the recent visit of that ship to that country?

The "New Zealand" spent four days (of which one was a Sunday) at Capetown, during which time the Governor, as I see from the Press, suitably entertained the officers of the ship.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he can now state whether he will be able to name either one of the new cruisers or the new battleships after the city of Cardiff?

The list of the "Town" class cruisers is closed, but when it is reopened the high claims of Cardiff will be fully considered.

asked the Secretary of State for War what were the respective Establishments of all ranks authorised by Parliament for the Army, Army Reserve, Militia or Special Reserve, Volunteer and Yeomanry, or Territorial Force, as the case may be, forming the Home and or Colonial Establishments, other than the Regular Forces (regimental) on the Indian Establishment, for each of the years 1900 to 1912, inclusive; what were, in the these respective years, the number of effectives of all ranks, giving for 1912 the date of the latest Return; what were the total estimates authorised and expenditure in each of the years in question on all Army services (i.e., including not only personnel but also horses, armaments, works, etc.); and what were the corresponding figures in those years relating to the British Regular Forces (regimental) on the Indian Establishment?

The statistics showing the Establishment and Strength of the Regular Army (excluding the troops in India), Army Reserve, Militia (or Special Reserve), Reserve Division of the Militia, Yeomanry and Volunteers (or Territorial Force), and Channel Islands, and Colonial Militia and Volunteers, with the sums provided in, and expended from, Army Votes, 1900–01 to 1912–13, are as follows:—

Year.			Regular Army (excluding Indian establishment.		Army Reserve.		Militia or Special Reserve.		Reserve Division of the Militia.		Yeomanry and Volunteers or Territorial Force.		Channel Islands and Colonial Militia and Volunteers.		Amounts provided in Army Estimates.	Amounts Expended.
			Establishment.	Strength.	Establishment.	Strength.	Establishment.	Strength.	Establishment.	Strength.	Establishment.	Strength.	Establishment.	Strength.
															£	£
1900–01	…	…	430,000	366,499	90,000	5,251	128,547	95,774	—	—	274,879	286,593	6,114	5,390	91,999,400	91,343,544
1901–02	…	…	450,000	342,402	90,000	2,398	127,046	105,533	50,000	—	407,784	292,557	5,833	4,970	92,915,000	92,660,874
1902–03	…	…	420,000	257,970	80,000	32,865	127,108	105,339	50,000	—	379,460	271,882	5,833	4,922	69,310,100	68,863,527
1903–04	…	…	235,761	225,468	70,000	66,471	127,560	92,467	50,000	5,052	380,826	279,847	5,821	4,922	36,945,000	36,728,580
1904–05	…	…	227,000	220,022	80,000	74,940	127,559	89,100	10,000	7,082	371,753	281,348	5,792	4,783	29,380,000	28,895,624
1905–06	…	…	221,300	203,828	104,000	94,770	127,525	88,209	7,500	7,657	369,202	275,620	5,566	5,008	29,813,000	28,478,863
1906–07	…	…	204,100	196,885	122,000	110,596	127,531	86,129	8,000	7,783	364,844	281,590	5,527	4,695	29,796,100	28,501,421
1907–08	…	…	190,000	183,163	129,000	125,370	126,161	84,505	7,700	3,413	362,252	279,226	5,527	4,744	27,760,100	27,141,642
1908–09	…	…	185,000	181,301	142,000	133,949	79,361	*62,657	2,000	1,793	313,065	197,841	5,841	5,421	27,459,000	26,859,299
1909–10	…	…	183,200	184,513	137,000	134,556	90,664	*69,954	1,650	1,038	314,193	270,642	5,841	5,463	27,435,000	27,243,825
1910–11	…	…	184,200	180,121	138,000	135,712	86,539	*63,086	700	593	313,674	267,806	5,873	5,460	27,760,100	27,549,491
1911–12	…	…	186,400	181,981	139,000	138,531	91,219	*60,931	500	205	315,554	264,911	5,876	5,468	27,690,000	27,652,342
1912–13	…	…	186,600	182,479	139,000	139,077	89,913	*58,954	150	113	314,798	262,240	5,876	5,295	28,108,000	28,108,000
																(estimated)
*The figures for strength of Special Reserve since 1908–9, exclude those Militiamen who elected to complete their Militia engagement and not to Join the Special Reserve. Their number has fallen from 8,385 on 1st October, 1908, to 775 on 1st October, 1912. No expenditure has been incurred in respect of these men.
As regards the last part of the question I must ask my hon. and gallant Friend to refer to my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for India.

asked the Secretary of State for War what alterations in the terms for enlistment in the various branches of His Majesty's Army as affecting the periods of service have taken place since 1892?

Full information on these points will be found on pages 50 and 51 of the General Annual Report (Command 6656).

asked the Secretary of State for War the variations in the establishment of the Special Reserve since the inauguration of that force?

The information is contained in the statistics shown on page 104 of the General Annual Report (Command 6656).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Mrs. Pankhurst is doing the hunger strike; if so, whether she is being forcibly fed; what prison she has been sent to; and if she is likely to remain in that prison?

Mrs. Pankhurst is refusing food, but she is not being fed forcibly. She is in Holloway Prison. The question of removing her to a convict prison has for the present been deferred.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been called to the deficiency in school accommodation in the parish of Legbuthwaite, in the district of Thirlmere, Cumberland; whether a vote of the parish has been taken; whether two-thirds of the ratepayers are in favour of the establishment of a public elementary school in that district; and what steps, if any, he proposes to take to give effect to the wishes of the majority of the ratepayers?

My attention has been called to the case, and I have received several petitions on the question of the provision of a school, including a document which indicates, as regards some 200 property owners, householders, ratepayers, occupiers, or inhabitants of the ancient parish of St. John's, Castlerigg and Wythburn, whether they are "for" the proposal, "against" it, or "neutral." This document does not, however, show which of the signatories are ratepayers and which fall within the other categories mentioned. Copies of the petitions have been forwarded to the local education authority for their observations, and I am now hoping shortly to receive their reply. The case may prove to be one in which it will ultimately be necessary for me to direct a public inquiry to be held.

asked the Under-Secretary for India (1) whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that, while the number of judicial sentences for whipping throughout the whole of India has been reduced, under the operation of the new Whipping Act, from 18,937 in 1908 to 7,500 in 1911, the number of such sentences in the province of Burma still remains high, being 2,498 in 1908 and 2,158 in 1911; and whether he is aware of any reason why the reduction of whipping sentences, which has been so marked in India generally, has not also been manifested in Burma; and (2) whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the number of judicial sentences for whipping is always higher in the united provinces of Agra and Oudh than in any other province of India, and that in 1911 the percentage of whipping sentences in cases in which whipping might have been awarded was 24.2 in the united provinces against 5.5 in the adjoining province of Bengal; and whether he will cause inquiry to be made into the circumstances which lead to this prevalence of whipping in the united provinces?

I will make inquiries on the points raised by the hon. Member in these questions.

asked the Under-Secretary for India whether the whole of the cost of transferring the capital of India from Calcutta to Delhi, including the expenditure in making the old city of Delhi sanitary and inhabitable, and the cost of any new railway accommodation which may be required, will be shown under one capital head in the accounts of the Government of India, so that the to total expenditure incurred by reason of the transfer may be readily seen?

A portion at least of the expense of making old Delhi more sanitary would, it must be presumed, have been incurred in any case as an item in such work generally in India. Information as to the cost of the change of capital will be given separately, but not under one capital head, since it will not all be capital expenditure. I would refer the hon. Member to Sir Guy Fleetwood Wilson's speech in introducing the financial statement this year.

asked the Secretary for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to a fight between the Aidegalla and certain of the Habr Awal subtribes at Hargeisa, on the 12th December last, in which about forty men were killed; and, if so, whether he has taken any steps to prevent such incidents in the Somaliland Protectorate in future?

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the raid made on the Habr Awal on the 7th December by a combination of the Habr Yunis, Kassin Ishaak, and Habr Gerhajis. The offenders were dealt with immediately and effectively by the newly raised Camel Corps, which will, I trust, be able to deal effectively with any future occurrences of the same kind.

asked the Prime Minister when the Commission on Indian Finance and Currency will be appointed?

I hope that the names of the members of the Commission will be announced next week.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he has observed that the new Regulations designed to suppress the noisiness of motor cycles have been entirely without effect; and what steps he proposes to take to deal effectively with the great public nuisance caused by these machines, which habitually infringe the Regulations both as to noise and speed?

I am afraid I cannot agree with my hon. Friend that the Order to which he refers has been without effect. As a matter of fact, I observe that an increasing number of motor cycles are being fitted with silencers. As regards the last part of the question, the enforcement of Regulations, as regards both noise and rests with the police authorities.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total quantity and value of oatmeal, groats, and rolled oats, including Quaker Oats, which were imported into the United Kingdom from Germany during 1912; and what was the average price of same per sack of 280 lbs. on 1st December, 1912?

The imports in 1912 of the articles specified which were consigned from Germany were as follows:—Oatmeal, 5,503 cwts., valued at £2,983; groats, 2,400 cwts., valued at £1,614; rolled oats (including Quaker Oats), 28,263 cwts., valued at £16,193. I am unable to state the market prices at the beginning, of December, but the average declared values per 280 lbs. imported in November and December, respectively, were as follows: Oatmeal, 26s. in November and 32s. 5d. in December; groats, 26s. 9d. in November and 35s. 11d. in December; rolled oats (including Quaker Oats), 27s. 6d. in November and 26s. 4d. in December.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the total quantity and value of oats imported into the United Kingdom from Germany during 1912?

The total quantity of oats imported into the United Kingdom in 1912, which were consigned from Germany was 2,009,400 cwts., and the total declared value £773,891.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that facilities are being given for placing British journals on view in the British section of the forthcoming Ghent International Exhibition, but that the proprietors of the "Financial World" have been informed by the Exhibitions Branch, Board of Trade, that their journal cannot be included on the ground that these facilities are not to be extended to the financial Press; will he state the reason for the exclusion of financial publications; and, in view of the close relations between trade and finance and the desirability of increasing Continental financial interest in British commercial enterprises, will he endeavour to obtain reconsideration of the decision to exclude responsible financial journals seeking to extend their Continental business?

I presume that the hon. Member refers to an arrangement that has been made for the inclusion in the British Pavilion at the Ghent Exhibition of a small library of trade and technical journals. The arrangement does not include purely financial journals owing to the limited connection between the objects of such journals and the general purposes of the exhibition.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of acres there were under Wheat in the United Kingdom in 1868 and the yield in quarters of the same?

The area under wheat in the United Kingdom in 1868 was 3,951,018 acres. Official Returns of the yield were not collected until 1884, but Lawes and Gilbert estimated the wheat crop of 1868 at 17,048,116 quarters.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is able to grant a second collection of letters from Cuddagh post office, Mountrath, Queen's County, which has been asked for by memorial of the inhabitants of the district?

I regret that, owing to the loss on the postal service in the district, I am unable to sanction the additional expense of a second collection of letters from the Cuddagh post office.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that a woman substitute telegraphist employed in the Belfast post office became ill recently as the result of hurrying up a long staircase to the instrument room; and, seeing that the Select Committee on Post Office Wages recommended in 1907 the provision of lifts for the use of the staff, who require to ascend to the upper floors, will he say what has been done in Belfast to meet this recommendation; and is he aware that a passenger-lift, erected in a new portion of the buildings, is never available for the use of the staff in consequence of the attendant being employed elsewhere?

I will make inquiry, and communicate with the hon. Member.