asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware that many active men who are slightly over the recruiting age desire to fight in the event of invasion and are prepared to provide their own arms and any equipment which may be necessary to enable them to be recognised as combatants; and if the War Office will consider whether some uniform could be designed for a defence force which could be procured in readiness for such an event by men whose qualifications are considered adequate?

As was explained in the answer which my right hon. Friend gave on Monday last to the hon. Member for Glasgow University, such voluntary associations should affiliate themselves to the Central Association Volunteer Training Corps, under the conditions described in the following letter. The question whether these associations will be recognised as combatant in the event of invasion is still under consideration:—War Office,London, S.W.,19th November, 1914.My Lord,In confirmation of the arrangements made with you in various interviews, I am commanded to inform you that the Army Council are prepared to grant recognition to the Central Association Volunteer Training Corps, as long as a responsible officer approved by the War Office is its adviser, and the Council will extend that recognition to such Volunteer Force and rifle clubs, etc., as may become affiliated to your association, and decide to abide by your rules.The following rules have been framed as the conditions under which the Army Council are prepared to grant recognition to your Association, and to those, which may be affiliated thereto:—

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can state the percentage of the value of cotton in the last-recorded year, exported to the United Kingdom and to countries neutral in the present War, to the value of the total crop exported from Egypt in that year?

The total value of the cotton exported from Egypt in 1913 was £26,178,000, of which £11,283,000, or 43 per cent., represented exports to the United Kingdom, and £5,231,000, or 20 per cent., exports to countries neutral in the present War.

asked the Under-Secretary for War if the Army Council has authorised the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to raise funds to provide shelter for the wounded horses brought down to the base, and for providing ambulances, rugs, and blankets; and whether the Government are not able to supply these necessaries themselves without the intervention of a society for preventing cruelty?

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on its own initiative made an offer of assistance, which the War Office accepted. The hon. and gallant Member's deduction is without foundation.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the fact that Lance-corporal A. V. Goatley, of Thornton Heath, who had served twenty-two years in the Volunteers and Territorials and held the Territorial efficiency medal and Army ambulance certificate, was inoculated at Maidstone, on 18th August, when attached to the 4th Battalion of the Queen's; that in consequence he soon became seriously ill and was certified to be suffering from septic wound and neurasthenia; that on 15th September he was discharged from the Army through being medically unfit for further military service; has any compensation been paid, or will any be paid, to this man for the injury inflicted as well as the loss sustained by himself and his family through the stoppage of pay and separation allowance; and is he prepared to recommend the withdrawal of all regulations relating to vaccination and inoculation in the military services?

I have inquired carefully into this case and find that Lance-corporal Goatley himself states that he has never been inoculated against enteric fever. It is also not the case that the man has been discharged from the Army medically unfit for further military service. The facts are that the man was vaccinated against small-pox and that through his own neglect he had a bad arm. He was given leave and afterwards applied for an extension. He was recently examined by a medical board at the War Office, which found that there were no signs of any undue inflammation or suppuration and that he had perfect use of the left upper extremity. I am aware that Goatley is under the impression that he was discharged, and I am inquiring how the misunderstanding arose.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that industrial co-operative societies have accepted Government contracts on a considerable scale in connection with the present War; and whether he has taken or will take steps to collect the Income Tax which becomes payable in these circumstances under Section 24 of the Industrial and Provident Societies Act, 1893?

I have no official information as to the facts stated in the first part of the question. None of the societies referred to is liable to be charged Income Tax unless the number of shares is limited. The comparatively few shareholders whose incomes exceed £160 are chargeable under the general provisions of the Income Tax Acts in the same manner as other persons in the receipt of income not charged at the source.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will consider the possibility of accepting some of the offers which he has received from retired female clerks, so as to permit of a further enlistment of the men clerks now working at the Post Office in His Majesty's service?

No necessity for engaging temporary women clerks has arisen, but if it should arise, the question of inviting applications from retired Post Office women clerks would be considered.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the terms on which loans will be granted to local authorities or approved societies under the Housing (No. 2) Act, 1914, have yet been determined; if so, what these terms are; and when will the Treasury be prepared to advance money to local authorities?

In view of the exceptional conditions now prevailing in respect of rate of interest and cost of building the Treasury will be prepared to make advances for schemes approved by them on the recommendation of the Local Government Board or Board of Agriculture and Fisheries on the following terms:Local Authorities.—Ten per cent. of the approved capital cost by way of free grant: the remaining 90 per cent. by way of loan with interest at 4¼ per cent. per annum, to be repaid by equal annual instalments of interest and principal combined within the period usually authorised for the works of the nature of those for which the loan is required. On a sixty years' loan the authority will thus pay for each £100 of approved capital cost an annuity of £4 3s. 4d.Authorised Societies.—Advances will be up to a maximum of nine-tenths of the total approved capital expenditure. Such advance will consist of (1) a free grant of 10 per cent. and (2) a loan of 80 per cent. of such expenditure; the loan to be repayable by annuity (interest and sinking fund combined). If the loan is advanced for sixty years the annuity would be at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum, that is to say, for each £100 advanced by the Treasury the society will pay an annuity not exceeding £4 8s. 10d.Where a scheme has been approved there need be no delay in making the advance; but it must be understood that the Treasury will only be prepared to approve schemes under the Housing (No. 2) Act in cases where unemployment in the building trade consequent on the War is exceptional and insistent and is not being provided for in other ways. These special terms have been arranged in view of the exceptional monetary conditions and the high cost of building materials now prevailing. As these conditions may change within a short time, it must be clearly understood that the terms are subject to alteration from time to time without notice, and that whenever new terms are fixed these will apply to applications under consideration at the time the alteration is made as well as to future applications.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that industrial co-operative societies have, according to the Report of the Registrar-General just issued (89 II.), a profit for disposal on the year's working (1912) of nearly twelve millions, and that this profit income is exempt from the payment of Income Tax under Schedules C and D; and whether, at a time when all persons are desirous of contributing fairly to the national burdens, he will consider the question of withdrawing or partially reducing the immunity from Income Tax which such societies enjoy in order to lessen the difference of burdens between such societies and smaller traders?

I am aware of the report to which the hon. Member refers, but I am not prepared to suggest any alteration in the existing exemption from Income Tax. The so-called profit, so far as it arises from the sales to members themselves, is not a real profit within the purview of the Income Tax, while any profit arising from sales to non-members, which is usually very small, is taxable under the existing law, if it comes into the hands of any person whose income exceeds £160.

asked the Under-Secretary for India whether he is aware that Sir J. Wolfe Barry and Partners have reported to the Bengal Nagpur Railway Company that a commercial harbour sufficient for local requirements can be constructed at Vizagapatam for £400,000, and whether, as such construction has long been admitted to be desirable in view of the facts that the harbour will, of itself, and still more in conjunction with the proposed construction of a railway between Vizagapatam and Raipur, develop a vast extent of fertile country, and will eventually provide the most direct route between Bombay and Rangoon, the Government of India proposes to construct the harbour or to facilitate its construction by private agency; and whether, in view of the facts that no fortified harbour exists between Colombo and Calcutta, that Vizagapatam readily admits of fortification because of the geographical conditions obtaining, and that the recent career of the "Emden" accentuates the need for action, the Government of India has under consideration the larger question of providing a deep water harbour with safe anchorage for warships covering the entrance to the inner harbour at Vizagapatam?

The Secretary of State has seen the report referred to, and is in communication with the Government of India on the subject of the proposed harbour at Vizagapatam. No decision has yet been arrived at.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many allotments in public cemeteries have been made under the Burial Act, 1853, Section 7, for the use of burials by Roman Catholics, Jews, Quakers, or other dissenters from the Church established by law in England; upon what general conditions were such allotments made; and whether in all cases such conditions were imposed as would safeguard the rights conferred by Section 1 of the Burial Laws Amendment Act, 1880?

The information asked for in the first part of the question is not available, and it would be a matter of great labour and difficulty to collect it. I am afraid that I cannot undertake to obtain it for my hon. Friend. It is not usual to attach conditions to an allotment; the ordinary form of allotment merely sets out that a specific area of the burial ground is allotted as a burial ground for the religions denomination named. I am advised that the effect of an allotment under Section 7 of the Burial Act, 1853, is that no service other than that of the religious body to whom the allotment was made can properly be held at a burial in the allotted ground. This being so, the provisions of Section 1 of the Burial Laws Amendment Act, 1880, do not apply.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Republic of Portugal has been recognised by this country; if so, at what date; whether in these circumstances it is usual to describe the former monarch of such State in our official State documents as King instead of ex-King; and will he take steps to have this matter put right?

The Republic of Portugal was recognised by His Majesty's Government on September 11th, 1911. The late Sovereign of that country should not properly be described in official documents or elsewhere in such a way as to indicate that he is still its ruler. According to precedent the title of Emperor or King, as the case may be, has been accorded to those who have ceased to rule over or even to reside in the country of which they have been rulers. If the hon. Member will let me know what documents he refers to I will see whether they depart from precedent.