asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether Private Aldred, 6,034, C Company, 9th Battalion Queen Victoria's Rifles, is now at Fovant Camp, Wilts; whether he has been tried by court-martial; if so, for what offence; whether he has been sentenced to punishment; where he is now; and whether he is aware that at the time of his arrest Private Aldred was not on the Military Register, having been entered as married under the Registration Act, 1915?

I cannot undertake to ask for progress reports about individual soldiers. As regards the last part of the question, I undertand that the question whether Aldred is married for the purposes of the Military Service Act has been the subject of a judicial decision, and upon this it would not, of course, be for me to comment.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he has, informed himself about Geoffrey Austin Lees, of Severn Bank Cottage, Hallen, Gloucestershire, who was, on 4th May, arrested as an absentee under the Military-Service Act, 1916, and taken that day to Horfield Barracks, Bristol; whether he is aware that his mother has inquired every day since at the barracks for information concerning him, and has been refused any tidings, and that she fears he may be no longer alive; whether he will say whether Austin is still alive; and, if so, where he now is; and whether he will be allowed to write to or receive letters from his mother?

I do not think what is stated in this question affords any primâ. facie ground for making inquiry. I can see no reason whatever why Austin should not be alive, and I know of nothing which should prevent him from communicating with his mother. My experience is that soldiers, especially those who have been guilty, are able to communicate freely with Members of this House, and I assume that they also communicate with their parents.

asked the Prime Minister at what age compulsory military service commences and terminates in the following countries: Germany, Austria, Turkey, France, Belgium, Russia, Italy, Japan, Serbia, Montenegro, and Great Britain?

The information is as follows:—

County. Military Service commences. Military Service terminates. Remarks. Germany 17th birthday 45th birthday Active military service does not commence before 20th birthday. Austria 18th birthday 42nd birthday Austrians are now being called up to the age of 55. Active military service commences from 1st January of year in which 21st birthday occurs. Turkey March 1st following 20th birthday 25 years subsequently — France Year following 19th birthday 28 years from 1st October of the year following that in which 19th birthday occurs — Belgium 18th birthday 33rd birthday in peace time Those between 18 and 25 in addition to those serving on the 1st March, 1915, must serve for the duration of the war. Russia October following the year in which 20th birthday has occurred 43rd birthday — Italy 20th birthday 39th birthday — Japan 17th birthday 39th birthday Not called up for actual service till 20 years of age, but may enlist between 17 and 20. Serbia 18th birthday 50th birthday — Montenegro 18th birthday 62nd birthday — Note. —No claim for discharge holds good in war time in the case of Germany, Russia, Austria and France even if the age limits specified for these countries have been reached. In war time Austrian and German conscripts are called on for active service at any time after their 17th birthday.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War why the separation allowance to Mrs. Lizzie Cahill, Castlebar, County Mayo, wife of Private J. Cahill, No. 2,939, Leinster Regiment, has been discontinued; and, as Mrs. Cahill and her two children are now destitute, will he take steps to have the allowance renewed?

Payment at the rate of 8s. 2d. per week is now being made, but inquiry in this case is being pursued, and the hon. Member will be informed of the result in due course.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War why an allotment of 3s. 6d. per week, made by Rifleman P. Melia, No. 7358, A Company, 6th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, 10th Division, 29th Infantry Brigade, now serving in Salonika, to his father, James Melia or

Malley, of Gowlane, Louisburgh, county Mayo, has not been paid to the latter since 2nd November, 1915; and will he take steps to have the arrears paid to him and payments made regularly in future?

Inquiry will be made, and the hon. Member informed of the result in due course.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what is the difference between the rate of pension granted to a private soldier who has been totally disabled by physical injury and that granted to one who has been discharged to an asylum on account of mental injury attributed to the War; and what is the scale of allowance to dependants in the two cases?

There is no difference in rates. The pension is granted to the man, not to his dependants. In the case of an insane pensioner, the amount available for the support of the family depends upon the amount claimed for the maintenance of the man.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he has received a resolution from the Limerick Rural District Council protesting against the prosecution and imprisonment of Michael Brennan as being without cause and inconsistent with the omission to prosecute the Ulster leader for arming and advising men to resist the law; whether he recognises that popular respect for law depends upon its impartial administration; and, if so, whether Michael Brennan will be released or the Ulster leader prosecuted?

The case against this man is sub judice, and therefore it is not possible to reply to the hon. Member at present.

also asked the average amount of the salary and expenses recently of Mr. George E. Draper in the service of the Congested Districts Board; and at what date the payments ceased?

As the hon. Member was informed in reply to his question of the 12th April, Mr. Draper, while engaged on military service is being paid by the Congested Districts Board the difference between his full civil pay and the amount of his Army pay, the former is at the rate of £260 per annum and the latter at the rate of 8s. 6d. a day.

next asked why the Congested Districts Board for Ireland made no provision against a week's stoppage of the fishing industry off the Aran Isles in the middle of the best season for that industry; why any necessary inspection of the steamer was not made either before or after the short fishing season; if this was impossible, why the sailing and motor boats idle in Galway Bay were not requisitioned during the time of inspection; why the cable, which is essential for the prompt marketing of the fish, is still kept inoperative; and why fishing, which is maintained as an essential industry in England, is being destroyed in Ireland in the interest of recruiting?

The position of the Congested Districts Board as regards the Galway Bay Steamer Service is that they make an annual grant in aid of the service, but they have no further liability. The Galway Steamer Company informed the Board of the arrangements proposed for the annual inspection of the "Dun Aengus" by the Board of Trade surveyor, and such arrangements were approved, as they appeared to provide as far as possible against loss or inconvenience. The date of the survey is believed to be fixed according to general rules of the Board of Trade. The Congested Districts Board do not now own any steamer or motor-boat, so that they could not lend such a vessel during the short time when the "Dun Aengus" would be under survey; nor have the Board any power to requisition vessels owned by other bodies or persons. The Congested Districts Board understand that the engagements of the Telegraph Cable steamer have made it impossible so far to repair the Galway and Aran Isles cable.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, whether a further reduction in the number or status of Irish prisons is contemplated; and, if so, what prisons are to be closed or reduced.

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, but it is not possible at present to reply to the second part.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he has received a letter, dated 23rd April, from Douglas Goldring stating the action which has been taken in regard to him under the Military Service Act, 1916; whether he has made inquiries into the allegations therein contained; if so, with what result; and what action he proposes to take.

Inquiry has been made, and I have no reason to think that the case was not properly heard and considered. Both the local and the Appeal Tribunal appear to have been well aware of their powers under the Act.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that farmers in Scotland are being forced to accept from merchants about £2 per ton less for their stocks of hay, which the Government does not require, even though they had provided the War Office with supplies earlier in the season; whether he is aware that payment has not yet been made for hay requisitioned during last autumn and winter; and whether he will take steps to secure a more equal and proportionate requisition of hay from farmers by utilising the services of the county agricultural committees, so that the district purchasing officers may secure the War Office requirements, and then permit the hay which is not so required to be sold by the farmers at market price?

In reply to the first part of the question, the entire stocks of hay in the country have been requisitioned by the Government, and any not actually required for Army purposes, after a farmer has retained what he requires for consumption on his own farm, can only be disposed of in accordance with the Regulations, which allow of the price of £6 10s. per ton being paid for the best clover hay in Scotland at the present time. In reply to the second part, no cases where payment has been so long delayed have been brought to my notice, but if my hon. Friend will send me particulars of those he has in mind, I will gladly have them looked into immediately. In reply to the third part of the question, I will bring the suggestion before the Forage Committee and the Forage Reference Committee for Scotland, so that they may consider it in making their recommendations to the War Office for dealing with the 1916 crop; they are already obtaining returns of probable stocks and civil requirements in connection with this crop.

asked what is the reason why the Index of Townlands in Ireland, prepared in connection with the Census of 1911, has not yet been published; and whether it is intended to publish it before the Census of 1921 is taken; and, if so, why there should be such delay in the matter?

The general Topographical Index of Ireland was not reprinted in connection with the Census of Ireland, 1911, but a supplement, embodying the changes which had taken place during the intercensal period 1901–1911 was completed on 25th February, 1913, and published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, Cd. 6756.

asked why the Congested Districts Board have deprived Michael Forde, of Moore Hall, Ballyglass, county Mayo, of a right to turbary which he enjoyed as tenant to G. A. Moore before the purchase of the estate by the Board and have left him without any turbary whatever?

The suggestion that the Congested Districts Board deprived Michael Forde of a right of turbary is not correct. The portion of the bog on which Michael Forde had obtained turbary was retained by the owner of the G. A. Moore estate. Forde cannot, therefore, get turbary on the bog where he previously cut turf, and up to the present the Board's inspector has been unable to provide a plot of turbary for him on the adjacent bog owing to the fact that other tenants on the estate claim to have been in exclusive possession of it before the Board purchased the property. Their alleged claims and reasonable requirements are under consideration at present, but the Board cannot say whether they will be able to give Forde any bog on this section of the estate.