asked the Secretary to the Treasury whose duty it is to examine the appointments of water bailiffs appointed by the owners of a fishery pursuant to Section 82 of 5 and 6 Vic., c. 106, and to see that the same are duly stamped as provided by Section 13 of 8 and 9 Vic., c. 108; is he aware that at the Buncrana Petty Sessions on Thursday, the 31st ultimo, in a fishery prosecution, the appointments of the water bailiffs who were appointed by Mr. Giveen and Mr. Richardson, agent and owner, and approved of by the justices at Petty Sessions, did not bear the necessary 5s. stamp; is he aware that this system of appointing bailiffs by the owner in question has gone on for years; and will he inquire into the matter?

Under Section 82 of the 5 and 6 Vic., c. 106, the owners of a fishery are empowered to appoint water bailiffs. A form of such appointment is set out in the Schedule to the Act, and, when prepared, it has to be approved and endorsed by two justices assembled in Petty Sessions. This Statute contained no Section directing such appointments to be stamped. By Section 13 of the 8 and 9 Vic., c. 108, it was enacted that the appointment of each water bailiff, under 5 and 6 Vic., c. 106, should be subject to a Stamp Duty of 5s., and to no higher duty. There is nothing in the Act making it the duty of either the owner of the fishery or the magistrates to see to the stamping, and, as a matter of fact, no appointment of water bailiff in the Petty Sessions district of Buncrana has ever been stamped. It does not appear that there is any power to make the owner stamp the appointments or to prevent the magistrates endorsing unstamped appointments. There is no personal penalty for not stamping such appointments, but under the Stamp Act they would, if unstamped, be inadmissible in evidence except in criminal proceedings.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been called to any cases in which school managers have exacted contributions from the teachers in aid of the repair of the school fabrics, or in which the teachers have been held responsible for the local moiety of the heating and cleaning Grant; and, if so, whether such practices have the sanction of the Commissioners of National Education?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that they are aware that in some cases the teachers have contributed to the upkeep of the schools, and in a memorandum issued in November, 1910, to managers of schools, the Commissioners stated that they cannot approve of any expenditure in connection with either the repair, maintenance, heating, lighting, or cleaning, of the schoolhouses devolving upon the teachers, and they requested that all national teachers be relieved from financial burdens in connection with the upkeep of their schools, and that steps be taken to have some form of local provision made for meeting such expenditure. In all cases where it appears that the teacher contributed to the cost of heating and cleaning the school the manager is asked before the heating and cleaning Grant is paid whether such payments made by the teacher have been reimbursed, or will be reimbursed, out of the Grant by the Commissioners.

also asked the Chief Secretary whether he has any official information to show that it is the practice of some managers of national schools in Ireland to require teachers when appointed to undertake that they will not join the Irish National Teachers' Organisation or the Protestant Teachers' Union; if not, whether he will cause inquiries to be made; and, if it be found that the facts are as stated, will he move the Commissioners to intimate by circular or otherwise that such practice has not their sanction?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that they are not aware that any such practice exists. It is open to any teacher to lay before them particulars of any case in which a condition of the kind referred to was imposed by a manager of a national school.

asked the Chief Secretary the area of land supplied to the county Cavan evicted tenants to 31st December, 1912; how much money has been given to these tenants by way of free grant; and will he state the amount advanced for building which is repayable?

Two thousand and fifty acres have been purchased or agreed to be purchased through the Estates Commissioners under the Irish Land Acts, 1903–9, including the Evicted Tenants Acts, by county Cavan evicted tenants reinstated in their former holdings or provided with new holdings, and the sum sanctioned for buildings and improvements repayable in the land purchase annuities is £3,558, and as free grants for purchase of stock £7,031.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty what are the hours of labour and the rates of pay of the men employed as civilian crew at Haslar Hospital; whether they are paid for overtime and holidays; whether they are supplied with free uniforms by the Admiralty; and whether they are receiving the advance of wage recently granted to labourers employed by the Admiralty?

The rates of pay of the crew of the steam launch at Haslar Hospital are as follows:—One coxswain (pensioner), 28s. a week for seven days.Two deck hands, 24s. 6d. a week for seven days.One driver, 29s. 2d. a week for seven days.One stoker, 27s. 5d. a week for seven days.This pay covers all attendance.The hours of labour arc as follows on week days:—Three deck hands, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.Two engine-room ratings, 6.30 a.m. and 7.30 a.m., alternately, to 7 p.m.There are intervals for meals and between each trip. One half-day is given per week, and there is no Sunday running. Men are allowed off on public holidays or are given a day in lieu. On the rare occasions when night trips are made time off is given in lieu. The men provide their own uniforms, which are drawn from the victualling yard on repayment. The men were not granted the recent increase of pay given to labourers.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if the world's annual production of coal and petroleum at the present time amounts to something like 1,250,000,000 metric tons, and of that total coal represents 1,200,000,000 tons or 96 per cent., and petroleum 50,000,000 tons or 4 per cent.; and, if so, what assurance can he give the House of a regular and continued supply of oil for the proposed Navy of oil ships?

The figures quoted in the first part of the question appear to be substantially in accord with published statistics on this subject. In reply to the second part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to what I have said in the House on previous occasions, and particularly on the 17th of last month.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many Special Reserve majors did company work the last annual training; and whether these officers will be able under these conditions to qualify for command at the expiration of the four years' command of the present commanding officers?

The information is not available at the War Office, as these matters are entirely dealt with in the commands. I could only obtain the information by calling for a special return from all commands, for which I hone the Noble Lord will not press.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, with respect to Table 3, page 19, of the volume of Statistics of Public Education (Cd. 6934), he can complete the table and give particulars for scholars of three and under five, etc., for the years 1911–12, and the population for each class in the table, according to the Census of 1911?

Particulars for scholars of three and under five, etc., for the year 1912 will be found in Table 3 (a), on page 18, and analysed in Table 4, on page 20. The population for each class in the table, according to the Census of 1911, will be given in the next issue of the Statistical Volume.

asked the Secretary for Scotland what was the excess of births over deaths in Scotland during the first six months of the present year; and what was the excess of emigration from over immigration to Scottish ports during that period?

During the first six months of the present year the number of births registered in Scotland was 62,042, and the number of deaths 39,417, the excess of births over deaths in Scotland during that period being thus 22,625. The number of emigrants leaving Scottish ports during that period was 36,393 (of whom 584 were aliens), and the number of immigrants arriving at Scottish ports during that period was 2,372 (of whom fifty-nine were aliens). The excess of emigration from over immigration to Scottish ports during that period being thus 34,021. Some of the emigrants from Scottish ports were previously resident elsewhere in the United Kingdom than in Scotland, but the number of these has not been ascertained.

asked the Secretary for Scotland if he will state the number of births, the number of deaths of infants under one year of age, and the number of deaths under five years of age, including those under one year of age, in Scotland, for each year from 1901 to 1912, inclusive?

The following table gives the information desired by my hon. Friend, as far as it is at present available:—

Births.			Deaths of
			Infants under One Year	Children under Five Years.
1901	…	132,192	17,104	26,984
1902	…	132,267	15,004	28,437
1903	…	133,525	15,693	23,832
1904	…	132,603	16,329	25,528
1905	…	131,410	15,275	23,952
1906	…	132,005	15,174	23,249
1907	…	128,840	14,140	23,142
1908	…	131,362	15,900	25,443
1909	…	128,669	13,856	21,848
1910	…	124 059	13,436	21,560
1911	…	121,811	Not Yet available.
1912	…	122,716

asked the Secretary for Scotland the number of emigrants who sailed from Scottish ports during the years, 1909, 1910, 1911, and 1912, and, if possible, state how many of these emigrants were of Scottish nationality?

I am informed that the information desired by the right hon. Gentleman is as follows:—

OUTWARD Passengers at Scottish Ports to Places out of Europe.
Year.	Scottish.	Other British.	Aliens.	Total.
1909	34,252	168	7,490	41,910
1910	55,211	133	9,872	65,216
1911	57,417	488	6,776	64,681
1912 (Jan. to March)	7,073	20	1,307	8,400

1912 (April to December)	Emigrants from Scotland who sailed from ports in any part of the United Kingdom—
	British	…	56,979
	Aliens	…	779
	Total	…	57,758

INWARD Passengers at Scottish Ports from Places out of Europe.
Year.	Scottish.	Other British.	Aliens.	Total
1909	6,342	2,362	7,252	15,956
1910	7,880	2,469	9,222	19,571
1911	11,341	2,669	12,792	26,802
1912 (Jan. to March)	1,170	266	1,329	2,765

1912 (April to December)	Immigrants into Scotland who arrived at ports in any part of the United Kingdom—
	British	…	10,139
	Aliens	…	180
	Total	…	10,319

The differentiation of the figures for the year 1912 into two sections is due to the fact that since 31st March, 1912, the information as to British subjects shows residence, and not nationality.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any official information showing that the Servian troops are still occupying Albanian territory between six and nine hours' march distant from the boundaries of Albania indicated by the Ambassador?

I understand that the Servian troops have been withdrawn from Pouka, but are still in occupation of Oroshi for fear that withdrawal might open the door to Albanian incursions. I am unable to say how many hours' march Oroshi is from the Albanian boundary. The Servian Prime Minister, who is at Bucharest, has been asked for fresh instructions on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any official Reports showing that the refugees of the Dibra district are surrounded by Servian troops and are not permitted by these troops to pass through the cordon in search of food?

I have received no Reports of the kind concerning the Dibra district; but as regards the district of Djakova Reports of the kind have reached us, and instructions are being sent to His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Belgrade to protest against these proceedings if the representatives of the other Great Powers are similarly instructed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any official Reports showing that if these Mahomedan and Catholic Albanians accept the Servian Orthodox Christian religion they are allowed to be fed, and that at the present Albanians are preferring death by starvation to enforced conversion?

I have received no Reports to this effect.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will state the list of scheduled offences in his Department which are punishable by fines; whether, in addition to the list of standardised punishments, discretionary powers are given to impose fines for offences which are not clearly defined in the schedule; whether he will state the offences for which stoppage of one or more days' pay is authorised; whether the imposition of a fine is regarded as finally exonerating an officer for a particular offence, or whether such punishments have in addition a cumulative effect for arrestment of increment; and whether, in the case of figure mistakes in telegrams, the actual message form on which the error is alleged to have occurred is always produced before a fine is imposed?

From time to time irregularities in the performance of duty have been scheduled as normally punishable by small fines or periods of compulsory extra duty, and I will furnish the Noble Lord with details of these. The list, however, does not purport to be an exhaustive statement of all offences for which fines may be imposed. The complexity of Post Office work would make the compilation of an exhaustive list almost impossible, especially in view of the fact that the degree of blame attaching to the same irregularity must frequently vary with the circumstances of individual cases. The imposition of a single fine would not of itself entail deferment of an officer's annual increment, but should such irregularities be frequently repeated in the course of an incremental year, the question of deferment of increment would necessarily arise. The stoppage of one or more days' pay is a punishment reserved for serious offences, and would normally result in the deferment of the ensuing increment. It is the general practice to let an officer who has made a figure error in a telegram see the actual message form before a fine is imposed.