asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the dictators of shorthand in the shorthand-typist examination held in London last December were fully-qualified dictators of shorthand; and, if not, what qualifications they possessed?

In the opinion of the Civil Service Commissioners, the dictators of shorthand employed at the examination in question were fully qualified.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of employment clerks, P class clerks and temporary and casual staff clerks who were employed in Employment Exchanges on 1st January, 1927?

The respective numbers are 2,747 clerks, 1,252 "P" class, 1,173 temporary and 2,830 casual, a total of 8,002. The total number of persons employed depends, of course, very largely upon the state of the live register of unemployed persons at the Exchanges, and I may add that the staff is less at the present time by some 1,200 persons than on the 1st January.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the strength of the total British forces at the disposal of General Duncan in Shanghai; and whether it is proposed to augment or deplete this strength?

I have been asked to reply. General Duncan has under his command at Shanghai eight infantry battalions, together with the necessary ancillary troops. I cannot forecast what changes it may be found necessary to make in the composition of this force.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any and, if so, what arrangements in regard to compensation are being made with the owners of the British steamers on the Yangtse which have been taken over to ensure the maintenance of communications?

The terms are still under discussion with the shipping companies concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether seeing that a diplomatic representative of the Chinese Nationalist Government has been appointed and taken up his duties in Japan, the question of the diplomatic representation in this country of the Chinese Nationalist Government has been discussed with the Chinese Foreign Minister?

The question of the diplomatic representation of the Nationalist Government here has not been discussed. I do not think that the Nationalist functionaries, who, I understand, have at various times been sent to Japan, can be properly described as diplomatic representatives.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that a number of White Russian volunteers are stationed in the Shanghai international settlement at the British Shanghai Waterworks Company; and what duties they are engaged on and under whose command they are serving?

I am informed that the Shanghai Waterworks Company have collected some Russian workmen as a labour reserve for the purpose of maintaining the Shanghai water supply, in the event of a strike.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is in direct communication with the Shanghai Municipal Council, through the chairman or the secretary of that body, in regard to the situation in the international settlement in Shanghai; and, if not, who is the channel of communication between His Majesty's Government and the council?

His Majesty's Consul-General at Shanghai is always in close touch with the municipal authorities of the international settlement, and any communication which His Majesty's Government might wish to make to them would be transmitted through that officer.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received a Report from Mr. O'Malley with reference to his mission to Kiukiang; and, if so, can he make a statement to the House?

Mr. O'Malley returned to Hankow on 25th February from Kiukiang, where he had gone to discuss with His Majesty's Consul the question of compensation for losses suffered by British subjects from looting. I have no report from Mr. O'Malley on this visit, but on 2nd March he reached an agreement with Mr. Chen with regard to the Kiukiang concession supplementary to the agreement of 20th February, the terms of which were given to the House on 22nd February in reply to a question by the Leader of the Opposition.This supplementary agreement is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has received any Report with reference to the capture by bandits in Yunnan, China, of Mr. G. E. Metcalfe, a missionary of the China Inland Mission; and can he make any statement thereon?

I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull on 7th March.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the fact that the white slave traffic could be stopped if Consuls generally refused to give visas except after reference to the Consul of the country of origin; and whether he will make representations to the nations concerned to ensure the adoption of this policy?

I do not know upon what authority the hon. Member bases his belief in the efficacy of this particular proposal. It is not supported by the Report recently presented to the Council of the League of Nations, and its universal application would, I am advised, be impracticable. The question what further steps could be taken internationally to deal with this evil will be considered by the Advisory Committee of the League of Nations which is specially concerned with this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the printing of document O.C. 294 (b) of the League of Nations, dealing with the traffic in dangerous drugs, has been stopped and all existing stocks returned to Geneva; and who issued the orders and what were the reasons?

I have no official information on this subject, but I understand that the publication of this document is merely temporarily postponed pending revision.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount borne by local taxation in Scotland and the total amount contributed by the Treasury in each of the years 1913–14 and 1925–26 in respect of the following services: poor relief and asylums, highways, education, police, and health services, including under highways the contributions from the Road Fund?

My right hon. Friend is obtaining the figures, and will communicate them to the hon. Member.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether, seeing that the Government has accepted a gift of 56,000 tulip bulbs from Dutch growers, and, in view of the development which has recently taken place in the English bulb-growing industry, he will give equal facilities for the display of home-grown bulbs?

The First Commissioner will certainly give equal facilities.

asked the Minister of Health what tribunal will determine any differences which may arise between a dentist and a regional dental officer; and under what authority will any decision be given by such tribunal?

The function of a regional dental, officer is to furnish an independent professional opinion for the guidance of approved societies and dentists in connection with claims for dental benefit. If a dentist be dissatisfied with any action which a society, after consideration of the report of the regional dental officer, may take, or propose to take, he may refer the case to the. Dental Benefit Joint Committee, whose jurisdiction both societies and dentists have, under the new arrangements, agreed to accept.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that James C. McCarthy, who had been in receipt of unemployment benefit from the Walthamstow Exchange for seven weeks up to the 25th February, was called before the local employment committee and asked whether lie would accept work under the trade union rate; that when he replied in the negative, he was told that he was after the last penny, and since then McCarthy has received no benefit; and whether he will have inquiries made into this ease?

I am having inquiries made into this case, and will let the hon. Member know the result as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that unemployed men in Sharpness, Gloucestershire, have been refused unemployment benefit to which they were otherwise entitled on the ground that they had taken out licences enabling them to fish for salmon; and whether he will authorise the payment of benefit to such men who, having taken out licerces, fail to catch fish?

This is not a matter for me, but for the statutory authorities set up by the Unemployment Insurance Acts. I am not aware of claims having been disallowed on the ground referred to at Sharpness, but I understand that last year some claims were originally disallowed at Lydney, the disallowance being subsequently reversed.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the numbers of unemployed persons on the registers of the Ebbw Vale, Rhymney and Tredegar Exchanges, respectively, at the present time; what were the numbers 12 months ago; and what number have been disallowed benefit during the year 1926?

The figures are as follow:

asked the Minister of Labour the amounts or grants given out of Government funds to municipal or other public bodies in connection with unemployment schemes for each year since November, 1018?

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 2nd March, 1927; col, 362, Vol. 203] supplied the following statement:

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the total number of officers and men discharged on account of pulmonary tuberculosis during 1926; and whether any increase was shown on 1925?

The number of officers and men invalided from the Royal Navy and Royal Marines on account of pulmonary tuberculosis during 1926 was 179; the corresponding figure for 1925 was 209.

asked the Prime Minister when it is proposed to introduce the Bills in connection with agriculture promised in the Ring's Speech?

The Diseases of Animals Bill was read a Second time yesterday, and the Rabbits and Rooks Bill has been introduced in another place. I hope that it will be possible to introduce the Ouse Drainage Bill and the Destructive Insects and Pests Bill at an early date. I am unable to say at this stage what other agricultural legislation may be possible during the present Session. As already announced, the Government have decided to set up a Royal Commission to consider the whole question of land drainage, before proceeding with legislation of a general character on that subject.

asked the Prime Minister when the legislation for the equalisation of the franchise, which was promised by His Majesty's Government last year would be carried out in 1927, wilt be introduced?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave yesterday in reply to questions on this subject.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government has reached any decision on the Report of the Royal Com- mission on Cross-river Traffic in London; whether the proposals therein have been partly or wholly adopted; and what financial and other measures the Government are prepared to adopt for the carrying out of such proposals, considering the urgency of the traffic problem in the metropolis?

asked the Prime Minister what action the Government intends to take in regard to the Royal Commission's Report on Cross-river Traffic?

I would refer my hon. Friends to the answer which I gave this afternoon in reply to questions-on this subject.