asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Private Levi Frank Babb, 6th Battalion Devonshire Regiment, met with an accident while on duty which has crippled him for life; whether he is aware that this man's wife and family are totally dependent upon him; whether any disability which necessitates a man's discharge as medically unfit owing to an injury received whilst on duty with the Territorial Force renders him eligible for a pension; and whether he can now see his way to grant the pension claimed by this man?

Private Babb met with an accident on duty, and has had the benefits provided by the regulations which grant either treatment in hospital with pay, or a gratuity of 3s. 6d. a day, up to a total period of six months. He was discharged on termination of engagement, and no claim for pension appears to have been made. The Royal Warrant provides that pensions may be granted to soldiers of the Territorial Force discharged on account of disability contracted during military duty.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the conditions of employment are exactly the same for pensioners and non-pensioners at Clarence barracks, Portsmouth; whether he is aware that in July, 1911, a general rise took place in the wages of these men, in which the pensioners received ls. 6d. and non-pensioners 3s.; that in August, 1912, a rise of is. 6d. was granted in the wages of non-pensioners only; and that in January, 1913, a further rise of ls. was granted to the non-pensioners, the pensioners receiving no rise on the last two occasions; and whether, seeing that the pensioners have earned their pensions by previous service to the State, he will explain why these men should have lower wages on account of this pension so earned?

These employments are reserved for pensioners and are only given to non-pensioners when no suitable pensioner is forthcoming; and the rate of wages paid is such that no man's total receipts shall be less than the recognised rate for labourers in the district. The rapid rise in this rate at Portsmouth in recent years has decreased the advantage in this respect which the pensioner formerly held.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will direct that the sword should be issued to the Yeomanry before, instead of at, mobilisation, so that the troopers may become accustomed to the weapon?

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the replies given to similar, questions on this subject, put by the hon. and gallant Gentleman the Member for West Perthshire, on the 8th and 15th instant.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will undertake not to make any alteration in the establishment of the Military Knights of Windsor without giving the opportunity for discussion in the House of Commons?

I am advised that any alterations in the constitution and endowments of the Military Knights of Windsor would involve legislation; the House would therefore have opportunity of considering any such proposal.

asked the President of the Local Government Board the total number of exemption certificates or declarations of conscientious objection to vaccination received by vaccination officers during the calendar years 1907–12, inclusive; and the percentage of such objections to total births registered during those years?

The figures are as follows, namely:—

Year.		Exemptions.		Percentage of Total Births Registered.
1907	…	57,675	…	6.3
1908	…	162,799	…	17.3
1909	…	190,689	…	20.9
1910	…	230,947	…	25.7
1911	…	248,483	…	28.2
1912	…	275,929	…	31.6

asked the right hon. Member for the Stroud Division, as representing the Charity Commissioners, whether he can state the area and value of agricultural land sold by the Charity Commissioners during the past ten years; and if he can give the same information with regard to the year 1911?

In the Returns made by the Charity Commissioners the sales of land under the authority of orders of their Board are classified accordingly as they relate to land situated in rural districts or in urban districts. It is not possible therefore to state accurately the particulars of sales of agricultural land. The following are the particulars of sale of land situate in rural districts during the periods in question:—

	Area in Acres.		Value.
Ten years ending 31st December, 1912	6,628	…	£451,994
Year ending 31st December, 1911	604	…	£35,656

Similar information regarding the sales authorised during each of the last ten years is contained in the Report of the Charity Commissioners for the year 1912 presented to the Houses of Parliament.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he has taken steps to obtain an extension of the period of loans for the equipment of small holdings, as recommended in the Report of the Departmental Committee on the Duration of Buildings (Cd. 6536); and whether, in view of the unnecessarily heavy expenditure on equipment at present incurred in some districts, he will call the attention of county councils to that Report and the Report of the Departmental Committee on Buildings for Small Holdings (Cd. 6708)?

The recommendations of the Departmental Committee on the Duration of Buildings have been the subject of discussion between the Board and the Local Government Board, and the terms allowed for loans in respect of equipment for small holdings have been extended as shown in the following table:—

	Term now Allowed.	Extended Terms.
	Years.	Years.
Fencing.
Creosoted under pressure	15	20
Stranded wire, with special steel or wrought iron standards and substantial steel or wrought iron straining posts	20	25
Continuous bar iron (according to strength)	15 to 20	25
Dry stone walling	20	25
Drainage (Land).
Pipes	20	25
Buildings.
Stud and weather-boarded (creosoted, or otherwise chemically treated under pressure), on brickwork in mortar, or masonry in mortar, or concrete pinnings roofed with ruberoid or timber, creosoted or otherwise chemically treated under pressure, provided the brickwork in mortar or masonry in mortar or concrete support is carried eighteen inches above thesurface of the ground	20	25
Do. with corrugated iron,20 B.W.G.	20	25
Do. with corrugated iron,22 B.W.G.	18	25
Do. roofed with tiles or slates	25	35
Do if not on brickwork or masonry or concrete pinnings	15	20

A circular letter will be sent to local authorities within the next few days calling their attention to these extended terms, and at the same time suggesting that they should, as far as possible, adopt the plans and recommendations of the Departmental Committee on Buildings for Small Holdings.

asked the Postmaster-General if he has taken the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown upon the question whether the patents of the Marconi Company, and the assistance of the staff of that company, for the erection and operation of Imperial wireless stations, were not secured by a cash payment for the Post Office by the agreement of 29th September, 1909; if so, will he lay those opinions upon the Table; and, if not, will he submit the question to the Law Officers and lay their replies upon the Table before concluding any contract?

I have not taken the opinion of the Law Officers on . this question, nor do I propose to do so, having been advised by the solicitor to the Post Office that there is clearly no foundation for the suggestion made by the hon. Member. The rights granted by the agreement of 29th September, 1909, were granted for use at stations in the United Kingdom, and not elsewhere. Further, under Clause 3 of the Agreement, if the Postmaster-General desires to use the patents in the United Kingdom for any communication with any station in a British possession or any foreign country, such use is to be on such terms as may be agreed on, or settled in accordance with the provisions of Section 29 of the Patents Act. Therefore, as regards the use of the patents in the United Kingdom for any such communication, no fresh rights beyond the Postmaster-General's existing statutory right were granted by the Agreement of 1909.