asked the Prime Minister if he will consider the advisability of constituting, or of recommending the Sovereign to constitute, an agricultural order of merit, similar to that which exists in France, and of awarding it to all farmers who increase the output of human food upon their farms in 1916 or 1917 by at least 20 per cent., and can satisfy the Board of Agriculture that they have done so?

The Prime Minister has consulted my Noble Friend the President of the Board of Agriculture on the suggestion contained in my hon. Friend's question, and he is not aware that the institution of an order of the character proposed would be welcomed by the agricultural community; whilst it is obvious that, on general grounds, it would be invidious to recommend a particular industry for a distinction from which others equally deserving of recognition were debarred. In those views the Prime Minister concurs.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he will state in what manner payments are made to soldiers on active service; whether the amounts received by a soldier are always signed for by him; if, in case of the death of a soldier, the signed receipts are afterwards preserved and by whom; and if, when the accounts of a dead soldier have been sent to the War Office and when there is reason to believe, on the evidence of letters in the possession of relatives, which were written and sent home by the soldier when he was alive and well, that a larger sum was due to him at the time of his death than has been returned to his relatives by the military authorities, the signed receipts and the particulars relating to a dead soldier's effects may be examined by or on behalf of his relatives?

A soldier on active service is paid by his company officer and signs for each payment. The signed receipts and particulars of accounts are kept by the home paymaster and would be available for examination at the pay office in a special case such as is suggested.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if there are 1 lb. tins which contain 1 lb. of meat and 1 lb. tins which contain ¾ lb. of meat, and how the public are to know the difference; if he will state if it is essential to any meat ration that it should be available for immediate use; and if the tins of bully beef comply with this essential?

As I explained to my hon. Friend on the 16th instant, the Army ration of preserved meat is ¾ lb., and is contained in a tin of corresponding size which is known in the trade as a nominal 1 lb. The answer to the second and concluding portions of the question is in the affirmative.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether, in view of the fact that by a recent Army Order general officers commanding-in-chief were empowered to curtail the meat ration within their commands when in their judgment the full ration is not required, and that reductions of varying amounts have been made in the meat ration in seven commands or districts, but no reduction whatever has been made in four commands or districts, and in view of the recent statement by the Prime Minister that something of the nature of uniformity ought to be established, he will take immediate steps to secure such uniformity of practice and to reduce to a minimum the waste that in many cases has prevailed?

I am not at present in a position to go beyond the statement and expression of opinion by my right hon. Friend. The subject is receiving careful consideration.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, seeing that the price paid for hay in England by the military authorities was £5 per ton, he will explain why the price of hay in Ireland is not put on the same level; do the military authorities think that better hay can be produced in England or is preferential treatment meted out to the English as against the Irish farmer; and is he aware that the price paid by the military for hay in Limerick last week was £3 15s. per ton?

The maximum prices being paid in Ireland average £5 4s. per ton for the twelve months, against a similar average in England. There is thus no preferential treatment, but hay in both countries is bought at its value, in accordance with quality, condition, and locality, based on the maximum. The hay referred to by my hon. Friend was, no doubt, purchased at the price stated under these conditions.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what further progress has been made in promoting the establishment of the promised examining and receiving depot in Dublin for military goods, stores, and supplies; and whether he is aware that the military, civil, and local authorities and the industrial associations are favourable to its establishment as being more convenient and economical to all concerned?

I hope to be able to make an announcement on this subject in the course of a few days.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he is aware that Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, of 14, Catherine Street, Newry, has not up to the present received any allowance in respect to her son, Private Harry Smith, No. 20873, A Company, 8th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers; if he is aware that this man enlisted four months ago, and that the local pension officer and pension committee both agreed at 7s. 6d. weekly dependance, yet up to the present this woman has received nothing; and whether, in view of the fact that delays of this kind are extremely prejudicial to recruiting, he will take steps to put an end to this delay in paying money to parents of soldiers?

Inquiry will be made, and I will inform my hon. Friend of the result.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to the circulation of unfavourable reports respecting India; whether he has any information as to these reports being of enemy origin; and whether he can make any statement on the general condition of India?

I do not know to what reports the hon. Member refers, and therefore am unable to offer an opinion as to their origin. As regards the general condition of India, the information I have is that it is substantially satisfactory. Such difficulties as have arisen have had their origin in movements outside India, or in the effort of a small group of extremists who do not reflect the sentiment of the great mass of the people, and of whom many are fugitives from justice. In Northern India, where concerted attempts were made by members of an anti-British association, having its headquarters in the United States, to disturb the peace of the country, to tamper with the troops, and to upset the Government, the active loyalty of the people of the province was shown by the resistance they voluntarily offered and by the aid they gave to the civil power. My information is that the Government of India have the situation well in hand.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture, in view of the fact that, despite the prohibition of the export of all feeding-stuffs, there was a total exportation of 491,000 quarters of barley and malt to neutral countries during the last twelve months, of which about four-sevenths was consigned to the Netherlands, whether the amount so consigned was more or less than the average of the last few years prior to the War?

The quantity to which the hon. Member refers was above the average.

asked the Attorney-General whether he has had under consideration the exact interpretation of the words for the period of the War and during the continuance of the present War which have occurred in recent Statutes; and whether it is intended to introduce legislation to make the exact meaning of such phrases definite and clear?

I have considered the points to which my hon. Friend directs my attention. It will become necessary at some convenient period to give an authoritative definition of the words in question.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that the rank and file of the Royal Irish Constabulary are prohibited from taking any residence to which more than a rood of land is attached, and are not allowed, even if married and having a family, to keep a cow or even a goat unless the district inspector certifies that milk cannot be obtained in the locality; and will he inquire into the necessity or expediency of such regulations at the present time, particularly having regard to the cost of milk, butter, and vegetables, and suggest to the constabulary authorities the abolition or modification of the regulations which, as they do not apply to the officers of the force, are felt by many of the men to be unfair and oppressive?

The prohibitions referred to in the question are correctly stated. The Constabulary Regulations on the subject were made after careful consideration, regard being had to the fact that, were members of the force permitted to engage extensively in farming or agricultural pursuits, it would be prejudicial to their efficiency as policemen and to the impartial discharge of their duties, as well as inconsistent with their liability to be moved at short notice to any part of Ireland. So far as I am aware the present rules are not felt by the force to be unfair or oppressive.

asked what progress has been made with the scheme for the erection of labourers' cottages in Kilmallock rural district; and, in view of the dilapidated and insanitary state of the houses occupied by some of the applicants for these cottages, will the utmost haste be made with the carrying through of the scheme?

The local inquiry into the last improvement scheme made by the Kilmallock Rural District Council proposing to provide cottages under the Labourers' Acts was held in December last. The inspector who held the local inquiry into the scheme has the preparation of his Order in the matter in hand. The delay which has occurred in making his Order was caused by the failure of the rural district council to return to the inspector the maps in relation to the scheme which were sent to them to carry out certain necessary amendments before the inspector could proceed to inspect the sites in the scheme.

asked the Chief Secretary whether, in view of the fact that the Reeves estate, West Clare, was taken over by the Congested Districts Board in April, 1911, and yet there are a considerable number of the tenants who have not yet obtained the vesting orders, the Congested Districts Board will now look into this matter with the intention of finally disposing of the whole business?

The Congested Districts Board are now proceeding with the sale of the holdings on this estate as quickly as possible.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that, owing to the increase in the cost of food and clothing, the estimates of the North Dublin union for 1914–15 will probably show a deficit of some £8,000; whether he is aware that the bankers hesitate to grant the guardians an overdraft to meet this deficit because of the fact that the guardians have no legal sanction to pay the interest on the amount of it; and whether, under the circumstances, he will take steps to obtain power for the guardians to procure the necessary loan or to obtain legal sanction for their payment of interest on an overdraft or, otherwise, whether he will sugest a way out of the difficulty?

I have no power nor have the Local Government Board to authorise the payment of interest on loans for current expenses. I trust that the guardians and their treasurer may be able to come to some arrangement for the temporary advance of the sum required.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) if he will state the annual income from the sale of Irish butter during the years 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, and up to 1st October, 1915; what number of officials were employed by the Department in connection with this industry during these years, and the amount expended on salaries and expenses of such officials?

As stated in reply of 16th September to the hon. Member for West Cavan, the estimated value of the total output of butter in Ireland for the twelve months ended 1st June, 1913, was £9,201,000. The corresponding figure for the twelve months ended 1st June, 1908, was £8,879.000. These figures were based on information specially obtained for the purposes of the census of agricultural production which takes place quinquennially. The corresponding figures for the periods referred to by the hon. Member are not available. As the dairying industry in its various bearings is one of the most important branches of Irish agriculture, its interests are dealt with under most of the Departments agricultural schemes, such as schemes for the improvement of live stock, including special schemes for dairy cattle, instruction in dairying, and the agriculture relating thereto, both under the county schemes; and in the Departments agricultural institutions and dairy schools, prevention of fraud in relation to butter and other dairy products, creamery inspection, testing competitions, marketing arrangements, scientific researches in connection with dairying problems, and many other schemes. It would be impossible to separate the time of the experts, professors, and other officials which is given to those portions of their duties dealing with the dairying industry from the time devoted to their duties.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) how many acres of land are attached to the Ballyhaise Agricultural College; how many acres were under tillage last year and the number under similar purposes this year; how many acres have been let and the area of each letting; whether the land has been let to large or small farmers; and will the names of those to whom the lands have been given be published?

The area of the land acquired by the Department at Ballyhaise is 840 acres, including a large extent of woodland and bog. The area under tillage in the year 1914 was 122 acres. A similar area was tilled in the current year. No part of the lands has been let but an outlying portion of about 50 acres adjoining the village of Ballyhaise was recently sold in small lots by public auction to villagers.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether the creamery inspectors who have recently been dismissed were to his knowledge capable men; whether he is aware that their dismissal caused resentment throughout Ireland, particularly among the dairying community; and if he will say if the appeal of the various public bodies throughout Ireland to have these men reinstated was placed before any meeting of the Council of Agriculture, or is it to be taken that agricultural interests in Ireland are to be left solely to the consideration of permanent officials and the Vice-President?

The two dairying instructors whose services have had to be dispensed with for financial reasons were fully competent for the discharge of the duties assigned to them. The Department have received resolutions from creamery associations and other bodies in various parts of the country protesting against this reduction of the dairying staff. The question has been considered by both the Agricultural Board and the Council of Agriculture.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) how many officials of his Department not serving with the Colours have been set aside; and will he give the names of the officials set aside and the salaries attached to the offices which they held?

For reasons of financial economy the Department have had to dispense with the services of thirteen members of their staff. In the Department's opinion, no public object would be served by giving the names and salaries of the officers in question.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he has taken any action with a view to the settlement of the difficulty which exists at Burston school, in the county of Norfolk; and, if so, what was the result of his intervention?

Immediately on taking office I acquainted myself with the circumstances of the Burston controversy. I found that I had no power whatever to intervene officially, but in the interests of the children I thought it right to use my good offices to bring about a termination of the dispute. With this object in view, I invited Mr. and Mrs. Higdon on the one part and the local education authority on the other to send representatives to a conference, at which, if possible, I should have presided myself, and I obtained from Mr. and Mrs. Higdon an undertaking to accept and abide by any agreement which might be arrived at by the parties to the conference. The local education authority have, however, informed me that they do not see their way to take part in such a conference, and I am unable, therefore, to take any further steps in the matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the premises of the Labour Exchanges at Stratford and Shoreditch are at the disposal of a trade union for the purpose of meetings in support of their propaganda and to assist in enforcing the demands of the trade union upon local employers; and whether it is to be understood that the Government in any case authorises the use of Government premises for such purposes?

I understand that the question relates to the National Amalgamated Union of Shop Assistants, Warehousemen, and Clerks (Chemists' and Druggists' Section), who have obtained permission to hold branch meetings at the Stratford and Shoreditch Labour Exchanges. This permission has, in accordance with the ordinary procedure, been given after consultation with the Advisory Trade Committee for the London and South-Eastern Counties, which is equally representative of employers and workmen. This permission is subject to certain conditions which have been approved by the committee, and of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy. I am having inquiry made as to whether these conditions have been complied with by the union in question.

asked the Secretary for Scotland how many male and female persons have upon summary conviction in Scotland been sentenced to imprisonment without the option of a fine, or imprisoned in default of payment of a fine, respectively, under Orders or Regulations made under the enactments relating to the defence of the realm?

I regret that the information requested by my hon. Friend is not at present available; to obtain it now would entail much labour which is required for other more pressing purposes.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has received complaints from the borough of Criccieth, the Ynyscynhaiarn District Council, and the Glaslyn District Council as to the delay in the delivery of the morning mails; and whether he will have inquiries made into the causes of the delay?

I have received the complaints referred to, and I am inquiring whether improvement is practicable.