asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if in his efforts to raise money for carrying on the War he will consider the following possible sources: The unclaimed moneys lying on deposit receipts, open accounts or otherwise in the private, public, and savings banks in Great Britain and Ireland, with interest accrued thereon to the 31st December last, the unclaimed shares of the said banks, of railway, insurance, and other public and private companies in Great Britain and Ireland to the same date, the unclaimed dividends due on the said shares, and the unclaimed dividends due to creditors on bankrupt and other estates lodged with the Accountant of Court and other public officials in Scotland, and public officials in England, Wales, and Ireland?

In the task of financing the War I would not willingly overlook any possible sources of revenue, but inquiries made from time to time by the Treasury have shown that the amount which would be forthcoming from the sources enumerated in the question, in so far as they are not already under Government control or already utilised to the public advantage, is not likely to be substantial. I may refer to my answer of the 28th June last to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for South Donegal.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is now prepared to give a return of the sugar of the 1915 crop purchased by the Royal Commission on Sugar, with the dates of the contracts and other material particulars?

The purchases and sales by the Royal Commission on the Sugar Supply up to the 31st December, 1915, were as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can state the total value of pneumatic motor tyres imported from America into this country per month since his last Budget?

The answer is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that last November Sir William Vestey and his brother sailed to the United States with the avowed intention of transferring to America such portions of the business of the Union Cold Storage Company as were not transacted in these Islands, the object being to evade special war taxation; whether he can state if these gentlemen have pursued their purpose and established such an office; and, if so, what steps does he propose to take to combat a policy of this description?

The Excess Profits Duty applies to businesses carried on in the United Kingdom or owned or carried on in any other place by persons ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom. In the case of a business carried on abroad by a person resident abroad I am unable to see how a British tax could effectively be imposed.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will state the value on the money markets of New York, Amsterdam, and Zurich of the unit of exchange from Germany, Austria, Russia, France, Italy, and Great Britain; and what is the normal or par rate of exchange in each case, and the figures showing the value of the currency of each country at the end of 1914, at the middle and end of 1915, and at the present time?

The following table shows the sight rates in New York, Amsterdam, and Switzerland on 31st December, 1914, 1st July and 31st December, 1915, and 9th March, 1916:—

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state how many men of the Royal Naval Air Service Anti-Aircraft Corps have been put on the Unpaid Reserve since 31st December, 1915?

Nine. The Unpaid Reserve was abolished on 1st March, 1916.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether men not belonging to Derby groups who have been called up for service on the 23rd March under the Military Service Act, 1916, are prohibited from enlisting into any unit before that date?

These men can come forward for immediate service with the Colours at any time if they so desire.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he will inquire into the case of David Ernest Boorman, of 9, Jope Road, Tonbridge, who attested and was medically examined at Maidstone on 22nd January and was informed by card that he was medically unfit for any military service; and whether he is aware that Boorman has this month been ordered to go to Grove Park for motor transport driving, in spite of his exemption and the fact that his eyesight is so bad that he could not possibly drive without danger to the public and himself?

I was not, of course, aware of the facts mentioned in the first part of the question. The point mentioned in the latter part of the question is one which Boorman can lay before his commanding officer. If his eyesight is really so bad as stated, he would appear to be unfit for motor transport driving. The military authorities are being informed and told to take such action as may be necessary.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether military representatives (civilian) attached to tribunals receive payment and expenses; and, if so, what is the scale?

Civilian military representatives are honorary workers and receive no emoluments except travelling allowances in cases where travelling is required. The scale of payment is 15s. when absence from home overnight is involved, and 3s. 6d. or 5s. a day when they are absent from home over seven hours or ten hours in a day, respectively.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what pay and allowances, if any, are received by the military representatives attending the tribunals which have been established to deal with appeals from military service, etc.?

The military representatives, if serving officers, receive the pay and allowances of their rank. For the case of civilian military representatives, I would refer to the oral answer given today to my hon. Friend the Member for Merionethshire.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether a man who has attested voluntarily and who holds a certificate of rejection on medical grounds is entitled to the same exception from military service which Section 6 of I the First Schedule of the Military Service Act, 1916, gives to a man enlisted under that Act?

A man voluntarily attested who, on being called up in his group, is not found fit for any service by the Medical Board is not accepted.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether it is obligatory on the military authorities to put into the reserve for Home defence a man attested under Lord Derby's scheme, when his examining doctor has endorsed the medical history of the recruit with the words Home defence?

Service at home may be either Field Service or Garrison Service. In the case of a man whose medical history sheet had on the primary examination been marked in the sense mentioned it would be for the medical board to say when the man was called up in his group how he should be classified.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether exemption from military duty will be granted to married men who are in the later groups and who have, since the outbreak of War, acted continuously as special constables in the Metropolitan area or other districts?

No, Sir, the fact that men have acted as special constables would not constitute a ground for exemption from military service. The decision as to whether married men in later groups will receive exemption can only be decided by the local tribunal.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that George Frederick Evans, single, aged twenty-six, who, with the assent of his employers, the Lea Bridge Gas Company, attested under Lord Derby's scheme on 8th December, 1915, and was placed in Group 9, which was called up early in February, 1916, on presenting himself at the recruiting office, the Town Hall, Walthamstow, was informed that he was not required, on the ground that he was on the starred list; and whether he will take steps to see that starred men who are willing to serve and not indispensable should be accepted for the Army?

The instructions issued to recruiting officers are that they should note carefully and carry out fully the protection given to certain occupations by the fact that they have been "starred." A starred man who is willing to enlist and is not regarded as indispensable by his employer can be taken for the Army provided that the conditions laid down by the Departments concerned are complied with.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether soldiers and recruits incapacitated for military service, and in some cases for their civil careers, by sickness arising from vaccination carried out under military discipline, are still denied pensions on the ground that their incapacity did not arise in active service; and, if the re-consideration promised to their claims has resulted favourably, what pensions they are to receive, and when?

No, Sir; I am not aware of any such denial. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind, perhaps he will communicate the particulars to me.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the growing shortage and costliness of paper, and of the space occupied in merchant vessels of raw materials for paper, that might otherwise be occupied by food and munitions, and seeing that on an average not more than half of the surface of the large sheets of paper used uniformly throughout the service for official communications is actually used for written or printed matter, and that many tons of such paper are employed for this purpose every week, steps will be taken during the remaining period of the War to direct or authorise the use in every command, as well as in the War Office, of sheets of paper not exceeding in superficial measurement two-thirds of that now in use, on the analogy of the recent reduction in size of printed War Office circular letters and Army Council instructions?

Instructions have already been issued in regard to economy in the use of paper, and an instruction to the commands on the specific point mentioned and on other kindred points is already in preparation. I am not sure that the hon. and gallant Member is correct in suggesting that many tons of paper are unnecessarily employed every week.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if his attention has been called to the mortality among Army horses at the training camps in this country; can he give figures showing the number of such horses that have died from disease and exposure since the beginning of the War; and will he say what instructions, if any, have been issued for the better care of these animals prior to their being sent abroad for service in the different theatres of the War?

There is no undue mortality among Army horses in training camps in this country, and very few, if any, deaths can be directly attributed to exposure. The number of horses which have died of disease in training camps in this country and in veterinary hospitals on admittance from training camps since the beginning of the War amounts approximately to 8,000 animals. So thorough have been the arrangements, and so carefully considered the instructions issued, that at the present time the mortality of horses in training camps in this country exceeds that of Army horses in time of peace by only 2 per cent. per annum.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will consider the desirability of the issue of some mark of distinction, such as a ribbon, to soldiers who have been wounded and who have returned to the fighting lines?

For many reasons this-proposal is, I fear, not feasible.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether there is any objection to sending British prisoners in Germany food contained in tins on the score that the tins themselves may be of use to the Germans; whether the number of parcels a prisoner in Germany may receive from relatives and friends in this country is limited or unlimited; and, if the former, to what number?

There is no objection to the use of tins. The number of parcels is, so far as I am aware, not subject to any limit.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether every facility is afforded members of the Army Service Corps and other non-combatant corps to transfer into Line regiments; and whether he can see his way to provide special facilities for members of these corps securing commissions in Line regiments?

Individual cases in which transfer from the Army Service Corps to Line regiments may be desired are dealt with on their merits. The work of the Army Service Corps requires special training, and the work of Infantry regiments also requires special training. Any wholesale transfers, therefore, such as my hon. Friend apparently has in mind, would involve the loss to the Army of the services of the men transferred during the period they were learning the new duties other than those for which they have been specially trained.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if, in order to relieve the necessity of calling upon married men to serve in Line regiments, he can see his way to consider the advisability of gradually, and without prejudice to the efficiency of the forces, transferring unmarried members of the non-combatant forces to Line regiments?

The duties of what my hon. Friend calls the non-combatant force require special training, and it is not clear that a sufficient number of skilled men to take the place of the unmarried skilled men in the Royal Army Medical Corps, Army Service Corps, Army Ordnance Corps, etc., can be found in Line regiments. I would also remind my hon. Friend that men have been allowed, as far as possible, to select their own units. Transfers could not, I think, be made without great dislocation of the work of the units from which transfers are made.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he has any data which would enable him to form an estimate, however rough, of the average increase in height, chest measurement, and weight of the recruits to the New Armies since the War began?

I regret that I have no data which will enable me to give an estimate.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will state how many cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis have occurred in the motor machine-gun section camp at Bisley during each of the last three weeks; and if he will say what steps are being taken to deal with the outbreak and, in particular, for the protection of men who have been sleeping in the same hut with men who have developed the disease?

During the whole period mentioned in the first part of the question there has been one case. I stated, in reply to the hon. Member for Wigan, the measures taken to prevent the spread of this disease in places where cases have occurred.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War what is the number of officers and men actually serving on the different fronts from the Dominions of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, respectively, since the beginning of the War?

I appreciate my hon. Friend's desire to obtain this interesting information, but it is not, I think, desirable to supply it. I would refer him to an answer given to the hon. Member for the Hanley Division by the Secretary of State for the Colonies on the 10th January.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the searchlights at the anti-aircraft stations in London are fully-manned both by day and by night; whether there is any probability of the searchlights being required by day; and whether a guard would be sufficient for all purposes in the daytime?

I think this matter must be left entirely within the discretion of the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief, Home Forces. It is not a matter on which public statements can be made.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether a request for an increase of wages has been received from the women employed as tent repairers at the Gun Wharf, Portsmouth; whether the question was referred to the Board of Trade and, if so, has any decision been received from them; and can he say when the women concerned are likely to receive an answer to their request?

I have consulted the Board of Trade in this case, and an announcement, which I hope may be considered satisfactory, will be made immediately.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, in view of future expenditure on the Volunteer service movement, he will say under what Vote in the Army Estimates this matter will come up for discussion?

I should think that the matter could be raised on Vote 7.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether a bounty of £15 has been given to time-expired men re-enlisting on and after 20th February last; and, if so, by or in pursuance of what regulation or order; what sum, if any, was payable to a time-expired man re-enlisting in the month of January last for the duration of the War; will he explain why the prompt re-enlistment of a man should be penalised in favour of the man who refrains from re-enlisting until a bonus is offered; and will he favourably consider the case of the former?

No bonus is given to men re-enlisting; but men re-engaging as from 20th February receive a bonus of £15 under Army Order 86 of 1916. Such inducements to remain in the ranks are found necessary from time to time and are never made retrospective.

asked the Minister of Munitions what steps have been taken to utilise the services of those men and women who declared themselves in the National Register as willing to do munitions work; and what number has been obtained in this manner?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. Use has been made of the National Register in order to send an invitation to enrol as war munitions volunteers to all workmen registered in certain skilled occupations specially needed for munitions work and not already employed on war work or on other work essential in the public interest. Over 3,000 men are known to have been enrolled in this way, and probably the actual number is considerably greater. The supply of women willing to undertake munitions work has hitherto been equal to the demand, and it has not so far proved necessary to utilise the National Register in this connection.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether he is aware that men employed in Woolwich Arsenal and holding badges and certificates have been told by their foremen that they had to join the Colours when their groups were called up; whether the foremen had authority to order men engaged on necessary national work to join the Army; and whether he will take steps to secure that men engaged on munitions and holding badges shall not be enlisted except after consideration by the proper authorities?

The existing arrangements at Woolwich Arsenal prevent any man from being released for military service unless representatives of the Ministry of Munitions duly authorised for that purpose have considered his case and decided that he is more urgently needed in the Army than for munitions work. In no case is the decision left to a foreman.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether he will take steps to have the term meal described in the Regulations of the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic); whether he is aware that many publicans serving dinners permit the consumption of liquor up to 3 p.m. or 10 p.m. at night, where ordered and paid for before 2.30 and 9.30, respectively, to persons paying 1s. or 2s. for a meal, but refuse the same privilege to working men who take their meals with them to their work and purchase a pint or half a pint of beer for consumption with the meal; that the same distinction is frequently drawn between regular diners and persons consuming a dinner consisting of a crust of bread and cheese or a sandwich; and that these class distinctions create bitterness and lead to altercation; and whether, to facilitate the smooth working of the Orders, he will advise the Board to give the term so clear a definition that the public shall understand their rights in the matter?

I was not aware that the absence from the Control Board's Orders of a definition of the term "meal" had caused any difficulty, or that any class distinctions had been or could be drawn in this matter. If my hon. Friend will draw my attention to any particular case I will cause inquiries to be made.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the Baluchistan frontier of India has been free from serious disturbances since the present War begun; and whether the Khan of Khelat and the Jam of Las Beyla have equipped and sent a camel transport corps for service in Mesopotamia?

The Baluchistan frontier of British India has been remarkably free from organised crime and disturbance during the War, and the conduct of the tribes has been generally good. The Khan and Sirdars of Kelat and the Jam of Las Beyla raised and equipped a corps of 2,000 camels, a detachment of which served in Mesopotamia, and the loyal co- operation of these Chiefs and Sirdars has been greatly appreciated by His Majesty's Government.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that a precept from the Metropolitan Water Board has been received by the Southgate District Council showing an increase of over £400 on the precept for the preceding year; whether he can give any reason for this increase; and whether he is aware of the economy that could be effected if the local authorities were allowed to collect the whole of the water rate?

I am aware of the increase referred to, but I may observe that the amount of the precept for the preceding year was abnormally low, owing to special reasons. With regard to the last part of the question, I find that this proposal has been considered by the Metropolitan Water Board, and that, on the 7th February, 1913, they passed the following resolug resolution:—"That, in the opinion of the Board, it would be impracticable to collect the water charges with the local rates so long as those charges are made upon the water consumers only and not levied as a public rate upon the ratepayers at large."

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can arrange that a greater quantity of food-stuffs can be carried by commandeered vessels at lower freights than those now charged from corn-exporting countries to Great Britain and Ireland; and, with the view of meeting the consumers' wishes, the Government will immediately take further measures to facilitate and cheapen the transit of food materials?

The Requisition (Carriage of Food-stuffs) Committee has power—which it has exercised—to requisition steamers for the carriage of wheat and wheat flour, and every step which can usefully be taken to ensure adequate supplies at reasonable rates is being and will be taken.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, with a view to secure more tonnage space, he will extend the Proclamation of the 15th February so as to include oak in the list of woods which may not be imported?

Proposals for a considerable extension of the list of prohibited imports are now under consideration and in this connection I will bear the hon. Gentleman's suggestion in mind.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what were the total imports from all countries of cotton and cotton yarns into Holland, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway for the six months ending 31st December, 1915, and for the corresponding six months of 1913?

The following statement gives the information desired by the hon. Gentleman so far as available:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received a report that in some districts tradesmen are refusing to supply foodstuffs to subordinate officers of the Labour Exchanges and Unemployment Insurance Department on the ground of the officers inability to pay for the goods; and, if so, whether he will consider the advisability of increasing the scale of remuneration paid to these officers?

Certain cases of hardship arising among the clerical staff of the Labour Exchanges and Unemployment Insurance Department as a result of the increased cost of living have been brought to the attention of the Department, and have been submitted to the Treasury for consideration in connection with the question of the special grant to this staff.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in February of last year, the clerical staff of the Labour Exchanges and Unemployment Insurance Department applied for a war bonus to meet the increased cost of living; whether the decision of the Government, was delayed for twelve months; and whether he can state when an answer will be given to the further representations made?

No decision could be reached on the original application for in creased remuneration made by the clerical staff of the Labour Exchanges and Unemployment Insurance Department of the Board of Trade, pending the result of the arbitration on the question of a war bonus for members of the Post Office staff. Some further delay was caused whilst the general question of war bonus for Government clerks was being considered by the Retrenchment Committee, and subsequently while the special case of the Labour Exchanges staff was being dealt with by the Treasury. The matter has again been referred to the Treasury and further negotiations are now in progress; these will, I hope, be concluded shortly.

asked the Postmaster-General whether it is proposed for the sake of economy to close the post office at Compton Chamberlayne, in the County of Wilts, which has been in existence and largely used for every description of postal service since 1851; and, if so, whether, seeing that the estimated saving will not exceed £20 a year, that the office is frequently full of people despatching parcels, purchasing postage and insurance stamps, and receiving separation allowances, and that, if it is closed, women and girls from this village and neighbourhood will have, in future, to go to a post office in one of the military camps some distance away along a road frequented by and sometimes crowded with soldiers, he will reconsider the decision to close this post office?

The sub-postmaster of Compton Chamberlayne resigned his appointment in consequence of inability to pay the increased rent demanded by his landlord. It is now the practice, on the occurrence of a vacancy at a small office of this kind, to make no new appointment if the business done is small, and there are reasonable facilities elsewhere for the persons who used the office. These conditions are fulfilled in the case of Compton Chamberlayne, and arrangements have therefore been made for the office to be closed. The neighbouring camp post offices are on the high road, which I am assured is quite suitable for women and girls to use.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that great delay still exists in the delivery of letters to the troops in Egypt: and whether he will take steps to improve the service?

So far as I am aware there is no undue delay in effecting delivery of correspondence to the troops in Egypt. Correspondence is despatched from this country regularly and by all available routes. Unavoidable delay may, of course, occur in individual cases, when the addressee's unit has been moved or he has been detached from the unit to which his correspondence has been addressed.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the shortage of labour in agricultural and other necessary industries, his attention has been drawn to the fact that at West Hoathly, Sussex, a Government contractor, who recently bought a house there, has caused it to be known in the neighbourhood that he requires fifty to one hundred men for the purpose of making new pleasure grounds, and other constructional work in connection with his house, and is offering a rate of pay which is upwards of 60 per cent. in excess of that paid in the district, with the result that the farms in the neighbourhood are being denuded of labourers; and whether, in the public interest, he will consider the advisability of taking steps to postpone the execution of these improvements until after the expiration of the War?

The Board had not previously been made aware of the case referred to by my hon. Friend. They will at once inquire into it, and take such steps as appear to them to be advisable in the matter.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether the declaration of the President of the Board of Agriculture, that it has been and still is the policy of the Government to prevent a single acre of land going out of cultivation, applies to Ireland as to England; if so, what steps the Department has taken to ascertain the extent to which land in Ireland ploughed for the first time last year is now being laid down in grass again owing to the scarcity or entire absence of labour; what was the gross expenditure by the Department on the advisory campaign for increasing tillage in Ireland; and what measures, if any, the Department has taken to maintain sufficient labourers to make the practice of it advice possible?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The Department have not made special inquiries as to whether land ploughed for the first time last year is being laid down to grass again, but they have no reason to suppose that there is any general tendency to decrease the area under tillage this year. Reports indicate that there is a good prospect of an increase in the area under tillage. The special expenditure by the Department on their advisory campaign last year for increased tillage for food production during the War was £250. In Ireland, as elsewhere, the question of the maintenance of the supply of agricultural labour is an important one, and is so recognised by the Department. Farmers have been asked to do the most they can with the labour available.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether it is the practice of the Congested Districts Board to recognise the right of herds to a holding on an estate where the herd has been employed as such at the time of taking over an estate; and will he explain why an exception was made in the case of the herd on the Wakely Estate, Whitegate, county Galway?

The Congested Districts Board are not bound to provide herds with holdings, but it is their practice to consider each case on its merits, and, where a herd is eligible and suitable for a holding, to endeavour to provide him with one on the farm on which he was herding and residing, provided the land is not urgently required for the relief of local congestion. The Board do not propose to provide a holding for any herd on the Wakely estate, as in that case only a small area of arable land was sold to the Board.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the estate of Wakely's, Whitegate, county Galway, was registered as a congested district previous to the Act of 1909; is he aware that the holdings are still congested holdings notwithstanding the operations on the estate by the Congested Districts Board; has the memorial recently forwarded to the Congested Districts Board by the congested tenants on this estate received the attention of the Board; and, if so, what action is proposed to be taken to relieve congestion in this district?

The estate referred to is not in the county Galway, but in the county Clare. A portion is situate in the electoral division of Mount Shannon, which was scheduled as a congested district prior to the passing of the Irish Land Act, 1909. The Congested Districts Board are aware that notwithstanding their operations there are and will be many congested holdings on this estate. They have received the memorial referred to and they will distribute all the untenanted land which they have on the estate among the tenants on the estate. They have no other untenanted land in the neighbourhood.

asked the Chief Secretary in what year did the Congested Districts Board take over from the Estates Commissioners the congested estate of Wakely's, Whitegate, county Galway; did the Board investigate the condition of congestion that existed on the estate; did the Board take any steps to acquire compulsorily sufficient land on the estate to make the holdings of the small tenants, economic; what is the valuation of each holding on the estate; what quantity of arable land do the Congested Districts. Board propose to allot to each tenant; and how many of the congests were passed over without anything being 'done for them?

The Congested Districts Board took over proceedings for the purchase of the Wakely estate from the Estates-Commissioners in 1914. They investigated the condition of congestion that existed on the estate before they purchased it. At that time the average valuation of the holdings was over £10, but there were fifty holdings of which the valuation was under £7 each. The Board acquired 104 acres of arable land and 1,504 acres of mountain and rough grazing for the purpose of the enlargement of the uneconomic holdings, but no compulsory proceedings were taken in connection with the estate. The Board have arranged for the purchase of a portion of a farm on the property which will also be used for the enlargement of uneconomic holdings. They have allotted about 93 acres of land already acquired to eighteen of the tenants on the estate, the area of the parcels varying from 3½ acres to 8 acres, of an estimated annual value varying from; £1 13s. 6d. to £3 15s. 4d.; there will remain on hand about 40 acres of arable land, which will be distributed, and also 1,504 acres of mountain land, over which the tenants will get permanent grazing rights. In the absence of more untenanted land to distribute the Board cannot further enlarge congested holdings on the estate.

asked the Chief Secretary what quantity of the Wakely estate, Whitegate, county Galway, was repurchased by the landlord as demesne land; is he aware that some of this land was recently offered to the local district council as plots for labourers' cottages; that parts of it are let for grazing and con-acre; and, having regard to the urgency of providing land for the small occupiers who happen to be tenants on this property, whether he will represent to the Congested Districts Board the desirability of applying the compulsory Clauses of the Act of 1909 to this grazing demesne so as to utilise it for the public benefit?

No land was sold and repurchased on the estate referred to. I have no information as to whether any land was offered to the local district council as sites for labourers' cottages, but am informed that parts of it are let in grazing and con-acre. The Congested Districts Board have no power to acquire demesne lands under the compulsory Clauses of the Irish Land Act, 1909.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction felt by the tenants on the Wakely estate, Whitegate, county Galway, as a result of the land purchase scheme recently carried out by the Congested Districts Board on this estate; is he aware that the congests, fourteen in number, were obliged to sign agreements to purchase their plots in 1907 at twenty-two and a half years' purchase; is he aware that the inducement offered to sign was that their holdings would be made economic; and will he explain why the Congested Districts Board only acquired 66 statute acres of arable land on the estate, while the landlord still retains over 300 acres, which he rents for con-acre and grazing?

The Congested Districts Board have received communications from the tenants expressing their dissatisfaction with the arrangements made by the Board regarding the Wakely estate. The Board agreed, at the request of the Estates Commissioners, to have the proceedings for sale of this estate, as determined by the Commissioners and at the price agreed to by them and the vendor, transferred to the Board for completion of purchase. Any agreement to purchase entered into between the tenants and the vendor in 1907 became inoperative on the purchase of the estate by the Board. The unaltered holdings will be sold to the tenants at the prices placed upon them by the Estates Commissioners in their valuation of the estate. The Board acquired 104 acres of arable land and 1,504 acres of mountain and rough grazing. The land retained by the vendor is demesne land and home farms, which the Board have no power to acquire compulsorily.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that a petition on behalf of forty-two uneconomic tenants on the Eyre estate, county Galway, whose valuations are from 17s. to £6, setting out their claims for enlargement to their holdings, has been forwarded to the Congested Districts Board for consideration at their meeting on the 14th instant; if so, will he state the decision of the Board in reference thereto; and whether, in the interest of the peace of the district, the Board's officials, when this farm on the William Stannus Estate is being divided, will give a preference to local congests instead of importing migrants from other parts of the county?

The memorial referred to was received and considered by the Congested Districts Board at their meeting on the 14th instant, together with a report to the effect that work in connection with the proposed distribution of the land had been suspended on Connollys Farm, on the Stannus Estate, owing to the intimidation of the workmen engaged thereon. The Board's inspector had entered into agreements with four tenants on the Dering Estate, about three miles distant, to migrate them to holdings on this farm, and the Board have no intention of altering this arrangement.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the three planters, Messrs. Elliott, Nesbitt, and Clarke, on the Clanricarde Estate, County Galway, who have refused to accept the compensation offered them by the Congested Districts Board, will be proceeded against forthwith for possession of their holdings?

The Congested Districts Board have entered into agreements with Mr. James Elliott and Mr. Joseph Elliott for the purchase of the tenancy interest in their holdings on the Clanricarde Estate. Negotiations with the two other persons referred to in the question are still pending.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board has taken steps to recover possession of three farms on the Clanricarde estate, county Galway, and which are at present in the occupation of three planters, namely, Mrs. J. Horseman, Fearemore, Eyrecourt; Mr. Edward Horseman, Meelick, Eyrecourt; and the representatives of G. B. Drury, Ballynew, Portumna; and, if not, will he state what reason the Board had in omitting the above named from the list of planters who have already been dealt with on this property?

The Congested Districts Board have not taken any steps to obtain possession of the holding which Mrs. J. Horseman occupies as a judicial tenant, and they have not arranged for the purchase of the other holdings mentioned in the hon. Member's question, but negotiations are in progress. These are not cases in which the Board have been in a position to exercise any compulsory powers.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board has taken steps to acquire all the non-resident holdings on the Clanricarde Estate, county Galway; if so, will he give the names or the graziers in the undermentioned parishes, namely, Portumna, Killimore, Kilquain, Meelick, Eyrecourt, Laurencetown, and Clontuskert who have been served with notices to quit, and those who have agreed to accept compensation and those who have not; and if the Board has not commenced proceedings to have the Act put into operation on this property, will he state the reason why?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the negative, and the second part accordingly does not arise. The public discussion while negotiations are pending of the operations which the Congested Districts Board are conducting with the discretionary powers conferred on them by Statute, would not be conducive to a settlement with the parties interested, and I would ask the hon. Member to rely on those powers being exercised to the best of the Board's ability.