asked the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to the resolution passed by the Indian National Congress at Amritsar in December last, calling upon the Government to allow Mr. B. G. Horniman, who was deported from Bombay without charge or trial in April last, to return to India; and whether he will lay upon the Table of the House copies of this and all other similar resolutions of public meetings and public bodies and associations in India which have been passed regarding the deportation of Mr. Horniman?

I have seen the resolution passed by the Congress. These resolutions can be found in the Indian newspapers.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he will state whether the order recently passed by the Government of Bombay, cancelling all Orders under the Defence of India Act affecting the entry of persons into India, was confined to British-Indian subjects only; why it was not extended to British-born European subjects of His Majesty; and whether, in view of his statement on 23rd May, 1919, in this House regarding the deportation of Mr. Horniman, that racial discriminations could not be made in such a matter of deportation, it is desirable that racial discriminations should be made when an amnesty Is being granted?

I am not aware that any British-Indian was prevented by the Government of Bombay under the Defence of India Act from entering India.

asked the Secretary of State for India (1) whether general officers of the Indian Army, when on leave in this country and drawing furlough pay, receive less pay than colonels lieutenant-colonels, and majors of the British Army on home service; and whether the furlough rates of pay of general officers of the Indian Army will be increased to at least an equality with those of officers of corresponding ranks of the British Army when on leave, with an addition to help to defray the extra cost of passages to and from India;

(2) whether British officers of the Indian Army while on long leave in India draw full Indian Army pay of rank and half staff pay of their appointments, yet the same officers when on furlough pay in this country only draw at present rates of exchange approximately one-quarter to one third of their pay and staff pay, and less than one-half at the sterling rate of 10 rupees to the sovereign recently decided upon; and what steps he proposes to take so that British officers of the Indian Army when on leave out of India shall not suffer thus financially, especially taking into account the high cost of living at home and the greatly increased cost of passages to and from India for themselves and their families, the cost of which has to be defrayed by officers at their own expense;

(3) whether the rates for furlough pay to British officers of the Indian Army when on leave out of India remain unchanged, although new rates of pay for service men in India were issued last October; and whether, seeing that, in view of the present high cost of living at home, this presses hardly upon such officers on leave in this country, who in many cases draw the same rates of furlough as were issued in the year 1886, and who do not benefit in the slightest degree by the rise in value of the rupee, he will say if he expects shortly to be in a position to issue improved rates of furlough pay?

The sterling rates of Indian Army leave pay were revised on 1st January, 1919, and Army of Occupation bonus is issued together with these rates. It is therefore not the case that the amounts payable to any Indian Army officer remains at a rate fixed in 1886. Proposals for further revision of the rates of leave pay have been under consideration and will, I hope, shortly be approved. The question of certain passage concessions for officers on leave is one of the points under consideration. As regards general officers of the Indian Army, I think that my hon. and gallant Friend must have in mind unemployed officers and not officers on leave from an appointment. If so, any comparison with the British emoluments of officers of lower rank still in employment is misleading. The rates of unemployed pay of general officers of the Indian Army are also under consideration, and I can certainly promise that these will not be less than the emoluments of similarly situated British service officers of corresponding rank.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that serious injustice is being done and hardship caused by the fact that there are many cases where parties entered into engagements to marry prior to the outbreak of the War, but which were postponed through the man volunteering or being called up, many being wounded, yet honourably carried out their pledges, but have since died, leaving a widow and children, the said widow, however, being declared ineligible for a pension on the ground that she should not have married a wounded man; and whether he will consider the desirability of allowing such a pension providing the widow brings proof of a pre-war engagement?

The adoption of this suggestion would involve a very serious departure from the principle on which the scheme of the Pensions Warrants is framed and my right hon. Friend is unable to entertain it.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that prior to the issue of Circular 204 (Revised) issued from the Ministry of Pensions, 6th February last, a disabled soldier, when placed on home treatment by the medical referee, and certified by such referee to be unable to work on account of his disability, caused or aggravated through war service, automatically became entitled to allowances equal to 100 per cent. disability for the period of his incapacity for work; that according to this Circular 204 (Revised) of 6th February, all cases of home treatment have now to be submitted to the deputy commissioner of medical service of the area for his approval or otherwise; if he will state the reasons for this change, so much to the disabled soldier's disadvantage; and if he can see his way to revert to the practice of the last three years, whereby a man certified as being incapable of doing any work on account of such a disability and recommended for home treatment shall be automatically entitled to benefit without reference to an area deputy commissioner of medical service?

Circular 204 does not involve any modification of the rights of disabled men under the Pensions Warrant. The primary function of the Deputy-Commissioner of Medical Services under that circular is to secure for the men the form of treatment most suitable to their disabilities. Many men have in the past been recommended for home treatment who would have been better treated in one or other of the special institutions of the Ministry, as to which medical referees are of necessity not so well informed as the medical officers of the Department. It is also the function of the Deputy-Commissioner to assist in the protection of public funds by ensuring that treatment allowances are confined to those cases for which they were intended by Article 6 of the Royal Warrant. My right hon. Friend is unable to entertain the suggestion contained in the last paragraph of the question.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether a local committee has been formed in Bradford to transact all business connected with the United Services Fund; if the fund in question includes the canteen profits to which all who served with the forces during the War contributed; if a committee to deal with the fund has been formed in Bradford, how was the meeting called at which the committee was elected and where was it held; what is the present address of the so-called headquarters of the Bradford local committee of the United Services Fund; and if he will inquire as to whether the committee is representative of the majority of the ex-service men in Bradford?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. The United Services Fund is formed from canteen profitss accumulated during the, War. Inquiries as to its local organisation at Bradford should be addressed to the chairman of the fund at 29, Cromwell Road, S.W.7, in accordance with the suggestion contained in my answer to the hon. Member for Lambeth, North (Mr. Briant), on 2nd March.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will take into consideration the possibility of appointing as established postmen the ex-service men employed as temporary servants at the Woolwich sorting office?

The claims of the ex-service men employed in a temporary capacity at Woolwich to be appointed to the establishment will receive full consideration, but no promise of appointment can at present be given to any individual. The number of ex-service men desirous of permanent employment in the Post Office is greatly in excess of the number of places available, and preference is given to disabled men and to long service professional soldiers and sailors.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the National Shell Factory at Derby is to be utilised by the Government as a training centre for demobilised soldiers; whether the position of head of the centre has been offered to a man of military age who was employed in a civilian capacity during the war; and whether, in view of the fact that demobilised men who are qualified for this post are vainly seeking employment, he will select an ex-service man for this appointment?

The answer to the first and second parts of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the third part, the gentleman who has been appointed to this post is 45 years of age, and was employed by the Ministry of Munitions as general manager of the Derby Factory and Secretary of the Derby Munitions Council. While it is the intention of my right hon. Friend to offer every suitable position at my disposal to ex-service men, it is essential in the interests of the disabled men themselves that technical efficiency should be the deciding factor in making appointments to such responsible posts as that to which reference is made.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the Falmouth Guardians have recently appointed to the position of registrar a civilian of military age who is a solicitor with a good practice in the town, in spite of the fact that several well-qualified ex-service men applied for the position; and what steps he proposes to take to secure that the Government's policy in regard to preference being given to ex-service men is carried out?

The hon. and gallant Member has been misinformed. The appointment in question relates, not to the office of registrar, but to that of superintendent-registrar. The latter post is usually held by the Clerk to the Guardians, who has been appointed in the present instance, and the question of preference for ex-service men does not therefore arise.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that, whilst the duty on a barrel of lower gravity beer is 19s., the duty on the same quantity of soda water is 24s., and that, as a result of dual taxation, the consumer pays more for a pint of mineral water than a pint of beer; and whether he will adjust this?

The rate of beer duty referred to by the hon. and gallant Member applied to beer of a gravity of 1015°, which will pay a duty of 27s. under my Budget proposals. I need hardly remind the hon. and gallant Member that there is very little beer consumed of such a low gravity.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that a property described as a small country house, Great Wigsell, Bodiam, Sussex, was advertised in the Press of 16th April to be let for three months at a rent of 35 guineas a week, or about £1,900 per annum; whether the premises are assessed for Property Tax at any figure approximating to this value; and, if not, whether he will instruct the local authority to reassess them in accordance with the value placed on them by the owner?

Under the Budget proposals the annual value to be adopted for the purposes of Income Tax, Schedule A (property tax), for the current year— 1920–1—will be the annual value as adopted for 1919–20. Any profits, beyond the amount of such annual value, derived from letting furnished, would be separately assessable to Income Tax under Schedule D.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will state briefly the data employed by the Board of Inland Revenue for the purposes of their estimate of the increase in the value of farmers' capital during the War years; whether the computations were made in this instance by the Board itself; and, if not, what are the names of the persons well acquainted with the agricultural industry who assisted therewith?

The estimate referred to was made by the Board itself upon the basis of official returns relating to the acreage of land under cultivation and under grass in the United Kingdom, and in the light of evidence laid before the Royal Commission on Agriculture by a considerable number of persons possessing an intimate knowledge of the agricultural industry.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, under the regulations governing the appointment of temporary chemical assistants in the Department of the Government Chemist, the senior trained and fully qualified assistants over 30 are compelled to retire first, notwithstanding the retention in the Department of certain qualified and less trained temporary women chemical assistants, who were engaged in the Department in the first instance owing to the exigencies of the War, and also notwithstanding the continued engagement of new women temporary chemical assistants in the early part of this year?

The answer to the question is in the negative. There is no regulation governing the order in which temporary chemical assistants in the Department of the Government Chemist, who have passed the age of 30, shall retire.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether a large quantity of ply-wood was recently disposed of for an alleged sum of £160,000; if so, whether public tenders were invited or firms who had written to the Ministry asking to be informed when this ply-wood was to be sold were given an opportunity to quote; and whether a commission of 2½ per cent. was paid on the sale of this timber?

A large quantity of aeronautical ply-wood was recently sold for the sum of approximately £117,000. Public tenders for this material were not invited, because a legal doubt existed as to whether certain firms had not a prior right to offer under an existing arrangement with the Aircraft Production Department. The price obtained for this material was considered to be a very good one. The answer to the last part of the question is in the affirmative. In accordance with the normal custom of the trade, the sale was effected through a broker, who, in return, guaranteed the sale and was responsible for payment.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether in January, 1920, when efforts were made to ascertain the number and condition of the 3,700 lorries and motor vehicles at Cologne, there was no list of chassis numbers or report of their condition available at the Disposal Board; whether certain firms tendering obtained permission to send their engineers to Cologne, and it was agreed to send a Government valuer to Cologne the night prior to their departure, so that he could meet them and decide on the price of the lorries; and whether on the arrival of the engineers they were informed, after considerable expense had been incurred, that no officer had the power to deal, that no valuer had arrived, nor was he coming, and that they should return to London?

The answer to the first of the question is in the affirmative. The vehicles had only lately been thrown up for disposal, but instructions had been given to prepare the necessary lists. Certain firms obtained leave to send representatives to Cologne, and it is regretted that the valuer who should have met them was detained by urgent business in France. In no case, however, would he have had power to conclude a sale.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether on 10th February, 1920, a definite offer was made to the Disposals Board for 1,023 motor vehicles at Cologne; whether this offer was never asknowledged; whether on 12th February a joint offer by three firms was made in a communication to Colonel Spurrier for 1,626 lorries at £375 per lorry; whether this offer was never acknowledged by Colonel Spurrier; whether on 20th February another client offered in writing to Colonel Spurrier to purchase the whole of the park, and asked for an interview; whether their offer for 3,000 lorries was never acknowledged; whether on 26th February, at an interview with Colonel Spurrier, this officer assured the intending purchasers that he had never seen their offer, although it was sent to him by special messenger a week previously; and whether the letter for this offer of £1,000,000 was then produced?

No trace can be found of such an offer as is suggested in the first part of the question. As stated by my hon. Friend on 8th March an inadequate offer for 1,626 lorries was made and rejected. I am informed that an offer was received through Messrs. Baxter and Caunter for the whole park, but no price was mentioned. This was not forwarded to Colonel Spurrier, as the Board had decided to have no further dealings with Messrs. Baxter and Caunter. Nothing is known of the alleged offer of £1,000,000.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether Colonel Spurrier, at the interview of 26th February, stated that the price for lorries at Cologne was £725 per lorry; whether he had in fact sold 666 Thorneycroft lorries for £400, whilst he had an offer from these same clients for £425 per lorry; whether the average price of the lorries in Cologne was stated officially on 3rd March to be £387 in Cologne; and whether an offer was made at this time to Colonel Spurrier for the A.E.C. lorries at £550, and refused by him?

Colonel Spurrier did not state that the price of lorries at Cologne was £725 per lorry—he did in fact sell 666 Thorneycroft lorries at £400 each, delivery to be taken at Cologne in situ. He did not have an offer for £425 a lorry on the same conditions as those that he sold for £400. The average price of the Cologne lorries sold was £387. An offer for £550 may have been made for A.S.C. lorries, but as Messrs Baxter and Caunter and their agents and partners, the Société Commerciale Franco-Britannique, were firms that the Disposal Board had given definite instructions not to have any dealings with, nothing further was done.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions what was the price obtained by the Ministry for the hulk "City of Oporto," lying at Devonport, which was recently offered for sale by tender and sold as she lies?

The "City of Oporto" was sold for the sum of £6,000.

asked the Secretary of State for War why it is still necessary to maintain a large military camp on Wimbledon Common, covering some 97 acres; what number of troops are stationed there; what rent is being paid by his Department for the use of the land; and whether he is aware that the continuance of this camp inflicts a hardship on the public, who are deprived of the use of the land, and also on the owners of houses overlooking the common, who are taxed for its upkeep?

The temporary retention of this camp is necessary for the accommodation of battalions of Foot Guards. The approximate number of troops stationed at the camp is 80 officers and 2,000 other ranks. No rent is being paid for the land. Arrangements are being made whereby it is hoped to surrender part of the camp shortly. It is also proposed to move two of the battalions to Aldershot in October, when a further portion of the camp will be vacated.

asked the Chief Secretary of Ireland if Warder J. J. Keane, recently dismissed from Cork male prison, was charged in the usual way and given an opportunity of defending himself before he was dismissed; and why Warder Keane was given £600 compensation?

With regard to the first part of the question I would refer my honourable Friend to the reply given to the question asked on this subject by my hon. Friend the Member for St. Helens (Mr. Sexton) on the 15th inst. No compensation was paid to Keane by the Government. The compensation referred to was awarded to him by the Assize Judge on appeal from the County Court Judge for injuries sustained during an attack on Cork Prison, and rescuing a prisoner.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the prison staff of Waterford are being paid by cheque, which they find very inconvenient in consequence of the present conditions in Ireland; and whether he will have inquiries made into this matter?

Payments were made by cheques owing to the robberies committed on public officials conveying large sums of money in specie from banks.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that the damage to the Port of Ness breakwater, in the Island of Lewis, is rapidly getting worse; that, in consequence, the livelihood of a large fishing population is seriously imperilled; and whether the Board of Agriculture, in order to obviate the complete extinction of the fishing industry in this area, will use their powers to have this indispensable breakwater repaired?

The circumstances of this breakwater and harbour were fully investigated some years ago by the Government then in office, and it was decided that the expenditure involved in repairing them was so large and out of proportion to the advantage to be gained that no further action should be taken. The matter has again been considered by the Board of Agriculture and Fishery Board for Scotland, who are of opinion that they would not be justified, looking to other calls upon their funds, in incurring expenditure upon the repair of the breakwater.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that Stir- lingshire Education Authority has been notified that the grant-in-aid of salaries which it will receive will be about £30,000 less than the normal grant of 50 per cent. of such expenditure; and whether, in view of the serious result which will be entailed on this county, he will take steps to protect the Education Authority against this reduction?

My hon. Friend's question seems to be based on a misapprehension. No specific grant is paid to education authorities in aid of salaries. On the other hand, expenditure on salaries has been approved for the purposes of the Department's grant in aid, so far as such expenditure may be necessary to meet the requirements of the Minimum National Scale. As to the purpose of the limitation indicated, I can only refer my hon. Friend to the Department's Circular No. 17, a copy of which I am sending him. But I may add that the decision to lay it down was taken after consultation with representatives of the Association of Authorities. Stirlingshire will receive the full amount to which it is entitled under the Minute, and in the circumstances my right hon. Friend cannot undertake to secure for it special treatment, which could only be given at the expense of other education areas.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he can now state the specific purposes to which the Treasury grant to the Scottish Universities which was made last year has been applied: and whether he proposes to take any steps to secure that in future, in accordance with the policy laid down in the case of statutory grants to Scottish Universities, no portion of the money provided by Parliament shall be devoted to the payment of salaries to theological professors?

Grants made by the Treasury on the recommendation of the University Grants Committee are block grants, and are not allocated to specific purposes. As stated in reply to my hon. Friend on 11th November last, the grants made last year were emergency grants, intended to assist the Universities in meeting immediate and pressing needs arising out of post-War conditions. The information at the disposal of my right hon. Friend shows that the grants have been applied generally to these purposes. The principles governing future allocation of grants cannot be determined until the University Grants Committee have reported to the Treasury on completion of the series of visitations which they are carrying out at all the University Institutions in the United Kingdom during the present year.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he can make a statement as to the date or dates on which it is proposed to bring into operation Sections 14 and 15 of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1918; and whether any steps are now being taken to provide for the supply of teachers who will be required when those sections are made operative?

My right hon. Friend regrets that he is unable to make any definite statement. One of the main prerequisites is a large increase of accommodation, and my hon. Friend is aware of the difficulties by which building operations of all kinds are at present hampered. As regards the supply of teachers for the purposes of Section 14, I am glad to say that there is every indication that the promulgation of the Minimum National Scale is likely to have a satisfactory effect. The special problems involved in Section 15 are, I understand, receiving the careful consideration of the training authorities.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is now in a position to state the result of his consideration of the Report from the Sheriff in connection with the case of two Swedes who were sentenced in Leith to six months' imprisonment for being in possession of pamphlets alleged to advocate Bolshevism; and whether, in view of the probability of these two Swedes being unaware of the Defence of the Realm Regulations under which they were convicted and of the fact that none of the pamphlets had been distributed, he will have them released?

My right hon. Friend gave full consideration to this case, but found no sufficient reason to justify him in advising remission of the sentences.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the approximate number of railway wagons and trucks of all kinds in use on the various railways in Great Britain, including privately-owned ones?

The approximate stock of railway traffic wagons of all kinds in Great Britain is 1,354,000, including about 628,000 privately owned wagons.

asked the Home Secretary if he can see his way to order an inquiry by the police authorities into the frequent delays caused to passenger, especially tramway, traffic, involving delays and inconvenience to the working classes, through congestion caused by heavy vans accumulating in the vicinity of railway goods yards and the gas works between Nine Elms Lane and Vauxhall Cross, Wandsworth Road, S.W.; and whether consideration can be given to the advisability of diverting such heavy and slow-moving traffic to a street coterminous with that thoroughfare until room is available for the vehicles to proceed to the places indicated without hindrance to the necessarily more rapid and urgent locomotion of the travelling public?

The police are well aware of the delays and inconvenience, and they have made suggestions as to alternative routes to alleviate them. As yet neither the local authority nor the railway company have seen their way to take the necessary action, but it is hoped that a solution may speedily be found.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of Dr. Snow's affidavit, he can now see his way to review the sentence passed on Mr. Barker, the unlicensed doctor?

I have not received any affidavit, but I have seen a statement of the evidence Dr. Snow would have been prepared to give. It would not justify any interference with the sentence.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether a political mission from Finland to the Allies has arrived in this country; and whether its purpose is to discuss a solution of the Aaland Islands question, or is it also concerned with Finland's general attitude towards Soviet Russia?

The Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs, accompanied by the Chief of the Finnish General Staff, visited this country recently and spent a few days in London. He has now left for Paris and intends to proceed thence to Rome. The object of Dr. Holsti's visit was to discuss with the British, French and Italian Governments certain points connected with Finnish foreign policy, which naturally included the questions of the Aaland Islands and of Finland's relations with Soviet Russia.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the flat rate of 4s. paid from the Imperial Exchequer was fixed before the War and, in the case of the Thornbury board of guardians, such sum amounted to 50 per cent. of the total cost to them of supporting each lunatic for which they were liable, and that such total cost per lunatic is now 22s., towards which the Exchequer still pays only 4s. and the rates the balance of 18s.; and will he bring in legislation to place upon the Exchequer and rates the same proportionate shares as existed before the War?

I can only refer to the reply given to a similar question asked by the Member for Bedwelty (Mr. Charles Edwards) on the 15th instant. Perhaps I may add that this is the ninth time that I have answered this question this Session.

asked the Postmaster-General when a telephone ex- change will be supplied at Bayford, near Hertford; and whether this matter has now been under consideration by the Post Office authorities for many months, to the great inconvenience of the locality?

I regret that I am not yet in a position to say when a telephone exchange can be provided at Bayford. The canvass for subscribers and preparation of estimates has unavoidably occupied a considerable time, but I hope to receive the final estimates shortly and will then arrange precise terms to be quoted to the applicants.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if the shortage of sugar is such that it is really necessary to limit the supply of sugar for jam making by domestic users to 2 lbs. per head; if not, by what authority are the inhabitants of Kensington so limited; and, if such a limit has been placed, how does it compare with the allowance given last year?

The shortage of sugar is unfortunately such that the quantity available for domestic fruit preserving is very considerably less than was available last year. The hon. Member is, however, mistaken is supposing that the supply is absolutely limited to 2 lbs. per head. That quantity is allotted in respect of each member of an applicant's household, including those applicants who wish to make jam from bought fruit, but an additional quantity at the rate of 1 lb. of sugar for every 8 lbs. of fruit available for preserving is granted to persons who actually grow their own fruit. The total quantity to be allotted for distribution is 35,000 tons as against 64,500 tons allotted last year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in the case of the collection of enemy debts, delay is occurring owing to the failure by the German Government of setting up a clearance house; and, having regard to the large sums involved and to the re- quirements of British firms for capital for developing their industries, he will take steps to urge speedy compliance on the part of the German Government with the provisions of Article 296 of the Treaty of Peace?

Whilst delay in preferring claims to Germany has undoubtedly resulted from the cause referred to in the hon. and gallant Member's question, the time within which, under the terms of the Treaty, the German Clearing Office must be established, does not expire until the 24th instant, and it would be premature, therefore, to take the steps suggested. In the meantime, interest on such claims continues to run in favour of creditors.