asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state the amount of the employers' contributions received under Section 48 (3) of the National Insurance Act; whether the co-operation of the Board of Trade has been secured with a view to seeing that every employer makes the full payment due by him; and what are the steps taken by the Board of Trade in the matter?

The amount received to the 24th July is £7,284. The employers' contributions payable under Section 48 (3) of the National Insurance Act are collected by the English Commission on behalf of all the Commissions, direct from shipowners.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the panel of doctors at Wisbech has been closed since 10th January and that several doctors who are prepared now to join the panel have been refused admission by the local insurance committee, that the choice of doctors is thus materially narrowed to insured persons in that district; and whether, in order to restore such choice, he can give an undertaking that the present arbitrary restriction on the panel will be brought to an end?

As I have previously stated, owing to the fact that the local doctors declined to serve under the Act, the insurance committee were unable to secure an adequate medical service for the district under the normal panel arrangements. At the request of the insurance committee, therefore, and in order that they might discharge their obligation to provide medical benefit, the normal panel system was suspended under the proviso to Section 15 (2) of the Act, and alternative arrangements suggested by the insurance committee were authorised whereby the committee appointed certain doctors to undertake the entire responsibility for the treatment of all insured per sons in the district. I cannot alter the terms upon which these doctors have been appointed.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) what area of land is employed in the cultivation of tobacco in Ulster; will any new regulations affect the cultivation of this crop in Ulster; and, if so, in what respect?

One acre of tobacco has been planted in Ulster this season in connection with the experiments conducted under the supervision of the Department. The Department are not aware of any new regulations regarding the cultivation of tobacco which will affect specially the growing of this crop in Ulster.

asked whether allowance will be made for money expended on sea defences, such as groynes and seawalls, when acquiring land under the Irish Land Bill?

In such cases where the lands have become more valuable by the erection of permanent sea defences, the fact of the increased value is necessarily taken into account by the Estates Commissioners in offering a price for the estate.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state the progress of the negotiations of the Congested Districts Board with respect to the estate of General Sir T. Kelly-Kenny, near Coore, West Clare; and whether steps will be taken to expedite matters?

The Congested Districts Board have issued an offer for the purchase of this property, and they are at present in correspondence with the vendors regarding it.

asked whether the Estates Commissioners will consider the case of Thomas Gallen, of Corlea, Killygordon, county Donegal, an evicted tenant on the Delap estate, when allotting any untenanted land in the vicinity or on the Delap estate?

The Estates Commissioners cannot find that they received any application for reinstatement from the person referred to in the question, and not having been lodged within the period specified In the Evicted Tenants Act the case does not come within that Act.

asked if the Congested Districts Board have taken any steps to acquire the Daly estate, parish of Addergoole, county Mayo, situated between the Knox and Palmer estates, and affording facilities for the enlargement of many of the congested holdings on these estates?

The estate referred to cannot be identified by the Congested Districts Board from the particulars given in the question.

asked whether he can state how far the negotiations are advanced for the sale to the Congested Districts Board of the estate of the late Joseph Johnston, continued in the name of Mary C. E. Johnston; and whether there is any prospect of the tenants' holdings being vested in them at an early date?

The Congested Districts Board hope shortly to make an offer for the purchase of this estate.

asked whether, in the case of the Ormathwaite estate, county Kerry, for sale before the Estates Commissioners, the recommendations of the Land Commission inspector, Mr. Mow-bray, who inspected the estate in September, 1911, with regard to turbary plots, have been carried into effect; if not, will he say why this has not been done; and how the recommendations of the inspector with regard to the turbary plot of the tenant, Patrick Kirby, in the townland of Lissahane, have been dealt with?

The Estates Commissioners are satisfied that the vendor's arrangements as regards turbary in connection with the proceedings for sale before them under the Land Purchase Acts are adequate. Kirby has not signed an agreement to purchase his holding. He continues, as tenant, to have the same rights to turbary as heretofore.

asked whether in future an opportunity will be afforded to Irish shipbuilders and repairers to tender for building, overhauling, or repairing steam drifters or other vessels required in connection with the fishing industry of Ireland?

Except in the case of some minor repairs, for which borrowers have preferred to accept tenders from elsewhere, builders and repairers in Ireland are invariably given an opportunity to tender in connection with fishing boats built or repaired under the Department's loan system.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether a junior assistant mistress, aged forty-five years, engaged in a national school whose present average is under fifty, will be entitled without examination to recognition as full assistant if the average rises to over fifty?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that a junior assistant mistress aged over forty-five years engaged in a national school whose present average is under fifty is not entitled to recognition as full assistant if the average rise's over fifty unless she has already the qualifications of a full assistant.

also asked whether Irish training colleges are compelled to call students in order of merit, or if they can select them as they please from the list of those who have passed the King's scholarship examination?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that in the case of the Marlborough Street Training College, which is under the management of the Commissioners, there is provision in the rules to the effect that the candidates who pass the examination on the King's scholarship programme are chosen in order of merit. The selection of candidates for admission to colleges under local management is made by the college authorities, who in the year 1914 and subsequently will be required to give reasons satisfactory to the Commissioners in any case "where the order of merit is departed from in the selection of King's scholars.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he has been informed of the particulars of a cattle drive which took place last week on a farm in King's county, near Portarlington; whether thirteen cattle were driven in daylight over four miles into the town of Portarlington without any interference by the police; whether this farm is one from which tenants had been evicted for the non-payment of rent and is now held by a Mr. Batterton, who resides on the lands; whether it has been found necessary to form a special police protection post on the farm; and whether any arrests have been made or anyone made amenable for this outrage?

The police authorities inform me that twelve head of cattle were driven off the lands of John P. Batterton on the 13th instant while he and the two policemen who are protecting him were at Divine service. The cattle were driven to within a short distance of Portarlington which is four miles away. Mr. Batterton resides on this farm, from which tenants were evicted in 1902 for non-payment of rent. The police are pursuing their inquiries, but so far no one has been made amenable.

asked the Chief Secretary if his attention has been drawn to remarks made by Mr. M. J. Nolan, J.P., in the Petty Sessions court at Listowel, county Kerry, on the 12th instant, to the effect that the police in Listowel should not enforce the provisions of the Licensing Acts as to Sunday trading by publicans; and whether, in view of the difficulty the police in Ireland already experience in obtaining convictions against publicans who persistently break the law, any steps will be taken to deal with Mr. Nolan?

The Lord Chancellor informs me that the observations made by Mr. Nolan on the occasion referred to are of too trivial a character to call for any action on his part.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the increase in the price of clothing in the naval service does away with the value of the increase lately made in the pay of the men; and, seeing that, taking an average all round, the men would be out of pocket during an interval of, say, three years, will he take their case into further consideration?

There is no justification whatever for the imputation that, because the issuing prices of certain articles of clothing are higher this year, the Admiralty is endeavouring to recoup itself for the recent extension of the system of free kits and improvements in the pay of the lower deck by making a profit on the clothing sold to the men, The scale of prices referred to by the Noble Lord is the annual price list of the articles of clothing which may be taken up by the men from Government stocks. These prices represent the actual cost price in the current year of the clothing purchased by the Admiralty, with the addition of the regulation percentage to cover establishment charges, that is the cost to the public of receiving, examining, storing, and handling the goods. The prices are revised annually on the basis of the contract prices, and the new prices come into existence on 1st July at home and 1st October abroad. It is true that this year the issuing prices of certain materials and the clothing made from them have risen, notably in the case of the articles most largely taken up by the men —serge, duck, flannel, boots, jerseys, stockings, socks; but this is unavoidable, being due to the rise in the contract prices this year. In a few cases prices have gone down, and in others they remain the same, but the general effect of the revised prices is that the men will have to pay rather more for clothes taken up from Government stocks this year than they did last year. It is not anticipated, however, that this will come to more than 5s. or 6s. on the average.

asked the Secretary for War if he will state whether he is aware that the war medal for the Zulu campaign of 1878 was not granted to William Richardson, of Fulham, who served with the 94th Foot, until a few weeks ago; whether Richardson is to be granted a pension; if so, how much, and from what date; and how many years have elapsed since the first applications were made for the medal and for a pension?

The medal, South Africa, 1879, was awarded as stated. It had never been claimed before by W. Richardson He has been granted a special campaign pension, but he was only entitled to such pension on reaching the age of sixty-five. This age he reached this year.

asked the Secretary for War what is the cost price per rifle of the latest pattern service rifle issued to the Army?

The price fixed is £3 9s. 9d.

asked the Secretary for War what is the average number of working hours required for the production of one of the latest pattern service rifles in the Government factory?

The number of hours employed in the actual production is approximately twenty-nine, but if the persons indirectly employed, such as tool makers, shop labourers, etc., are included, the time would be about forty-five and a half hours.

asked the Secretary for War how many of the Army flying machines which were seen by the hon. Member for Brentford have been dismantled since the date of inspection; and how many have been flown since?

I hope to be able to make a general statement on this subject on Wednesday.

asked the Secretary for War (1) whether, since the Order was issued allowing the use of monoplanes by the Royal Flying Corps and Central Flying School and rescinding the Order of 14th September, 1912, all the monoplanes in possession of the Royal Flying Corps and Central Flying School have been flown, or, if not, how many have been flown since the date of rescinding the Order; and (2) whether all the monoplanes in the possession of the War Department have been altered in accordance with the recommendations of the Departmental Committee appointed to investigate the subject of accidents to monoplanes; whether such alterations have been carried out on all machines in accordance with the recommendations contained in Paragraph 54 of the Report; and, if so, what was the date on which all the alterations necessary to all the machines was completed?

I hope to make a general statement on this subject on Wednesday.

also asked the Secretary for War the date on which the Order of 14th September, 1912, relating to the use of monoplanes, was rescinded and the new Order issued allowing the use of mono- planes by the Royal Flying Corps and Central Flying School?

The Order was issued on Thursday, 8th May.

asked the Secretary for War if any land has been purchased recently on behalf of the War Office from the Egyptian Government; and, if so, will he state where the land is situated, the quantity acquired or to be acquired, and the purpose to which it is to be applied?

The reply is in the negative.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the case of the four men, Gordon, Harris, Hickson, and Willis, who are serving sentences of penal servitude in connection with a highway robbery; whether he is aware that the jury disagreed on the first trial, that the prisoners have never ceased to protest their innocence, and that two men have confessed to be principals in the transaction, both of whom allege that neither of the prisoners convicted were concerned in any way; and whether, leave having been refused to appeal to the Court of Criminal Appeal, he will direct an independent inquiry to be made into the matter?

I shall be prepared to consider any facts that may be brought to my notice in connection with this case and which were not before the Court of Criminal Appeal; but it is primarily for that Court to determine whether any doubt as to the justice of the verdict exists, and at present I am not aware of any ground for action on my part.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will state the number of voluntary and board schools in England and Wales, respectively, in 1902, and the number of non-provided and provided schools in England and Wales in 1913; the number of scholars on the roll in voluntary and board schools, respectively, in England and Wales, respectively, in 1902, and the number in non-provided and provided schools in 1913; and the cost per head of scholar in voluntary and board schools, respectively, in England and Wales in 1902, and the same cost in non-provided and provided schools in 1913?

The following statement will give the hon. Member the information for the years 1902 and 1912 asked for in the first two parts of his question. Complete figures for the year 1913 are not yet available:—

asked the Home Secretary the number of suffragists in prison at the present moment; and how many are taking their food without forcible means being applied?

The number in prison at present is ten; six are refusing their food, but none of them are being forcibly fed.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether recently in India a Government rule was issued that Catholic bishops must not be officially addressed by their territorial titles; and, if so, can he explain the reason of such Order?

It is not the case that any new ruling as to Roman Catholic bishops has recently been made in India. The Orders issued by the Secretary of State for India in Council in 1888 are still in operation, and are in accordance with official practice in the United Kingdom.

asked the Prime Minister if he will further consider the possibility of passing the Moneylenders Bill [Lords] this Session, having regard to the annoyance and injury to the public by the opportunities at present afforded these men?

Owing to the exigencies of Parliamentary business, I fear it is not possible to proceed with this Bill.

asked the Prime Minister if he will lay upon the Table the volume of official correspondence relating to the negotiations for the Marconi Contract which were before the Select Committee?

I have consulted the heads of the Departments concerned, and they are of opinion that there are passages in the correspondence confidentially communicated to the Committee, the publication of which would be contrary to the public interest.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if any medical officers of health have been appointed tuberculosis officers; and, if so, if he will give the names of the local authorities whose medical officers have been appointed to these posts?

In all cases I am advised that it is desirable that the medical officer of health should be the chief executive and organising officer in connection with schemes for the treatment of tuberculosis. Occasionally the medical officer of health has had the requisite special training and has sufficient time to enable him to act also as clinical tuberculosis officer. In the following cases the Local Government Board, with the concurrence of the Insur- ance Commissioners, have approved of this arrangement:—County boroughs: Lincoln, Ipswich, Worcester, and Burton-on-Trent; county councils: West Suffolk, East Suffolk, and Lincoln (Lindsey).

asked the President of the Local Government Board how many tuberculosis officers have been appointed; and how many of them do not possess the qualifications recommended by the Departmental Committee on Tuberculosis and approved by the Local Government Board in their Memorandum of 14th May, 1912, and repeated in their Memorandum of 6th, July, 1912?

The appointments of seventy-eight tuberculosis officers have been approved by the Local Government Board; approval has been given in these cases after obtaining the concurrence of the Insurance Commissioners, and the officers appointed possess the necessary qualifications. There may be some cases of appointments which have been made, but which have not yet been reported to the Board.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he will state why special powers in regard to the compulsory isolation of persons suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis have been given to some corporations and refused to others?

I have referred to the notes of the evidence taken by the Local Legislation Committee in regard to the Bradford Corporation Bill of this Session, and I observe that the Chairman stated that these powers "have been the subject of consideration by this Committee two or three times this Session as well as last Session, and that the attitude of the Committee hitherto has been that only proof of exceptional circumstances has justified the granting of the powers."

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the action of the Wolverhampton Board of Guardians in allowing the workhouse to be used as a place of detention for juvenile offenders, although the consent of the Local Government Board had been refused to such an arrangement on the ground that the workhouse was not a proper place for such a purpose; and will he say what action he proposes to take?

I understand that in June last a boy was brought to the Wolverhampton Workhouse by a policeman with an order for admission signed by a stipendiary magistrate, and was admitted. The clerk to the guardians subsequently informed the clerk to the magistrate that this was irregular, as the Local Government Board had not given their consent to the workhouse being used as a place of detention for children. The Local Government Board have recently been approached by the Staffordshire Standing Joint Committee, with a request that they will consent to the workhouse being used as a place of detention for children under the Children Act, 1908, and have intimated to them that consent could only be given if certain conditions can be fulfilled, and for a limited period.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the number of Asiatics on Asiatic agreements and how many foreigners, who were neither domiciled nor had a place of residence in the United Kingdom, have been engaged since the 15th July, 1912, on British ships trading to the United Kingdom?

I regret that the Board of Trade are not in possession of the information desired by my hon. Friend.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of sovereigns exported from Great Britain to South Africa during the years 1910, 1911, and 1912?

The actual number of coins exported is not recorded, but the value of the exports to South Africa of British gold coin of legal tender in the United Kingdom was £1,491,033 in 1910, £336,416 in 1911, and £70,045 in 1912.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has been notified of the intention of the United States Government to exclude from their country the importation of goods made by children under fourteen; and, if so, can he state what general effect this will have on British exports?

I understand that the Committee of the United States Senate on Finance have amended the provision of the Tariff Bill to which the hon. Member refers, so as to make it apply only to goods manufactured wholly or in part by children under fourteen years of age in countries where there are no laws regulating child labour.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of the total imports into France in 1882 and in 1912; and what was the value of the imports for consumption into the United Kingdom in 1882 and in 1892?

The total imports into France, including goods subsequently re-exported and goods merely in transit, were officially valued at £238,476,000 in 1882. Corresponding figures for 1912 are not yet available. The values in the case of transit goods are only approximate. The value of the net imports into the United Kingdom—i.e., of the total imports less the re-exports—amounted in 1882 to £347,826,000 and in 1892 to £359,370,000.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that Mr. Lawrence Wilfred Carder, the late managing director of the Irish Industrial Minerals Company, when shutting down the works at Achill, represented to the Westport Harbour Commissioners that the reason he was doing so was because of the delay in completing the pier extension and carrying out certain dredging operations; whether this question was ever brought before the board of directors or under the notice of the liquidator; whether the liquidator was aware that Carder was an undischarged bankrupt when he accepted the offer of the Gweedore Quarry Company, promoted and controlled by Carder, to purchase the interest of the Irish Industrial Minerals Company; whether an investigation will be ordered into Carder's connection with these companies before the present transaction is completed in order that the position of the other directors and shareholders in the Irish Industrial Minerals Company may be protected; and can he state the present position of this matter in liquidation?

A receiver of the property of Irish Industrial Minerals, Limited, was appointed by a debenture holder on the 11th April, 1912, and the company is being wound up voluntarily under a resolution passed on the 16th December, 1912. The Board of Trade have no power to investigate the affairs of a company which is in voluntary liquidation, and have no control over the conduct of a voluntary liquidator or the administration of a receiver for debenture-holders, and I am therefore unable to furnish information as to any representations made by the managing director of the company to the Westport Harbour Commissioners, or as to the knowledge of the directors or the liquidator of the facts stated in the question. The receiver has filed an abstract of his receipts and payments from the 11th April, 1912, to the 10th April, 1913, which is open to inspection at the office of the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that in the prospectus originally issued by Lawrence Wilfrid Carder, an undischarged bankrupt, asking the public to subscribe £30,000 for the purposes of the Irish Industrial Minerals Company, he described himself as a merchant of Westport, county Mayo; whether, as a matter of fact, Carder did not reside in Westport at the time, was never a merchant there, and had no fixed place of abode in the United Kingdom; whether the antecedents of this man will be inquired into before the liquidator finally ratifies the offer now made by him in the name of the Gweedore Quarry Company for the purchase of the assets of the Irish Industrial Minerals Company for £5,500; and whether an effort will be made by the liquidator to find a bonâ-fide purchaser for this property?

In a prospectus on the file of Irish Industrial Minerals, Limited, offering 22,500 shares of £1 each for subscription, the description and address of L. W. Carder were as stated in the hon. Member's question, but I have no information as to whether the statements were accurate. The company is being wound up voluntarily, and the Board of Trade have no control over any sale of the assets by the liquidator or by the receiver for debenture holders.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received representations with regard to the non-payment for overtime worked by clerks in the Labour Exchanges during February to May of the present year; and, if so, what action he proposes to take?

I have received various representations on this subject. I am not, however, in a position to add anything to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hammersmith on 17th July.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will favourably reconsider the inadequate emolument of 10s. per annum paid to sub-postmistresses and sub-postmasters in village and town sub-post offices, having regard to the fact that in some cases the commission on the sale of £100 worth of stamps to the public-would amount to not more than one shilling?

If, as I presume, the hon. Member is referring to the payment in respect of work under the National Insurance Act, I would point out that 10s. was a payment on account, and that the ultimate rate of payment is still not settled.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the sub-postmasters throughout the Kingdom are dissatisfied at the continued delay in settling their terms of remuneration for work done under the National Insurance Act; and whether, considering these stamps have now been sold for over a year and negotiations with the representatives of the sub-postmasters have been in progress over two years, he will now take steps to obtain a definite decision on the matter?

The Treasury are not prepared to sanction any payment in addition to that already made on account pending the Report of the Select Committee on Post Office Servants. That Report will, I understand, be issued before the end of the Session, and steps will be taken to deal at once with the Committee's recommendation on this particular subject.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the delivery of letters from Ballymore S.O., county Donegal, has recently been suspended; whether this is due to the impossibility of obtaining postmen to do the work required of them at the wages hitherto paid; whether, in view of the general rise of wages in the district, ho is prepared to sanction an increased rate of payment; and when the normal delivery of letters from the Ballymore S.O. will be resumed?

I am having inquiry made and I will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that it is proposed to introduce casual labour into the Hull telephone service to perform a duty from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., and from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily; whether, in view of the fact that these men must perform other employment during the day-time and that the length of time over which their working hours will extend will affect the performance of these duties, and having regard to the fact that the questions of casual labour and night telephone operating are at present under consideration by the Select Committee of Inquiry into the Post Office, he will suspend the operation of these proposals until the Committee has reported?

The hours referred to fall within those usually assigned to the night staff, and it is the general practice for night operating to be performed by an unestablished class of male night operators. I am not prepared to restrict the employment of this class pending the Report of the Select Committee. I propose to inquire, however, whether it is possible to improve the hours of attendance to which the hon. Member refers.