asked if a commission in the Middlesex Regiment has recently been given to a Mr. Ralph Lackman; if so, has the gentleman changed his name from Rudolph Lackmann, whose parents are living in Heidelberg; has he a half-brother serving in the German Army; and why is he given a commission in preference to members of Officers' Training Corps, many of whom have recently been forced into the ranks?

It has not been possible to trace any man of the name mentioned as having received a commission in the Middlesex Regiment or in any other regiment. If, however, my hon. Friend has any information he can put at my disposal I shall, of course, be glad to institute further inquiry.

asked upon what basis it is proposed to pay for wool compulsorily acquired by the War Office; whether, in the case of merchants, it is proposed to fix a price below that at which the material was bought; and whether it is proposed to compensate small merchants who bought their stock before the compulsory order was issued?

The price to be paid for wool of the 1916 clip, purchased by the Army Council, will be fixed on the basis of the prices ruling in June and July, 1914, with the addition of 35 per cent. but wool bought, paid for and delivered before the 8th June, 1916, will be licensed for sale or purchased at the market prices ruling at the date of the Order.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he can make any statement as to the steps to be taken properly to equip the Volunteers without further delay; and whether he will consider the possibility of providing in the meantime discarded arms and equipment for the better training of the force; and (2) whether the Government have yet taken into consideration the proper equipment and enrolment of the Volunteer Force of the country; and whether he will consider the possibility, in view of the value of this organisation, of obviating appeals to the public and contributions by the men themselves for their outfit, equipment, and incidental expenses?

I will answer these two questions together, and must apologise for the unavoidable delay in furnishing an answer. Enrolment in the Volunteer Force is now proceeding in 229 battalions, whose services His Majesty has accepted; other offers are in course of submission. Full particulars regarding method of enrolment were issued in May, and my Noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State does not think anything further is required in this direction. As regards rifles, clothing, and personal equipment, the hon. Member will, of course, bear in mind the heavy responsibilities in this respect resting upon the Army Council in reference to the troops abroad and also to those training at home. In any public provision of rifles, clothing, and personal equipment which it may be possible to make—whether that provision should take the form of money or of issue in kind—it will be necessary to have regard to the suitability and availability for service of units. No hope can be held out that unlimited numbers will be equipped at the public expense, irrespective of the condition just stated.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he can give any information about Arthur Lawes, a conscientious objector, attached to No. 5 Eastern Command Company of the Non-Combatant Corps, at Newhaven; whether this man has been resisting orders; and, if so, whether he has yet been brought before a court-martial and, if so, with what result?

I would refer the hon. Member to the latter part of the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South Gloucestershire on the 20th July, to the effect. that all these cases are now dealt with on general lines—and reports on individual cases do not therefore come in to the War Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has any knowledge of recent purchases of coco-nut estates in several of our Crown Colonies by a newly-formed alien company in Norway; and has the Government taken any steps since war broke out to prevent enemy aliens, acting through neutral countries, from acquiring properties in the British Empire?

I have received privately certain representations as to the operations of such a company in regard to various parts of the Empire, but I have no information which throws light on those allegations. I am causing inquiries, to be made locally. Meanwhile, I may observe that legislation in His Majesty's Oversea Possessions generally for preventing dealings with enemy aliens has for the most, part closely followed the lines of similar legislation in the United Kingdom.

asked the Home Secretary how many Russian subjects have applied for naturalisation since 1st August, 1914; how many cases have been refused; whether he is aware that those who have been refused repudiate the alternative proposed to them to serve in the Army or be deported to Russia; and whether he will consider the granting of immediate naturalisation to all Russian or other allied subjects ready to fight in the British Army?

I regret that the figures asked for are not available. The answer to the third paragraph of the question is in the negative. The question of granting facilities for naturalisation to aliens of allied nationalities at some period after their enlistment in consideration of their service in His Majesty's Forces is now engaging my attention.

asked the Home Secretary whether any representations have been made to him concerning the necessity for the supervision or control of one Wilhelm Schmahl, now passing under the names of William Ratcliffe, or William Ratcliffe Small, or William Small, of Teddington; whether he is aware that this person is of German origin or birth and that he was originally a workman in the enemy firm or company known as the Armorduct Manufacturing Company, Limited, a company whose members are almost wholly alien enemies now fighting in the field against this country, and who now claims to be a small shareholder though it is believed he is only the nominee of the alien enemies referred to and here for the protection of their interests; whether he is aware that complaints have been made of this man frequenting coastal towns and visiting Woolwich Arsenal, of his motor journeys by night, and of his visit to St. Andrews, N.B., under the pretence of desiring to golf, as well as his endeavours to conceal his identity under his wife's maiden name of Ratcliffe though for twelve years after marriage and before the War he was content to be known by the German name of Schmahl, made frequent visits to Germany, and frequently associated with an Austrian alien enemy who has been heavily fined since the War for having without licence or authority guns, cars ammunition, and wireless on his premises; and what steps have or will be taken to keep the man under observation and supervision with a view to his internment?

My predecessor received certain communications in September and October last from a private correspondent with regard to the use of a motor car by the person in question. Inquiries were made, but no ground for any action against him was discovered. He is a naturalised British subject of German origin, and, according to the information in my possession, is managing director of the Amorduct Manufacturing Company. I have no knowledge of the other circumstances mentioned, or of the complaints alleged to have been made. If the hon. Member can submit to me further particulars with regard to these matters, I shall be glad to have them inquired into by the proper authorities.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can state, for the advantage of the public, what filament lamps are known to be of British manufacture; and will he give the trade name of those lamps which are known to be directly or indirectly produced by German capital?

I am afraid it would not be possible to give a complete list of British-made lamps, and the publication of an incomplete list might give rise to misunderstanding. Steps are being taken with a view to eliminating the German interest in the principal British registered companies which manufacture filament lamps, and in the circumstances I do not think it advisable to give the information asked for in the second part of the question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the business conducted by the Armorduct Manufacturing Company, Limited, whose works are in Birmingham and offices in London, up to and even since the commencement of the War was almost wholly German and that the persons constituting such company were almost entirely of German nationality; what is the reason why the Board has not made an Order under Section 1 of the Trading With the Enemy (Amendment) Act, 1916, to wind up such business; and, if it is in contemplation to transfer the shares and debentures held by enemies and enemy subjects to British subjects, will he give an assurance that none of such shares or debentures shall be transferred to one William Small, alias William Ratcliffe Small, whose proper name is Wilhelm Schmahl, and who is alleged to be a mere nominee of or dependent upon the former alien enemy owners, now fighting against us, and a purchaser for the purpose of retransfer to them after the War?

The case of the Armorduct Manufacturing Company, Limited, has been considered by the Advisory Committee, who recommended that, having regard to the character of the work which is being carried on by the company, it is inexpedient to wind up the business. The right to transfer the shares and debentures held by enemy subjects has been vested in the Public. Trustee. Arrangements are being made for the sale of these assets to British purchasers, of whom Mr. Small is one. The conditions of sale will be designed to preclude the resumption of German control after the War. Mr. Small is a naturalised German, but my information does not support the suggestion in the latter part of the hon. Member's question. I shall be glad to receive any evidence on which he bases it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet ascertained any information as to who was responsible for holding up a store full of beef at St. John's, Nova Scotia, from 6th February last, the date of slaughtering, until the end of June, the date of marketing?

My hon. Friend was good enough to forward me a ticket indicating that certain privately owned meat sold in June had been slaughtered in February. I cannot, however, obtain information as to the cause of the deten- tion of this meat in store without inquiry in Canada, which I think hardly necessary in the circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is taking any and, if so, what steps to allay the public anxiety caused by the disclosure that on a residential estate about twelve miles to the south of London a Japanese garden has been found to be constructed in concrete and masonry giving gun emplacements for five heavy guns and that such estate commands a main line of railway into London, and which property was until last week in the occupation of a so-called American citizen of German nationality with the rank of captain; if so, what steps are being taken to destroy the gun emplacements and deal with the person or persons responsible for their construction whether he is aware that at the same place there was a 80-horse-power motor car fitted with a 500-candle searchlight whether he is aware that at the sale on the 18th July such car was purchased by a firm with a German name; whether any steps are being taken in reference to such car and searchlight; and whether he is aware that last week there was a similar sale on another residential estate to the west of London with another similar Japanese garden with gun emplacements, also occupied by a person of German nationality?

My attention had not previously been drawn to this matter. I find on inquiry that there is no foundation whatever for the rumour respecting alleged gun emplacements on the estate south of London to which the hon. Member refers. The report appears to have originated from the fact that, in order to retain the water which filtered away through a sandy bottom, Messrs. Cheal, the well-known landscape gardeners, concreted the bottom of a small artificial lake. A motor car of the description indicated, which has lain dismantled for many months, was recently offered for sale by the owner of this estate, but it was not, in fact, sold. Nothing is known by the military authorities or the police of the west London estate referred to in the last part of the question.