asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received a resolution from the Wholesale Grocers and Provision Dealers Association of Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire, and Lincolnshire, expressing the strongest disapproval of the compulsory monopoly in Army trading in the United Kingdom as an injustice to the wholesale and retail trader; and, if so, what action he proposes to take on such memorial?

I regret that I cannot trace the receipt of the resolution to which my hon. Friend refers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the large amount of what is known as gun furniture, consisting of guards, trigger plate, and trigger, which is coming into Birmingham from the Continent at less than cost price; and whether he will bear this matter in mind in framing the promised legislation?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, but I should be glad if my right hon. Friend would send me any particulars as to the prices of the articles he mentions that may have come to his notice, so that I may consider them along with similar complaints.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that Lieutenant A. E. Brown, M.C., 2nd/107th Pioneers, Indian Army, was admitted to hospital in Tripoli, Syria, on 16th December, 1918, suffering from enteric fever, was removed to the 19th General Hospital, Alexandria, on 12th January, 1919, and arrived at the 3rd London General Hospital on 6th March, 1919; that he was discharged from hospital on the 17th March, 1919; and that while on sick leave he contracted pneumonia in December, 1919; and whether, in the circumstances, he will consider the possibility of refunding from Army funds the expenses in respect of medical and nursing fees then incurred by him?

Lieutenant Brown applied to the India Office on 23rd April, 1920, for refund of his medical expenses, and was informed that in accordance with the Regulations he should apply for the same to the General Officer Commanding the District in which he was residing. On 12th July at his request a Medical Report as to the cause of his disability was furnished by this Office to the Director-General of Medical Services in the Eastern Command. Any question as to the delay in the settlement of his account should be addressed to my Right Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now in a position to give the death rates amongst the Chinese indentured coolies of Samoa, and whether he can now say how many of these indentured coolies have been on the islands for periods exceeding five years and ten years respectively?

No, Sir, I would remind the hon. and gallant Member that the responsibility for the administration of Samoa is with the Government of the Dominion of New Zealand and not with the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has received representations regarding the enforcement of certain municipal regula- tions of the municipality of Pietermaritzburg, Natal, refusing the issue or transfer of trading licences from individual Indian traders to firms consisting of themselves and their sons, with the object of restricting such licences to the lifetime of the present holders thereof; whether he has received representations pointing out that the result of such enforcement will be the ruin of the Indian trading community of Pietermaritzburg and other townships in Natal; whether the question of Indian trading licences was one of those referred to the Lange Commission by the government of the Union of South Africa; and whether His Majesty's Government is in a position to protect the rights and interests of His Majesty's Indian subjects threatened by such municipal regulations?

I gather that my honourable friend refers to the decision given in a recent Licensing Appeal case in Pietermaritzburg, to which my attention has been called, though I have not received any representations from South Africa regarding it. It is the case that the question of trading by Indians in South Africa is being enquired into by a Commission appointed by the Union Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether he is aware that an Act to amend the Immigration Laws of the Dominion was enacted in 1920 by the New Zealand legislature, and that among its other objects it was designed to prevent or place further restrictions upon the immigration into New Zealand of His Majesty's Indian subjects; if he will say whether representations on the subject have been received by the Colonial Office; and whether any assurances regarding the enforcement of the Act or the regulations framed under it have been received from the New Zealand Government by His Majesty's Government?

The Immigration Restriction Amendment Act, 1920, of New Zealand makes no mention of Indians, but I have received a protest from an Indian Association in this country, the writer of which was referred to the Dominion Government. At the in- stance of the Government of India, the Government of New Zealand has given an assurance that there will be no alteration in the position as regards the entry of the wives and families of Indians already domiciled in New Zealand.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether he has received representations relative to the enactment by the Natal Provincial Council of the Durban Corporation Extended Powers Ordinance, 1920, and the Durban Tramways Consolidated Laws, 1905 and 1920; whether in these representations the fear has been expressed that the Durban corporation, in enforcing these enactments, will do so to the prejudice of the rights and interests of the Indian citizens and ratepayers of Durban by the adoption of a policy of racial discrimination; and whether, seeing that such a policy is opposed to the views of His Majesty's Government, as expressed on many occasions to the various administrations in South Africa, he will say what steps, if any, have been taken by His; Majesty's Government to protect His Majesty's Indian subjects in Durban from the enforcement of such a policy of racial discrimination?

The. Secretary of State has not received representations from South Africa on the subject to these Ordinances, but the Governor-General of the Union received petitions regarding them from various Indian Associations in Durban. The Governor-General decided, after full consideration, to assent to the Ordinances.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered the possibility of affording some relief in respect of the taxation on motor cars in the case of doctors who use moderate powered cars in serving scattered country districts?

I have been asked to answer this question. The point referred to by my honourable Friend was very carefully considered by the Departmental Committee on the Taxation and Regulation of Road Vehicles, and their reasons for recommending the withdrawal of the privileges previously enjoyed by medical practitioners, veterinary surgeons, and other classes of individuals are set out in paragraph 23 of their Interim Report (Cmd. 660, 1920). Their recommendation on this point was accepted by the House and was embodied in the Finance Act, 1920.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state what is the nominal amount of securities deposited on which ½ per cent. or other consideration is payable over and above the contractual interest rate; what is the nominal amount of such securities pledged for unexpired loans; in regard to the particular Department charged with the administration of such loans on deposit, what is the number of employés, and what is the annual outgo by way of salaries; what valid reason exists for the retention of such securities as are not pledged for unexpired loans; and what is the annual charge by way of commission of ½ per cent. or other consideration in respect of such unpledged securities?

The nominal amount of securities originally deposited was:—

The National Debt Office carries on the work connected with deposited securities, assisted by a temporary staff numbering at present 214, to be reduced by the end of this month to 172. The charge for salaries of this staff in 1920–21 will amount to about £29,000, which will decrease in 1921–22. A further reduction of staff would only delay the return of deposited securities. The annual charge for the additional allowance of one-half per cent. was £1,800,000 in 1919–20; will be less than £1,500,000 in 1920–21; and should be extinguished by 31st March, 1922.