asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, with reference to an examination for temporary boy clerks which is to be held on the 21st instant under the auspices of the Civil Service Commission, it is intended to perpetuate this blind-alley employment which the Royal Commission Report so strongly condemned?

The holding of this examination must not be taken as evidence of any such intention. If the recommendations of the Royal Commission on this subject are accepted, the present system will be discontinued as soon as arrangements for the substitution of boy clerks by another grade can be made.

asked the Prime Minister what steps are contemplated in connection with the recently-issued Report of the Royal Commission on the Civil Service; and whether, before the recommendations of the Commissioners are put into operation, he will lay upon the Table of the House a minute setting out the views of the Board of Treasury upon those recommendations?

I am unable at present to pledge myself as to the exact course of procedure; but I will carefully consider the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of individuals in the United Kingdom, who pay Super-tax on an income of £100,000 per annum, the number on £125,000, on £150,000, £175,000, £200,000, and so on to the maximum amount, and the maximum amount on which any individual in the United Kingdom pays Super-tax?

As was stated by my hon. Friend on the 10th March last in answer to a question of the hon. and learned Member for West St. Pancras, I cannot undertake to classify in separate divisions incomes exceeding £100,000 per annum.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the Return for the year 1913–14 of Increment Value Duty, Reversion Duty, and Undeveloped Land Duty, respectively, and state the sum in such Return which represent arrears of Undeveloped Land Duty?

The amounts paid into the Exchequer in the year 1913–14 are as follows:— £ Increment Value Duty 31,000 Reversion Duty 80,000 Undeveloped Land Duty 275,000

Of the last sum, approximately, £200,000 was paid in respect of assessments for years prior to 1913–1914.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can state why there has not yet been issued for this year the Statutory Return, National Debt, published last year as Paper Cd. 6798; and, seeing that that Paper, on pages, 2, 8, and 9 thereof, gave the National Debt existing at 31st March, 1913 as funded debt £593,453,857, estimated liability in respect of terminable annuities £31,519,908, unfunded debt £36,500,000, other capital liabilities £54,814,656, showing a total of £716,288,421, can he now state the corresponding figures of each of the four items and of the total for 31st March, 1914; and, seeing that the net decrease of the gross liabilities of the State in respect of debt effected in the year ending 31st March, 1913 was, as stated on page 3 of that Paper, £8,518,007, can he now state what was the corresponding decrease of debt in the year ending 31st March, 1914?

The amounts of the liabilities in question were:— — On 31st March, 1913. On 31st March, 1914. £ £ Funded Debt 593,453,857 586,717,872 Terminable Annuities 31,519,908 29,552,219 Unfunded Debt 36,500,000 35,000,000 Other Capital Liabilities 54,814,656 56,384,019 Total 716,288,421 707,654,110 Net Decrease 8,518,007 8,634,311

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can say what percentage the true revenue of Scotland bears to the total revenue of Great Britain for the last three financial years; and can he give the actual figures in each case?

supplied the following table. Year 1913–14; provisional figures. Revenue, as contributed:—

By England. By Scotland. By Ireland. From other source. Total. £162,409,500 £21,292,000 £11,132,500 £3,387,000 £198,221,000 Percentage 81.93 10.74 5.62 1.71 100

From this table it will be seen that the revenue as contributed by Scotland is to the revenue contributed by England as 10.74 to 81.93, or as 1 to 7.62.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland when the Report of the Land Commission for the year ending 31st March, 1914, will be laid upon the Table of the House of Commons; what was the total amount of sales carried

out or agreed to be carried out under alt the Land Purchase Acts up to that date; how much was actually advanced last year from the 31st March, 1913, to 31st March, 1914, under all the Acts; how many estates are still pending in the Land Judge's Court for sale; if he will issue such a list showing the estimated purchase price of each estate; and what was the average price paid for land all over Ireland under the Land Purchase Acts from 31st March, 1913, to 31st March, 1914?

The statistical tables for the Annual Report of the Estates-Commissioners are being compiled, and the Report will be presented to Parliament at the earliest possible date. The total amount advanced under the Irish Land Purchase Acts, 1870–1909, up to the 31st March last, is £89,456,890, and a sum of £1,546,811 was lodged in cash by the purchasing tenants, making the total purchase money £91,003,701. The advances during the year ended 31st March last amounted to £6,939,730. The estimated purchase money of lands for the sale of which proceedings had been instituted, and were pending on that date, is £31,832,407, including lands for the purchase of which the Congested Districts Board were in negotiation, but had not yet acquired. The average number of years purchase of all classes of rents, including judicial, non-judicial, leasehold, etc., of holdings vested during the year ended 31st March last by the Estates Commissioners in direct sales under the Acts 1903 and 1909 is 22.2 and 20.3, respectively. There is no record of the number of estates pending for sale before the Land Judge.

asked the Chief Secretary in reference to the answer of the Commissioners of National Education of the 2nd April, on the subject of the complaint against certain inspectors and officials received by the Commissioners from Mr. M'Donnell, teacher in Chapelizod (Dublin) national school, has been referred by them to their officials for investigation; whether those officials may decide upon it without regard to the Commissioners; whether they are the officials whose actions are complained of by Mr. M'Donnell; and when may the decision of the Commissioners in the matter be expected?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that the answer to the second and third paragraphs of the question is in the negative. The Commissioners cannot say when a decision will be arrived at in the matter.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether it is proposed to promote Mr. S. Hockaday, hired writer. Naval Ordnance Department, Admiralty, to the position of clerk third grade; whether he is aware that this man did not compete at the recent examination held for this position; and whether, if his qualifications are based on the marks obtained at a former examination, he will state what steps he proposes to take to ensure equal consideration to the twenty-three hired writers in the Department who recently qualified with a higher percentage of marks?

The reply to the first two parts of the question is in the affirmative, and the reply to the third in the negative. Mr. Hockaday is being promoted without further examination because he had been definitely noted for promotion under the old scheme in a vacancy which existed before the new scheme, involving promotion by examination, was introduced.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, seeing that the National Reserve is a force raised by authority of and controlled by the Army Council through the Territorial County Associations, the Royal Army Medical Corps units of that Reserve are entitled to the benefits and protection of the Geneva Convention to the same extent as any other Royal Army Medical Corps units; whether, therefore, he can reconsider his refusal to sanction the wearing of the Geneva cross on parade by the members of the Royal Army Medical Corps detachments of the National Reserve; and, if not, will he state his reason?

The National Reserve is a register of trained officers and soldiers and the Army Council do not recognise it as containing, and it does not contain, any medical or other units or formations.

asked the President of the Board of Education if his, attention has been directed to the with-drawal by their parents of children from school at Burston, Norfolk, as a protest against the dismissal of the teachers, Mr. and Mrs. Higdon; whether he has received an appeal, or appeals, for a public inquiry to be made into the facts of the case; and, if so, has he come to a decision on the matter?

I am aware that children have been withdrawn from the school in question. I have received a request that the Board should hold an inquiry. The appointment and dismissal of teachers in a council school is a matter for the local education authority, and I do not think that occasion has arisen for my intervention. I understand that the action of the local education authority was taken after an inquiry held by them.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that at the present time some thousands of children in England and Wales are being educated in charity schools under private management which are not brought under supervision by the Board of Education or the Home Office; that the standard of education is in many cases far below the minimum requirements of elementary education; that the boards of managers often have no women on them, even in the case of schools where girls are received from a very early age up to sixteen; and whether he is prepared to take, steps to remedy this state of things?

The Board of Education have no means of ascertaining the conditions which prevail in educational institutions which do not come within the State system of education. So far as concerns the standard of education it is the duty of the local education authorities to see that all the children of their respective areas are efficiently educated, and if the attention of local education authorities is called to any children who are not receiving efficient elementary instruction, it is their duty to take steps to compel the parents to provide it or to send them to an efficient elementary school.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Rex r. Nichols, in Northern Nigeria; whether Mr. J. F. J. Fitzpatrick, the assistant resident magistrate, arrested the prisoner and conducted the prosecution in his own Court, where he was sitting as a judge; whether the accused was fined £5, with twenty-four lashes in the market-place, and, in addition, got six months' hard labour; whether he was flogged in the market-place, Loko, at twelve noon on the day of conviction, then taken a three days' journey to Rumasha and flogged again in the market-place, and afterwards taken an eight days' journey to Keffi and flogged for the third time, and afterwards put in prison to serve, his sentence; and, if so, what action is he taking or does he intend to take?

I have no information, but will make inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement, on the Colonial Office Vote, as to the proposed railway in British Guiana; and whether he will take into consideration the great potentialities which exist in that Colony, and which, owing to lack of transportation facilities, cannot be developed at the present time?

I hope to be able to make a statement on the subject at a later date. The considerations alluded to in the latter part of the question are the main reason for the scheme and have not escaped my notice.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that in 1911 the Municipal Corporation of Bombay made representations to the Government that revaccination should be compulsorily enforced in the city; that in consequence of numerous protests against the proposal lodged with the corporation they decided to reconsider the matter, and have since declared that revaccination shall not be compulsory but that it shall be encouraged by voluntary methods; whether he is aware that the same municipal corporation have by a large majority rejected a proposal that primary vaccination should be made compulsory throughout British India and, as far as possible, in native and other States, as well as upon those coming from other places who have not been vaccinated; and whether he will take steps to impress upon the authorities the advantages of improving the sanitary defects of the city instead of devoting attention to vaccination and revaccination?

It is the case that the Bombay Municipal Corporation have withdrawn their request that the City of Bombay Vaccination Act should be amended so as to make revaccination between the age of seven and nine compulsory; and have decided to rely on voluntary methods for encouraging it. As regards the third part of the question the Secretary of State has no information as to any opinion that the corporation may have expressed against the compulsory extension of primary vaccination in parts of India beyond their jurisdiction. As regards the last part of the question he has no reason to think that the local authorities, by reason of their attention to vaccination, are indifferent to the advantages of improving the general sanitary condition of the city.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India how many aeroplanes there are at present attached to the Army in India?

The number of aeroplanes at present in possession of the Army in India is three.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether there is any public authority which can exercise control over the tolls imposed by owners of publicly used ferries?

No control in this matter is vested in any public authority under the general law.

asked the Home Secretary if lie can give the total number of the police forces in the United Kingdom under the following separate headings: Metropolitan police, City of London police, county police, city and borough police forces, arid Royal Irish Constabulary?

The authorised strength of the police, on the latest dates for which figures are available, was as follows: Metropolitan police, 21,104; City of London police, 1,231; other police forces in England and Wales: counties, 17,314; cities and boroughs, 18,321; police forces in Scotland: counties, 2,126; cities and burghs, 3,990; Royal Irish Constabulary, 10,480, and Dublin Metropolitan police, 1,177. These figures include Metropolitan police employed at dockyards and other stations and paid for by the Government, and police employed and paid for by companies and private persons.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether, in view of his recent statement that there were sufficient beds available for insured consumptives and that it was the fault of insurance committees if such persons were not receiving accommodation, he proposes to take any action in the case of the Bristol insurance committee, an official of which reported on 4th May that twenty-one consumptives were awaiting beds, and the Salop insurance committee, which recently reported that there were twenty-five insured persons in the sanatorium and nine on the waiting list?

The Insurance Commission are making inquiry into the two cases referred to in the question. I may, however, state that on the 31st of March last the Bristol insurance committee had forty-one insured persons in residential institutions for the treatment of tuberculosis, and that the Bristol corporation are carrying out a scheme under which a total number of 125 beds will be available. Twenty-two additional beds will, I understand, be ready for use in the course of a few weeks. On the same date the Salop insurance committee had twenty-six insured persons in such institutions. The sanatorium in Shropshire is being enlarged so as to contain an additional twenty-five beds, and I am informed that these additional beds will be ready for use in a month or six weeks.

asked the Postmaster-General, whether his attention has been drawn to the trial of a case in which a gentleman named William J. Flanagan, of Crumlin, county Dublin, was sued before the Recorder of Dublin by the Post Office authorities for the rent of a telephone which he found to be absolutely unavailable and useless through an insufficiency of wires in the district; whether he is aware that the Recorder, though he granted a decree for the amount claimed, described the case as a very great scandal; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

My attention has been drawn to the case which the hon. Member mentions. Although it is the fact that the junction wire requirements between Crumlin and Dublin had been underestimated, I do not understand the statement which was made by Mr. Flanagan to the Recorder that his installation was absolutely useless. So far as I can ascertain, Mr. Flanagan made no complaint whatever about the service prior to his case coming before the Recorder in the ordinary course, and as a matter of fact he appears to have been placed in telephonic communication with Dublin more frequently than other subscribers at Crumlin. In these circumstances I am forced to the conclusion that the Recorder was misled; and I propose to communicate with him on the matter, especially as regards his statement about the difficulties which he has experienced in connection with his own telephone calls. I may add that steps had already been taken to provide more junction wires between Crumlin and Dublin.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has yet been able to promise to Messrs. James Howarth, of Earlestown, Lancashire, the immediate installation of the telephone service, for which they have applied for many weeks past?

The completion of Messrs. James Howarth's telephone installation is dependent on the provisions of underground wires which are now being laid. If no unforseen difficulty occurs, I hope that they will be connected with the exchange within three weeks from the present date. I regret that I cannot promise them an immediate service.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that, in the Birmingham post office, rule No. 177 in the staff rule book is not being observed; that a brother-in-law of the assistant postmaster has been promoted to the rank of overseer over the heads of 116 sorting clerks, and is continually employed on a preferential duty; that a nephew of the assistant postmaster is continually employed on special preferential duties which bring him into direct contact with highly placed officials; that the son of the chief postal superintendent, although young, has received preferential treatment in the matter of duties and is under the control of his father; that the son of a superintendent is repeatedly taken off his own duty to look for tobacco arriving in American mails, for which he receives pay in the shape of a share of the Customs dues; that all these facts have been brought to the notice of the authorities without avail; and whether he will have inquiries made and have the rule referred to observed?

I am having inquiry made into the matters referred to by the hon. Member and will communicate further with him.

asked the Postmaster-General whether it was intended that the recommendations of the Holt Committee in regard to increase of wages should take place on 2nd February; and, if so, whether he is aware that in the Southwestern district of London no increases have yet been paid, although the ordinary increments should have taken place on 1st April?

It was not practicable actually to make the revised payments on the 2nd February, but arrears will be paid back to that date where that has not already been done. The district to which the hon. Member refers will be dealt with before the end of the week.

asked the Postmaster-General how many scale-payment sub-postmasters resigned in the years ending 30th June, 1908, and 30th June, 1913, respectively?

I am having inquiry made in this matter, and will communicate the result to the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view? of the representations made by the Secretary of State for War and the Post master-General, and of the expressed opinions of various Members of Parliament that if legislation is necessary to make good the claim that K Company service shall count towards civil superannuation it ought to be passed, he can now recommend legislation to deal with the matter?

I beg to refer to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight on this subject on the 20th ultimo.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will complete the figures, in the Board of Trade "Labour Gazette," on trade unions in April, 1914; whether he is aware that in the "Gazette" for May, 1909, on pages 154–5, under the head Trade Unions in 1905–7, there are four tables as to the membership, income and expenditure of trade unions, bringing the figures up to 1907, and in the "Gazette" for April, 1914, three of these tables are brought up to the end of 1912 and, if so, can a fourth table be giver showing the expenditure up to 1912 incurred by the 100 principal unions upon unemployed benefit for the various years?

A table giving the in formation desired was crowded out of the April issue of the "Labour Gazette," but will appear in the May number which will be published in a few days. Meanwhile I am causing an advance copy to be sent to the hon. Member.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when a Return will be published containing all the available information on the subject of the movement of money wages in the period 1900–12 in the countries enumerated in the table given on page 1xii. of the Report on the Cost of Living of the Working Classes in the-United Kingdom [Cd. 6955]?

It is intended to include information as to the course of wages in certain foreign countries and British Possessions in a Report on Wages which will be issued by the Board of Trade in the course of the present year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the average price per quarter in 1913 of Home-grown wheat, for human consumption, in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany; what was the average price per quarter in 1913 of imported wheat in the same countries; what was the percentage of Home-grown wheat to the total consumption in 1913 in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany; and what was the Home production of wheat in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany in 1880, 1890, 1900, 1910, and 1913?

The following statement gives the information desired, so far as the particulars are available:—

— United Kingdom. France. Germany. Per Quarter. Per Quarter Per Quarter. Average price of wheat in 1913— s. d. s. d. s. d. Home-grown 31 8* No information. No information. Imported 35 6 36 1½† All descriptions — 47 4 41 11 Percentage of Home-grown wheat to total quantity of wheat available for consumption for all purposes in the cereal year 1912–1913 Per cent. 19½ Per cent. 87½ Per cent. 70½ Estimated production of wheat— Quarters. Quarters. Quarters. 1880 9,365,000 34,194,000 10,805,000 1890 9,499,000 40,190,000 12,999,000 1900 6,790,000 39,432,000 17,637,000 1910 7,074,000 31,224,000 17,731,000 1913 7,084,000 40,330,000 21,379,000 * "Gazette" average price of British wheat. † Average value at the port of importation, exclusive of duty.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what have been the office allowances and what the salaries paid to the Trade Commissioners in each Dominion since their appointment?

The annual salaries of His Majesty's Trade Commissioners in the past year were: Canada, £1,000; South Africa, £ 1,000; New Zealand, £800; Australia, £1,100. In the first three cases the amounts have not been changed since the posts were originally established in 1908, but the salary of His Majesty's Trade Commis- sioner for Australia (who is located at Melbourne) was raised in 1912 from £1,000 to £1,100 in consideration of the requirement that he should spend a portion of each year at Sydney. An improvement in the status of the Trade Commissioners involving some change in their rate of remuneration is at present in contemplation. The office allowances were fixed in 1908 at £500 each for Canada, Australia, and South Africa, and at £400 for New Zealand; they were raised in 1910 to £800 in the first three cases, and to £650 for New Zealand. Subsequently the allowance for Canada was increased to £850 in 1912 and to £1,050 (including £100 in respect of Newfoundland) in 1913. The allowance for Australia was increased to £1,150 in 1913 to meet the expenses of a branch office at Sydney which was established in that year; and the allowance for South Africa was increased to £940 in 1911. These allowances are exclusive of the remuneration of trade correspondents in the respective Dominions and of any special Grants to meet non-recurring expenditure.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if his attention has been called to the fact that, in the majority of British Dominions and foreign countries to which pedigree cattle are dispatched from these islands, it is demanded that such cattle pass the tuberculin test; that, in consequence, it is the practice of foreign buyers to demand, as a condition of purchase, that such cattle should pass the test before shipment, even in the case of countries where a test passed here is not accepted as final; whether he is aware that the test is frequently performed unsatisfactorily by sellers here, with the result that unsound cattle are sold to foreign buyers; and whether he will, in consequence, introduce legislation to forbid the sale of tuberculin except to doctors or veterinary surgeons?

The answer to the first two parts of the question is in the affirmative. I am aware that the statement quoted in the third part has sometimes been made, and the question of controlling the preparation, supply, and use of tuberculin is at present under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture the acreage under tobacco in Great Britain, in what counties, and the acreage and yield in each county, respectively; and whether he can state the total yield in Great Britain last year?

The areas approved to date for the cultivation of tobacco in Great Britain are as follows:— England and Wales. Acres. Hampshire … … 42¼ Norfolk … … 34½ Suffolk … … 29¼ Surrey … … 9 Cheshire … … 6 Carnarvon … … 4 Lancashire … … 3 Worcestershire … … 2½ Warwickshire … … 2 Huntingdon … … 1 Sussex … … ½ Rutland … … ¼ … … 134¼ Scotland. … … Kirkcudbright … … 8 142¼

The figures showing the final weight of the tobacco grown last year in Great Britain are not yet available. The quantity of Home-grown tobacco charged with duty in Great Britain in the year ending 31st March, 1913, was 10,229 lbs.

asked the Prime Minister when the Committee to consider what steps can be taken to regularise the demand for labour is to be appointed, and whether he will have regard to the desirability of the Committee getting to work without delay?

The Committee has been appointed, and I have no doubt will begin its inquiries immediately. Mr. Alden has consented to act as Chairman.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether the Local Government Board or its inspectors formerly advised guardians more frequently to place relief on loan and to require repayment of relief, some even advising that all medical relief should be given on loan whether he will now, with the view of preventing sweating by the guardians, advise guardians against relief on loan or requiring repayment of relief from persons with less than a living wage; whether he will amend the Belief Order of 28th December, 1911 (which enables relief to be put on loan), so that it shall not apply in the case of persons with less than a living wage; and whether he will now obtain from the guardians of every union a return of the persons who are now indebted to them for relief given on loan in such form as will show name of union, nature of relief (indoor, outdoor, medical, or otherwise), date when relief was first put on loan, amount paid off, amount of debt remaining unpaid, average weekly wage, present weekly wage, and number of dependants?

I do not find that the Local Government Board have ever formally advocated the granting of relief on loan as a general policy, and in recent years neither the Board nor their inspectors have, so far as I am aware, advised guardians, as a general rule, to grant relief on loan and require repayment. The power of declaring relief on loan is not much exercised, but, provided that it is used with discretion and only in cases in which the ability to repay is undoubted, it seems to me desirable that it should be retained. I have no information indicating that guardians use this power in such a way as to inflict any hardship on the recipients of relief or to deter persons who require medical relief from applying for it, and therefore I see no necessity for taking the action suggested by the hon. Member in the latter parts of the question. I should, however, be glad to consider any further information on the subject with which the hon. Member could furnish me.