asked whether, in connection with the granting of a war bonus to Civil servants, the case of the messengers and porters in Government offices has been considered; and whether some concession can be given to these men who are on a low-wage scale?

I agree that the same considerations apply to the case of messengers and porters as to the lower-paid clerical classes of the Civil Service.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that there are survivors from the battleship "Irresistible" still serving in the Mediterranean; and, in view of the fact that the ship was lost sixteen months ago, whether the exigencies of the Service will permit these men to visit their families at an early date?

I am afraid that I cannot add anything to the answers already given. Leave must depend upon the exigencies of the Service. The process of relieving men as circumstances permit is still proceeding.

asked the Secretary of State for War why no pension has been granted to Mrs. Mary Breen, of Maryborough, Queen's County, in respect of the death of her son, Private James Breen, No. 8373, Leinster Regiment, from wounds received in action; and whether the Chelsea Commissioners are considering this case?

Inquiries are being made into this case.

asked the Secretary of State for War, if he is now taking in hand on any concerted and remodelled system the question of the substitution of men of military age by men too old for military service or who have not passed the Army doctors?

Yes, Sir; instructions have been issued to recruiting officers and military representatives to develop local schemes of substitution. This method is considered likely to lead to better results than a scheme worked centrally, which could not take adequate account of the numerous local variations and conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has received any complaints of the effect on the enrolment of men of the methods of the Civil Liabilities Committee; whether, dissatisfied with the financial allowances many men are receiving, tribunals are postponing the cases of men who appeal for a very considerable period; and whether, in the interests of his Department, he will investigate the matter and remedy the causes of complaint?

Yes, Sir, some reports have been received to the effect stated in the first two parts of the question. Steps have been taken to investigate the matter, and when completed the Local Government Board, which is responsible for this Committee, will be consulted if any alteration in procedure is considered necessary.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he will inquire into the complaint of Mr. A. Leach, an applicant for exemption from the Military Service Act before the Bootle Tribunal, the complaint being that the chairman refused a proper hearing of the case, that the appeal was summarily dismissed without consideration, that the other members of the tribunal did not see the answers to the questions given by the applicant, that the clerk to the tribunal told Mr. Leach that his case was not read to the tribunal because public men cannot spare time to sift these cases or they would not get through six a night; and if he will order the tribunal to properly rehear the case?

I have made inquiries the result of which puts a different complexion on the case. I am informed that two applications were made, one by the employers on business grounds, the other by the man on conscientious grounds; that from fifteen to twenty minutes were given to the hearing of the application; that a long statement by the man on his personal application was read to the tribunal, with the exception of the last two paragraphs, the gist of which was conveyed to them; that the man was then asked by the clerk and the chairman whether he had anything further to add and replied in the negative. The clerk states that the part of the question which relates to himself is absolutely untrue.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he is aware that on Thursday, 20th July, in the hearing of the appeal of a conscientious objector, Mr. H. R. Cudbird, the assistant military representative, a person named Longcroft stated, and the chairman decided, that the tribunal had no power to grant more than exemption from combatant service; whether, in view of this violation of the Military Service Act, 1916, and of his own repeated assurances, he will direct the tribunal to rehear this case; and whether, to prevent the frequent miscarriages of justice due either to the ignorance or to the wilful misunderstanding of this part of the Act, he will have Longcroft dismissed, and issue a warning to all other military representatives that future misrepresentations of the kind will result in the dismissal of those guilty of it.?

I am in communication with the local tribunal regarding this case.

asked the Secretary of State for War, whether his attention has been directed to the slowness in the rate of promotion of junior officers of the Royal Engineers as compared with the rates in other branches of the Army; whether about forty-five field companies are commanded by Regular captains and twenty by temporary officers with the rank of major; whether the senior Royal Engineer captain has now seventeen years' service and 102 Royal Engineer captains have fifteen years' service; and whether he will endeavour to effect some acceleration in the rate of promotion?

Yes, Sir, this matter has been receiving consideration, and a proposal for effecting some acceleration is being examined.

asked the Secretary of State for War why D.A. 17,150, J. H. Metchette has not been released from the Army, in view of the special recommendations made for his release as far back as March last by the Ministry of Munitions; and if he is aware that this man's services are required by his former employers, Messrs. Russell Brothers, timber merchants, Portarlington, Queen's County, to enable them to carry out the work they have in hand for the Government and that it is impossible for Messrs. Russell Brothers to find a man capable of performing Metchette's particular duties?

The application for this man's release was put forward by the Ministry of Munitions on the 5th of April, and not in March, as stated in the question. It was not convenient to release the man at that time, and the Ministry of Munitions was requested to investigate the case fully. On receipt of their recommendation in the latter part of June an application for release was forwarded to the Commander-in-Chief in France for his recommendation, but no reply has yet been received. This will no doubt arrive shortly, but it is not proposed in existing circumstances to ask the Commander-in-Chief to accelerate the reply.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total quantity of Australian and New Zealand beef and mutton which has passed through his Department's hands and which has been condemned by the inspectors from 1st May, 1915, to 30th June, 1916?

I am not able to say exactly how much Australian and New Zealand meat has been condemned, but it is an extremely small proportion of the total quantity purchased by the Board of Trade.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, with reference to the demand of the Post Office employés for an advance in wages to meet the extra cost of living entailed by the War, he will state whether there is any difference as between London and Dublin in the wages paid to the various grades of Post Office employés; if so, what these differences are; whether he will also state if there are a number of senior positions in the Dublin Post Office vacant; if similar places in Great Britain have been filled up as a matter of course, and what is the reason why the Dublin vacancies have not been filled up; what action, if any, he proposes to take in this matter ,. and whether, in view of the grievances of which the Dublin Post Office employés already complain, he will consider the advisability of receiving a deputation from their accredited representatives?

The level of wages paid to Post Office employés generally in the provinces, including Dublin, is lower than in London. For details of particular classes I would refer the hon. Member to the Estimates, in which the different scales are published. In answer to the hon. Member's question of the 7th March last I furnished particulars of the vacancies on supervising grades at Dublin and certain other large towns and the number which had been filled. Since then I have authorised promotion at Dublin and elsewhere. At the present time it is necessary to consider, as each vacancy arises, whether the state of the work requires it to be filled, and Dublin is not being treated exceptionally in this respect. I do not think that any good purpose would be served by my receiving a deputation from the Dublin staff.

asked the Secretary for Scotland, if German prisoners at Stobs are employed making boxes, photograph-frames, and other articles which are sold outside for their benefit?

Prisoners of war are allowed to make such thing3 in their spare time, and to benefit by any sale they may be able to effect. Any expense to which the State may be put in connection with such work is debited to the prisoner.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is prepared to accept the German Government's offer to exchange the 4,000 British prisoners at Ruhleben for the 24,000 German prisoners now in this country, seeing that we should get our own illtreated fellow countrymen back and have 24,000 less Germans to feed?

I would refer to the last paragraph of my answer on the 13th instant to a question on this subject by the hon. Member for Croydon, in which the present policy of the Government with regard to repatriation, or internment in a neutral country, of British and German civilian prisoners was outlined.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in conjunction with our Allies, he will announce for the information of Turkey, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Austria that in no circumstances will peace conditions be discussed or concluded with Germany on their behalf, but that each of the enemy Powers will be dealt with separately?

I am much obliged to the hon. Member for his suggestion, but he will no doubt see that it is impossible for me to express any opinion upon it.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the threatened recrudescence of German atrocities and in view of the accumulating evidence that the German military authorities are now convinced that the terms of peace will be dictated by the Allies, he will, in conjunction with the Allied Powers, announce that no peace will be concluded until those, in whatever rank or station, primarily responsible for such atrocities have been dealt with?

This suggestion will be considered. At present I can go no further than previous statements made on behalf of the Government

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if old age pensioners who wish to avail themselves of the relaxation of conditions surrounding such pensions, as outlined by the Prime Minister to a recent deputation, and alluded to by the Secretary to the Local Government Board, and especially such pensioners as suffer deductions on account of small incomes, allowance of rent, coal, etc., resulting in reducing their pensions from 5s. per week to 4s., 3s., 2s., and 1s. per week, may have the advantage of this relaxation and secure a rehearing of their cases with a view to such deductions being suspended?

The answer to my hon. Friend's question would depend on the circumstances of particular cases; I shall be pleased to have inquiries made in any cases of which he furnishes, me with details.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether the Government have copyright in the reports made by Royal Commissions, Departmental Committees, Government Departments, etc., and in the illustrations contained in such reports; and whether these reports and illustrations can be reproduced by unofficial persons or bodies without obtaining special authority?

The copy right in such reports and illustrations is, by Section 18 of the Copyright Act, 1911, vested in the Controller of His Majesty's Stationery Office as representing the Crown in this matter. Speaking generally, these reports and illustrations cannot be reproduced without the special authority of the Controller, but it is not the practice to enforce the rights of the Crown in the case of certain publications of public interest. I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the House of Commons Paper, No. 292, of the year 1912.