asked the Minister of National Service if he will state the present position under the Military Service Act of Irishmen temporarily resident in Great Britain performing work of national importance; whether the guarantees which they received against military service will be respected; and whether they will be allowed to return to Ireland before any form of military service is imposed on them?

The position is as stated to the House by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department on Thursday last. Instructions were issued to all recruiting officials on the 9th April to the effect that no alteration is to be made at present in the existing procedure as regards Irishmen ordinarily resident in Ireland and only temporarily resident in Great Britain for the purpose of working on shipbuilding, munitions, work in connection with Government contracts, port transport work or agriculture. In the event of the Military Service Bill being applied to Ireland, Irishmen ordinarily resident in Ireland and only temporarily resident in Great Britain for some special purpose will be given due notice of the application of compulsory service to Ireland and will also be given an opportunity of returning to Ireland should they prefer to be made liable to service in Ireland.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has received a petition, signed by 1,186 trades unionists and others of Bristol, asking for the release of the thirty- five Bristol men conscientious objectors to military service, many of whom have been over two years in prison; and, if so, what action he proposes to take?

I have received the petition referred to. If any of the men mentioned are suffering seriously from ill-health, or if any of them are found by the Central Appeal Tribunal to have a genuine objection to military service and are willing to undertake work under the Committee on the Employment of Conscientious Objectors, I should be prepared to consider the question of their release. Otherwise I have no authority to intervene in the case of sentences passed by court-martial.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he is aware that Isle of Wight men released from the Colours for agricultural work are distributed over nearly every other county in England; if anything can be done to transfer these men to their own county for the same work; and if, in future, efforts will be made, where possible, to employ soldiers released for agricultural work as near their own homes as conveniently can be arranged?

The posting of men to agricultural companies is carried out by the military authorities, and Army Council Instruction 1390, of 10th September, 1917, provided that soldiers should, as far as possible be posted to that part of the country where they worked in civil life. Many men had, however, been sent out for agricultural work before the issue of this Instruction. The Department are not aware that Isle of Wight men are working in nearly every other county in England, but it is open to they County Agricultural Executive Committees to arrange mutually the transfer or exchange of soldiers in order that they maybe returned to their own county.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether his attention has been drawn to a resolution passed by the Town Commissioners of Howth, county of Dublin, protesting against the Regulation limiting the distance within which fishing may be carried on in Dublin Bay, pointing out that the chief and best fishing grounds, both for nets and hooks and for obtaining bait, is within the prohibited area, and declaring that the continued prohibition of this area will destroy Howth fishing, the greater part of the population of which town is dependent on that industry; and, if so, whether the Regulation will be modified so as to permit fishing to be carried on within a much shorter distance of the coast?

I am afraid I can do no more than refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the. Member for the Dublin Harbour Division on 30th October last, namely, that under the existing Admiralty Regulations, fishing by night is prohibited altogether within fifteen miles of Kingstown Pier, and is restricted by day to small open boats not equipped with steam or motor power. These Regulations are considered to be necessary for the protection of the port, and cannot be relaxed at present.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that a War Office letter, 45/B.F./566, issued 22nd January, 1918, authorised payment of a sum not exceeding £5 for the proper burial of discharged men when death is attributable to military duty during the present War; and whether he can see his way to recommend a payment to relatives of deceased discharged sailors of a similar burial Grant?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Burial Grants are already made by the Admiralty to the relatives of discharged naval ratings on the same terms and conditions as those made by the War Office.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War whether he is aware that officers and men belonging to the Dover garrison have been and still are refused leave prior to proceeding overseas; if he will state the grounds of this prohibition; and whether he is aware that the restrictions is causing much discontent in the garrison and among their friends?

As explained by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, in his speech on the 9th instant, the situation in France has rendered it necessary to suspend the usual leave granted to officers and men prior to their proceeding overseas. As pointed out to those affected, personal considerations had to give way to the vital importance of immediate reinforcements for our troops fighting in France, and I am sure that the officers and men fully appreciate that the military authorities had no alternative but to take such a step. I hope that the circumstances may admit of short draft-leave being granted in the near future.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty if that Department has any further information about the fate of Second Air Mechanic J. W. Shepherd, No. 82,007, who was on board the "Aragon" when she was sunk in the Mediterranean on the 30th December, 1917?

This man was reported missing, believed drowned, in the loss of the "Aragon," and the base over seas confirm that he was not among the survivors. I regret there is no further in formation.

asked the Under-Secretary of Stale for War if his attention has been drawn to the action of the military authorities in Dublin; if he is aware that they have put soldiers to do dock labourers' work at North Wall, with the result that Dublin labourers are being deprived of work; and if he will see that the military are withdrawn and that the recognised port rate of wages which is paid by private shipping and other Government Departments will be paid to the Dublin workmen?

I am making inquiries into this, and will communicate with the hon. Member in due course.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War what shortage, if any, there is of agricultural labour in the neighbourhood of Hitchin, Hertfordshire; whether, of the forty-four German prisoners of war at present billeted at Offley Holes House, Hitchin, fifteen only are being employed on agricultural work daily, and that at a considerable distance from the house; and will he consider the advisability of removing these prisoners of war from their present billets in a temporarily unoccupied private house to more suitable premises nearer their work and nearer Hitchin?

There is need for more agricultural labour in the neighbourhood of Hitchin, as in other parts of the country. As regards German prisoners available for agricultural work, it often happens that until local farmers have gained experience of their work there is delay before the whole number available are employed. This was the case in the present instance, but I am informed that nearly all the prisoners are now employed, and that Offley Holes House is the only house suitable and available for their habitation in the neighbourhood.

asked the Pensions Minister whether a conference between representatives of the Pensions Ministry, the Irish Insurance Commission, the Local Government Board for Ireland, and the medical profession was recently held at Dublin at which the doctors agreed to accept a remuneration on a capitation basis of 12s. 6d. in the urban districts and 15s. in the rural districts of Ireland on a panel system provided they give similar home treatment to discharged and disabled soldiers in Ireland as is now given under the National Health Insurance Act in Great Britain by the Insurance Commissioners; and, if so, will the similar Department in Ireland administer the scheme as in the case of Great Britain, namely, the Trish Insurance Commission?

The facts are accurately stated in the first part of the question. With regard to the latter part, I can only say that the Report of the Conference is now under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the Bengal Government has taken any action in the question of investigating the position of persons interned in Bengal or by the Bengal Government; and whether such action, if any, as has been taken originated with the Bengal Government or with the Government of India?

I would refer the hon. Member to the full statement regarding revolutionary crime made by the Governor of Bengal at the meeting of his Legislative Council on 20th November. Lord Ronaldshay said that one of the first acts of his Government was to propose the appointment of a strong Committee of Indians and Europeans, with a Judge of the High Court of England at the head, to investigate the whole subject, and that, apart from this inquiry, his Government were prepared to submit the case of every person whom they proposed to intern to two Judges for opinion. The action originated with the Government of Bengal.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether a Committee of Indians and Europeans, with a Judge of the English High Court as chairman, has been appointed to investigate the revolutionary movement in Bengal; and, if so, whether it has submitted a Report to the Government of India?

The answer to the first question is in the affirmative. The inquiry is as to the nature and extent of the criminal conspiracies connected with the revolutionary movement in India and as to the legislation, if any, necessary to enable Government to deal effectively with them. The Secretary of State is not aware that the Committee have as yet submitted a Report.

asked the Minister of Labour when the Report of the Committee appointed to consider the claims of insurance agents for a living wage will be issued; if he is aware of the growing discontent caused by the delay in settling their claims; and if he will see that a reasonable bonus is paid to them immediately and that the payments be retrospective?

My right hon. Friend is unable to say when the Committee of Inquiry will forward this Report to him. Until he has received it, it is of course impossible to answer the last part of the hon. Member's question.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that general complaints have been made by the urban council of Tipperary and other representatives of the people of the difficulty of transacting business in the Tipperary Post Office owing to the want of sufficient accommodation and consequent overcrowding, mainly caused by the thousands of extra military stationed there; and whether he will take immediate steps to remedy this state of affairs and relieve the present congestion by providing extra temporary accommodation?

I have received no complaints on this subject, but I will make inquiry.