asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the expenses involved in the holding of the Irish Convention will be defrayed out of public funds; if so, whether they will be charged as purely Irish or as Imperial expenditure; under what Vote will they be provided for; will he state the particulars of the salaries and fees paid to officials of the Convention and of the allowances which are being paid to delegates for travelling and hotel expenses; and what is the Treasury Estimate of the total amount of the charges which will be incurred in respect of the Convention?

The general expenses of the Irish Convention will be charged on the Vote for Temporary Commissions. Members of the Convention will be allowed travelling and subsistence expenses on the usual scale laid down for members of Royal Commissions. Officers of the Convention will mostly be public servants already in receipt of salaries, which they will retain while temporarily assisting the Convention. It is not yet possible to form any estimate of the total cost of the Convention, as this depends primarily on the duration of its sittings.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that an Irish plot-holders' association has been established with the object of obtaining an extension of the Allotments Act to Ireland and of increasing food production; and when it is likely that the Bill will be introduced in order to encourage the continuance of tillage in Irish cities, towns, and villages?

I am informed that a plot-holders' association was recently formed in the St. Patrick's Division of Dublin, and that it has passed a resolution in favour of the object stated in the question. The Local Government Allotments and Land Cultivation Bill has passed through both Houses of Parliament and has received the Royal Assent, and it contains the powers for the provision of allotments by urban and other councils, which appear to be at present required.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food by whom will the local food committees, in connection with the Food Controller's new scheme for the regulation of the prices of food, be appointed in Ireland?

I am in communication with my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary for Ireland in regard to this matter, and an announcement will be made in due course.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware of the fact that, in consequence of official silence, recent statements have been made about the Salonika Army of an unfair and prejudicial character; and whether, in justice to the regimental officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of this force, he will cause such statements and suggestions to be refuted by some public recognition of their bravery and devotion to duty during a long and difficult period?

Any important operations carried out by the British Army in Macedonia are dealt with as fully as possible in official communiqués, and a dispatch, when received, will be published in due course. In the meantime, I may say that the British troops in Macedonia have acquitted themselves in accordance with the best traditions of the British Army, and that any statements to the contrary are devoid of foundation. In the matter of rewards to officers and men, recommendations by the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Salonika, have been and will be dealt with in exactly the same manner as those from other theatres of war. The Salonika Force received generous recognition in the list of honours and promotions published in the "Gazette" of 4th June, 1917.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the fact that Territorial medical officers who were in the Force prior to the War have been repeatedly passed over for temporary promotion by others who are juniors in length of service, who have not served abroad, and presumably have not the same experience in war surgery, were not on the staff of any recognised hospital before the War, and have none of the higher surgical diplomas; whether his attention has been called to the fact that Territorial officers are actually in charge of surgical divisions with officers of superior rank under their charge; and whether he can see his way to undertake to alter this state of affairs?

The matters referred to by my hon. and gallant Friend in the first part of his question are under the consideration of the Committee presided over by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Munitions, and the Report on Royal Army Medical Corps, Territorial Force, is expected shortly. It may happen that an officer in charge of a surgical division is junior to other officers in the division. He would be placed there on account of his capacity as a surgeon.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the fact that officers of field rank in the Territorial Forces when their services are dispensed with are relegated to the Territorial Force Reserve without pay and allowance whilst they are still liable to be called upon to serve and are still under military law; and whether such officers should either receive half-pay, as is the case with Regular officers, or be definitely informed that their services are completely dispensed with?

Whether an officer on the Territorial Force Reserve is allowed to resign his commission depends on whether he is over military age or whether his services are likely to be required. If he is of military age, and is allowed to resign, he would be liable under the Military Service Acts for duty in the ranks. Many officers are pleased to know that, while on the Territorial Force Reserve, there is a prospect of further employment. On being transferred to the Reserve an officer, if otherwise eligible, receives a gratuity under Article 497 Royal Warrant, and is eligible for compensation from the Ministry of Pensions, if he is suffering from disability, just as officers who relinquish their commissions. The transfer being thus analogous to retirement, the question of half-pay does not arise.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether a contract is current for work at the Manstone Royal Naval Air Station, near Ramsgate, with Messrs. Henry Boot and Sons, Limited, of Sheffield; whether any local firm was asked to tender for the work; whether he is aware that that company, through having no supply of local labour such as is available to local firms, is importing labour into the district and paying and offering wages upwards of 20 per cent. in excess of the prevailing local rates; and whether considerations of that kind are calculated to increase the price at which tenders are made by firms operating from a distance?

Messrs. Boot and Sons, Limited, hold a contract for work at the Manstone Royal Naval Air Station, their tender being more favourable than those submitted for similar work by contractors capable of satisfactorily carrying out large and urgent works of this character. No local firms were asked to tender, as the work was considered too large. Local labour is employed to as great an extent as possible, but the local supply is very limited, and the importation of outside labour is necessary. The prevailing local rates of wages only are being paid.

asked the Pensions Minister whether a new Royal Warrant will shortly be issued providing for the dependants of soldiers killed or incapacitated through service in the South African and other wars?

The issue of a new Warrant for the dependants of soldiers killed or disabled in previous wars is, as I informed the hon. Member for Devizes on the 30th July, now under consideration?

asked the Pensions Minister whether he can state the grounds on which a pension has been refused to J. White, of 6, Leoville Street, Belfast, who joined the Army on the 11th August, 1915, but who has now been discharged as an invalid; whether he is aware that this man in joining the Army gave up a lucrative business as a restaurant keeper; that his service in the Army has broken down his health and rendered him unfit for any civil occupation; and whether he will now see that an adequate pension is granted to him forthwith?

The Invaliding Medical Board reported that the disability in consequence of which No. 62527 J. White, Royal Army Medical Corps, of 6, Leoville Street, Belfast, was discharged from the Army was neither due to nor aggravated by his military service, and the payment of a gratuity of £25 was the appropriate award in such circumstances. As Mr. White apparently contends that his military service did in fact aggravate his disability, the matter will be placed before the recently appointed Appeals Tribunal.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether inquiries have been completed on the question of a war bonus for the widows of those who lost their lives in the Boer War; and, if so, can he state the result?

The issue of a new Warrant for the dependants of soldiers killed or disabled in previous wars is, as I informed the hon. Member for Devizes on the 30th July, now under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, as a result of the Government Order compelling exporters to make known to the Customs authorities the contents of cases sent for consignment, the cases are often opened and part of the contents stolen; that this has happened recently in regard to a case containing stylographic pens where the case was subsequently refastened and looked as if it had not been opened, and, as a consequence, a clear receipt was given by the consignee; that the shipping companies are legally protected against claims for damages by the giving of a clear receipt and by the fact that such cases are not opened until the vessel by which they were consigned has left the port of arrival; and what redress the Government propose to give importers who suffer loss of this kind?

I am informed by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise that their officers have a statutory right to examine all goods intended for exportation, and that the exercise of this right is an essential part of the machinery for enforcing the export prohibitions. The law imposes on the exporter or his agent the duty of opening and repacking the packages selected for examination: the Customs officer does no more than examine the contents in the presence of the exporter or his agent, e.g., a representative of the harbour authorities or the shipping company. If particulars of the case the hon. Member has in mind are sent to me I will have them inquired into, but he will understand that, generally speaking, the Board of Customs and Excise cannot, in the circumstances described above, accept responsibility for any loss or damage that may result from the examination.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that traders are being refused the use of creosote oil in their trade; that in the case of road and pavement makers this means complete stoppage of their business, some already having stopped work altogether; that the contractor for the road-making of the Admiralty housing scheme at Gourock is prevented the use of creosote oil for the fulfilment of his contract; and whether he will take any action to prevent traders being put out of business by his Department, in view of the fact that plenty of this oil is in the country?

The demand for creosote oil for fuel has made it necessary to limit its use for other purposes. The whole matter is receiving careful attention.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Shipping whether tonnage is at present being provided by the Shipping Controller for the importation of spirits, rum, and molasses; and, if so, whether arrangements could be made to release this tonnage for the importation of food instead?

A very small quantity of alcohol is carried for munition purposes. No rum is provided for. Certain steamers are engaged solely in carrying molasses for munition purposes and cattle food, and in addition a small amount of space is reserved for molasses for civilian consumption.

asked (1) the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he will arrange that whatever measures are being taken and funds provided for housing in England and Wales corresponding advantages, in ratio to its necessities and population, shall be given to Ireland; (2) the Prime Minister whether he will appoint a Committee to consider the question of building construction in connection with the provision of dwellings for the working classes in Ireland and to report upon the best methods of securing economy and dispatch, on similar lines with the Committee appointed for England and Wales; and (3) the President of the Local Government Board whether he will secure for Ireland a proportionate share of the funds and regulations for housing purposes which are intended to be available for England and Wales?

I would refer to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for North Sligo on Friday last. I do not think it will be necessary to appoint a special Committee for Ireland to consider the question of building construction in connection with the housing of the working classes. The facts have been fully ascertained, and councils would be able to proceed with appropriate schemes the moment money and materials are available. Ireland will, no doubt, participate in any measures for improving the housing conditions of the poor.