asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his attention has been directed to the position of a publican in respect of the brewer or banker who has. issued a loan to the publican, the repayment of which, together with interest accruing thereon, has been based on the amount of trade done in the past; and, seeing that under the new Closing Regulations a number of licence holders will be unable to meet their liabilities, will he state what steps he proposes to take to> deal with these cases?

My attention has not been called to this matter. If the hon. Member has particulars of any case I shall be glad to receive them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that for a number of years there was no export of gold bullion or coin to Spain and it has now reached the figure of £4,660,643 for the ten months ending 31st October, 1915, of which £1,800,000 was sent out in October, whether special steps are being taken to check the export of gold to Spain?

Subject to the observance of the law relating to trading with the enemy, no obstacle is placed in the way of the export of gold for legitimate commercial requirements.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is considering a proposal to gain possession of American securities held in this country; whether the surrender of such holdings will be compulsory; and whether legislation will be necessary for these objects and also to enable trustees to place investments in the hands of the Government?

I propose to make a statement on this subject next week on the Second Reading of the War Obligations Bill.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the total weight of canned and corned beef ordered for the Army and Navy through his Committee of Supplies during the present year, and, approximately, how this is distributed among the various countries producing these goods?

The following quantities have been ordered for the Navy during 1915, namely:—

I am not aware of the quantities ordered for the Army, as all purchases for that Department have been effected by the military authorities.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the safety of the City of Paris, which is much nearer to the German lines than London is, from Zeppelins and other hostile aircraft attack, is largely attributable to the fact that the French Government have utilised the outer lines of fortifications surrounding the City of Paris and the land adjacent to them as rising and landing stations for French offensive and defensive aircraft, thus practically safeguarding the City of Paris from the approach of hostile aircraft; and, if so, whether he will consider the practicability of taking steps to safeguard equally the City of London, where the difficulty of approach owing to distance and fog is so much greater?

I am afraid that I cannot add anything to the statements already made by my right hon. Friend on the subject.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War, whether any means can be adopted for preventing the evasion of military service, on the ground of alleged defective vision, by the practice, which is believed to be prevalent in some parts of England, of affecting inability to read accurately letters of the alphabet and figures at a few yards distant, although the persons concerned were previously known to have excellent eyesight, and the wearing of an exemption armlet by such persons?

My military advisers have been alive to the possibilities mentioned in the question, and the recruiting authorities have been instructed that they are to take the greatest care to prevent deception being exercised in the case of men presenting themselves for immediate service with the Colours. They have also been instructed that men who are attested and classified in the Reserve are not to be attested for eyesight until called up for their groups. The object of this later instruction is to enable the eyesight test to be carried out with all proper care and deliberation.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware that men are joining the Army Service Corps on the understanding that they will be paid at the rate of 5s. per day; that after they are sworn in they are transferred to the Royal Field Artillery and have their wages reduced on the ground that they have not passed some test; that many of these men have had many years' experience in the work they joined the Army to perform; and whether he will inquire into the matter with the object of ensuring that these men shall receive the wages they were promised when they enlisted?

I will inquire into the matter if my hon. Friend will furnish me with particulars.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War whether, owing to the number of accidental deaths that have lately resulted from the use for instructional purposes of fully-charged bombs and grenades, the former practice of using dummy bombs with reduced charges will be reverted to?

As far as possible instruction is carried out with both dummy bombs and bombs with reduced charges.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether he is aware that at Roehampton Camp, Richmond Park, there are at present upwards of 1,500 officers and men under canvas and that, in consequence of the recent bad weather, a very large proportion have been and are suffering from exposure and are under medical treatment; and whether, in view of the heavy casualties and the consequent need for preserving the health and physique of those now training or being got ready to supply drafts for foreign service, he will represent to the responsible authorities the need for abandoning the wet quarters of the Roehampton Camp and for placing the men in billets in the surrounding areas, many of which are suitable and are easy of access to Richmond Park?

I think the hon. Gentleman has been misinformed. My informa- tion is that all the troops who were at Roehampton Camp, Richmond Park, have already been moved into billets, with the exception of small rear parties amounting to less than 100 men in all. There has been no increase in the normal number of men reported sick.

asked the Secretary for Scotland why the figures as to unoccupied houses in Clydebank were omitted from the Report of Lord Hunter's Committee; and whether he can state what the figures are for Clydebank?

According to the table referred to, there were no unoccupied houses in Clydebank, and as far as I am aware, this is substantially the present position in that burgh.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether his attention has been drawn to the numbers of munition workers who have to travel long distances to their work in Clydebank; and whether he is considering the possibility of providing any temporary housing accommodation?

The disadvantages arising from workmen having to travel long distances are fully realised, but I have at present no information as to such an actual deficiency of housing accommodation within a reasonable distance as would justify the promotion of a temporary housing scheme in this area. I will have inquiries made into both the points raised in my hon. Friend's question.

asked the Secretary for the Colonies whether the Government have under consideration any scheme for affording employment and the opportunity of earning their living for themselves and their dependants to soldiers and sailors disabled during the War; whether such scheme may be practically made applicable to the disabled from the Dominions as well as from the United Kingdom before, as well as after, the conclusion of the War, so as to prevent the great glut in employment which must eventually occur owing to the return to civil life of so many persons now engaged in military operations and the reduction in wages that must result therefrom; and whether such scheme, if adopted, will be best matured and developed by the Home Government at the earliest possible date, acting in cooperation and in consultation with the authorities of the Overseas Dominions?

The Report of the Committee appointed by the President of the Local Government Board upon the provision of employment for sailors and soldiers disabled in the War was communicated to the self-governing Dominions, and inquiry has been made of them with respect to the measures which they propose to adopt with regard to their men returning from the War. The correspondence is proceeding, and the question will be carefully considered in the various Departments concerned. I need hardly add that His Majesty's Government realise the importance of the subject raised in the question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that before the War sugar, to the extent of about 14,000 tons, was imported into Limerick, and that the Sugar Commissioners, who have now a monopoly of the sugar imported, have refused to supply Limerick and other ports in the South and West of Ireland with necessary supplies by direct importation, thereby causing these places losses of freight; whether he is aware that ships of 3,000 tons can be discharged at Limerick docks on spring tides, while on other tides the cargo could be in part diverted; and whether he will arrange that a suitable vessel carrying sugar will be sent to Limerick, for the supply of Limerick, Clare, and other parts in the West?

The supply of sugar in the United Kingdom is a matter for the Royal Commission on Sugar Supplies, and as I informed the hon. Member on 3rd November, I am unable to take the action he suggests.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the total value of sugar imported into Great Britain and Ireland during the year 1913, and the average value for the preceding five normal seasons; whether he has any information respecting the experiments recently made in sugar manufacture from beet in England; whether the Government will consider the advisability of encouraging a home supply of this food, and likewise thereby encourage agriculture and feeding for live stock?

According to the Trade Returns, the total value of sugar, refined and unrefined, imported into the United Kingdom in 1913 amounted to £23,066,621, and the average of the preceding five years amounted to £23,597,206. The Board have full information as regards the experiments in sugar manufacture in this country, and are endeavouring by every means in their power to encourage and assist the beet sugar industry.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the fact that war stores are not included in the monthly trade returns, and the exports of bullion and specie are given, whether there is some danger of affording information of value to the enemy by including the bullion and specie from which certain inferences can be drawn as to the war orders; and, if so, whether he will exclude this information from the monthly trade returns?

I do not think that any information of value to the enemy as regards the extent of purchases of war material outside the United Kingdom by ourselves and our Allies can be ascertained from the published figures of our exports of bullion and specie. The hon. Member is probably aware that there have been shipments on Government account, the figures relating to which are not included in the Board of Trade Returns.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the world-market price of first-class hides ranges from 11d. to 1s. per lb. and that American purchasers are paying 11d. and 11½d. per lb., and likewise paying freight, for lightly salted hides in Argentina for American manufacture; whether he is aware that the best unbranded English, Irish, Scotch, and Welsh hides of superior quality to the Argentina product are now selling at 8d. and 7¾d. per lb. owing to the arrangements of the Tanners' Federation Trust; and whether he will inquire into this matter and take measures to prevent home hides being sold under their fair market value?

I am aware that the prices being paid in the United States for hides are higher than those now current in this country. I would, however, point out to the hon. Member that the present level of prices for hides in this country, though lower than that ruling a few months ago, is slightly higher than that of November last year. I am not prepared to take action in order to raise the price of hides in this country.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will recommend to the Treasury that those Civil Servants in his Department who were deprived of the benefits of the Courtney scheme because of alleged ill-health should be given the same pension rights as their colleagues provided they pass the medical examination for enlistment in the Army?

The matter is one that concerns the Civil Service as a whole, and the Post Office servants concerned cannot be treated separately.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture if, in view of the shortage of potash manures, the Board will consider the desirability of taking steps to ascertain whether the waste from slate quarries is suitable as a source of supply?

According to published analyses, slates from British quarries contain from 2 per cent. to 4.2 per cent. of potash. I am advised, however, that slate is a highly refractory material and that therefore any process for the extraction of potash from it would not be economically feasible.