asked the length of service in the class of assistant clerks of each of the five clerks employed in the National Health Insurance Commission (Ireland) at the date of their promotion to supervising assistant clerkships?

The length of service of the officers in question at the date referred to was eight years and four months (including four years unestablished service), thirteen years and eight months (including thirteen years unestablished service), eight years, nine years, and nine years and six months, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what statutory authority the Excise authorities prevent the patentee of the process of de-alcoholising beer from carrying out his process except in a distillery?

The provisions of the law on the subject are contained in Section 5 (1), Section 6 and Section 22 (1) of the Spirits Act, 1880.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is now in a position to state when practical effect will be given to the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Civil Service?

I regret that I am not yet in a position to give the information which my hon. Friend desires. The recommendations, which are numerous, require, and are receiving, careful consideration.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what was the monthly average amount of banknotes of bankers in England and Wales, other than the Bank of England, as ascertained under Sections 19, 20, and 21 of the Bank Charter Act. 1844, in circulation during the first complete period of four weeks of the years 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911, and 1914 respectively?

The average amounts were:—

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what was the monthly average amount of banknotes of bankers in Scotland, as ascertained under Sections 7 to 10 of the Bank Notes (Scotland) Act, 1845, in circulation during the first complete period of the four weeks of the years 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911, and 1914, respectively, distinguishing notes below five pounds from notes of and above that amount?

The average amounts were:—

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether all the banknotes below £5, within the meaning of Sections 7 to 10 of the Bank Notes (Scotland) Act, 1845, issued by bankers in Scotland, are £1 notes, or whether any of them are of any intermediate denomination?

All bank notes below £5 issued by bankers in Scotland are, as suggested in the first part of the hon. Member's question, notes of £1 value.

asked the Prime Minister whether he can now announce the decisions of the Government upon the demands for the withdrawal of the proclamation against importation of arms into Ireland, and the-removal from Ireland of the Border Regiment now quartered in Dublin?

As regards the first subject mentioned in the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply just given by my right hon. Friend. [See Oral Answer to Question No. 46.] The other-matter is still under consideration.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, when a local body arranges to pay its solicitor for some work by the case and for other work by a fixed annual sum, any record is kept and submitted to the auditor or to the Local Government Board of the actual service rendered for the latter payment; if so, and the payment appears to be exorbitant for the average service during a number of years, whether the local body is required to invite tenders for this service; if not, will he refer to any rule exempting this service from that common requirement; and will he state the total payments made by the Delvin Board of Guardians and district council to the same solicitor in each of these ways, respectively, and in both during the last fifteen financial years?

The Local Government Board understand that the course suggested by the hon. Member is not customary, and it would not be taken unless in exceptional circumstances. There is no rule requiring local bodies to invite tenders for the discharge of their legal business. The Board have no information as to the total payments made by the Delvin Board of Guardians and District Council, and I cannot see that any useful purpose would be served by putting the local officers to the trouble of going back over the books for the last fifteen years to obtain the information asked for.

asked the Chief Secretary if he will ascertain the total law costs incurred in each of the six last financial years, and in the whole period by the Westmeath County Council and by each board of guardians and district council in that county?

This information is not available, and it would serve no useful purpose to institute the extensive inquiries necessary to obtain it.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he will give the names of estates in Kerry purchased by the Congested Districts Board; the number of new houses built and old houses improved in each estate, giving the free Grants in each estate; and the amount of free Grants spent in each estate on other general improvements.

The following estates in county Kerry have been purchased by the Congested Districts Board: Herbert, O'Connell, W. L. Rae, Hussey, J. W. Butler, Burns Hartopp, Collis Sandes, A. Winn, Blasket Island, Miss Murphy, Dr. Mangan, D. and D. McCarthie, Leonard and Swanzy, Lord Ventry, Lionel Jermyn, H. W. Drew, Alexander O'Driscoll, Misses Palmer, W. H. Corker and others, A. C. Leahy, G. E. A. Hick-son, W. C. Fitzgerald and others, Charles Drummond, Catherine Hartnett, Fras. Pierce, Hood and others, Sir M. R. O'Connell, Daniel C. O'Connell, Butler Minors, Knight of Kerry, Daniel O'Connell, Gun and Crosbie, Mrs. L. Tisdall, A. S. Herbert, Trinity College, Fras. A. Shore and another, Canon Kennedy, Denis and William Creagh, James F. Fuller, Colomb and Webb, Peter Foley and another, Rose T. Stoughton. The particulars asked for regarding houses built on the estates would take some time to prepare. As regards the last part of the question, the information as to the amount spent on general improvements could not be given except in the case of an estate which had been completely resold, as it is only then that the actual amount of irrecoverable expenditure can be ascertained.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in the recent special mobilisation of the Third Fleet (13th July, 1914), the crews embarked on the ships of that fleet were composed entirely of the men officially allotted to that fleet, and that no ratings were embarked in the Third Fleet which are allocated to the Second Fleet, or to any other squadrons?

The crews of the Third Fleet ships in the recent test mobilisation were composed of men officially allotted to them at the date of the mobilisation. Mobilisation appropriations are necessarily changed from day to day. All the fleets were fully manned with their proper complements.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the fact that the Second Fleet has been officially described as being in active commission, because the ships' crews can be completed to full numbers without calling upon any Reserve ratings, he can assure the House that all the ships of the fleet named in the Nore Test Mobilisation Order had, in fact, full crews of the proper composition on board, and that no Reservist was included among it?

The Second Fleet was manned entirely by active-service ratings, with the exception of five pensioner ship's police.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has been informed that by an arrangement between the Turkish Government and the New Arsenals Company, formed for naval construction and dockyards in Turkey, any difference on a technical matter is to be referred to the Lords of the Admiralty in England; and whether this arrangement has been sanctioned before or after publication by the Admiralty?

No such provision as that referred to was submitted to the Admiralty before the agreement was signed, but, like similar provisions in other agreement's, I am not aware that it is necessary for the persons named to concur beforehand.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is intended to add to the War Office Committee which has been appointed to inquire into the question of Army canteens representatives of private traders who are interested in the supply of canteens?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for the Altrincham Division on the 27th instant.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is intended to add to the War Office Committee which has been appointed to inquire into the question of Army canteens representatives of private traders who are interested in the supply of canteens?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave the hon. Member for Altrincham on Monday last.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if it is the intention of the Government to build suitable cottages for married soldiers and other married workers in connection with the military camp at Bulford?

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave yesterday and on the 15th inst, to the hon. Member for South Wiltshire.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were killed by motorcar and motor-cycle accidents in the United Kingdom in 1913 or 1912?

The figures given in the Return presented on 31st March are:—

asked the President of the Board of Trade in which districts in the Metropolitan area rota committees of the advisory committees for juvenile employment are held at the elementary schools in addition to those held at the labour exchanges; if he will say in each case how many schools are concerned; and whether any attempt to place children in employment is made at such meetings?

I am sending to my hon. Friend a list showing those advisory committees in London in connection with which rota committees are held at elementary schools together with the numbers of schools affected. The usual labour exchange procedure in connection with the placing of juvenile applicants in employment is carried out at these Rota Committees.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many nurses seeking employment have registered their names at the Labour Exchanges; and how many have been found employment?

The total number of women registered at Labour Exchanges as nurses' during the five months ended June 12th, 1914, was 799. The number of vacancies for nurses notified during the same period was 415, and the number of such vacancies filled by the Exchanges was 204. The Department is not able, without excessive labour, to give statistics for the whole period during which the Exchanges have been in operation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the number of subsidiary companies recently promoted through the medium of the Marconi Company; whether he is aware that the price of all the shares in these subsidiary companies has fallen considerably below the issue price; whether he is aware that no less than three suits are pending for the recovery of money alleged to have been improperly made in connection with the issue of certain of these shares; and whether the Board of Trade is prepared, pursuant to its powers under the Companies (Consolidation) Act, 1908, Section 109, to appoint one or more competent inspectors to investigate the affairs of these companies and the conditions under which flotations and issues were made?

I have no knowledge concerning any such companies as are referred to in the first part of the question. The powers of the Board of Trade under the provisions of Section 109 of the Companies (Consolidation) Act, 1908, to appoint an inspector to investigate the affairs of a company only arise on an application being made by members holding not less than one-tenth of the shares issued. No such application has been received in the case of any company connected with Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company, Limited, and the jurisdiction of the Board to appoint an inspector has not therefore arisen.

asked whether the merchants of either Bulgaria, Greece, Servia, or Turkey have demanded a moratorium because of the crippling effects of the recent conflict in the Balkans; and if so, the date at which the merchants of each country first availed themselves of the privilege afforded by such moratorium?

As far as I am informed, a moratorium was declared in Bulgaria on 2nd October, 1912, and expired on 25th September, 1913. In Greece a moratorium was declared on 6th October, 1912, and expired on 21st January, 1914. In Servia a moratorium was declared on 14th October, 1912, and expired on 30th January, 1914. I am not aware that any moratorium was declared in Turkey. I have no information as to the dates at which the merchants of each country first availed themselves of the privileges afforded by the moratorium.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether the Report of the Departmental Committee on University Education in London I will be in the hands of Members during the present Session?

I am informed that the Departmental Committee do not expect to complete their investigations before the end of the Session.