asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, adverting to the statement that enemy property captured under the Order in Council of 11th March, 1915, will be dealt with in accordance with the terms of that Order, he is aware that the Order in no way interferes with the liberty of His Majesty's Government to apply for con- demnation and confiscation of enemy property captured under the provisions of that Order, but leaves it open to His Majesty's Government to apply for such condemnation and confiscation; and will he now say whether His Majesty's Government proposes to apply for such condemnation and confiscation?

On a point of Order. May I ask you, Mr. Speaker, whether, considering the large number of questions on the Paper to-day—160—you will exercise your discretion and disallow supplementary questions, in order that they all may be put?

I would rather not exercise any authority in the matter, but leave it to hon. Members themselves. I am sure they will not abuse their privilege of asking supplementary questions.

I am not aware of any foundation for the suggestion made by the hon. Member.

Will the Noble Lord explain his answer? I do not understand it. Will he say what it means?

I mean that I was not aware of any foundation for the suggestion made by the hon. Member.

That is not the question on the Paper. The question on the Paper is specific. The Noble Lord gave me an insolent reply to my last question on the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, adverting to the statement in his letter dated 25th August, and published in the Press on the following day, that freedom of the seas may be a very reasonable subject for discussion, definition, and agreement between nations after this war, but not by itself alone, not while there is no freedom and no security against war and German methods of war on land, will he explain whether it is intended after this War again to entertain on behalf of this country proposals touching sea warfare, similar to those embodied in the Declaration of London or in any of those Hague Conventions which have not been sanctioned by Parliament; and especially whether it is intended to renew the declarations made at The Hague in 1907 that His Majesty's Government were desirous to see the right of search limited in every practicable way, and that they were willing to abandon the principle of contraband of war altogether?

The passage to which the hon. Member refers meant exactly what it said, that certain matters might be reasonable subjects for discussion between nations generally after the War. The hon. Member's question is apparently intended to raise a discussion during the War. This, I think, is impossible, for obvious reasons, as far as belligerent Governments are concerned. The personal opinion of my right hon. Friend, and, if I may say so, my own, is that the whole question of international agreements, and how they can be made worth anything in future, may reasonably form the subject of discussion between nations after the War in the light of the experience gained and the reflections suggested by the way this War originated, and the methods by which our enemies have conducted it on sea and land; and that it would be very unreasonable to say the contrary. Further than that I cannot go at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether he has any recent information as to the conditions under which our merchant seafarers are interned in Turkey; whether they are receiving the same consideration at the hands of our Government as are our prisoners of war interned in Germany in the way of provision of clothing and the like; and whether he has any knowledge that letters and parcels addressed to these interned prisoners in Turkey are safely received?

I have no official information as to the conditions under which British merchant seamen are interned in Turkey; but the United States Consul-General at Smyrna is doing all he can for the crews interned at Magnesia. With regard to the second part of the question, in the absence of proper lists of prisoners it has been impossible to take all the same steps for the assistance of our prisoners in Turkey as of those in Germany, but the United States Ambassador at Constantinople has a fund at His Excellency's disposal for the relief of British subjects interned in Turkey, and he is being consulted as to whether the activities of the Prisoners of War Help Committee could usefully be extended to Turkey: as far as I am aware, letters and parcels addressed to British subjects interned in Turkey are duly received.

I will give the right hon. Gentleman some further information.

I shall be very glad to receive it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information as to a number of invalid and aged British merchant seafarers who are interned in Germany; and whether, having regard to the exchange of invalided civilians and of incapacitated military and naval prisoners of war which is taking place on the 6th and 7th of every month, he will now take steps to bring about a similar exchange in the case of merchant seafarers?

I am aware that a number of invalid and aged British merchant seamen are interned in Germany. I am requesting the United States Ambassador to inquire whether the German Government would agree to extend the agreement for the release of invalid civilians to invalid seamen.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give information as to the treatment of captains and officers of German merchant ships who are now interned in this country; and whether similar treatment is accorded to our own interned merchant captains and officers in Germany?

Masters and ships' officers of German nationality are treated in the same manner as other civilians interned in this country: the same principle is followed in Germany.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can state what steps have been or are being taken to obtain a list of British prisoners in Turkey; and whether, in view of the anxiety felt by relatives of missing officers and men, he will cause such list to be published as soon as possible?

We have repeatedly pressed the Turkish Government for these lists. It was recently decided, in view of the failure of the Turkish Government to communicate to His Majesty's Government lists of the British prisoners of war in their hands, to suspend the dispatch of similar lists to the Turkish Government. In the meantime we have received four lists of British prisoners of war in Turkey, which have been forwarded to the Admiralty or War Office.

Can the Noble Lord say when the last list was received—I have a brother-in-law there?

Have the services of the American Ambassador been invoked for the purpose of obtaining these lists?

Certainly. We can only act, and are acting, through the American Ambassador, who has done everything he can to persuade the Turks to give them. I am afraid I cannot tell the hon. Baronet offhand, without looking it up, when the last list was received. It was comparatively recently. If my hon. Friend will speak to me afterwards I will look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give any information as to the British wounded who are now in the Bed Cross hospital provided by Americans in the Tash-Kishla barracks, in Constantinople; whether he has official information to the effect that, under German instigation, access to this hospital has been denied both to American and British residents in Constantinople; and, if so, whether he will request the American Ambassador in Constantinople to appeal to the Turkish Government to remove these restrictions?

I have no information as to the British wounded in the hospital established in the Tash-Kishla barracks, except that they were transferred there at the end of August. We received information, dated 1st September, that visiting of the British wounded had been absolutely prohibited as a retaliatory measure for supposed ill-treatment of Turkish prisoners. The United States Ambassador at Constantinople at once took steps to secure an official permit for the Secretary of the Embassy to visit freely all wounded in hospitals, and he expected that this would be given at an early date. There is, of course, no foundation whatever for the allegations of ill- treatment of Turkish prisoners, and we so informed the United States Ambassador, and asked him to convey that information to the Turkish Government. We also asked him to inform them that we had no objection to the inspection of any Turkish prisoners of war in our hands by United States Diplomatic or Consular officers, and that we expected that the Porte would give us reciprocal treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many uniforms have been sent from this country to Germany and from Germany to this country, respectively, for the use of prisoners of war?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. There have been sent to Germany 961 jackets, 1,006 pairs of trousers, 562 great-coats, and 997 caps. Individual German officers and men have received articles of uniform from Germany, but I have no statistics which I can give my hon. Friend. So far as I am aware, no bulk consignments of uniform emanating from the German Government have reached the German prisoners in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Germans are still permitted to reside, under anti-bellum conditions, at Canton, on the Shameen, territory leased by Great Britain from China; whether the German flag is still permitted to remain flying over the German Consulate there, the German post office to remain open, and the German bank to do business and afford facilities for remittance of money to Germany; and, if so, whether steps will now be taken to exclude all Germans from the above-named British concession?

The answer to the first four paragraphs is in the affirmative. Though the Shameen territory has been leased by His Majesty's Government the Chinese Government retains sovereignty over it. Unless the German tenants break some provision of their lease which renders them legally liable to eviction, we have no power to turn them out by process of law. To do so by force would be a breach of the neutrality and sovereignty of China. The Government are therefore unable to adopt the suggestion in the last paragraph of the question.

Is it not a fact that the French allow no Germans in their concessions, and is it not right that we should take the same action in China as our French Allies have taken?

I should be glad to have notice of that question if my hon. and gallant Friend will give it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has had his attention drawn to a statement that the handicap of the allied diplomacy in the Balkans has been greatly increased owing to the adhesion to the alliance of Italy with her special claims on the Eastern Adriatic seaboard; and whether he is in a position to make any statement on the subject?

I regret very much that this statement should have been made.

Italian co-operation was, and is, most cordially welcomed by His Majesty's Government and their Allies on every ground, and any statement to the contrary is entirely opposed to their views. It would be very unfortunate if any importance were attributed abroad to statements which appeared to imply that there was not complete harmony and good-feeling between ourselves and our Allies. The whole tone of the British Press generally does, I hope, counteract that impression, but it is most desirable that while indulging in criticism or advocating particular measures at home, care should be taken to avoid any statements which may be used by our enemies abroad with effect for a purpose which the writers did not intend and which is very injurious to this country.

It is beyond the power of the Censorship to protect the country from this risk, and we can only rely on the patriotism of the Press.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, what steps, if any, have been taken, or are to be taken, by the Government to prevent shipments of cotton goods, hardware, and other manufactured or semi-manufactured goods from being shipped at British ports in British bottoms to alien enemies in neutral countries and particularly to South American countries; what steps, if any, have been taken, or are to be taken, by the Indian Government to prevent shipment of jute goods (grain and nitrate of soda bags, ore pockets, and Hessian cloths) from being shipped at Indian ports in British bottoms to alien enemies in neutral countries, particularly to South American countries; and is the Government aware that in certain South American countries extended credits to native dealers are being granted by German firms in order to cultivate trade relationships in these countries to the detriment of British merchants at a time when credits granted by British merchants are being prudently restricted in all countries, owing to the financial disturbance caused by the European War.

As my hon. Friend is no doubt aware, a person of enemy nationality resident in a neutral country is, according to our existing law, treated as a neutral and is only subject to such restrictions as affect other neutral traders. A special committee has been appointed to consider the anomalies and evils arising from this state of affairs and to devise remedies for them. I shall be very glad if my hon. Friend will communicate to me any views or information he has for the assistance of that committee.

I will do that.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in organising the oil supply in the territory which has been captured from Turkey, no private monopoly will be conferred other than that secured by public tender; and whether the Government will take care that no pledges are given to the Anglo-Persian Oil Company or any other-private company?

The subject of the oil in the territories in question is engaging the attention of His Majesty's Government. While it would be premature to make any definite statement at present, the points raised by the hon. and gallant Member will not be lost sight of.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Spanish Government offered to lend its good offices in order that the territories in Central Africa should be placed during the War under the rule of neutrality; whether the British Government was bound by treaty to accept such an offer of mediation, and what was the answer given by the British Government to Spain; whether France, Belgium, Germany, Portugal, and the United States had all expressed themselves in favour of excluding Central Africa from military operations; and when and by whom did the first act of war take place in the conventional basin of the Congo?

The Spanish Government were requested by the Belgian Government about 10th August, 1914, to approach Germany with a request for the neutralisation of the conventional basin of the Congo during the War. The Spanish Government consulted His Majesty's Ambassador at Madrid informally as to this request, and on 16th August His Majesty's Ambassador was informed that His Majesty's Government could not entertain the proposal for neutralisation, more especially as the German forces in East Africa had already undertaken an offensive movement against Nyasaland, and British naval forces had just destroyed the wireless station at Dar-es-Salaam. As regards the remainder of the question, His Majesty's Government were not bound by treaty to comply with such a request from a neutral Government, for the relevant Articles of the Berlin Act contain no mention of any such obligation. The answer to the third paragraph of the question is in the negative. I am unable to say what was actually the first act of war within the conventional basin of the Congo.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will issue as a White Paper the speech recently made by the British Ambassador at Petrograd, in which he is reported to have stated that the first attack on the Dardanelles was undertaken at the request of the Russian Government?

It does not seem worth while to issue this separately. When the next presentation of Papers on Russian affairs becomes possible it can be included. I understand it is already accessible in the Press.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any Public Trustee has been appointed in the Union of South Africa to take charge of funds belonging to enemy aliens; whether businesses, such as the Johannesburg branch of the Siemens-Schuckert Werke, the United Engineering Company, and Malcomess and Company, Limited, which are wholly or mainly owned by German aliens, are administered by the Public Trustee; and whether he can state what steps are taken to prevent the dividends on large blocks of shares to bearer in various South African mining companies, which are paid to the Schweizerische Bankverein or the Schweizerische Kreditanstalt, at Basle, and Zurich, reaching their enemy owners?

No Public Trustee has been appointed in the Union, and I am not able to say how particular firms in the Union have been dealt with, but the general policy with regard to trading with the enemy pursued by the Union Government has been that followed by His Majesty's Government. South African mining dividends payable to enemies are, I understand, paid into the Union Treasury for custody and preservation pending the conclusion of peace, and I have no doubt that the Union Government is quite alive to the danger of indiscriminate payments to banks in neutral countries.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that there has recently been an extension of the munition works at Arklow, county Wicklow, and that a number of skilled and unskilled workers are now employed there; whether, seeing that the housing accommodation has been found inadequate to the present needs, he will take steps to secure that a Grant shall be made to the Arklow Urban District Council for the purpose of providing additional houses for munition workers; and whether, in accordance with the general undertaking given by the Prime Minister on 28th September last, he will invite the co-operation of the Ministry of Munitions, the Locol Government Board for Ireland, and the Board of Works with a view to expedite the necessary procedure as much as possible?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I understand that the provision of additional accommodation for the munition workers at Arklow has already been taken in hand by the Urban District Council and Messrs. Kynochs, Limited, without Government assistance, but I am making further inquiry into the matter.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether he is aware that the growing deficiency in housing accommodation in munitions areas is seriously hampering the output of munitions of war; and what steps he proposes to take?

My right hon. Friend is aware that the provision of housing accommodation for munition workers has given rise to difficulties in many places, and a special Department of the Ministry is dealing with the whole question. Investigations have been made and the requirements of all the most important areas have been ascertained. Schemes for meeting those requirements by building or otherwise have been prepared, and they are already being carried out in a number of places.

asked the Prime Minister whether Councillor Tom Fox, in a speech at Manchester on 3rd October, 1915, had official authority in stating that at the recent conference the Secretary of State for War had said that he knew how many men he wanted and how many for munitions, that he had their names and the numbers on their doors, and that if they did not come he would fetch them?

The conference was accepted by all those attending it as being of a private and confidential character.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether his attention has been called to the recent decision stating that men engaged on making machinery for manufacturing biscuits are not munition workers; whether he is aware that men engaged on Army contracts for making biscuits are also denied war badges and as a consequence are seeking work where they can get such badges; and whether, in these circumstances, he will make a statement making it plain who are and who are not munition workers?

My right hon. Friend's attention has been called to the decision of a Metropolitan Munitions Tribunal that certain men engaged on the manufacture of machinery for chocolate coating, icing, and biscuit manufacturing, were not engaged on munition work and did not therefore require a certificate under Section 7 of the Munitions of War Act to enable them to obtain employment elsewhere. As regards the second part of the question, it is the case that war service badges have not been issued to men engaged on making biscuits. The contracts for such supplies would be made by the War Office and not by the Ministry of Munitions; and in regard to men employed on such contracts, the Ministry would act on the advice of the War Office in issuing badges. As regards the last part of the question, "munitions work" is defined in Section 3 of the Munitions of War Act. The detailed interpretation of it must rest with the tribunals.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether the Sterling Telephone Company, Dagenham, are making fuses and field telephones for the Government; whether they are paying a rate of 2½d. per hour, and 1s. 6d. war bonus, to adult women engaged on this work; whether the firm recently worked women on Government work (field telephones) for a thirty hours' consecutive shift; how often this occurred; and what action, if any, it is proposed to take?

It is not desirable in the public interest to state what munitions are manufactured by particular establishments. Inquiry is being made into the various matters referred to in the question, and my right hon. Friend is in communication with the Home Office on the subjects within their purview.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this firm is a German firm?

No.

It is!

asked whether, in the event of a workman being brought before the Munitions Court charged with some offence under the Act and found not guilty and discharged, he has any claim to compensation or costs for loss of time and wages; against whom such action would lie; and by what process it could be pursued?

There is no provision under the Munitions of War Act for compensation in such cases as described by my hon. Friend, so that the position in regard to proceedings before a munitions tribunal would be the same as that in regard to proceedings before any other Court of Law. The question whether compensation would be recoverable in any case depends upon a number of legal considerations, upon which I am not in a position to express an opinion.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether an inquiry by the Board of Control (Liquor Traffic) was arranged to be held at Chatham on Saturday, 25th September; whether the arrangements with witnesses were cancelled; whether the inquiry is dropped or only postponed; and for what reason, seeing that Chatham is a very important military, naval, and munitions centre?

I am informed by the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) that the inquiry which it had been proposed to hold at Chatham was postponed at the instance of the Commander-in-Chief at the Nore, who represented that restrictions on the sale of intoxicating liquor had recently been imposed by the competent military authority after consultation with himself, and suggested that these restrictions should be given a reasonable trial before action was taken by the Central Control Board. A report on the working of the present Orders is to be forwarded to the Central Control Board by the Commander-in-Chief towards the end of the present month.

asked the Minister of Munitions if he is aware that the United Alkali Company, of Fleetwood, has given to some of its workmen a badge, signifying that the workman is on munition work; that these badges are not the badges issued by his Department, but have been made to the order of the firm; and whether he proposes to take action against this firm for violating the provisions of the Munitions Act?)

The United Alkali Company spontaneously informed the Ministry some little time ago that they had issued private badges to some of their workmen. My right hon. Friend has no reason to suppose that the company have acted in this matter otherwise than through a genuine misunderstanding of the Regulations. He is in communication with the company with a view to the withdrawal of unauthorised badges and securing the adoption of proper arrangements. He does not anticipate that any legal proceedings will be necessary.

asked the Minister of Munitions if he will consider the advisability of granting some distinguishing medal, badge, or certificate to workmen who loyally and conscientiously carry out their duties and work to the full extent of their physical powers, and thus distinguish the faithful and industrial soldier in mine, factory, or workshop?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which was given to a similar question by the hon. Member for Chippenham on 16th September, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction existing among workmen employed in several firms on munition work because of the delay in supplying them with war service badges; whether many firms have written repeatedly for a supply of badges and have received only post cards in reply; and whether he will state the grounds on which in some works badges have been supplied to skilled workmen, but refused to labourers who are employed with the skilled men on exactly the same munition work services?

Since the Ministry of Munitions has taken over the issue of war service badges, the number of applications has greatly increased. Many of these applications can be and are dealt with immediately, but in many other cases inquiry is necessary. Since 1st August a total of over 380,000 badges has been issued—some 3,200 firms having received badges. Badges may be given to semi-skilled as well as skilled men, but are not given to unskilled men, unless the Minister is of opinion that removal from their present employment is likely to prejudice the production, transport, or supply of munitions of war, or the successful prosecution of the War.

asked the Minister of Munitions if he is aware that a number of fitters and turners in South Africa volunteered to come to this country to make munitions; that they were brought over at the expense of the Government; that some of those men are now employed by the United Alkali Company at Fleetwood; that they are not employed on munition work; that they have the opportunity of employment at a munition works but that the company refuses to release them; and whether he will take steps to secure the release of these men so that they may be employed on more urgent work?

My right hon. Friend has made inquiries into this matter, and he is informed that the men in question are engaged in work necessary for war purposes, namely, preparing and improving plant for the manufacture of chemical products required for munitions. The question as to whether the men referred to are engaged on work corresponding to their skill is being inquired into further.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that only 50 per cent, of the men employed by that firm are on Government work?

Yes, I believe that is correct.

asked the Minister of Munitions if he is aware that workmen employed by Messrs. Jackson, Wharf Foundry, Bolton, are being compelled by his Department to leave Messrs. Jackson's to go and work elsewhere; if he is aware that this firm is engaged on important and urgent work for the Army and the Navy, and that this work is being delayed owing to the transfer of these men; and whether he will give instructions that workmen employed on work for the Government must not be compulsorily transferred to other employers?

My right hon. Friend is aware that war munition volunteers have been transferred from the firm in question. Every case of proposed transfer is carefully examined by skilled adjudicators with business experience. Full opportunity is given to the employers to show cause against any transfer, and their objections are carefully considered by the adjudicators. The sole criterion is the relative urgency of the work. My right hon. Friend regrets that he cannot give the instructions asked for in the last part of the question, as there may obviously be different degrees of urgency in different classes of munition work.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that work urgently required by the Navy is being held up owing to men being taken from this firm?

That may be so, but it is a question of deciding where the men are most necessary.

Could you not leave the decision as to whether men should be transferred or not to the Local Munition Committee?

No, that would not do. It must be referred to a body which cam deal with the whole subject.

asked the Minister of Munitions if he was aware that the United Alkali Company, of Fleetwood, Lancashire, is paying the fitters and turners in the employ of the firm 1s. per week less than the district rate of pay, and that the firm refuse to pay overtime in accordance with The rules and customs of the district; and whether he will notify this firm that the Fair-Wages Clause must be observed?

My right hon. Friend has no information regarding the facts alleged, but he is communicating with the firm on the matter and will inform my hon. Friend of the result.

asked the Minister of Munitions if his attention has been called to statements made in the newspapers, "Umpire" and "Leeds and Yorkshire Mercury," of 12th and 13th September, respectively, to the effect that, of 2,500 workers employed at a particular munitions factory, the number of absentees on each of two successive days was no less than 1,400, notwithstanding that, in fact, the total number employed at the factory referred to was less than 140 and the story regarding absentees was entirely unfounded; and whether he intends taking any action against the two newspapers in question under the Defence of the Realm Acts?

My right hon. Friend's attention has not hitherto been called to the statements referred to in the question. He is, however, making inquiries in the matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the extra profits made by the landlords who are raising the rents of their houses in the areas occupied by munition workers will be subject to War Profit Tax?

In so far as the letting of houses or the collection of rents constitute a business within the meaning of Clauses 34 (1) and 35 of the Finance Bill any excess profits that may be made in the course of such a business would come within the scope of the Excess Profits Tax.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether the Board of Trade has recently issued any official notice calling the attention of shipowners to the necessity of efficient signalling at sea, especially for the purpose of efficient inter-communication between naval and merchant ships; if not, whether, under the Defence of the Realm Acts or under any other powers exercisable by them, it can be made compulsory that mer- chant ships shall be provided by their owners with adequate and efficient signalling apparatus for Morse, semaphore, and flag signalling; and (2) whether the Board of Trade has recently issued an official notice to candidates at examinations of masters and mates drawing their attention to the question of signalling at sea and to the penalties involved under the Defence of the Realm Acts on failure to respond to signals made by His Majesty's ships and stating that officers of merchant ships should take every opportunity of perfecting themselves in both Morse and semaphore signaling; if so, whether the Board of Trade are aware that many merchant ships are not provided with the necessary apparatus for Morse, semaphore, and sometimes even flag signalling; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

I have been in communication with the principal shipowners' associations with regard to the importance of adequate signalling apparatus being carried on merchant ships, and the matter is engaging my attention. A notice, of which I am sending a copy to the hon. Member, has recently been issued drawing the attention of candidates for masters' and mates' certificates to the question of signalling.

Does the right hon. Gentleman intend to take any steps to see that the necessary signalling apparatus is provided in all our ships at present?

I am afraid I cannot add to the answer I have already given. We are in close communication with those interested in the subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the advance which has taken place recently in ocean freights, thus causing a large increase in the value of all commodities; and if he will consider the advisability of taking some action to prevent a further advance?

The advance to which my hon. Friend refers has occupied and continues to occupy the close attention of the Government.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the rate of insurance against aircraft of 5s. charged to private residents in small tenements when situated over shops; and whether, having regard to this higher rate falling heavily upon numbers of families throughout London with small incomes, he will arrange that such tenements, when unconnected with the shops below, shall be charged the ordinary private dwelling-house premium of 2s.?

The rate of 2s. is confined to private dwelling houses and buildings in which no trade or manufacture is carried on. In the case of other buildings it is consdered that the risk is greater and a higher premium has to be charged. I fear that at this stage it would not be possible to modify the rates or to differentiate between cases in which tenements over shops are or are not connected with the shops below.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether an air raid is an act of war? Why should we insure at all?

The Government has decided that all cases of loss caused by air raid can be provided for under the insurance scheme, and by that we must abide.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that many poor people have already suffered loss of property? Are they to be left to their own resources?

Some of the cases earlier in the War have already been dealt with by the Commission presided over by the hon. and learned Gentleman opposite, but after the Government decided that they would have an insurance scheme that was made as public as possible and I believe everyone has had an opportunity of knowing how cheaply insurance can be effected.

Would it not be possible to discriminate in favour of shops rated at a very low value?

will consider that.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he has ceased to issue a list of maximum prices for the chief articles of food; and if he proposes to resume the weekly issue of such prices?

In the early days of the War I invited the representatives of certail retail trades to advise what, in their opinion, should be the retail prices of various commodities, and the advice so given was published from time to time. At the present time I think that competition between traders is in most cases a sufficient safeguard. However, I am considering whether it would not be helpful to the purchasing public to publish from time to time the wholesale prices of the various commodities, showing the difference between the present prices and the prices ruling immediately before the War.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the chief trades and occupations in which women have taken the place of men during the War; and if he has formed any estimate of the number of women so employed?

It is estimated, from information obtained by the Board of Trade, that there has been an increase since the War in the number of women employed in industrial occupations of about 6 per cent., or nearly 150,000. This figure does not include clerical and commercial occupations, in which the substitution of women for men is known to be considerable. It is not possible to say to what extent the increase in the number employed has been due to women taking the place of men, as there has been at the same time an expansion in the numbers employed in certain women's occupations. It is known, however, that women have been substituted for men in certain branches of engineering and other metal trades, tailoring, boot-making, tramway service, certain branches of the railway service, and, to a certain limited extent, in agriculture. During the last twelve months the Labour Exchanges have placed over 300,000 women in employment, and I am sending my hon. Friend a classified list showing the occupations in which these women have been placed.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that letters and parcels addressed to men serving in the British Mediterranean Expeditionary Force on active service, and dispatched on the 17th August last and on subsequent dates, have not been delivered; and whether steps will be taken to ensure prompt deliveries hereafter?

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he has received complaints that many parcels sent from relatives to the soldiers at the Dardanelles never reach those to whom they are addressed; and whether, in view of the financial sacrifices made by the poor in sending these parcels, any fresh steps can be taken to ensure more certain delivery?

I am hoping soon to receive a report from the officer who has been sent out and who is now conducting an inquiry on the spot.

asked the Postmaster-General if, in view of the curtailed and irregular mail service to the Shetland Isles and elsewhere, he will consider the expediency of allowing special Press telegrams to be sent at a reduced rate during the continuance of the War?

I regret that I cannot adopt the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, though the contract for the conveyance of mails to and from Shetland is intended to provide for a service of some regularity, the running of the mail steamers is at present being conducted without any system whatever and without regard for the interests of the Shetland mail service; whether he will state what sums have recently been paid to the contracting company and for what exactly have those payments been made; will he say what excuses have been given by the contractors for irregularity in the conveyance of mails between Shetland and the South; whether these have been inquired into; whether he will state how far he is satisfied with them; whether he is aware that Shetland depends for all communication with the South on the steamers carrying His Majesty's mails; whether he is aware that these steamers, after shipping the mails, are used for a carrying trade between ports en route and, as a consequence, are so irregular and uncertain in their sailings as to prevent soldiers on leave before going to the front and sailors on leave from His Majesty's ships from being able to get home to Shetland; and whether the irregularity of the service has his sanction?

The formal contract for the conveyance of mails to and from the Shetland Islands was recently determined by the contractors, who have, however, agreed to carry on the service as nearly in accordance with the terms of the contract as is practicable under existing conditions. A new contract cannot be arranged at present, but I will enquire whether anything can be done to ensure greater regularity in the mail service.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the services rendered and the hard work done by men of the lower deck since the outbreak of war, and the fact that second-class petty officer ratings have been abolished for some eight years past, he can see his way to extend further the number of first-class petty officer ratings?

The number of petty officers is governed and must continue to be governed by the actual needs of the Naval Service. I may observe, however, with regard to second-class petty officers (old system) that when this rating was abolished, men holding it were allowed to retain it, arrangements being made at the same time that the abolition of the rating should be attended by an increase in the number of leading seamen, the increase being made gradually as petty officers, second-class, were absorbed.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if the officers and seamen employed by the Admiralty in mine sweeping and patrolling will be entitled to share in the prize money at the end of the War?

Speaking generally, the answer is in the affirmative, but I cannot make a definite statement pending the formulation of the exact conditions of eligibility and distribution.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take care that the Foreign Office do not pinch this money?

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the danger to pedestrians caused by taxi-cabs, private motors, and motor omnibuses proceeding at a rapid rate along wide thoroughfares, especially thoroughfares dimly lighted like Park Lane and the Embankment, he will consider the advisability of issuing new regulations governing the speed of motor traffic in London after dark?

asked the Home Secretary if his attention has been called to the number of accidents in the darkened streets of London; and if he proposes to impose a lower speed limit for motor traffic after sunset?

This matter is one on which I am in communication with the Local Government Board, and I hope very shortly to be able to announce the result.

asked the Home Secretary why the news of the resignation of M. Venezelos, the Greek Prime Minister, was kept back by the Censor on 6th October, especially in view of the fact that in Paris the news appeared in the morning editions of newspapers, and in London only in the early editions of evening newspapers of the same date?

The first message from Athens, reporting the resignation of M. Venezelos, was submitted to the Press Bureau at 4.35 a.m., though an earlier message from Paris reached there at 2.15 a.m. Reference to the Foreign Office for confirmation was clearly necessary in such a case, and as soon as publication was authorised both messages were passed at 11 a.m.

Was it only the mere confirmation of the Foreign Office that came into the view, or had the Foreign Office to wait until they also received the message?

In a message of that importance, in view of the present situation in the Balkans, it was right in the public interest that care should be taken to verify it before it was published.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that the descriptive account of the recent battle in France, written by Mr. John Buchan, was so censored as to eliminate what he had written about the nerve, tenacity, and skill of the German soldiers; and whether it is the policy of the Government to suppress all such tributes to the fighting qualities of the enemy?

asked the Home Secretary whether he has any information that the excisions of part of Mr. Buchan's dispatch which referred to the bravery of the German troops were made by two separate sets of authorities and against the express desire of the generals in the field; and, if so, will he say who were these two separate sets of authorities?

The account referred to was censored, in accordance with the usual practice, by the military authorities at General Headquarters in France, and by nobody else. I have no knowledge of two separate sets of authorities or of any conflict between their decision and the desire of generals in the field. The decision of the military authorities appears to have been that it was not in the public interest at that moment to publish a detailed account of an action which was only part of a larger movement.

The idea that these military censors selected for special excision a passage which acknowledged the quality of the German troops is without foundation. This sentence occurred in the course of the detailed description of operations the whole of which was cut out by the military censors in France. It is certainly not the policy of the Government to suppress tributes to the fighting qualities of the enemy, and I have no doubt that the military censors dealt with the passage as a whole for purely military reasons, and not with the object of suppressing the words of appreciation which happen to form a small part of it.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the excision of these passages really destroyed the whole value and, as a matter of fact, ruined the perspective of the account so given?

I do not know what opportunity my hon. Friend has had of examining the document. I have had an opportunity of examining it, and I differ from him in toto.

Were these excisions made contrary to the wish of the generals serving in the field, as stated in the "Times" newspaper?

I have answered that question. I said that I have no knowledge of two separate sets of authorities or of any conflict between their decision and the desire of generals in the field.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that it was stated in many London newspapers published on or about the 28th January, 1915, that the Bank of England had made a loan of £5,000,000 to Roumania; and whether this statement was submitted to and approved by the Censor before publication?

The answer to both parts of this question is in the affirmative.

asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been drawn to a speech recently made at York by Lord Selborne that, if some of the people of this country do not realise the greatness of the crisis, the fault is not wholly due to them, but largely to those who so unfortunately committed the crime of slurring over bad news and exaggerating good news; whether this statement correctly records the views of the Cabinet on the administration of the Press censorship; and whether he is aware that many private Members of this House have publicly expressed the same views as Lord Selborne?

asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the speech delivered on Saturday last at York by the President of the Board of Agriculture, in which animadversions were made upon the Press censorship; and whether, in view of a member of the Cabinet publicly condemning the conduct of a Department of the Government, any action will be taken?

The question of the Press censorship has been frequently discussed in the House, and my Noble Friend has fully explained his position in another place.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that my question does not refer to the statement made by Lord Selborne referring to this specific incident, but to the slurring over of bad news which has been habitual and constant since the Press censorship was established?

That is a debatable matter.

Are we to understand that the view expressed by the President of the Board of Agriculture is the view of the Government?

What view?

That the action of the censorship was mischievous stupidity.

I did not understand my Noble Friend to express that. I would advise my hon. Friend to read the speech more carefully.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, seeing that on 11th October he addressed an important letter to an anonymous correspondent defending the action of the Press Bureau and forwarded a copy of the same to the Press by messenger on the same day that he had written the letter, he will say why, seeing that the House met on 12th October, the day his letter was published, he did not make the defence of his Department in the House, which had been attacked by a Member of the Cabinet, instead of through the medium of an anonymous correspondent?

My hon. Friend is aware that full explanation has been given to the House more than once of the nature of the work done by the Press Bureau, and the letter referred to in no way interferes with any further discussion that may be desired. My hon. Friend will see by reference to a statement made in the House of Lords on Monday, that he is mistaken in supposing that any attack was made on the Press Bureau.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that the Press Bureau in paragraph 219 drew the attention of the Press to the fact that they must not publish any interviews with Labour leaders; and whether it is the policy of the Press Censor to suppress opinions in their case while allowing others to express their views with impunity?

No, Sir; the Press Bureau never issued any notice differentiating between Labour leaders and others concerned in industrial disputes. What my hon. Friend is presumably referring to is a confidential communication issued at the request of the Ministry of Munitions with the object of discouraging the publication of hasty and ill-considered statements by either side likely to encourage industrial disputes, and so to make victory in the War more difficult to obtain.

asked the Home Secretary whether he accepts responsibility for the censoring as regards some newspapers of the statement made by Lord Derby that, in accepting his post as chief recruiting officer, he felt he was entering into a bankrupt concern; and, if he does not, can he say whether the War Office censored its own officer?

I understand that the Censor whose action is referred to did not realise Lord Derby's official position, but as soon as the matter was brought to the attention of the Directors of the Bureau permission to publish was given.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can state for what reason the Press Bureau censored three words in the line The captains and the kings depart in a recent newspaper article?

I understand that the gentleman who cut out the three words "and the kings" felt that, as no kings were present, it would be wrong to say that any of them departed.

Is the country still paying for the services of this idiot?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this gentleman could not have known that there might have been a great number of people of the name of King?

asked the Prime Minister whether the use at first proposed to be made of the pink forms was approved by the Government as likely to assist recruiting; and, if so, what were the reasons for its abandonment?

My Noble Friend Lord Derby proposes to embody some new methods in the scheme for recruiting. It would be a mistake to say that the use of the pink forms has been abandoned.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is now in a position to inform the House what decision, if any, the Government has arrived at on the question of National Service?

asked the Prime Minister whether the new situation which has arisen in the Balkans, and its possible effect on our whole position in the East, has necessitated the revision of the figures, given by him and the Secretary of State for War to the Labour Conference on 28th September and has increased the urgency of a speedy decision on the question of National Service?

Before the Prime Minister answers, I would like to ask whether his attention has been called to the fact that the East Dorset Liberal Association has repudiated the action of the hon. and gallant Member in this matter, and has unanimously decided against Conscription?

I am afraid that I cannot anticipate the statement I propose very shortly to make on this subject.

asked the First Lord of the Treasury whether his attention has been directed to the rent raising and threatened evictions of short-period and tenement tenants, many of them having soldiers at the front; and whether the Government will introduce an emergency measure to protect those families from disturbance and enable them to remain in their homes at reasonable rents?

No, Sir. I would draw the hon. Member's attention to Section 1, Sub-section (4), of the Courts (Emergency Powers) Act, 1914, which was intended to deal with such cases.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that although that Act is supposed to be in operation it has really had no effect in a great many cases in preventing the evils complained of. Will that power be exercised in future?

If the hon. Member will bring these cases to my notice, I will have the matter looked into.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the injury to the health and efficiency of the men of His Majesty's land and sea forces when on furlough, directly attributable to the hospitable instincts of their friends, he can see his way to extend the no-treating Order to all parts of the United Kingdom?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. The prohibition of "treating" is included in all Orders which have been made by the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) for areas which have been scheduled by Order in Council under the Defence of the Realm (Amendment) (No. 3) Act, 1915. The Board would have no power to extend the prohibition over all parts of the United Kingdom unless the whole Kingdom were scheduled, and to extend it otherwise would require legislation.

asked the Prime Minister if he will provide an opportunity for a Debate after the promised statement to be made by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on this day?

It is not possible for me in the public interest to provide opportunity for discussion of my right hon. Friend's statement.

asked whether the War Committee of the Cabinet is empowered to decide matters of policy with out reference to the Cabinet as a whole; and if he will say what is the constitution and what are the powers of the War Committee?

I must refer to the answer which I gave on this subject on Tuesday.

Does the answer given the other day mean that the decisions of the War Committee are accepted by the Cabinet without the remainder of the Cabinet hearing the grounds on which these decisions are based, or do the Cabinet accept responsibility for those decisions without hearing the grounds on which they are arrived at?

So many people seem to know so much more than I do of what goes on in the Cabinet that I have rather a difficulty in answering that question. The ultimate responsibility of the Cabinet always remains.

asked whether, having regard to the difficulty occasioned by the War of selling or raising money on mortgage of any form of real property, the Government will consider the desirability of introducing legislation to suspend the powers of mortgagees to call in their mortgage moneys until the War is over, subject of course to the due performance of the mortgage covenants in other respects?

As pointed out by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in an answer to the hon. Member for Blackburn on July 21st, under the provisions of the Courts (Emergency Powers) Act mortgagees cannot call in mortgages without the leave of the Court, which has discretion to postpone the date of payment if the mortgagor is unable to pay the mortgage debt immediately, and such inability is due to circumstances attributable directly or indirectly to the War. I doubt whether it would be equitable for Parliament to interfere further between mortgagor and mortgagee.

Is there anything in the Courts (Emergency Powers) Act to prevent a mortgagee entering into possession of mortgaged property and selling it over the mortgagee without any application being made to the Court at all?

I should like notice of that question.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is able to state the number of men of efficient military age at present employed in the various Departments of the Civil Service in Great Britain and Ireland; and whether an effort is being made to secure the services of retired Civil servants or other older men in order to enable leave to enlist to be granted to as large a number of Civil servants of efficient military age as possible?

I am unable to state the number asked for. Every effort is made to release from the Civil Service men of military age, who are almost universally anxious to undertake military service, but heads of Departments are compelled to retain the service of men for whom substitutes cannot be found and where their loss would be detrimental to the efficiency of the Department. By performing the duties of their offices these men are serving their country in the most effective way possible to them.

Is there any difficulty in giving those figures now, considering that the pink forms are being dealt with by the Local Government Board?

I will consider that.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the prosecution of Miss Frances Aicken and Miss Elsie Aicken at the Hitchin Petty Sessions, who refused to fill up the National Registration forms and were ordered to pay a fine of 50s.; if he is aware that the money has not been paid; if these ladies are still at home; if he is aware that Mr. Stanley Rodgers Randolph was ordered at the same Court to pay a fine of 50s. for the same offence; if he is aware that the man Randolph is now in prison; if he can state why in one case the man is in prison and in the other the people are still at their homes; and if he intends setting the man free?

From the report of these cases that has been brought to my notice it appears that Randolph was committed to prison on his declaring that he had not money to pay the fine imposed on him and would not pay it if he had. The other two defendants were allowed time to pay their fines. I am not aware of any reason for intervention on my part.

asked the Home Secretary if he will state how many aliens and how many persons of hostile origin or association have respectively been interned or repatriated since the 1st of August; and how many of each class remain at large in the United Kingdom?

Three thousand alien enemies have been interned and 2,600 (including children) have been repatriated since 1st August, making the total now interned 32,400, and the total repatriated since the 14th May 8,900. In addition, orders have been made under Regulation 14B in about sixty cases.

The number of exemptions from internment granted is 7,233, of whom 2,800 are Germans. The number of females (together with some males not of military age) who have been or will be exempted from repatriation is about 16,000.

asked by whose authority the members of the Manchester branch of the "No Conscription Fellowship" have been warned not to hold private meetings amongst themselves under the auspices of the branch; and under what powers this step has been taken?

I am making inquiry into this case. Perhaps my hon. Friend will repeat his question next week.

asked the President of the Board of Education (1) what are the chief recommendations on the subject of economy in education which the Board has made to local education authorities; (2) whether he will state what economies are contemplated in the Board's expenditure on education; and whether he will submit them to the House' before acting upon them; and (3) if the right hon. Gentleman will lay upon the Table the chief correspondence between the Board and local education authorities on the subject of economy in the service of education?

The Board have no general power to control the current expenditure of local education authorities on education and have made no general recommendations to them as to specific methods of economy except as regards buildings. They have, of course, had formal and informal correspondence with local education authorities on details involving expenditure, and their inspectors have been freely consulted by the authorities in many areas. The Board's general object has been to secure as much economy, in the proper sense of the term, as is possible, and such reduction of expenditure as is consistent with maintaining the efficiency of the public system of education. I do not think any useful purpose would be served by laying correspondence or that the expense of printing it would be justified. I cannot anticipate the decision of the Government on the Report of the Committee on Public Retrenchment, and it would be premature to attempt any statement of the effect which any proposed economies may have on the Board's expenditure.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether attention has been given to humogen, a form of specially treated peat manure, claimed by its inventor, Professor Bottomley, to have power to largely increase food production; and whether experiments are being made with this invention?

Yes, Sir, and State Grants have been made in respect of the scientific side of Professor Bottomley's work, as I informed the hon. Member for North West-meath in reply to a similar question on the 11th instant. Practical experiments in the use of humogen for horticultural and agricultural purposes are being carried on at various institutions, but so far as I am aware no results have yet been obtained which demonstrate its utility for agricultural purposes on a field scale and on a commercial basis.

Does that answer refer to the experiments carried on at Kew, where great results were obtained?

Yes, Sir, it does.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can give the result of the negotiations between the Board of Inland Revenue and the firms comprising the Beef Trust of Chicago as to the amount of Income Tax due from those firms covering a period of over ten years?

Material progress has been made in the negotiations referred to.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received a letter from the council of the Association of Chambers of Commerce of the United Kingdom urging the desirability of requesting the Bank of England to discontinue the inconvenient practice with regard to inscription and transfer of the greater portion of British Government Stock (including the War Loans), and to employ the ordinary modern method of registration and transfer by deed; and whether he is in a position to give a favourable reply?

I have received the letter to which the hon. Member refers. It is not clear, however, that as regards the majority of stockholders the existing system of transfer is not more convenient than transfer by deed, and in any case I do not think that the present time would be suitable for a general change in the Bank's practice.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether tablets, cubes, and cut loaf sugar is obtainable in America; whether the price in this country has now been raised to 6d. per lb.; and whether he will make arrangements to import these sorts and so prevent a further enhancement of prices?

The price of cubes has been raised to 6d. per lb., but no further enhancement of price is anticipated. The Commission has already purchased all the tablets, cubes, and cut loaf sugar available in America at reasonable prices, and no further supplies of an appreciable quantity could be procured, even if excessive prices were to be paid.

asked whether the Royal Commission on Sugar have received a request from Ireland to import American crystals and standard granulated sugar to meet the special requirements of that country for coarse sugars; whether they can see their way to procure a sufficient supply to meet this demand; and, if not, whether they are prepared to allow the free importation into Ireland of the descriptions of sugar required by its inhabitants?

Requests of the kind described have been received from Ireland, as also from many other parts of the United Kingdom. But the Commission has not found it possible to undertake to provide special kinds of sugar to meet all the varying predilections of different markets, and it does not think that in such an emergency as the present it can be regarded as a serious hardship that consumers should be asked to forego preferences which are the outcome merely of fashion and habit, and have no basis of intrinsic difference in the quality of sugars.

Would there be any objection to allowing those people to get it themselves if they could?

They could not get it except at higher prices than they are now charged.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if granulated sugar is sold by the Royal Commission on condition that the retail price shall not exceed a fixed maximum price per pound; and, if so, will he say what that maximum price is?

Royal Commission sugar is sold to dealers on the condition that the buyers shall resell at a profit of not more than 2½ per cent, on sales for cash and immediate delivery. The proper retail prices for sugars were specified in the Notice which appeared in yesterday's Press.