asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many returns were made for Super-tax in 1913–14 or, if the figures for 1913–14 are not yet available, in 1912–13; and on how many Super-tax has been paid?

The number of returns for Super-tax for the year 1913–14 so far received by the special Commissioners of Income Tax is 20,913, of which 12,762 represent cases in which liability is now known to exist. Duty has been paid in about 11,400 cases.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, having regard to the fact that the proposed Grants to local authorities contained in Part IV. of the Finance Bill, 1914, are dependent on a rating revaluation of Great Britain which Sections 1 and 2 of the Revenue Bill seek to initiate, he will further consider the convenience of the House by recommitting the Revenue Bill in order that it may consist of two parts, Part I. to consist of Sections 1 and 2 of the Revenue Bill, and Part IV. of the Finance Bill and Part II. dealing with Amendments to Land Value Duties and other miscellaneous objects?

I can add nothing to the statement which I made on Monday last with regard to the procedure to be adopted on the Revenue Bill.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether candidates for temporary posts as female typists in the principal probate registry are required to be unmarried; and whether female typists holding such posts are required to resign in the event of marriage?

Temporary female typists are not normally employed in this registry, though one has been recently employed during the absence on illness of a member of the staff. Established female typists are, in common with all female pensionable officers, required to resign on marriage, but no general rule has been laid down for the case of persons temporarily employed.

asked the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East, as representing the Insurance Commissioners, whether his attention has been called to the case of Thomas Rutherford, who became an employed contributor under the Insurance Act in July, 1912, being then fifty-four years of age, and who, after paying eighty-four contributions, has ceased to be an employed person, but wishes to continue in insurance as a voluntary contributor; whether he is aware that Rutherford has been informed by his approved society (the Rechabites) that, as he has not been five years in insurance and is not yet sixty years of age, he will, in order to become a voluntary contributor, not only have to pay at the increased rate per week but also have to pay arrears, representing for the whole time he has been an insured person under the Act the difference between the rates for an employed person and a voluntary contributor; whether he is aware that this computation of arrears represents for a person in Rutherford's position a considerable sum; and whether, in the event of Rutherford being unable to pay this amount, he can say whether the whole of Rutherford's previous contributions under the Act are entirely forfeited?

The conditions of transfer from employed to voluntary contributor have been correctly stated by the society. If Rutherford does not elect to remain in insurance as a voluntary contributor, he will not be entitled to any refund of contributions; and, in fact, the value of his insurance up to the end of the eighty-fourth week is in excess (having regard to his age) of the contributions which he has paid.

asked the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether the term potato-picker, included in the list of those engaged in subsidiary employments liable for insurance under the National Insurance Act, refers solely to those engaged in harvesting the crop, or does it include those who pick the potatoes at the pie, with a view to sorting and afterwards planting them?

The term "potato picker" in the Special Order to which the hon. Member refers applies solely to persons engaged in harvesting the crop, and does not include persons who sort potatoes at the pie.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Congested Districts Board has entered into any negotiations for the purchase of the Hughes estate, at Clonown, near Athlone, in the county of Roscommon; and, if so, whether he will state if the estate is likely soon to be acquired by the Board?

The Congested Districts Board have communicated with the owner of the estate referred to, but it has not yet been offered for sale through them. The Board cannot say at present whether it is likely to be acquired by them.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners, in March, 1913, received an application from Patrick Kirwen, an evicted tenant on the Drogheda estate, county Kildare, for a farm on land which he then supposed they were about to purchase; whether the Estates Commissioners have not recognised Patrick Kirwen's claim to reinstatement in the evicted farm or to be given another farm; and when the Estates Commissioners will give Kirwen a farm?

The Estates Commissioners received from Patrick Kirwan in March, 1913, a letter directing their attention to a notice which had been published regarding the sale of a holding in county Kildare and asking the Commissioners to acquire same for him. The holding in question had already been sold under the Land Purchase Acts and the Commissioners had no power to make any further advance in respect thereof with a view to its acquisition. The Commissioners have noted Kirwan's name for consideration in the allotment of such untenanted land as they may acquire. They are not at present in a position to say when they may be able to allot him a farm.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland how much has been granted to the parish priest of Inishmore, in the Aran Islands, for school-building purposes during the eight years ended the 31st March, 1914; how many of the schools so built or improved are vested in the Commissioners and how many trustees; the name of the school which was closed for several months by order of the parish priest; why was the school closed; what steps did the Commissioners take to reopen the school; what became of the teacher; what steps the Board is taking to prevent the school being closed again; what local contributions were raised to supplement the building Grants; and what means exist on the island for the education of the children of the Protestant minority?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that Grants to the amount of £316 were sanctioned during the eight years ended the 31st March, 1914, towards the enlargement and improvement of four schoolhouses under the management of the parish priest of Aran Islands, all of which are vested in trustees. The Commissioners have no information available as to the alleged closing of any school for several months by order of the parish priest. The Oat-quarter Boys' National School on Inishmore Island had no pupils in attendance for a prolonged period from January, 1911, owing to the existence of a local boycott of the school, and the Commissioners were in consequence obliged to withdraw Grants from it from the 30th June, 1911. The pupils having resumed attendance in September, 1912, when a new teacher was appointed, the Commissioners restored their Grants to the school from the 18th of that month. The former teacher, having voluntarily retired, was granted a pension. The Commissioners do not see that any reason exists for taking further action regarding this school, which is at present in operation. The local contribution towards the works for the enlargement and improvement of the four schools above referred to was £17 2s. The number of Protestant children on the Inishmore Island is very small, and they have the opportunity of attending the national schools on the island, which are open to children of all denominations. Safeguards as to religious instruction in the schools are provided in the rules of the Commissioners.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the names, numbers, and ranks of the naval officers constituing the missions which were sent to Greece and Turkey?

The information asked for is as follows—

Officers lent to Greece.—Rear-Admiral Mark E. F. Kerr, C.B., M.V.O.; Commanders Hubert S. Cardale, Reginald G. H. Henderson, Andrew L. Strange, George P. Leith, R. Cecil Hamilton, Gerard A. Wells; Lieutenant Commander (as acting Commander) Sidney J. Meyrick, Lieutenant Henry D. Gill; Acting Lieutenant R.N.R. (Royal Flying Corps) Collyns P. Pizey; Engineer Captain (retired) James H. Watson; Engineer Lieutenant George W. Cannan; Assistant Paymaster Alexander C. Winter; Gunner F. J. Moon; Gunner (T) George Prince; also a constructor and a naval store officer.

Officers lent to Turkey.—Rear-Admiral Arthur H. Limpus, CB.; Lieutenants F. Elliott, G. W. Hallifax; Commander (retired) Arthur Truscott; Commander A. L. Ashby (relief appointed, see below; Engineer Lieutenants G. W. Le Page, Gerald Moore; Staff Paymaster A. E. Stack; Naval Instructor H. H. Holland.

Additional retired officers lent.—Captain Edwin H. Edwards; Lieutenants Victor Marryat, Walter P. Koe, Humphrey Finch-Dawson (to replace Commander Ashby), Evelyn L. B. Boothby.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many royal naval ships' cooks of warrant officer rank there are in His Majesty's Navy?

The answer is three.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the storehouse assistants at the Royal Naval Store Depot, West India Docks, are to have an increase of pay in accordance with custom, namely, when the labourers' minimum is raised the assistant storehouse men have a corresponding increase?

The question is under consideration, and a decision will be announced as soon as possible.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he is aware that the Aldershot Council has decided to pay all the able-bodied workmen employed by the council a minimum wage of 24s. per week; if he is aware that the men employed in the Field Stores Department at Aldershot are paid a considerably less wage than this; and whether he will take steps to increase the wages of these men to at least the minimum paid by the council?

The War Department minimum rate at Aldershot will shortly be increased to 22s. I am not aware of the decision referred to in the first part of the question.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will state if any, and, if so, how many, school medical officers have stated in their recent reports that work out of school hours has injuriously affected the physique and general condition of children whom they have inspected?

Of the 200 Reports of school medical officers for the year ending 31st December last, which the Board have so far received, and had an opportunity of scrutinising, twelve contain a reference to the injurious effect of work out of school hours on the physique and general condition of children. The hon. Member will find further reference to the subject in the last two Annual Reports of the Board's chief medical officer.

asked the President of the Board of Education if in the new Education Bill he will consider the advisability of giving educational committees power to board out cripple children in suitable homes near the elementary schools; and can he say under what Act and Clause educational committees are at present denied that power?

Under Section 2 of the Elementary Education (Defective and Epileptic Children) Act, 1899, a local education authority may make provision for the eductaion of a physically defective child by boarding the child out in a house conveniently near to a certified special school or class for physically defective children, or by establishing special schools for such children. Consequently there is no need of legislation for this purpose, and the last part of the question does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the statement made from experience by Lord Stanmore in the House of Lords on the 16th July, 1907, that it was easy for white men to outwit natives of the Pacific Islands of their property and to overreach and exploit them, because they will make any sacrifice, however improvident, to indulge a momentary want; whether he is aware that Lord Stanmore, when High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, protected the natives against the sharp practices of whites, nullified agreements into which natives had been seduced for inadequate consideration, and in some cases deprived Europeans of property that they had unfairly acquired from natives; whether Lord Stanmore is now chairman of the Pacific Phosphate Company, which holds for a nominal consideration a monopoly of the phosphate on Ocean Island; and if he will explain why the rule against sharp practice on the natives enforced by Lord Stanmore is not applied to this company?

I have no reason to doubt that Lord Stanmore, when Governor of Fiji and High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, protected the interests of the natives in the case of any concessions which Europeans endeavoured to secure for inadequate considerations. The terms of the concession on Ocean Island of the Pacific Phosphate Company have recently been revised. Under the revised conditions the company pays a royalty of 1s. a ton instead of 6d. a ton, th additional royalty being set apart for the benefit of the natives as a whole, and the company also makes a larger payment than before to the individual occupiers of the land from which the phosphate is removed. Lord Stanmore is no longer the chairman of the company. He died two years ago.

asked the Postmaster-General whether it is his intention to withdraw from the Post Office the issue and sale of the new insurance cards and, if so, upon what grounds; whether this class of business was the only branch of the national insurance business with which the postal service was concerned which was adequately remunerated; and whether it is proposed to give any compensation to sub-postmasters or relieve them of any other portion of insurance business?

I assume that the hon. Member refers to a change of practice which was made in January last, under which deposit contributors, instead of surrendering their stamped cards and insurance books at post offices, now normally send them direct to the National Insurance Commission by post and—as a rule—receive new cards direct from the Commission. The alteration was made for the convenience of the Insurance Commission, and at their instance. The remuneration of sub postmasters for national insurance work performed by them was fixed after full consideration, and in the light of the recommendations of the recent Select Committee on Post Office servants, and is considered to be adequate. The question of granting compensation for withdrawal of work does not arise.

asked the Postmaster-General whether it is his intention to make any alteration in the remuneration to sub-postmasters in respect of payment for telegrams when sent over the telephone; whether the contemplated increase of 50 per cent. recommended by the Report on postal servants is to be effected; and, if so, from what date such increase will start?

The credit for work at scale payment sub-offices where the telegrams are transmitted by telephone will remain at four units per telegram. The increase from four to six units per telegram transmitted by sounder or single-needle instruments will take effect in each case from the dates of application of the Holt scales.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in the dispatch of telegrams over the telephone, it has proved impossible to secure anything approaching the same accuracy or facilities for dispatch as can be obtained by the older methods; whether he has received numerous complaints from the public of the want of accuracy and the delay caused by the alteration of the system; and whether, notwithstanding this, he proposes to continue the present methods?

I know of no reason for thinking that there has been any deterioration as regards accuracy owing to the use of telephones for the transmission of telegrams at small offices; indeed, the available evidence suggests that the contrary is the case. Delay has certainly been reduced, as intermediate offices can frequently be eliminated when telephones are used. The system is therefore being continued and developed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the names and addresses of the insurance companies registered in the Companies' Department to the Board of Trade during the year 1913, the names of the companies struck off the register, and the names of the companies ordered to be wound up in the High Court and County Courts during the same year?

The information desired is given in the following lists as far as possible, but the second list may not be quite complete, and it includes the names of companies which were previously in liquidation but were not struck off the register until the year 1913. No companies which transacted assurance business of a class to which the Assurance Companies Act, 1909, applies were ordered to be wound up in the High Court or in the County Courts during the year 1913.

Names and registered offices of companies to which the Assurance Companies Act, 1909, applies which were registered under the Companies (Consolidation) Act, 1908, during the year 1913.

Anchorage Life Association, Limited (now in liquidation), 36, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W.

Austral Insurance Company, Limited, Effingham House, 1, Arundel Street, W.C.

Blackburn Philanthropic Assurance Company, Limited, 33, King Street, Blackburn.

Catholic and General Insurance Association, Limited, 22, Westmoreland Street, Dublin.

Patriotic Assurance Company, Limited, 9, College Green, Dublin.

Northern Farmers' Insurance Society, Limited, 7, Castlegate, Penrith.

United Kingdom Theatres Mutual Insurance Corporation, Limited, 6, Bond Court, Walbrook, E.G.

Companies which had power in the Memorandum of Association to transact assurance business of a class to which the Assurance Companies Act, 1909, applies which were struck off the Register during the year 1913.

Amicable General Assurance, Limited.

Artisans' Free Homes Land Investment and General Insurance Company, Limited.

Blue Ball Sick and Burial Society.

Bridge Street Friendly Society.

British Unity Sickness and Accident Administration Company, Limited.

Central Insurance Company, Limited., registered 1899. (Another company registered in June, 1907, with the same name is still in operation.)

Compensation and Guarantee Fund, Limited.

Economic Life Assurance Society.

Electric and General Assurance, Limited.

English Provident Insurance Corporation, Limited.

General Mutual Industrial Insurance Company, Limited.

Gladiator Live Stock and General Assurance Company, Limited.

Grand Insurance Company, Limited.

Health and Sickness Association, Limited.

International Insurance Company, Limited.

Licence-holders and General Insurance Company, Limited.

Life and Health Assurance Association, Limited.

Monarch Assurance Company, Limited.

One and All Assurance Association, Limited.

Protective Sick and Accident Assurance Company, Limited.

Railway Transit Claims and General Assurance Company, Limited.

Scottish Steam Drifter and Insurance Company, Limited.

"Self Help" Insurance Company, Limited.

Shepherd's Guarantee Company, Limited.

Standard Endowment Institution, Limited.

Walsden Parochial Sick and Burial Club.