asked the Secretary of State for India whether anti-British propaganda has been organised from the States of Travancore and Cochin, and developed in the British district of Malabar; and, if so, whether such action has been stopped by the Durbars concerned?

I have no information to this effect, but am making inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether a Mr. Gandhi recently organised a bonfire of British-made clothing in Bombay; what was his object; whether a meeting was subsequently held; how many people were present; and who were the speakers?

I gather that a bonfire was made of imported cloth in Bombay on 1st August. I have received as yet no official account of the occurrences.

Can the right hon. Gentleman answer the latter part of the question: whether a meeting was held and who were the speakers?

I have no account except what has appeared in the newspapers.

May we take it that the accounts in the newspapers are substantially correct, and, if so, how are the Ali brothers carrying out the undertaking given to the Viceroy?

That is a separate question.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether any decision has been reached as regards the share of German indemnity due to India?

It has been agreed at the Imperial Conference that India shall receive l·2 per cent of the total share to be received by the British Empire of the reparation payment to be made by Germany under the Treaty of Versailles. This at par represents £17,400,000 sterling.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the Legislative Councils of both Madras and Bombay have voted for women suffrage; whether this change in the franchise is being or will be embodied in the new registers; and whether, as soon as the new registers are prepared, the change will be followed by a dissolution of these two councils?

If Press reports as regards Bombay (from which I have not yet received an official report) be correct, the answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, the rules require the change to be embodied (not necessarily immediately) in new rolls, but ordinarily the rolls hold good for three years from the date of their first publication unless the local Government choose to prescribe a shorter period. The dissolution of a Legislative Council before the expiry of its normal period of existence is a matter for the Governor to decide upon, and I have no information that the Governors will think it necessary to dissolve the present Councils on this account.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that the loss in the sale of reverse council bills has so far amounted to 35 crores on transactions of 82½ crores (£55,000,000); why bills to this extent were sold without public competitive tender; whether he is aware that the council rate of pence per rupee exceeded the market rate by several pence and thus greatly enriched persons to whom the council bills were allotted; whether he is aware that Indian importers now refuse to meet bills drawn by Manchester merchants at current rates of exchange and purport to justify such refusal on these grounds; and if he will try to fix the responsibility for these financial errors?

The 35 crores mentioned in the first part of the question represents approximately the difference between the rupee equivalent of the sterling drafts sold, taking exchange at 15 rupees to the pound, and the rupee receipts from the sales. For the reason given in my reply of the 18th July, the sum cannot be regarded as loss due to the sale of reverse drafts, and it must also be remembered that in the period prior to the sales remittances from India to England on Government account have been effected at rates of exchange considerably higher than 1s. 4d., these, in fact, ranging up to 2s. 4d. As regards the second and third parts of the question, the system of sale was based, as stated in my reply on the 18th July, on the recommendations of the Currency Committee. During the period of the sales differences between the market rate of exchange and the rate at which the drafts were offered would have enabled allottees of the drafts to dispose of their exchange at a profit. As regards part 4 of the question I am sending to the hon. and gallant Member a copy of the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Keighley on the 16th March.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the India Office has any statistics showing who made profits by reselling these bills, and to what extent profits were made?

It is very difficult to ascertain.

I suppose it is known to whom the reverse bills were sold in the first instance?

I think so.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the British officers serving with the Royal Artillery in India have to purchase two chargers; whether he is aware that in Great Britain an officer similarly serving is provided with a charger at the public expense; whether he is aware that, although officers serving in India are allowed to purchase their chargers from the Government at concession rates by instalments, even when these animals have been fully paid for, the purchasers are not allowed to resell their chargers except to the Government for five years; and whether, in view of the great hardship inflicted upon officers who have adopted the Army as a professional career, he will take steps to have this hardship and many others of a similar character, such as the compulsory purchase of oat-crushing machines at the officers' expense, removed at the earliest possible opportunity?

The answer to the first three parts of the question is in the affirmative. Various concessions regarding purchase and upkeep of chargers have just been introduced by the Government of India, and I do not see my way, in present circumstances, to suggest that further privileges should be granted. I can see no hardship in requiring that a charger bought from Government for less than market value should not be sold, except to Government, for five years. I have no information regarding the purchase of oat-crushing machinery. If my hon. and gallant Friend will give me particulars of what he has in mind I will make inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he will state what was the number of squadrons of Indian cavalry allotted to the various provinces of India for the purpose of internal security under the new scheme for the reduction of the Indian Army; what was the number allotted for this purpose prior to the War; and whether any of the local Governments have expressed dissatisfaction with the amount of cavalry allotted to them for internal security under the new scheme and are opposed to the proposed reductions?

No representations from local governments expressing dissatisfaction with the numbers of cavalry allotted to their provinces for internal security have reached me, nor am I aware that any have intimated that they are opposed to the reductions in that arm. I regret I am unable to give the disposition by provinces of cavalry allotted to internal security This is a matter for the Government of India to decide, with the advice of the Commander-in-Chief.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what is the number allotted to the whole of India?

I am afraid I cannot do that without notice. I cannot trust my memory for the figure. Perhaps my hon. and gallant Friend will put down a question.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that his assurance of the 23rd March last, that no further reductions would be made in the Indian Army pending the final decision of the Sub-Committee of Imperial Defence, was taken in India to mean that no further reductions would be made from that date, whereas it is now being interpreted to mean that no further reductions would be made beyond those already sanctioned by him on that date; and will he state which of these interpretations is correct and, if the latter, what were the reductions he had already sanctioned prior to the 23rd March?

I am not aware to whom in India the hon. and gallant Member is referring, but I can assure him that the Government of India have never taken my reply to his question of 23rd March to mean anything but that no further reductions would take place beyond those already sanctioned. If the hon. and gallant Member will refer to my reply on the 23rd February, he will see it clearly stated how many regiments of cavalry and battalions of infantry it was proposed to maintain.

asked the, Secretary of State for India, how many British officers of each rank of the Indian Army it is estimated will have to be discharged as surplus to requirements owing to the proposed reductions; and what provision is to be made for these officers to enable them to start life afresh?

I am in communication with the Government of India, but regret that I am not yet in a position to answer the question.

Will the right hon. Gentleman be able to give a reply before the end of the Session?

I very much hope so

asked the Secretary of State for India whether, in the elections to the provincial councils in India, less than 1,500,000 persons went to the poll in districts having a population of about 240,000,000 and a qualified electorate of about 5,500,000, while in the elections for the Indian Legislative Assembly only 180,000 electors out of approximately 1,000,000 qualified voters actually voted; whether many of the voters who did vote were unable by illiteracy to differentiate between the candidates, many of whom were represented on the polling cards by pictures of goats, elephants, and donkeys; and whether he proposes to take steps to secure more adequate representation on the new council of Indian landowners and merchants in place of the existing preponderance of Indian lawyers?

For accurate figures in regard to the elections, I would refer my hon. Friend to the Return presented to Parliament in April, of which I will send him a copy. As regards the second part of the question, many of the voters were, of course, illiterate, and a system of symbols to assist voters to record their votes correctly was tried successfully in one province. As regards the last part, my information is that landowners (many of whom are also lawyers) as a whole have secured large representation, and that the same observations apply to commercial interests. I would refer my hon. Friend in this connection to the recommendation made by the Joint Select Committee on Clause 41 of the Government of India Bill, 1919, in regard to a future revision of the franchise. I will send him a marked copy of their Report.

Does the right hon. Gentleman think that the figures of the recent elections in India clearly show that the broad-minded and impartial rule of the British Rajah has not been replaced by popular Government, but by the Government of an oligarchy which by no means represents the people of India?

That is a debating point. Of course, if we could get a wholly satisfactory electorate in India, one of the main obstacles to complete self-government would be removed.

Is it not a fact that there is about 45 per cent. of lawyers in all these Provincial Councils?

I cannot endorse that statement offhand, but I would invite my hon. and gallant Friend to com-nare other Legislatures.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Private C. E. Greening, No. 5172320, Gloucester Regiment, and Private A. Bottrill, No. 5174941, Gloucester Regiment, both of whom were called up for service during the recent emergency and have now been demobilised, are refused re-employment by the employers with whom they were working when the emergency arose; that Mr. Charles Cooke, of No. 1, Cambray, Cheltenham, refused to take Private Greening back on demobilisation and told him to go to the employment exchange; that Private Bottrill was refused re-employment on demobilisation by his former employer, Mr. Oscar Harmer, of Dalhousie, Spencer Park, Coventry; and whether he can take any action in the matter?

Representations have been made in both of these cases to the employers, and I am awaiting a reply in the case of Private Greening. As regards Private Bottrill, in view of the explanation which I have received from his former employer, Mr. Oscar Harmer, I am not prepared to take any further action.

asked the Secretary of State for War if ex-service men are being discharged from the various Departments under his control in favour of those who have not served in the War; and, if not, is every effort being made to employ ex-service men in preference to those who have not served?

No, Sir. Every possible endeavour is being made to retain ex-service men in preference to those who have not served. Any exceptions are due to the necessity of retaining specially qualified men in certain posts.

Does the right hon. Gentleman draw any distinction between ex-service men who have served overseas and those who have not served overseas?

I am not sure. I should like notice of that question.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that a large number of women are still employed in various Departments of the War Office and a large number of ex-service men cannot find employment, and will he have these cases scrutinised with a view to utilising the services of these ex-service men in lieu of women?

I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that every endeavour is made to give employment to ex-service men in preference to others. There is a large number of women employed, but a great many of them are engaged on work in connection with winding up, and they cannot be replaced.

Cannot the right hon. Gentleman give consideration to these men, and to the fact that they are able to carry out the work which is carried out by women?

Every consideration is given to their case.

asked the Prime Minister whether there are men in Government employment who have served for several years in His Majesty's forces in France and overseas during the Great War who are still being punished by having money deducted from their salaries in consequence of having been guilty of some breach of discipline or departmental regulations committed prior to the War; and, if this is the case, whether His Majesty's Government can see their way to treat these ex-service men's pre-War misconduct as having been purged by their subsequent war service and extend such clemency towards them as will prevent their continuing to suffer this punishment?

Disciplinary questions of this nature are for the consideration of the head of the Department concerned, and a particular case in any Department should be taken up with that Department. I understand, however, that the particular case the hon. Member has in mind has already been very fully considered by the Postmaster-General.

Does the hon. Gentleman recognise that I did not ask about any particular case. What I asked was whether His Majesty's Government and the authorities could not take into account the advisability of considering the cases of men who served, and who risked their lives for four years at the front, and whether that should not be regarded as wiping out offences committed before the War broke out?

In answer to the wider question, I am afraid I have nothing to add to the answer to an exactly similar question which I gave to the hon. Gentleman several days ago.

asked the Minister of Pensions if ex-service men are being discharged from the various Departments under his control in favour of those who have not served in the War; and, if not, is every effort being made to employ ex-service men in preference to those who have not served?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The policy of the Ministry is to give preference to ex-service men.

Is the hon. and gallant Member aware that many Members are receiving letters from men who have been the victims of the policy of being discharged before these people who have not served in the War? It is going on.

We are asserting our principle. I will give my hon. and gallant Friend the example of the Glasgow Local War Pensions Committee, where we are refusing to allow the appointment of two men who are not ex-service men, and insisting on the appointment of ex-service men.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of men who joined the Army between 4th August, 1914, and 24th May, 1916; and how many were enrolled between 25th May, 1916, and 11th November, 1918?

I would refer the hon. Member to the figures contained on page 60 of the General Annual Reports on the British Army for the period from 1st October, 1913, to 31st September, 1919 (Command Paper 1193). I regret that figures for the exact periods mentioned in the question are not available, but the number of men who joined the Army between August, 1914, and the end of May, 1916, was 2,993,482, and the number who were enrolled and joined the Colours between June, 1916, and 11th November, 1918, was 1,977,420.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say if the figure given by his Majesty in his letter of 26th May, 1916, stating that 5,041,000 men voluntarily enlisted is not correct?

I must have notice of any reference to a particular letter. I do not carry it in my mind.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether a full colonel has recently been sent out to Gibraltar as commander, Royal Artillery, there in addition to the lieutenant-colonel who previously had efficiently performed the duties of the post; whether the new appointment is intended to be permanent; whether, before it was made, the military authorities at Gibraltar were consulted; if so, what was their opinion as to the need for the additional officer; what is the cost in pay and allowances of the new commander and his staff; whether the duties of the new office entail only half-an-hour's work a day; and on what grounds, in view of the reduction of artillery strength to 600 and the urgent need for economy, the new appointment can be justified?

A Colonel has been sent out to Gibraltar as Commanding Royal Artillery, an appointment which, except for a brief period whilst the status of the appointment was under discussion, has always been held by a Major-General with a Brigade Major. The Colonel has no staff officer. The reduction was decided on in the interests of economy. The appointment is a permanent one, and has been decided upon after hearing the views of the local military authorities. The cost is £1,594 a year, as compared with £3,575 for a Major-General and Brigade Major, which was formerly the staff for artillery. Although the strength of Royal Artillery personnel at Gibraltar has temporarily been reduced, their training covers a wider field, whilst no change has been made in the armament of the fortress, for the efficiency of which the Officer Commanding Royal Artillery is responsible.

Did the local authorities agree? What was their opinion as to the necessity for this additional officer?

There is no question of an additional officer, but of the substitution of an officer of lower rank for an officer of higher rank out of which a saving of over £2,000 a year is made.

May we have the opinion of the local authorities as to the necessity for an additional officer?

No. All consideration was given to any local representations in making the decision which I have announced.

Do the tax payers in Gibraltar or the taxpayers in this country pay the salary?

It is paid for out of the Army Vote.

Was not the appointment made simply to provide a job?

No. The hon. Member has no right to make any such statement.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of recruits who have enlisted in the Territorial Force; and how many more are required to complete the establishment?

It is estimated that the approximate strength of the Territorial Force on 29th July was 6,700 officers and 117,000 other ranks. These figures, however, are subject to revision on the receipt of returns for 1st August, which will be available shortly. As shown on page 24 of Army Estimates, 1921–22, the establishment of the Territorial Force (excluding permanent staff) is 10,542 officers and 205,499 other ranks.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in the present state of finance, the retention in the peace establishment of the Territorial Force of infantry brigade and divisional artillery commanders is justified; whether there are four of these officers, each with a staff officer, in each division; whether they are relieved of all work by the county associations; whether their duties are extremely light and could well be performed by the existing divisional staffs with suitable assistance during the 15 days' annual training; and whether an economy of £150,000 per annum would be effected by their abolition?

There are three infantry brigade commanders with brigade majors and an officer commanding Royal Artillery with a brigade major for each division. They are not relieved of all administrative work by county associations, and have a great deal of administrative work to do. If these staffs could be abolished, as suggested, there would be an approximate saving of £150,000 per annum on the 14 divisions and two cavalry brigades. This is one of the possible economies which is being considered.

Is it not better that the Territorial Force should be trained under the officers who commanded them in the War?

Undoubtedly.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the fall in the strength of cadet battalions throughout the country; whether the cadet movement is an essential element in the maintenance of an effective home defence force; and will he consider the possibility of linking cadets and Territorials more closely by forming the present cadet battalions into fourth companies of Territorial battalions, to be composed of lads between the ages of 15 and 18 years?

My hon. and gallant Friend is mistaken. The strength of the cadet force has increased during the past few years from 40,000 in 1915 to approximately 120,000 this year. The force is primarily for the development of lads into good citizens, especially by means of games and competitions rather than to train them as soldiers. The units are, however, affiliated to Territorial Army units for the purpose of receiving elementary instruction, and are inspected by commanders of the Territorial Army, and in this way a sympathetic association is encouraged and maintained between the cadet force and the Territorial Army.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I know of a battalion which is only 24 strong at the present moment?

I hope that that is a very exceptional battalion.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in each of the cases of the 138 non-commissioned officers and men and the seven officers serving with the Army on the Rhine who have married German wives, the consent of the commanding officer was obtained; and whether, apart from these cases, there is any instance of the consent of the commanding officer having been withheld from any such proposed marriage?

As I have explained to the hon. Member in answer to previous questions, the arrangements made with the German Government require that an officer or soldier of the Army of the Rhine who wishes to marry a German woman should furnish his commanding officer with a copy of his birth certificate and a statutory declaration as to his legal capacity to marry for transmission to the competent German registrar. I assume that in each of the cases referred to in the question this procedure was properly carried out and the necessary documents forwarded to the German registrar by the officer's or man's commanding officer. Whether there have been any cases in which the documents have been withheld by a commanding officer owing to their not being in order or for any other reason, I am unable to say without reference to the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, British Army of the Rhine.

With great respect, was not my question to the right hon. Gentleman whether, when these marriages between British soldiers and German women take place, the consent of those soldiers' commanding officers is required; whether in any cases such consent has been withheld; and, if not, how does the right hon. Gentleman reconcile that with the declaration, made on behalf of the War Office from that Bench, that the policy of the War Office is to discourage such marriages?

It is not possible for the War Office to prevent these marriages. As regards cases in which consent has been refused, I cannot find that out without reference to the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief on the Rhine. If the hon. Member wants that done, I can find out whether any commanding officer has refused his consent.

Are these women given separation allowances? [HON. MEMBERS: "Why not?"]

That is raising a fresh question.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the case of Private Daniel Rowe, who was convicted in November last by field general court-martial of fraudulent conversion of goods whilst manager of the Rhine Army reception camp canteen at Cologne and sentenced to six months' hard labour; whether he is aware that no particular goods were mentioned in the charge and no dates given of the alleged offences; that, after serving four months of the sentence, he was notified that it had been discovered that no particular goods were deficient and that the conviction could not stand, and was thereupon released; and that the only satisfaction offered him by the War Office is the amount of his back pay, allowance, and gratuity to which he would have been in any case entitled but for his unjust conviction; and whether, in these circumstances, it is proposed to give the unfortunate man some adequate compensation for the wrong which he has suffered?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part, it is the fact that no particular goods were mentioned in the charge, but the dates between which it was alleged that the conversion took place were given. With regard to the third part, it is the fact that after the accused had served four months' imprisonment he was released and subsequently informed that the conviction had been quashed; the conviction was quashed on the advice of the Judge Advocate-General after a further investigation of the books and accounts, which were of a very complicated nature, had taken place. With regard to the fourth part, it is not usual to give compensation in such cases, but I will look into the circumstances and see whether they justify exceptional treatment.

Does it take the Judge Advocate-General four months to ascertain whether a sentence in a particular case should be confirmed or not, and does the right hon. Gentleman not consider it a great hardship that a man should be confined to prison pending the Judge Advocate-General's rather lengthy examination of the case?

I do think it was very hard on this man, because when the circumstances were reviewed the conviction was quashed. The ordinary case does not take anything like four months for review. This case happened to be reviewed at length because there were doubts and many things had to be examined. I think four months was too long.

The charge was one of improper conversion of goods. Does not the release of the man show that no goods were ever wrongfully converted?

My hon. Friend, from his experience, may be able to answer that question.

I have had no experience of wrongful conversion of goods.

Should not the inquiry into complicated accounts have taken place before the trial, and not after?

Would it not have been possible to have released the man under open arrest, pending the confirmation of the sentence?

That is, of course, quite a different question.

asked the Secretary of State for War in which Departments of the War Office reductions may be anticipated in next year's Estimates?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd August in reply to questions regarding reductions of expenditure generally.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Financial Secretary said nothing about reductions? The question asked him, as Secretary of State for War, is what reductions he is going to make, and why cannot he reply to it?

Because the question was fully covered in my hon. Friend's answers.

asked the Postmaster-General how many in his Department were receiving a salary of £500 a year in June, 1914; and how many are receiving such a salary now?

Three hundred and eighty officers of the Post Office were receiving a salary of £500 a year or over in June, 1914. The present number of officers in receipt of such a salary is 427. Cost-of-living bonus is not included in these figures.

asked the hon. Member for the Pollok Division of Glasgow, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, the number of London business and residential premises taken over for war purposes of which he still retains possession; and if it is intended to return these to their owners during the present year?

The number of business and residential premises retained in London is 23, or 2.2 per cent. of the number acquired for war purposes. It is hoped that 12 of the buildings retained will be surrendered during the present year, and the remainder early in 1922.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many women in the Department of the Public Trustee were receiving a salary of £500 a year in June, 1914; and how many are receiving such a salary now?

No women in the Department of the Public Trustee were receiving a salary of £500 per annum in June, 1914. At the present time 5 women receive emoluments inclusive of bonus in excess of £500 per annum. This number will be reduced by one on the 1st prox.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if the Civil Service Commissioners would agree to make Manchester a centre for an examination to be held for girl typists' posts in the pensionable Civil Service, owing to the fact that a large number of girls in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, and the North generally are anxious to sit, but cannot afford to risk the fares to London in addition to the fees, London at present being the nearest centre advertised?

I beg to refer to the answer which I gave to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for the Gorton Division of Manchester (Mr. Hodge) on the 2nd instant.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the goods trucks now at Richborough painted W.D. are the property of the Government; and, if so, to what use is it intended to put them?

I have been asked to reply. From the description given, the trucks referred to appear to be wagons of the covered Continental type. These are Government property, and, being surplus to Government requirements, are now under offer for sale.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that, in addition to the trucks to which he alludes, there is a large number of open trucks? What use are they likely to be?

I am afraid that I have had a little difficulty in identifying the trucks from the not very adequate description given by the Noble Lord, but should he wish for information about any other sort of trucks, I should require notice.

If the hon. Gentleman does happen to hit off the right sort of trucks, will he say how long they have been there?

I could not say that without notice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the reason for the delay in issuing the Buxton Committee Report on Northern Rhodesia; and when the Report may be expected?

The Report raised some difficult questions, and the necessity for giving full consideration to these matters before publication has been responsible for the delay. It is proposed to lay the report very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether there is any restriction on the use to which Ibn Saud, Emir of Nejd, puts the subsidy of £5,000 a month at present paid to him out of British funds; whether any restrictions on the arms traffic to Arabia are now in force whether there is a British representative at the court of this potentate; and whether any other European nation or the King of the Hedjaz is represented at the court?

The payment of the subsidy is subject to the conditions explained in my statement on the 14th June. The arms traffic in Arabia is limited by international agreement and by the local law of various territories adjacent to that country. There is at present with Ibn Saud no British representative, nor any representative of any other European Government, nor of the King of the Hedjaz, so far as I am aware.

What is to prevent this potentate from using the money to buy arms, and then to be in a strong position to make trouble with us? Is there any check at all?

How is the £5,000 a month paid, in gold or in paper money?

It is paid in gold. The policy has been very carefully considered, and we had better leave it for the present to be carried out.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Compulsory Labour Ordinances in Kenya Colony provide for the industrial conscription of natives only; and whether, in due course, the provisions of these Ordinances will also be applied to Indians and whites alike who are unable to show that they have worked continuously for three months during the previous year?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. It is not proposed to take steps in the direction indicated in the second part. There is no reference to three months' continuous service in the Ordinances to which the hon. Member refers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the great danger of fires which invariably accompanies the careless storage of cinematograph films, and seeing that it is a matter of great urgency that comprehensive regulations should be promptly effected for the safe storage of such films, he will act accordingly?

I mwould refer my hon. Friend to the answers which I gave on the 28th July to the hon. and gallant Members for Gateshead and Hexham. I quite recognise the urgency of the matter, and I hope it may be possible to deal with it next Session.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether institutions for higher agricultural education and research in Scotland have been called upon to reduce their Estimates by 20 per cent. or more in respect of all sums contributed by his Department?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Lord Advocate on the 14th instant to a question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Kincardine and Western Aberdeenshire.

Are we to take it that the right hon. Gentleman does not know what reductions he is proposing in his own sphere of action?

Certainly not.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that the medical officer for the Island of Benbecula has to live on the south side of the ford owing to the absence of a suitable dwelling house, and that, especially in winter, it is often dangerous and some times impossible to cross the ford to the island; and whether, in order to obviate the hardships and sufferings resulting from the difficulty of obtaining medical assistance, he will cause the Board of Health to provide a residence on the island out of the funds already granted by Parliament for such purposes?

I am aware of the facts as stated in the first part of this question. The duty of providing residences for parish medical officers does not rest on the Scottish Board of Health, whose powers are limited to granting such assistance from the Highlands and Islands (Medical Service) Fund in supplement of local contributions as, after reference to the Treasury, is considered proper in the circumstances of each case. The Parish Council of South Uist have been asked to consider whether they can prepare a scheme within the limits of expenditure laid down by the Treasury whereby they might provide a residence with the aid of a grant from the Fund.

Is my hon. Friend not aware that the medical service has been absorbed by the Board of Health? Is the Board taking any action to see that this provision is made?

The Board is in communication with the local authority in regard to this particular matter.

Is the hon. Gentleman not aware that I myself saw the Board's representative on that island 12 months ago, and, as far as I know, there is nothing done yet?

There have been considerable developments in the matter since 12 months ago.

What are they?

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he publicly expressed the opinion that the education grants to Highland counties would amount to not less than 75 per cent. of approved expenditure; whether he is aware that the grants to the Inverness-shire education authority amount only to about 63 per cent., resulting in a largely-increased education rate; and whether he will provide additional grants so as to bring the payments from Imperial funds up to the level of 75 per cent., as obtains in more wealthy education areas in Scotland?

I do not know to what public statement of mine my hon. Friend refers in the first part of the question. If made, it had reference to the year 1919–20, when grants amounting to 75 per cent. of approved expenditure were paid to the education authorities of certain Highland counties, including Inverness-shire, in respect of that year. I am aware that in the case of Inverness-shire the considerably increased grants for the year 1920–21 amounted only to 63 per cent. of expenditure. I am not, however, prepared to disturb the distribution of grant which has already been made under the Minute of 30th June, 1920, and which was regarded as equitable by most of the education authorities in Scotland, including the Highland authorities. For the current year the grant to Inverness-shire, while no longer calculated on a percentage basis, will, in point of fact, exceed 75 per cent. of the estimated expenditure. According to the information at present available, it is not the case that education areas which may properly be described as more wealthy than Inverness-shire will receive grants equal to 75 per cent. of their expenditure.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether, in the case where a standing crop is valued over to the incoming tenant at the conclusion of a lease, instructions will be given to the valuer to take into consideration payments to be made in respect of the crop to the incoming tenant under the Corn Production Acts (Repeal) Bill of this year?

I have no power to give instructions to valuers on the lines suggested by my hon. and gallant Friend. I would, however, remind him that there is in Section 3 (1) of the. Corn Production Act, 1917, a specific statutory direction such as he wishes, and I see no reason to doubt that it will be duly regarded when compensation comes to be fixed in the cases to which it applies.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that unsigned telegrams were sent to various people from the Central Telegraph Office, London, on Wednesday 27th July, bearing the following words: Buy Shell motor lubricating oils to-day, every drop tells; does he possess powers to compel the senders of such telegrams to subscribe to the same their full name and address, taking into account the fact that the arrival of the telegram might cause a shock to anybody who is expecting news of some relative who is seriously ill; and, further, people living outside a telegram delivery radius in the country have to pay excess delivery fees on telegrams?

I am aware of the facts referred to; but I have no power to compel senders of telegrams to insert their full name and address in the text of a telegram for transmission and I think that such a requirement would be inexpedient.

asked the Post master-General how many employés in the service of the postal telegraph service and of the Post Office telephone service, respectively, have been dismissed for in efficiency in the discharge of their duties during the past three years; and what is the percentage of such dismissals to the total number of employés in each service?

I will send my hon. Friend some figures relating to the telephone service in London. Statistics for the country as a whole could only be collected from the local records in each district, and I do not think the labour and expense involved in obtaining them would be justified. It would, in any event, be impossible to show the figures for the telegraph service separately, as a large number of the staff are employed on both postal and telegraph duties.

Were not figures given recently before the Select Committee on Telephones, and are they not available? In the event of any considerable nnmber of these men having been dismissed for inefficiency, as opposed to dishonesty, were they simply improvers or men on the establishment?

The figures which I propose sending to my hon. Friend are those submitted to the Select Committee. As to the second point, I will look into the matter.

asked the Postmaster-General how much it would cost to send under two ounces of printed matter to any place in England by post; and for how much would the same matter be transmitted by the Post Office to any foreign place, however distant?

The postage on printed papers in the British Isles for a packet of under two ounces is one penny, and a packet of the same weight for transmission abroad would cost one halfpenny?

Does my right hon. Friend propose to rectify this discrimination in favour of foreign countries?

The hon. Member must not forget that this anomaly is the result of a concession which I made in response to pressure put upon me, both in this House and outside.

asked the Post master-General if any subsidy is paid by his Department to any steamship companies for carrying British mails to and from India and Australia to this country; what amounts are paid yearly and to what steamship companies; and if any labour conditions are made a consideration of such payments; if any contracts have been made for a term of years; and, if so, for what period?

The contract with the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company provides for the payment of £295,000 a year for the conveyance out. and home of the India, Australia, and Far East mails. Since the 30th of June, 1917, however, the Australian and China sections have been temporarily excluded from the contract, and the payment has been modified accordingly. The contract contains no labour conditions, and, although its expiration was contemplated in 1915, the exigencies of war conditions have made it convenient to prolong its duration from year to year. No arrangement has yet been made to terminate this contract.

asked the Postmaster-General if any subsidy is paid by his Department to any steamship companies for carrying British mails to and from this country to the United States and. Canada; and what such amounts are paid yearly and to what steamship companies, and for what term of years any agreements have been entered into?

The White Star and the Cunard Steamship Companies each provide a weekly mail service to New York in return for annual payments respectively of £72,000 and £65,390. The contracts regulating these services are terminable as regards the White Star Line at 12 months' notice, and as regards the Cunard Company in 1927. There are no contracts governing the conveyance of mails to Canada, and payments are made on a weight basis.

asked the Postmaster-General how far his Department has proceeded in the matter of testing any possible automatic registers of calls for the telephone; whether any devices in this connection are now being considered; and whether any particular invention has passed the requisite tests.

The Post Office has considered many suggested methods of registering telephone calls, some of which have been "automatic" in the sense that they do not call for any specific action on the part of the operator. None, however, has passed the requisite tests, and the experiments which have been made have not so far produced any device of this nature which appears likely to meet essential requirements satisfactorily.

Seeing that not one person in 10,000, among subscribers to the telephone, ever trusts the telephone accounts, would it not be at least kind if the right hon. Gentleman did his best to expedite this matter as much as possible?

Nobody would be more pleased than I if some method could be found of avoiding disputes as to the number of calls. The difficulty in the way is very largely one of expense. The system which we have adopted in this country is that adopted in America, and is, I believe, the most likely to give satisfaction of any which have yet been discovered.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the seditious articles published from time to time in the "Worker," the organ of the National Workers' Committee, and subsidised by funds supplied from Bolshevist sources; whether he has seen the article, in the issue of 18th June, written by Mr. Tom Barker, an alien South American; and whether he proposes to take any action to prosecute those responsible for this publication?

I have seen the articles referred to, but I do not propose to take any action with regard to them.

. Is this not another proof of the great necessity for doing everything possible to keep undesirable aliens out of this country?

That is what we are attempting to do.

Does the right hon. Gentleman recognise the fact that Mr. Thomas Barker is an alien?

We have looked into the matter.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has received the Treasury Circular of the 13th May?

Yes, Sir.

Arising out of that answer, may I ask—

The question has been most completely answered.

On a point of Order, Sir. May I not ask a supplementary question?

The question could not have been more completely answered. Any further questions must go down on the Paper.

asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to published statements giving particulars as to the Departments of State which have replied to the Treasury Circular and other information on this subject; whether this information was supplied from official sources; and, if so, why this information has not been given to the House?

This question was transferred to another Department, and there has been some hitch in the communications.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer which are the Government Departments that did not reply by 31st July last to the Treasury letter respecting economies in their expenditure?

Most of the answers that were not received on 31st July were sent in on the 1st or 2nd of August; and under the circumstances to specify the Departments which did not actually reply by 31st July would, I think, be needlessly invidious and indeed misleading.

May I ask my hon. Friend if all the Departments have sent in their replies now?

All but one or two.

Can my hon. Friend say which Departments have not yet sent in replies?

I cannot say off-hand. Will my hon. Friend give me notice?

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether his circular asking for a reduction in next year's Estimates applies to the Treasury; and, if so, what reductions he proposes to make?

Yes, Sir. I would remind the hon. Member that I am not able, for reasons already given, to make any statement in this connection about any other Department, and the same reasons apply with equal force in the case of the Treasury.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in spite of the reference of the Vilna frontier dispute to the League of Nations, His Majesty's Government are still interested in the matter and have on the subject a considered policy; and why the reference of the boundary dispute to the League of Nations should delay the de jure recognition of Lithuania by this country?

The present policy of His Majesty's Government is to endeavour, as far as possible, to persuade the two disputants to accept as a real basis of discussion the draft scheme prepared by M. Hymans, and approved by the Council of the League of Nations. As regards the second part, I do not admit my hon. and gallant Friend's assumption.

Is it a fact that the Government have considered their policy on the Lithuanian question apart altogether from the policy of the League of Nations, whatever it may be?

I have just described what is the Government's policy.

Will the hon. Gentleman answer the last part of the question, as to why there should be so much delay in the de jure recognition of Lithuania by this country?

That has been replied to.

Why has not the Government given de jure recognition?

That is another matter altogether.

Will not the reference of the dispute to the League of Nations inevitably delay a settlement?

asked the Prime Minister who is to be the third representative of this country at the Assembly of the League of Nations?

Yes, Sir. The Government has appointed the Right Hon. Sir James Rennell Rodd to be their third representative.

Is it satisfactory that all three representatives should be of the official class?

I do not quite know why the three representatives of His Majesty's Government on this occasion should not be as selected. The other two are Ministers, and this gentleman is a retired member of the Diplomatic Service who, I think, as his last post, held the position of British Ambassador in Rome.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that the whole purpose of allowing three representatives was to enable real representation as far as possible to be given to the popular opinion of this country at the Assembly, and does he not consider that would be admirably discharged by my right hon. Friend the Member for the Gorbals Division of Glasgow (Mr. G. Barnes) who previously acted in this capacity?

I am making no criticism, and suggesting no criticism of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for the Gorbals Division of Glasgow, but it was never contemplated that the representatives appointed should be permanent representatives. Our representatives are appointed for each meeting. On this occasion, we thought it advisable to ask Sir James Rennell Rodd, and I am very glad to say he has been good enough to consent.

I will take the earliest opportunity of raising this matter again.

May we take this as a precedent, and assume that in the case of assemblies of the League of Nations in future, we are to have Government representatives solely on this body? [Mr. MOLES: "Send a Wee Free.']

asked the Prime Minister if he is yet able to make a statement in regard to discussions which have taken place bearing upon the Resolution recently forwarded to him from the Liverpool City Branch of the League of Nations Union expressing the opinion that the Conventions adopted at the International Labour Conference of the League, of Nations should be submitted to Parliament as the competent authority?

As I explained to my hon. Friend in reply to a question on the 23rd June, the point raised in the Resolution referred to in the question was dealt with fully by my right hon. Friend the Attorney-General in his speech of the 27th May. For further details as to the policy of the Government with regard to the International Labour Conventions, I would refer my hon. Friend to the Debate on the 1st July.

asked the Prime Minister if he has received a copy of a Resolution from the Liverpool Council of Women Citizens calling upon the Government to instruct the delegates to the Imperial Conference to vote in favour of a Measure to provide that a woman on marriage with an alien shall not be deprived of her nationality against her will, but that she shall be given the same choice of nationality as a man, including the right to naturalise independently of her husband?

Yes, Sir. I have seen a copy of the Resolution referred to, but I cannot add anything to the answer given by the Prime Minister on the 14th July to questions by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Moss Side (Lieut.-Colonel Hurst).

asked the Prime Minister whether a date has now been settled for the assembling of the Disarmament Conference at Washington?

The United States Government has not officially proposed any definite date.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say if it has yet been decided as to who is to compose the personnel?

No, Sir; that has not been decided.