asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider the expediency of paying the quartermasters of Territorial units a rate of remuneration proportionate to their rank and duties; and whether he is aware that whole-time Territorial quartermasters are at present being paid at lower rates than orderly room sergeants?

The present remuneration of quartermasters of Territorial units is considered adequate to their rank and duties; these duties do not occupy the whole of their time outside the period of annual training and they are not paid on a full-time basis.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he will state the amount of land acquired in Ireland for settlement of ex-Service men; whether he will give the names of those counties in which satisfactory progress has been made, and also those in which the progress is not satisfactory; and what is the total number of ex-Service men at present placed upon the land in Ireland?

Up to the present the Estates Commissioners have made offers under the Irish Land (Provision for Sailors' and Soldiers') Act, 1919, to purchase some 4,350 acres of untenanted land, and their offers have been accepted in respect of 750 acres, but the proceedings have not yet sufficiently advanced in these cases to take possession of the lands. The Commissioners have also instituted compulsory proceedings in respect of 870 acres for which their offers have been refused, but objections have been filed in these cases, and they will come before the Court for adjudication at an early date. The Estates Commissioners have provided holdings for 74 ex-service men on lands acquired under the Land Purchase Acts. The Local Government Board have made 40 schemes up to the present for the acquisition of 647 acres of land. Seven of these schemes involving the compulsory acquisition of about 83 acres of land have been confirmed, and the land will be taken as soon as the necessary legal formalities have been complied with. In addition, the Board have agreed to purchase 100 acres of land, but until questions of title have been decided, they are advised they cannot take possession.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will have inquiries made into the case of Gunner Edward Herbert Bowden, No. 178606, Royal Field Artillery, who joined the Army at the age of eighteen years and was discharged as unfit in October, 1919, after being wounded in the leg and left elbow; whether, owing to these defects he was unable to resume his apprenticeship as a wheelwright and blacksmith, and consequently applied for training in the boot and shoe work so as to enable him to enter his own father's business; whether he is aware that, in spite of the fact that the training is immediately available in the father's shop, and has been recommended by the local war pensions committee, it has been refused him, after many months of correspondence with the divisional director of training at Plymouth; and whether urgent inquiries can be made with a view to reconsideration of this case?

The facts are materially as stated by my hon. and gallant Friend. For some time past, the Trade Board for the Boot and Shoe Trade, who act as the National Advisory Committee for the industry, in view of the employment position in the industry have not considered it advisable to admit any further men for training, unless a special recommendation is received from the Local Technical Advisory Committee in view of the large number of men who have already either completed or commenced their training. In this instance the Local Technical Advisory Committee have not seen their way to make such a recommendation. I understand, however, that the situation has been explained at length to Mr. Bowden who has refused to consider any alternative type of training that might be available. Under these conditions, I regret that it is not possible to help him until the Local Technical Advisory Committee concerned are in a position to recommend him for training.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will reconsider the official decision in respect of the aplication for discharge of Tom Jowett, of H.M.S. "Malaya," who joined in June, 1914, and has served throughout the war, and whose widowed mother, who is in very poor circumstances, has great difficulty in maintaining her three young children without the help of her elder son; and whether, considering the boy's service in the war and the possible breakup of the family and home, he can regard this case as needing urgent compassionate treatment?

The man in question entered the Navy on the 9th June, 1914, and signed an engagement to serve for 12 years. His application for free discharge was considered this year in connection with the reduction of personnel, but the case was not considered sufficiently urgent compared with those of other applicants to warrant his release. In reaching this decision, the family circumstances, the rate of pay he is receiving in the Navy, and the prospects of advancement in the Service, as compared with the wages offered him on shore in the event of his release, were taken into consideration. It is regretted, therefore, that his release cannot be sanctioned.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether in 1916 the Ministry appointed the firm of Messrs. Aston and Mander, Limited, Willesden, a controlled establishment; whether in February, 1917, the Ministry, without warning, appointed a Ministry official, Mr. Conolly, as receiver; whether, after the Armistice. the business was handed back to Messrs. Aston and Mander heavily in debt as a result of Government control; whether Messrs. Aston and Mander are claiming compensation from the Ministry and the case has been lodged for trial; and whether he will endeavour to have this case expedited in view of the fact that Messrs. Aston and Mander are suffering very seriously financially?

Aston and Mander, Limited (now in liquidation), was made a controlled establishment on the 22nd of May, 1916. The Minister made certain advances to that company on the security of debentures charged on the undertaking and assets of the company. In February, 1317, Mr. Connolly was appointed Receiver on behalf of the Minister under the powers of the debentures. In June, 1917, a new company was formed, called Aston and Mander (1917), Limited, of which Mr. Connolly was a Director. The Minister also made advances to the new company and a considerable sum is claimed by the Minister to be owing in respect of the whole of the before-mentioned advances. Mr. Connolly resigned his position as Director on March, 1919, and at this date there were existing certain current liabilities of the company. Disputes have arisen between the company and the Minister which are the subject matter of legal proceedings now pending. The case is a somewhat complicated one and has not yet been set down for trial, but so far as the Minister is concerned, no unnecessary delay has arisen or will arise in bringing the case to trial.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Turkish Tobacco Regie has ceased to exist in Palestine; and whether it is now open to all nations to export tobacco to Palestine for sale there?

I have received no information to the effect that the Regie has ceased to exist in Palestine, but I will make inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether an Act of Indemnity was passed by the Government of India in September last which absolved those responsible for any acts committed in good faith under martial law but which might be ultra vires from the ordinary code?

An Act was passed by the Indian Legislature in September last which, inter alia, protected officers of Government or any person acting under their orders from legal proceedings unless instituted by or on behalf of Government in respect of acts done for the purpose of maintaining or restoring order between the 30th March and the 26th August, 1919, if such acts were done in good faith and in a reasonable belief that they were necessary for that purpose. I shall be happy to send the hon. and gallant Member a copy of the Act.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any official notification has been made by the German Republic as to the German flag which has been adopted by the Republic; and what is the description of the flag saluted by British warships on their arrival in German ports?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The German Government have officially informed His Majesty's Government that the German national flag is black-red-gold divided horizontally. As regards the second part of the question, it is customary, as the hon. and gallant Gentleman is aware, to salute the national flag on the arrival of His. Majesty's ships at a foreign port at which salutes are returned.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he will cause investigation to be made into the great disparity between the remuneration of elementary school teachers under the London County Council and those under the Dartford area, with a view to a more equitable adjustment of existing salaries?

The Standing Joint Committee on the salaries of teachers in elementary schools is still engaged in the consideration of the salary problem, one aspect of which is the disparity in the remuneration of teachers in different areas, and I hope they will be successful in devising suitable machinery for adjusting any difference s which may arise between local education authorities and. their teachers on the subject.