asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland the amount levied by the Cavan County Council in respect of the Cavan and Leitrim Railway rate for 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, and 1913, and the amount per pound of the same rate levied each year in Cavan; and will he state the amount of the Capitation Grant paid each year towards the reduction of the said railway rate?

According to the abstracts of the council's accounts, the amount of rates levied by the Council of County Cavan and the amount supplied to them by urban district council on demand in respect of the guarantee for the Cavan and Leitrim Railway, and the amount of Grants received by them in respect of the guarantee are as under:—

Year ended 31st March. Amount of Rates Levied by county council. Amount Supplied by Urban council on Demand. Amount of Grants Received. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. 1909 … 354 15 6 78 17 0 754 13 8 1910 … 472 4 8 84 6 0 792 13 10 1911 … 710 16 8 82 4 0 765 9 2 1912 … 703 4 0 76 17 0 673 6 11 1913 … 708 16 6 72 0 11 678 12 1

According to the notices of the rates made, the rates in the £ levied on the portion of county Cavan taxable for this railway guarantee for these years are as under:—

— Year ended 31st March. 1909. 1910. 1911. 1912. 1913. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. Rate in the £ 0 3 0 4 0 6 0 6 0 6

asked the amount certified by the auditor as payable to the Cavan County Council in respect of the Capitation Grant for lunatics in 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, and 1913, respectively, and the amount paid in each of these years, giving also the amount disallowed in each of the years stated above and the cause of disallowance; and in what way the fresh Irish Grant promised in the 1914–15 Budget is likely to affect the matter in the current year or at all?

The following table shows the amounts certified as payable to the county council of Cavan, and the actual amounts paid during the years mentioned in respect of the maintenance of pauper lunatics:—

— Amount Certified as Payable by Auditor Amount Paid. Deficit. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Year ended 31st March, 1909, but paid in financial year, 1909–10 4,902 4 4 4,902 4 4 — Year ended 31st March, 1910, but paid in financial year, 1910–11 5,099 0 6 4,419 13 0 679 7 6 Year ended 31st March, 1911, but paid in financial year, 1911–12 5,187 0 8 4,482 4 2 704 16 6 Year ended 31st March, 1912, but paid in financial year, 1932–13 5,223 2 0 4,687 15 8 535 6 4 Year ended 31st March, 1913, but paid in financial year, 1913–14 5,270 15 4 4,682 16 2 587 19 2

In 1910–11, £1,003 17s. 9d. was paid to the Cavan County Council in addition to the amount given above in respect of the quarter ended 31st March, 1899. The deficit in the payments as shown above was due to the insufficiency of income of the Local Taxation (Ireland) Account under Section 58 of the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898, and the consequent abatement of payments therefrom, pursuant to Sub-section (5) of the Section quoted. I am not in a position to make any statement with regard to the last paragraph of the question.

asked the Chief Secretary what was the date on which the Commissioners of National Education received a copy of the county Down teachers' resolution, stating that they were prepared to give lessons in civic matters provided that they themselves were given civil rights; what is the cause of delay on the part of the Commissioners in replying to this resolution; whether, in considering this matter, the Commissioners adverted to the fact that university professors enjoy full rights of citizenship; and whether the rules of the Commissioners, as they at present stand, prohibit teachers from discussing at their meetings matters pertaining to the well-being of Ireland?

The Commissioners of National Education received the resolution referred to on the 8th December, 1913, and it was considered by them on the 31st March, 1914, but no action was taken on it. The answer to the remainder of the question is in the negative.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether a petty officer or seaman who has been placed in the commander's report upon an allegation that he has improperly pulled an oar when in the ship's cutter is entitled to see the captain on request made to the commander; and what Article or Regulation governs the right of access to the captain on the part of a petty officer or seaman aggrieved and desiring to appeal from the decision of a subordinate officer?

Article 8 (Clause 2) of the King's Regulations definitely asserts the right of any petty officer or man to see the captain if he considers he has been treated unjustly. That Regulation also prescribes the procedure to be followed in such cases.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the King's Regulations permit of the leave of petty officers and men being stopped for any cause other than those mentioned in Article No. 723; and, if so, under what Article or Regulation; whether he is aware that on His Majesty's ship "Bellerophon" such leave has been stopped upon an alleged charge of improperly pulling an oar while in the ship's cutter; and if he will state under or in respect of what authority that course is justified?

Leave may be stopped as a punishment under Article 757 of the King's Regulations, and in certain cases under Article 723, when a man is placed in the report for offences named in Article 769, Clause 1, ( a ) to ( i ). Apart from these particular rules, it is laid down in Article 860 that leave of absence to officers and men is to be granted or withheld, as the circumstances of the Service may render expedient. Nothing is known of the circumstances alluded to in the question, but stoppage of leave would under Article 757 of the King's Regulations be a perfectly proper punishment for an offence of the nature indicated.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he or the Board of Admiralty have received offers to demonstrate the value of submitted inventions which have for their object the preservation of loss of life through submarine disasters; whether such offers have been declined; and, if so, whether the policy of refusing these offers has his sanction?

A very large number of plans for preserving the safety of crews in submarines has been submitted from time to time, some containing offers to demonstrate their value at Admiralty expense. All inventions received are closely examined, but no plan submitted up to the present has been adjudged worthy of a trial or adoption in the British Navy.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that the National Explosives Company, of Hayle, Cornwall, have a contract for the supply of cordite for the Navy, and are evading the Fair-Wage Clause by paying labourers 18s. a week; and will he inquire and take what action may be necessary to compel this firm to pay 22s. weekly, this being the rate for such labour in the district?

The firm in question have contracts for the Admiralty, but no complaint has been received. The matter will be inquired into.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that the National Explosives Company, of Hayle, Cornwall, who have contracts for the supply of cordite for the Army, are paying labourers 18s. a week while, under the Fair-Wages Clause, such men should receive 22s.; and will he take action to compel the firm to pay the proper rate of wages?

This firm has completed the contract placed with it by the War Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will inform the House in what manner companies running motor omnibuses in London and the suburbs contribute towards the upkeep of the roads; what was the total sum contributed by these companies last year (1913); and whether, looking to the amount of damage done to road surfaces by these vehicles, ho will consider the desirability of taking steps, by legislation or otherwise, to secure that these companies should pay their fair share of the cost of upkeep of the roads?

Companies running motor omnibuses, so far as they are in occupation of rateable premises, contribute as ratepayers to the upkeep of roads, and further contributions in respect of Motor Spirit and Carriage Licence Duty are made to the cost of roads under the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, and the Revenue Act, 1911, but the total sum so contributed cannot be distinguished. As regards the last part of the question, the recommendations of the Local Taxation Committee on the subject are under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in all Crown Colonies and Protectorates to which Indian labourers are admitted under indenture, it is a condition that Indians who have completed their indenture shall be in all respects free men, subject to no labour ordinances and with personal and civic rights in no way inferior to those of any other class of people resident in the Colony or Protectorate; and whether encouragement is held out to them to become peasant proprietors of agricultural land and holdings?

The reply to both parts of the hon. Member's question is an affirmative one. The Committee which reported on emigration from India to the Crown Colonies laid down the general principle that immigration under indenture for private employers should be permitted only to such Colonies as offer an opportunity to the time-expired immigrant to settle in an independent capacity on the land. See paragraph 102 of Cd. 5192.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the present uncertainty that prevails and its consequent effect on the creamery and dairy trades, he has yet been able to come to any decision with reference to fixing the limit of boracic acid to be allowed to be used in the preservation of cream?

I am in communication with my right hon. Friend the President of the Local Government Board on the subject of this question.

asked the Postmaster General the names of any companies who have employed the telephone service for transmitting reports of speeches; and will he state the conditions under which such reports are transmitted?

The telephone service has been employed to a considerable extent for the transmission of reports of speeches by the Exchange Telegraph Company, who make the most frequent use of the facility, and also by the Press Association and the United Newspapers Limited. These reports, which are paid for at the ordinary tariff, are transmitted by representatives of the companies concerned, who are given a continuous series of trunk calls, so far as this can be done without prejudice to other users of the trunk system.

asked the Postmaster General whether he is aware that the payment of the St. Andrews postal indoor staff is on a lower scale than that of other towns similarly situated, while that of the outdoor staff are alike; and whether he will take steps to raise the status to that of Helensburgh, North Berwick, and other places where the cost of living is on a similar scale?

This matter has recently been under consideration, and it is hoped to make an announcement on the subject shortly.

asked the Prime Minister if he will introduce legislation to give effect to such of the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Divorce as received the unanimous support of the members of that Commission?

I fear it is not possible to undertake legislation on this subject this Session.