asked the Secretary to the Treasury how many officers and men are employed on Customs and Preventive Duty in Ireland at the present time; and the numbers for the years 1905 and 1910?

The figures are as follows:—

— 1905. 1910. 1914. Customs 164 153 686* Excise 349 471 Customs, Waterguard 65 72 82 Total 578 696 768 *Customs and Excise amalgamated service.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland when the vesting orders will be issued on the Balfe estate, at Boherroe, Dromkeen, Pallasgrean, county Limerick; when were the purchase agreements lodged; and what is the cause of the delay in having the sale completed?

This estate is the subject of a sale direct to the tenants by the owner under the Irish Land Act, 1903, and purchase agreements at prices agreed upon between the parties were not lodged with the Estates Commissioners until September, 1908. The estate is not in priority for payment on the Principal Register of Direct Sales (all cash) during the present financial year, and the Commissioners are not at present in a position to say when the holdings on this estate may be vested in the purchasing tenants. When reached it will be dealt with as rapidly as possible.

asked the Chief Secretary if an inspector had visited the Massy Estate at Ballygeana, Galbally, county Limerick, and, if so, what steps were taken for the inspection of the holding of William Hanly, Ballygeana, Galbally, county Limerick, who refuses to sign on the terms given to the other tenants, as his land was much more highly rented; and will steps be taken to see that no vesting orders are issued until this man has his case settled, as he is willing to leave the settlement of the same to the Estates Commissioners?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. This estate is the subject of a sale by the owner direct to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903. William Hanly has not signed an agreement for the purchase of his holding. It is subject to a judicial rent fixed in 1904, and the question of price is a matter for arrangement between the parties. If an agreement is not lodged for the purchase of the holding it cannot be included in the sale.

asked the Chief Secretary how many places are set apart for teachers in the service in each of the training colleges for teachers in Ireland; how many teachers in the service, having passed the King's scholarship examination at Easter, 1913, were called to training in the session commencing September, 1913; how many such teachers passed the King's scholarship examination at Easter, 1914; and will successful candidates be called to training in the session opening in 1914?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that 20 per cent, of the vacancies are set apart for teachers in the service in each of the training colleges in Ireland. Forty-eight teachers having passed the King's scholarship examination at Easter, 1913, were called to training in the session commencing September, 1913. Ninety-eight teachers passed the King's scholarship examination at Easter, 1914, and a certain proportion of these candidates will be called to training, but the number cannot be stated at present.

asked the Chief Secretary on what principles compensation is fixed in respect of land taken compulsorily for labourers' cottages; whether the attention of the Local Government Board has been drawn to the award recently made by Mr. George Hewson, in the case of a plot of land situated in the townland of Lettermacward, owner the Rev. J. H. Deazley, occupier Mrs. Anne Toland, in which the sum given for landlord's interest was £1 and for tenant's interest £1 10s.; whether he is aware that the plot in question was proved at an inquiry to have produced £8 worth of corn in the past season; on what grounds the arbitrator decided the capital value to be less than one-fourth of the gross annual value; and whether, if the award is held to be justified, the Board consider that a plot of land of the total selling value of £2 10s. is suitable for selection as a labourers' allotment?

No rules or instructions for the guidance of arbitrators have been issued by the Local Government Board nor have they any power to do so. Their powers are expressly limited to appointing the arbitrator and fixing the amount of his remuneration. The arbitrator is therefore quite independent of the Board and must form his own judgment as to the amount of compensation to be awarded in each case after hearing the evidence that may be brought before him and personally inspecting the land proposed to be acquired. The case referred to was included with some others as regards which the Glenties Rural District Council expressed the opinion that the arbitrator should have awarded higher compensation than he did to the parties interested. As to the value of the crops obtained from the plot, and the grounds on which the arbitrator determined its value, the Board have no information, but it appears from the award that the plot forms portion of a holding which is the subject of an agreement to purchase under the Land Purchase Acts, and that the sum of £1 allowed to the owner is to be applied in reduction of the proposed purchase money to be advanced in respect of the holding. This sum was probably arrived at by the arbitrator having due regard to the terms of the purchase agreement, the area, and former rent of the holding, the quality of the land, and the evidence given at his inquiry. The award is final. The plot was selected by the district council themselves, and the Board's inspector who inquired into the scheme stated that the occupier's holding was "rough, poor land," but did not see his way to disallow the site, the main object in view being to provide a cottage thereon for an applicant who with his wife and child is obliged to live in one room.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the fact that, in consequence of the non-receipt by Mr. T. Dawson, of Horwich, of Form Q until after his child was four months old, he failed to make a statutory declaration of conscientious objection to the infant's vaccination; and whether, seeing that there had been failure on the part of the vaccination officer to send this reminder notice within the stipulated time, he can take steps to secure that in this case proceedings shall not be instituted against the parent, who would have made the declaration if Form Q had been received in time?

My attention has been called to this case, and I am making inquiry into the circumstances.

asked the Home Secretary if he will give the total number of fatal and other accidents occurring in factories and workshops in each of the years 1904–13, inclusive?

asked the Home Secretary if he will give the total number of factories and workshops, with the numbers of persons employed in them, in each of the years 1904, 1907, 1912, and 1913, and in any other intermediate years for which such figures are available?

supplied the following figures:

Year Number of Accidents in Factories and Workshops. Number of Factories and Workshops. Number Employed in Factories and Workshops. Fatal. Non-fatal. 1904 … … … 727 78,913 242,807 4,750,070 1905 … … … 775 99,546 244,841 — 1906 … … … 799 110,788 248,249 — 1907 … … … 850 123,146 249,983 5,012,008 1908 … … … 767 121,112 260,089 — 1909 … … … 700 116,554 263,749 — 1910 … … … 822 118,651 265,142 — 1911 … … … 907 136,551 267,534 — 1912 … … … 945 142,614 272,972* — 1913 … … … 996 163,915 274,569 — * A return has been collected for 1912 but the tabulation is not yet completed.

The table deals only with premises which are factories and workshops as defined by the Acts, except that the figures of non-fatal accidents in the years 1905–9 include accidents on premises (docks, wharves, warehouses, certain classes of buildings in course of construction, etc.) to which Sections 104 and 105 of the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901, apply. The separate figures of non-fatal accidents for these latter premises for the years 1910–13 are, respectively, as follows: 9,819, 11,212, 12,043, 12,937.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the total number of crane and winch accidents in premises under the Factory Acts in each of the years 1911–13, including those due to fracture of lifting appliances, and distinguishing fatal and non-fatal accidents?

The figures are as follows:— Fatal. Non-fatal. 1911 125 3,869 1912 135 4,424 1913 140 4,816

asked the Home Secretary the total number of women and girls employed in factories and workshops in each of the years 1907, 1912, and 1913, if such figures are available; and the authorised number of women inspectors in each of those years?

The total number of women and girls employed in factories and workshops in 1907 was returned as 1,852,241. A return for 1912 has been collected and is being tabulated, but the figures are not yet available. There will be no corresponding return for 1913. The

authorised staff of lady inspectors was in 1907, 13; in 1912, 18; and in 1913, 20.

asked the Home Secretary the total number of persons engaged in inspecting factories and workshops, distinguishing inspectors, assistant inspectors, and women inspectors in each of the years 1904 to 1913, inclusive?

The following table gives the particulars of the authorised strength in each of the years mentioned:— Year. Men Inspectors of all ranks. Inspectors' Assistants. Lady Inspectors. Total. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) 1904 108 36 8 152 1905 108 36 10 154 1906 108 36 11 155 1907 112 40 13 165 1908 131 51 18 200 1909 131 51 18 200 1910 131 51 18 200 1911 131 51 18 200 1912 134 53 18 205 1913 142 55 20 217

asked the Home Secretary whether he can give any further information beyond that contained in the report of the chief inspector as to the trials that are now being carried out of hand-threaded shuttles, with a view to doing away with the necessity for shuttle-kissing; when the trials were begun; whether different shuttles are being tested in the same mill; whether the Murphy-Simpson threader is included in these tests; and when a report is expected of the results obtained?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answers given to questions on this subject on the 2nd of March and the 9th of June. I am informed that the representative committee (referred to in my answer of 2nd March) which is supervising these experiments is doing everything possible to bring the matter to a successful issue, but they feel that satisfactory results will not be obtained if the experiments are curtailed. They consider that a prolonged trial, extending to at least twelve months, is necessary to establish the suitability of any new kind of shuttle, and some of the specimens, which it is hoped will prove satisfactory, have only been recently submitted. Hence it will, I fear, be some months before a final report can be expected. The trials, which were commenced very shortly after the first conference towards the end of 1912, are being carried out at different mills and at various centres. The Murphy-Simpson threader is included in the tests.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the villages in the neighbourhood of Bulford Camp are made the dumping ground for heaps of camp refuse of every description, which produce an offensive odour, to the discomfort of the inhabitants and to the detriment of their health; and whether the Government will take steps to provide, or cause the local sanitary authority to provide, a refuse destructor for the disposal of such refuse?

Complaints on this matter are at present under the consideration of the Army Council.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that the firm of Lewis and Sons, contractors, of Dover, who are doing work for the War Office at Shorncliffe Camp, are paying the painters employed by them on that work considerably less than the standard rate of wage; and whether he will take steps to enforce the provisions of the Fair-Wages Clause in this case?

No representations have been received on the point, but the matter shall be inquired into.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the delay and difficulty now existing in making connection with the telephone system in Lillington Road, Leamington Spa; will he state what is the cause which makes it impossible at present to give an independent line to each subscriber in that area; and whether he is making any and, if so, what arrangements to secure facilities for subscribers in that area to have independent lines?

The difficulty referred to has been due to the exhaustion of the underground plant in the district. A comprehensive scheme for the provision of additional plant is under consideration and by arrangements which have been made for a section of the work to be undertaken in advance of the general scheme it is hoped that subscribers in the locality in question will obtain their service by the middle of August.

asked the Postmaster-General how many trunk calls can be got through to Ashford, Middlesex, per hour; and is he aware that there is constant difficulty in communicating over this line?

It would normally be possible with the existing circuit accommodation to deal with about twenty-five calls per hour to and from Ashford, Middlesex. I regret that at present, owing to pressure on the trunk lines, there is undue delay to calls to and from Ashford; but a number of circuits are being provided for the increased traffic, and it is expected that they will be completed in the course of next month. I hope that there will then be no further cause for complaint.

asked the Postmaster-General, in view of the fact that a telephone subscriber is entitled, without payment, to a copy of the Directory, if he will explain how it is that in delivering the half-yearly edition the authorites asked for the return of the previous issue, and presented a card to be signed by the subscribers saying they had done so?

In consequence of removals of subscribers from district to district and other causes, a good many telephone numbers are altered between one issue of the Directory and the next. Calls made for obsolete numbers hamper the service and are apt to annoy subscribers. It is, therefore, important to withdraw from use all directories which are not of the current issue when a new edition is distributed. It is due to the fact that telephone directories so soon get out of date that it is found necessary to have new issues at six-monthly instead of yearly intervals.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can give any information with regard to Mrs. Ashworth, ex-postmistress of Fallowfield, whose case he has had under his consideration?

I have now written to the hon. Member on this matter.

asked the Secretary for Scotland what steps have been taken by the Board of Agriculture for Scotland to secure land for small holdings at Harthill, Lanarkshire; and whether, apart from the provision which may be made for small landholders who

District. Percentage of Wages above Standard at Increase in Percentage above Standard. 29th March, 1912. 14th July, 1914. Northumberland … 28¾ 52½ 23¾ Durham … 38¾ 57½ 18¾ Cumberland … 47½ 62½ 15 Federated Districts … 50 65 15 South Staffs and East Worcester … 50 65 15 Forest of Dean … 55 35 —20* Bristol … 40 & 45 52½ & 57½ 12½ Somerset … 40 52½ 12½ South Wales and Monmouthshire … 51¼ 60 8¾ Scotland … 50 75 25 * Decrease.

intend to devote their whole time to the cultivation of their holdings, an opportunity will also be afforded to the occupiers of the new houses to be erected in the district under the county council's housing scheme and for other residents in Harthill, who may be engaged in other callings, to obtain land within reasonable distance of their houses for gardens and small holdings?

A scheme for the settlement of new holders at Harthill is the subject of negotiation between the Small Holdings Commissioner and the proprietor. As regards the second part of the question the Board of Agriculture have the matter under consideration, but it is not yet possible to make any statement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can state the wages paid to the various grades of miners in Scotland, England, and Wales immediately prior to the coming into operation of the Coal Mines (Minimum Wage) Act of 1912, and as at 1st January, 1914, or at any subsequent date at which the calculation can more conveniently be made?

There are no returns showing the actual earnings of miners before and after the Coal Mines (Minimum Wage) Act of 1912, but the following table gives the percentage that the wages of coal miners were above the standard or base year in each of the principal districts at 29th March, 1912, and 14th July, 1914, respectively. Of course my hon. Friend will be aware that there are other factors affecting actual earnings besides the percentage on standard:—