asked the Food Controller whether his attention has been called to the serious waste of stale bread which results from the operation of the Stale Bread Order in country districts, because, in consequence of the difficulties of regular daily delivery, the bread actually supplied to distant customers on Tuesday and Wednesday was baked on the previous Saturday, and whether he can hold out any hope of a relaxation of the Order?

The Food Controller is not aware that serious waste has been occasioned by the cause stated. The revocation of Clause 1 of the Bread Order, 1918, is now under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the speech of Mr. Theodore Fischer, Swedish Consul in Manchester, at the Manchester District Committee of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, to the effect that £2,000,000 worth of cotton piece goods were lying in warehouses at Manchester, some of which had been bought and paid for as far back as two years ago; whether his Department were cognisant of this at the time the Government were making appeals to the public for patience and sacrifice to win the War; whether he is aware that two years ago Sweden, in order to help Germany in the production of gun cotton, artificial rubber, paper textiles, etc., pro- hibited the export of wood pulp to Great Britain, and while these goods were held up the price of every kind of cotton goods to the British people rose by leaps and bounds; and whether, instead of giving an export licence to send these goods to Sweden, he will commandeer the same and sell them to the public, in order to reduce the present overcharge for all classes of cotton goods?

My right hon. Friend is aware that for some months large stocks of cotton and other piece goods have been held in this country on neutral account, the export of which could not be permitted for blockade reasons. After full consideration. His Majesty's Government decided that it was inadvisable to requisition the goods for use in this country, and my right hon. Friend is of opinion that such a course of action at the present time would not be in the best interests of the country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what explanation can be offered for the situation in the cotton trade; whether he is aware that the average earnings of the spinning section of the industry for 1918 represented over 40 per cent. on the capital invested and represented millions in excess of any earnings obtained either by coal owners or any other trade in the country; that the retail prices of cotton goods to the public has advanced in the lowest cases 80 per cent. and in some goods as much as 300 per cent. on pre-war prices; that the spinning companies now propose to close down for eighteen days in order to keep up the selling price of yarn and thereby hold the community to ransom and commit the identical offence for which the miners were threatened with the powers of the State; whether, in order to support this hold-up, it is proposed to quarter the operatives on the Government's unemployed fund; and what action he proposes to take?

I think the hon. and gallant Member has altogether mistaken the nature and object of the stoppage in the American section of the cotton spinning industry. There is already a serious amount of unemployment in the cotton trade, with sporadic stoppages of mills, owing to the lack of demand. And I understand that the main object of the forthcoming organised stoppage, which has been jointly agreed to by the employers and operatives concerned, is to obviate the need for such sporadic stoppages, and a further discharge of workpeople. I do not think that this action can properly be described as an attempt to hold the community to ransom. The price of yarns has already fallen greatly since the Armistice, and it is doubtful if the present level of prices in the American section leaves any margin for profit. At present there is a disposition on the part of buyers to wait for the possibility of a further fall in prices, but it is to be hoped that before long the view will prevail that nothing is likely to be gained from further delay.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the lists of demobilisers supplied to the War Office by his Department contain a majority of young men; whether he is aware that as the result of the action of the Post Office hundreds of telegraphists who enlisted in 1914, and who are the pick of the telegraph service, are being retained compulsorily, whilst men who were called up as late as May, 1918, have been released; whether any real distinction can be drawn between competent telegraphists; and whether he will consider the cancellation of his lists with a view to allaying the present unrest?

The men included in the "demobiliser" Schedules were selected primarily according to the needs of particular offices and districts, but where a choice between individual men was possible seniority and marital state were made the determining factors. The Schedules are being revised in consultation with the military authorities in France, and the desirability of securing the return of the older men will be borne in mind.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will say what is the total number of typists employed in the offices of provincial head postmasters; and how are they distributed throughout the country?

The total authorised number of female typists in provincial head post offices is eighty-two, of whom sixty-eight are employed in English offices, eight in Scottish offices, and six in Irish offices. Two more are employed in the office of the controller of the postal district of Dublin, and three others in the corresponding office in Edinburgh.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will represent to the Admiralty that, in view of the dispersal to-day of the Grand Fleet, the "St. Ninian" might be well restored to the Shetland mail service, now on the point of breaking down owing to the urgent necessity for the present steamer being taken off for repairs?

I am in communication with the Admiralty on this subject.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture who are the present members of the Agricultural Wages Board; whether they were elected or nominated by the Board of Agriculture; and whether he can state in each case what their former occupations have been before being placed on the Wages Board?

All the members of the Agricultural Wages Board are appointed by the President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries in accordance with the statutory Regulations of the 8th November, 1917. These Regulations provide for the establishment of thirty-nine members.

The present members of the Agricultural Wages Board, their method of election, and their previous occupations, are as follows:— 1. Seven Appointed Members appointed by the Board of Agriculture:— The Right Hon. Sir Ailwyn Fellowes, K.C.V.O., K.B.E., Former President of Board of Agriculture. Sir R. Henry Rew, K.C.B., Assistant Secretary to Board of Agriculture. 2404 The Right Hon. F. D. Acland, M.P., Former Parliamentary Secretary of Board of Agriculture. The Right Hon. The Lord Kenyon, K.C.V.O., Vice-Chancellor of University of Wales. Mr. C. S. Orwin, Director of Oxford School of Agricultural Economics. Mrs. L. Wilkins, O.B.E., Chairman of Women's National Land Service Corps. Mr. W. B. Yates, Umpire under National Insurance Act, former Chairman of Trade Board. 2. Sixteen members representing employers:— ( a ) Two representatives elected by the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, namely: Mr. John Evens, Burton, near Lincoln, farmer. Mr. Robert W. Hobbs, Kelmscott, Lechlade, Gloucestershire, farmer. ( b ) Two representatives elected by the General Executive of the National Farmers' Union, namely: Mr. Colin Campbell, Stapleford Hall, Newark, Notts, farmer. Mr. H. Padwick, C.B.E., The Red House, West Ashling, near Chichester, farmer. ( c ) Two representatives elected by the Council of the Central and Associated Chambers of Agriculture, namely: Mr. Samuel Kidner, Bickley, Milverton, Somerset, farmer. Mr. G. C. Rea, Doddington, Wooler, Northumberland, farmer. ( d ) Two representatives elected by the Welsh Agricultural Council, namely: Mr. W. S. Miller, Forest Lodge, Brecon, farmer. Mr. John Roberts, Tyddyn Parc, Denbigh, farmer. ( e ) Eight members representing employers nominated by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries after due consideration of names submitted by agricultural associations and otherwise, namely: Mr. W. S. Gibbard, Strixton, Wellingborough, farmer. Mr. M. H. Holman, Restronguet, Penryn, Cornwall, farmer. Mr. A. Moscrop, Thorganby Hall, West Cottingwith, Yorks, farmer. Mr. F. Ive Neame, The Offices, Macnade, Faversham, Kent, estate agent. 2405 Mr. H. Overman, Kipton House, Weasenham, Swaffham, Norfolk, farmer. Mr. R. G. Patterson, Acton Hill, Stafford, farmer. Mr. R. R. Robbing, Hollycroft, Sipson, Yiewsley, Middlesex, market gardener. Mr. S. T. Rosbotham, Stanley Farm, Bickerstaffe, Ormskirk, Lancashire, farmer. 3. Sixteen members representing workmen, that is to say:— ( a ) Six representatives elected by the Executive Committee of the National Agricultural Labourers' and Rural Workers' Union, namely: Mr. Robert Green, Tudor House, Sidcup, Kent, official of National Agricultural Labourers' Union, formerly farm labourer. Mr. G. E. Hewitt, Waterloo Place, Horsham, St. Faiths, Norfolk, smallholder, formerly farm labourer. Mr. T. G. Higdon, Burston, Diss, Norfolk, school teacher, formerly agricultural labourer. Mr. W. Holmes, 15, Somerset Road, Tottenham, London, N. 17, trade, union official. Mr. W. R. Smith, M.P., Belle Vue, St. Clement's Hill, Norwich, Chairman of National Agricultural Labourers' Union. Mr. R. B. Walker, 72, Acton Street, Gray's Inn Road, W.C., General Secretary of National Agricultural Labourers' Union. 4. Two representatives elected by the General Executive Committee of the Workers' Union, namely: Councillor John Beard, Planet Buildings, Central Place, Corporation Street, Birmingham, Chairman, Workers' Union. Mr. George Dallas, 49, Chandos Street, W.C. 1, district organiser, Workers' Union. 5. Eight members representing workmen, nominated by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, after consultation with the Ministry of Labour, and after due consideration of names submitted by workmen and their representatives, namely: Mr. George Edwards, 7, Lichfield Street, Queen's Road, Fakenham, Norfolk, Vice-President of National Agricultural Labourers' Union, formerly agricultural labourer. 2406 Mr. J. T. Curd, Holdenhurst, near Christchurch, Hants, agricultural labourer. Mrs. F. R. Toon, 5, Basingstoke Cottages, Common Lane, Addlestone, Surrey, experience on a farm, not employed as farm worker. Mr. Thomas Lovell, 20, Victoria Terrace, Alcombe, Minehead, carter. Mr. George Nicholls, 162, Lincoln Road, Peterborough, official of Agricultural Organisation Society, formerly farm worker. Mr. Haman Porter, Weston-on-the-Green, Bicester, Oxon, smallholder, formerly farm labourer. Mr. Robert Richards, University College of North Wales, Bangor, Lecturer in Economics. Mr. Denton Woodhead, Allwood House, Northallerton, Secretary of Rural Friendly Society.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture how much of the £20,000,000 estimated in connection with the provisions under the Land Settlement (Facilities) Bill it is proposed should be allocated for the purpose of acquiring and extending allotments?

No estimate can be given at present of the proportion of the funds provided under the Bill that will be devoted to the provision of allotments. The £20,000,000 is confined to the provision of loans to county councils, and will be partly available for their expenditure in acquiring land to be let to parish councils for allotments.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether forty-three allotment-holders at Barlby Road, Kensington, have received notice to vacate their allotments; whether the reason given is that the Royal borough of Kensington desire to convert this land into a recreation ground; whether this land had been lying derelict for about fifty years before it was taken over for the purpose of allotments; whether the recreational needs of the community are adequately catered for at Little Scrubbs and Wormwood Scrubbs, situated about 100 yards from the allotment ground; and whether, in these circumstances, he will represent to the Royal borough of Kensington the necessity of their retaining the land at Barlby Road for the purpose of permanent allotments?

The allotment holders in question have received notice to vacate their allotments, having a total area of 2 acres 1 rod 16 poles, on the 31st December next. This notice should enable the holders to avoid the planting of crops which will not mature until after the end of the year. The Board are informed that the land was acquired in 1902 by the Great Western Railway Company for the site of a housing scheme, but as the demand for housing was small the scheme was varied, with the approval of the Local Government Board, in 1907. An agreement was signed on the 13th February, 1915, between the company and the Kensington Borough Council whereby the land was conveyed to the council for the purpose of a children's recreation ground, the company paying £1,000 to the council towards the expense of laying out the land. The agreement provided inter alia that the council should forthwith lay out and maintain the land as an open space. The War prevented the council carrying out this work, and the land was temporarily let in allotments. The council are of opinion that the recreative needs of the district are not adequately met by the Little Scrubbs and Wormwood Scrubbs, which are distant nearly quarter mile and half mile respectively from the land in question. Moreover, the establishment in the vicinity, of the Clement-Talbot Motor Works, which has led to a large increase of motor traction in the streets, renders it very essential that a recreation ground should be provided for this populous district, to avoid the children playing in the streets. The fact that the land was undeveloped prior to its being let in allotments does not, in the circumstances, affect the question, and the Board are not prepared to interfere with the decision of the council in the matter.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether a number of allotment-holders cultivating land at Strathbrook Road, Streatham, have received notice to vacate their allotments; what assurance has been obtained that this land is required immediately for some urgent public purpose; whether he will secure that the allotment-holders have continuous occupation of this land until it is required for a more necessary purpose than food production; and, in that event, will he represent to the Wandsworth Borough Council the necessity of providing any allotment-holders dispossessed with an equivalent amount of land?

The Board are aware of the circumstances to which my hon. Friend draws attention. Before the Wandsworth Borough Council gave notice to quit to these allotment-holders, they required and obtained an undertaking from the owner that he would use the land for building or purposes incidental thereto as soon as he obtained possession. With regard to the last part of the question, the authority responsible for providing land for permanent allotments is the London County Council, whose attention will be drawn to the position at Wandsworth.