asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that large numbers of wounded soldiers and sailors lying in hospitals in different parts of the country are prevented from being visited by their relatives owing to no travelling facilities being granted; and will he arrange that near relatives, such as wives and children, mothers or fathers, of wounded soldiers and sailors shall be able to obtain cheap railway facilities in order to visit those lying in hospital?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. The matter is one for the consideration in the first instance of the military and naval authorities, with whom I will communicate.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether any steps are being taken by the Army Council, by the compulsory destruction of hay and straw used for packing military stores or equipment imported from abroad, to prevent the outbreak or spread of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom?

I understand that the Foot-and-Mouth Committee, of which the hon. Member was a member, went exhaustively into the question of packing materials as a means of carrying disease and came to the conclusion that it was not practicable to destroy all packing materials used without grave interference with trade. No large importations of military stores and equipment are being made from abroad, and, in so far as anything may come from the United States or Canada, I would remind the hon. Gentleman that those countries are absolutely free from foot-and-mouth disease.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether huts are being constructed for the use of troops now under canvas in Great Britain; how many such huts are in course of construction; whether they will be available for all such troops by the 1st October, or, if not, by what later date; and whether any and, if any, what military units will be provided with them at an earlier date than others?

Hutting for some 490,000 men, in addition to many Territorial troops, has been ordered. The numbers for the Territorial Force cannot be given yet, as it depends on the possibilities in each place of utilising available public buildings. As the work of constructing all these huts is one of enormous magnitude, it is obviously impossible to say on what date all will be ready. The first lot to be started were those at Belton Park, and these will be ready for occupation by the 25th September. Others will follow rapidly, but it is unlikely that all will be ready before the end of November. Work is decentralised as much as possible, and every care is being taken to utilise local resources.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he is aware that Messrs Kemp, contractors for work at Aldershot Camp, and also one of the contractors for joiners' work at the Salisbury Camp, are letting some of the work piece-work, and that this is contrary to the rules and customs of the trade; and whether he will take steps to enforce the provisions of the Fair-Wages Resolution on all jobs that are being done for the War Office?

I will have inquiry made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider the possibility of expediting the censoring of commercial correspondence coming from and going to Holland, so that, while stopping all attempts to communicate with Germany by that route, legitimate business would not be interfered with?

Strict instructions have been given to expedite letters to and from Holland, and I understand there is now practically no delay in forwarding legitimate correspondence.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture if any steps have been taken to ascertain the origin of the recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the neighbourhood of Grimsby, and with what result?

Full inquiry has been made on the usual lines, but so far no opinion can be expressed as to the origin of the outbreak.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary of the Board of Agriculture whether soldiers are camping out upon any farm or farms upon which an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has recently occurred; and, if so, what steps have been or are being taken to prevent the spread of the disease through the medium of the clothing or equipment of such soldiers in the course of their military or other movements?

A considerable number of the Territorial Force was billeted in and around Stallingborough, and occupied several of the farms upon which the disease appeared. The military authorities have moved the units located on infected premises to premises at Immingham Docks, where arrangements have been made for disinfecting their clothing and equipment. Since the outbreaks were first detected the military authorities issued special orders regarding the movement of these units with a view to minimising the risk of the spread of the disease and all practicable steps were at once taken for disinfecting the boots, etc., of the men on each occasion when they left infected premises. It was at the suggestion of the Board that the military authorities took the steps which have been indicated, and the Board are greatly indebted to them for their cooperation in the matter.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether male Belgian refugees are available for employment, either permanently or during the period of the War, as agricultural workers; whether they include any Protestants; and, if not, whether Roman Catholics will accept employment in districts where the services of a Roman Catholic priest are not available?

The Government cannot anticipate that none of the Belgian refugees in this country will obtain agricultural occupation, but, in view of the state of the labour market in this country, they do not contemplate taking any steps, unless the circumstances are exceptional, for providing them with employment. I have not sufficient information to enable me to answer the latter part of the question.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he is aware that certain manufacturers of dog biscuits in Bristol and South Wales have, since the commencement of the War, increased their price for such products by from 20 to 25 per cent.; whether, in the opinion of the Board, there is any just cause for such increased price; and, if not, what steps should be taken, in the interests of the poorer dog owners, to secure its reduction?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. If the hon. Member will furnish me with particulars, I will cause inquiry to be made into the matter.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland how many horticultural and farm gardens have been started by and are at present worked directly under the control of the Commissioners of National. Education; where those plots are located and the number of scholars attending; and whether further financial assistance will be granted to enable an extension of this utilitarian teaching over the rural districts in Ireland?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that there are at present 104 school gardens recognised in connection with national schools under the scheme of rural science and horticulture laid down in the Commissioners' Code. The counties in which the school gardens are situated and the approximate number of children in fourth and higher standards under instruction in each county are given in the following table:—

County.		Number of recognised Gardens.	Approximate number of Pupils in 4th and higher standards under instruction.
Antrim	…	2	39
Armagh	…	4	60
Carlow	…	12	215
Clare	…	2	34
Cork	…	5	107
Donegal	…	2	20
Dublin	…	4	115
Fermanagh	…	1	14
Galway	…	4	80
Kerry	…	1	17
Kildare	…	13	212
Kilkenny	…	3	60
King's	…	6	120
Limerick	…	8	184
Longford	…	1	20
Louth	…	6	112
Meath	…	1	20
Queen's	…	13	185
Roscommon	…	2	47
Sligo	…	3	35
Tipperary	…	1	22
Waterford	…	1	37
Wicklow	…	8	142
Wexford	…	1	20
Total	…	104	1,917

This total does not include boys in standards lower than fourth receiving practical instruction. The number of such pupils may be estimated at about 300. Provision is made in the Vote for public-education (Ireland) for expenditure in connection with the instruction of boys in the fourth and higher standards in school gardening and towards the cost of implements and seeds for garden plots. The Treasury have intimated their willingness to consider a proposal for the extension of this scheme to girls attending national schools in connection with the estimate for the coming financial year.

asked the Chief Secretary what progress the Commissioners of Irish National Education have made in regard to giving effect to their intention of awarding special promotion to untrained assistant teachers of long experience and proved efficiency?

Special promotions of assistant teachers are still being made by the Commissioners of National Education. The number of such teachers now promoted are as follows: Ninety-nine from April, 1912; forty-five from April, 1913, and twenty-three from April, 1914.

asked the Chief Secretary when the vesting orders will be issued on the estate of W. J. White, Drombanny, Ballyneety, county Limerick; and what is the cause of delay in not having the sale carried through?

The holdings of the purchasing tenants on the estate of William J. White, at Drombanny, county Limerick, were vested in them on the 4th June last.

asked the Chief Secretary, having regard to his admissions that I the completion of land purchase is urgent and to his failure during the last two Sessions to get his Bill for that purpose passed, whether he will consent to act as Chairman of a small voluntary Committee of Members of this House, to be named by himself, to draft during the Parliamentary recess a non-contentious Bill on this subject, to be passed by general consent next Session?

The suggestion of the hon. Member does not recommend itself to me. If the Committee he suggests contained representatives of all the different interests, including the Treasury, controversy could not be avoided even in that initial stage.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he will now issue the promised circular to boards of guardians relating to out-relief, and also the Order as to better food for casual paupers; and whether he will at the same time abolish the task of stone-pounding which has been sanctioned of late years in some unions?

Both the circular and the Order referred to were about to be issued at the beginning of last month, but their issue was postponed owing to the outbreak of war. I see no reason for further postponement, and I am therefore arranging that they shall now be issued. With regard to the latter part of the question, I could not undertake to refuse to sanction a task of stone-pounding when it has been proposed by a board of guardians.