asked a Postmaster-General how many mails re despatched from Great Britain to Anglia and New Zealand, respectively, dng the first three months of 1924, andow long each of the mails in questionook to reach its destination; and whet he can give the corresponding figure for the first three months of 1914?

ing the first three months of 1924 te were nine despatches to Australia The time of transit for mails sent the contract lines was 26 days. Noontract ships, which were used on threccasions, took 29 days. During the saeriod in 1914 there were 13 despats; and the scheduled time of trap was 25 days. Similar figures for Newaland are for 1924, despatches 19, 6(14 to 40 days; and for 1914, desnatch8. time 33 to 39 days.

asked the Postmaster-General what power he possesses to use or to acquire any patent relating to wireless?

I would refer the hon. Member to Section 8 of the Patents and Designs Act, 1919, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will consider the adoption of a system by which lists of Government publications may be kept at every post office to facilitate the public purchase of such documents?

Grade.	Established.	Unestablished.	Temporary.
Administrative, Technical and Clerical	15,149	—	1,177
Manipulative, including Supervising Staff	107,895	56,468	5,415
Industrial	13,376	14,956	114

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that, in addition to the ordinary duty of 48 hours per week, postmasters in residence on official premises are required to attend to the telephone at night for an approximate average of 70 hours per week at a very inadequate remuneration of a few shillings per week, he will consider the question of making other arrangements for this class of work or the granting of a fair remuneration based on the number of hours on duty?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy) on the 29th of May with regard to salaried sub-postmasters, of which I will send him a copy. The circumstances are similar in the case of the few postmasters who are still called upon to provide for the night telephone service. The present scale of remuneration is considered to be adequate for the work involved.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is

Such an arrangement has been in force at all head post offices since 1921.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of established, unestablished, and temporary officers in the Post Office, clerical, manipulative, and industrial classes?

Figures are not available in precisely the form asked for by the hon. Member, but the following table, which relates to the 1st April, 1924, and which includes the staff employed in Northern Ireland, will, I hope, give the information desired. The figures are to some extent approximate:aware that clothing allowance due to F. Collins, B4,102, was made on 10th January, 1924, on forms supplied by the registrar, Royal Fleet Reserve, Royal Naval Barracks, Portsmouth, and an indication received from the registrar in January that £1 was due, but that, although repeated application has been made for this and the necessary naval papers, no reply is forthcoming; and whether he will expedite matters?

The sum of £1 in respect of clothing allowance is due to the estate of F. Collins, who died on 22nd November, 1922. An application for this sum has been received from his widow, and she has recently been requested to execute a form of statutory declaration in support of her claim. There is no trace of the repeated applications stated to have been made.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the number of light cars, ambulances, and motor vehicles generally, other than commercial cars and lorries, under the control of his Department, both at home and abroad, in all the theatres of war at the date of the Armistice; and the number of such light cars, etc., now in the possession of the Admiralty?

The particulars are as follow:

	Armistice.	Present day.
	No.	No.
Light cars:
Home	210	27
Abroad	91	21
	301	48
Ambulances:
Home	118	38
Aborad	7	2
	125	40
Motor cycles and side cars:
Home	34	8
Abroad	58	2
	92	10
Grand total	518	98

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the amount of economy that has been effected in the victualling of the Royal Navy on account of the introduction of the general messing system during the years 1921, 1922 and 1923; and how the savings so effected have been disposed of?

When all factors are taken into consideration, including increased complements of cooks, appliances, etc., it is not considered that the introduction of the general messing system has effected an economy on Navy Votes, and the question of savings does not, therefore, arise, The system, however, is economical in itself, and where it is in force has resulted in an improved standard of messing to the benefit of the men.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if the provision, victualling, and messing allowances in the Royal Navy are based mainly oh the prices which obtain in the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes at the time of calculation and if these allowances are now being reviewed in the Admiralty departments with a view to an early reduction?

The victualling and messing allowances are based on the issuing prices of service provisions and the prices charged by the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes. Provision allowance is based on civilian retail prices. These allowances are generally revised half-yearly. The last revision took effect from the 1st April, and the next revision is due on 1st October next.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if ho is aware that on the April workings of the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes (Navy side) there was a loss of approximately £1,200; what steps he proposes to take to compensate the officers and men of the Royal Navy who have been receiving provision, victualling, and messing allowances based principally on the figures of prices of the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes, which do not permit of the solvent working of the institutes and if in future the allowances for messing, etc., will be calculated on the Ministry of Labour figures of cost of living?

From inquiries made of the Navy, Army and Air Force institutes, it is understood that the statement in the first part of the hon. Member's question is not correct, the accounts for April not having yet been balanced. The points in the latter part of the question do not, therefore, arise.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that, at a mass meeting held in His Majesty's ship "Vernon" on the 27th May, 1924, the petty officers decided to request permission to give up their present system of general messing on account of the unsatisfactory results obtained by them, and to take up victualling allowances whereby they could cater for themselves; and whether such permission will be granted?

The answer to both parts of the question is in the affirmative.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in view of the anxiety prevailing upon the subject, particularly in face of the proposed reductions in pay, he can now state when he will be in a position to promulgate the decision of the Government upon the question of marriage allowance for officers of the Royal Navy?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of the 28th May.

asked the Minister of Health the number of ex-service men who have died during the last nine years from tuberculosis as a result of their war service?

I have been asked to reply. The number of ex-service men who have received an award from the Ministry of Pensions in respect of tuberculosis, and who have died from that disease is, I regret to say, 15,770.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he can grant to Mr. Edward Stevens, of 15, Chatsworth Road, Stratford, S.F.B. 42,323, a further right to appeal for disability allowance as, although in 1919 it was assumed his complaint had passed away, he is at present suffering very badly as a consequence of his war service?

Instructions will be given for the medical examination of this case.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in the interest of the preservation of the lives of mothers and new-born babies, he will make it a statutory obligation upon county councils to provide a sufficient service of subsidised midwives to cover the necessities of the whole of the rural areas of Great Britain?

I could not undertake to introduce legislation for this purpose at the present time. The large majority of county councils are already exercising their present powers by aiding the provision of midwives in rural areas, and I am willing to consider any proposals for additional assistance in this direction. I propose shortly to issue a circular calling attention to the necessity for an efficient midwifery service in every area.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the action of a member of the Central Midwives Board, who held a private investigation into certain charges against a midwife, although a prima facie case of negligence on the part of the midwife had been found by the local supervising authority and the case was awaiting a hearing by the Board and, if so whether he will inquire into the matter?

The information in the question is not sufficient to enable me to identify the case to which the hon. Member refers, but if he will furnish me with further particulars I will have inquiries made.

asked the Minister of Health how many sanatoria for the reception of incurable and dying cases of tuberculosis there are in Great Britain: and what proportion of such cases die away from public institutions of this character?

Of the institutions which I have approved for the treatment of tuberculosis in England and Wales, 89 are available wholly or mainly for the reception of advanced cases of the disease. The majority of the remaining institutions, other than children's institutions, also admit a proportion of advanced cases. As regards Scotland, a question should be addressed to the Under-Secretary for Health for Scotland. I cannot say what proportion of deaths from tuberculosis occur elsewhere than in approved sanatoria but in 1922 approximately two-thirds of the total deaths from tuberculosis in England and Wales occurred elsewhere than in institutions.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has given his consideration to the effect upon public health of the increasing noise due to modern traffic conditions; and whether he will take any steps, in conjunction with the Minister of Transport or otherwise, to mitigate this evil?

I have considered this question, but I do not think that it is so acute as to require special action. Good roads are, of course, one means of reducing noise, and a great deal of money is being spent in road improvements.

asked the Minister of Health the number of persons who were

Age.	Sex.		Date of Inquest.	Union.		County.	Whether tramps or homeless persons.
			1923.
69	Female	…	8th March	Reading	…	Berkshire	No.
59	Male	…	8th June	Wantage	…	Berkshire	Yes.
50	Male	…	17th May	Rugby	…	Warwick	No.
60	Male	…	27th March	Market Harborough	…	Leicester	No.
68	Male	…	10th August	Loughborough	…	Leicester	Yes.
68	Male	…	10th January	Monmouth	…	Gloucester	No.
65	Male	…	21st May	Cricklade	…	Wiltshire	Yes.
54	Female	…	16th January	Oldham	…	Lancashire	No.
71	Male	…	27th November	Lambeth	…	London	No.
68	Male	…	28th November	Poplar	…	London	No.
75	Male	…	7th December	New castle-upon-Type	…	Northumberland	No.
68	Male	…	8th December	Ely	…	Cambridge	Apparently yes.

The following cases were under review by the Coroner, but were not the subject of an Inquest:
			1923.
66	Male	…	22nd January	Wisbech	…	Cambridge	Yes.
65	Female	…	10th June	Newtown	…	Montgomery	No.
50	Male	…	23rd September	Watford	…	Hertford	Yes.
It is not know whether any of the above persons were ex-service men.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the alleged unsatisfactory and dangerous state of the drainage system in the St. Margaret's road district of Hanwell and to the serious outbreak of diphtheria of a virulent type in the same district; and whether he will cause inquiry to be made into the adequacy of the drainage system of this large residential district?

I am in communication with the district council regarding this complaint.

The following statement gives particulars of persons who were found by a coroner's inquest to have died from starvation or exposure during the year 1923:

asked the Minister of Health how many persons were respectively classified as occupied and unoccupied in England and Wales and Scotland according to the Censuses of 1911 and 1921, showing separately men and women and young persons under the age of 18: and when he expects to publish the complete Census Returns of 1921?

The figures asked for are as follow:

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the expressed desire of the West Ham Board of Guardians to grant one hundredweight of coal weekly throughout the year to those families who are chargeable to the union and the inability of his Department to sanction such relief on the grounds that the conditions of the loan under the Goschen Committee preclude such degree of relief, he will at an early date seek such powers from Parliament as are necessary to grant financial facilities to local boards of guardians in conformity with a scale which may be not extravagant but reasonably within measure of the needs of the people as understood and expressed by those persons elected to so serve as guardians?

No such further powers as my hon. Friend suggests are necessary. Assistance by way of loan can be given to any necessitous union in which the administration of relief is considered to be efficient and economical. In making recommendations for any further loan which may be required by the West Ham Board of Guardians, consideration will be given to the circumstances of the case after consultation with representatives of the Board.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has investigated the incidence of the effect of three years' unemployment upon the men of West Ham who to-day are chargeable to the Poor Law union; whether his Department has considered that the scale of relief granted in 1920 and 1921, when the clothing of these persons was good generally, is not now sufficient, as two or three years' Poor Law relief does not permit any replenishment whatever; and whether, if the West Ham Guardians have thorough and detailed examination of each case upon its merits, and grant clothing and boots where the same is imperatively necessary, he will consider this to be within the necessary scale of relief, and give sanction accordingly?

As I stated in reply to a previous question put by my hon. Friend, the discretion of the guardians in the grant of relief in kind has not been limited by any condition laid down by me.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the objection of many local authorities to the increasing number of hoardings erected for the purpose of bill-posting as having a damaging effect on rateable values and on the amenities of their districts; and if he is prepared to promote a Bill making it illegal to erect such hoardings without the consent of local authorities, also conferring power to require the removal of existing hoardings deemed to be undesirable, and containing provisions for definite rateable values being placed on hoardings?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on the 26th May last in answer to a similar question by the hon. Member for South-East Essex (Kr. Hoffman).

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the growing practice of demanding premiums for the letting of houses and fiats, in contravention of Section 9 of the Rent Restriction Act of 1923, by the method of insisting upon the taking of fixtures or furniture for which an exorbitant sum is charged; whether this system is being enjoined upon tenants by house agents as a means of evading the law with regard to premiums; and will he take steps to prevent this practice?

I am not aware whether the practice to which the hon. and gallant Member refers is growing or not, but I am advised that under the Act of 1923, premises which fall vacant are automatically removed from control, and that there is therefore nothing to prevent the taking of a premium on a re-letting.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the particulars of schemes in hand, and of proposed schemes, for the relief of the unemployed in the Midland counties, Worcestershire, Staffordshire and Warwickshire?

I am taking steps to obtain as far as may be possible the information required. A large number of schemes is involved. I hope to be able to send the result to the hon. Member at any early date.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons registered as unemployed whose normal occupation is that of a waiter or waitress?

The number of unemployed persons registered at Employment Exchanges in Great Britain at 5th May under the occupation of waiter or waitress was 10,501.

asked the Minister of Labour if foreign waiters are insured under the Unemployment Insurance Acts; and if he can give any estimate of the number of foreign waiters at present in this country and the number of them registered as unemployed?

Foreign waiters are insurable under the Unemployment Insurance Acts under precisely the same conditions as British subjects similarly employed. Statistics are not available as to the number of foreign waiters insured or registered as unemployed, but according to the 1921 census there were 3,536 foreign waiters in England and Wales and 100 foreign or naturalised waiters in Scotland.

asked the Minister of Labour if, before introducing his proposals with respect. to the inclusion of boys and girls of 14 within the scope of his unemployment proposals, he consulted any educational or social organisations; and, in that case, what they were and whether they approved or disapproved of the policy recommended by the House in this respect?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The second part, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Minister of Labour the exact cost to the State annually, firstly, of unemployment insurance and, secondly, of so much of that insurance as is represented by the three Government Bills on the subject introduced since the beginning of the year?

As regards the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Aston (Sir E. Cecil) on the 2nd June and, as regards the second part, to the reply given by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for the Rusholme Division (Mr. Masterman) on the 7th May. I am sending copies of these two replies to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that J. Bulley, of Rochester, was refused unemployment benefit by the rota committee because they considered that he had not been genuinely seeking work t that he appealed against this decision, and the appeal committee were of the opinion that the previous committee were correct in their opinion, but they were satisfied that, during the period from the first hearing, when he was refused, to the time of his appeal, he had been genuinely seeking work, but in spite of that they were, owing to Regulations issued by the Ministry, unable to grant the man unemployment benefit again until he had had a period of employment.; whether the manager of the Rochester Exchange has been given any confirmation of this interpretation of the Regulations from the Ministry; and what steps he proposes to take. to deal with such cases?

I am having inquiry made and will let my hon. Friend know the result as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of aliens who have been permitted to enter this country since the beginning of the year; and how many of these came to study, to travel, to seek work or to fill posts offered to them?

I have been asked to reply. I beg to refer the hon. and gallant Member to the figures which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Burton (Colonel Gretton) on the 1st May in regard to aliens who landed in this country during the first quarter of 1924, and I would only add that no alien is allowed to land in search of work or to fill a post offered to him here, unless he holds a permit issued by the Ministry of Labour to his prospective employer. A more detailed analysis of the alien passengers landing in this country is published in the annual Returns; and the Return for 1923 is now in the press.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether portions of the Woolwich Dockyard are about to be vacated by the Government; whether it is proposed to lease the same to private firms; and whether any offers have been received and any action taken in the matter?

It has been decided to discontinue the use of Woolwich Dockyard as an ordnance store depot, and the question of its future disposal is under consideration in conjunction with the Admiralty. Offers from various sources have been received, but it has not been found possible to deal with them at the present stage.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of light cars, ambulances, and motor vehicles generally, other than commercial cars and lorries, under the control of his Department, both at home and abroad, in all the theatres of war at the date of the Armistice; and the number of such light cars, etc., now in the possession of the War Office?

The total numbers of wheeled motor vehicles in possession at the time of the Armistice and now are, approximately, as follows:

		Armistice, 1918.	31st May, 1924.
Lorries, etc.	…	50,259	1,222
Cars and vans	…	26,133	615
Ambulances	…	7,045	157
Motor-cycles	…	34,865	849
Total	…	121,302	2,843

No deduction, however, can be made on account of commercial cars and lorries, since the chassis of practically all such vehicles in the Army are of commercial type.

asked the Home Secretary if he will state, in respect of the years 1922 and 1923, the number of youths and girls between 16 and 21 who were sent to prison and who had no previous conviction against them?

I cannot give the precise figures asked for, but during the year ended 31st March, 1923, the number of youths and girls between 16 and 21, not known to have been previously convicted, who were received in prison on conviction, was—males, 1,640; females, 162. The corresponding figures for the year ended 31st December, 1923, are—males, 1,337; females, 127. It should be noted that each of these periods contains the March quarter of 1923; the figures for this quarter were: 324 males and 34 females.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Government has considered, or will consider, the desir- ability of amending the marriage law to permit of marriages taking place at a later hour than under the present law?

His Majesty's Government have not considered the question of legislation on this subject, and no representations in favour of such legislation have reached my Department. I cannot undertake to consider the introduction of such legislation at the present time.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when the Merchant Shipping Advisory Committee last met; and on how many occasions the members have met within the last six months?

I am informed that the last three meetings of the Merchant. Shipping Advisory Committee took place on 31st October, 1st November and 14th February, and that a meeting is arranged for 20th June.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he is aware of the inadequate facilities for catering at the British Empire Exhibition, resulting in large numbers of visitors being unable to obtain meals, and high charges made for food by the caterers; and if he will take immediate action to improve matters?

I am informed by the British Empire Exhibition authorities that delays in the service of meals only occur at the busiest hours of the day. Such delays cannot be wholly avoided, but I understand that the provision of additional accommodation, with a view to meeting the requirements of the ever increasing number of visitors to the Exhibition, is under consideration. I am informed that the charges made by the caterers approximate to those in force in corresponding establishments in other parts of London, and that the tariffs at the various restaurants within the Exhibition have been framed with a view to meeting the requirements of all sections of the public.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department why there is no exhibit of agricultural implements of British make at the British Empire Exhibition?

I am informed by the British Empire Exhibition Authorities that a separate section, devoted to the display of agricultural implements, was originally contemplated, but, owing to the lack of support on the part of the trade the idea had to be abandoned. I understand, however, that a number of firms who manufacture agricultural implements in this country are exhibiting in the Palace of Engineering.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether his Department accepts any responsibility for the wages and conditions of the workers at the British Empire Exhibition?

I beg to refer my hon. Friend to the replies which I gave him on the 23rd and 29th May.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department the names of the directors and management of Messrs. J. Lyons and Company, Limited, a firm which employs a large staff at the British Empire Exhibition?

I have no information other than that which can be obtained from books of reference.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether his Department accepts any responsibility for the wages and conditions of the workers at the British Empire Exhibition?

My Department is in no way responsible for the wages which are paid to workers at the British Empire Exhibition, or for the conditions under which they are employed.

asked the Minister of Transport if work has yet been commenced on the Glasgow to Edinburgh road; and, if not, will he take the necessary steps to get operations started?

Constructional work has not yet commenced, though negotiations for the acquisition of the necessary land have been proceeding for some time. Tenders for the construction of the first section of the road out of Glasgow were received on 27th May, and are now being considered by the Corporation.