asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, having regard to the bravery and courage displayed by the 21st Middlesex Regiment which was recruited in Islington, he will ask for the allotment of one of the captured German guns to the borough of Islington?

The number of applications for captured guns exceeds the number available for immediate distribution. I am afraid, therefore, that it is not possible at present to make any permanent allotment. The claims of Islington will not be overlooked when the time for distribution comes.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if he will make arrangements so that an abundant supply of his Orders and Regulations are sent in plenty of time to the provincial police for distribution amongst retailers and wholesalers of foodstuffs, so that they may have the opportunity of knowing the contents of the same before they come into force?

Copies of all Orders of the Food Controller are published in the daily Press and in the trade journals, and in some cases copies are sent to the police and local authorities. The Food Controller will consider whether any, and, if so, what further steps are desirable to secure immediate knowledge of these Orders among the classes of persons affected; but the particular suggestion made by the hon. Member appears likely to involve an excessive amount of labour to the local police as well as an excessive use of paper.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is yet in a position to state whether the increased amount of barrelage taken by the military authorities from the brewers is to be considered in regard to the statutory barrelage, so that the civilian consumption may not be decreased because of this increased proportion taken by the military authorities?

I must refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the President of the Board of Argiculture whether it is the intention of His Majesty's Government that the powers proposed to be conferred upon the Board of Agriculture by the Corn Production Bill shall be in substitution for the powers now being exercised by the county executive committees?

The county executive committees are working under powers derived from the Defence of the Realm Act; the Corn Production Bill proposes to confer powers of control over the cultivation of land upon the Board of Agriculture, through the county committees or otherwise, for the period of the duration of the Bill.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that farmers in Lancashire are unable to-obtain additional labour for the hay harvest, and are being put to inconvenience in consequence; and, if so, whether he proposes to take any steps to render assistance in the matter?

A number of soldiers have recently been allocated to Lancashire for the special purpose of helping with the hay harvest. If farmers will apply to the Agricultural distribution centre at Preston, they should be able to obtain assistance.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture when the latest Return prior to the War was issued showing the average wages paid to agricultural labourers in various counties, and where it is to be found; and whether he can give particulars of any recent Return which shows the wages now being paid?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. The latest Return showing the average earnings of agricultural labourers in various counties relates to the year 1907, and forms the fifth volume of the "Report of an Inquiry by the; Board of Trade into the Earnings and Hours of Workpeople of the United Kingdom." A similar inquiry as to earnings in 1914 was about to be made when the War broke out and the work had to be suspended. In addition to such inquiries as to earnings a considerable amount of information as to current cash rates of wages is obtained by the Department of Labour Statistics, and a summary will shortly be published in the "Labour Gazette," giving the latest available figures, with the necessary qualifications.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) why his Department still refuses to grant a half-holiday weekly, with pay, instead of fortnightly, as at present, to the employés at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin; and if he will grant this concession, which has been under consideration for the last six months?

The Department of Agriculture regret that it is not possible to entertain this proposal until the staff at the Royal Botanic Gardens is restored to its normal strength after the War.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that the hay barn erected at considerable expense by Timothy Murphy, evicted tenant, on his holding on the Thompson-Orpen estate, at Coolikerane, Millstreet, County Cork, was recently removed; by whose authority was this done and what has become of the corrugated sheet iron and poles of the barn, both of which are now exceedingly scarce and dear; whether the policemen engaged in protecting the caretaker were daily at work cutting turf on the evicted farm for their hire, and will he cause an official inquiry of the strictest kind to be held into their conduct; whether the sergeant of police and a constable from Millstreet Station were also engaged cutting turf on the farm, and for whom and what purpose were they doing so; whether the galvanised iron was also removed from two outhouses in the yard, and was it stolen or how was it otherwise disposed of; whether there is any tillage on the farm this year; and what action it is proposed to take in reference to this defiance of Government Regulations?

The hay barn at the Coolikerane Farm was removed by the secretary of the Cork Defence Union in September, 1916. It had been partly blown down and was considered dangerous. The corrugated iron roofing and the poles are stored on the farm. Neither the police on protection duty nor the sergeant and a constable from Millstreet have been cutting turf, but the police at Millstreet have employed men to cut turf for their use. The galvanised iron was blown off two small outhouses in a yard and was used for fencing purposes. I am informed that the evicted farm was offered for tillage, but no one would take it.