asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, whilst members of English firms engaged in the diamond trade are serving this country in the trenches, their German competitors, operating from Holland, are permitted by English law to import goods into this country through the intermediary of members of the Diamond Import Committee acting in their private capacity and to dispatch the same to subjects of alien enemy countries resident in India, receiving a commission for their services; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

I am afraid the hon. Member has been misinformed. It is not the case that German firms operating in Holland are forwarding diamonds to enemy firms in India through the intermediary of the exports appointed by the Foreign Trade Department to examine diamonds imported into this country.

Will the right hon. Gentleman allow me to give him specific cases?

Certainly. Any information which my hon. Friend gives me will be welcomed and examined.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the injury which has resulted from the acts of the Departments and in view also of the complaints arising from the past action of the diamond committees by which such Departments are, guided, ho, will introduce legislation at an early date to afford parties considering themselves aggrieved by the decision of the Departments to appeal to a Court, or judge of the King's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice, with power to award compensation to those who may sustain loss consequent upon complaints which prove not to be well-founded or to have been recklessly undertaken?

If the hon. Member is referring to the export of diamonds and intends to suggest that the decisions of the competent Departments with regard to -applications for export licences should be made subject to review by the Courts, I do not think it desirable that this course should be pursued. Questions relating to the import of diamonds are dealt with by the, Foregn Trade Department, who inform me that any importer who is dissatisfied with the seizure, under Section 6 of the Customs (War Powers) Act, 1915, of diamonds imported into the United Kingdom has a legal remedy, and that no further provision seems to be required.

Does the hon. Gentleman know that the onus of proof put by the Statute on the person who is Aggrieved is almost impossible to satisfy in present circumstances, and that this makes it necessary for another tribunal to be set up?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the diamond import and export committees, against the protest of diamond dealers, require that the latter should furnish to them the names and addresses of their customers as well as the prices paid or charged for goods; whether this disclosure of information by traders to their competitors in trade was necessary; and whether, to prevent injustice, he will direct that the goods, the subject of investigation, should be identified by numbers to be assigned by an approved authority or other methods which will preserve trade information not necessary for the discharge by the Departments of their public duty?

It is necessary, for the due performane of its duties, that the Diamond Exports Committee should be in possession of the information referred to by the hon. Member, and the Foreign Trade Department inform me that their experts who examine diamonds imported into this country must be in possession of similar information, in order that they may give a considered opinion as to the origin of the goods. I see no reason for any change in the present practice.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the injustice which permits of an alien trader getting direct advantage from the absence on military duty of members and staffs of English firms and the impropriety of members of the diamond import and export committees being engaged either personally or as members of a firm, or through agents, so that in the result they derive pecuniary advantage in competition with traders whose goods they have to adjudicate upon, he will consent to the appointment of a Committee of this House to investigate the constitution of the diamond import and export committees with a view to their reconstruction on a representative and totally impartial basis; and whether such committee should be directed to consider and report upon measures for the further and better coordination of the various Departments and authorities concerned in the import and export of diamonds, so as to ensure that an impartial administration should be had wherever an offence has been committed or reasonably suspected by traders in this country, irrespective of nationality, and proceedings taken?

No, Sir, I am not prepared to consent to the appointment of such a Committee. The diamond exports committee was appointed by the late President of the Board of Trade, and I am convinced that it has performed its difficult duties to the best of its ability in an impartial manner and without regard for the pecuniary or personal interests of its members. I understand from the Foreign Trade Department that the experts appointed by them to examine diamonds imported into this country have rendered valuable and devoted service. It is regrettable that any suggestion should be made that their experts have used their position for their private advantage.

May I give the hon. Gentleman particulars?

Certainly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether it is proposed to take over the control of the Irish canals?

As at present advised the Board of Trade see no particular reason for taking the action suggested.

Is the hon. Gentleman, in view of the general expression of opinion from Ireland in favour of this proposal, in a position to promise that the Board of Trade will give this most important subject careful consideration?

May I ask the reason why, when the railways were taken over, the canals were not also taken over?

I cannot exactly state the reason why, but I can assure the House that my right hon. Friend has a perfectly open mind upon the question.

asked whether, under the Registration of Business Names Act, 1916, it will be required of the proprietors of newspapers, not being corporations, who as such proprietors are registered according to the provisions of the Newspaper Libel and Registration Act, 1881, also be registered as provided by Section 1, and further to have their names printed on all copies of the newspapers they publish and on their business letters and trade circulars as specified by Section 18 of the first-mentioned Act?

Registration under the Newspaper Libel and Registration Act, 1881, does not exempt the proprietors of a newspaper from compliance with the provisions of the Registration of Business Names Act if that Act is otherwise applicable.

Does that apply to the copies of newspapers, that the names of the proprietors should be printed in each copy of the newspaper?

I think they have to appear in the paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affiairs whether the three-mile limit is accepted by the Norwegian Government as defining territorial waters on the Norwegian coast; whether now or at any time since the beginning of the War a limit of four miles has been claimed by Norway and such claim admitted by His Majesty's Government; whether, as a matter of fact, ships seized on the coast of Norway by British patrols outside the three-mile limit have been released on the ground that they were in territorial waters; and what is the general principle observed by His Majesty's Government in relation to the territorial waters of neutral countries?

The Norwegian Government have always claimed, but His Majesty's Government have never admitted, that the territorial waters of Norway extend four miles from its coast. No ships seized on the coast of Norway by British patrols outside the three-mile limit have been released on the ground that they were within territorial waters.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if, without prejudice to the national interest, he can make any statement as to whether a new agreement has been concluded with the Russian Government with regard to the spheres of influence of Great Britain and Russia in Persia superseding the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907; and whether any such fresh agreement as may have been made safeguards the integrity and independence of the Persian Empire?

The Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907 is still in force, and no contingent arrangements for modifying its character in any way affect the integrity or independence of the Persian Empire.

asked the Home Secretary whether the existing Closing Order for shops expires on 30th April next; and, having regard to the benefits which the present arrangements have secured for shop assistants, he can see his way to maintain the arrangements at least for the duration of the War, if not to fix it on a permanent basis?

The existing Order will expire on the 30th April. Certain representations have been made to me in favour of the continuance of the Order, and these and any other communications on the subject which may reach my Department will be carefully considered before any decision is taken.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the number of shop assistants affected by the Order is almost negligible, whilst tens of thousands of small shopkeepers are vitally concerned?

Will the right hon. Gentleman take into account before he comes to a decision, that thousands of poor people, in many cases where the supporter of the household is at the War, have been absolutely ruined as the result of the Order?

That is just the kind of case we have to consider.

I can supply evidence if necessary.

May I say that if the right hon. Gentleman consults the Chamber of Commerce and the trading communities he will find that the statements as to shop assistants and employers are absolutely wrong, as given by the hon. Member.

asked the Home Secretary if he will state the number of alien enemies with respect to whom internment orders were made between 11th December, 1916, and 14th February, 1917, excluding any cases of aliens brought into this country by sea; and how many clubs and restaurants belonging to alien enemies were closed in London between the same dates?

Between the dates mentioned about forty alien enemies, mainly aliens previously exempted from internment, were interned, and sixteen orders were made under Regulation 14B of the Defence of the Realm Regulations in respect of persons of hostile origin or association. The above number docs not include aliens brought to this country by sea. There is at present no power for any authority to close clubs or restaurants on the ground that they belong to or are conducted by alien enemies; but I understand that in consequence of internment orders made against the occupiers and frequenters of certain places of this kind which were the resort of enemy aliens or persons of hostile association, these places have either closed their doors or ceased to be used for the purpose mentioned. I am unable at the present moment to give particulars of such places. I hope that power will shortly be obtained to close restaurants kept by aliens.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say if Mr. Jacob Strumpf and Mr. Schumacher are included amongst those interned?

Yes; those persons are included.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give any explanation why they were not interned two and a half years ago?

asked the Home Secretary if he can state the reason for the release from internment of the following persons after only short periods of detention: Anton Dupré and Louis Perath-oven, Austrian alien enemies, and Andrew William Nuttgens, a German; if their employers, Messrs. Burns and Oates, Limited, entered into sureties of £100 each; if these men are still in their employ; and whether it is the intention of the Government to release other enemy aliens on similar terms, and thus provide unpatriotic firms with labour, whilst others are called upon to release men for the Army and as volunteers for National Service?

Dupré and Perathoven are wood carvers coining from that part of Austria which is known as Italia Irredenta and speaking the Romance language. They were released from internment in 1915 to resume their occupation, their employers entering into a bond for £100 in respect of each man. Nuttgens is a German stained-glass worker who was brought here as a child less than one year old, and speaks and understands no language but English. He was exempted from internment in 1915 on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee, without bond. No reason has ever been suggested for regarding any of these men as open to any suspicion, and they are all still in Messrs. Burns and Oates' employ.

May I ask why these men were originally interned, and why they were released if they were any danger to the public?

They were interned subject to consideration by the Committee for a short time, and released after the Committee found no reasons for their internment.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these released enemy aliens are under military age, and that two of them are under the age of thirty?

Yes, I am aware of that; but if my hon. Friend has followed my answer, he will find that two of them are practically sympathisers with Italy and not Austria, and the third is here since he was an infant in arms and cannot even speak a word of German.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can state the total number of fatal accidents in the London streets between sunset and sunrise since the beginning of the War, and the total number of persons killed by Zeppelins during the same period?

Information in the precise form desired by the hon. Member is not available, but the total number of fatal accidents in the Metropolitan Police dis- trict during the hours of darkness—i.e., between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise—between 1st August, 1914, and 31st January, 1917, was 954. The number killed by Zeppelins in the Metropolitan Police district was 137. The corresponding figures for the City are 29 fatal accidents and 13 persons killed by Zeppelins.

Have we not now come to the time when the policy as to lighting should be reconsidered?

The policy has just been reconsidered and alterations made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received any Reports for 1915 on the horses and ponies employed in coal mines from the divisional inspectors and horse inspectors other than the few lines contained in the Exports already published for that year; and, if not, whether he will request the divisional inspectors to furnish him with information as to the number of animals employed in the coal mines in 1915, the number of deaths from accident and disease, the number of injuries, and any other material facts?

The Reports of the inspectors have been made as brief as possible, in consequence of the present emergency, but I hope that by next year it will be possible to resume the normal practice, and call for full reports from the inspectors. The figures asked for in the latter part of the question have already been published in Part 2 of the Chief Inspector's General Report for 1915, page 76.

Is it possible to get those reports from the inspectors, though you do not go to the expense of publishing them?

Yes.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can explain why the lighting of London has not yet been made uniform in accordance with the orders of the military authorities; whether he is aware that in some boroughs burners are in use consuming 3½ cubic feet of gas per hour in lamps which are almost completely opaque; and whether he will consider, in order to give a reasonable light and at the same time save gas, if it would be more advantageous for the lower part of the lamp to be clear but a smaller burner used?

The alterations in the method of obscuring street lamps to which I referred on the 12th instant are being carried out by the lighting authorities as rapidly as the exigencies of labour will permit, but I am aware that there are some lamps which still remain to be dealt with. A considerable reduction in the consumption of gas has been effected by the use of single burners in multiple-burner lamps and by substituting lower-power burners for those normally used. If the lower part of a lamp is left clear, the result is to throw a disc of light upon the pavement which is visible from above; and I am advised that, taking all things into consideration, the method of obscuring which has been approved is the most satisfactory.

asked the Home Secretary (1) whether the Committee appointed to consider the question of authorisations for the use of cocaine in dentistry has now submitted its Report; if so, when copies will be available for the use of Members of tin; House of Commons; and (2) whether the general permits to unregistered practitioners in dentistry to use solutions containing not more than 1 per cent, of cocaine is to be extended beyond 28th February; and, if so, to what date?

asked whether the Report of the Committee dealing with the use of cocaine in dentistry may be expected before the end of this month; and, if not, whether the general permit to unregistered dentists as to the use of 1 per cent, cocaine will be extended pending the decision of the Home Office in the matter?

I have just received the Report. It will be presented to Parliament to-day and I hope that copies will be available shortly. The Report raises some questions which will require consideration, and I propose therefore to extend the general permit referred to in the questions for two months.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been directed to the charges made by Dr. Seton Watson against the "Morning Post" newspaper that that journal has been made the instrument of a German-Magyar intrigue to deceive English public opinion, through the medium of its Budapest correspondent, as to the feeling in Hungary on the War, and in other ways has been used for enemy objects; whether he is aware that this correspondent is accused by Dr. Seton Watson of fabricating leading articles, purporting to have appeared in Budapest newspapers, and forging speeches purporting to have been delivered in Parliament by Hungarian statesmen, with the object of misleading this country for enemy purposes; whether he is aware that the same charges have been independently made by an official organ in Paris; whether steps have been, or will be, taken under the Defence of the Realm regulations to investigate these charges against the "Morning Post"; and whether, if it is found that the charges are true, steps will be taken to punish those responsible for these publications?

My attention has only been called to the matter by the hon. Member's question. I understand that the charges are strongly denied, and I do not see my way to take any action in the matter.

Am I to understand that the right hon. Gentleman, when such charges are made, not only by responsible persons in this country, but by one of the leading semi-official journals of Paris, will take no steps to ascertain whether they are well-founded or not?

I do not see my way to take any action. The hon. Member has already put questions to the Foreign Office, which has given a similar answer.

If he was an Irish newspaper editor he would be sent to penal servitude.

Will the right hon. Gentleman ask the editors of this paper whether any uninterned alien enemy is in regular communication with them?

No, Sir; I have had no cause to make any such inquiry.

Will the right hon. Gentleman ask the editor whether a Magyar named Joseph Szebenyei is in the employment of the "Morning Post," and will he take the trouble to satisfy himself and the public that the articles which have appeared in the "Morning Post" and which have seriously misled people in this country are bonâ fide articles?

They are forged articles by foreign spies.

Or whether they have been composed in London out of speeches and articles which did not appear in the enemy capital to which they were attributed?

If my hon. Friend will give me any material on which to proceed I will make inquiries.

Has the right hon. Gentleman not taken the trouble to investigate the material referred to in the question?

Is the right hon. Gentleman willing to approach the "Morning Post" and ask for their explanation of this extraordinary incident?

asked the Assistant Post-master-General what recompense is to be made to the postmasters and employés in the various post offices for the work thrown upon them by the issue of the War Loan?

The question of remuneration for this work, so far as it is done by scale payment sub-postmasters is at present under consideration. In the case of directly employed Post Office servants extra attendance, whether for War Loan or for other work, is remunerated under the ordinary rules governing overtime payment.

Do I understand that something will be done for those postmistresses and postmasters who have been really doing banking work for the last two or three weeks and handling very large sums of money?

The question is now under consideration, and we hope for a reply very shortly.

asked the Prime Minister when a day will be given to discuss the salaries of the members of the Air Board?

The subject could have been discussed on the Vote of Credit, and I hope another opportunity may occur in connection with the next Consolidated Fund Bill, which will be introduced in a week or two.

Is there to be no Vote for the Air Board on the Estimates?

I think so; but the Estimates will not come till a later period.

asked whether the recommendations of the Committee on Commercial and Industrial Policy on the subject of tariff and Imperial reference have been adopted by the Government?

I am not at present in a position to make any statement on the subject.

asked the Prime Minister whether, for the convenience of Members and the public, he could give a list showing the controllers appointed by Government from time to time since the outbreak of War, with the nature of their control, their official address, and the names of their private secretaries, if any?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, for the convenience of Members of this House, he will give instructions for the issue of a handbook giving the names of all Ministers and sub-Ministers, and the names of all Departments and Committees set up in connection with the War, with the names of the members of the Committee, the functions of the Committee, the official address, and the name of the secretary?

I shall answer these questions together. The information asked for is, I think, all contained in a statement issued monthly by the Stationery Office, of which I shall have a copy sent to the two hon. Members.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will give a day for the discussion of the Report on the Dardanelles Expedition; whether the great bulk of the evidence is of a nature that can be published without giving any information of value to the enemy; and, if so, whether he will cause the bulk of the evidence to be published?

I cannot give an answer to the first part of the question until the Report has been circulated and I know whether there is any general desire for its discussion. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say when the Report will be circulated?

I expected that it would be circulated now, but I have not made inquiries.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will supplement the Report of the Dardanelles Committee by publishing dispatches and correspondence dealing with the escape of the "Goeben," in view of the fact that the event took place over thirty months ago and brought Turkey into the War; and whether he can follow the practice frequently adopted in this House in past wars of laying the proceedings of the court-martial on Admiral Troubridge upon the Table?

The Admiralty view remains the same as that expressed in the reply I gave my hon. and gallant Friend on the 31st July last.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the proposal to introduce immediately a Bill, prepared by the Local Government Board, which is to deal with matters also covered by the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, which received a Second Reading on Monday last, and having regard to the fact that the subject matter of the two Bills can better be considered in Grand Committee, he will ask that the two Bills shall be referred to a Grand Committee?

I have discussed this proposal with my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, and we shall be glad to adopt the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Prime Minister whether he can now state the total amount of the new War Loan, distinguishing between converted and new money?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can state the total amount subscribed to the War Loan and the number of subscribers in the different classes?

I am proposing to make a, statement on the subject of the War Loan after Questions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the rarity of the occasions on which the Prime Minister is in attendance in the House, he can give assurances that any statement made by him as Leader of the House engages, without reservation, the responsibility of the Government?

The answer is in the affirmative.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the rate per cent, which it has cost the Treasury to get money under the War Savings Certificates; and how does this figure compare with the rate of commission and other expenses chargeable against War loans?

It is not possible to state in the form of a percentage the cost of raising money by the sale of War Savings Certificates. Thus, the expenses incurred by the Post Office in connection with the issue cannot be satisfactorily distinguished from general expenditure on Post Office services, and the expenditure of the War Savings Committees must be regarded as having many other purposes besides raising money. Generally speaking, however, I may say that while this method of raising money is naturally more expensive than the raising of a big war loan, the actual cost has been trifling in proportion to the success of the issue.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Civil Liabilities Committee will be authorised to issue a maintenance allowance in the case of the dependants of unmarried officers, many of whom have left parents wholly dependant on them in most distressed circumstances?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. Unmarried junior officers who have been maintaining a home for their parents are already eligible under the Civil Liabilities scheme for assistance in respect of the obligations, including rent, rates or other obligations, to which that scheme applies, and I do not think that further provision would be justified for cases of this kind.

Are not officers already entitled to the same allowances in respect of their wives?

Am I to understand that there is to be no separation allowance made to officers to cover maintenance, but only a contractual liability?

Of course, it refers entirely to dependants, and not to officers.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say in what respect he differentiates between wives and mothers, because they are both in the same position as he described just now?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give facilities for a Motion standing in the names of the hon. Member for Houghton-le-Spring and others? [That the Members of this House request the Kitchen Committee to observe in the Sale of Intoxicating Liquors the same restrictions as are imposed upon the general public.]

I hope that it may be possible to find time for a discussion of this Motion on Wednesday next.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, and, if so, when, his proposals for the reconstruction of our national system of education will be submitted to Parliament; and whether the House of Commons will be afforded an opportunity of considering and discussing the proposals before they are finally settled?

I am sure that the hon. Member, who has done so much to advance technical education in this country, will be the first to realise the range and complexity of the task which confronts a new Minister who is called upon to survey the whole field of national education. I hope, however, at an early date to submit to the House proposals which, I venture to think, will be regarded as an important instalment as well as an organic part of a comprehensive plan.

Has the attention of the right hon. Gentleman been drawn to the hardship to teachers through no official statement being made in respect to war bonus; will he make a statement that will enable the local authorities to grant a war bonus by relying for assistance upon the Exchequer?

asked the President of the Board of Education whether the several Education Committees nominated by the late Government have agreed as to their Reports; and whether their Reports will be submitted to the House at a date which will permit of their being discussed in connection with the proposed comprehensive scheme of educational reform?