asked the Chief Secretary if his attention has been drawn to the murder of Arthur Treanor, a farmer, living at Devagh, County Monaghan, who was taken from his house on 25th June and killed; if this was done by members of the Irish Republican forces; and if any arrests have been made?

The Court of Inquiry found that Arthur Treanor died from gunshot wounds wilfully inflicted by members of the Irish Republican Army, who are guilty of wilful murder.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been directed to the murder of Patrick Maher, an ex-soldier, who was taken from his home at Moonkeena, County Tipperary, in the early hours of Sunday, 26th June, and shot dead; if this was done by forces of the Irish Republican Army; and whether any arrests have been effected in connection with this murder?

The finding of the Court of Inquiry in this case was wilful murder by some person or persons unknown. No arrest has yet been reported.

asked the Chief Secretary whether any arrests have yet been effected in connection with the assassination of Francis Sullivan, who was taken from his home at Rosscarbery, County Cork, on the night of 1st July and his body discovered the following morning at some distance from his house?

I regret that no arrests have yet been made in this case.

asked the Chief Secretary whether any arrests have yet been made in connection with the deaths of Lieutenant W. G. C. Glossop, Royal Field Artillery, aged 21, Lieutenant C. S. Bettridge, Royal Field Artillery, aged 21, and Second-Lieutenant A. H. C. Toogood, aged 20, 1st Battalion Lincoln Regiment, who were assassinated near Woodroffe, County Tipperary, on 19th June last?

The answer, I regret to say, is in the negative.

asked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that the house of the Misses McGeraghty at Mylough, Mount Bellew, County Galway, was burnt to the ground, with all its contents, by Crown forces in the presence of County Inspector Taylour, of Ballinsloe; that these ladies lived alone and that no males had resided in the house since their father died some years ago; that the ladies were ignorant of any alleged outrages or illegal acts by the insurgents; and whether he is taking any action in the matter?

According to the police reports, this house was 300 yards from the spot where on the night of the 5th June a party of police were ambushed by a large body of rebels. Alarmed by the sound of firing, the occupants of the house took refuge with a neighbour. On returning some hours later, they found their home in flames. It is certainly not true that the house was burned in the presence of County Inspector Taylour, who reports definitely that he was not present at the time, and has no knowledge of the origin of the fire. I have heard of no allegation beyond that in the question that the destruction was done by Crown forces.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that £250,000,000 sterling of British capital are invested in Mexico, and that Mexican Governments have for years past defaulted on their national debt; and whether the Foreign Office will take steps to discourage any policy which would lead to further investment of British capital in loans to States where default on Government debt has taken place, seeing that British capital can in these times be advantageously employed within the British Empire, where it is greatly needed?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The situation as regards existing Mexican loans is publicly known, and I do not think that it is within the province of the Foreign Office to take action on the lines suggested by the hon. Member in the latter part of his question.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether officers who are pre-War disability pensioners of over 14 years' service who served again in the Great War, are to be treated in the same way as non-commissioned officers and men; and, if not, will he state the reason?

If the hon. Member refers to officers holding permanent commissions in the Regular Forces who retired before the War on account of medical unfitness caused by military service and, after re-employment in the Great War, reverted to the retired list, I would refer him to the reply given on the 28th ultimo by the Secretary of State for War to the hon. and gallant Member for Gateshead (Brigadier - General Surtees), of which I am sending him a copy. If, however, the reference is to ex-soldiers who were discharged with over 14 years' service before the War on account of medical unfitness, and held temporary commissions in the Great War, I would invite the hon. Member's attention to Article 1 (2) of the Royal Warrant of the 2nd July, 1920, which ensures that such an officer shall receive not less than the permanent rate he would have received had he continued to serve in the rank from which he was promoted. This provision would include the advantages mentioned in the similar question by the hon. Member to which I replied on the 24th June.

asked the Minister of Health what will be the future status of registrars of births, marriages, and deaths; and whether these officials are to be placed on a Civil Service footing as regards pay and pensions when they are transferred under the Ministry of Health?

The reorganisation of the births, deaths and marriages registration service is still under consideration, and I am not at present in a position to make any statement on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if his attention has been called to the use by officers and officials of the Air Service of official motor cars for conveying them to and from their residences; and whether instructions have been issued forbidding this practice?

The instructions referred to were issued some time ago, and are strictly observed. The only exception to this rule is that certain cars which are proceeding to the Air Ministry for duty pick up at their homes, and bring to the Ministry, certain officers who were so severely disabled in the service that they are physically unable to use the ordinary methods of public transport during the crowded hours. These officers are employed in positions of the highest importance on the clerical staff of the Ministry.

asked the Home Secretary whether the round table conference has agreed that the closing hour for the country and, in the absence of special indulgence, for London also shall be 10 p.m.: whether he is aware of the consternation with which the acceptance of such an agreement will be received throughout the country at all tables set for supper after entertainments, of the loss which must result to licensees, and to the revenue; and whether such will be taken into account before any legislative Measure is introduced giving effect to the recommendations of the said round table conference?

I must ask the hon. Baronet to wait until he sees the Bill, the provisions of which I fear I cannot anticipate.

asked the Home Secretary the number of convictions for drunkenness which occurred during the first 26 weeks of 1921 in the City of Carlisle, in the rest of the district adjoining Carlisle where direct control of the liquor trade is in operation, and in the remainder of the areas scheduled by the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) in England and Wales, together with figures for the corresponding period of 1920?

I understand that complete figures on all the points raised by the hon. Baronet are not available. But the following Table, with which I have been supplied, covers the main points on which he desires information: