asked the President of the Local Government Board how many local authorities have intimated to the Board that they were prepared to treat tuberculous persons, who are other than insured persons or dependants, under the Grant promised by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in a letter to Mr. Hobhouse, dated 31st July, 1912; and if he will give the names of these authorities?

Ninety-four councils have submitted to the Board schemes for providing treatment for persons suffering from tuberculosis, making no distinction as to whether such persons are insured or non-insured. The names are given in List A below. It also appears from estimates submitted to the Board in connection with the new maintenance Grant that eleven other councils intend that their schemes shall relate to the whole community. See List B below:—

asked the President of the Local Government Board how many areas in England and Wales are now without whole-time tuberculosis officers; and if he will give the names of these areas?

According to —my information twenty-four county councils and twenty-eight county borough councils have appointed whole-time tuberculosis officers, and four county councils and eleven county borough councils part-time tuberculosis officers. The part-time tuberculosis officers are men wholly engaged in public appointments, but whose whole time is not given to the office of tuberculosis officer. The names of the areas are given in List A below, and the eases in which part-time officers have been appointed a-re indicated by an asterisk. It must not be assumed that all the remaining councils have not yet appointed tuberculosis officers, because application for the Board's approval of the appointment is sometimes not made until after the officer has been appointed. In the Metropolis a certain number of whole-time tuberculosis officers have been appointed by voluntary bodies. List B below contains the names of those areas in respect of which no appointment has been notified to the Local Government Board. The particulars given relate to England (excluding Monmouth). I have no information as regards Wales and Monmouth.

asked the President of the Local Government Board how many councils of counties or county boroughs own sanatoria; how many are now building sanatoria. themselves or in conjunction with other councils; and how many neither oWn nor are now building their own sanatoria?

In many instances the accommodation required by county councils is being provided by agreement at existing institutions. Sometimes this is being done by appropriating for tuberculosis the whole or a part of the institution, and sometimes by the addition of buildings; in many instances the institution is owned by some other local authority or by a voluntary body, and not by the county council. The number of councils of counties and county boroughs who themselves own, or have acquired by lease, buildings which are used for the reception of persons suffering from tuberculosis is fifty-two. I am not able to state exactly the number of councils who are actually building at the present time, but the Local Government Board have approved the acquisition of land for the erection of buildings in three cases; they have approved of the acquisition of mansions with largo grounds in four cases; they have approved of plans for the extension of existing buildings in sixteen cases; and in several other cases plans are under consideration. The Board are also aware that thirteen councils arc now negotiating for the acquisition of sites which have been inspected by the Board's medical inspectors, and approved subject to conditions. As regards the last part of the question, twenty-six county councils and twenty-four councils of county boroughs have not at present acquired buildings or the use of beds in existing institutions, but in respect of eighteen of these counties and ten of these county boroughs schemes have been submitted to the Board. which include proposals for providing sanatorium accommodation. The foregoing statement relates only to England (excluding Monmouth).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that hospital nurses are not usually accepted for training at an earlier age than twenty-two or twenty-three; and whether he will introduce into the National Insurance Act (1911) Amendment Bill a provision to ensure that nurses who, up to the time of entering upon employment in a hospital, can prove that they have remained at home and have not in any way been employed persons, while having to pay the normal contribution, shall be entitled to the whole of the normal sickness benefit?

No such modification of Section 9 (4) of the National Insurance Act could be made with reference to one class of insured persons only, and, in view of the stage the Amendming Bill has now reached, I do not think any general modification could well be considered with a view to inclusion in it.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state, with reference to the appointment of divisional inspectors for the National Health Insurance Commission (England), whether the minimum age for an inspector given in the public announcements of these posts was twenty-eight years; whether at least one of those appointed was less in age than twenty-eight years; what qualifications this inspector had which led to waiving the rule in his case; whether he had given any, and, if so, what proof of his ability to give to insurance committees and approved societies any assistance that they may require; whether he possessed qualifications in, and previous experience of, friendly society work, trade union work, public health work, or social work; and, if so, will he state the nature and extent of the experience and qualifications, and where they were gained?

It is the case that the public announcement inviting applications for appointments as inspector under the National Health Insurance Commission specified twenty-eight as the minimum age of candidates. No public announcement was made inviting applications for appointment to the rank of divisional inspector. The ages of the divisional inspectors eventually appointed were given in reply to a. question asked on the 17th June by the hon. Member for the College Division 2 of Glasgow. The gentleman to whom my hon. Friend refers is not assigned to a particular division, but is acting as assistant to the chief inspector at headquarters. Previously to his appointment he had been attached for nearly a year to the branch of the Commissioners' head office entrusted with the organisation and control of their inspectorate and had given very remarkable proof of his ability to discharge the duties of the post to which he has been appointed.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Registrar of Friendly Societies has yet received from the National United Insurance Society the statutory return for 1912; if so, will he state the number of persons insured with that society, the gross receipts, the gross expenditure, the gross liability, and the sums secured to meet the liability; whether the same person acts as treasurer and secretary; and whether he has complied with all the requirement for both positions?

The return referred to has been received by the Registrar. It does not show the number of persons insured with the society, nor, on the other hand, does it show any receipts from premiums for insurance. The' total cash receipts during the year 1912 were £396 13s. 2d., and the total cash expenditure £428 15s. ld. The liabilities are stated in the balance sheet as £2,657 12s. 4d., under the following heads: Due to shareholders, £2,194 12s. 6d.; loans, £210 17s. ld.; amount owing for management expenses, £252 2s. 9d. The investments and other assets are stated as £1,992 16s. 6d. on loans or deposits, £2 7s. 6d. cash in the Clydesdale Bank, and 17s. 4d. cash in hand, a total of £1,996 is. 4d. The rules do not provide for a treasurer. The return is signed by D. O'Callaghan as managing director and secretary. The portion of the return requiring the name and address of every officer in receipt or charge of money and the amount and form of security given by him has not been filled up, and a requisition is being addressed to the society on the matter in the ordinary course.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury the amount of profit made by the Treasury in each of the last twenty years, and for the whole of that period, by charging persons of all ranks in the Civil Service on commuting their pensions 5 per cent. on money which the Treasury obtains at 3½ per cent.; what becomes of this profit; and where it is accounted for?

The profit or loss which has accrued to the Exchequer from the commutation of pensions cannot be stated owing to the fact that it is not possible to trace the duration of life of those persons who have commuted the whole of their pensions. Upon the commutation of a pension an annuity is placed instead thereof upon the Vote concerned of an amount sufficient to repay to the National Debt Commissioners at the expiration of ten years the sum advanced by them to the pensioner, together with interest at 3½ per cent. per annum, in accordance with the provisions of Section 8 of the Pensions Commutation Act, 1871.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the attention of the Board of Public Works in Ireland has been directed to the complaints made regarding the omission of the Board to provide a boat-repairing slip in the Royal harbour of Howth; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

I understand that a boat-repairing slip would cost several hundred pounds without producing any commensurate increase in the harbour revenue. As at present advised, the Board of Works are not convinced that it is required.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the discontent which exists in respect of the rate of remuneration allowed to sub-postmasters for the additional work they perform under the National Insurance Act; whether the rate is far lower than that conceded for the sale of postage stamps; and whether an announcement will be made of the redress of this grievance before the Session closes?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. I would refer the hon. Member to my answer to previous questions on the subject on Monday last.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state when the answers to the Petitions from the engineers, steam-engine makers, pattern-makers, and other engineering trades in His Majesty's dockyards for 1912 may be expected?

The answers in respect to wages generally were issued on 9th May. The replies on other points will, it is expected, be issued shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Corporal Day, of the Rifle Brigade, was awarded in 1912 the meritorious service medal with annuity, and George James Beer, of Ramsgate, was awarded similar honours in the same year; and whether these two soldiers were above the rank of corporal and mentioned in dispatches, in view of the fact that other soldiers are shut out from these honours because they have not fulfilled these two conditions?

No award of the meritorious service medal was made to any soldier of the name of Day in 1912. The only man of that name now in possession of the medal was a warrant officer, and was granted the medal in 1906. Pensioner Colour-Sergeant George John 'Beer held the rank of sergeant and colour-sergeant for thirty-five years.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will inform the House what is believed to be the longest possible non-stop flight, measured both by time and by miles, that the best of our military or naval aeroplanes are capable of, carrying not less than two persons, including pilot; what is the longest distance flown in one non-stop flight by an Army or Navy aeroplane carrying two people, including the pilot; and the longest time that an Army or Navy aeroplane has remained in the air carrying two people, including the pilot?

B.E. 2 machines are fitted with tankage for approximately four hours' flight or about 280 miles in still air. The longest flight carried out by an officer of the Military Wing, without landing, is 249 miles, which took four and a half hours. Another officer, unaccompanied by a passenger, flew about 516 miles in one day. His actual flying time was six and a quarter hours, and he landed twice for fuel. As regards the last question, the time for an Army aeroplane is four and a half hours. The question with regard to Navy aeroplanes should be addressed to the Admiralty.

Excise (Opium and Other Drugs).							Amount of Drug Consumed.
Number of Shops Licensed.				Gross Revenue.
—	1901–2.	1906–7.	1911–12.	1901–2.	1906–7.	1911–12.	1901–2.	1906–7.	1911–12.
Bengal—				£	£	£	Seers.	Seers.	Seers.
Opium.	1,651	1,313	1,022	174,685	156,779	150,753	92,857	84,890	66,783
Other drugs	3,274	2,794	2,169	213,224	187,472	206,238	247,025	186,628	158,973
Bihar and Orissa—
Opium	—	—	661	—	—	78,708	—	—	36,379
Other drugs	—	—	1,734	—	—	147,713	—	—	124,690
Eastern Bengal & Assam—
Opium	—	1,157	—	—	173,309	—	—	74,578	—
Other drugs	—	1,308	—	—	110,855	—	—	73,557	—
Assam—
Opium	775	—	409	114,067	—	168,157	48,217	—	60,279
Other drugs	297	—	257	26,317	—	45,923	422,622	—	34,593
United Provinces—
Opium	1,175	1,199	1,131	53,256	56,504	74,541	62,301	68,864	61,810
Other drugs	3,653	3,721	3,517	87,740	131,911	133,823	446,458	291,787	305,178
Punjab—
Opium	1,456	1,301	911	39,356	48,659	73,620	52,798	59,907	63,481
Other drugs	1,250	979	574	18,942	35,683	46,818	123,782	116,779	121,287
North-West Frontier Province—
Opium	84	95	70	2,497	3,468	6,579	2,535	2,637	2,825
Other drugs	84	97	75	2,427	4,354	5,111	9,598	9,602	10,363
Burma—
Opium	56	126	124	205,338	307,587	228,418	38,882	74,731	53,120
Other drugs*	—	—	—	1	—	9	—	—	—
Central Provinces and Berar—
Opium	1,173	1,120	1,044	63,421	123,288	144,917	23,583	55,459	59,559
Other drugs	1,297	1,233	1,110	14,683	29,901	42,040	28,515	53,416	57,682
Madras—
Opium	1,190	1,121	955	49,480	60,687	102,008	35,629	45,943	53,209
Other drugs	523	636	617	16,856	31,914	42,105	40,877	47,636	48,811
Bombay—
Opium	831	811	789	40,409	52,194	64,708	34,742	37,277	45,955
Other drugs	538	571	569	14,606	29,601	48,047	30,607	51,796	62,095
Sind—
Opium	297	279	251	8,734	12,665	15,991	11,051	9,421	10,278
Other drugs	515	498	506	16,895	22,351	33,931	108,465	112,365	128,933
* 1901-2 figures exclude Berar.
N.B.—"Other drugs" comprises, generally speaking, hemp drugs, but in some provinces shops licensed for the sale of cocaine, morphia, etc., are included.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he will state the number of shops for the sale of opium and its preparations, the number of shops for the sale of drugs other than opium, and the quantity of opium and other drugs consumed in each of the major provinces of India in 1901–2, 1906–7, and 1911–12, respectively; and what was the amount of revenue derived from the sale thereof in each case?

presented the following figures:—

asked the Under-Secretary for India whether it is the policy of the Governor-General in Council, as the representative of a Christian Power, to make proper provision for the due exercise of the religions professed by the troops of the British Army stationed in India; if so, whether any distinction can be drawn between providing for such exercise and providing for pay and allowances, barracks and hospitals, and the other requisites of an army; whether there is any intention of departing from the policy hitherto adopted in this behalf; and, if so, whether the results upon the peoples of India, who are devoted to their own religions, of a policy of indifference or atheism on the part of their rulers will be considered before effect is given to it?

The duty of 'providing for the religious needs of British troops in India has always been recognised by Government. No change is in contemplation.

asked the President of the Local Government Board by what amount the fees of the vaccination officer of the Kingston-on-Thames Union exceeded during each of the four years ended Lady-clay, 1910, 19U, 1912, and 1913, the amounts he received in the four years ended Lady-day 1896, 1897, 1898, and 1899, respectively, giving the exact sums in each f the eight years.

The fees paid to this vaccination officer in the years referred to were as follows:

Year ended Lady-day				£	s.	d.
1896	…	…	…	173	7	0
1897	…	…	…	175	2	0
1898	…	…	…	170	9	0
1899	…	…	…	171	9	6
1910	…	…	…	320	10	2
1911	…	…	…	286	19	6
1912	…	…	…	261	3	7
1913	…	…	…	248	1	5

The fees paid to him in the years ended Lady-day 1910, 1911, 1912, and 1913 exceeded those in the year ended Lady-day, 1899, by £149 Os. 8d., £115 10s., £89 14s. ld., and £76 lls. 11d., respectively.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he has any and, if so, what evidence that speeds greater than ten miles were the cause of accidents at Hyde Park Corner; and how many fatal accidents caused by such speeds occurred at Hyde Park Corner in the years 1911 and 1912?

According to the evidence furnished on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, the number of accidents which occurred at Hyde Park Corner in the three years ended 31st March, 1913, and in which motor vehicles were concerned was 658. I understand that in sixty-five of these cases the estimated speed of the motor vehicle exceeded ten miles an hour. In the same period there were five fatal accidents, and it would appear that in two of these the car was travelling at ten or more miles per hour.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been directed to figures showing that the child population of the city of Liverpool under five years of age is inefficiently vaccinated, the marks being less than the minimum standard of half a square inch prescribed by the Board; and, if so, will he say what steps he proposes to take in the matter?

The minimum standard referred to is applicable only to vaccinations performed by public vaccinators at the public cost; and my powers in regard to vaccination do not extend to private medical practitioners.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether any suggestion for reducing the salary of minor staff clerkships in his Department has been received by the Board; and, if so, whether he will state the nature of the suggestion?

No proposal has been made to the Board that the minor staff clerks' salaries should be reduced, but the Treasury have inquired whether some of the duties performed by minor staff clerks could not be performed by clerks receiving a lower rate of pay, and we are now in communication with the Treasury on the subject.

asked the Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether he will state the

PROMOTIONS of Junior Clerks in the Foreign Office since 1st January, 1903.
Date on Promotion.	Salary before Promotion.				Salary on Promotion.	Increase.
				£	£	£
1. April 14th, 1903		…	…	460	700	90
	Allowance	…	…	150*
2. July 1st, 1903.		…	…	440	700	260
3. July 30th, 1903		…	…	400	700	150
	Allowance	…	…	150*
4. July 30th, 1903		…	…	380	700	220
	Allowance	…	…	100†
5. September 30th, 1903		…	…	380	700	220
	Allowance	…	…	100†
6. April 20th, 1904		…	…	400	700	75
	Allowance	…	…	125‡
	Allowance	…	…	100
7. April 10th, 1905		…	…	400	600 (A)	200
8. January 1st, 1906		…	…	400	700	200
	Allowance	…	…	100†
9. February 10th, 1906		…	…	380	700	170
	Allowance	…	…	150*
		…	…			Decrease.
10. April 1st, 1906	(B)	…	…	340	(C) 600 (A)	15
	Allowance	…	…	125‡
	Allowance	…	…	150*
		…	…			Increase.
11. May 7th, 1907	(D)	…	…	550	700	150
12. June 5th, 1907		…	…	340	700	260
	Allowance	…	…	100†
13. July 1st, 1907		…	…	340	700	135
	Allowance	…	…	125‡
	Allowance	…	…	100†
14. February 1st, 1909		…	…	360	700	240
	Allowance	…	…	100†
15. January 1st, 1908 (to be Commercial Attaché)		…	…	320	600	280
16. March 1st, 1910		…	…	340	600	260
	Allowance	…	…	300§	Allowance 300§
17. July 24th, 1910		…	…	340	700	210
	Allowance	…	…	150*
18. November 1st, 1910		…	…	340	700	260
	Allowance	…	…	100†
19. January 1st, 1911		…	…	340	700	210
	Allowance	…	…	150*
20. January 11th, 1912		…	…	350	700	350
* Allowance as Private Secretary. †Allowance as Acting Assistant. ‡Allowance as Translator. § Allowance as Précis Writer to the Secretary of State. (A) £700, less £100 for Acting Assistant. (B) Emoluments up to September 14th, 1904; from September 15th, 1904, he was paid by India. (C) Salary from December 29th, 1906, on return to England: drew £700 from January 10th, 1907, on rejoining Foreign Office. (D) Employed in Abyssinia from April, 1903, until May, 1907; his post in Abyssinia was that of Assistant to the Agent, with salary £450 and allowance for Amharic (£100).

The annexed statements show the immediate increases of salary on promotion in the cases of (1) junior clerks in the Foreign Office; and (2) second division clerks:—

asked the Attorney-General how many convictions have been before the Court of Criminal Appeal for investigation; and will he say how many Orders varying convictions were made up to the latest date available?

The figures are as follows:—

Year	Total Number of Applications for Leave to Appeal and Appeals Received.	Total Number of Applications for Leave to Appeal considered by full Court.	Total Number of Applications Appeals Against Conviction considered by full Court.	Convictions Quashed.	Convictions Altered.	Total Number of Final Appeals Against Sentence considered by full Court.	Sentences Altered.
1908 (part)	361	173	81	20	3	28	14
1909	627	306	118	27	Nil.	77	39
1910	712	308	165	41	2	95	42
1911	687	295	107	26	4	61	32
1912	665	324	81	32	2	42	20
1913 (to 24th July)	409	169	40	13	Nil.	30	20
N0TE.—Statistics for the years 1908–1911 have been published by the Home Office.

Any further information which the hon. Member requires concerning the years 1908 to 1911 is obtainable from statistics published by the Home Office.

asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware that the rule as to costs in cases between the Crown and a subject, quoted in the recent case of Vaithanatha Pillai v. The King-Emperor, before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, has the effect of making it difficult, if not impossible, for

I am unable to add to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on Wednesday last. The matter is one for my Noble Friend the Secretary of State for India to consider.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the liquidator of Irish Industial Minerals, Limited, when he entered into an agreement to sell the assets of this company to the Gweedore Quarry Company was aware that he was in reality negotiating a sale with Mr. Lawrence Wilfred Carder, the late 'managing director of the first-named company; was he aware at the time that Carder was an undischarged bankrupt; has the liquidator obtained the consent of the owners of the leases connected with Irish Industrial Minerals, Limited, to the sale to the Gweedore Quarry Company, otherwise Carder; if not, can he state whether the present transaction can be completed without such consent; and what are the intentions of the liquidator in the matter?

As stated in the answer given to the hon. Member on the 29th July, Irish Industrial Minerals, Limited, is being wound up voluntarily under a resolution passed on the 16th December, 1912, (and the Board of Trade have no control over the conduct of a voluntary liquidation. I am, therefore, unable to furnish the hon. Member with the information which he desires.