asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland (1) what reduction, in pursuance of the policy of retrenchment, has been made in the inspectorate and higher members of the general staff of the Local Government Board for Ireland since the War began; what its numbers and aggregate salary and expenses were in 1905 and in 1915, respectively; whether he will consider the advisability of the staff being fixed at the number of the former year; and what is the reason for retaining the surplus staff; (2) whether he will say what reduction, in pursuance of the policy of retrenchment, has been made in the auditing staff of the Local Government Board for Ireland since the War began; what its numbers and aggregate salary and expenses were in 1905 and in 1915, respectively; whether the statements of Poor Law officers are correct, that an auditor draws separate salary and fees for auditing the accounts of different local bodies at the same time and place, and double or treble fees when half-yearly audits are omitted and accounts for two or three half-years are audited at the same time and place; seeing that a yearly audit is sufficient for the accounts of the Corporations of Dublin, Belfast, and Cork, why the cost of preparing for half-yearly audits is imposed upon small local bodies with comparatively trifling expenditure; and to what useful work it is proposed to turn the surplus auditing staff; and (3) will he state what reduction, in pursuance of the policy of retrenchment, has been made in the labour staff of the Local Government Board for Ireland since the War began, seeing that new schemes are in suspense and the work consequently reduced to a minimum; what its numbers and aggregate salary and expenses were in 1905 and in 1915, respectively; whether, as in the former year, this entire staff can be dispensed with and such work as remains done, as then, by the Local Government Board; and to what useful work it is proposed to turn this staff?

The reduction in their staff which the Local Government Board have been able to make owing to the suspension of all borrowing for housing and public health purposes during the War represents a saving in all Departments amounting to £4,738 a year. This saving is not shown in the Estimates now before Parliament owing to the fact that a new Grant to Ireland of £5,000 for Child Welfare has been added by the Treasury to the Local Government Board's Vote for the ensuing year. This Vote, therefore, appears to be higher than that for the current year by £262, notwithstanding that the large retrenchment of £4,738 aforesaid has been effected by reductions of the staff. The actual reductions in the Labourers' Department include three inspectors, two architects, and nine clerks. One of the general inspectors employed exclusively in connection with municipal and loan expenditure has been seconded for service in the Navy, and the vacancy has not been filled up; and the vacancy caused by the death of an inspector of workhouse hospitals has not been filled up for the present. The work of the auditors has not been lessened by the War, and it has not been possible to reduce the number. The auditors receive no fees and are paid fixed salaries according to their class. The period for which the accounts of the different authorities must be made up and audited is fixed by Statute, and cannot be altered by the Local Government Board. Since 1905 eleven important Acts of Parliament have thrown heavy additional duties on the Local Government Board which could not have been fulfilled without an increase in the staff. There is, therefore, no analogy between the staff in 1915 and 1905; but the actual figures asked for by the hon. Member are as follows: — 1905. 1915. No. Salary. No. Salary. £ £ Inspectorate, including Medical, General, Assistant Inspectors and Lady Inspectors 23 12,450 27 14,290 Auditors 18 9,780 21 11,995 Higher Staff 30 16,443 37 21,618 It would take a great deal of time and trouble to segregate the travelling expenses for each class in 1905 and 1915, but taking the aggregate the cost last year was slightly less than in 1905.

asked the Attorney-General for Ireland if he will inform the House why the eviction of agricultural tenants for inability to pay rents which their lands have not yielded in excess of subsistence, owing to the male members of their families being engaged in the War, is not prevented under the Defence of the Realm Act; how many such tenants in county Leitrim Mr. George Hewson now holds under process or threat of eviction; and whether he will be allowed to carry out all or any of those evictions while the War is in progress?

The Defence of the Realm Act has no application to the matters mentioned in the hon. Member's question. I am informed that at the March and April Sessions in 1915 Mr. George Hewson obtained eighty-two ejectment decrees against tenants for non-payment of rents for periods varying from one to seven years. None of these decrees have been executed. Other tenants have been notified that if rents due by them are not paid proceedings will be instituted. Amongst all these tenants only one has joined the Army since the commencement of the War, and the son of one other tenant is in the Army. The non-payment of these rents is, therefore, not due to the male members of the tenants' families being engaged in the War, and I am informed that most of the tenants are well able to pay their rents if they were willing to do so.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will give the names of the four steamers fitted with insulated chambers for the carriage of chilled and frozen meat which were laid up at the time they were requisitioned by the Admiralty, and in all probability would have continued laid up if they had not been so requisitioned?

As I stated on the 8th March, in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh East, it is not considered desirable in the national interests to publish the names of vessels engaged on transport work.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether attested married men desirous of joining the Royal Garrison Artillery before their groups have been called up have been refused permission to do so by the recruiting authorities at Leeds and elsewhere, while at the same time unattested men were accepted?

I understand the men in question were refused because it was thought that a certain number of men who had not attested under the group system, and were not liable under the Military Service Act, might be willing, if they were allowed, to go into the Royal Garrison Artillery. The Royal Garrison Artillery is being opened to group men as well as to unattested men.

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether all county councils are periodically being supplied with lists of men discharged from the Army as unfit and disabled by officers in charge of records, so that these bodies may be able to deal with the men under the Pensions Act?

When my hon. Friend speaks of the county councils I fancy he is referring to the local committees which are to be formed to deal with the work allotted to such committees under the Naval and Military War Pensions Act. Lists are now being supplied by the officers in charge of records through the Board of Trade for the Labour Exchanges, and I will consider whether they shall not be sent to the local committees as and when each committee may be formed.

also asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he will consider the possibility of making the date of discharge from the Army coincide with the date when the pension first becomes payable?

The machinery now in operation was designed to secure the first payment of pension within a week of discharge. My hon. Friend will remember that the soldier receives a gratuity on discharge to tide over a short interval. I regret to find that this does not always produce the desired result, and, as I stated in Debate last night, I am considering further improvements.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, when a merchant is notified that goods for which he has paid are required for the public service and will be taken by the War Office, and delay takes place on the part of the War Office in paying him the purchase price therefor, the merchant is entitled to the War Office in paying him the purchase price from the date of the requisition until the date of payment; whether the basis of the price fixed is the price the merchant paid for the goods or the market price therefor at the date of the requisition; and whether, in fixing the purchase price, the merchant is allowed anything for buying and establishment expenses?

I understand the question to refer to goods requisitioned under the Army Act. Payment in such cases should be made within a reasonable time, and if there is in any case unreasonable delay on the part of the War Office, I should be prepared to consider a payment in respect of interest. The basis of price in such cases is that laid down by the Army Act.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he can give the result of his inquiries as to the amount of Irish oats purchased this year by the Government; and if he will state whether the Government propose making any further purchases?

The quantity of Irish oats purchased this year by the War Office is: Tons. For Army horses in Ireland 8,621 For one of our Allies 10,000 Provided supplies can be obtained at reasonable prices, further purchases will be made as occasion may require.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he will arrange that soldiers at the front should be permitted to remit, if they desire, part of their pay into the Post Office Savings Bank through the company pay lists and regimental paymaster, seeing that some of them tend to waste their pay in purchases at the front, and that some do not wish to tie up their pay for so long as five years by investment in Government securities?

Arrangements are in progress by which soldiers at the front or elsewhere may invest in War Savings Certificates or Exchequer Bonds through the regimental paymaster. These forms of investment do not necessarily tie up the sum invested for five years. The question of an extension of Savings Bank facilities has been carefully considered, but it has been decided to await the result of the arrangements above referred to before proceeding.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps, if any, he has taken, or intends to take, to regulate the prices and supply of coal in Ireland; and if he will take the necessary steps to safeguard an ample supply for Great Britain and Ireland by regulating the exports to other countries?

As regards price, I must refer the hon. Member to my reply to his question of 6th January on the subject. The Coal Exports Committee are fully alive to the necessity of securing that home requirements are as far as possible met.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture what use, if any, is being made of the National Register to ascertain the names and addresses of women who declared themselves as willing to work on the land?

It has been arranged that canvassers appointed by the recognised local committees may have access to the names and addresses on the National Register of women who have stated that they are willing to undertake agricultural work.

asked the Lord Advocate if he will inform the House why eviction of agricultural tenants for inability to pay rents which their lands have not yielded in excess of subsistence, owing to the male members of their families being engaged in the War, is not prevented under the Defence of the Realm Act; how many such tenants in Scotland, the Duke of Sutherland now holds under process or threat of eviction; and whether he will be allowed to carry out all or any of those evictions while the War is in progress?

I am unable to see how such cases as are figured in the first part of the hon. Member's question are affected by the provisions of the Defence of the Realm Act. I am not aware of the existence of any such cases as are referred to in the second part of the question. With regard to the last part of the question, the matter is one for the decision of the Courts.

asked the Chief Secretary what sums of public money have been received by the several professors of the old Queen's University of Ireland who still hold office in the National University or in the Queen's University of Belfast since their first appointment?

I regret that I am not in a position to supply the hon. Member with the information for which he asks.

asked the Chief Secretary the number of principal national school teachers in Ireland who had their salaries reduced during 1915 owing to a temporary decline in the average of their schools, the number of assistant teachers who lost their positions for a similar cause, and the amount saved in consequence?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that the salaries of sixty-six principal teachers were reduced in the first instance from 1st January, 1915, owing to a falling-off in the attendance of pupils at their schools for the preceding calendar year, but of these eighteen subsequently had their original salaries restored from various dates in 1915 owing to the recovery of the required average for the calendar year ended 31st December, 1915. During the year 1915 salary was withdrawn from thirty-one assistant teachers and from twenty-two junior assistant mistresses owing to a decline in the attendance of pupils at their schools, but of these three assistants had their salaries restored at later dates in that year owing to recovery of the required average attendance at their schools. The net annual saving of expenditure caused by the reduction of the salaries of principal teachers and withdrawal of salary from assistant teachers and junior assistant mistresses in the year ended 31st December, 1915, was about £3,000.

also asked the Chief Secretary the number of principal national school teachers in Ireland who have been notified that their salaries will be reduced as from the 1st January, 1916, and the number of assistants who are about to lose their positions, owing to a slight decline in the average attendance of pupils, and whether, in view of the fact that recent Treasury concessions do not cover all cases of hardship arising from a temporary decline of school attendance, he will recommend that the new rules relating to averages should be so amended as to provide that no school shall suffer reduction of Grants during the War?

The Commissioners of National Education inform me that the number of principal teachers who have been notified of reduction of their salaries from 1st January, 1916, consequent upon a falling-off in the average attendance of pupils at their schools for the year ended 31st December, 1915, is seventy-five. It is not possible to form an estimate of the number of assistant teachers who may lose their positions during the current year owing to a decline in the attendance of pupils at their schools, as withdrawal or continuance of Grants in the case of assistants will be dependent upon the quarterly averages for the current year, and none of these averages are yet known. The suggestion in the last part of the hon. Member's question is not practicable, as a decline of attendance during the War is frequently attributable to causes other than the War.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners have received a resolution, proposed by Mr. Maguire and seconded by Mr. M'Hugh, demanding that the lands of Port estate, of Crookenden and Casey, county Cavan, be divided amongst the small holders in the district; and will he say if this matter is having the urgent attention of the Commissioners?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. When dealing with the property under the Irish Land Act, 1903; the Estates Commissioners endeavoured to acquire the tenant's interest in the holding with a view to enlarging other holdings on the property, but the tenant refused to sell. He was recently approached again by the Commissioners, but he demanded such a price as the Commissioners could not advance, having regard to the security afforded by the lands for the repayment of land purchase annuities. The Estates Commissioners further understand that the herd claims that on a sale thereof; portion of the farm is to revert to him under an arrangement made when the present tenant acquired the holding. The Commissioners have decided not to take any further action with a view to acquiring the lands for distribution.