asked the Secretary to the Treasury how many divisional inspectors have been appointed by the National Health Insurance Commissioners (England) within the last six months; what are their names and what were their ages at the time of their appointment; what was the position held by each prior to his appointment and what the salary attached to it; what was his length of service as an established Civil servant; and what are the salaries paid to such inspectors?

The following table gives the particulars asked for by my hon. Friend. The salary for divisional inspectors is £550–20–700 a year:—

Name.	Age on Appointment.	Position prior to Appointment.	Salary attached to Position prior to Appointment.	Length of Established Service.
P. R. T. Ashton	39	Inspector, N. H. I. Commission	£350–15–500	20 years.
E. G. Beam (Assistant to Chief Inspector)	25	Working on the staff of the N. H. I. Commission on a temporary footing, on loan from the Customs and Excise Department	£200–20–500 and £100 allowance	2½ years.
F. N. Curtis Bennett	31	Inspector, N. H. I. Com-mission	£350–15–500	10 months (3 years unestablished service).
S. A. Guest	34	Barrister, temporarily employed by N. H. I. Commission for local investigations in different parts of the country and in the office	£6 6s. a week	None.
W. T. Ivimey	34	Inspector, N. H. T. Commission	£350–15–500	10 years.
A. Macfarlane	38	Do.	Do.	7 months.
F. J. Matheson	45	Do.	Do.	7 months.
J. J. Moynihan	39	Do.	Do.	18 years.
W. F. Shinn	41	Do.	Do.	25 years.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the National Health Commis- sion (Ireland), after having permitted Mr. F. W. Doheny, solicitor, to act as temporary clerk of the Kilkenny Insurance Committee for two periods of about six and eight weeks, respectively, after the remuneration of £6 per month fixed by the committee had been minuted to them, have refused to sanction more than £5 per month, and, by communication dated 9th June, in reply to a further express request for sanction thereto from the committee, have stated that circumstances prevent their sanctioning more; whether he is aware that Mr. Doheny's work at the committee has been looked on by the committee as most arduous, responsible, and underpaid even at £6; whether the Commission had previously disallowed a sum of £15 unanimously voted as supplemental to the sum of £30 for the first six months' remuneration, which had been fixed provisionally before the nature and amount of the work was known; and whether, in view of the impression in the Kilkenny district that the Commission had sweated Mr. Doheny's admittedly efficient service up to the time Mr. Doheny withdrew from the position and the injustice of permitting an officer to work at a specified rate for substantial periods without intimating dissent, especially after he had taken pains to make clear that such was the minimum remuneration for which he would continue the duties, he will take steps to see that Mr. Doheny's claim is sanctioned forthwith?

I am informed that the appointment in question was for six months, and that a sum of £30 was agreed upon as the payment in respect of the whole period. The rate of payment was therefore £5, and not £6, a month. The Irish insurance Commissioners are of opinion, after repeated consideration, that this rate was adequate in return for the duties performed by the clerk, and I am afraid I cannot interfere in the matter.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury how many assistant clerks (new class) are employed in the Post Office Savings Bank Department, Board of Education, Board of Trade, and the Statistical Office (Customs and Excise), respectively; how many are eligible by service in each case for promotion to the second division; and how many have been promoted or nominated for promotion to the second division in each of those offices since 1st January, 1911?

The figures are as follows:—

—		Employed.	Eligible by Service for Promotion.	Promoted or Nominated since 1st January, 1911.
Post Office Savings Bank Department	…	265	84	25
Board of Education	…	805	173	27
Board of Trade	…	239	91	17
Customs Statistical Office	…	186	91	7*
*Includes two promotions to Junior Clerk, Statistical Office.

In accordance with paragraph 45 of the Order in Council of 10th January, 1910, an established Civil servant below the second division may only be appointed to that division if he receives a certificate of special merit from the head of his Department. Such certificates can only be granted exceptionally after not less than six years' established service, and the hon. Member will therefore observe that six years' service is not the sole test of eligibility for such promotion.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury how many assistant clerks in the Customs Statistical Office are eligible by service for the £10 special increment; how many of these men are in receipt of an

The answer to the first part of the question is fifteen; and to the second that eleven of these men are in receipt of a checking allowance. As was explained to the hon. Member on the 25th October, 1909, and to my hon. Friend the Member for the Tottenham Division on 10th June, 1912, the possession of a checking allowance does not necessarily imply that the holder is qualified for a special increment, which is the reward of special merit. In regard to the last part of the question, I must refer the hon. Member to my reply to a similar inquiry by the hon. Member for Tottenham on the 5th instant.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether the inspectors of fisheries (Ireland) have received a memorial from the fishermen of Cushendun, countyAntrim, urging the necessity for a breakwater at the entrance to the harbour there; if so, will he say what reply has been sent; and, seeing that the inspectors reported favourably on the suitability of this place for fishing and other purposes if the harbour was Unproved and promised a Grant, whether he will now take steps that tins breakwater should be made good without delay?

The Department received the memorial referred to in the question, and replied that, in the present state of their funds, they are unable to offer a contribution towards harbour works at Cushendun. In the year 1909 the inspectors of fisheries reported on the

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners were offered for sale the estate of R. Hope, situate at Loughbawn, near Oldcastle, county Meath; and, if so, will he state how far the negotiations have progressed?

The tenanted portion of this estate is the subject of proceedings for sale direct by the owner to the tenants under the Land Purchase Acts, and the owner has intimated his willingness to sell to the Estates Commissioners some 400 acres of untenanted land situated in the townland of Ballinlough at their estimated price.

asked the Chief Secretary why two tenants, Messrs. Torpey and McGuane, were passed over in the redivision of the Nagle estate, county Clare?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that Torpey and McGuane refused to agree to the Commissioners' proposals, which involved the rearrangement of their existing holdings, and the Commissioners have decided not to give them any portion of the untenanted land.

asked the average price paid in years' purchase, giving the highest and lowest number of years' purchase paid in the case of estates sold in county Cavan prior to August, 1903, and since that date?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on the 28th April last, and to the detailed tables appended to the last Annual Reports of the Irish Land Commission, and of the Estates Commissioners. The Estates Commissioners could not give the information asked for in the last portion of the question without a detailed examination of the figures connected with each estate.

asked the Chief Secretary what steps the Estates. Commissioners propose to take with reference to the roadway and fencing promised to Mr. James Middleton, of Camolin Park, county Wexford; and how much of the-money charged on his holding has been spent in fencing and road-making?

The amount sanctioned by the Estates Commissioners has been expended, and they are not prepared to sanction any further expenditure in this case.

asked the Chief Secretary whether, in reference to the Reeves estate, West Clare, all the arrangements: are completed as affecting the townlands, of Donogrogue, Poulnodance, and Tiervarna; and whether, in that case, the tenants in these townlands will now receive vesting orders?

The Congested Districts Board inform me that the sale prices of the holdings of the tenants on the town-lands referred to have been fixed, and they will be asked to sign their sale agreements as soon as practicable. It is not possible at present to say when the holdings will be vested in the tenants.

asked the Chief. Secretary if his attention has been drawn to the disappointment expressed by the district councils of Mitchelstown, Fermoy, and other areas, at the refusal of the Treasury to grant further loans for building labourers' cottages for which schemes have been sanctioned by the Local Government Board; and has he represented to the Treasury its pledge that the Budget of 1909–10 would only cost, Ireland as a maximum £600,000 extra when all the new taxes came into full operation; and, if not, will he now request that the difference between this sum and the £1,333,000, actually levied for extra taxation in Ireland last year should be devoted to improving the condition of the labourers?

Owing to the limited fund available as loans on land purchase terms for the purposes of the Labourers; Acts, it has been found necessary, in order to secure that the interests of any rural district should not be prejudiced, to fix a limit per cottage on the sums to be advanced out of the fund. Where, however, the expenditure on a scheme exceeds the amount, so sanctioned; the Local Government Board authorise the council to borrow the additional sum required in the open market. The councils of the districts alluded to in the question have been dealt with in this manner. With regard to the latter part of the question. I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been directed to the damage annually done by the flooding of the Sillees River, in county Fermanagh; and will he make provision for the drainage of that area, which is inhabited exclusively by small farmers, in any proposed drainage legislation?

My attention has been called to this matter, but I cannot hold out hopes of legislation to amend the existing drainage laws in the immediate future.

asked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that instructions have been issued to the members of the Royal Irish Constabulary engaged in the collection of agricultural statistics in county Fermanagh to the effect that no subsistence allowance will be paid for over eight hours' continuous duty when this duty is performed in town-lands within a two-mile radius of the enumerator's barrack, or for townlands outside the two-mile radius when done in conjunction with townlands within the two-mile radius; have similar instructions been issued in other counties in Ireland, and by whose authority; who first devised the two-mile radius in connection with this or similar duties discharged by the Royal Irish Constabulary; is there any provision in the Constabulary Code or Finance Code to support the issuing of those Regulations; and, as the collection of agricultural statistics is a duty requiring care and time, will orders be issued to adequately pay the enumerators as heretofore, and that the two-mile radius rule be at once abolished?

The Inspector-General informs me that the instructions issued by the County Inspector of Fermanagh were given in connection with a longstanding Rule, which lays down that subsistence allowance for absence in the daytime is not granted to members of the Royal Irish Constabulary for any duty performed within two miles of their station. He is not aware whether similar directions have been given by any other County Inspector. The two-mile radius was fixed by the Inspector-General in 1901 after careful consideration of the point by all the headquarter's officers. The Rule is of general application and forms part of the Finance Code of the Force. It is not considered necessary to issue any fresh order on the subject.

asked the Chief Secretary whether, in view of the continued and wasteful felling throughout Ireland of immature plantations and woods and also of trees around farmhouses and in other situations in rural districts, which ought to be preserved both for shelter and ornament, he will appoint a small Committee to consider whether the restrictions as to felling contained in the Land Purchase Act of 1909 should be extended to all plantations, woods, and trees in Ireland?

While the Department are fully alive to the importance of preventing the unnecessary cutting of trees in Ireland, they do not think that the appointment of a Committee, as suggested, would result in obtaining any information other than what is at present available on the subject. The question of excessive felling in woods and plantations recently formed the subject of an exhaustive inquiry by the Departmental Committee on Irish Forestry. The Department are doing all that is open to them—by advice through their instructors and otherwise—to restrict, unnecessary felling and to encourage replanting.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the Board of Admiralty will allow time served in the Army to count towards the promotion of storehouse assistants to storehousemen?

Under the present Regulations storehouse assistants are only required to serve two years to render themselves eligible for examination for storehousemen. The Noble Lord's suggestion would mean that old Army men would be eligible without this qualifying period. I am afraid I cannot accept it, as the present period is none too long to enable storehouse assistants to acquire the necessary knowledge of the details of their duties.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has yet decided whether non-commissioned officers and men of twelve years' service and upwards in the administrative branches of the Service, such as the R. A. M. S., A. S. C., A. O. D., A. Pay. D, can be more speedily put on the married strength, or what has been the result of his inquiries?

I am not yet in a position to make any statement on this subject generally. I may, however, add that the married establishment of the Army Pay Corps, in the case of class 19, has recently been raised to 75 per cent. as an experimental measure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of factories and workshops in which lead is used in processes of manufacture subject to special regulations under the Factory and Workshop Act, allot; and how many of His Majesty's inspectors visit these factories and workshops with a view to see that the special regulations are enforced?

The total number of works is about 1,560. Apart from the two medical inspectors and the two dangerous trades inspectors, the total number of the ordinary staff available for their inspection (as part of their normal duties) is 124.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the double track Sara Bridge over the Lower Ganges is now estimated to cost nearly £3,300,000, whereas the original estimate was, for a double track bridge, £1,400,000, or for a single track bridge, £930,000; whether a double track bridge is really required for the amount of traffic that it is estimated will pass over the bridge; whether he is advised that this estimated cost of the bridge, nearly £3,300,000, may le assumed to be approximately the final cost; whether the latter compares favourably or otherwise with the cost of the bridge at Benares, in which the spans are somewhat longer than in the Sara Bridge and where the river has a higher flood level and a stronger current in the monsoon, or with any other bridge in India; whether he will state the weight per span and the length of the Lower Ganges bridge and of the Benares bridges, respectively; and whether the construction of other bridges at Semuriah Ghat, near Mokameh, and at Godageri, is contemplated and what are the respective estimates of cost?

The first estimate made in 1902. It was for a single-track line at a cost of £930,000. The second estimate was made in 1908 by a special committee of engineers. It increased the. strength of the bridge, added protective works and a double track, and was roughly estimated at £1,400,000. A double track is considered necessary. The Secretary of State has no reason to suppose that the final cost of the works included in the estimate will exceed £3,300,000. The cost of the Dufferin Bridge at Benares was. £313,650. No comparison of any value can be made between the Sara Bridge and the Benares Bridge or any other bridge in India. As regards the Benares Bridge, a comparison would be valueless for the following reasons: The Benares Bridge is for a single track, the Sara Bridge for a double track; the Benares Bridge consists of seven spans of long girders (350 feet) and nine spans of short girders (111 feet), and has a total length of 3,518 feet; the Sara Bridge has fifteen spans of long girders (345 feet) and six of short girders (75 feet), and a total length of 5,717 feet; the strains on the girders are determined on different data, those of the Sara Bridge being the more severe. The weight of steel in one of the long spans of the Benares Bridge is 746 tons, in that of the Sara 1,250 tons. Owing to the difference in the nature of the ground in the neighbourhood of the two sites, the necessary preventive works at Sara are enormously greater and more costly than those at Benares. The construction of a bridge at Mokamah is contemplated, but not at. Godagiri. No regular estimate has yet been prepared for a bridge at Mokamah.

asked the President-of the Local Government Board whether he has in his Department any figures showing the total annual cost of direct beneficiary assistance to individuals for the years 1890–1, 1900–1, 1910–11, and for any later year, distinguishing the amount falling upon local rates and upon Imperial taxes, respectively, and including the cost of administration; if so, will he state them; and will he, in future, grant an annual Return setting forth these figures and adding the number of direct beneficiaries on a given date in each year

Opinions may differ as to the items to be included in the term "direct beneficiary assistance," but the tabular statement below, which embodies information respecting certain services included in Returns received by the Local Government Board, affords some information in the direction desired. It relates to England and Wales alone. Particulars of the expenditure of Local Authorities in England and Wales on the services specified in the body of the statement are published annually in the Local Taxation Returns issued by the Department.Statement showing (approximately) according to the Returns received by the Local Government Board, the gross expenditure (other than out of loans, but including loan charges) of local authorities in England and Wales in each of the years 1890–1, 1900–1, and 1910–11, on the undermentioned services or purposes; and distinguishing, for the year 1910–11, the amount of such expenditure estimated to have been met from (1) public rates, (2) Exchequer Grants, and (3) other receipts; also- showing the approximate cost of old age pensions in England and Wales in the last-mentioned year.

Service or Purpose.	Year 1890–1,	Year1900–1	Year 1910–11
			Estimated to have been met from:—			Total.
			Public rate.	Exchequer Grants.	Other Receipts.
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)
	£	£	£	£	£	£
Relief of the Poor	8,500,000	11,550,000	11,760,000	2,450,000	810,000	15,020,000
Unemployed Workmen Act, 1905	—	—	70,000	80,000	30,000	180,000
Hospitals provided by Local Authorities other than Poor Law Infirmaries	330,000	1,330,000,	*1,800,000	*—	50,000	1,850,000
Education (Provision of Meals) Act, 1906	—	—	12,180,000	11,520,000	360,000	150,000
Medical inspection and Treatment of School Children	—	—				180,000
Other Expenses of Elementary Education	5,420,000	1,290,000'	2,090,000	1,780,000	660,000	23,740,000
Higher Education						4,530,000
Totals	14,250,000	24,170,000	27,900,000	15,840,000	1,910,000	45,650,000
Approximate cost of Old Age Pensions in England and Wales in 1910–11, £6,246,000.
*Some indistinguishable portion of the sum of £1,800,000 entered in column 4 may have been met out of the Grant under the Agricultural Rates Act, 1896, and the "free balances" of the Exchequer contribution accounts.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to specific cases of ill-treatment of worn-out horses exported from Tilbury, Hull, Glasgow, and Grimsby to Holland and Belgium in March last; and whether his Department requires more powers than it possesses to deal adequately with the cruelty attendant on this business?

I received recently a copy of a publication entitled "The Animals' Guardian," which contained allegations of ill-treatment in connection with the export of horses from the ports named in the question. I immediately called for a report front the Board's inspector who is specially charged with the supervision of this traffic, and I am informed that the statements made are exaggerated and misleading. I have no reason to believe that the powers of the Board under the Diseases of Animals Act, 1910, are insufficient, or that the Board's inspectors are negligent in the performance of their duties.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture what is the

The rate of interest charged by the Public Works Loan Commissioners for loans to county councils under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1908, is 3½ per cent. This rate was fixed by Treasury Minute of the 9th September, 1907. Loans for the purchase of land are sanctioned for a term of eighty years, and the rate of interest, including sinking fund, is 3¾ per cent. The term for which loans are granted for the erection of farm buildings varies, according to the character and construction of the buildings, up to a maximum of fifty years. The rate of interest, including sinking fund, on loans for fifty years is £4 5s. 3¼d. per cent.; on loans for forty years, £4 13s. 7¾d per cent.; on loans for thirty-five years, £5 per cent; on loans for thirty years, £5 8s. 9d. per cent.; on loans for twenty-five years, £6 ls. 4d. per cent.; and on loans for twenty years, £7 Os. 8¾d. per cent.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether the case as to increase of holdings in Strath, Halladale, Sutherland, from another owner has yet been presented to the Land Court; and, if not, when the case will be brought before that Court?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the negative. The Board, as stated in my reply to the hon. Member for Caithness last Tuesday, will bring a test case before the Land Court as soon as possible, but owing to statutory formalities some time must elapse before a decision can be given.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that many persons in Scotland apprehend that Clause 2, Sub-section (1), of the Mental Deficiency and Lunacy (Scotland) Bill is to be interpreted as meaning that defective children may be removed from their homes without the consent of their parents; and whether, in order to allay such fears, he will make an early and authoritative statement on the point?

The Bill contemplates that a defective child, like any other child, should remain at home under the guardianship of his parents, and be educated or trained with the assistance of the school board when required. No child may be removed to other guardianship or to a special institution without the consent of the parents, except under a judicial order which will ensure full consideration of every reasonable objection on the part of the parent. Resort to this procedure should in practice he very exceptional, but there are special circumstances in which such a procedure may be necessary in the interest of the child.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether the Report of the Departmental Committee on State loans to fishermen will be presented before the Scottish Estimates are taken?

I have made inquiry of the Departmental Committee, and am informed that the Report is in preparation, but that it is unlikely that it will be presented within the time suggested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the case of an officer being transferred to the Eastern District office where his father is a supervising officer; and whether, in view of the rule and practice of the Post Office to prevent favouritism, he will see that the regulations are enforced?

The officer referred to will not be employed under the supervision of his father, who is engaged in a different branch of the Eastern District office; and the transfer was, therefore, agreed to, subject to the usual condition that if the relationship should at any time prove detrimental to the interests of the service, the son will be transferred to another office. I have decided, however, that when a suitable opportunity arises, it would be better for him to be transferred to another office.