asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he has received information of the partial wrecking of the church at Kilbolane, near Charleville, county Cork; if so, what reason has been assigned for the outrage; and have any of the perpetrators been identified?

I am informed that on a recent occasion this church was broken into, and a considerable amount of damage done. The motive appears to have been resentment against the anti-Sinn Fein attitude of certain families who attend the church. The perpetrators of the outrage have not been traced, but police inquiries are still being made. It is right to add that much local indignation has been expressed as regards this occurrence, and the parish priest denounced the outrage from the altar.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that the steamship "Satellite," belonging to a Greenock firm, was run down and sunk off Greenock on Friday, 5th April, by His Majesty's ship "Larkspur"; whether he is aware of the cause of the accident; and whether, in the circumstances, compensation will be paid to the owners?

The "Satellite" sank after collision with His Majesty's ship "Larkspur" on 5th April. The Admiralty having decided to repudiate liability, the solicitors for the "Satellite" have asked for the name of the commanding officer of His Majesty's ship "Larkspur" in order to commence legal proceedings against him. The cause of and liability for the accident will be investigated in those proceedings.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is in a position to make a statement as regards the health of the British and Indian troops in Mesopotamia, the provision of medical officers and hospitals, and the supply of vegetables and fruit, and of comforts required during the season of hot weather?

I am glad to be able to state that the hot weather conditions in Mesopotamia are much less trying this year, and that the health of the troops shows marked improvement since last year. The provision of medical officers and hospitals is adequate, and there is an ample supply of vegetables, fruit, and comforts.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is now able to state what steps are being taken to grant leave to men who are serving in the Near East who have had no leave for three years and more?

As regards Salonika, I am glad to be able to announce that it has now been found possible to make arrangements for the resumption of leave parties to the United Kingdom. In the case of Egypt and Mesopotamia a certain number of troops are granted leave to this country as opportunity occurs, but leave from these theatres is necessarily restricted, as the accommodation available depends upon the shipping situation. Preference is given to those men who have served longest overseas without leave, and I am satisfied that cases such as those referred to by my hon. Friend receive every possible consideration.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that dissatisfaction has been caused in mining districts by the fact that the dependants of those who have only just been called up are pecuniarily much better off than the dependants of those who volunteered for service in 1914, in view of the increases in the miners' wages and the fact that the allowances are based on the three months' earnings prior to enlistment; and what action he proposes to take to remedy this grievance?

This matter is included in the reference to the Cabinet Committee which is considering separation allowances generally. A Report is expected very shortly.

asked the Pensions Minister if he will have further consideration given to the case of C. E. Smith, late No. 20265, East Lancashire Regiment, who was discharged from the Army on account of the condition of his eyes, it being first maintained by the Pensions Ministry that this condition had neither been caused nor aggravated by his military service but who, in consequence of the man's service abroad, awarded him a pension of 4s. 8d. a week for eighteen weeks, but, on re-representations being made to the Department, admitted aggravation by military service and increased the pension to 8s. 3d. a week and allowances for children, which pension has now been stopped on the ground that the aggravation due to service has passed away and the case cannot become further aggravated without further service; and, as this decision is not in accordance with the facts of the man's condition, will he consider again the case or give the man the opportunity to put his case before the Pensions Appeal Tribunal?

The facts are as stated, but I am unable to agree that the decision of the medical advisers to the Ministry is not in accordance with the man's condition. In deference to the hon. Member, the case has been resubmitted since his question was put down, and the opinion that the man's condition is now no worse than if he had not served is confirmed. The Appeal Tribunal has been set up to deal with cases in which men are refused pension on the ground that their disability is neither caused nor aggravated by service. In Smith's case aggravation has been admitted, and the question whether the aggravation has or has not passed away is not one with which the tribunal can properly deal.

asked the Pensions Minister whether he is aware that there is still delay in obtaining institutional treat- ment for discharged men in London suffering from tuberculosis; whether, in order to reduce the delay, the period of treatment in the sanatoria has been shortened; whether this shortened period of treatment has been found adequate; and whether discharged men are, in fact, given priority of entry into sanatoria over ordinary civilians?

The answer to the first, second, and fourth parts of the question is in the affirmative. As my hon. Friend is aware, the responsibility for providing accommodation for tuberculosis rests primarily with the Insurance Commission and the Local Government Board, and I am now conferring with these Departments with the object of securing more adequate treatment for discharged men.

asked the Home Secretary if the Order of the British Empire was awarded to B. C. Spoor, of Bishop Auckland, for duties with the Young Men's Christian Association at Salonika; and whether he is aware that B. C. Spoor, who came within the Military Act of 1916, was, just prior to the passing of the said Act, actively engaged in addressing meetings of a pacifist character under the auspices of the Union of Democratic Control?

This gentleman was recommended by the Secretary of State for War to be appointed an officer of the Order in respect of his services as officer in charge of Y.M.C.A. work in Macedonia and the Mediterranean, and the appointment was approved by His Majesty. I understand that Mr. Spoor has rendered great services, often at considerable personal peril, to the British Expeditionary Force in Salonika during the past two years. I find on inquiry that it is true that in February, 1916, he addressed a meeting held at Bishop Auckland under the auspices of the Union of Democratic Control, but since that date he has been serving with the British forces in the field.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that, owing to the fact that in certain constituencies no proper house-to-house canvass has been made, the lists of electors are very incomplete; whether the registration officer has any powers to add names of persons omitted unless a claim is made for their insertion; and, if not, whether he will issue an order empowering and requiring registration officers to check the present lists by such further inquiry as is necessary, in order to make the registers as complete as possible?

I do not know what particular constituencies the right hon. Gentleman has in mind, but, in any case, the registration officer has no power, as I am advised, to add any person's name to the lists except in pursuance of a claim made by, or on behalf of, such person, nor am I empowered to require him to do so. In order, however, to facilitate the registration of persons whose names may have been omitted from the lists, I have suggested to registration officers that they should accept claims made by one person on behalf of a number of other persons, whose names can be given in a Schedule to the claim, provided the requisite particulars are furnished.

asked the President of the Board of Trade on what date 17,885 shares in Holzapfels, Limited, belonging to A. C. A. Holzapfel, were transferred by him to his children and his son-in-law; if any precautions were taken to prevent these shares being retransferred back to A. C. A. Holzapfel after the War is over; and if Mr. A. C. A. Holzapfel still retains 4,525 shares in the company?

I am informed that the 17,885 shares in Holzapfels, Limited, to which my hon. Friend refers were transferred on the 7th December, 1916, the 26th March, 1917, and the 18th September, 1917. The Board of Trade were not in a position to impose any conditions as to any subsequent dealings with those shares. The remaining 4,525 shares were transferred by Mr. A. C. A. Holzapfel to various persons who are not, so far as is known, related to him, and he does not now hold any shares in the company.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the minimum rates of payment prescribed by the licences for the supply of salvarsan substitutes to Government Departments and local authorities?

The licences which have been issued under the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks (Temporary Rules) Acts in respect of the patents covering salvarsan and neosalvarsan prescribe maximum but not minimum prices. The maximum prices laid down for supplies of these products to Government Departments are the following:

SALVARSAN.				NEOSALVARSAN.
Quantities in Grammes.		s.	d.	Quantities in Grammes.		s.	d.
0.1	…	1	0	0.15	…	0	9
0.2	…	2	0	0.3	…	1	6
0.3	…	3	0	0.45	…	2	3
0.4	…	4	0	0.6	…	3	0
0.5	…	4	6	0.75	…	3	9
0.6	…	5	0	0.9	…	4	6
1.0	…	9	0	1.5	…	7	6
2.0	…	17	0	3.0	…	14	3
3.0	…	25	0	4.5	…	21	0

Similar charges are made to local authorities who use the drug under the Government scheme.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he would propose to the Railway Executive that interavailability season tickets should be granted to season-ticket holders as between the first and final stations covered by their tickets?

I would refer the hon. Baronet to the reply given on this subject to-day to the hon. Member for the Thornbury Division of Gloucester.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the terms of reference to the Officers' University and Technical Training Committee appointed by the Presidents of the Boards of Agriculture and Education and the Ministers of Labour and Pensions; and what are the names of the members of the Committee?

We, the President of the Board of Agriculture, the President of the Board of Education, the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Pensions, hereby appoint the persons named here-under to be a Committee, entitled the "Officers' University and Technical Training Committee," with the following terms of reference:

"To advise the Board of Agriculture, the Board of Education, the Ministry of Labour, and the Ministry of Pensions upon such courses of education and training as it may be desirable to arrange for the benefit of officers and ex-officers of His Majesty's Forces and men of like standing, particularly with a view to fitting them for suitable employment after the War, to consider any general questions arising in connection with such education and training, and, when necessary, to advise individual officers as to suitable courses of training."

Captain T. P. H. Beamish, C.B., R.N., Admiralty.H. B. Butler, Esq., Ministry of Labour.H. E. Dale, Esq., Board of Agriculture and Fisheries.W. R. Davies, Esq., C.B., Board of Education.Lieut.-Col. M. Earle, D.S.O., War Office.W. B. Bards, Esq., Board of Education.C. Home McCall, Esq., C.B.E., Appointments Department, Ministry of Labour.

asked the Minister of Labour for what reason he withholds from the men most concerned, namely, the life assurance agents, a copy of the Report of the inquiry into the question of the agents' war bonus?

My right hon. Friend is unable to supply either the agents or the companies with a copy of the Report of this inquiry, as before the inquiry took place both parties agreed that it should be confidential, and that the Committee should make their Report personally to him. He announced the findings in answer to a question from the hon. Member for Newbury on 12th June, 1918.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether the German firms of Otton Kuhlen, of Para, and Schlee, and the Austrian firm of Maxim Holdun, of Brazil, were at one time on our statutory Black List; if so, whether they have since been removed from that list, and for what reason; and whether any, or all, of the above three firms have been put back upon the statutory list;(2) whether there is any unity between the British statutory list of firms in South American countries and the Enemy-Trading List of the United States; if so, has that unity been obtained by removing from our list those names that were not on the American list or by the adding of the names on the American list to those which were already on our list; whether, if any names have been removed from our list merely on the ground that they were not on the American list, they will be restored to our list; and, if so, will this be done soon in order that traders in this country may know with whom they are or are not entitled to trade?

It has been regarded as of the first importance from the moment when the United States Government decided to issue an Enemy Trading List that the utmost possible uniformity should prevail between this list and the statutory list. The American list for South America was, in the first instance, derived exclusively from our statutory list. The United States Government, after a strict preliminary investigation into our evidence against each individual firm on our list, accepted all but about fifty out of the 1,500 names on our list. The fifty names were temporarily removed from our list in order to ensure uniformity. These cases have all been re-examined, and as a result about half of the names removed have now been not only replaced on our list, but added to the American list. A re-examination of the remaining cases is proceeding and will be completed as soon as possible. The three firms mentioned by my hon. Friend were among the fifty names removed, as I have stated. Two have now been added to both lists, and the other name is under consideration.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he has received a request for higher scales of pay from the attendants employed in the Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh, controlled by the Board of Education, dated the 20th of April; and whether he is now in a position to reply?

I have received the request referred to. The matter is under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he has received a request for higher scales of pay from the attendants employed in some of the museums controlled by the Board of Education dated the 20th of April; and whether he is now in a position to reply?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The matter is still under consideration.

asked the hon. Member for Sheffield (Central Division) how many British and Indian officers and men (including followers) are known or believed to have been taken prisoners by the Turks on all fronts; how many of these are known to have died in captivity; and how many have been unheard of for so long that they are presumed to have died in captivity?

I am informed by the military authorities that 474 British officers, including the Royal Navy and Colonials, and 4,815 other ranks, and 221 Indian native officers and 9,769 other ranks, have been taken prisoners by the Turks up to the 30th June last; 14 British officers, including the Royal Navy and Colonials and 1,655 other ranks, and 5 Indian native officers and 1,358 other ranks have died in captivity. The above figures include all those of whose death there is evidence; but I regret to say that, as I have previously stated, there are a large number of British and Indian missing who have not been traced.