asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total number of minor staff officers and second division clerks who have been on the permanent establishment of the Treasury at any time since 1st January, 1903, the number of such officers who have been promoted to the first division (as recruited from the first division examination), and the immediate increase or decrease of salary involved in each of such cases of promotion, together with the length of service at the time of promotion?

The numbers of minor staff clerks and second division clerks who have been on the permanent establishment of the Treasury since 1st January, 1903, are: Minor staff officers four, second division clerks nineteen, past and present. None have been promoted to the first division.

also asked the average annual increase of salary received by each officer who has entered the Treasury by means of the first division examination since 1st January, 1903?

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland the names and number of evicted tenants in East Tipperary whose cases are at present under consideration by the Estates Commissioners?

The Statistical Returns of the Estates Commissioners are not kept by Parliamentary Divisions. There are nine cases in the county Tipperary in which the Commissioners have noted the names of the applicants for consideration in the allotment of untenanted land and who have net yet been allotted land. It would be contrary to their practice to give the names of the applicants.

asked when the continuation of Command Paper No. 6130 in reference to Irish land purchase will be published?

This Return, which is being brought up to the end of the last financial year, will, it is hoped, be presented early next month.

asked the Secretary for War whether, in accordance with the Resolution passed by this House on l0th March, 1909, a notice is exhibited in the workshops of the War Department in Plymouth and the neighbourhood to the effect that the Government will pay rates of wages and observe hours of labour not less favourable than those commonly recognised by employers and trade societies, or, in the absence of such recognised wages and hours, those which in practice prevail amongst good employers in the trade in the district where the work is carried out; whether the masters in the building trade conceded an extra halfpenny on 1st May last, making the pay 8½d. per hour, with the promise of an extra halfpenny in six months, and that plumbers received a full increase of ld. on 1st May last, making their pay 9d. per hour; and whether, in these circumstances, he will take steps to give effect to the Resolution passed by this House?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part of the question, I understand that an increase of a halfpenny per hour has been made in the rates of wages of certain classes in the building trade at Plymouth from the 1st May, and for plumbers from 17th May. The wages of those War Department employés in the district who are affected by these changes are being reviewed. I have no information regarding the other promised increases mentioned in the question.

asked the Home Secretary when the Report of the Chief Inspector of Factories will be published; and when the Home Office Vote will be debated?

The Report has already been published. I am not in a position to answer the second part of the question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the average annual increase of salary received by each officer who has entered his Department by means of the first division examination since 1st January, 1903?

The average annual increase of salary of each officer who has entered the Colonial Office by means of the examination for clerkships (Class I.) of the Civil Service since let January, 1903, is as follows:—

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the total number of minor staff officers and second division clerks who have been on the permament establishment of his Department at any time since the 1st January, 1903; the number of such officers who have been promoted to the first division (as recruited from the first division examination) and the immediate increase or decrease of salary involved in each of such cases of promotion, together with the length of service at the time of promotion?

The total number of clerks belonging to the second division or appointed from that division to minor staff officers who have been borne on the books of the Colonial Office since 1st January, 1903, is fifty-one. None of these have been promoted to the first division.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether a settlement has yet been arrived at with regard to the question of the Crown rights on the foreshore of the River Usk; and, if not, whether the Commissioners of Woods and Forests and Land Revenues will endeavour to arrive at an early settlement on terms not likely to prevent the introduction of industries and the general development of the district concerned?

A scheme for settlement was suggested by the Commissioner of Woods on the 12th instant, and is now under consideration by the parties interested locally.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that women telegraphists at Aberdeen have been employed on all-night duties at the rate of fifty-four hours per week, including Sundays, for which extra payment has not been made; whether he is aware that the Hobhouse Committee recommended a 48-hour week and extra payment for Sunday attendances for the women telephonist class; and whether he will state what authority exists for the employment of women on all-night duties, for the abrogation of the 48-hour week in this case, and for the withholding of extra payment for attendances given on Sundays by members of an established class of Post Office servants?

The hon. Member refers, no doubt, to telephonists, not telegraphists. After the transfer of the National Telephone Company's undertaking to the Post Office, I found myself obliged, for a time, to continue the company's practice in some towns of employing women on night duties. I found also that night operating was performed under conditions of much less pressure than day operating, and I decided that the fifty-four hours without special payment for Sunday—already the weekly work of male night operators in the Post Office and less than the work under the company—should be regarded as the weekly work of the women temporarily employed on night operating. The employment of women at Aberdeen at night has ceased, as the hon. Member is no doubt aware.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the total number of minor staff officers and second division clerks who have been on the permanent establishment of his Department at any time since 1st January, 1903; the number of such officers who have been promoted to the higher division and the immediate increase or decrease of salary involved in each of such cases of promotion, together with the length of service at the time of promotion?

The number of second division clerks on 1st January, 1903, was twenty-eight. The present number is forty-three, of whom five are minor staff officers. There have been no promotions to the higher division, but the number of staff officer posts to which second division clerks are promoted has been increased from five to fourteen.

also asked the Secretary for Foreign Affairs the average annual increase of salary received by each officer who has entered his Department as a junior clerk since 1st January, 1903?

The average annual increment received by each officer who has entered the Foreign Office as junior clerk since 1st January, 1903, has been :20.