asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether a claim has been made to the Rebellion (Victims) Committee by Nicholas Murphy, 71, North Great Brunswick Street, Dublin, for compensation on behalf of his son, Nicholas Murphy, who was severely injured and lost part of four fingers of the right hand through taking up a cartridge off the road, which exploded in his hand, during the time of the disturbances in Dublin last year; whether he is aware that the Rebellion (Victims) Committee refused to allow any compensation in the case of this boy, who is fifteen years of age, and whose right hand has been rendered practically useless for life; and if he will have this case reconsidered with a view of having reasonable compensation awarded?

Nicholas Murphy (junior) picked up a gelignite cartridge in Sackville Street, Dublin, and took it home. He applied a lighted candle to the cartridge. The explosion severely injured his right hand. The case did not come within the terms of reference to the Rebellion (Victims) Committee, the injury being caused by the lad's own action.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the War Office are at present engaged in drafting men from the Army for agricultural work in Scotland and at the same time calling up men from agriculture to the Army for training; and, if so, will he take steps to ensure the two transactions being combined, to the saving of money and annoyance to the nation?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The remainder of the question therefore does not arise.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that there is no power under the Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851, or otherwise, to arrest an alleged offender in Ireland upon an English warrant and transport him to England for trial unless such an offender be charged with an indictable offence; whether he is aware that desertion and absence without leave under the Reserve Forces Act, 1882, are not indictable offences; and whether he will accordingly give instructions forthwith to cancel so much of the recent Army Council directions with respect to persons who are-suspected of having gone to Ireland to evade military service as sanctions transportation without trial from Ireland to England?

I am well aware that desertion and absence without leave under the Reserve Forces Act, 1882, are not indictable offences, but the Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851, contains a general provision for the backing of English warrants in Ireland and provides for the execution of warrants so backed and is not limited to the backing of the warrants for indictable offences only.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War, with regard to the case of Private Albert Milne, No. 3,778, 7th Field Company, Royal Engineers, British Expeditionary Force, whose relatives reside at 20, Emden Street, Hulme, whether Private A. Milne is now over forty-one years of age, has served eighteen years with the Colours, and already done twelve months over his time; and whether he is entitled to claim his discharge?

I am afraid that it is not possible to answer this question without local inquiry. I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as I am in a position to do so.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War why Mr. Arthur S. Wood and Mr. Frederick P. Wood, who are whole-time mission preachers belonging to the Church of England, have been called up for service with the Colours; whether he is aware that a writ has been issued in Chancery for a declaration of the Law as to their legal status under the Military Service Acts; and if he will undertake that these preachers will not bf arrested and no summonses will be issued against them as absentees pending a decision of the High Court of Chancery on the subject?

I am informed that Mr. Arthur S. Wood and Mr. Frederick P. Wood claim to be excepted from the liability to military service as whole-time mission preachers belonging to the Church of England and have been called up for military service. In the event of their failing to comply with the notice calling them up for service they will be given every opportunity of having the question of their liability to military sear-vice decided by a Civil Court, in accordance with the provisions of Section 1 (2) of the Military Service Act, 1916. It is a fact that Mr. Arthur S. Wood and Mr. Frederick P. Wood have issued writs against the Attorney-General in the Chancery Division asking for various declarations that they are not liable to military service, but the Recruiting authorities have been advised that the fact that a man has issued a writ in the Chancery Division asking for a declaration that he is not liable to military service does not preclude the military authorities from having the man arrested and brought before a Court of summary jurisdiction if he has failed without reasonable cause to comply with a notice calling him up for military service. I must remind my hon. Friend that Section 1 (2) of the Military Service Act, 1916, provides that the Army Act and any Orders and Regulations made thereunder shall apply to a man who is deemed to have been enlisted and transferred to the Reserve, and if any question arises in any legal proceedings under any of those Acts, Orders, or Regulations, whether any man is a man who is deemed to have been enlisted and transferred to the Reserve or not, the question shall be decided only on proceedings before a Civil Court, and the Army Act, 1881, defines a Civil Court as being a Court of ordinary criminal jurisdiction and includes a Court of summary jurisdiction. As Messrs. Wood have failed to report for service, summonses will be applied for in order to bring the matter to a decision before a Civil Court at once in accordance with the Acts.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will make in- quiries into the case of Richard Kinon, of 50, Darwin Street, Burnley, who has been recently passed at Burnley for military service under category C 2, and particularly if he will ascertain whether this man, was rejected on three previous occasions as being totally unfit for military service; whether for the past sixteen years he has been attended by Dr. Ferguson, one of the leading physicians of the town; whether Dr. Ferguson has certified that he is suffering from colitis and loss of power in the spine, so that he is unable to raise himself, and is absolutely useless for any strenuous work; and, if on inquiry the facts are found to be as stated, will the War Office take some steps in the matter?

Inquiries are being made, and my hon. Friend will be informed of the result as soon as possible.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War why appropriate acting rank was given to officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps recently sent overseas with special Territorial general hospitals, who are by special arrangement to serve for a minimum period of three months and to be relieved when necessary, when similar appropriate acting rank has been refused to officers of the same corps occupying similar positions in Territorial hospitals in France who have been serving in His Majesty's Forces before the war and continuously since mobilisation, and in some cases for over two years at the Front, and who are subject to no such special arrangements as to minimum period of service or relief?

When a general hospital is mobilised at home appropriate rank is given to the superior officers of the unit, but it has been decided that acting promotions need not be given in the case of vacancies occurring in units serving abroad. As stated in the reply which I gave my hon. and gallant Friend a week ago the question of acting promotions in such cases is under consideration.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War what is the-precise nature of the appointment in the Northern Command now held by Lieutenant-Colonel H. Delmé Ratcliffe, who was stated on the 28th February last to have been removed from the command of the 12th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers because of his conduct in dealing with the matter of Second-Lieutenant Barratt; and, in view of the announcement that this officer was not to receive a staff appointment but would be sent to France, he will say who is responsible for the subsequent appointment?

This officer is still only fit for home service and cannot be sent to France. He is attached to a district in the Northern Command, but holds no definite appointment

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War what are the exact duties at present delegated to Sir Robert Armstrong Jones, late medical superintendent of Claybury Asylum; and do his functions include the giving of advice in regard to the care, treatment, and future destination of nerve-strained soldiers or ex-soldiers of the uncertifiable class?

Major Sir Robert Armstrong Jones is employed as a consultant physician in cases of nervous and mental disorders among soldiers in the London district and Aldershot Command. He has no duties in connection with ex-soldiers.

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

This matter is still under consideration.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if the Government intend purchasing any part of this season's Irish hay crop for military purposes, and, if so, seeing that loss and inconvenience was caused to farmers by the storing, baling, delivery, and other arrangements in connection with last year's crop, he will instruct the Irish Forage Advisory Committee to consult with representatives of the farming interests in Ireland with a view to making the necessary modifications and alterations in the existing arrangements?

If the weather admits of its being got in sufficiently good condition to make it suitable for military requirements, some purchases of hay in Ireland will be made this year. We are not aware of any cases of loss caused to farmers through the arrangements made by the Forage Department for the handling of hay purchased in Ireland. Cases of inconvenience are bound to occur, but they have been very few, and every care has been taken to limit and minimise them. The Irish Advisory Committee of the Forage Department in Ireland will be asked to recommend any modifications or alterations (if any) they may think necessary, and these will as far as possible be adopted.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what are the fixed wages for Civil clerks in the Record Office at Island Bridge, the Army Ordnance Department, Island Bridge, and the Army Service Corps and Army Audit Departments in Dublin; how the successive war bonuses have been allocated in the respective departments; and whether he will state the conditions under which the employés on the Civil clerical staffs of the departments are serving?

I understand that my hon. Friend wishes to be assured that the men referred to are receiving what is due to them under recent decisions as to war bonus. I am inquiring, and will communicate with him in due course.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he will consider the possibility of arranging when orders are being given by the War Office respecting grants or revised scales of salaries or wages in Army Departments in the City of Dublin that such orders will be simplified in a manner that the allocation to the respective employés shall not be delayed; and whether he can arrange that the orders issued can be published for the information of the employés concerned?

The orders issued to Dublin are necessarily in the same terms as at other stations. I will consider whether any action in the directions suggested is practicable.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether orders for the issue of an additional war bonus have been given by the War Office; whether the payment has been made to some Departments in Dublin and not made to the Army Ordnance Department, Army Service Corps Departments, and Royal Engineer Departments; and when it is proposed to make the payment to these latter Departments?

The hon. Member is presumably referring to the bonus for writers, clerks, and employés other than "workmen," including working foremen. This bonus is applicable to all military departments in Dublin. Inquiry will be made whether there has been any delay in dealing with the departments mentioned.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that at Folkestone a number of soldiers, some of whom have been wounded, are being engaged on ordinary dockers' work, such as coaling ships, and, in addition to Government supplies and mails, handling such things as perfumes, fancy side-combs, cases of champagne, etc.; that the men are only receiving ordinary Army rates of pay; that in being put on this work civilian labour has been displaced; and whether he will take steps to secure that ordinary civilian work is done by civilians and review the whole question of the rates of pay for soldiers engaged on work of an analogous character?

Inquiry is being made in this case, and I will communicate further with my hon. Friend as soon as I am in a position to do so.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office "whether the Army Contracts Department has claimed the right to seize wool and semi-manufactured wool already sold to and in some cases paid for by buyers in Allied and neutral countries, and which have lawfully passed into the ownership of people abroad; whether in one such case a Bradford firm held a large quantity of wool tops on behalf of a Swedish firm who had paid for them over a year ago; whether, by consent of the neutral owner, the wool tops were transferred to the British Government on the condition made with the local responsible British Government official that they should be replaced in the same quality and at the same price; and whether one month later this arrangement was repudiated by the Army Contracts Department in London?

In virtue of Regulations made under the Defence of the Realm Acts, the Army Council is empowered to take possession of stocks of wool and tops in the United Kingdom. I am advised that the question whether such stocks are owned by British subjects, Allies or neutrals is immaterial. I understand that in one such case, which is probably that referred to by my hon. Friend, the tops were, at the date on which possession was taken by the Army Council, held by a Bradford firm on behalf of a Swedish firm. I am, however, not fully informed of the circumstances of this particular case, and am making further inquiries on the subject. When I am in possession of the necessary information, I will communicate further with my hon. Friend.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War why majors in the Indian Army have not been given concessions corresponding to those granted in the matter of promotion to officers of other ranks in recent years; and whether pay for temporary rank in India is given to all officers or only to Staff officers?

The promotion of majors in the Indian Army to the rank of liuetenant-colonel has not been specialy accelerated because no occasion has been given for such a measure by any general acceleration of promotion of majors of the Britsh Army. Pay of temporary rank is admissible to regimental officers as well as to Staff officers.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the Government of India insists on charging ad valorem duty on all tobacco sent from home to British officers of the Regular Army resident in India, notwithstanding the fact that this tobacco has already paid full duty in this country before being sent; if so, is he aware that in similar circumstances France, a protective country, immediately on the outbreak of war cancelled all duties on tobacco in parcels sent to soldiers; and will he try to arrange that our Dominions treat our soldiers as favourably as do our Allies?

Under Orders issued by the Government of India Customs Duty is not levied on articles imported by post for British soldiers in Regular regiments or for members of Territorial or Garrison regiments; nor is duty levied on gifts of tobacco, cigars, and cigarettes imported otherwise than by post for all troops in India if consigned to particular units and certified to be bond fide gifts. I am in communication with the Government of India as to the possibility of extending the first of these concessions to all officers in British service. Tobacco sent to India from bond in this country would be free from British Import Duty.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he will state the offence with which Mr. G. S. Arundale is charged; and whether he is aware that Mr. Arundale has given valuable personal and pecuniary help to this country during the War?

I assume that in making the Order in question under the Defence of India Rules, restricting the liberties of Mrs. Annie Besant, Mr. Arundale, and Mr. Wadia, the Madras Government were of opinion that, in the words of the Rules, there were reasonable grounds for believing that Mr. Arundale had acted, was acting, or was about to act, in a manner prejudicial to the public safety or the defence of British India. I am as yet without particulars, but other Governments besides the Madras Government have satisfied themselves that the activities of Mrs. Besant and her associates have excited an unrest which might easily become dangerous at the present time, and I am confident that the Government of Madras have taken this action reluctantly, and I do not doubt that it was necessary. On the second part of the question I have only such information as the hon. Member has himself given me.

asked the Home Secretary whether any steps have yet been taken to intern or to compulsorily remove to a distance for work of national importance the alien enemy Stark, a German, who has set up to capture the business of his former employer, a French polisher, now deceased, which was being carried on at 6, Leeland Terrace, Ealing, W., by the widow, aided by her stepson, Edward Sharp, who was reluctantly sent into the Army by the local tribunal; and whether he is aware that the presence of this German has created a feeling in the neighbourhood that protection should be afforded him at the expense of British subjects, and at a time when his countrymen are using every barbarity towards women and children in this country?

I gave directions that this man was either to find employment at once as a workman in some essential industry or to be interned. He has found work as an undertaker's assistant, and has been allowed to take this until the National Service Department require him for work of national importance.

asked the Home Secretary, whether his attention has been called by the Earling local military tribunal, through the Local Government Board, to the presence of these alien enemies, un-naturalised Austrian subjects, viz.: Joseph Perlmutter and his two sons, Francis and Frank, aged twenty-seven, and Albert, aged twenty-one, carrying on business as jewellers at 5, The Broadway, West Ealing, W.; whether, in view of the present state of public feeling, consequent upon the killing of women and children by the enemy's methods of bombing undefended districts in the daytime by air raids, he will cause these aliens to be interned or removed to a distance for employment upon work of national importance under proper supervision; and whether he is aware that, failing such action, the local military tribunal declines to send British subjects engaged in a similar business into the Army when their trade is likely to be captured by these protected alien enemies?

These three persons were exempted from internment on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee, and steps have been taken with a view to their being employed on work of national importance as soon as possible. If they refuse to undertake such employment, they will be interned.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that military service tribunals are refusing to order men to join the Army and are granting orders of exemption on grounds of exceptional hardship in cases where uninterned enemy aliens by birth, and whether naturalised or not, are proved to be waiting to secure and carry on the businesses which would have to be relinquished by the present owners being called up; and whether he will reconsider the policy hitherto pursued and intern all such persons or see that they are removed for work of national importance, under proper supervision, to distant parts of the country?

I would refer to my replies to the hon. and learned Member's other questions with regard to individual cases of alien enemies mentioned by him, and to the reply to the question by the right hon. and learned Gentleman the Member for St. Georges, Hanover Square, on the 11th instant.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has taken or contemplates taking action in the case brought to his notice some time ago where a man named Bailey, who carried on business as a hairdresser in Northfield's Avenue, Ealing, was compelled to close his shop consequent upon being ordered to join the Army, the business being regarded by the local tribunal as unnecessary; whether he is aware that, in order to capture the trade, an interned German property owner has leased a shop to a man to carry on the same business, and that such alien enemy is permitted under escort periodically to visit the premises and to conduct his affairs under escort; and whether he will direct this practice to be discontinued?

The alien enemy to whom this question appears to relate is a man named Joseph Kaphan, now interned at Alexandra Palace. It is not the case that this man is allowed to leave the camp, whether under escort or otherwise, for the purpose suggested in the question. Permission would certainly not be given to him or to any other alien enemy to leave the camp in order to capture the trade of a British subject obliged to join the Army. The camp records show that during the present year he was twice allowed out for a short time, once to buy kosher meat for the Jewish inmates at Passover time, and once to get himself a pair of glasses on the recommendation of the medical officer.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that an unnaturaliscd German, named Hoffmann, is trading as a jeweller in Ealing under the assumed name of Mann, in competition with British subjects whose staff has been almost wholly taken for military service; and whether he will end this state of things, which has created a feeling in Ealing and affects the working of the Military Service Acts, and require this man to be interned or removed for work of national importance under supervision at a distance from his present place of operations?

The person in question is registered as a Russian. I shall be glad if the hon. and learned Member will submit to me any information which he may have in support of his statement that the man is a German.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can state the total amount of raw rubber in weight imported into the United Kingdom during each of the years 1913, 1914, 1915, and 1916, and the market price of rubber in London on 1st June of each of those years and of 1917?

The total quantities of raw rubber (including waste and reclaimed rubber) imported into the United Kingdom from all sources during the years specified were as follows: Centals of 100 lbs. 1913 … … … 1,574,439 1914 … … … 1,515,196 1915 … … … 1,302,256 1916 … … … 1,735,754

The London market prices of the undermentioned descriptions of rubber on the 1st June in each of the five years 1913–17 were as stated below: Para (Spot). Per lb. Fine Plantation (Std. Crepe). Per lb. s. d. s. d. On 1st June, 1913 3 8 3 2 On 1st June, 1914 2 9½ 2 3¼ On 1st June, 1916 2 7¼ 2 4½ On 1st June, 1916 2 8¼ 2 6½ On 1st June, 19173 3 2 3 0

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now reconsider his decision as to granting cheap return tickets to members of the police force who have their annual leave during harvest time, provided that they agree to assist farmers in gathering the harvest in the district in which they are staying?

I regret that I cannot add to the reply on this subject which was given to the right hon. Gentleman on the 7th June.

asked the Postmaster-General whether in the next issue of the London Telephone Directory he will cause to be inserted after the address of each subscriber the number of the office of delivery in order to facilitate compliance with the desire expressed in his public letter of 1st March that delivery numbers should be included in the addresses of all letters.

I have already given instructions that this shall if possible be done, though there are some difficulties of detail to be arranged.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the amount of damage done to growing crops adjacent to woods and plantations by hares and rabbits, he is prepared to take steps to give full powers, either to his own Departmental agents or the farmers themselves, who would shoot and ferret these pests from the land, and thus prevent the devastation of crops which is now taking place in many parts of the country?

Full powers have been given to county agricultural execu- tive committees under the Rabbits Order, 1917, enabling them to authorise any person to enter on land or woods for the purpose of destroying rabbits. I will send the hon. Member a copy of the Order.

asked the Secretary for Scotland what are the most recent figures of the numbers of medical students (men and women respectively) attending Scottish universities as compared with the number in the year before the War?

I am informed that the figures are, approximately, as follows:—In the year before the War, 2,367 men and 236 women; in the present year, 1,510 men and 696 women.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that 400 acres of land in the townlands of Cappanaclough and Derrykearn, etc., Queen's County, are flooded annually and rendered useless for tillage purposes by the River Nore; if he is aware that this flooding is caused by a weir on the river a few miles down; if he is aware that the mill in connection with which the weir was erected is dismantled, in a ruinous condition, and has not been working for over thirty years; whether he has received a Report on the floodings; and whether the Board of Works are able to deal with the matter without proceedings under the Arterial Drainage Acts?

The facts are as I have stated them in answer to previous questions of the hon. Member for the Ossory Division of Queen's County. The Board of Works have no power to deal with the matter apart from the Arterial Drainage Acts.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that the result of his recent inquiry into the pay and allowance of Irish prison warders has been received by those officers with disappointment and has only increased the discontent aready existing in the service; that their claim is for equal pay and allowance with the English warders for existing Irish warders, as promised by the Treasury and announced in Parliament in April, 1916; and that sufficient money has been saved by the recent reorganisation of the Irish service to accomplish that object without directly appealing to the Treasury; whether, in view of the fact that fuel and light, as well as other allowances, have been taken from those existing officers with a view to assimilating them with the English warders, he will consider the desirability of providing that their pay should also be assimilated; if, in order to put an end to this agitation of over four years' standing, he will take steps to have existing warders' pay equalised with that of English warders by putting them on such pay as they would have had they entered the service at 24s. per week; and if he is aware that until that is done and the Treasury promise of April, 1916, carried out in full the existing Irish warders are determined to carry on the agitation?

I have recommended the changes in the scheme which appeared to be needed to carry out the intentions with which it was framed and effect has been given to my recommendations by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. What the effect may be of this effort to remove grievances I, of course, cannot foresee.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he is prepared to take steps to prohibit the trapping of hares and rabbits, it being a cruel and painful death?

Section 6 of the Ground Game Act, 1880, prohibits the use of spring traps except in rabbit holes. The Board's views on the question of cruelty in trapping hares and rabbits are set out in their Leaflet No. 228, a copy of which I will send the hon. Member. The Board do not at present propose to take further steps in the matter.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether there are any whole-time sheriffs-principal in Scotland; and, if so, how many?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. None of the sheriffs-principal in Scotland is obliged, either by Statute or by the terms of his commission, to appropriate his whole time to the public service. The second part of the question, therefore, does not arise.