asked the Secretary to the Treasury what is the number of contributors under the National Insurance Act in each Metropolitan borough; what is the total sum collected from the contributors in each Metropolitan borough; and what amounts have been paid to the contributors in each Metropolitan borough?

No records are kept, or arc required, for any administrative purpose showing the distribution of insured persons in Metropolitan boroughs. To answer the hon. Member's question would mean, as regards those persons, practically duplicating the accounting work of approved societies and as regards deposit contributors of the Commissioners.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether it is proposed to amend the National Insurance Act; and, if so, in what manner it is proposed to amend the Act?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. In regard to the second, I would refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave to the hon. Members for Stoke-on-Trent and Salisbury on the 1st instant and yesterday, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the stringency in regard to the quantity of copper coins resultant on the working of the National Insurance Act has led to a speedier clearing of gas meters and automatic machines, entailing further work on the companies owning them, and the keeping in use of such coins for a longer period than is customary before replacement, in many cases in a state unfit for hygienic handling?

I have no information as to the clearing of gas meters and automatic machines. I am, however, informed that bronze coins are not at the present time kept in circulation for a longer period than formerly; nor have I received any evidence to show that such coins are being circulated in an unhygienic condition.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what is the cause of the delay in completing the purchase of the Watt estate, parish of Mevagh, county Donegal; whether he is aware that in January, 1910, the tenants of this estate approached the Congested Districts Board with a view to purchase; and whether any steps can be taken to expedite the purchase of the estate by the Board and its resale to the tenants?

I am aware that in February, 1910, the tenants approached the Congested Districts Board regarding the purchase of this estate, but on communicating with the owner the Board were informed that he had then no wish to sell the property. The Board do not propose to take any steps to acquire the estate compulsorily.

asked the Secretary of State for War what additions have been made during the last two years to the peace strengths of the armies of Russia, Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Belgium, and Holland; what will be the total peace strength of officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of these armies when the laws regarding the increases have taken full effect; what are the official reasons given by the War Ministers of the countries named for the increase in the armies; and do any of these War Ministers pro- pose to raise the men considered necessary by voluntary methods of enlistment?

On the assumption that the proposed increases are all approved, the information is approximately as follows:—

Russia
Additions made	75,000
Present peace establishment	1,284,000
(Future not yet ascertained.)
Austria-Hungary.
Additions made	58,505
Present peace establishment	473,643
(Future not yet ascertained.)
France.
Additions proposed	183,715
Future peace establishment	741,572
Germany.
Additions made	38,372
Additions proposed	136,000
Future peace establishment	821,964
Belgium.
Additions proposed	30,000
Future peace establishment	72,700
Holland.
Additions made	5,000
peace establishment	38,549

It is not proposed to raise any additional troops by voluntary enlistment except in Belgium, where 2,000 will be so raised. It would not be possible within the limits of an answer to a question to state the various official reasons given by the War Ministers of the countries mentioned for these increases.

asked the Secretary for the Colonies whether he will lay upon the Table a copy of the agreement recently signed between the Crown Agents and the United British West Indies Petroleum Syndicate, Limited, with reference to the exploitation of the oil industry in Trinidad?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will state when fulfilment will be given to the commands conveyed in the warrant of the late King Edward, dated 8th February 1910, to submit a roll of the baronetage to the Crown.

The roll is almost complete, and a submission will be made to His Majesty at an early date.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the desirability of the various local educational authorities making their arrangements before separating for the summer holidays for the autumn and winter educational programme, he is now in a position to make public the conditions and regulations which are to govern the new grant of £10 a head for the sea-training of boys of good character in our elementary schools?

The Regulations for Schools of Nautical Training will, it is hoped, be issued very shortly. The new grant will not be available for boys in the public elementary schools.

asked the Prime Minister whether His Majesty's Government has received since 1st April, 1912, any information as regards the International Conference proposed by the Swiss Government for the reform of the calendar and fixing of Easter; whether any steps have been taken towards such a conference; and whether he is aware of the representations made to the Government of the United States by the Associated Chambers of Commerce there on the subject during the past year, and will state the present position of the proposal amongst the Christian Powers in Europe and America and the Dominions of His Majesty?

Since 1st April, 1912, His Majesty's Government have received no information respecting the conference proposed by the Swiss Government or any steps which may have been taken towards it. I have also received no information as to the representations made by the Associated Chambers of Commerce to the Government of the United States or as to the position in other countries.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) whether he has received a petition from owners and leaseholders in certain roads in the district of Palmer's Green, N., praying that telephone poles be not erected in these roads; whether, before proceeding to the erection of telephone poles, the Post Office has communicated with the Southgate District Council; and, if not, whether he will give the Section of the Telegraph Act enabling the Post Office to override the wishes of the local authority and ratepayers and proceed to erect such poles against their wishes; (2) whether, in the event of the residents in a locality undertaking to pay the difference between the cost of installing an underground system of telephone wires and an overhead system, the local authority can require the Post Office to substitute an underground for an overhead installation; (3) whether telephone poles can be erected in any road within ten yards of a dwelling-house without the consent of the occupier or owner of such dwelling-house; if not, whether he has obtained the consent of the occupiers or owners of the houses in Selborne Road, Southgate, N., to the erection of the poles which he proposes to erect in that road; and, if not, will he state under what Act he claims to have power to erect telephone poles in Selborne Road without the consent of the occupiers or owners of houses in that road?

Petitions were received more than a year ago from the residents in two roads in Palmer's Green against the erection of overhead telegraphs, but as a sufficient number of subscribers was not forthcoming to justify the provision of an underground line, painted poles have been erected, with the consent of the Southgate Urban District Council. A local authority cannot require the Post Office to lay an underground telephone system where the residents in a locality are willing to pay the difference in cost between underground and overhead lines; but unless there are engineering difficulties, as in the case of trunk lines, underground construction will be adopted by the Post Office where such payment is guaranteed. It has been held in the Courts that the provision which prohibits the erection of poles within ten yards of a dwelling house without the consent of the occupier or owner does not apply to telegraphs placed upon public roads.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the Report of the Special Expert Committee on Wireless Telegraphy, in which they state that there may be periods when communication is impracticable, especially in tropical regions, where atmospheric disturbances may be expected to cause more difficulty than over the Atlantic, the Government will now give further considera- tion to the request of the Governments of Australia and New Zealand that a subsidiary conference should be called to consider the question of a State-owned Atlantic cable, with the object of completing the All-British chain of communication between England and Australia, viâ the Pacific cable, and of thereby duplicating the vital means of communication between the most important parts of the Empire in conjunction with the Imperial wireless scheme?

I can find no relation between the paragraph referred to and the question whether the existing cables and wireless communication across the North Atlantic should be supplemented by a State-owned cable. No reply has yet been received to the dispatch on the subject of the subsidiary conference suggested by the Australian Government which was sent to that Government on 7th February last.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is prepared to reconsider the application of the Abertillery Urban District Council that a head post office should be established in their town; and whether he can state the number of towns in Great Britain with a population of 25,000 and under that have head offices?

The number of towns in Great Britain with a population of 25,000 and under that have head post offices is not available. The question of the establishment of head offices is not decided from the point of view of population, but from that of administrative convenience. I am having further inquiry made concerning the application of the Abertillery Urban District Council; but I may remark that the policy of the Post Office is rather to reduce than to increase the number of small head offices.