asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the only newspaper printed in English which is generally obtainable in Stockholm and other large towns in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark is the "Continental Times," and that as this paper is printed and edited in Berlin and Hamburg it consistently misrepresents facts as regards the condition of affairs in England and the progress of the War; and whether, in view of the fact that many people, failing to recognise that the paper is of enemy origin, are seriously misled thereby, he will arrange for a wide distribution of British newspapers in the countries referred to?

The question of distribution of English newspapers in Sweden is receiving urgent attention. It is hoped to arrange immediately a proper and systematic distribution, though the difficulties of transport have to be overcome.

asked the Prime Minister if he will state if the position of Dr. Seton Watson in the service of the Government is a confidential one in which he has access to State Papers; whether he is or has been attending the Jugo-Slav Conference in Rome or has been in Rome whilst this conference is sitting; and, if so, whether, in view of his anti-Montenegrin sympathies, some explanation can be given of his association with & propagandist movement against Montenegro, an Allied State?

Dr. Seton Watson, as already explained in reply to a former question, is at present in Italy on confidential Government service. His Majesty's Government is not aware that Dr. Seton Watson is taking part, or has ever taken part, in any propagandist movement against any Allied State.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether the refusal of the Treasury Committee to sanction the registration of companies which do not involve any new issue of capital or the transfer of any share capital except a redistribution of existing capital among present shareholders has his sanction; whether he has considered the effect upon commercial undertakings in this country that such refusal has in preventing the exclusion of alien influences and the retention of business in this country; and whether he will cause the subject to be reconsidered; (2) whether he is aware that on the 21st January last application was made to the Treasury by the private firm of Glen and Company for leave to convert their business into a limited liability company and that, although it was clearly stated that no fresh capital would be created and no money pass and that the chief reason for the conversion was to give certain of their chief employès an interest in the business to retain their services, the Treasury refused sanction; and whether, seeing that the proposition did not involve the diversion of any capital from public loans or in any way-affect the objects which the Government had in view in restricting new issues, he will interfere to prevent this arbitrary prohibition on industry and commerce and direct the matter to be reconsidered; and (3) whether he is aware that application was recently made to the Treasury to sanction the registration of a company for the amalgamation of three English rubber companies, which have an aggregate paid-up capital of nearly£400,000, with estates in Sumatra and Java, and are dividend paying, the purpose of the amalgamation being to save expense in management, to exclude alien influences and possible domination, and to retain the business in this country; whether he is aware that the Treasury refused their sanction to the proposed registration although no money would pass and no fresh capital would issue, the operation merely involving the acquisition of the properties of the three companies and the reissue to the existing shareholders; and if, under these circumstances, he will cause the Treasury to reconsider their decision?

I see no reason to issue fresh instructions to the Committee as regards the general principles upon which applications of this character should be dealt with, or to override their decisions in the particular cases mentioned by my hon. and learned Friend. Each case is considered on its merits, with special reference to the national interests involved, and I am satisfied that the Committee is alive to the considerations indicated in the first question.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether the Government will take over the control of treacle and syrup and fix maximum prices for same, in view of the rapidly rising prices of these substitutes for controlled articles?

The Royal Commission on the Sugar Supply has already taken over the control of treacle and syrup, and has fixed maximum prices for the same. A full announcement of the Regulations of the Commission appeared in the morning newspapers on 13th April, and I am sending to the hon. Member a copy of those Regulations.

asked if a person is liable to a penalty under the Bacon and Lard Order who sells home-fed bacon to a retailer at a sum more than the price fixed under this Order when the said person does not deal regularly in such commodity?

Yes, Sir; it makes no difference under the Order whether the seller deals regularly in home-fed bacon or not.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been called to the fact that several enemy aliens reside in a town on the coast of county Antrim, some of whom are possibly naturalised; whether he is aware that local feeling resents the presence of these persons in such an important area; whether the naval officer responsible for that portion of the coast has been consulted; and whether arrangements will be made to ensure that enemy aliens, naturalised or otherwise, shall not be permitted to reside on that coast?

There are three alien enemies and three naturalised Germans residing on the coast of county Antrim. Two of the alien enemies are old ladies over seventy years of age, who were visiting their sons-in-law when the War broke out, and have been unable to return to Germany; the other is a native of Ireland, who is the wife of a Czech now serving in the British Army. The police are well informed as to all the cases, and have duly reported to the military authorities. There has been no evidence, so far as I can ascertain, of local resentment towards the persons in question. The answer to the concluding inquiries in the question is in the negative.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the shortage of chartered and incorporated accountants, he will consider the advisability of making appointments of experienced accountants, other than chartered, and business men to the Admiralty costings and investigation division?

The staff of the Division already includes a number of men with accountancy and business experience who are not qualified as chartered or incorporated accountants. The question of engaging others not of military age is constantly before us.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether it is proposed to return boys of eighteen and a half to England to complete their training if and when sufficient reinforcements arrive in France?

As I informed my hon. and gallant Friend yesterday, no lads have been sent to France unless they have completed sufficient training to enable them to take their place in the firing line. In view of this, the question of completing their training in this country does not arise, but I can assure him that the position of these lads will always receive the careful and sympathetic consideration of the military authorities when the opportunity arises.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the increased demand for fit men for active service, and the depletion of the postal and other public services from which additional men must be drawn, he will consider the advisability of a larger number of men rendered unfit for general service who were formerly in such occupations being relegated to Class W of the Reserve or discharged for substitution, particularly those who are married and with families to support, in order that they may return to their posts in the Civil Service or civil employment to supply the urgent need and, at the same time, to save further expense to the public funds'?

My hon. Friend has asked me to reply. Improved arrangements for effecting the release in substitution of men unfit for general service have recently been made by agreement between the different Government Departments concerned. It is believed that a number of men of the class referred to in the question will, as a result of these arrangements, become available for substitution.

asked the Minister of National Service whether he is aware of the number of young men and others of military age and apparent fitness occupying civil positions in the Naval Contracts Department of the Admiralty, or who are nominal Service men who have entered the Department since the passing of the Military Service Act, 1916; whether, in order to satisfy himself of these facts, he will cause a surprise visit to be paid to the canteen room in the Local Government Board building during the mid-day' interval; and whether he will take steps to call up for service all Grades 1 and 2 men who are under the age of thirty years, and require the others to enrol for training in the Volunteer regiments of the county in which they are resident?

The Naval Contracts Department of the Admiralty will be dealt with by the Military Service Committee, which is being appointed to review the whole Civil staff of the Admiralty which is of military age.

asked the Minister of National Service what number of men of military age are acting as private secretaries to Ministers or private secretaries to heads of Departments, and, respectively, single or married; and whether he has caused inquiry to be made by the officials of his Department as to what extent these persons are indispensable or how far he can call upon them for military service, having regard to equality of treatment from the point of view of the older men who are about to come within the operation of the Military Service Act, 1918?

The information asked for by my hon. Friend is not immediately available, and the labour of obtaining it would scarcely be justified in view of the fact that the whole staff of military age in all Government Departments is being reviewed by special Military Service Committees, which are in course of being appointed under a recent decision of the War Cabinet. The cases of private secretaries to Ministers and Heads of Departments will be dealt with, as heretofore, on precisely the same principles as those of other members of the public service.

asked the Minister of National Service when it is intended to issue instructions in regard to medical, veterinary, and chemical students who were excluded in terms from National Service Instruction No. 54, of 1918?

Medical and veterinary students were expressly excluded from the operation of National Service Instruction No. 54 of 1918 because they were already the subject of special instructions current at that time, which remain in force. The question of the position of students of chemistry is still under consideration.

asked the Under Secretary of State for War whether there is any Army Council Instruction or other bar to prevent a British-born soldier, the son of a British mother, but whose father was born in Germany and denaturalised twenty-two years ago, being accepted for a commission if he has been recommended whilst on active service at the front in France or elsewhere on the ground that one of his parents was born in Germany?

There is no instruction or bar to prevent a British-born soldier being accepted for a commission provided that he is recommended and sent home by a Commander-in-Chief in the Field. Prior to the award of a commission the soldier has to undergo a course of training and be reported on satisfactorily during that course.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether old soldiers who responded to the invitation of the Army Council on the outbreak of war to voluntarily re-enlist for one year are not entitled to receive the bounty of£20, and to have a month's leave on the completion of their extra year's service in the same manner as reservists; if not, what is the reason for making the distinction between the two classes of men; and whether steps will be taken to put these men, some of whom have done upwards of three years' continuous service, on the same footing as reservists, or otherwise, to meet their grievance?

This matter was very fully considered at the time the Order was issued, and it was decided that the circumstances did not justify a distinction in this respect between those whose connection with the Army had ceased before the War began and the rest of the civil population.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to whom application should be made for a permit to travel to the United States by a woman whose husband, when over military age, emigrated to the States in 1914, before the commencement of the War, and whose application papers for naturalisation as an American citizen have been sent in but for which sufficient time has not yet elapsed for acceptation?

The application should be addressed to the Passport Office, 59, Victoria Street, S.W. 1.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs; whether he can now state the total amount and value of the opium which was exported from London and smuggled into Shanghai in October and November, 1917; what was the nature of the innocent cargo under cover of which the opium was concealed; whether the consignment was packed in tin-lined cases; how this consignment of opium escaped discovery before leaving London; and what has been done with the opium seized at Shanghai?

The total amount and value of the opium is not known; but there has not yet been time for a full report or newspaper account of the proceedings against the actual exporter, an American citizen, named Woodward, referred to in the previous answer, to reach this country. The opium was concealed in a consignment of water softener and soft soap. It is not known whether the consignment was packed in tin-lined cases. Inquiries made suggest that this was the case, but there is no definite record to that effect. Privy Council licences were obtained for the water softener and soft soap. There was no reason to doubt the truth of the statements made on the relative shipping documents and the Customs examination did not suggest any suspicions. I understand that it is the practice of the Chinese Maritime Customs to confiscate and destroy, usually by burning, any smuggled opium which they may seize.