asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the violence offered at the time of the outbreak of war to members of the staff of the British Legation at Munich went to the length of the actual imprisonment of certain members of the staff?

No members of the staff of the British Legation at Munich were actually imprisoned. One member was detained by the police in His Majesty's Legation for some hours on 5th August.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the increased price of drugs, etc., he will recommend a monthly instead of a quarterly settlement of accounts with panel chemists who are under contract with insurance committees?

Under the existing Regulations it is open to insurance committees to pay monthly advances to chemists, and such advances are, in fact, being made in many areas. Where this practice has not hitherto been adopted the chemists should approach the insurance committee, who will doubtless be willing to consider any representations on the subject. As the hon. Member is doubtless aware, a settlement with chemists cannot be effected until after the close of the year. Any payments made in the meantime are in the nature of advances only.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Commissioners of Public Works (Ireland), whether the qualification of membership of a drainage board, specified in the Act of 1863, means that a qualified member should be the owner of not less than 20 acres of land within the boundary of the district or the owner of 20 acres subject to a drainage charge?

The qualification of membership referred to by the hon. Member is that the member shall be the proprietor of not less than 20 acres of land within the area of the district—not necessarily land subject to a drainage charge.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Commissioners of Public Works (Ireland), whether, having regard to the operation of the Land Purchase Acts in Ireland bringing responsibility for drainage charges upon numerous new owners hitherto unacquainted with the provisions of the Drainage Acts, he will state whether the words in the Act of 1863, that the chairman should convene a meeting of the electors annually in September of each year, is to be interpreted as meaning that each elector should be notified by circular of the place and date of meeting apart from any advertisement that might appear in a local newspaper; and, if so, having regard to the importance of the matter, an intimation of their responsibility will be conveyed to all chairmen of drainage boards?

The Drainage Act, 3863, prescribes in detail the notice of any meetings for the election of new members of a drainage board to be given by the returning officer, namely:—"By advertisement in some one or more of the newspapers circulating in the district:By causing a copy of such notice to be affixed to the outer door of the office of the board:Such advertisement to be published, and copy to be fixed, fourteen days before the day appointed for such election."The Statute does not require that a notice should be sent to each elector. In these circumstances, the Board of Works do not propose to issue any intimation to the chairmen of drainage boards on the subject.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Congested Districts Board have yet acquired and, if not, when they are likely to acquire the Carrowcullen lands, at present in the occupation of Miss Martin and Thomas Kilgallen, situate in the townland of Carrowcullen, in the parish of Skreen, county Sligo; and whether he is aware of the persistent demands of the small holders of this district for the purchase of the lands in question for the purpose of relieving congestion?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the negative. The lands in question are tenanted lands held subject to a judicial rent, and a purchase agreement signed by the tenants has been lodged since 1907 with the Estates Commissioners in connection with the sale of the estate by the owner direct to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903. As the lands are the subject of proceedings for sale before the Estates Commissioners, the Congested Districts Board cannot acquire them for the purpose of distribution.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commis- sioners, before vesting land in tenant purchasers, advertise inviting incumbrancers on the estate to send in their claims; if so, whether those who fail to send in their claims can afterwards substantiate their demands against the new owners for what should have been discharged by the vendor; and whether holdings are vested in tenants freed from all incumbrances contracted before the issue of the vesting order, including drainage charges?

In the case of estates the subject of proceedings for sale under the Land Purchase Acts, notices to incumbrancers are published in the prescribed form, and, when the purchase money is advanced and lodged to the credit of the estate in the Court of the Irish Land Commission, an order is made attaching claims to the purchase money and the lands are vested in the purchasing tenants. Under Sections 16 (1) and 24 (1) of the Act of 1903, such vesting order vests the fee simple of the lands purchased subject as therein provided, namely:—

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, having regard to the time which has elapsed since he promised to make inquiries into the position of the Central Railway Company of Canada and to the fact that the principal question involved was its failure to comply with Section 274 of the Companies Consolidation Act, he can now state whether it was bound to comply with this Section by reason of its having a London place of business at 363, Winchester House, E.C., and a London committee consisting of Sir Thomas H. C. Troubridge, Bart., and Messrs. Thomas Carmichael and A. L.

Careful inquiries have been made, and the facts are now before Crown counsel, with a view to advise whether proceedings can be instituted.