asked the Food Controller whether, in view of the continued shortage of food, any systematic collection of blackberries by school-children or otherwise is contemplated, such as was carried out under the Food Production Department last year?

It is anticipated that there will be a satisfactory crop of autumn fruits, and I do not propose to organise a scheme for the collection of blackberries this year.

asked the Food Controller under what authority he has granted licences for the slaughter of cattle and forbidden the slaughter of cattle except by slaughterers to whom licences have been granted by him?

Licences for premises for the slaughter of cattle have been granted, and slaughtering on unlicensed premises forbidden, by the Slaughterhouses (Licensing) Order. 1918, made by the Food Controller under the powers conferred upon him by the Defence of the Realm (Consolidation) Act, 1914, and the Regulations made there under.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he has received any representations from farmers for the release of a slaughterhouse at Southampton where they may deal with their own live stock; whether the control is vested in the Board: and, if so, what reply he proposes to make to these representations?

I have been asked to reply. An application has been received for the transfer of a Government authorised slaughterhouse at Southampton to a Farmers' Co-operative Society. The general position of Government slaughterhouses is under immediate consideration, and a decision in the case of the Southampton slaughterhouse will be given as soon as possible.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction aroused among farmers by the new calf Order which has now reduced the price of store and fat calves almost to vanishing point; and, in view of the amount of milk which will be used in rearing calves this autumn and winter which otherwise would be available for human food, will he consider the desirability of suspending the Order till next spring?

I have been asked to reply. The measures restricting the slaughter of calves were taken with a view to maintaining the head of stock in the country, and I am not prepared to adopt the proposal made by the hon. Member.

asked the Food Controller whether he is aware that, as the result of two weighing tests held during the past year under Government auspices, it was found that Irish cattle lost about 8 per cent. in their live weight as the result of cross-Channel transit; whether, seeing that English-fed cattle not subject to such shrinkage must show a better return on live weight than those Irish cattle, while the latter necessarily produce a comparatively higher return on dead weight, Irish traders send most of their cattle to Birkenhead for sale on dead weight, which is not obtainable in other western distributing centres; whether that practice has led to congestion at Birkenhead, to relieve which the Ministry of Food had made Regulations for the transfer of 40 per cent. of stock landed at that port and for the restriction of 2,400 cattle per week to be received thereat from all Ireland; whether those Regulations deprive Irish traders of the only means open to them to sell their cattle by dead weight and on somewhat more equal terms with British stock-owners; and whether, seeing that it would allay the growing discontent in Ireland and at the same time facilitate automatic distribution of Irish live stock, he will grant an addition of 8 per cent. for shrinkage to the present live-weight price for Irish cattle?

I have no information as to the tests referred to in the first part of the question. After giving the matter careful consideration, I am not prepared to make an allowance for shrinkage in the cases of cattle travelling a considerable distance in Great Britain or coming from Ireland. During recent months, the proportion of imported cattle received at Birkenhead has been considerably in excess of the normal, and it has been found necessary to regulate the numbers received at that port. This arrangement does not compel Irish dealers to sell cattle on live weight, as Irish fat stock is accepted on the dead-weight basis at any of the ports open for traffic in Irish cattle

asked the Attorney-General for Ireland whether the Department of Agriculture will arrange that the line in Dundrum Bay within which trawling is forbidden will be made the limit for seine nets, inasmuch as the seine nets destroy fish in the same way as trawling?

The prohibition of seine netting in any part of Dundrum Bay can only be brought about by legislation or by a by-law made after due public inquiry and approved by His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant in Council. The Department have under consideration the advisability of holding such an inquiry.

asked the Attorney-General for Ireland if he can. state from what date the new post-war pensions for teachers in England and Scotland commence to operate; whether the promised Bill for Ireland will provide that the new pension scheme for Irish national teachers, as a result of the Killanin Report, will commence at the same date; whether the war bonuses paid to teachers in England and Scotland are taken into account in estimating their pensions; and whether the war bonuses paid to Irish national teachers will be reckoned as part of the pension able salaries when calculating their pensions?

I must ask the hon. Member to wait the introduction of the Bill.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will consider granting the long service and good conduct medal to the men of the Royal Navy who have served over twenty years in the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Reserve, combined, and who have been of good conduct during that time and have served in the War, in view of the fact that this medal is granted under similar circumstances to men of the Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve?

Royal Fleet Reservists, who, during the War, have been able to show the qualifying period of fifteen years' active service (including mobilised time) with continuous V.G. character, have been awarded the Royal Navy Good Conduct Medal under the ordinary rules. Peace reserve conditions, however, are obviously not equivalent to service in. the Royal Navy, and it is undesirable that such time should reckon for the Royal Navy decoration and the pecuniary advantages attached thereto.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether a total sum not exceeding 14s. a day is paid by the wife of a general when travelling to or from her husband's post on board of one of His Majesty's ships at the present time; if so, whether the Regulations which govern the visit of officers' wives to their husbands in the Armies overseas lay down that no officer or his wife shall be charged in respect of the latter's voyage a greater sum than 14s. per diem; and, if not, will he take steps to have such a. provision inserted in order that these Regulations may apply equally to all ranks, and that there may be no difference in cost to those whose rank or influence may be insufficient to secure a passage on. board one of His Majesty's ships?

I have been asked to reply. The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, but it is laid down that neither the wife of any officer nor of any man is to be allowed to take passage in one of His Majesty's ships, except with the express permission of the Admiralty, or, when time and circumstances do not admit of a reference thereto, by the permission of the Commander-in-Chief on the spot. The same rule applies equally to all ranks, except that the charges for the wives of officers of lower rank than that of general are on lower scales, and vary according to the rank of the officer. I may add that the passage expenses incurred by officers' wives in visiting their husbands overseas is not a public charge, and the Admiralty has no power to control the charges made by shipping companies.

asked the Pensions Minister if he will reconsider the case of a claim for pension by the mother of Private Thomas Rawcliffe, No. 262116, Notts and Derbyshire Regiment, which has been refused on the ground that the illness which caused the death was contracted after his discharge from the Army, in view of the fact that the soldier was discharged from the Army only ten days before his death, when he returned to his home practically in a dying condition, and that the grounds on which the pension was refused, namely, that the illness was contracted after discharge from the Army, are not supported by the facts of the case?

This matter is being investigated, and the hon. Member will be informed of the result.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether any account exists of the very large number of boxes and packing cases used by the Ministry of Munitions, the estimated value of which is said to be between £12,000,000 and £14,000,000 sterling; whether any account exists showing the number and value of such boxes supplied on free issue to the 10,000 Ministry contractors for the purpose of the delivery of material; whether a number of boxes were sold by one Department to a contractor at 6d. each and the same boxes bought back by another department at 5s. 6d. each, and what, if any action was taken by the Ministry in the matter; and whether a Committee of Inquiry will be appointed to investigate the irregularities which are reported to exist in the Ministry of Munitions?

I do not understand the figure of from £12,000,000 to £14,000,000 which my hon. Friend gives as the esti- mated value of boxes and packing cases used by the Ministry. The present residual value of surplus boxes and packing cases probably does not amount to one-thirtieth of that figure. The Ministry have investigated the question of boxes outstanding with contractors, but the realisable value of these boxes does not usually pay for the cost of disposal. I am unable to trace any transaction such as that referred to in the third part of the question, but if my hon. Friend will supply me with definite details I will make immediate inquiries. A Committee was appointed by the Minister in April last to inquire into various allegations which had been made with regard to the supply and disposal of boxes, but the evidence in support of these allegations was found to be quite unreliable.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether, in considering the revision of the rates of pay for British officers of the Indian Army, the question of the pay and pensions of the Departmental officers and warrant officers of the Indian Army Services will also be in-eluded?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has received a communication from the Minister of Health regarding the ejectment of industrial tenants in Manchester; and whether, in view of the displacement of labour thereby involved, he will take steps, under the Defence of the Realm Act or otherwise, to protect tenancies of this type from disturbance until alternative sites in the neighbourhood are available?

I have been in correspondence with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health in this matter. On the information at present before me, 1 do not think that action of the kind requested by the hon. Member is necessary, but 1 shall be glad to consider any further facts with which he may be able to furnish me.

asked the Minister of Labour whether violin-making is included in the scheduled list of trades which come under the training schemes of the Ministry for disabled soldiers and sailors; if not, what is the reason for the omission; whether a disabled soldier in receipt of a disability pension who is being trained in violin making can obtain from the Government the premium he has to pay for the training, an allowance for his tools, and separation allowance for his wife; and, if so, what steps he must take to obtain these benefits?

Violin-making is included in the Schedule of special trades for the instruction of disabled ex-Service men. A disabled man placed in an approved course of training in violin-making is eligible to receive maintenance allowances upon the usual scale, and at the satisfactory completion, of his training a kit of tools up to £10 in value. The Department will be prepared in special cases to pay a premium also, but the hon. Member will appreciate that generally the payment of premiums is undesirable. A disabled man requiring instruction in violin-making with the allowances applicable to his case should apply to divisional director of industrial training for his area.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether the purchase of the land for small holdings at Gretna from the War Office has now been arranged?

I refer to the reply given to the hon. Member on 24th July last. No definite arrangement has yet been concluded.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on what date the French authorities at Koritza raised the Albanian flag and declared an Albanian Republic in that city, recognising its nationality?

The incident in question is said to have occurred on 10th December, 1916, but we have no report from British sources on the subject.