asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Union Jack or a green flag with the Jack in the left top corner and bearing a gold harp surmounted with an imperial crown is during such period as the Kingdom of Ireland remains a portion of the British Empire the official flag of Ireland; and will he say under what circumstances, and by what Regulations, a green flag without the crown or Jack, or a yellow, white, and green flag, with or without the letters I.R., is permitted to be flown from buildings of an official character and maintained by the general body of taxpayers and ratepayers?

I am informed from the Registry that the flag recognised by Ulster King of Arms as the banner of Ireland is that reproduced in the third quarter of the Royal Standard. No such flag as is described in the question is flown over any Government buildings, and seditious emblems are not permitted to be displayed in Ireland any more than in Great Britain.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he will inquire into the circumstances in which the flag adopted by the Irish republican party was on the 13th instant flown from the town hall, Maryborough, without interference on the part of the local or police authorities?

When the display of the flag in question was reported the flag was ordered to be removed.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that at the recent by-election in the South Division of Longford County a number of votes were received by the successful candidate as a protest against the cessation of racing in Ireland under a recent Order in Council; and whether, in view of the political importance attached to the result of this by-election, he can make any statement as to the continuance of the Order prohibiting the holding of race-meetings?

No, Sir.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War what proportion of uncertifiable mental cases have been discharged to their homes, what proportion to asylums, and what proportion returned to duty?

No uncertifiable mental cases are sent to asylums or to duty. I am afraid that there are no statistics available as to their disposal, and to obtain the information would involve exhaustive inquiry.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether any of the military hospital huts at Cromarty are to be used as a hospital for the treatment of venereal disease; and, if so, will he have the matter fully inquired into and further considered before anything of the sort is allowed?

This matter is now being considered.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the proposals for the formation of volunteer field ambulances which were under consideration with a view to an early settlement on 3rd April have now been completed; and if he will state what are the arrangements which have been made for an ambulance service or for regimental medical officers in connection with the Volunteers?

The formation of field ambulances for Home service on a volunteer basis has been approved, and offers of service have been invited from certain counties. If the result proves satisfactory, the scheme will, I hope, be extended. The appointment of medical officers is proceeding, but it is not free from difficulty owing to the demand for medical officers for service overseas and for full-time service in this country which has necessitated the imposing of certain restrictions as to age upon candidates for volunteer appointments.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War (1) whether he has yet obtained a report as to the conduct of the military medical board at Stoke-on-Trent as promised; and, if so, what steps, disciplinary or otherwise, he proposes to take; (2) whether he will inquire into the conduct of the military medical board at Newcastle-under-Lyme as well as at Stoke-on-Trent, more particularly with reference to the language used by the board to the men under examination; and, for this inquiry, will he see that the evidence of some of the persons examined is taken on oath?

The reports asked for have not yet been received, but the authorities have been asked to expedite their reply.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, having regard to the fact that men of military age of Allied nationality resident in this country are being called up for military service, he will state whether men of Allied nationality who are over military age may now be permitted to join the National Volunteer Force?

It is not considered desirable to modify the rule that no alien may be enrolled in the Volunteer Force. There is a difference between the volunteer and the full-time soldier in that the former is only subject to military supervision during drill or training.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office why the pension of £1 per week granted to Benjamin Russell, Dunne's Terrace, Mountrath, Queen's County, who joined the 5th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, last October, and was discharged from the Army in December for mental and physical incapacity, has been withdrawn?

The pension awarded to Benjamin Russell has not been withdrawn. The Ministry of Pensions is in communication with the Maryborough Asylum, where Russell is confined, with regard to a deduction from it in respect of maintenance. When this matter has been determined the balance of the pension with arrears will be handed to Russell's mother, if the inquiry shows that there was pre-war dependence, and otherwise will be retained on Russell's behalf.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether Private T. W. B., who enlisted in the 17th Middlesex Regiment, and is by transfer now in the 2/8th Royal Scots, had at the time of enlistment been deserted by his wife for some six years, but had an unmarried wife with two children dependent upon him; whether the legal wife was at such time dependent on him; whether the separation allowances were duly paid to the unmarried wife until March, 1917, when, without any communication to the soldier, the Army transferred the separation allowance to the legal wife; under what authority they did this; what arrangements are to be made for the unmarried wife and children; and whether he has received an application in the matter from the Berkshire War Pensions Committee on behalf of the unmarried wife?

I have no knowledge of the previous history of the wife and family of this man; but it came to light in March last that there was a legitimate child in custody of the wife, and the regulated allowance for a child (but not for a wife who was not being supported by her husband at the time of his enlistment) was thereupon issued to the wife, under the authority of the Regulations, the allotment continuing to the unmarried wife. I do not trace the receipt of any application from the Berkshire War Pensions Committee; but I understand that under the Regulations of the Statutory Committee, that committee has power to deal with the case of the unmarried wife and illegitimate children.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will give a list of the contracts issued by his Department to enemy owned or controlled businesses since the beginning of the War, with the names of the officials sanctioning same?

I am afraid that to compile the information which my hon. and gallant Friend desires would throw an undue burden on an already overworked Department. I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend, however, that in this matter the Department has maintained close touch with the Board of Trade in order to conform to the general policy of the Government with regard to the treatment of such firms.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give a list of the contracts issued by his Department to enemy-owned or controlled businesses since the beginning of the War, with the names of the officials sanctioning same?

The Board of Trade have not since the beginning of the War issued to or made contracts with enemy-owned or controlled businesses.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether any and, if any, what Grants are made to voluntary aid hospitals in respect of medical services rendered by civilian doctors; and what are the conditions regulating any such Grants?

Very large numbers of civilian doctors have rendered and are rendering such services gratuitously, and services so rendered the War Office gratefully receives. If a civilian doctor in the exercise of his own discretion sees fit to claim payment for his services, the General Officer Commanding has power under War Office instructions to allow suitable remuneration having in view the circumstances of each case; and in that case the Grant to the hospital in question is increased by an equivalent amount.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War what arrangements have been made by the War Office for the purchase of Irish oats next harvest; if it is intended utilising the services of Irish oat buyers to purchase for the War Office; and has the remuneration to be paid them been yet definitely fixed?

The matter is now under consideration.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he will say what has been the cost per pound of wool of the administration of the wool-clip scheme in the various areas?

Up to 31st March, 1917, the full cost of administration (including salaries, office rents and rates, travelling, stationery, etc.), of wool purchase, including skin wool for the whole of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, is .0792 of a penny per lb. The administrative cost for each area (excluding skin wool) is as follows:

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the partial deprivation of the traders of the country of petrol for commercial purposes, any steps whatever are being taken to economise petrol in his Department; is he aware of the number of motor cars used by officers and others in khaki for personal errands; has his attention been called to the number of War Office motor cars, usually with ladies on board, that are to be seen leaving London every Sunday morning and returning in the evening; and can he do anything to stop these so that the trade of the country may be encouraged by having a larger allowance of petrol given it?

Constant attention is given to securing economy in the use of petrol, and all possible steps are taken. Stringent orders have been issued against the use of War Department cars by unauthorised persons, and I have no information that they are not obeyed. If my hon. Friend can furnish me with any specific evidence to the contrary, I shall be glad to have full inquiry made. It must be remembered that every car containing an officer or man in uniform is not necessarily a Government car.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether, in the case of a married soldier who has an order of Court against him for an illegitimate child, a compulsory allotment is deducted from his pay in addition to the allotment made to his wife; and, if so, why this method is adopted instead of letting the Statutory Committee make a special separation allowance to the illegitimate child under the Regulations, Part II., No. 8 (a).

The Army Council's action in such cases is governed by Section 145 of the Army Act.

asked the Pensions Minister whether his attention has been called to the work done by disabled soldiers in the manufacture of artificial limbs and splints at the Orthopædic Hospital, Hammersmith; and whether he will endeavour to ascertain whether this work could be extended, in order that the cost to the country of artificial limbs might be reduced?

I am informed that practically no artificial limb-making is undertaken by the Military Orthopædic Hospital at Ducane Road, Shepherd's Bush. The hospital authorities state that they made one Symes foot, a peg leg, and an artificial duralumin leg. With regard to splints, it is estimated that they are produced at about 50 per cent. below the ordinary price, but the estimate is for salaries of instructors and for part of the cost of materials only, and takes no account of the capital cost, the labour which is supplied by the patients, or the wear and tear of machinery.

asked the Pensions Minister whether the War Pensions Statutory Committee is continuing its functions; and, if so, what is its relation to the Ministry of Pensions?

The War Pensions Statutory Committee are continuing their functions, their relations between the Statutory Committee and the Ministry of Pensions being governed by Section 3 of the Ministry of Pensions Act, 1916 I would add, however, that this matter is under the consideration of the Government.

asked the Home Secretary if he will state the daily diet given to the Irish political prisoners now at Lewes under sentence of secret courtmartial before the intervention of the Food Controller, and the daily diet now being given to them?

The diet formerly given was Diet E, as prescribed by the Statutory Rules of 2nd September, 1901, and was as follows:

The diet now given is as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the inconvenience caused to the fish merchants by reason of their being required to prepay carriage on fish dispatched by passenger trains; why the distinction has been made between the different parts of the United Kingdom by exempting Scotland from this Order; and will he take the necessary steps to remove this difference of treatment?

The exemption of fish landed in Scotland from the requirement under which the consignor is responsible for the charges on traffic sent by passenger train was made as a result of the consideration of representations to the effect that compliance with the requirement would involve special difficulties at certain Scottish ports. For similar reasons it has been decided to extend this exemption to fish traffic sent from ports in Ireland, but I hope that in England and Wales, where the conditions are somewhat different, the steps which the railway companies are taking to minimise as far as possible any inconvenience or hardship arising in special cases will be found to be adequate.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Committee on Electrical Supply contains only one representative of local authorities owning electrical undertakings; and whether he will grant more adequate representation to those interests?

Apart from the one representative of local authorities on the Committee, another member of the Committee is consulting engineer to many local authorities owning electrical undertakings, and he as well as the representatives of the Local Government Board and of the London County Council may be regarded as interested in the local authority aspect of the electric supply industry. The Committee propose to take evidence from the various local authority associations, who will thus have ample opportunity of stating their views. In these circumstances there does not appear to be any occasion to place more members on the Committee, which is already a large one.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he can say, in the case of two warders recently transferred from Dundalk to Cork Prison, why one warder was deprived of his lodging allowance whilst the other officer in similar circumstances got his lodging allowance; and if there is any precedent in the Irish prison service for this treatment?

Both officers have free quarters. They were allowed to draw lodging allowances for a period. One, who has a family, still receives an allowance; the other, whose wife is not residing in Cork, does not.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that, in the calculation of the superannuation of all Civil servants, the allowance for house rent is calculated at one-sixth of the total pay and emoluments; if he is aware that, in the calculation of the superannuation of prison warders, the allowance for house rent is fixed at £9 2s.; and whether he will consider the advisability of applying the Civil Service scale to prison warders?

The valuation to be assigned for pension purposes to house rent in lieu of official quarters in the case of Civil servants is a question for the decision of the Treasury. It is not the fact that in all such cases the allowance is valued at one-sixth of the total pay and allowances. In the ease of first, second, and third class warders hitherto classed as ordinary warders in the Irish Prisons service the valuation under the Treasury ruling is limited to £9 2s. per annum.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether it is the intention of the Government to vest compulsory powers in district councils in Ireland to acquire lands for the purpose of increasing forthwith labourers' plots from ½ acre to 1 acre without having to have recourse to the procedure under the Labourers (Ireland) Acts?

It would not be reasonable to give power of taking land compulsorily without notice and investigation. Section 12 of the Labourers (Ireland) Act of 1886 provides that compulsory powers may be given where it is shown after due inquiry that all efforts to obtain the requisite lands have been bonâ fide made and have failed. No other legislation seems to be needed.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Estates Com- missioners have any land at present on hand; whether any land was at their disposal during the past ten years; and whether Mrs. Malone, who has been waiting for ten years, will have her case now favourably considered?

I am informed that, with the exception of some turbary, the Estates Commissioners at present have no land in county Kerry. In the last ten years 8,000 acres, including turbary and mountain, have been distributed in the county by the Commissioners. Under the Irish Land Act, 1909, Kerry is now a congested districts county within the jurisdiction of the Congested Districts Board, and the Estates Commissioners find it difficult to acquire lands under their powers in Kerry; but, if they do, Mrs. Malone's application will be considered. The names of evicted tenants in county Kerry noted by the Estates Commissioners for consideration in the allotment of land have been forwarded to the Congested Districts Board for consideration in the allotment of lands acquired by the Board. Mrs. Malone's name was included in the list.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware of the state of congestion that exists on the holdings of the tenants on the Minor Burke's estate, Cloncoe, Woodford; is he aware that this estate has been in the hands of the Estates Commissioners for some years back; and, having regard to the smallness of the holdings and the desirability and urgency of distributing the available land amongst the small tenants at the earliest moment, will he explain on what grounds the final settlement of this estate is delayed and hung up?

The statement in the question that the Estates Commissioners are the owners of the estate referred to is not correct. They have made a proposal to purchase the property under the Land Purchase Acts, which has been accepted by the owner; and, to enable the sale to be completed, they prepared a scheme for the allotment of the untenanted land, but a number of the proposed purchasers refused to sign undertakings to purchase, and until these undertakings are signed the sale cannot proceed.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that the attention of the Congested Districts Board was directed to the state of things existing on the estate of R. Ffrench, Rocklawn, Galway, some six years ago; whether he is aware that eight of the tenants have no clay land of any description and have to try and eke out existence on a piece of cut-away bog; whether four of the tenants have only 10 acres of land between them; whether ten of the tenants have to subsist on patches of from 4 to 7 acres of rocky land which is unfit for tillage; whether all of them, twenty in number, have to travel a distance of 7 miles to get conacre land for tillage and other purposes; whether he is aware that this estate comprises some untenanted land which, if acquired, could be made to serve for the enlargement of their little holdings; and whether, in view of all the circumstances, he will communicate with the Congested Districts Board and urge upon them the duty which they owe to these poor congests to relieve them at the earliest possible moment?

The owner of these lands declined to offer his estate for sale unless he can be paid in cash. The Congested Districts Board cannot, at present, take any steps with a view to acquiring the property.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Law Officers of the Crown were consulted as to the action of the National Board in preventing Irish teachers, under penalty of dismissal, from acting as magistrates after they had been appointed by the Lord Chancellor; if so, whether, in their opinion the action of the National Board was legal or illegal; and what further steps he proposes to take in the matter?

I have nothing to add to the answers I gave on the 3rd May and the 23rd March to the hon. Member for West Nottingham, except to say that it is not customary to publish the opinions of the law officers.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) how many students attended the last creamery course in the College of Science; whether eleven out of twelve were Roman Catholics; whether any of the teachers were Roman Catholics; if not, why this exclusion is practised; and whether provision will be made to have the matter remedied in future?

The number of students attending the course in question was twelve. The Department of Agriculture have no information as to the religion of either teachers or students.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that, since the passing of the Local Government (Ireland) Act, the Local Government Board for Ireland fixed a common form of tender for all Irish asylums; will he say why the Board have allowed an entirely different form, drafted by Mr. T. W. Delaney in the interest of a certain class of traders, to be issued and published in the Press on behalf of the Mullingar district lunatic asylum; whether the Board will immediately require this to be cancelled, a new advertisement to be issued, and contracts to be entered into de novo; whether, in the same period, paid Crown officials in Ireland have been officially notified that they are not qualified for membership of any public body or committee thereof; why this rule has not been enforced in the case of Mr. T. W. Delaney, Crown solicitor for county Longford; whether there is any other instance in Ireland of a Crown solicitor acting as member of an asylum board; and whether Mr. Delaney will at once be required to withdraw from either one position or the other?

The Mullingar Asylum Committee have not drawn up regulations for the management of the institution under Section 9 (6) of the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898, and the Privy Council Rules of 17th December, 1894, remain in force in pursuance of Section 110 (2) (b) of the Act. I understand that a form of advertisement, not of tender, for coal contract was drawn up by a subcommittee, appointed for the purpose, of which Mr. Delaney was a Member; and the advertisement, published in the Press in the usual way, contained the conditions upon which tenders were invited. The conditions were not inconsistent with the form of tender prescribed by the Privy Council Rules. The decision of questions relating to contracts is vested in the Committee of Management, but it is open to any person who considers himself aggrieved by the action of the Committee in regard to such contracts to appear before the auditor when the asylum accounts are being audited and make any representations which he may deem necessary. I believe that the Crown Solicitors, not being civil servants, are not debarred from membership of any public body or committee thereof. I do not know whether there is any instance in Ireland of a Crown Solicitor, other than Mr. Delaney, acting as member of an asylum board.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) why ship inspectors are ineligible after sixty years of age for further service; is he aware that according to the Department's Regulations manwalks are provided on the decks of cattle boats, and inspectors incur no risks in superintending the shipment of animals, while in their other duties entailing clerical work and the supervision of the feeding and watering of animals at lairages no risk is incurred; and will he consider the extension of the age limit and not cast adrift men who, if necessary, are desirous of submitting themselves for medical examination, as the Department may order or determine, on attaining their sixtieth year of age?

The regulation as to the retirement of ship inspectors at sixty years of age is a Treasury requirement arrived at after full consideration of the circumstances of the case. Before appointment ship inspectors are informed of this regulation as one of the conditions of their appointment. Part of their duty is to see that cattle are properly treated and penned off in the ships' holds, a task requiring considerable activity if performed adequately and with safety to the inspectors. Many of the cattle-carrying vessels possess man-walks, or passenger-ways, facilitating cattle attendants in looking after animals on board; but a considerable number of the vessels carrying livestock between Great Britain and Ireland were constructed before the requirements as to passage-ways were issued, and do not possess such facilities. As I stated in answer to the hon. Member for the Harbour Division of Dublin on the 3rd inst., the Department of Agriculture are of opinion that the age limit for retirement ought not to be extended.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he will state the average rent per acre for arable land for the years 1870, 1880, 1890, 1900 and 1910; the total rates on agricultural land for the year 1914; and the average weekly wages and the average number of weekly working hours for agricultural labourers employed on arable land in each of the counties of Dorsetshire, Durham, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Westmoreland, and Yorkshire?

No official information is available with regard to the first and second parts of the hon. Member's question. As regards the third part, there has been no official inquiry since 1907, and there are no separate data available for labourers employed on arable land; but according to the average of the returns received by the Board of Trade from chairmen and clerks of certain rural district councils, at the beginning of 1917 the weekly cash wages generally paid to ordi- nary labourers in the counties named, except Westmoreland, were as follows:—