Written Answers
Second Division Clerks
asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether candidates so low down on the list in the examinations for second division clerks held in 1911 and 1912 are capable of performing with satisfaction work ordinarily performed by clerks of the second division; whether he is aware that the practice of taking on candidates who take such low places tends to lower the standard of the body of second division clerks; and will he say what steps will be taken to ensure that the number of candidates taken on should more nearly approximate to the number of vacancies advertised?
The marks obtained out of the same maximum by the lowest appointed candidate at the last five competitions for second division clerkships have been in each case approximately two-thirds, so that there does not seem to be any ground for supposing that the standard of the whole body of clerks is being lowered. Nor is there any reason for thinking that the candidates appointed at the last two examinations are likely to be incapable of satisfactorily performing the duties of second division clerks. The number of vacancies depends on circumstances which the Civil Service Commissioners cannot control or foresee, and no attempt is made or could be made in advertising vacancies to arrive at an exact estimate. The competition invariably attracts a very large number of qualified candidates.
asked whether the promotion to the secretaryship of Inland Revenue, vice Mr. Atterbury, will involve a vacancy in the higher division; if so, whether it is proposed to promote a second division clerk to the higher division?
The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, the Commissioners of Inland Revenue will certainly consider whether it would be advantageous to the public service to depart, in favour of some officer already in their employ, from the normal practice of filling higher division vacancies by open competition at the Class I, examination.
Marconi Select Committee
asked what is the cost to the taxpayer of the Marconi Inquiry?
I understand that the cost to date of the Select Committee chargeable to the House of Commons Vote is approximately £970, and to the Stationery Office Vote £1,100. The cost on the Post Office Vote cannot be separated from other items of expenditure, but the amount involved is considerable.
Site Values
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if a provisional valuation, dated the 5th March, 1913, having been made of a cottage at £140, with an original full site value of £36, the owner now sells at £110, any claim for Increment Value Duty could arise?
In a case in which the value of the buildings has diminished considerably since 30th April, 1909, while there has been simultaneously a substantial rise in the value of the site, it is possible that a claim for duty might arise.
Old Age Pensions
asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that Peter Dowd, of Rover, Ballyfarnon, Ballyfarnon (No. 2) old age pension sub-committee district, county Sligo, has been refused a pension by the Local Government Board, although it was granted on two occasions by the local committee; whether this man was refused because his name does not appear in the Census records of either 1841 or 1851; whether he is aware that two old age pensioners have sworn affidavits to the effect that Dowd is only two years younger than his brother Pat, whose age is found in the Census Return of 1841 as being two years, which would leave the present applicant seventy-two years of age; and whether, seeing that Dowd's father was evicted in 1840 and that he and his family were wandering about, which prevented the registration of applicant's age, steps will be taken to have a pension granted to this man?
The facts are as stated in the question. The affidavits referred to were practically only uncorroborated expressions of opinion, and accordingly in the absence of sufficient evidence of age the Local Government Board had no option but to disallow the claim.
Land Purchase (Ireland)
asked the total amount of purchase money of estates sold under the Land Purchase Act of 1903 still remaining unpaid to the vendors, and what was the amount of purchase money paid off in each of the years 1910, 1911, and 1912?
The Estates Commissioners inform me that the estimated purchase money of estates the subject of proceedings for sale under the Irish Land Act, 1903, not yet advanced is £29,200,000. The advances made in the financial years ending 31st March, 1910, 1911, and 1912, in respect of sales under this Act were: 1910, £7,049,368; 1911, £6,920,673; 1912, £6,884,191.
Lunatics (Ireland)
asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that the deficit in the capitation Grant towards the maintenance of lunatics in asylums amounted, for the half-year ending 31st March, 1912, in county Wexford to the sum of £715 6s.; if he will explain how this deficit has occurred; and what steps the Treasury proposes to take to make good the original amount?
There was an abatement of the amount stated from the sum paid to the Wexford County Council in the financial year 1911–12, which was in respect of the cost of maintenance of pauper lunatics during the year ended 31st March, 1911. The abatement of the Grant to the amount stated in respect of the full financial year 1911–12 was rendered necessary by the insufficiency of income of the Local Taxation Account. With regard to the last paragraph of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a somewhat similar question asked by the hon. Member for Limerick on the 3rd instant.
Agricultural Grant (County Wexford)
asked the Chief Secretary the total amount of the deficit in the amount of the agricultural Grant for county Wexford during the year ending 31st March, 1913; if he will also give details of this deficit; if he will explain how the deficit has arisen; and if he will consider, in view of the additional charge which this deficit entails on the ratepayers, what steps can be taken to remedy it?
The hon. Member appears to be under a misapprehension. There was no deficit in the agricultural Grant paid to the Wexford County Council during the year ended 31st March, 1913, the total share of the county in the Grant, namely, £24,045, having been paid to the county council in two instalments of £12,022 10s. each.
Housing Schemes (Ireland)
asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he has received a communication from the Enniscorthy Urban Council with reference to the providing of funds for the housing of the working classes in towns in Ireland, on terms similar to those under the Labourers (Ireland) Acts; and, if so, in view of the urgency and importance of the question, will he consider what steps can be taken to deal with it with as little delay as possible?
The Local Government Board have received resolutions from various local authorities, including Enniscorthy Urban District Council, in favour of increased financial facilities being provided for housing schemes. With regard to the latter part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his previous question on this subject on the 13th March.
Royal Navy
Persian Gulf Operations
asked the Secretary to the Admiralty when the prize money earned by the Royal Navy in the operations in and about the Persian Gulf in the last three years is going to be distributed to the officers and men concerned?
The matter is still the subject of correspondence with the other Departments concerned, and for the present I can only refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Devonport on 19th December last with reference to the case of the "Perseus."
Artificer Engineers
asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the reason for the delay in the promotions to artificer engineers; when these promotions are likely to take place; and can he state their number?
Promotions to artificer engineer are made as officers of that rank are required, and the numbers at present on the list are sufficient to meet the requirements of the Fleet.
Civil Service (Conditions Of Employment)
asked the President of the Board of Education the number of adults serving in a civil capacity in his Department; the grades and numbers of persons so employed who receive less than 30s. per week or £78 per annum; and the number whose normal working day exceeds eight hours?
The number of adults serving in a civil capacity in my Department is 2,016; 527 of these receive less than 30s. per week or £78 per annum, but this number includes 284 who are on scales of salary rising beyond the figure named by the hon. Member. I submit the following particulars:—
| General Staff:— | ||
| Second division clerks | … | 44* |
| Assistant clerks | … | 143* |
| Woman clerks (permanent) | … | 6* |
| "" (temporary) | … | 18 |
| Woman typists (permanent) | … | 49* |
| " " (temporary) | … | 1 |
| Messengers (second class) | … | 3* |
| " (third class) | … | 13* |
| " (temporary) | … | 23 |
| Ex-police constable attendant | … | 1 |
| Packers | … | 2 |
| Cleaners | … | 12 |
| Porters | … | 6 |
| Charwomen | … | 40 |
| Victoria and Albert Museum:— | ||
| Temporary cataloguer | … | 1 |
| Attendants (second class) | … | 14* |
| " (temporary) | … | 5 |
| " (catalogue stalls) | … | 3* |
| Doorkeepers | … | 19 |
| Warder cleaners | … | 62 |
| Lavatory cleaners (men) | … | 3 |
| Housekeeper | … | 1* |
| Seamstresses | … | 2 |
| Lavatory cleaners (women) | … | 7 |
| Charwomen | … | 9† |
| Royal College of Art:— | ||
| Cleaners | … | 2 |
| Charwomen | … | 5† |
| Geological Survey and Museum:— | ||
| Fossil collector | … | 1* |
| General assistant | … | 1* |
| Draughtsmen | … | 5 |
| Attendants (second class) | … | 2* |
| Charwomen | … | 6† |
| Science Museum:— | ||
| Attendants (second class) | … | 6* |
| Attendants (ex-police constable) | … | 2 |
| Commissionaires | … | 7 |
| Cleaner | … | 1 |
| Charwomen | … | 2† |
| 527 | ||
| * On scales of salary rising beyond 30s. per week or £78 per annum. | ||
| † Part-time employé. | ||
asked the President of the Local Government Board if he will state the number of adults serving in a civil capacity in his Department; the grades and numbers of persons so employed who receive less than 30s. per week or £78 per annum; and the number whose normal working day exceeds eight hours?
submitted the following statement showing (1) the number of adults serving in a civil capacity in the Local Government Board (England), and (2) the grades and numbers of persons so employed who receive less than 30s. per week or £78 per annum:—
| Number of Adults serving in a civil capacity. (1) | Persons so employed who receive less than 30s. per week or £78 per annum. (2) | ||
| Grade. | Number. | ||
| 870 | Second Division Clerk | … | 14 |
| Second Division Clerk (temporary) | … | 14 | |
| Assistant Clerk | … | 72 | |
| Female Shorthand Writer Typist | … | 7 | |
| Female Typist | … | 17 | |
| Female Typist (temporary) | … | 2 | |
| Clerk to General Inspector | … | 1 | |
| Hall Porter | … | 2* | |
| Pensioner Messenger | … | 6† | |
| Goods Lift Attendant | … | 1 | |
| Man Cleaner and Coal Porter | … | 7 | |
| Superintendent of Charwomen | … | 1 | |
| Deputy-Superintendent of Charwomen | … | 2 | |
| Charwomen | … | 29 | |
| Calf Attendant (Government Lymph Establishment) | … | 4 | |
| Total | … | 179 | |
| * The Hall Porters receive pensions from Navy Votes. | |||
| † The Pensioner Messengers receive pensions from Army Votes. | |||
asked the President of the Board of Agriculture the number of adults serving in a civil capacity in his Department; the grades and numbers of persons so employed who receive less than 30s. per week or £78 per annum; and the number whose normal working day exceeds eight hours?
There are 444 adults in the service of the Board. Salaries less than 30s. a week, or £78 a year, are paid to fourteen second division clerks, forty-two assistant clerks, four (women) shorthand-writer typists, nine women typists, one second class messenger, eight pensioner messengers, one laboratory assistant, three laboratory attendants, one porter, and one caretaker; but in the great majority of these cases the salaries will rise in due course above the figure named. Besides myself, only two private secretaries and my personal clerk normally work more than eight hours a day, but in times of pressure, which are very frequent, officers of all grades work considerably more than eight hours a day, and I am glad to have this opportunity of acknowledging publicly the willingness and devotion to duty shown by these officers in such times of stress, as, for example, during the epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease last year.
asked the Postmaster-General the number of adults serving in a civil capacity in his Department; the grades and number of persons so employed who receive less than 30s. per week or £78 per annum; and the number whose normal working day exceeds eight hours?
I regret that the information desired by the hon. Member could not be ascertained without considerable expenditure of time and money. The total number of persons (not all adults) employed by the Post Office is about 233,000. Certain particulars are given at page 35 of my Report on the Post Office for the year 1911–12, and fuller details in the Estimates for Revenue Departments for the year ending 31st March, 1914, pages 58–77, and in the Supplement thereto relating to the Post Office, pages 56–58. The weekly hours of attendance of the great majority of postal servants are forty-eight by day or forty-two by night, but certain unestablished classes give more extended attendance ranging up to fifty-four a week. These hours include reliefs for meals.
Museums (Sunday Visitors)
asked the Secretary to the Board of Education the number of visitors to the South Kensington and the Victoria and Albert Museums on Sundays for the past seventeen years?
The total number of visitors to the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Science Museum on Sundays, from the 5th April, 1896, to the 13th April, 1913, was 1,920,918. The figures for each year are as follows:—
| South Kensington Museum. | ||
| 1896 (from 5th April) | … | 105,115 |
| 1897 " " | … | 100,044 |
| 1898 " " | … | 94,799 |
| 1899 " " | … | 98,968 |
| 1900 " " | … | 87,854 |
| 1901 " " | … | 95,391 |
| 1902 " " | … | 98,287 |
| 1903 " " | … | 96,304 |
| 1904 " " | … | 88,616 |
| 1905 " " | … | 93,005 |
| 1906 " " | … | 88,207 |
| 1907 " " | … | 102,988 |
| 1908 " " | … | 94,694 |
| 1909 to 30th June | … | 56,712 |
| 1,300,984 | ||
| Victoria and Albert Museum (including Indian Section). | Science Museum. | ||
| 1909 from 1st July | … | 72,077 | 25,456 |
| 1910 " " | … | 138,071 | 47,116 |
| 1911 " " | … | 110,706 | 44,579 |
| 1912 " " | … | 98,508 | 44,335 |
| 1913 to 13th April | … | 26,065 | 12,821 |
| 445,427 | 174,507 | ||
Children (Deaths)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the total number of coroners' inquests for the last year for which figures are available in respect of children under one year, distinguishing the number of legitimate and illegitimate children, respectively?
The last year for which figures are available is 1911. The figures for that year, given in Table 30 of the Criminal Statistics, are as follows: Total number, 5,583; legitimate children, 4,700; illegitimate children (or unknown), 883.
Poona Case
asked the Under-Secretary for India what was the weekly pay in English money of the four policemen convicted of torturing innocent persons in the recent Poona case; whether the police could read and write; and what is the total number of illiterate policemen in the Bombay force?
Of the four "policemen" convicted in this case, one was a "police pate]," that is a village policeman not belonging to the regular force; one was a havildar, whose pay in English money would be not less than 4s. 7d. or more than 10s. 9d. a week; two were constables whose pay would be not less than 3s. 1d. or more than 4s. a week. I cannot say whether these individuals could read or write. In the whole police force of the Bombay Presidency of 22,911 there are about 11,000 constables who are illiterate.
Lambs And Pigs (Detention)
asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he has received protests against the continuation of the twelve hours' detention for lambs and pigs; and, as such detention will practically almost destroy the export of those animals from Ireland, whether he will immediately take off the period of detention for lambs and pigs?
I have received communications representing that the effect of the Order requiring twelve hours' detention at the landing places in Great Britain will be as stated in the latter part of the question. No precise evidence has yet been submitted to me in support of this opinion, and I see no reason at present to modify the Order in any way.
Swine Fever
asked the President of the Board of Agriculture how many confirmed outbreaks of swine fever have occurred in Great Britain in each of the years since the new Swine Fever Orders came into operation in 1908; and how much public money has been expended by way of compensation for swine slaughtered under these Orders in each of such years?
The information asked for is shown in the following table:—
| Year | Net Compensation (after Deduction of Salvage) | No. of Outbreaks Confirmed. | |||
| £ | |||||
| 1908* (from 1st June) | 13,210 | 1,168 | |||
| 1909 | … | … | … | 19,281 | 1,650 |
| 1910† | … | … | … | 24,058 | 1,598 |
| 1911 | … | … | … | 49,942 | 2,466 |
| 1912 | … | … | … | 54,231 | 2,920 |
| *The Swine Fever Order of 1908, and the Swine Fever (Regulation of Movement) Order of 1908, came into operation on the 1st June, 1908. | |||||
| † Fifty-three weeks. | |||||
Foot-And-Mouth Disease
asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that an announcement was made in the London and Midland Press last Tuesday of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease having occurred in Northumberland; and whether, in view of the injury to British live-stock interests resulting from the transmission of such a report, if inaccurate, to Argentina and other importing countries, he will make an official statement on the subject, which would be copied by the Press of such countries?
Two suspected cases of foot-and-mouth disease in Northumberland were reported to the Board on 28th and 30th March, but I am glad to say that the inquiries of the Board's veterinary inspector showed that no trace of the disease existed. I have no doubt that the Press will give publicity to this statement.
Cows In Quarantine
asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he has received a complaint as to sixteen cows, newly calved and in full milk, which were shipped from Dublin to Manchester on the 15th ultimo and were prevented from being milked when under quarantine at Manchester for twenty-four hours; whether, as the shipper did not wish to sell the milk, and as the refusal to give facilities entailed suffering to the animals and also depreciated their market value, he will state on what grounds the permission was refused; whether he is aware that one of the cows when in agony knocked out an eye; and whether steps have been or will be taken to prevent a repetition of such occurrences?
I have investigated thoroughly the complaint to which the hon. Member refers, and I am satisfied that there is not the slightest foundation for it. The cows in question were landed about mid-day on Sunday, the 16th March, they were all milked by 7 p.m., and the period of detention ended at midnight. Fifty minutes after midnight the owner's representative signed the Manchester Ship Canal Company's book acknowledging to have received the cows. Whenever the owner of cows or his representative makes a bonâ-fide request for permission to milk cows the request is immediately granted; in other cases the cows are milked by men employed at the lairages. The allegation that one of the sixteen cows referred to knocked out her eye in agony through not being milked is untrue. One of the cows was observed by the Board's inspector soon after landing to have a damaged eye; there is no evidence to show how the accident occurred, but the most probable explanation is that it happened on board ship.
Calf Lymph
asked the President of the Local Government Board whether, in view of the difficulty in obtaining calf lymph of as good quality as the Government vaccine and of the undesirability of persons of independent means receiving vaccination at the public expense, he will allow medical practitioners to purchase Government vaccine for use upon their private patients?
This matter has been considered by the Local Government Board on more than one occasion, but they have not hitherto found is practicable to take action in the direction suggested.
Parish Council Elections
86.
asked the President of the Local Government Board whether, in parish council elections, when there are more candidates for election than vacancies, he will provide by Order, or by legislation if necessary, that a poll takes place automatically unless a sufficient number of withdrawals take place in a given time before the date fixed for the poll.
As I have stated in reply to previous questions, the Amendment of the existing Regulations for the election of parish councillors is a matter which I have under consideration.
Prices Of Commodities
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the prices of commodities in the year 1912 show an increase over the prices of the same commodities in the year 1911; and, if so, what is the amount of the increase measured as a percentage of the prices of the year 1911; and to what cause or causes such increase is attributed?
The index number of wholesale prices obtained by weighting the percentage changes in prices of forty-five articles in accordance with their estimated consumption was 115.0 in 1912, compared with 109.3 in 1911, an increase of 5.2 per cent. The causes affecting prices are very complex, and I am afraid that I could not, in reply to a question, give an adequate explanation of the rise in prices throughout the world during recent years.
Telegraph System
asked the Postmaster-General whether the telegraphic system is administered on the principle that the richer and more remunerative pay for the poorer and less profitable and unprofitable offices?
As I stated in answer to a question by the Noble Lord the Member for West Perthshire on the 4th of February last, telegraph extensions are given only where there is a reasonable prospect that the expenditure will be covered by the revenue or where the persons to be benefited by the extension guarantee to pay a fixed proportion of the loss.
Telephone Service
asked the Postmaster-General if he will state the cause of delay in providing rural party-line telephones in Morayshire; and when does he expect the installation in Lhanbryde district to be commenced?
Any delay in providing rural party-lines at places in Morayshire is now attributable mainly to the fact that the number of subscribers obtainable is not sufficient to meet the conditions. The installation in Llanbryde is in hand, and a scheme for providing a line to Duffus is being considered.
asked the Postmaster-General whether he has refused to extend the telephone to Grantown; whether he is aware that in the summer months Grantown is visited by many tourists, and that professional and business men from Edinburgh, Glasgow, and elsewhere spend their vacations there; whether he is aware that such visitors make use of a trunk service; whether any other equally important resort in the Kingdom is now without one; and whether he will take the matter into reconsidertion?
The amount of support obtained to the proposed exchange at Grantown has not hitherto been sufficient to justify its establishment, but a further canvass will be undertaken and every effort made to obtain a sufficient number of subscribers.