asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the inability of the Irish Insurance Commissioners to defend their refusal to sanction payment to Mr. Doheny at the rate of £6 monthly, at which they had permitted him to act as clerk of the Kilkenny Insurance Committee for two periods of six and eight weeks after the said rate had been made known to them, disclosed by their reply, which related only to the first six months and had no connection with the remainder of what the reply terms the whole period, he will communicate with the Commissioners his opinion that sanction for the said rate for the two periods should no longer be withheld; and, if not, whether he will state on what grounds he is prepared to uphold a course which the Commissioners themselves cannot uphold?

I am informed that the Irish Insurance Commissioners told the committee in question on two occasions prior to the termination of the clerk's appointment for six months at a salary of £5 a month that they could not agree to an increase in this rate of payment. There was no misapprehension such as the hon. Member suggests, and in reply to the latter part of the question I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave to him on the 17th ultimo.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury the number of Bills brought in by private Members in each of the years from 1896 to 1912, and the estimated cost of printing them; how many obtained a Second Reading; how many were reported to the House by a Committee; how many obtained a Third Reading; and how many were passed into law?

I would refer the hon. Member to the Annual Returns on this subject, of which the latest was Parliamentary Paper, No. 186, of 1912. The total estimated cost of printing Bills brought in by private Members in both Houses from 1896 to 1912, was, House of Lords, £2,418; House of Commons, £12,229.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in debarring a person from old age pension on attaining the age of seventy years, money to the extent of £200 invested in the Savings Bank at 2½ per cent. interest, and to the extent of £50 at 3 1–3 in another investment, are calculated by the pension officer as returning 5 per cent, interest; if so, is this under a regulation of his Department; and, if not, will he introduce an amending Act so that safe investment in Government securities may be encouraged instead of the reverse?

The method of calculation to which my hon. Friend refers was laid down by Statute (Section 2 (1) of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1911) and not by departmental regulations. I fear I am unable to propose an Amendment of the law on this point.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Ellen O'Connor, of Barrack Street, Tallow, county Water-ford, has been refused an old age pension by a decision of the Local Government Board reversing the decision of the Lismore sub-committee on the ground of age; why the Local Government Board declined to accept the evidence produced by her that she is over seventy years of age; in what respect does the Board consider the evidence to be defective; and whether, if further evidence is given, the Board will reconsider its decision?

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension in thinking that the Local Government Board reversed the decision of the local sub-committee on this claim. The claim was disallowed by the sub-committee, and, on appeal, the Board confirmed the sub-committee's action. The evidence furnished by the claimant was defective, inasmuch as it was insufficient to establish that she had reached the statutory age. The Board have no power to reconsider a decision when given on a claim.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been called to the fact that the prohibitory Orders against Irish cattle has year were issued under Sub-sections 17 and 37 of Section 22 of the Act of 1894; whether these Sub-sections were originally enacted in the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, 1878, and when they were under the consideration of Parliament an undertaking was arrived at that Great Britain and Ireland would be treated as one country; whether, having regard to the fact that the Parliamentary bargain then made has been violated by the President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, he will take the opinion of the Irish Law Officers as to the legality of the Orders issued; and what action should be taken to preserve an open market for Irish cattle in accordance with the intentions of Parliament?

The answer to the first paragraph of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the remaining part of the question I have nothing to add to the Prime Minister's reply to the hon. Member's questions of the 9th June, further than to say that it is not proposed to refer the matter to the Irish Law Officers.

also asked the Chief Secretary whether, having regard to the fact that there is not in Ireland any foot-and-mouth disease of animals at present, and that therefore sheep and lambs can be subjected to detention on this side for humane reasons only, he will use his influence with the Prime Minister and the President of the Board of Agriculture to appoint a Committee of Inquiry before which exporters of Irish animals to Great Britain can lay their grievances and submit evidence of the pecuniary loss which they state they are now suffering in consequence of detention of stock in cases where it is wholly unnecessary; and whether, seeing that owners of stock are more largely interested in their proper treatment than anyone else, he will have the Committee fully representative of their interests?

The detention regulations are understood to be maintained with a view principally to more satisfactory precaution in case disease should arise. It is not proposed to intervene in regard thereto in the way suggested in this question.

asked the Chief Secretary what is the cause of the delay in completing the sale to the tenants on the Wade estate, at Crossakill, county Meath, and the Naper estate, in the same district, for which purchase agreements were lodged in 1907; whether he is aware that interest in lieu of rent is payable at the rate of 3¾ and 4 per cent., respectively, on these estates; and whether, having regard to the loss to the tenants in consequence of the delay, he will ask the Estates Commissioners to investigate the whole matter.

These estates are the subject of proceedings for sale direct by the vendors to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903, and cannot be dealt with until they are reached in order of priority on the principal register of direct sales (all cash). Meanwhile the Commissioners are under statutory obligation to collect the interest in lieu of rent which the tenants in their purchase agreements contracted to pay.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if the Estates Commissioners can say whether for many years past four large holders on the Keating estate, county Galway, have been paying 3¼ per cent, on the purchase money, while other tenants have been paying 3½ per cent.; and, if so, what is the reason for this?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that the four holdings referred to were sold by the owner direct to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903, and have been vested in them. The rest of the property which was congested was purchased by the Commissioners, and they have not yet vested the holdings in the tenants, as they are desirous of carrying out a scheme of improvement and migration, if practicable. Pending vesting of the lands the tenants are liable for payment of interest at 3½ per cent, under Section 18 of the Irish Land Act, 1903.The Commissioners propose to deal with this estate at an early date.

asked the Prime Minister whether a decision has been arrived at with regard to the payment of the Grant to the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society from the Development Commissioners' Fund; and, if so, will he state the terms upon which the Grant will be made?

Owing to legal difficulties the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society were unable to accept the third condition as set forth in the Treasury letter of the 1st April, already laid before Parliament. The society, however, have given an assurance which the Treasury have accepted as satisfactory, that no part of the society's funds while it is receiving a Grant will be spent upon the organisation of other than purely agricultural business. Upon this assurance and on the acceptance by the society of the other three conditions set forth in the Treasury letter referred to, the Grant of £2,000 is being paid through the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of first-class battleships and cruisers built or building for the Navy which are designed to use oil fuel only; and what will be their total monthly consumption of oil when in full commission?

It is my intention to deal as fully as their confidential character permits with the important questions connected with the use of oil fuel, as they affect the naval service, when I make my statement on Vote 8. I cannot promise to go into precise details of consumption.

also asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of first-class battleships and cruisers built or building for the Navy which are designed to use oil fuel only; and what will be their total monthly consumption of oil when in full commission?

As I informed the Noble Lord the Member for Portsmouth on the 10th of February last, the inquiry throughout is strictly confidential.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what estimate he had formed, at the time of his statements in March, of the number of Austrian and Italian "Dreadnoughts" to be completed in the last quarter of 1915 and the first three quarters of 1916, irrespective of any recent reports as to fresh construction in Austria?

The estimate was for the published programmes of six Italian and four Austro-Hungarian "Dreadnoughts."

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the various unofficial statements as to the main armament of the "King George V.," "Iron Duke,'' "Queen Elizabeth," and "Queen Mary" types, any official information can properly be given as a supplement to the blank columns of the White Paper, No. 537.

The armament of "King George V" and "Queen Mary" types is shown in the published Navy Estimates of 1913–14. As regards the "Iron Duke" and "Queen Elizabeth" types, it is not customary or desirable to publish details of the armament of new types until a later stage of their construction.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty 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 particulars are as follow:—

Clerk.				Average annual increase of salary, including allowances.
				£
1	…	…	…	62*
2	…	…	…	37*
3	…	…	…	30*
4	…	…	…	33
5	…	…	…	50
6	…	…	…	61
7	…	…	…	50
8	…	…	…	24
9	…	…	…	15*
10	…	…	…	30
11	…	…	…	36
12	…	…	…	36
13	…	…	…	34
14	…	…	…	33
15	…	…	…	—*
16	…	…	…	63
17	…	…	…	15*
18	…	…	…	38
19	…	…	…	15*
20	…	…	…	63
21	…	…	…	63
22	…	…	…	80
23	…	…	…	15*
24	…	…	…	15*
25	…	…	…	20
26	…	…	…	20
27	…	…	…	—
28	…	…	…	20
29	…	…	…	—
* Calculated to date of ceasing duty at the Admiralty.

asked the First Lord of Admiralty 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 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 minor staff officers and second division clerks who have been on the permanent establishment at the Admiralty at any time since 1st January, 1903, is 311. Of these, seven have been promoted to clerkships, Class I.:—

—		Increase or Decrease of Salary on Promotion.				Length of Service of at time on Promotion.
			£	s.	d.	Years.	Months.
No. 1	…	—				19	0
No. 2	…	Decrease	*30	0	0	12	11
No. 3	…	—				17	2
No. 4	…	—				16	11
No. 5	…	Increase	33	14	0	11	7
No. 6	…	Decrease	†l05	15	0	13	7
No. 7	…	Decrease	‡32	17	0	17	4
* Received an allowance of £50 as private secretary from date of promotion to the first division. Net increase of emoluments on promotion was therefore £20.
† Was a deputy superintending clerk at time of promotion. Received an allowance of £100 as private-secretary from date of promotion to the first division. Net decrease of emoluments on promotion was therefore £5 15s.
‡ Was a staff clerk at time of promotion to the first division.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what was the number of men on the cutter of the "Perseus" when it disappeared; the proportion of the same who were married men; the number of children, if any, of each married man; the amount of pay in the case of each man; and the allowance made to the relatives or other dependants of the man?

Exclusive of the lieutenant there were eight naval ratings, in addition to a hired native interpreter. The rates of pay of these naval ratings, were as follows:—

	Per diem.
	s.	d.
Arthur O. Barnes (ordinary seaman)	1	3
James Bullough (A. B.)	1	8
Alfred Money (leading seaman)	3	3
Alfred Hooper (ordinary seaman)	1	3
George Page (signalman)	2	0
John Martin (A. B.)	1	9
James Batchelor (A. B.)	2	1
Robert E. Williams (A. B.)	1	8

None of these naval ratings were married. The following grants were made to dependent relatives:—

		£	s.	d.
To the mother of one man	…	22	16	3
To the mother of another	…	33	9	2
To the aunt of one man	…	30	8	4
To the father of one man	…	34	19	7

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the New Explosives Company, at Stowmarket, have a contract with the Admiralty; is he aware that the firm are paying their employés less than the local firms by many shillings per week; if he is aware that Messrs. Kynochs' firm, at Birmingham, are paying 23s. per week and the Government are paying 26s. per week for the same class of work; that the firm at Stowmarket are paying 15s. 11d. per week for a week of fifty-four and a-half hours; and whether he will have inquiries made into the matter, and if he finds that the firm in question are paying less wages than the local firms, what action he intends taking against the firm to make them carry out the Fair-Wages Clause of the House of Commons?

I am already in communication with the Board of Trade with a view to obtaining information in this matter, and also to ascertain whether any inquiry can properly be made under the Fair-Wages Clause without prejudice to the interests of both parties whilst a strike is in progress.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the shipwrights employed on Whale Island have not yet received the promised increase of wages; and whether he can state when these increases of wages will be paid?

The shipwrights referred to will be paid the increased rate of wages as from 1st June, in accordance with the concessions announced on 8th May. Owing to these men not being employed with the general body of workmen there has been some little delay, but they will receive the arrears due with their wages for the current week.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his Department has made any further progress in the matter of new accommodation for Army offices in Perth?

It is not at present proposed to make any change in the present arrangements as regards military offices at Perth.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will furnish the total numbers of all ranks of London Mounted Brigade and 1st and 2nd London Territorial Divisions, present at the Territorial Review in Hyde Park on 5th July, as shown by the parade state?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can now state the total number of officers and of other ranks who were on parade with the dismounted units at the Territorial Review on 5th July; what the total establishment of those units is; and their total strength according to the last available return?

I cannot say more at this moment than that the number was approximately 10,000. I hope to be able to give the exact figure in the course of the next few days.

asked the President of the Board of Education the average annual increase of salary received by each officer who has entered his Department as a junior examiner since 1st January, 1903?

Of the officers appointed in my Department since 1st January, 1903, whose first appointment to the permanent service was to the grade of junior examiner, thirty-one have received an average annual increase of salary of £25, and the remaining eight have received an average annual increase of £37, £39, £47, £47, £50, £52, £57, and £66, respectively.

asked the President of the Board of Education 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 examinerships; 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 minor staff officers and second divison clerks who have been on the permanent establishment at any time since 1st January, 1903, is 439. One of these officers has been promoted to an examinership. The immediate increase of salary that he received on promotion was £112 10s. At the time of his promotion he had served as a second division clerk for nine years and seven months.

asked the President of the Board of Education (1) whether he is aware that the official representative of the University of Cambridge on the Bristol University Court has resigned his membership of the latter body as a protest against the answer given by the Bristol University authorities to the complaints against their administration and their refusal of a public inquiry into the allegations which have been made, and, if so, whether he proposes to take any action in the matter; (2) whether he is aware that Professor Geroth-wahl, who has publicly criticised the administration of the University of Bristol, has not been continued in his office; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter; and (3) whether the attention of his advisory council has been drawn to the statements made by Miss Geraldine Hodgson, lecturer on education in the University of Bristol; whether Miss Hodgson has been threatened with dismissal from her post failing the tender of a suitable apology; and whether he will ask the Lord President of the Council to direct that an inquiry should be made into the matters criticised by Miss Hodgson and other critics of this university, and in the meantime to protect such teachers from vindictive treatment?

In reply to these questions, I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. and learned Member for Dublin University, and the hon. Member for Stirlingshire on 1st and 5th May.

asked the President of the Board of Education the number of elementary schools in England, excluding London, to which care committees are attached?

Care committees are organised usually by local education authorities or groups of managers. The Board have no means of knowing the number of public elementary schools which such committees serve—though such exist, in fact, in most educational areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether certificated teachers in the Home Office schools are subject to dismissal by the governors of such schools without appeal; whether he is aware that evidence was given before the Departmental Committee to the effect that teachers were dismissed in such schools without any appeal or without being allowed to be heard in their own defence, and that cases of injustice had occurred in consequence; whether such evidence has been ignored by the Committee; and, if so, whether he will consider the evidence submitted on this point and make such regulations as will provide a court of appeal in all cases of dismissal of teachers in such schools?

Certificated teachers, as all other officers in Reformatory and Industrial Schools, are appointed and liable to be dismissed by the managers of the schools. Two witnesses representing the National Union of Teachers gave evidence before the Departmental Committee asking that teachers in these schools should have a right of appeal to the Home Office; but the Committee made no recommendation on the subject. I have considered the evidence given before the Committee; but I do not see my way to take action in the matter; the managers are responsible for the conduct of the school and for the care and training of the children, and if this responsibility is to be preserved, it is essential that they should have full control of the staff.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Report of His Majesty's chief inspector of factories in 1912 shows that the carrying of grossly excessive weights is widespread and of frequent occurrence; that boys of fifteen in tinplate works carry weights of from 90 to 100 pounds; that women and girls employed in earthenware and china works, rag-sorting works, flax works, aerated water works, stoneware works, brick works, cotton mills, and making-up works, commonly carry weights of 80 pounds, and often weights of 100 pounds; and whether, in view of the injury resulting to workers from this cause, he proposes to introduce legislation to deal with this matter on the lines recommended by the Accidents Committee?

I have seen the passages referred to, but I do not think they are quite accurately summarised in the question. Eighty pounds is mentioned as a usual weight in two only of the industries named. The only direct statutory powers at present possessed by the Department are limited to the case of children under fourteen. By the Employment of Children Bill, now before the House, it is proposed to extend them to persons up to the age of sixteen. The Department is fully alive to the importance of the question, and is taking such action as is possible. In the case of the pottery trade the matter has already been dealt with in the new regulations, and it has been put forward as one of the subjects for discussion at the series of conference with employers and employed in different trades which are now being held in accordance with the recommendation of the Accidents Committee. It will be seen from the published report of the conferences already held, that considerable progress has been made in the desired direction. Instructions have also been issued to the certifying surgeons to have regard to the question when examining young persons for employment. The subject is noted for consideration in connection with the next amending Factory Bill, but I cannot say at present when it will be possible to take that up.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the recent prosecution in Waterford of the manager of a factory called the Glen Laundry; whether, on the defendant having been convicted of having obstructed the inspector in the execution of her duties, e was fined 5s., and on pleading guilty to the illegal employment of a girl of fourteen without a certificate of fitness he was fined 1d. by a bench of magistrates; and what steps he proposes to take, in view of the inadequacy of such penalties in the case of serious breaches of the law?

I have received a report of this case from the Chief Inspector of Factories. The facts are as stated in the question, but the amount of the penalties is a matter within the discretion of the justices, and I have no power to require them to be increased.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Home Office has at any time issued a circular to magistrates calling their attention to the ineffectiveness of nominal penalties, such as those recently imposed in the Glen Laundry case in Waterford, to maintain respect for the law; and whether, in view of the not infrequent imposition of such penalties, he will cause such a circular to be issued, or, if previously issued, to be circulated afresh to magistrates throughout the United Kingdom?

The Department has never, so far as I am aware, issued such a circular, and I do not think it would be advisable to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state 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 particulars are as follows:—

Clerk.				Average Annual Increase of Salary, including Acting Allowances and Allowances as Private Secretaries.
				£
1	…	…	…	55
2	…	…	…	62
3	…	…	…	62
4	…	…	…	41
5	…	…	…	41
6	…	…	…	20
7	…	…	…	50
8	…	…	…	20
9	…	…	…	20
10	…	…	…	20
11	…	…	…	20
12	…	…	…	20
13	…	…	…	20

Four clerks have not served one year and are excluded from the above figures

asked the Home Secretary 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 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 officers and second division clerks who have been on the permanent establishment of the Home Office since 1st January, 1903, are:—Minor staff officers, 17; second division clerks, 41, past and present. Two of these have been promoted to the first division at their existing salary at the time of promotion, plus a proportional increment of salary for the fractional part of a year between the date at which they received their last increment of salary and the date of their promotion. Each officer had served between twenty and twenty-one years.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the General Order 632, of 1864, as a final settlement, fixed the status of the officers of the general list who had entered the Indian Army after 1858, and expressly assured them promotion through every grade as if the whole of the Native Army of India had been kept up, including, as admitted by Mr. Fowler in 1895, the rank of colonel with colonel's allowances; on what grounds, and by what authority, the rights thus assured were, in 1882, withdrawn from all except thirteen of these officers; if the withdrawal was defensible, why was the appeal of the injured officers, when supported by 200 Members of Parliament in 1896, for an inquiry into their claims not granted; from how many officers of the same standing as the favoured thirteen are the rights assured to all now withheld; what are the annual and total savings thus effected; and, if those remaining officers are not to be given either what was promised to them or an inquiry into their claim, will he explain why?

The. General Order, No. 632, of 1864, stated that the effect of certain measures sanctioned for the relief of the East India Company's Army would be to assure to every officer, including those who had entered the Native Army after it came under the Crown and up to the end of 1861, his promotion through every grade, as though the whole of the Native Army had been kept up, and to maintain his pensionary rights. It was a statement of anticipated results rather than a definite guarantee. The right of succession to colonels' allowances under the East India Company was not a right which could be enjoyed by every officer. There was a fixed establishment of these allowances, and succession to them was only attainable as death vacancies occurred. In 1861 it was calculated that the establishment of colonels' allowances in the Company's army had been equal to one-thirtieth of the total number of officers composing that army, and it was then decided that eventually the senior officers of the Indian Army under the Crown should have an establishment of colonels' allowances calculated at one-thirtieth of the number, with succession to death vacancies as they occurred. As, however, no general list officer could succeed to the colonels' allowances until 1896, the actual establishment of those allowances to be fixed for officers of the general list was not definitely laid down until 1883. It was then ascertained that the total number of officers who had ever joined the general list was 630. From this number those who had left the general list and had joined the Staff Corps or the new Line regiments, and had thus become eligible for colonels' allowances on lists other than the general list, were deducted. They numbered 232. There remained 398, and this latter number included not only the officers serving in 1883, but all those who had died, retired, or resigned the service between 1858 and 1883. This number, 398, divided by 30, gives an establishment of thirteen colonels' allowances for the general list, to which officers succeed in turn as death vacancies occur. I am unable to ascertain that an appeal from the general list officers in 1897 received support from 200 Members of Parliament, but it is on record that when a Motion for a Select Committee to inquire into the subject was made in this House on 27th April, 1897, it was defeated by 174 votes to 55. It is not admitted that general list officers have been at any time deprived of any right which was at any time promised them and, therefore, the remainder of the question does not arise.

asked the Under-secretary of State for India (1) whether his attention has been drawn to a complaint made by Mr. FitzGerald Lee, of Murree, stating that on the 30th August last the district judge of Rawal Pindi ordered the arrest of Mr. FitzGerald Lee on a statement which has been proved to be untrue and which has been the subject of an apology; whether Mr. Prenter, I.C.S., the district judge of Rawal Pindi, immediately ordered the seizure of Mr. FitzGerald Lee's property and also ordered the appearance of Mr. FitzGerald Lee before him at ten o'clock in the morning; whether this notice was only received by Mr. FitzGerald Lee at half-past five the previous afternoon; whether this necessitated the accused person travelling overnight in a specially hired tonga, for which he could not pay, as the whole of his property had been seized; whether, on his appearance next day, the case was not proceeded with; whether the Assistant Commissioner had to promise to refund to Mr. FitzGerald Lee the expenses of his journey, which refund has not been made; whether he proposes to make any inquiry into the action of the judicial officer against whom complaints have been made; and (2) whether his attention has been called to statements published by Mr. FitzGerald Lee, of Murree, against Mr. Justice Johnstone, I.C.S., a judge of the Punjab Chief Court, and Mr. A. J. Kitchin, I.C.S., Deputy-Commissioner of Multan, alleging prejudice and otherwise improper conduct when acting in judicial capacities, facts, dates, and other circumstances being definitely specified; and whether the India Office propose to take any action on the subject?

I have not seen the published statements. If my hon. Friend can give me exact information as to their contents, and when and where they were published, I will have inquiry made. I have received a private letter on the subject about which inquiries are being made.

asked the Under Secretary of State for India what the Government of India's intentions are regarding the continued imprisonment of Mr. Tilak?

I have no reason to think that the Government of India regard this case as one for further elemency.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture (1) if representations have been made by the Argentine Government regarding the importation into this country of live cattle for immediate slaughter; if so, whether such representations have been considered by the Board, and with what result; and (2) whether, in view of the increasing monopoly which the com- bination of firms known as the American Beef Trust appears to be securing in our own and other markets, and the high prices which consumers of meat are called upon to pay largely as a result of such monopoly, he can see his way to rescind the Order prohibiting the importation into Deptford and other markets of live cattle for immediate slaughter?

I have nothing to add at present to the answer which I gave to a question on the same subject addressed to me by my hon. Friend on the 8th May last.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the fact that on the 18th August, 1911, an Act was passed to enable the Board to make Orders under the Diseases of Animals Act for protecting live poultry from unnecessary suffering while being conveyed by land or water, and in connection with their exposure for sale and their disposal after sale, notwithstanding which no such Order has yet been made, and much unnecessary suffering is still inflicted upon live poultry while being conveyed by land and water, he will undertake to make and promulgate such Order without further delay?

The Board did not consider it expedient to make any Order under the Poultry Act, 1911, without first ascertaining by careful inquiry in what respects it is possible to regulate the conveyance of poultry by land and water without unreasonable interference with the trade. The Board's inquiries are now nearly completed.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether, in the event of the local authorities declining to purchase the leases of the enclosures in Regent's Park, the Government will consider the advisability of throwing open these enclosures in the public interest, as was done in the cases of Greenwich Park and Hampton Court?

I am not fully acquainted with the cases at Greenwich Park and Hampton Court to which my hon. Friend refers, but I understand that no property placed in charge with the Commissioners of Woods for revenue purposes has been opened to the public in either place. Greenwich Park and Hampton Court are under the charge of the Commissioners of Works.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he will place maps and plans of Regent's Park and Primrose Hill, with enclosures, in the Library of the House for the information of Members?

As regards Regent's Park, I think my hon. Friend will obtain all the information he desires from the plans that are included among the papers relating to enclosures in Regent's Park that have been recently presented to Parliament (Cd. 6842). Primrose Hill is not under the charge of the Commissioners of Woods, and for information concerning it I must refer my hon. Friend to the First Commissioner of Works.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he will consider the possibility of abolishing or materially shortening the period of quarantine at present enforced against dogs coming into this country; whether the Regulations apply to toy and other pet dogs; whether any cases of rabies have been detected in any dog during the period of quarantine within the last two years, and, if; so, how many; and whether he can state the average expense of the system by which the Regulations are carried out to the owner of the dog?

The period of quarantine prescribed for dogs imported into this country was fixed after careful observation, and scientific study, and cannot safely be reduced. The Regulations apply to all kinds of dogs. No cases of rabies have occurred during the period of quarantine within the last two years. The cost of the quarantine is a matter for arrangement between the owner and the veterinary surgeon, and varies according to the size of the dog and other circumstances; the Board have no information from which the average cost could be computed.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture what was the cost to the country of the recent Committee sent down to Glasgow to adjudicate upon the prices charged for landing cattle at Merklands; was any extra remuneration given to any member of that Committee, and, if so, how much; and what were the travelling and other expenses incurred by that body?

The following expenses were incurred by my Department in connection with the Public Inquiry in question:—

	£	s.	d.
Travelling expenses and subsistence allowances to officers	32	7	8
Advertisements	6	12	0
Shorthand-writer's Account	54	12	8
Total	£93	12	4

Besides this sum there will be some small cost in connection with the attendance at the inquiry of representatives of the Scottish and Irish Departments of Agriculture. No extra remuneration was paid to any officer of my Department in connection with the inquiry.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture what were the names of those who constituted the recent Committee appointed to inquire into the Merklands charges for cattle landing there; had they ever previously had any experience in the way of sifting evidence and coming to a conclusion on matters similar to those put before them in Glasgow; if so, what experience; what was the remit put before that Committee; and was any indication given to them beforehand of the views on the matter to be adjudicated upon which were held by the Board of Agriculture?

The inquiry was conducted by the secretary of my Department, Sir Sydney Olivier, assisted by Mr. F. A. Jones, one of the Board's legal advisers, and by Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Edward Clarke, Bart., one of the Board's Superintending inspectors. Sir Sydney Olivier before he entered the Colonial service was on several occasions specially employed to investigate and deal with problems of Colonial finance, and has during his Colonial service been continually responsible for the direction and control of financial administration, central and municipal, involving the sifting of evidence and coming to conclusions on matters in comparison with which the questions to be dealt with on this inquiry were exceedingly simple. Mr. Jones has on several occasions acted in inquiries similar to that now in question. The question remitted for report, but not for determination, was whether any of the tolls taken by the Corporation of Glasgow for the use of the landing-place for Irish animals at Merklands might properly be reduced, regard being had to expenditure and receipts of the corporation in respect of the landing-place and to any money secured on the tolls and to other circumstances of the case, and what charges should be sanctioned by the Board under Article 6 of the Animals (Landing from Ireland) Order of 1913, for the use of the landing-place for animals landed under that Order. The Board did not prejudge the matter remitted for inquiry but dealt with it as an open question on the considerations reported.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what were the values of cotton yarns, of cotton manufactures other than yarns, of cotton yarns and manufactures, respectively, exported from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and the United States, respectively, in the year 1903 and in the year 1912, or the latest year for which the statistics are available, in continuation of Tables 25, 26, and 27 contained in the Return [Cd. 4954] of 1909?

The following statements give the information desired by my hon. Friend:—

(a) Value of Exports of Cotton Yarns to all desinations.
Country from which Exported.		1903.	1912.
		Million £s.	Million £s.
United Kingdom	…	7·4	16·2
France	…	0·2	0·7§
Germany	…	1·63║	3·2║
United States†	…	*	0·1

(b) Value of Exports of Cotton Manufacture (other than Yarns) to all destinations.
Country from which Exported.		1903.	1912.
		Million £s.	Million £s.
United Kingdom	…	66·2‡	106·0‡
France	…	7·2	15·2§
Germany	…	14·9	20·7
United States†	…	6·2	8·6

asked the President of the Board of Trade 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 annual average increase of salary received by each officer who has entered the Board of Trade by means of the first division examination since 1st January, 1903, is as follows:—

Number of Clerks.				Average Annual Increase of Salary.
				£
1	…	…	…	17
4	…	…	…	18
7	…	…	…	20
1	…	…	…	27
13	…	…	…	19·6

Five clerks have not served one year, and are excluded from the above figures. Five other clerks have been appointed to staff posts, and are not included in the above averages. In 1909 the minimum salary was increased from £150 to £200, and the annual increment from £15 to £20.

asked the President of the Board of Trade 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 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 minor staff officers and second division clerks who have been on the permanent establishment of the Board of Trade and its sub-departments at any time since 1st January, 1903, is 297; four of such officers have been promoted to the first division, as recruited from the first division examination. The immediate effect on their salary, with the length of service rendered in each case, was:—

—		Increase of Salary.	Decrease of Salary.	Length of Service.
Number 1	…	£15	—	23 years
Number 2	…	—	—	22 years
Number 3	…	—	—	15 years
Number 4	…	£15	—	12 years

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that another wireless company other than the Marconi has established communication over a distance conforming with the requirements of she Imperial wireless service, he would consider the advisability, as a matter of economy, of asking this company to tender for the contract for this service, and thus possibly ensure that the contract will be made on competitive terms and not awarded at monopolist prices?

I would refer the hon. Member to my answer to similar questions on Monday last.

also asked the Postmaster-General whether it is his intention to invite open competition to tender by wireless companies who can meet the re-requirements of the Imperial wireless service; if so, when will the notice for such tenders be issued?

I have as yet no information which would lead me to depart from the view indicated by the Scientific Advisory Committee that there is no system other than the Marconi system which can be said with any certainty to be capable of fulfilling the requirements of the Imperial chain.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether there is a Regulation as to the amount of goods traffic handled at a country railway station which is necessary in order for a weighbridge to be placed there; and, if so, whether the traffic at Fawkham Station, Kent, South-Eastern and Chatham Railway, warrants the erection of a weighbridge?

I am not aware of any such Regulation as my hon. Friend suggests.