asked the Patronage Secretary to the Treasury whether Mr. Harold Williams, lately a journalist in Russia, is now in the service of, or doing voluntary work for, the Ministry of Information?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War what amount of retired pay is being paid to Captain Bowen-Coulthurst?

This officer is in receipt of retired pay at the rate of £180 a year.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he is aware that a sergeant of the Royal Irish Constabulary, Kingscourt, county Cavan district, waited on an officer of the local branch of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, warning him that he would not be permitted to hold the regular monthly meeting in the Hibernian Hall unless he had applied for and received a permit; whether this officer was out-stepping his duty or, if not, why information was not supplied to the executive officer of the society; is he aware that this organisation is registered under the Friendly Societies Act, and approved by the National Health Insurance Committee for the administration of national insurance; that regular meetings are necessary to conduct the business of the society; and, if so, what action he proposes taking with reference thereto?

I am informed that on the 21st inst the Sergeant of Police at Kingscourt asked the Secretary of the Local Branch of the Ancient Order of Hibernians was that the day for holding the monthly meeting, and he replied that it was, and he was then informed that it would be necessary for him to have a permit. As I have already stated, all meetings, assemblies or processions in public places are prohibited by order of 4th July under the Defence of the Realm Regulations, unless a permit is obtained. The police have already been instructed that the Proclamation is not intended to apply to meetings such as that mentioned in the question.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether any declarations or returns have been demanded by the authorities in Ireland from officers of the Ulster Volunteers as to the arms and ammunition in their possession; whether returns have been insisted on by the authorities of arms and ammunition in the possession of the National Volunteers; whether raids for arms have been made in National Volunteers' halls and in private houses of members and of clergymen associated with the National Volunteer organisation although that body has not been proclaimed or declared illegal; whether similar raids have been made in connection with the Ulster Volunteers; whether his attention has been called to the prosecution of an officer of the National Volunteers recently in Dublin for refusing information as to where certain arms in his possession were stored; whether similar information has been remanded from any officer of the Ulster Volunteers; whether any member or company of the Ulster Volunteers has been asked to surrender the arms and ammunition in his or their possession; whether the Government in its policy of disarmament in Ireland has excluded the Ulster Volunteers because of the threats of the senior Member for Trinity College; and, if not, why have no measures been taken against them such as have been taken against members of the National Volunteers?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question on this subject asked by the hon. Member for the College Green Division of Dublin on the 29th instant.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that the owners of a few motor cars conveying visitors to a Red Cross fete held at Benburb, county Tyrone, on the 17th instant have been threatened with prosecution by the local police; if he is aware that Benburb is seven miles distant from the nearest railway station; that the fête could not have been a success without the assistance of these cars; that one of the cars, whose owner was threatened, was used to convey a party of wounded soldiers from Armagh; and will he see that further irritation is not caused to the people?

I am making inquiry into this matter, and will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware of the discontent which prevails amongst the members of the Royal Irish Constabulary by reason of the inadequate war bonus of 4s. a week to all ranks, with an additional 1s. a week to the wives of married men and 6d. per week to each child; is he aware that these men were led to expect a permanent increase of their salaries; and, having regard to the cost of living and the duties imposed on them, will he recommend a permanent increase in addition to the bonus already allowed?

I am not aware of the existence of the discontent suggested in the question, and I doubt if it prevails to any great extent. No communication was made to the force which would give them grounds for expecting a further permanent increase to their pay.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if troops stationed in Ireland are trained with the Lewis gun before they are sent to France?

The proportion of troops for whom this training is laid down are trained with the Lewis gun.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the War Council have considered the advisability of making arrangements to have General Foch's book, "Les Principes de l'Art de la Guerre," translated into English for the instruction of British officers, the great majority of whom have had no opportunities of receiving instruction in the principles of war?

I am informed that the book mentioned does not contain information which is not already embodied in our own books, and, as my hon. and gallant Friend will appreciate, it is very undesirable that the large number of books which officers already have to study should be, increased.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War what is the official designation of the modal which has been issued to the troops in connection with the retreat from Mons?

The correct official description is the "1914 Star."

asked the Minister of National Service if he is aware that the officials of the Ministry at Manchester are handing to every man immediately after his medical examination a statement informing him that if he is in Grade 3, any age, Grade 2 and over thirty-five on the 1st January, 1918, he may, within ten days of being medically examined, register at an Employment Exchange for enrolment as a war-work volunteer, that if accepted for a job as a war-work volunteer he will, as long as the job lasts, be protected from military service, and informing him also that there are only a limited number of jobs for Grade 2 men over the age of thirty-five on 1st of January, 1918, and that if he should wish to enrol and is of acceptable age and category he should register forthwith at the Employment Exchange nearest his home for enrolment before the jobs are filled, and that the conditions of employment will be explained to him at the Employment Exchange; and whether, in view of a previous official statement by the Ministry to the effect that men who have not been refused exemption or have not been called up may volunteer for war work at any time up to 1st September next, the Manchester officials are entitled to hand the notices in question to men at their medical examination?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The hon. Member will find that in all the official notices issued in regard to the W.W.V. scheme, it has been pointed out that no man can be enrolled under the scheme until he has been accepted by the employer to fill a definite vacancy for which the employment of a volunteer is authorised, and that the "Z" class of vacancies are only open until 1st September, when the scheme is to be reconsidered. The number of vacancies of the kind for which Grade 2 men over the age of thirty-five on 1st January, 1918, are authorised to apply naturally varies from day to day, and is not, of course, unlimited. The intention of the notice at Manchester is to call the attention of men to the fact that if they desire to offer themselves for enrolment as W.W.V.s it is advisable that they should do so at the earliest moment, after being medically graded, and, further, to the fact that the number of W.W.V. vacancies is not an unlimited one. In these circumstances the course followed by the Manchester officials appears to be a reasonable one.

asked the Minister of National Service (1) if he is aware that Thomas Hatton, of 359, Stockport Road, Hyde, was ordered to attend at Chester for medical examination on 9th May last; that on duly presenting himself on the appointed day he was detained by the military authorities and passed into the Army forthwith; whether it is in accord with Army Regulations that a man should be taken into the Army under such circumstances without notice; and is he aware that on 20th July another notice was sent to Hatton from Chester requiring him to attend for medical examination on 23rd July, although he has been in France since 2nd July and in the Army since 9th May; and (2) if he is aware that W. Bennison, of King Edward Street, Hyde, employed by the Corporation of Hyde, had a calling-up notice sent to him from Chester in May, 1918; that this notice was returned with an explanation that Bennison had already been serving for some months as a wireless operator in the National Service on a certain named ship; that a further notice was sent on 18th June threatening immediate police action unless complied with forthwith; that no such action was taken; that on 19th July a still further notice was sent calling him up for 27th July, and again threatening police proceedings; whether he is aware that cases of erroneous calling up are of frequent occurrence at Chester; and if he will take steps to correct this?

Inquiries are being made into the cases referred to by the hon. Member and I will inform him of the result as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of National Service whether he is aware that certain ex-officers of the Russian Army and other Russians recently released from the service of the Commission Internationale de Ravitaillement are in this country; and whether he intends to bring them under the operation of the Russian Military Convention?

If by the term ex-officers of the Russian Army the hon. Member refers to Russian officers who, on the coming into operation of the Russian Military Service Convention, were employed in this country on work for the Russian Government and who have since ceased to hold commissions, I would remind the hon. Member that the Convention did not apply to these gentlemen until they ceased to hold commissions in the Russian Army, and that they cannot be called up for service in the British Army until such time as they have had an opportunity of returning to Russia. The other Russian subjects referred to in the question were granted certificates of exemption by the Russian Consular authority on the ground that they were engaged on work for the Russian Government, and these men will not be called up for service until they have had an opportunity of returning to Russia under the Convention.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether he has any statement to make as to the public money which appears, by Papers laid upon the Table, to have been lost during the past financial year on the establishment and conducting of canteens, hostels, and places of entertainment, and for which expenditure his Department is responsible?

A financial Return in respect of all canteens in national factories, from their inception up to 31st March last, is in course of preparation for presentation to the Treasury. The delay in making this Return has been due to the number of canteens involved and to the difficulty in presenting their accounts on a similar and comparable basis. This task is almost finished, and in due course I shall be glad to make a statement as to the profits and losses disclosed.

asked the Secretary of State for India what is the current price in rupees to-day paid for a sovereign in Bombay and for an ounce of silver bullion?

According to the latest information received the bazaar price of sovereigns was about Rs. 19, and the quotation for bar silver Rs. 115 per 100 tolas fine.

asked whether the Indian mints are now coining Indian silver bullion or bangles; and on what terms?

The Indian mints are coining silver bullion. Bullion is at present being purchased for coinage at the equivalent of one dollar per ounce 1,000 fine both in America and Australia. The output of the Bawdwin mines in Burma is being bought under contract at the same price. In April last the Government of India bought up the available stock of bar silver in Bombay at prices ranging from Rs. 109.3 to Rs. 113 per 100 tolas fine, the rupee fineness being eleven-twelfths. No bangles have been bought.

asked whether the Indian mints are now coining a gold currency for India; and whether such a currency is opposed to the Report of the Indian Currency Commission of 1913, and calculated to increase the drain of our gold to India?

The Royal Commission saw no objection in principle, either from the Indian or from the Imperial standpoint, to the establishment of a mint for the coinage of sovereigns and half-sovereigns. The special circumstances which have led to the minting of a gold coin other than the sovereign were explained in the answer which I gave to the question of the hon. Member for East Nottingham on 26th June.

asked how much gold India has imported from the United States of America in the past two years?

During the two years ending 31st March, 1918, gold to the value of £3,371,652 was imported into India from the United States of America.

asked how much gold India has imported in the twenty years since her standard of value was changed from silver to gold in 1898, and how much gold did she import in the period 1878 to 1898?

£253,625,656 worth of gold was imported into India during the period 1898–1918, and £52,563,303 worth during the preceding twenty years.

asked the Home Secretary how many aliens or alien enemies have remained uninterned after the Advisory Committee since its inception has recommended their internment?

Up to the end of 1916, about 250 persons were exempted whose internment had been recommended by the Advisory Committee. Practically all these exemptions were granted on subsequent information showing that the man's work was of value to this country. Since the end of 1916 releases (other than licences for employment) have been limited to cases of men desiring to join the British or Allied forces, cases in which the man's nationality was discovered to be British, Allied, or neutral, and a very few cases in which there were medical grounds of the strongest kind. On the other hand, about 700 alien enemies whose exemption the Advisory Committee had recommended have been interned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Mr. Emil Garcke holds a dominating position in electric tramway transport and Allied industries; was he born in Germany of German parents; can he say when he was naturalised; has inquiry been made as to whether Mr. Garcke was financially interested before the War in similar or Allied industries in enemy countries; if so, has he in any way abandoned those interests; and to whom have they been transferred?

A certificate of naturalisation was granted on the 17th March, 1880, to Mr. Emil Oscar Garcke, who stated that he was a natural-born subject of the Empire of Germany. I have no information as to the other parts of the question.

asked the Home Secretary if, in prosecutions under the Summary Jurisdiction Act for offences under the Business Names Act, it is necessary that the charge should be brought within six months of the offence; and, if so, whether, in view of the seriousness of such offences at the present time, he will take steps to enable such charges to be pursued irrespective of the period which may have elapsed after they have been committed?

My right hon. Friend asked me to answer this question. An appeal is being lodged against a recent decision as to the time within which proceedings must be instituted under the Registration of Business Names Act in respect of a false statement, and the matter will be considered after the appeal has been heard.

asked the Home Secretary if he is now able to state what increase in the remuneration of the Metropolitan Police he is prepared to recommend?

asked the Home Secretary whether he is now in a position to make any statement as regards increased war bonus to the officers and men of the Metropolitan Police Force; and whether he is aware of the anxiety amongst the men of this force owing to the increased cost of living and the fact that similar employment in London is receiving extra war bonuses?

I cannot yet add anything to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member on the 24th instant.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the recent coal Order restricting the household consumption hits those householders having no hot water system in the houses; and, having regard to the fact that the allowance is three tons per annum for a house, or one ton per room, is he aware that in a number of houses in Leeds hot water, washing of clothes and linen, as well as cooking has to be obtained from and by the single kitchen fire, thus bringing such houses within the restriction of one ton of coal for annual consumption, steps will be taken to remove this inequality of treatment?

The question of the hot water system does not affect the allowance of fuel under the Household Fuel and Lighting Order. Rooms count for fuel quite apart from the particular rooms in which the fuel is consumed. Rooms give the best indication of the needs of households for the purpose of establishing a scale.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the British Consul at the port of Hamburg reported that, for the year 1906–7 the tonnage of Hamburg showed an increase of 1,001,461 tons, and that during the same period the tonnage of London decreased by 303,877 tons; will he say what have been the respective increases or decreases of tonnage at the two ports in each year since up to the outbreak of war; and has he any explanation of the results shown?

The following table shows the aggregate tonnage of shipping entered in both foreign and coastwise trade at London and at Hamburg in each year from 1906 to 1913, inclusive, together with the annual increase or decrease of tonnage at the two ports, respectively:

Year.		LONDON.		HAMBURG.
		Tonnage entered with Cargoes and in Ballast.	Increase (+) or Decrease (-) compared with previous year.	Tonnage entered with Cargoes and in Ballast.	Increase (+) or Decrease (-) compared with previous year.
		Net Tons.	Net Tons.	Net Tons.	Net Tons.
1906	…	17,596,315	—	11,039,000	—
1907	…	17,292,438	- 303,877	12,040,461	+ 1,001,461
1908	…	17,355,710	+ 63,272	11,914,250	- 126,211
1909	…	18,075,623	+ 719,913	12,184;268	+ 270,018
1910	…	18,631,339	+ 555,716	12,656,281	+ 472,013
1911	…	18,472,812	- 158,527*	13,176,469	+ 520,188
1912	…	16,561,994	- 1,910,818†	13,567,913	+ 391,444
1913	…	17,921,456	+ 1,359,462	14,241,894	+ 673,981
* Year of the Transport Workers' strike.				†Year of the Coal Miners' strike.

The causes that have affected the growth of the tonnage using the two ports are many and various, and could not be dealt with satisfactorily in answer to a question.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) whether his Department is willing to consider with the local authorities measures to alleviate the unemployment in the potteries due to the cutting down of the coal supplies to the potworks; and (2) whether his Department is concerned with unemployment caused by the War or only with trade disputes?

The consideration of the steps to be taken to deal with unemployment caused by the War falls within the functions of the Ministry of Labour. As regards the Potteries, I am in communication with the National Council of the Pottery Industry in order to ascertain their views with regard to the matter, and will bear in mind the hon. Member's suggestion with regard to consultation with the local authorities should the necessity arise for taking special measures to alleviate unemployment.

asked the Minister of Reconstruction whether he is aware of the disaster that faces the pottery industry in North Staffordshire; and what steps he is taking to enable this industry to restart when once it has been closed down and ruined?

As the hon. and gallant Member is aware, I have been fully informed by a deputation from the Potteriesindustry of the serious difficulties with which the industry is faced. I am in communication with the Coal Controller as to the steps that can be taken to prevent the industry being closed down.

asked the Postmaster-General whether telegraphic communication has been during the past month interrupted or intermittent between this country and Petrograd, Moscow, the Murman Coast, and Archangel, respectively?

Communication with some of the places mentioned has been interrupted or intermittent during the past month.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that Inspector John Purcell, C Division, is endeavouring to drive the men under him into acts of insubordination by making threats and using obscene language when the constables have not as many summonses as he thinks they should have; whether he is aware that, when Inspector Purcell was serving in the ranks as a constable in the B Division, he was himself arrested; is he aware of the nature of the charge against him and the penalty inflicted; and will he say if such a man will be retained in control over others?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to his similar question on the 29th instant.

asked the Home Secretary if he can state the usual fine imposed on warders for giving to prisoners tea to which they are not entitled?

The giving of any unauthorised article to a prisoner is an offence on the part of a prison officer; in each case where the offence is proved the punishment of the offender must depend on the circumstances and on the motive underlying the act.

asked the Home Secretary whether a prison officer in Birmingham Prison, who has served in the War, on becoming ill, was sent to a workhouse infirmary for treatment; and, if so, why this officer was not treated in the usual way?

Under a misapprehension an officer, who was taken ill at Birmingham Prison, was removed to the workhouse infirmary as his wife and child were also ill and there was only one relative to look after them all. On the matter being brought to the notice of the Commissioners, they pointed out that he should have been brought into the prison hospital and expressed their regret at the course taken. The officer is now back in his home, and is reported to be quite comfortable.