asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the award of Sir James Woodhouse on the claims of the Post Office employés for a war bonus will apply to the claims of the labourers at Kew Gardens, and the low-paid workmen in other Government Departments, for an increase of pay or a war bonus?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave yesterday to the Member for West Ham (South).

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in regard to cotton, the commanding officers of ships have to interpret the Order in Council of 11th March or whether special orders are issued; and, if the latter, whether he can state the nature of the orders, in view of the fact that the Order in Council which they interpret is not confidential?

The question of any orders which may be issued to the Fleet during war time is not one upon which the Board of Admiralty can make any statement.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the statement of the chairman of Messrs. Barclay, Perkins and Company, Limited, at the meeting of the company on 12th July, that a great many of the men in their employment were only too anxious to join the Army, but that the directors had not been able to allow them to go, as they were required for making beer; and whether he will use his influence with this and other brewery companies to induce them to release men who wish to join the Colours?

Yes, Sir, my attention has been drawn to this statement. Employers in the brewing industry, as in many others, "have been appealed to by all the means available to allow their eligible men to join the Colours, and to fill their places temporarily by men outside the recruitable age, or, if possible, by women. These appeals have not been without success, and in this particular instance 50 per cent. of eligible men have joined the Colours. The precise extent to which further appeals may be required will, of course, be disclosed by the National Register when it has been made.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will say, approximately, what number of men returned from the War are suffering from shock, insomnia, nervous exhaustion, hallucination, and the various other forms of temporary mental aberration for which rest, sleep, and humane treatment in quiet surroundings are the natural remedy; how many of them have been placed in asylums; whether he is aware that confining those men together in asylums, subject to the discipline applied to the insane, tends to make their malady incurable and diminishes their chance of future employment, even if cured; whether officers suffering similarly are treated similarly; having regard to the willingness of many families residing in quiet country places to entertain one each of such sufferers gratis or for trifling payment, during the few months necessary for recovery, after which any incurable cases could be sent to asylums, whether some such system of boarding-out will be considered; and, if already considered, will he say what is the reason against its adoption?

For a detailed explanation of the policy of the War Office, in reference to such cases, I would refer the hon. Member to answers given by me on the following dates: 4th February, 11th February, 11th March, 13th May, 19th May, 10th June, and 14th June. The question of boarding patients of the kind in the manner suggested has been considered, but the practical difficulties in the way are considered insuperable.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he can give returns of recruiting of the different districts or recruiting areas of the United Kingdom and Ireland up to the end of June?

As I have before stated, the publication of these figures is not considered desirable.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that an officer, lately returned from the front, when lecturing on the War, stated that the waste of rifles in France was very large, as they were used for floors, roofs for dug-outs, and for firewood; and whether he can take steps to prevent this in future?

I had not heard the statements of the lecturer referred to, which I hope are exaggerated, but I feel sure the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief has taken steps to prevent such waste of rifles as is preventable.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he is aware that the workmen employed in the works department at Woolwich Arsenal are not receiving a war bonus whilst the workmen in the construction department are; and will he take steps to place the works department men on an equality with the men in the other department?

I am not aware of any discrimination. Perhaps the hon. Member will indicate to me more precisely the departments to which he refers.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what is the percentage increase of boys employed in the Enfield gun factory and in Woolwich Arsenal, respectively, between the last completed working week in June, 1914, and the last completed working week in June, 1915; and whether any boys were employed in addition as out-workers in connection with the output of munitions?

The percentage increase of boys employed in the factories at Enfield and Woolwich Arsenal for the weeks in question is 861.9 per cent. and 292.5 per cent. respectively. No boys are employed as outworkers at either place.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he will state what is the average number of hours worked by the whole of the boys employed at Woolwich Arsenal and Enfield gun factory, respectively, during the last completed working week in June, 1915?

The average number of hours worked by the boys at work in the factories at Woolwich and Enfield during the week in question is 63.74 and 58.5 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that a German citizen is employed by the British Aluminium Company, at Foyers, Inverness-shire, which company is occasionally employed upon Government work; and if he proposes to take any steps in the matter?

The case of the person referred to has been considered by the Scottish Advisory Committee on Aliens, and, on the report of that Committee, it has been decided to exempt him from internment for the present.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, seeing that the co-operation of Japan was essential to our complete stoppage of enemy trading in China, he will say if he has now received a definite reply from Tokyo; and, if so, whether he will indicate its nature?

I must refer the hon. Member to the reply returned yesterday, the 19th instant, to the hon. Member for Tower Hamlets.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he has considered the inconvenience caused by the existing system of the annual appointments of Income-Tax assessors by the Commissioners of Taxes and the consequent irregularity and variance in the dates when Form No. 11 (Return for Assessment under Schedule D) is served and required to be complied with, respectively; whether he will, either legislate at an early date in order to vest the appointment of assessors in the Commissioners for Inland Revenue and provide that the same shall be tenable for a fixed period, or during good conduct, and also provide statutory dates for the issue and return of such forms in order to produce uniformity in these matters throughout the country; and (2) whether he is aware that the public are called upon to fill up and return Form No. 11 (Return for Assessment under Schedule D) within twenty-one days of the issue of such forms and that the date of such issue varies in accordance with the individual judgment of assessors; whether, in making such return, the taxpayer is required to claim all abatements or exemptions to which he is entitled, and particularly relief in respect of earned income, whereas by the Finance Act, 1907, Section 19, Sub-section (4), the taxpayer has up to the 30th September in each year to make such claim; what is the reason and authority for still requiring the claim to be made within twenty-one days in view of the Act of 1907; and will he put an end to this state of affairs by providing a general statutory date for the issue and return of such forms?

I am not aware of the existence of any inconvenience of the kind suggested, nor can I admit that the existing system involves delays prejudicial to the interests of individual taxpayers. Obviously a district in which a large number of taxpayers reside will take somewhat longer to complete than a district containing a small number. The fact that the form of return affords an opportunity of claiming any relief contemplated by the Income Tax Act does not appear to constitute any ground of complaint from the taxpayer's point of view.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if the Government have authorised, or are about to authorise, any scheme for diverting the water power of the Lower Bann in the neighbourhood of Kilrea; if he is aware that a surveyor has recently been through this district, on the county Antrim side, and has stated that the works include a canal about five miles long, at a cost of two millions of money; that if the farmers do not agree to let him enter their lands the Government will take the land from them; and will he say if the Government have any responsibility for the undertaking or propose to use compulsory powers?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the negative. I understand that a representative of some company for the production of electricity by water power recently visited the district, but he was not employed by the Government, nor had he any authority for the statements which he is alleged to have made. The Government have no responsibility in the matter whatever.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he can state the amount of opium and its preparations issued from Government Treasuries, or sold by retail, in the province of Assam, for each year since its reeonstitution as a separate administrative area?

The following figures show the amount of opium and its preparations issued from Government Treasuries in Assam (or, in districts where the supply is not derived entirely from Treasuries, the amount sold by retail) for the years 1911–12 to 1913–14:

asked the Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the financial provisions as to the ecclesiastical establishment proposed to be consolidated in Part X. of the Government of India Bill, he will give a detailed statement showing what were the payments out of the revenues of India during the last financial year for which figures are available in respect of the salary and allowances to each bishop and archdeacon mentioned in Clause 118 (1); of the expenses of episcopal visitations in Clause 118 (2); of payments of representatives of bishops in Clause 119; of pensions to bishops in Clause 120, giving the names of such as are now receiving these pensions; of the salaries to chaplains of the Church of Scotland in Clause 122; and of Grants to any other sect, persuasion, or community of I Christians under Clause 123; and if he will state the aggregate for that year of these ecclesiastical endowments out of the revenues of India?

A statement will be prepared.