asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is now in a position to make a statement regarding the case of Private Matthew Lowe?

Private Lowe was tried by court-martial on the 15th June, 1918, for deserting His Majesty's service when on active service. He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour, and the sentence was suspended. On the 22nd October, 1918, he again deserted, and remained absent until the 15th November, 1918. For this offence he was awarded a sentence of 10 years' penal servitude. The circumstances of this latter offence were briefly that, the battalion to which Private Lowe belonged was ordered to fall in and proceed to the line. The accused was present with the battalion when it marched off, but when it reached the line he was found to have absented himself. He thereby abandoned his comrades and remained in security until surrendering himself after the Armistice. I have no information as to the date upon which he rejoined his unit from hospital, but in view of the fact that he was not sent to this country for medical treatment it may be assumed that his injuries were not of a serious nature. No evidence was given at the court-martial as to his medical history as this issue was not raised.

His sentence came under review in the War Office under the system with which this House is familiar, and such review was not the result of the action of any organisation, political or semi-political, or of any individual whatever. On the 30th October, 1919, a letter was despatched to the Governor of His Majesty's prison at Portland conveying to Private Lowe the information that, if his conduct while undergoing the sentence was satis factory, he would be released not later than the 28th November, 1920—a remission of 13 years out of a sentence of 15 years was thus made. A letter was written on the 20th January, 1920, in response to a communication from the mother informing her of the action which would be taken in regard to her son's case.

The sentences of soldiers are reviewed upon their merits, and the action of any organisation, political or semi-political, has no effect whatever upon the decisions which are come to. On the other hand, due consideration has been and will always be given in representations made on behalf of soldiers undergoing sentence from whatever source they may be received.

asked the Secretary of State for War the numbers and ranks of commissioned officers in the divisional and brigade staffs stationed at Secunderabad on 1st May; how many of these officers saw war service during the recent War: and, of these, how many saw service on the Western front?

The answer to the first part of the question is: One major general, one brigadier-general, and three lieut.-colonels of the Indian Army; three majors, two captains, and one lieutenant of the British Service. As regards the second and third parts of the question, five of the British Service officers served on the Western front. The War Office does not keep records of the services of officers of the Indian Army.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the dangerous state of the military road between Rye and Winchelsea; and what steps are being taken to render this road fit for the considerable traffic which passes over it?

I am making inquiries, and will write to the hon. and gallant Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether all officers who served in the New Army during the War for a period of three or four years are entitled to the rank which they held at the time of demobilisation, provided they had held same for twelve or eighteen months previously?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave to his question on the 10th June.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he is aware that the Colonel-in-Charge of the Royal Engineer Record Office, Chatham, under his letter No. R9/E/10713/694, dated 4th June, 1920, informed Captain A. E. Evans, late 38th Field Company, Royal Engineers, who was severely wounded on the 21st October, 1914, that he would not be awarded a clasp to the 1914 Star without a certificate of another officer who was present, and who had received the clasp; whether this is directly contrary to the provisions of Army Order 361 of 1919; and if he will inquire into the matter;

(2) whether he is aware that the Director of Personal Services, under his letter No. W.S./3/3087 (Medal Branch, A.G 10), dated 25th February, 1920, informed Captain E. A. Evans, late 38th Field Company, Royal Engineers, who was severely wounded on the 21st October, 1914, that he would not be awarded a clasp to the 1914 Star without a certificate of another officer who was present, and who had received the clasp; whether this is directly contrary to the provisions of Army Order 361 of 1919; and if he will inquire into the matter?

The letters referred to were sent under a misapprehension. The clasp and roses were dispatched to Captain Evans on the 14th June.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will inquire into the destruction of fishing nets near the Isle of May by one of His Majesty's destroyers, towing another vessel, on the night of the 4th March last, by which damage was done to the value of £84 12s. in the case of the fishing boat "Alert," ML 199, belonging to John Smith, of St. Monance, and to the value of £114 in the case of the fishing boat "Chrysophran" belonging to Thomas Harris, fisherman, also of St. Monance; and if he will cause compensation to be given?

A claim for damages to the gear of the "Alert" ML 199 belonging to John Smith (but amounting to £116 12s. and not £84 12s.) alleged to have been caused by His Majesty's ships on 4th March near the Isle of May has been received. A similar claim has also been received for damage to the gear of the motor vessel "Chrysoprase," which is presumably the vessel referred to as "Chrysophran." The amount of the claim is, however, £104 and not £114, and the owner Thomas Morris, and not Harris. These claims formed part of a batch of 12 claims received for damage alleged to have been caused to the gear of fishing vessels on the date in question and in the vicinity mentioned. The necessary reports are being obtained from the Fleet, and if it is found that the damage was caused as alleged and the fishing vessels were observing the Regulations for preventing collisions at sea, reasonable compensation will be granted.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions what quantities of war material not needed by the country, and in parks, dumps, warehouses, etc., in Great Britain, still remain to be disposed of; whether any quantities have not yet been placed on the market; if so, why; and whether an effort is being made before the winter to dispose of all this surplus stock?

The estimated sales value of stores reported surplus to Government requirements in the United Kingdom and remaining unsold is approximately £50,000,000. Stores are still being reported to this Ministry as surplus at the rate of over £2,000,000 worth a week, and it is probable that surpluses will continue to be notified at that rate for some time to come. When stores are reported surplus, steps are at once taken to sell them, but my hon. Friend will realise that premature and promiscuous unloading would be against the interest of the Revenue. Every effort is being made to dispose of surplus stocks, but it will be quite impossible consistently with the public interest, to sell all these stores before next winter.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will give a list showing the names of firms who have purchased munitions of war from any branch of his Department; and what conditions, if any, have been laid upon the purchasers?

It would be impracticable to prepare in an exhaustive manner a list of warships sold to private firms without causing great delay to normal work. As regards the second part of the question, it is not clear what conditions—apart from the ordinary conditions of contract—are referred to. It may be stated that as regards warships, some have been sold for use commercially, and some have been sold for breaking up. All ammunition is removed, and any armament left on board is rendered useless before delivery.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether his attention has been called to the allegations which have been made as regards the depreciation and waste of stores at the Chilwell Ordnance Depot: and whether he will make a full statement on the subject and inform the House what steps are being taken to preserve, and to dispose of to advantage, the accumulation of stores there collected?

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether he will give a general explanation of the great accumulation of stores at Chilwell and of their disposal; and whether he is aware that such stores are rapidly deteriorating in value while awaiting disposal?

If the hon. Members will repeat their questions in a week's time, I hope to be in a position to give them a full and detailed statement in reply.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that only one official shorthand writer attends the mass meetings of British workers which are being held in Grosvenor Square to protest against the Polish War; that one man is quite incapable of taking a complete verbatim record of the speeches; and whether, in view of the fact that these reports may be required for legal purposes, he will arrange with the Commissioner of the Police for additional shorthand writers, so that a complete record may be obtained, and that, if necessary, the escort of two policemen and four plain-clothes officers, which is provided for one shorthand writer, should be increased accordingly?

I do not propose to interfere with the discretion of the Commissioner of Police in this matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can bring up to date the detailed figures set forth in the statement given to the House of Commons on 11th August, 1919, relating to the distribution of coal among the principal industrial and other users for the last year for which returns are available; and whether estimates can be prepared bringing the figures for distribution up to date?

In the year 1919 the coal available for home consumption, after deducting the amount used in operating the coal mines is estimated to have been 162,000,000 tons, the principal uses being:— Tons. Railways, for locomotive purposes 13,500,000 Gas Works 17,750,000 Electricity and Water Undertakings 7,500,000 Blast Furnaces 15,750,000 Domestic (including coal supplied to miners) 42,500,000 All other purposes 65,000,000

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that an official of the passport office at Rome recently refused a visa to Cardinal Logue's passport when presented by his secretary, and roughly insisted upon the Cardinal's attendance in person; and whether he will take appropriate steps to reprove the official responsible for this needless act of discourtesy?

I have no information as to the incident referred to, but immediate inquiries are being made into the case.

asked the Prime Minister whether, having regard to the serious danger to all users of the public roads created by the importation into this country of foreign motor-cars equipped with left-hand steering-gear, he will consider the desirability of introducing legislation forthwith to prohibit such importation?

I have been asked to answer this question. The question of the use of left-hand steering gear on motor vehicles is under consideration by the Departmental Committee on the taxation and regulation of road vehicles, and it is obviously undesirable to take any action of the nature suggested which will have far-reaching effects until the question has been thoroughly examined from all points of view.

asked the Postmaster-General if steps are being taken to convene the International Postal Congress to consider the whole question of international rates of postage; and whether any other countries have taken steps to increase to 1½d. the cost of postage on inland post cards?

The International Postal Congress, which is to meet on the 1st of October next, will no doubt consider international rates of postage. The postage on inland postcards in France was raised to 15 centimes on the 1st of January, 1917, and to 20 centimes on the 1st of April last; and the postage on inland postcards in Italy was raised to 15 centesimi on the 1st of March, 1919.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, seeing that letters from Great Britain to principal towns in Austria take only from four to six days in transit, and parcels by parcel post take five or six weeks, he can take any steps to secure a more rapid parcel post service?

A change has recently been made in the route used for the parcel post to Austria, and I believe that the time of transit is not now so long as it was before. But foreign parcel services generally are subject to delay in consequence of difficulties of transport abroad.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture whether any of the provisions of the Agriculture Bill apply to allotments; whether the proposals in that Bill with reference to the tenure of farmers apply to the tenure of allotment holders; and whether, seeing it has been stated to be the view of the Ministry of Agriculture that small and large producers should be associated together, he will secure that all proposals in the Bill granting concessions of tenure to farmers shall be extended to apply equally to allotment holders?

The whole of the provisions of Part I.of the Bill apply to allotments equally with larger holdings and with regard to Part II. express provision is made in the First Schedule of the Bill to amend Section 48 of the Agricultural Holdings Act so as to include allotments within the scope of that Act and of the Amendments proposed in Part II. of the Bill, except Clause 23. The suggestion of the hon. and gallant Member is therefore met by the Bill as introduced.

asked the Minister of Food the average alcoholic strength, measured in proof spirit, of beer, 1,044 degrees specific gravity, in Great Britain, and 1,051 degrees specific gravity, in Ireland, of cider, perry, claret, burgundy, sherry, champagne, and port, and also of whisky, rum and gin at the strengths authorised by the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic)?

The alcoholic strengths of beer and other fermented liquors vary with the extent to which fermentation has been carried. The averages may, however, be put approximately as follow:— — Average alcoholic strength, measured in proof spirit. Beer, specific gravity 1044° (Great Britain). 8 per cent. Beer, specific gravity 1051° (Ireland). 9 per cent. Cider 7 per cent. Perry, not usually made for sale—no records available. — Claret 18 per cent. Burgundy 22 per cent. Sherry (one variety) 29 per cent. Sherry (another variety) 35 per cent. Port 36 per cent. Champagne (estimated; no record of any actual test). 18 per cent. Whisky 50 per cent. as a minimum to 70 per cent. as a maximum. Rum Gin

asked the Home Secretary whether he will make a Return showing the convictions for drunkenness in every County Borough in England and Wales for the quarter ending 30th April in the years 1913 to 1920, inclusive?

The Table given on page 6 of Licensing Statistics, 1918, (Cmd. 352) covers the ground indicated in the question. The volume for 1919, which is in preparation, will contain a similar Table. This Table, which covers the whole country, does not show the figures of each month for County Boroughs separately from other areas; but it will, I hope, in combination with Table VI. in the volume—which gives the figures for the whole year for every County Borough7—meet the hon. and gallant Member's object. I cannot give the figures in the precise form for which he asks. To do so would involve an expenditure of time and labour which would delay the issue of the annual statistics and which could not be justified unless for very important purposes.

asked the Home Secretary whether failure to register as an alien is a sufficient reason for deportation; and, if so, how many aliens have so far been deported for failure to register?

Conviction for failure to register is a ground on which a Court may recommend the deportation of an alien; but no deportation order is actually made without full consideration, not only of the facts leading to the conviction, but of all the circumstances of the case, such as the alien's character and antecedents (including previous convictions, if any) and his ties in this country. The second part of the question, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Home Secretary whether Philip Matling, a Polish boy of 19 years, was sentenced at Thames Street Police Court to two months' hard labour and to deportation for failing to register as an alien; whether Matling pleaded ignorance of the law and complained of brutal ill-treatment at the hands of the police in Marlborough Street Police Station after his arrest; whether an inquiry has been made or will be made into the alleged ill-treatment at the police station; and whether he can see his way to review the sentence in view of the youth and apparent ignorance of the prisoner?

This alien appears to be a Russian, not a Pole. He made no complaint of ill-treatment either when in the custody of the police or at the Police Court, and I can find no grounds for the suggestion. I have considered the case carefully. Matling had been previously arrested and convicted for disorderly behaviour in Hyde Park, and as at present advised I see no reason for dissenting from the sentence passed by the learned Magistrate.

asked the Home Secretary the number of arrests which have been made by the police in Hyde Park in the last four weeks; what the sentences have been; and for what charges?

The information the hon. Member desires to have is too detailed for communication by way of answer in Parliament, but I am sending it to him by letter.

asked the Home Secretary what steps, if any, are being taken to improve the remuneration of part-time prison medical officers, as these have received neither increase of salary or bonus since the outbreak of the Great War?

The Treasury have now sanctioned an increase of these officers' remuneration which, I hope, will prove satisfactory.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether, having accepted the mandate for Mesopotamia, he will replace the present issue of surcharged Turkish stamps now current in that country by a regular issue, which does not include pictorial representations of places in Constantinople or other Turkish possessions; and whether the present surcharge of Irag in British occupation will now be dispensed with?

Arrangements are being made with a view to the introduction by the new Mesopotamian Government as soon as possible after it is definitely inaugurated, of a regular issue of its own stamps. The design will not include pictorial representations, and the present surcharge will, of course, disappear.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the local overseer at Derby refuses to allow to an owner in cases where he is also the occupier a deduction of one-eighth from the rates payable on premises of a rateable value not exceeding £10 when paid within one month after the rates have been demanded, notwithstanding Section 184 of The Derby Corporation Act, 1901, he being under the impression that it would be illegal to do so in face of the decision of Lord Alverstone in the High Court in 1910; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

I have no authority to give any direction to the overseers in this matter, but in view of the decision of the High Court in the case of Rex. v. Probert to which reference is made, the owner would not appear to be entitled to the deduction in such a case as the right hon. Gentleman mentions.

asked the Minister of Health what are the qualifications required in the Housing Department for appointment as Regional Housing Inspector; how many men have been promoted from the rank of Regional Sub-Inspector to that of Regional Housing Inspector; and the number of women Regional Sub-Inspectors who have been promoted to the rank of Regional Housing Inspector?

No specific qualifications have been prescribed for the appointment of regional housing inspectors. The applicants are, however, required to possess certain general technical knowledge and experience in regard to the selection of sites, the design and construction of houses, materials, and other matters connected with the provisions of houses for the working classes. Preference is always given to candidates who have served with the forces. Five regional sub-inspectors (men) have been promoted to the rank of regional housing inspector. No woman sub-inspector has been so promoted.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether every candidate in Southern Rhodesia who stood for a continuance of Chartered Company administration was defeated in the recent elections; whether this decision fulfils the paramount condition for the grant of responsible government as set forth in the Supplemental Charter; whether any petition has yet been received from the responsible leaders of Southern Rhodesia for the grant of any such form of government; and, if so, whether any answer has yet been sent to Rhodesia?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, the Supplemental Charter of 1914 provides that should His Majesty think fit, he may establish responsible government, if the Legislative Council by an absolute majority of the whole number of its members pass a resolution praying the Crown to establish responsible government and support such resolution with evidence showing that the condition of the territory financially and otherwise is such as to justify the establishment of that form of Government. As regards the remainder of the question, I would refer to the answer which I gave on the 1st instant to a question by the hon. Member for the Stafford Division (Mr. Ormsby-Gore).

asked the President of the Board of Education what progress has been made in the provision of special schools for physically defective and epileptic children under the Education Act, 1918?

On 31st July, 1914, the number of special schools for physically defective and epileptic children was 102. At the present moment it is 171. I n addition the Board have under consideration upwards of 60 proposals from local education authorities, and a few from voluntary bodies, for the establishment of special schools, of which the greater number are open-air schools for physically defective children.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if, in view of the fact that the late Warder Harper, of Parkhurst prison, died on the 25th June, 1919, and no settlement of the widow's case has been made, he will endeavour to expedite matters as the widow is in necessitous circumstances?

I am glad to say that instructions have already been given for the issue of the full amount payable in this case under the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1906.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is now in a position to make any further statement regarding the advisability of including women representing the Middle Classes Union in the Committee appointed for the training, at the public expense, of non-industrial women war-workers; and whether he has found an opportunity of discussing the matter further with his advisers?

It is the considered opinion of my advisers that the Central Committee for Women's Training is fully representative of the classes of women to be trained and I, myself, concur in that opinion.