asked the President of the Board of Trade if the British Government has considered the ratification of the International Maritime Conventions, prepared by the Comité Maritime International, and adopted by the Brussels Development Maritime Conference, and relating to bills of lading, shipowners' liability, mortgages and liens, and immunity of State-owned ships; and, if not, what is the policy of the Government in respect to the matter?

No invitation has yet been received from the Belgian Government to ratify any of these draft conventions. The two draft conventions relating to bills of lading and shipowners' liability, which received their final form at the Brussels International Maritime Conferences of 1922–23, have been signed definitely on behalf of this country, and effect has been given in this country to the bills of lading convention by the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 1924. His Majesty's Government are, therefore, in a position to ratify this convention when an invitation is received, but legislation will be required before the convention regarding shipowners' liability can be ratified or effect given to it. The conventions relating to mortgages and liens, and the immunity of State-owned ships, which were settled at the International Maritime Conference held at Brussels in April last, were signed by the British delegates at the Conference, subject to the confirmation of His Majesty's Government, and they are now being examined to ascertain whether this confirmation can be given. Legislation will be required before they can be ratified.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the present prices of American synthetic indigo; and whether he will make inquiries into the complaint of the traders concerned that British users have paid approximately half as much again as the rest of the world for indigo ever since the occupation of the Ruhr and the seizure of the German colour stocks?

The latest quotations for synthetic indigo (20 per cent. paste) in the United States, of which I am aware, were 14 to 14½ cents per lb. for small quantities, with reductions to about 13 cents for contracts. I am aware that owing to the abnormal situation caused by the seizure of certain German colour stocks during the Ruhr occupation, synthetic indigo could be purchased in France and Belgium at very low prices for a time, but in view of the comparatively small margin at present between British and German prices, I do not think any useful purpose would be served by the suggested inquiry.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps are being taken regarding the protection of women and young girls aboard vessels, following the recommendation of the International Labour Conference?

The recommendation to which the hon. Member refers and the Convention on the simplification of inspection of emigrants on board ship, both of which were adopted as recently as the 5th of this month by the International Labour Conference, will be carefully considered by His Majesty's Government with a view to deciding what action, if any, is necessary or desirable.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of telegrams, cablegrams, letters, printed papers, and newspapers that passed through or were conveyed by the Post Office during the year ended 31st December, 1925, or for the 12 months to the last convenient date?

The numbers of inland telegrams and cablegrams dealt with by the Post Office during the financial year ended 31st March, 1926, were as follow:

Particulars as regards letters, printed papers and newspapers are not available for the year ended the 31st of March, 1926, but the approximate figures for the year ended the 31st March, 1925, are as follows:

asked the Postmaster-General the number of ordinary telephone calls and trunk calls which were passed through the Post Office telephones during the year ending 31st December, 1925, or for the 12 months to the last convenient date?

It is estimated that during the 12 months ended the 31st March, 1926, 929½ millions of effective ordinary telephone calls were originated by subscribers to the Post Office telephone system. During the same period 86,490,652 trunk calls were dealt with.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that there is delay in installing telephone instruments and making the necessary connections in Northern Ireland, and that the engineering department in Belfast admit the delay, but say that the limited staff is doing its best; that a skilled electrician, with experience of telephone work, applied for a job and was told that he was not eligible as he was not an ex-service man, although he was not of Army age during the War; whether he will give instructions to the engineering department at Belfast to engage all men with the necessary experience to cope with the work; and whether he can give the number of men employed on the Belfast staff, how many of them served during the War, and how many of them have been engaged during the past year?

I am aware that there has been some delay in providing telephone service in Belfast. Temporary pressure of work in the area was recently experienced and skilled workmen were sent on loan from other districts to meet the demand. It is now possible to deal promptly with the majority of applications received for telephone service in the Belfast areas, and the small proportion of cases which cannot be met without delay are not due to shortage of skilled staff but to the non-completion of certain underground works which are being hurried forward. Information concerning the application for work from a skilled electrician and also particulars of staff mentioned in the latter part of the question is not at the moment available, but I will have inquiries made and write to the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the women in the Money Order Department, contrary to the general Civil Service practice, are not being allowed to arrange exchanges of their periods of annual leave; that this prevents senior women clerks allotted a summer-leave period who are willing to exchange with junior women clerks allotted a late autumn-leave period from so doing, to the disadvantage of the latter, who are thus prevented from taking their holidays with their families; that there is dissatisfaction among both senior and junior women staff in consequence; and whether he will consider having a full inquiry made into the leave arrange- ments prevailing amongst the women staff in headquarters offices, with a view to removing the disadvantages under which Post Office women are placed as compared to the women of other Departments before the next summer-leave periods are arranged?

Women clerks in the Money Order Department choose their periods of annual leave in order of seniority. After the choice has been made, an officer is not allowed to arrange an exchange of periods direct with one of her colleagues unless she can show special reason for desiring the exchange, but in such cases a substantial number of exchanges have from time to time been authorised. Any period which becomes vacant, as a result of resignations, etc., is advertised and allotted to the senior applicant. I am not at present satisfied that a larger measure of lattitude could properly be allowed, but I find, that somewhat different arrangements are in force in other Post Office Departments, and I propose to examine the question further.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he can make any further statement as to the present situation in regard to the prevalence of foot-and-mouth disease?

There is at present only one centre of foot-and-mouth disease in Great Britain, namely, that at Car-luke, Lanarkshire. Fourteen outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease have occurred in this area, all within a radius of about two miles of the original outbreak on the sewage farm. Outbreaks are dealt with directly they are discovered, and every effort is made to prevent extensions to other farms. Since the operation of the Importation of Carcases (Prohibition) Order of 1926 on the 4th of June, there has been no new centre of foot-and-mouth disease.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the existence of the level crossing at Penmaenpool, near Dolgelly, at which a fatal accident accurred last autumn; and whether, in view of the rider to the verdict of the jury urging that immediate steps should be taken to protect the public at this place, the Ministry of Transport proposes to take any action in the matter?

The reply to the first part of this question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, I have been in communication both with the railway company and the county council, and I am now informed that arrangements are being made to provide a gate and fencing at the crossing, the gate to be under the control of the signalman.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is now in a position to make a statement as to the removal of the hay market at Aldgate?

I regret that at the present time I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave to a similar question by the hon. Member on the 9th February last. He may, however, accept my assurance that this matter is being actively pursued.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, seeing that silver coins issued by the Australian Commonwealth Government are not legal tender in the United Kingdom, he will consider what steps can be taken to place this Dominion currency on the same footing as the United Kingdom currency enjoys in the Commonwealth?

Some British silver coins are still circulating in the Commonwealth because down to 1910 the Commonwealth used British token coins. Since that date the Commonwealth has issued token silver coins of its own which are gradually replacing British coins in Australia. Subsidiary Australian silver coin could not be made legal tender in this country.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the revenue annually obtained from the advertisements tax in France, Belgium, and Switzerland, respectively?

I am informed that in 1925 the revenue from advertisement taxes in France was approximately 12.7 million francs (or about £75,000 at the present rate of exchange), and in Belgium, approximately three million francs (or about £18,000' at the present rate of exchange). I regret that information for Switzerland is not available.

asked the "chancellor of the Exchequer if a sum of money has been deposited with His Majesty's Government in respect of claims arising out of the Smyrna fire; and, if so, when the claimants are likely to get the same distributed among them to satisfy their claims?

No sum of money has been deposited with His Majesty's Government in respect of claims arising out of the Smyrna fire. Claims in respect of direct damage caused by the Smyrna fire to the rights and property of British, French and Italian nationals are, in common with other claims in respect of damage suffered in Turkey, being assessed by the Inter-Allied Commission at Paris set up under the Convention of 23rd November, 1923 (Command Paper 2028) and this Commission will distribute the funds placed at their disposal under Article 1 of the Convention to claimants in proportion to the damage suffered by them, as assessed by the Commission. It is not yet possible to state when the Commission will be able to begin the distribution of the fund, but every effort is being made to expedite their work.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the declared profits in the British coalfields as disclosed to the Income Tax Commissioners for the years 1919 to 1925, respectively?

It is regretted that this information is not available, as the profits of coal mining are not distinguished in the statistics compiled relating to the Income Tax.