asked the Chief Secretary whether, in view of the urgency of the housing problem in Dublin, and of the fact that further delay in advancing a free grant and the loans already sanctioned by the Local Government Board will engender discontent and disease, he will expedite the issue of the Report and recommend adequate financial assistance?

As I have already informed the hon. Member, I have called for reports on this matter, and as soon as they are received I shall consider them with as little delay as possible.

asked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that not one person or firm in Dublin has been informed of the amount of compensation to be paid for building, nor has any money been paid to anybody with regard to destroyed buildings; if he will state when traders will receive information as to the amount of money that they are to receive and what is the probable date of payment; if he will say whether any instructions have been issued to the assessors to confine their investigations and reports to the amounts covered by insurance policies; and, if so, is he aware that this would mean substantial injury to numbers of traders, and is, in addition, a breach of the undertaking given by the Home Secretary and the Attorney-General for Ireland to the deputation at which the hon. Member for the Harbour Division of Dublin was present?

The delay in payment of the ex gratia grant in cases of rebuilding claims, of which comparatively few have so far been reported on by the Committee, is unavoidable, and arises from the fact that the Irish Government is at present considering the precise mode of payment in such cases, the matter being further complicated by reason of questions of title affecting the majority of claims of substantial amount. When a decision has been come to on these points issues will be made in respect of the approved grants without delay. No instructions of the nature indicated in the question have been issued to the Committee.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the North and South Dublin unions and other public bodies have passed resolutions suggesting the assimilation of the existing Port and Docks franchise with the Parliamentary register; and whether he will consider the advisability of introducing legislation upon the subject?

The reply to the first part of the queston is in the affirmative. The proposal to assimilate the Port and Docks Board franchise with the Parliamentary franchise and thus take away from the trading and shipping interests special representation on the Board is one on which the Board of Trade, within whose province the constitution of Port Authorities lies, would have to be consulted.

asked why, in view of the fact that the National Volunteers took no part in the recent rebellion, members of that body are prohibited from holding their drill parades and meetings; and whether he will consider, in conjunction with Sir John Maxwell, the advisability of removing the restrictions in force preventing the National Volunteers from engaging in drill exercises, holding shooting competitions and meetings, and generally enjoying the rights of ordinary citizenship in operation before the recent outbreak in Dublin?

I am of opinion that it would not be right at the present time to authorise drilling in Ireland by any persons who are not enlisted by the authority of the Crown.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that in cases where the National Volunteers voluntarily handed over their arms as a guarantee of good faith to the authorities in Ireland immediately following the rebellion in Dublin and on the distinct assurance that they would be returned after the lapse of a reasonable time, the military and police authorities have declined in many cases to allow such arms to be handed back to the individual members of the National Volunteers to whom they belong; and whether he will issue instructions to secure that the undertaking given to the National Volunteers is redeemed by the restoration of such arms to their rightful owners?

Arms were voluntarily handed over in the manner mentioned. The question of the reasonable time for their return is one for the discretion of the military authorities, in whose custody the arms are.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that Private M. Lyons, No. 11,235, Connaught Rangers, left a sum for the maintenance of his orphan brother Francis, a child of ten years, whose support he was; and whether, in addition to this sum, the usual dependant's allowance will be granted to enable the boy to be reared outside the workhouse?

The pension officer's investigation of this case showed that there was no dependence prior to enlistment. Consequently there is no claim to any allowance from Army funds.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that Guy's Hospital has reduced the cost of alcohol administered to patients from £1,576 per annum to £151; Leeds Infirmary from 6s. 6d. per head per annum to 2d.; and Wandsworth Infirmary from 5s. 3d. per head per annum to one-half of id., he will cause inquiry to be made as to whether the mortality or length of time in hospital has in these institutions increased in consequence, in order that the War Office may be in a position to advise military hospitals, in the interest of economy, rapid convalescence, and the ultimate sobriety of our men?

Economy in the issue of stimulants and of all other hospital supplies have been receiving the careful attention of a Special Committee, under the Presidency of Major Godfrey Collins, M.P., and the amount of alcohol is limited to what is medicinally necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware of the inhuman barbarities inflicted in the presence of his wife and sister and a crowd of spectators on George Beardsworth, a compulsorily enlisted conscientious objector, in the public park, Birkenhead, on Thursday, 31st August; whether this treatment was inflicted by order of Major Roddey after a court-martial had been demanded and refused; whether it created such horror amongst the soldiers that on the following day two of them were punished with seven days' confinement to barracks for refusing to repeat such brutalities on Mr. Beardsworth; whether a court-martial can legally be refused to a soldier who demands it; and whether the officer under whose orders these atrocities were committed is still allowed to wear the King's uniform?

Representations were made to the War Office that ill-treatment was being meted out and irregularities taking place in regard to three soldiers named Beardsworth, Dukes, and Benson, belonging to the 3rd Battalion Cheshire Regiment. Inquiries were immediately instituted, and it was clear that irregularities had taken place. As soon as this fact was established, a telegram was sent to the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, stating that it had been reported that men of the 3rd Cheshires who are conscientious objectors and refusing to obey orders and committing acts of insubordination were not being dealt with under King's Regulations, paragraph 475, and that if this were so that he should order that this should immediately cease, and that they should be dealt with by immediate confinement exactly as any other insubordinate soldier. As a result of these instructions the irregularities ceased, and the three men concerned were remanded for trial by court-martial. Inquiries into allegations of ill-treatment are still proceeding, and several reports have already been received in the War Office from the General Officer Commanding-In-Chief, Western Command, but they are not considered to be conclusive. In view of the fact that the court-martial proceedings have not yet been received in this Department, I am not in a position at present to give the hon. Member a complete reply to his question.

I might add that instructions have been issued to the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, not to proceed with his inquiries until the promulgation of the court-martial proceedings. This action was taken as it was considered that the matter should be held to be sub judice in view of the fact that in all probability the allegations of ill-treatment would be alluded to during the conduct of the trials by court-martial, and the attendance of these three soldiers as witnesses at any inquiry would delay the trials by court-martial.

In regard to the hon. Member's question as to whether a court-martial can legally be refused to a soldier who demands it, I would refer the hon. Member to Section 46 (8) of the Army Act.

I might add, for the hon. Member's information, that a deputation has recently been received in the War Office in response to a request to be permitted to produce evidence in regard to these allegations. Unfortunately, however, the deputation were only able to produce general statements which were already in possession of the War Office, and upon which the original inquiries had been instituted. The deputation have been requested to be good enough to forward statements of witnesses, upon which further investigation can be made.

The hon. Member may rest assured that full inquiry will be made into this case in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether women clerks employed at the War Office and Adastral House work a six-day week of forty-eight hours before being paid for any overtime, and that men clerks work a six-day week of only forty-two hours before being paid for overtime; and, if so, can he say what are the physiological grounds relied on by the War Office to substantiate this reversal of the accepted opinion of the relative strength of men and women?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which was given on this subject to the Noble Lord the Member for South Nottingham on 26th June.

asked the Secretary of State for War if the supply of Bibles and Prayer Books to Protestants and devotional books to Roman Catholics in the Territorial Forces has been discontinued, although these articles are still part of the kit which must be produced at kit inspection; and if the War Office will resume the supply as formerly?

Bibles and Prayer Books are supplied to all units on the application of commanding officers, and the supply has not been discontinued.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has considered the position of medical men now serving in the Army as combatant officers; whether he is aware that the pay of medical officers is about three times the sum paid to medical men who are serving as combatant officers; that medical men serve in the Royal Army Medical Corps for a year only, while those who entered as combatants have served for more than two years in a vocation which is entirely foreign to their profession; and whether he will arrange for the release of such medical men if they so desire?

Qualified medical men serving as combatant officers in the Territorial Force have been given an opportunity of serving in the Royal Army Medical Corps. If my hon. Friend has any case of hardship before him, and will let me have the particulars, I shall be pleased to make inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether facilities for leave will be given to men who were serving in India before the War, and who, owing to the exigencies of the Service, have not been home on leave during the War?

Every facility has been and will be given to all units to receive any leave that military exigencies admit.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury how many barristers of military age are employed in connection with the Procurator-General's office and the Treasury Solicitor's office under conditions which secure them immunity from military service; if he is aware that there are many barristers above military age who would be willing to undertake this work; and if it is intended to apply the combing-out process to this Department?

I am informed that there are seven barristers of military age engaged in the Departments of the Procurator-General and of the Treasury Solicitor, apart from those medically rejected, invalided or not passed for general service. At the outbreak of war the Procurator-General had to create a department and a staff to deal with the mass of prize work which immediately devolved upon him. It was also necessary, owing to the pressure of war work, to reinforce the staff of the Treasury Solicitor, who advises and conducts the legal business of the Admiralty, War Office, Ministry of Munitions and of the majority of Departments of State. The barristers referred to are mainly engaged in prize work, for which special knowledge of the subject and of the accumulated information with regard to prize and of the persons engaged in contraband traffic is very necessary, and the Procurator-General is satisfied that to substitute inexpert for experienced men at this stage of the War would create much disorganisation. For the general advising work the Procurator-General has had the advantage for a great part of the War of the assistance of several leading members of the Bar who are above military age.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to cases in which men have been exempted from military service on condition that they returned to their ordinary employment at Army rates of pay; and whether he proposes taking any action in this matter?

My attention has only been drawn to one case of this nature. In that case I informed the tribunal that if they considered that the circumstances were such that the man should be allowed to remain at his employment and be required to make a pecuniary sacrifice, the better plan would be that he should be required to devote some specified part of his remuneration to a public purpose to be designated or approved by the tribunal.

asked the Minister of Munitions if he will state when it is proposed to place further orders for munitions in Dublin workshops; and if he is aware that many engineering firms are prepared to accept and complete orders at the shortest possible notice?

I am aware of the extent to which Dublin firms are prepared to execute orders for munitions. Continuation orders for shell and shell components are being placed in Dublin in all cases in which the price and conditions of the continuation contract are acceptable to the contractor and where a demand for the munitions in question continues.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he has had any evidence of evasion of the Central Control Board's orders in different parts of Scotland; and whether he proposes to take any steps to secure a stricter conformity to the same?

There have been contraventions in various parts of Scotland of the orders referred to by my hon. Friend. I attach the greatest importance to securing strict compliance with these orders. In February last a circular was, by my direction, issued to Procurators-fiscal throughout Scotland, instructing them to impress on the Courts the gravity of such contraventions, in order to secure that, in the event of conviction, an adequate penalty should be inflicted. I am prepared to adopt any further measures which are appropriate to securing the end which my hon. Friend desires.

asked the Home Secretary if Messrs. Jack, the publishers of a book entitled "India, a Nation," written by Mrs. Annie Besant, have been informed by him that the book must be withdrawn from circulation; and, if so, on what ground this has been done, and what there is in the book to which the Government take exception; and by what authority this order has been given, seeing that the book does not in any sense come under any of the regulations under the Defence of the Realm Act?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The second and third parts, therefore, do not arise.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can say in what way the new Lighting Order in London, applicable to the Metropolitan area, differs from the Order in force last year; whether he is aware that at the West End of London there are innumerable cases of ill-fitting blinds and unshaded lights which pass unnoticed by the authorities, while in the provinces the least infringement of the Regulations is punished with a heavy fine and in some cases imprisonment; and whether he can see his way to place all areas and all persons on the same footing in this respect?

The provisions of the Order with regard to the lighting of shops, houses, and other premises have been brought into line with the corresponding provisions of the Order applying in the provinces and somewhat strengthened in point of detail, but in substance they are similar to those in force last year. Though a slightly ill-fitting blind may not constitute a breach of the Order, cases of lights being insufficiently screened undoubtedly occur, but active measures are taken by the police, in the West End and elsewhere, to enforce the Order where necessary, and the restric- tions have undoubtedly been better observed since the new Order came into force. In the last six weeks there have been about 2,000 prosecutions for offences against the Order in the Metropolitan area.

asked the Home Secretary if his attention has been called to a decision of Judge Atherley Jones at the Newcastle Quarter Sessions on the 6th October, in which his Honour is reported to have held that an enemy alien for ordinary purposes was a person domiciled or having business in an enemy country, otherwise if resident in this country he enjoyed all the rights of a British subject, and that therefore the Newcastle Watch Committee was not entitled to withhold a pawnbroker's certificate from an unnaturalised German long resident in England; and whether, assuming this decision to be a correct statement of the existing law, he will introduce legislation; to withdraw the rights of British citizenship from unnaturalised aliens of enemy nationality?

From the inquiries which I have made, it appears that the report to which the hon. Member refers does not correctly represent the decision, and that the facts are as follows: The alien in question, who is seventy-six years old, and has resided here for about sixty years, failed to register under the Aliens Restriction Order, because, as he states, he regarded himself, in virtue of his long residence, as a British subject. For this offence, and for residing in a prohibited area without a permit, he was prosecuted last February, and fined and required to register. Subsequently the Newcastle Watch Committee, in exercise of their powers under the Pawnbrokers Act, refused to renew his pawnbroker's licence which he had held for forty years, on the ground that he was not of good character in view of these convictions, and was an alien enemy who had not obtained his discharge from German nationality. The Recorder's decision was, I understand, that the convictions in question did not affect the man's personal character, and that, as he was resident in this country and now duly registered, he was not by reason of being an alien enemy thereby disqualified from holding a pawnbroker's licence.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that a firm of British manufacturers of margarine have recently been threatened with prosecution by Government officials because they put in their packages a printed slip notifying that their margarine was British made, after they had been forbidden by a Government Department to print the words "British made" on the statutory wrapper; and, if so, will he give the reason for such action?

Similar questions were asked yesterday by the hon. Members for Wigan and the Mid-Leicestershire Division. I beg leave to refer my hon. Friend to the answer then given.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will explain why since the 1st October consent has been given to the delay of the day mail to Cork by thirty-five minutes, in addition to the twenty-five minutes resulting from the adoption of uniform time; whether any steps have been taken to prevent the delays between London and Holyhead which have been made the pretext for this change; whether he is aware that even before this change the morning mail train was quite unnecessarily delayed half an hour at Kingsbridge; what time is taken by the mail train in travelling from West-land Road, Dublin, to Kingsbridge; whether more expedition could be used in this part of the journey; and whether an account will be kept by showing the time the mail is delayed at Kingsbridge Station each morning for the next two months?

Under war conditions it appears to be difficult for the Irish mail to keep the scheduled time. Everything possible is being done to reduce the loss of time. At Kingsbridge the train to Cork has been retimed so as to accord with the actual running, and so save inconvenience and expense. The time taken between Westland Road and Kingsbridge is thirty-one minutes. A note is being taken of any delays at Kingsbridge Station.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the committee which finds work for those who object to military service is obtaining berths for such men in the Post Office; whether they fill the places of men who have gone on active service; whether all vacant jobs at the Post Office should be reserved for old soldiers or men wounded and partially disabled; and will he say whether the salary of these objectors when so employed is in excess of the pay and allowances of a soldier and are granted a war bonus?

Situations are not being found in the Post Office for conscientious objectors, but in a few cases Post Office servants who have obtained exemption on conscientious grounds have been allowed to remain in the Post Office when the tribunal have decided accordingly. Every effort is being made to arrange for the employment in the Post Office for discharged and disabled soldiers.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether, in the interest of agriculture and of cheaper and more abundant food, he will now consider the advisability of removing the embargo on the importation of Canadian cattle; and whether, if the possibility of the introduction of infection is still considered a danger, he will consider if isolation and supervision in Canada for a period prior to embarkation would be a sufficient protection?

The Board have very fully considered this question from time to time and do not think it advisable to relax the existing restrictions upon the importation of store cattle. I very much doubt whether the course which my hon. Friend suggests would at the present time either increase the supplies of meat or reduce the price.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the desirability of greater agricultural production, he will have a Report prepared by the Board of Agriculture upon the recent development of Danish agriculture on similar lines to the Report on German agriculture recently prepared and published by the Board?

I wish that it were possible to do what my hon. Friend suggests, but the strain of work upon the Board's officials unfortunately prevents it. I find that the German report was produced only as the result of much Sunday work, and that even Sundays are not now available. A good deal of information about Danish agricultural conditions is, however, already published in convenient form.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he is taking any steps to encourage those who are directly and indirectly using land for the production of alcoholic beverages to divert it during the period of the War to the production of milk?

No action has been taken in the case of the relatively small area under hops which is the perennial crop. Farmers have been urged to grow more wheat, and those who have followed the advice have in many cases reduced the area under barley.

asked the Comptroller of the Household, as representing the National Health Insurance Commissioners, what arrangements, if any, are made for the treatment of discharged soldiers and sailors who are insured persons in the United Kingdom; and, in view of the fact that medical benefit does not apply to Ireland, will he make arrangements with either the Irish Insurance Commission or approved societies and empower them to make the necessary arrangements for discharged and disabled soldiers and sailors to receive the necessary medical treatment?

In Great Britain these men receive medical benefit under the ordinary arrangements. As regards Ireland, the matter is one which concerns primarily the Statutory Committee on Pensions, who are carefully considering the matter.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland the number of vacancies in both divisions, first grade, for women teachers and men teachers?

The numbers of vacancies at present existing for teachers of the first grade are, in the case of men, twelve first division and sixty-three second division, and in the case of women ten first division and thirty-three second division.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to the case of John Kiernan, of Ballinalee, county Longford, whose pension was refused three years ago on a false statement made by the pension officer that he was not seventy years of age, and, seeing that the Census Returns of 1841. now prove he was then of full age, and as Kiernan has lost three years' pension by this officer's fault, will he now be paid the same sum so lost?

The Irish Local Government Board have no information of any such false statement as is alleged. Kiernan had a right of appeal within seven days after the receipt of notice informing him of the decision of the pension sub-committee which he did not exercise. I understand he has now made a fresh claim, but the Board are not aware whether he has been granted a pension.

asked the Chief Secretary upon what grounds the Estates Commissioners in Ireland have declined to take action in the case of Peter Maguire, evicted from his holding in Toor, county Wicklow, as a tenant on the Fenton estate; and whether, in view of the fact that Peter Maguire comes within the terms of an evicted tenant as defined in the Irish Land Acts, he will issue instructions to the Estates Commissioners to deal with the case forthwith so as to secure that Maguire is not deprived of those rights to which he is entitled as an evicted tenant?

The Estates Commissioners inquired into the application of Peter Maguire for reinstatement in a holding from which he was evicted subsequent to the passing of the Act of 1903, and, having regard to the circumstances and to the fact that he did not come within the class of evicted tenants for whom the Commissioners had power to provide holdings under the Evicted Tenants Act (1907), they decided not to take any action in his case. This decision was come to by the Commissioners in the exercise of the discretion which is vested in them, and with which I have no power to interfere.