asked the Prime Minister if he is aware that the secondary school known as Deal School, at Deal, an educational establishment of high character and of exceptional value to the district in which it is situate, is in danger of having to close entirely on account of the financial difficulties occasioned by air raids and other war conditions prevalent on the South-East Coast; that the master of the school has been informed by the Defence of the Realm War Losses Commission that they are forbidden by Government instructions to render assistance in cases of loss not caused by direct military interference; if he will make inquiry into the circumstances with a view to determining whether it would be in the public interest, as well as an act of justice to persons threatened with ruin owing to the War, for the Government to afford such financial assistance as would avert the closing of Deal School; and whether, if such be found to be the case, he will take steps, either by enlarging the powers of the Defence of the Realm War Losses Commission or otherwise, to render such assistance to Deal School?

I am aware of the circumstances referred to. I am afraid the case is one of a not uncommon type where individuals have suffered loss due to the existence of a state of war.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the interest charged by the Stock Exchange to their clients on certain pre-moratorium securities ranges at rates considerably over 8 per cent, notwithstanding the fact that the joint stock banks only charge the Stock Exchange 5½ per cent.; and, seeing that it is now considered reprehensible to profiteer on business owing to the War, will he use the influence of the Treasury to reduce these rates which are being demanded on securities where further margins of 10 per cent, have been supplied on the close of the moratorium?

The maximum rate chargeable between member and member in cases where 10 per cent. margin or difference has been provided is 7½ per cent., and this is only charged in the case of securities not quoted in the Official List, such as the majority of mining shares, which the joint stock banks do not in the ordinary way accept as security. I am informed that the committee of the Stock Exchange have ruled that any further charge by way of remuneration to the broker for his expenses and continued risk must be a reasonable one, and they have undertaken to adjudicate in, any case of dispute. It is always open to any client who thinks these rates too high to pay for the securities.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been called to the gravity of the position created by the wholesale cutting down of trees in Ireland; and whether the Irish Government propose to take any and, if so, what steps to secure Government financial assistance in replanting and immediate action to that end?

I am not able to add anything to the answer I gave on the 21st June to a similar question by the hon. Member for the Harbour Division of Dublin.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War whether he is aware that the publication of an article based on the praise given to a Welsh battalion by Sir Douglas Haig was stopped by the Censor, although the article contained neither dates, name, or places, nor even the description of the battalion: and will he explain on what ground praise accorded to Welsh regiments cannot be made public whilst the exploits of other regiments are given full publicity?

If my hon. Friend is thinking of an article which appeared last week, he is under a misapprehension in supposing that it was stopped. It was referred to General Headquarters for censorship and has since been published in the ordinary way.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will make arrangements so that the civilian dispensers and assistant dispensers in military hospitals in Ireland will be paid the war bonus awarded to Civil servants; and if he will see that they be placed on a level with men similarly employed in Great Britain?

As I have been able to inform the hon. Member privately instructions were issued on the 20th instant.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what compensation is to be given to farmers in South Meath whose hay was bought last August and was not removed up to 1st May; and whether account will be taken of the wastage during the severe winter months and the shortage of weight owing to prolonged storage?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given on this subject on the 7th June to the hon. Member for Queen's County (Leix).

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware that several cases in which field punishment was awarded are reported to have occurred recently at the remount camp at Swaythling, near Southampton, and that in one case the charge was one of drunkenness and swearing in the streets of Southampton; and if he will have inquiries made into this matter?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given him on the 14th instant on this subject. If he will give me details, inquiries will be made, as he has already been informed.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War if he is aware that unnecessary hardship has already been inflicted on men of the Royal Defence Corps by moving them from the South to the North of England or vice versâ, without regard to their residences, this being a distinct breach of promises made to the men of the National Reserve when they were asked to volunteer for service; and whether, in the event of the reorganisation of the Royal Defence Corps, endeavours will be made to keep men as far as possible near their homes to enable them to control their private affairs and cultivate their gardens and allotments?

The personnel of the Royal Defence Corps is enlisted for service anywhere in the United Kingdom, and the reference to the alleged promises is not understood. I am afraid it is not possible to give effect to the suggestion in the last part of the hon. and gallant Member's question.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War if he is aware that at a munition works or explosives factory in Gloucestershire the workmen are being pressed to sign the A.R.M.W. form; that they are not given time to read the form, but are told by the officials to get it signed; that many of the men who are signing these forms are war munition volunteers and hold exemption certificates: and that these men are uncertain what their position is; and whether he will explain what the position of these men really is?

Certain classes of men called up for military service from a munition works in Gloucestershire have been given the opportunity to enrol as Army Reserve munition workers. I am informed that there is no foundation for the suggestion that these men were not given time to read the form of enrolment. I am not aware that any men, war munition volunteers or otherwise, properly holding exemption certificates, have been enrolled as Army Reserve munition workers. If the hon. Member will give me the names of any such men I will cause further inquiries to be made, with a view to taking any action which may be necessary.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that in the Western counties of Ireland the neighbouring people have always had, and until recently have exercised, the right of free fishing both in tidal and in fresh waters; and whether, now that land game may be killed and that food is required, any alleged exclusive rights recently set up in derogation of the people's right to fish in such waters will be overruled and this source of food released?

This is a question which should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary for Ireland.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what proportion of sugar is to be issued in respect of quantities applied for jam preserving; what is to be the retail price per pound; and whether the sugar can be issued at once so as to avoid waste of fruit?

The information asked for in the first part of the question cannot be given. The retail price of the sugar has been fixed at 6½d. per lb. where conditions of transport are normal, and in no case is the price to exceed 7d. per lb. Issues of the sugar are now being made as rapidly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will state the reasons for the delay in holding the Conference of Representatives of all the Allied Governments which the Russian Provisional Government consider urgent; and if he can mention a probable date for the holding of such a Conference?

His Majesty's Government have not as yet been, approached by the Russian Government in the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the decisions of our own prize Courts are final or whether any undertaking has been entered into with any neutral which would permit of a number of claims being reheard by an international prize Court?

No undertaking of the nature mentioned has been entered into by His Majesty's Government. I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answers given to former questions on the subject in this House on 6th and 17th July last.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that, though purchase agreements were lodged with the Irish Land Commission in 1908 between the tenants and owners of the Leslie and Gubbin estates situate near Glanmire, county Cork, the purchase has not since been completed; will he state the cause of the delay, seeing that other estates have since been vested, though the agreements were entered into at a subsequent date; and when the Land Commission expect to have the lands vested?

The estates referred to are pending direct sales tinder the Irish Land Act, 1903, for cash. Such sales are dealt with in order of priority, and have not yet been reached, and the Estates Commissioners are not at present in a position to say when the purchase moneys can be advanced and the holdings vested in the tenants. When reached in order of priority, the estates will be dealt with as rapidly as practicable. I am not aware of the estates referred to in the concluding part of the question, but I presume they are estates in which the purchase money has been advanced either wholly or partly in guaranteed stock.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether Major Metge at any time offered to sell the Warrenstown Estate, Dunboyne, county Meath, to the Estates Commissioners; and, if so, why the purchase was not carried out?

The owner of the estate referred to expressed his willingness to sell, and in 1907 was furnished with an estimate of the price which the Estates Commissioners were prepared to advance under the Land Purchase Acts, provided formal proceedings for sale were instituted. The owner, however, did not consider the price offered sufficient, and formal proceedings for sale were not instituted.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether in view of the facts set out in the correspondence and the memorandum of the town clerk of Tipperary he will grant the request for an inquiry into the charges made by the Tipperary Urban Council as to the application of housing loans under the Land Improvement Acts in Tipperary; and whether in the public interest steps will be taken to ensure the observance of the conditions laid down by the statutes requiring cottages erected under land improvement loans to be used for the purpose to which Parliament dedicated them at the public cost?

At the request of the hon. Member for South Tipperary I made inquiry into this matter and I came to the conclusion that there is no ground for holding an inquiry. No statutory condition exists with regard to the use of cottages after they have been erected as is assumed in the question and I do not think cottages provided under loans charged on the estates of private borrowers and repayable by those borrowers can be said to have been erected at the public cost.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Criminal Investigation Department of New Scotland Yard is supported out of moneys provided by Parliament; and, if so, under what heading in the Estimates is the money voted?

The cost of the Criminal Investigation Department is borne by the Metropolitan Police Fund; but under Section 1 of the Police Act, 1909, a Grant of £100,000 a year is paid to that fund out of moneys provided by Parliament in respect of services rendered by the Metropolitan Police for Imperial and national purposes. This is paid out of the Tote for Police, England and Wales.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will state the names, ages, periods of service, and duties of the two Assistant-Commissioners of Police for whose salaries £1,200 is provided in the Estimates, Class 3, Vote 7, Sub-head A?

The two Assistant-Commissioners whose salary is in part chargeable to the Civil Service Estimates are: (1) Mr. Basil Thomson (born in 1861), who was appointed to be in charge of criminal investigation in June, 1913, and who has during the War been engaged on special war duties; (2) Mr. Frank Louis Dumbell Elliott (born in 1874), who was appointed in April, 1914, and whose duties include such questions as street traffic, motor car regulation, the control of public carriages and their drivers, street collections, public-house and licensing questions, and kindred matters.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will furnish, for the information of the House, a statement of the number of depositors in the Post Office Savings Bank whose accounts have remained dormant for twenty years or more; also the total amount of such deposits?

The number, amount and average balance of Post Office Savings Bank accounts under £1 in which there have been no transactions for five years are stated annually in the report on the Post Office. On the 31st December, 1915, the number of such accounts was 4,208,411 and the amount £422,874. The average balance was 2s.