asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that in the South African Union Customs Tariff and Excise Duties Amendment Act (No. 36) of 1925, certain specified preferential rates do not apply to Great Britain; and whether, in view of the effect on British trade, any representations are being made to the South African Government?

The Act to which my hon. Friend refers, prescribes certain preferences to specified classes of goods produced or manufactured in the United Kingdom. It also provides that if and when a reciprocal agreement for that purpose is concluded between the Union and any other part of His Majesty's Dominions or any foreign state, certain tariff concessions may be extended by the Union to that part of His Majesty's Dominions or to that foreign state: but in every such case a similar preference is automatically extended to the United Kingdom, and furthermore no such agreement may be concluded with any foreign state in respect of the classes of goods referred to above in which a specific preference is accorded to the United Kingdom.

The Act further provides, and it is no doubt to this provision that my hon. Friend alludes, that until such an agreement as I have already mentioned is concluded with Canada, Australia, or New Zealand as the case may be, preferences shall be accorded to those Dominions on certain specified classes of goods. The great majority of these goods are included among those in respect of which preference is accorded to the United Kingdom, but the following classes of goods are not so included—namely, wheat, butter, cheese, meat (other than bacon and ham), patent cereal foods, unmanufactured wood, binding twine, and hops. It will be observed that most of the latter goods are not such as are produced for export or manufactured for export in this country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that a duty of 33⅓ per cent. has been levied under the Safeguarding of Industries Act upon a parcel of crude calcium molybdate imported into this country, and that this is used as a substitute for ferro molybdenum as an alloying compound in the manufacture of steel; and whether, having regard to the fact that ferro molybdenum and the ores of molybdenum do not exist in this country, and are therefore admitted free, he will state why calcium molybdate, which als does not exist in this country, is no placed in the same classification?

Calcium molybdate is included in the list of articles issued by the Board of Trade under Section 1 (5) of the Safeguarding of Industries Act, 1921, and is therefore chargeable with duty on importation. No complaint as to the inclusion of this item in the list was made within the prescribed period. I should add that calcium molybdate can be manufactured in this country from imported duty-free materials.

asked the Prime Minister when the Bill will be introduced to impose duties on wrapping paper as recommended by the Safeguarding of Industries Committee?

I have been asked to reply. It is not yet possible for me to give the date.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the list of German ships and total gross tonnage received in reparations from Germany, as at present filed in the Library of the House of Commons, is not complete, no entry having been made since April, 1923; and will he have the figures up to date added?

I have been asked to reply. A supplementary Return giving particulars of the sales of reparation ships subsequent to the 27th March, 1923, was laid on the table of the House of Commons on the 4th August last. No further sales have been made. As, however, this supplementary Return giving the particulars now desired is not available in the Library, I am sending another copy to be filed there.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any income tax was paid on any portion of co-operative societies' profits in 1924–25; and whether he will consider the demand for legislation to bring such societies into equal competitive conditions with other trading concerns?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave on this subject to the hon. Member for Dulwich (Sir F. Hall) on the 1st December. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the questions and the replies, from which he will see that the position of cooperative societies in relation to the Income Tax is receiving the consideration of my right hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he intends to introduce legislation in connection with the proposed East African loan before Easter?

I hope to introduce the Bill shortly after Easter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if and when legislation will be introduced in connection with the proposed East Afrcan loan?

I hope to introduce the Bill shortly after Easter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the inquest held last August at Colombo on the body of Krishnen, a labourer in the employment of a European named Kenney; and whether, in view of the fact that Krishnen was found with his throat cut and his body mutilated, the Government is satisfied with the verdict of suicide while of unsound mind, as pronounced by the Colombo police magistrate, or if they propose to make further inquiries?

I have received no official information on this case, but I will ask the Governor for a report, and will send a copy of the question to the Governor for his report.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the closure of the ports of Canton and Whampoa and with a view to avoiding any misunderstandings, he will now publish the conditions put forward by the Government of Canton with a view to bringing the anti-British boycott to an end?

I think the question is based on some misapprehension. So far as I am aware, no demands have been put forward officially by the Canton Government. It would not be desirable to give any detailed particulars on the subject of the negotiations which recently took place, but I will send to the hon. Member a copy of the statement issued by the Hong Kong Government.

asked the Secretary of State for War what was the reason for dismissing an engineer, Mr. E. Jones, working at the Mechanical Transport service depot at Hounslow, on 6th January last; what was the reason for cancelling this dismissal and reinstating him on 27th January; and what compensation is the Government prepared to pay to Mr. Jones and his coworkers for loss of wages arising out of the original dismissal of Mr. Jones?

This mechanic was discharged because of slow work, and the men in the heavy repair shop at Feltham came out on strike. It was subsequently agreed to hold a Committee of Inquiry, which included trade union representatives, as to the justification for his discharge. That Committee reported that it was not in dispute that the management had the right to discharge Mr. Jones, that the management had been dissatisfied with Mr. Jones for some time, but that he had not been specifically warned that he would be discharged if he did not improve his output. Mr. Jones was accordingly reinstated, and has been paid for the period between his discharge and his reinstatement. I should not be justified in authorising any payment to the other men for the period during which they deliberately absented themselves from work. I am sending to the hon. Member a copy of the Committee's Report.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India the number of Indians who have left India for South Africa and the number that have returned to India for each of the last five years?

The Indian statistics show the numbers of passengers carried by native passenger ships from Bombay to ports in the Union of South Africa as follows: 1919–20 … … … … 1,018 1920–21 … … … … 1,590 1921–22 … … … … 1,220 1922–23 … … … … 1,007 1923–24 … … … … 1,112

The reports of the Protector of Indian immigrants in Natal give the numbers of Indians who returned from Natal (where the great majority of South African Indians reside) as follows: 1920 … … … … 1,805 1921 … … … … 3,199 1922 … … … … 2,165 1923 … … … … 2,771 1924 … … … … 1,043 These two sets of figures may not afford an exact basis of comparison, but my Noble Friend will endeavour to obtain further information should the hon. Member so desire.

asked the Under-Secretary of (State for India the number of Indians who have left India for Kenya Colony, and the number that have returned to India for each of the last five years?

I have no figures for which I can vouch.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how much of the annual cost of £7,600 of keeping an "S" class destroyer in the Reserve Fleet represents expenditure on the pay, allowances, etc. of naval personnel?

follows: £ Direct expenditure … 3,542 Non-effective liability … 900 £4,442

The above expenditure is made up of: £ Pay, allowances, insurances, etc. 2,750 Victualling, clothing, mess gear 690 Medical stores, etc. 2 Miscellaneous effective services 100 Total direct expenditure £3,542 Non-effective liability in respect of retired pay and pensions 900 Grand total £4,442

asked the Minister of Health whether any report has been received by his Department on the conference of members of the Health Committee of the League of Nations at The Hague on the 4th January to the 7th January; and whether the suggestions of the conference, as adopted on the Motion of Professor Ricardo Jorge, will be carried out by his Department?

My right hon. Friend has received the Report of the British delegate but the suggestions of the con-ference have not yet been transmitted by the Health Committee of the League of Nations. As soon as these suggestions are received they will be referred for consideration to the Committee on Vaccination which was recently appointed.

asked the Minister of Health the number of hospitals in England and Wales provided and aided, respectively, by local authorities; the total number of beds available; and the number of maternity, tuberculosis, infectious diseases, and other hospitals?

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 4th February, 1926, Col. 320], supplied the following information:

As far as general hospitals are concerned, the information in my Department indicates that one large general hospital, with 750 beds, and three relatively small accident hospitals have been provided by local authorities, but the total number of beds is not known. Under the Local Authorities (Expenses) Act, 1887, sanctions have been given from time to time to donations and subscriptions by local authorities to voluntary hospitals, but these have generally been for small amounts. Since August, 1925, local authorities have been empowered by Section 64 of the Public Health Act, 1925, to make reasonable subscriptions or donations to voluntary hospitals to the extent of the produce of a penny rate. These payments do not require my sanction, and I am, therefore, unable to state how many hospitals have been aided in this manner.

The information with regard to hospitals of the other classes referred to by my hon. Friend is as follows: A. Hospitals provided by Local Authorities. Number. Beds. (1) For tuberculosis 158 10,963 (2) For acute infectious diseases 1,040* 37,700* (3) Maternity hospitals (not including maternity wards in general hospitals or Poor Law Institutions) 68 908 (4) Babies' hospitals 12 260 * Round figures. At 52 of these hospitals there are 2,230 beds for the treatment of tuberculosis.

B. Voluntary Hospitals aided by Local Authorities. Number. Beds. (1) General hospitals— ( a ) Used in connection with tuberculosis schemes 153 † ( b ) Used in connection with venereal diseases schemes 139 † ( c )Maternity sections used in connection with maternity and child welfare schemes 12 175 (2)Tuberculosis hospitals 127 8,563 (3) Maternity hospitals (not including maternity sec tions in general hospitals) 52 917 (4)Babies' hospitals 12 334 † Available beds used as and when required.

The figures under the above headings are exclusive of accommodation in homes for unmarried mothers and their babies, observation wards in connection with maternity and child welfare schemes, and convalescent homes.

C. Institutions provided by Poor Law Authorities. (1) Institutions wholly for the sick, exclusive of insti tutions for mental cases 64 35,250 (2)Mixed institutions (with a total accommodation of some 180,000) 590 79,000‡ ‡Beds for the sick.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the evidence placed before the French Academy of Medicine indicating that vaccination may increase susceptibility to encephalitis, he will consider the advisability of suspending the operation of the Vaccination Acts while the whole question of the danger of increasing susceptibility to disease in general by vaccination against a single disease is investigated?

No, Sir. The investigation of methods to diminish or remove any risks which may result from vaccination is one of the matters referred to the Committee on Vaccination which has recently been appointed, and as at present advised, my right hon. Friend sees no necessity to consider any interference with the operation of the Vaccination Acts.

asked the Minister of Health whether any estimate can be given of the percentage of recoveries from juvenile encephalitis which have suffered mental or moral injury from that disease?

I regret that at present there is not sufficient information available to enable such an estimate to be given.

asked the Minister of Health the average weekly cost per patient, including maintenance, medicines, medical attendance, laundry, etc., in sanatoria controlled by local authorities or other institutions recognised by his Department?

The average weekly cost per patient in institutions approved by my Department for the treatment of tuberculosis was 49s. 4d. during the year ended the 31st March, 1924, which is the last year for which complete figures are at present available.

asked the Minister of Health (1) whether, in making appointments to higher executive posts under the Welsh Board of Health, he will ensure that the persons appointed are fully conversant with and able to read and write the Welsh language;

(2) whether, before appointing, on the recommendation of the Welsh Board of Health, three executive officers in the service of the board, at salaries ranging from £400 to £500, per annum, with bonus, he has inquired whether there are at present in the service of the board persons fully qualified for those posts and able to speak and write the Welsh language?

I fully realise the general value of a knowledge of the Welsh language for certain posts in the Welsh Board of Health, and it is my practice to give full consideration to this before approving recommendations for promotions to such posts. In the case of the recent promotions to the higher executive grade, full weight was given to these considerations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many cases have been reported since 1st November of the movement of animals by night contrary to the foot-and-mouth disease regulations and restrictions; and in how many cases there have been prosecutions?

It is occasionally reported to the Ministry that animals are moved at night in contravention of the Ministry's Regulations, but the information has not been sufficiently definite hitherto to allow of the institution of legal proceedings in any case. I have no information as to the number of prosecutions which have been instituted by local authorities specifically under this head.

asked the Prime Minister when the Earl of Crawford's Committee on Wireless Broadcasting is likely to make its Report?

I have been asked to answer this question. I understand that the Committee hope to present their Report shortly.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been drawn to the inadequate facilities afforded to the public in Peckham for purchasing postage stamps after the closing of the post offices; and whether he will arrange for the installation of automatic machines for the purchase of stamps outside the post offices in this district?

Stamp-selling machines are already installed outside the post office' at 121, High Street, Peckham. The question of installing machines outside other offices will be borne in mind, but only a limited number of machines are at present available.

asked the Home Secretary if he will state, in view of the report of L. W. Archerley, His Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary, as to the advisability of improving the mobility of the police, what action it is intended to take in pursuance of this report?

The Report is being sent to all police authorities and chief officers of police, and the provision of adequate means of transport is one of the matters to which His Majesty's Inspectors of Constabulary will give their attention at their inspections. I do not think any further action is called for at present.

asked the Home Secretary whether the use of rubber mats, used by the Birmingham police on point duty, have been found successful; and, if so, will he consider the advisability of their use in London?

I am informed that the experiment appears to be giving satisfactory results, but it is too Soon to express a final opinion upon it. I will consider the possibility of giving it a trial in London.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is yet in a position to state the results of the experimental use of slate dust mixed with granite macadam for road making in the Festiniog district?

Until a longer trial has been given, I should not be justified in expressing a definite opinion upon this interesting experiment.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the mileage of classified and unclassified roads, respectively, in the County of Wiltshire which are held to be unfit for modern traffic; what is the estimated cost of making them fit; and what is the mileage of roads in the county which need to be widened or diverted, and the estimated cost?

While I am prepared to render every possible assistance, within the limitations of the funds at my disposal, to highway authorities who desire to improve their roads, I hope my hon. Friend will agree that it is not practicable for the Ministry to undertake the detailed survey and examination of all the classified and unclassified roads in a county, and the preparation of estimates for their comprehensive modernisation.

asked the Minister of Transport when the Report and accounts of the Road Fund will be printed and issued?

The Annual Report on the Road Fund is presented to Parliament by my Department. The accounts are published by the Comptroller and Auditor-General. Both documents relate to the year ending the 31st March. Those for 1924–25 are available and those for 1925–26 will be published as soon as may be practicable after the conclusion of the year, though a considerable interval must inevitably occur.

asked the Secretary for Scotland on what principle he proceeded in allotting the orders for the building of the 2,000 Government steel houses; whether he has considered the Reith type of house; and whether an opportunity can be given to the manufacturers of that house to tender, especially in view of the fact that the construction of such houses would find a large volume of employment in trades in which the present unemployment percentage is high?

In the selection of the types of houses to be included in the 2,000 steel houses referred to, regard was had to the applications for approval that had been received from firms for the purposes of the special subsidy offered to local authorities in October last. The Reith type of house has recently been examined on behalf of the Scottish Board of Health, who have indicated that, subject to certain conditions, they are prepared to approve this type of house for purposes of subsidy under the Housing Acts of 1923 and 1924. The types for the 2,000 steel houses to be erected by the Second Scottish National Housing Company (Housing Trust), Limited, have already been selected, and it is therefore not possible to include the Reith type of house in that scheme.