asked the Prime Minister whether he can now issue, without prejudice to the public interest, a statement of the definite objects of the mission of the ex-Lord Chancellor to Berlin in 1912 and any dispatches from or report by the Noble Lord thereon?

In January, 1912, an intimation reached His Majesty's Government from Berlin, informally, that it was desirable that a British Minister should visit the German capital, with a view to a private and an unofficial interchange of opinions. His Majesty's Government, after consideration, approved of the suggestion. As the result, the Cabinet proposed to Lord Haldane that he should go to Berlin informally, and undertake this mission, and Lord Haldane agreed to go.

Lord Haldane received full instructions from the Foreign Secretary and from the Cabinet, and carried out his mission accordingly to their entire satisfaction.

It is not proposed, nor would it be in the public interest at the moment, to add to the statement that appeared in the Press on 1st September.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government intend to introduce a measure to prevent capricious evictions and arbitrary rent raising of short period and tenement town tenants in the United Kingdom; whether he is aware that the hon. Member for St. Patrick's Division of Dublin introduced a Bill some fifteen years since to establish Fair Rent Courts, the jurisdiction to rest in the County Court judge with the option of a jury; and whether he will consider the advisability of introducing and passing a similar measure?

Legislation dealing with the rents of workmen's houses in war time will be introduced shortly.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether it is intended to appoint a committee to inquire into and report upon the subject of arbitrary rent raising and capricious evictions of short period and tenement tenants, as has already been done in Scotland?

I do not think that an inquiry, such as suggested by the hon. Member, is called for at the moment, but I would refer him to the reply given on my behalf by the Vice-Chamberlain of the Household to the hon. Member for the Harbour Division of Dublin on the 11th instant.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether rum rations are served at the Curragh to recruits on arrival after duty marches; if so, by whose orders and under whose supervision are these rations given and what quantity is served to each man; whether the recruits have an opportunity, if they so desire, of having a hot non-alcoholic beverage served to them instead of rum; and if he will state approximately how much rum has been served to recruits there during the last month?

I am informed that no issues of rum have been made in the Curragh Command.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether he is aware that a number of non-commissioned officers in the Royal Garrison Artillery were selected for promotion and brought home from Malta and other places abroad in September, and promised rapid promotion, in order to train new batteries at home; whether these non-commissioned officers on return home in many cases lost temporary rank, and have been posted together at Dover in their old ranks with no advance in rank or pay; whether he is aware that vacancies which have occurred since their return have been filled up by men with much shorter service who were not sent home as suitable for promotion; and whether he will take steps to inquire into the dissatisfaction caused amongst these non-commissioned officers of long and tried service by the neglect shown towards them?

I am aware that a certain number of non-commissioned officers were brought home from Malta and other places abroad in October, 1915, and also that some of these non-commissioned officers had temporary acting rank abroad which on leaving their station they gave us. Many of these non-commissioned officers, but not all, were posted to Dover. No promise of promotion was given to them, but it was, I understand, pointed out that probably promotion would be quicker than in their own units. Of those who came from Malta some were not recommended for promotion, others have already been promoted, and the remainder are waiting disposal. All these non-commissioned officers will be put into new units for service abroad as they are formed.

asked the Under-secretary for War whether his attention has been called to the delay that frequently occurs in sending particulars of casualties to the relatives of soldiers; whether he is aware that in the case of Corporal Oscar Ingham, No. 11,177, 6th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment, who was reported wounded at the Dardanelles on 9th August, a notification to the effect that he was wounded and missing was only received by the relatives on 17th November; and whether any steps are being taken to secure a more prompt report in other similar cases?

The first notification received in this case was that the soldier was wounded, and this was communicated to the relatives on 2nd September. I cannot say whether the wound was received on the 9th August, but, if that date is correct, the interval is not, I think, susceptible of much shortening. I understand that a notification that this man was missing was made to the relatives on 1st November. The period intervening was occupied in ascertaining that the soldier was not in any hospital and had not rejoined.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the fact that the local authorities have cut off the water supply to houses at Rickmansworth, in consequence of default in the payment of rates; and, seeing that this is a district over which Zeppelin airships have passed, that it is in the track of such craft, and that conflagrations might be caused, whether he will take steps to obtain the renewal of the water supply with a view to the extinction of such fires?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. According to my information, water is supplied in Rickmansworth, not by the local authority, but by the Rickmansworth and Uxbridge Valley Water Company. Hence it would seem that the local authority cannot have acted in the manner suggested. I have no authority to require the company to renew the supply, but I will communicate with them on the matter if my hon. Friend desires it.

asked the amount of the adverse balance of the United Kingdom's international trade in each of the last six completed months; and how the aggregate adverse balance during these six months compares with that of the same period in 1914?

The excess of imports of merchandise into the United Kingdom over exports, as shown in the Trade Accounts, in each of the last six completed months, and in the corresponding months of last year, is as follows:—