asked the President of the. Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the application made by the Canadian Woollen and Knitted Goods' Association to the Tariff Board for an upward revision of the tariff on yarns, blankets, flannels, fabrics, clothing, knitted goods, and kindred products; and whether, as the request, if granted, would practically eliminate the preference on such imports from Great Britain, amounting to over seven and a-half million sterling a year, he will make representations on behalf of the British industries concerned?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, I understand that the application of the Canadian manufacturing interests is for a general increase in the rates of duty on woollen goods which would not necessarily involve a discontinuance of preferential duties for British woollen goods. Arrangements are being made for the representations of British trade associations interested to be communicated to the Canadian Tariff Board.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he has received a copy of the statement made by the New Zealand Government in regard to the position of New Zealand butter on the London market; and, if so, whether he will indicate the main conclusions of this statement?

I have been asked to reply to the Question. I have seen in the Press references to a statement recently made by the New Zealand Dairy Produce Control Board; and I assume that it is to this statement that my Noble Friend refers. I have no information on the subject other than what has appeared in the Press.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Depart- ment the total amount in sterling of exports and imports between Great Britain and India for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date; and what are the principal goods so exported and imported?

The value of merchandise exported from Great Britain and Northern Ireland to British India during the year 1926 amounted to £83,434,000, of which British produce and manufactures accounted for £82,027,000 and imported merchandise for £1,407,000.During the same period our total imports from British India amounted to £57,729,000.Complete particulars of the individual items making up these totals will not be available for some time, but the following statement shows particulars of 1925:—

TRADE OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND WITH BRITISH INDIA IN 1925.
Imports from British India.
Branch of Trade and Principal Commodities.	Declared Value 1,000£
Tea	22,230
Corn offals	1,283
Wheat	5,269
Rice	1,283
Oil seed cake	751
Coffee, raw	695
Cotton, raw	5,161
Goatskins	859
Manganese ore	742
Rubber, crude	1,351
Oleaginous seeds, nuts and kernels:
Cotton seed	2,502
Flax or linseed	3,376
Rape seed	679
Other sorts	1,643
Gums and resins	1,301
Jute, raw	8,567
Timber, sawn, hard	779
Sheep's and lambs' wool, raw	3,600
Leather, undressed and dressed	4,775
Lead, pig and sheet	807
Motor and other petroleum spirit	593
Coir yarn, mats and matting	983
Jute yarn and manufactures	3,426
Woollen carpets and rugs	814
Other articles	6,630
Total Imports	80,099

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the majority Report of the Royal Commission referred to the unsatisfactory condition, as to medical relief, of some of the districts where the only method of obtaining an order for the doctor was from the relieving officer, and that officials of his Department stated in their evidence before the Commission that if the overseers were abolished it would be necessary in the country districts to give their relief powers to some local officer or to the parish guardian; and whether, in the light of these facts, he will have the draft Order in Council reconsidered?

I would refer the right hon. Member to the reply given to his earlier question of the 10th instant. Such evidence as was given by officers of the Department was to the effect that no practical hardship would result from the abolition of the overseers; one inspector suggested that the power of the overseers might be given to the local guardians. The Order in Council has been made after lying on the Table for the prescribed period, and my right hon. Friend does not think it is necessary to reconsider the matter.

asked the Minister of Health by what method it was ascertained that the amount of relief administered by the overseers during the last five years was less than £500 in all; whether this included the cost of relief which was adopted by the guardians and repaid by the overseer's, and included in the relieving officer's accounts, or only the cost of relief which was not repaid by the guardians, and was submitted by the overseers to the auditor in the overseers' own accounts; what amount of the £500, if any, was spent on women in advanced pregnancy or in confinement and how many orders were given to women in the like condition for the doctor or for the workhouse?

The information given is derived from the annua) returns made by the clerks to guardians in which the whole expenditure of the overseers on relief is stated, irrespective of any repayment by the guardians. I regret that the information sought in the second and third parts of the question is not available.

asked the Minister of Health how many rural district councils have applied to be the authority under the Housing (Rural Workers) Act, 1926; and whether any difficulties have arisen in complying with their request?

96 rural district councils have so far made applications under Section 5 of the Housing (Rural Workers) Act, 1926, to be declared local authorities for the purposes of the Act, and my right hon, Friend is in accordance with the terms of the Section, consulting the county councils in regard to these applications. I can assure my hon. Friend that each case will be carefully considered on its merits, and that a decision will be arrived at as soon as practicable.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses built in

—	Number of Houses in State-assisted Schemes of—		Non-subsidy Private Enterprise Houses.
	Local Authority.	Private Enterprise.
Completed during the 12 months	468	624	117
Under construction on 1st October, 1926	1,158	478	137
Definitely arranged for but not started on 1st October, 1926.	496	43	*
Authorised but not definitely arranged for on 1st October, 1926.	536	133	*
* Information not available.

asked the Minister of Health if the agreement recently arrived at for dental service to insured persons has received the approval of the great friendly societies and trade unions; in what manner was the agreement arrived at; and is the new arrangement working satisfactorily?

The new scale of fees and conditions of service relating to dental benefit have been adopted by the great majority of Approved Societies, including friendly societies and trade unions. The arrangements were arrived at as the result of direct negotiations between representatives of societies of all types and representatives of the dental profession. I have no reason to think that they are not proving satisfactory to the societies which have adopted them.

asked the Postmaster-General how many land lines were used,

The following statement gives the information for the City of Hull desired by the hon. Member, for the 12 months ended 30th September, 1926, which is the latest period for which figures are available showing the number of houses built without State assistance.and from what stations in Great Britain, for the purpose of broadcasting by relay President Coolidge's speech to Congress?

Three land lines were used on the occasion in question, namely, one between the receiving station at Keston and the British Broadcasting Corporation's headquarters at Savoy Hill, London; another between Savoy Hill and the London broadcasting station in Oxford Street; and a third between Savoy Hill and the Daventry broadcasting station.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India how many men were involved in the recent strike on the Bengal-Nagpur railway; the rate of wages per month paid to the lowest and highest paid workers who took part in the strike: and what improvements in wages or conditions of service the employes have obtained as a result of the settlement?

From first to last about 32,000 men were involved, but these were not all on strike at the same time as while, the strike was still in progress many resumed work after the absence of a day or two. The lowest pay of adult male strikers was Rs.9 per mensem, which was drawn by only 750 men out of 65,000. The highest pay was that of the Indian clerical staff, i.e., Rs.250 per mensem. No improvement in wages or conditions was definitely promised prior to the strike being called off. The strike was actually called off after a meeting of the Labour Union with the Agent of the railway at which the latter stated, first, that there would be no victimisation, secondly, that departmental inquiries would be held by the officers of the railway in matters on which the union had previously asked for independent inquiry, or inquiry by a joint committee of railway and Labour Union representatives, and thirdly, that no specific increase of pay could be, promised as the examination of the minimum scale of the lower-paid staff, promised before the strike, had not been completed. The Agent, however, indicated that the examination showed that adults drawing less than Rs.ll per mensem would receive some increase of pay.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for. India whether any part of the capital expenditure involved in the proposed reconstruction of the Indian Marine into the Royal Indian Navy will be met from Imperial revenues?

As at present advised the Government of India propose to provide the necessary ships themselves and to meet the capital expenditure from Indian revenues. The possibility of obtaining vessels on loan from the Admiralty was explored on an offer which was made by that Department, but it was decided that suitable vessels of the type required for service in Indian waters were not available. The Government of India propose to convert three of the existing vessels of the Royal Indian Marine for the purposes of the Indian Navy.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the continued falling off in the export trade in Indian hides since the imposition of the export duty in 1919, he has any information as to the intention of the Government of India with regard to the 15 per cent. duty on all Indian hides exported?

The duty was reduced from 15 per cent. to 5 per cent. some years ago. Provision for its abolition is included in the Finance Bill which is now before the Indian Legislative Assembly.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, whether he has been consulted by the Government of the Union of South Africa as to the appointment of charges d' affaires to represent the Union Government in certain foreign countries; and in which countries the Union proposes to be represented diplomatically?

No communication has been received from His Majesty's Government in the Union of South Africa on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many men present themselves on an average each month for recruitment in His Majesty's Army; and how many are rejected, and for what principal reasons?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on the 8th instant to the hon. Member for Wednesburv (Mr. Short).

asked (1) the Secretary of State for War the cost of the maintenance of the Army forces in Iraq during 1926;(2) the Secretary of State for Air the cost of the maintenance of the Air Force in Iraq during 1926–27?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Keighley (Mr Lees-Smith) on 14th March.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has had any further communication with the Russian Government on the subject of anti-British propaganda; and, if not, does he propose to have any further communication on this matter?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As stated in reply to a question on the 28th of February by my hon. and gallant Friend the hon. Member for Handsworth (Commander Locker-Lamp-son), it is not intended to send a reply to the Soviet Government's Note of the 26th of February.

asked the Secretary for Mines how many amalgamations of collieries have taken place since the passing of the Mining Industries Act. and the number of workers and amount of capital involved?

I have made arrangements to secure authoritative information in due course for the purpose of the statutory report which has to be made on this subject next year in accordance with the provisions of the Mining Industry Act, 1926. In the meantime I think it would be undesirable to anticipate that report by giving, by way of answer to question, information that would necessarily be incomplete and might be misleading.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many typewriters were purchased by the Government during 1926; and how many were of foreign and British origin, respectively?

Fifty-six typewriters were purchased by the Stationery Office during 1926; of these nine were of foreign and 47 of British make.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state the number of persons who were appointed to established posts in the Civil Service, either by examination or nomination, between the 4th August, 1914, and the 30th August, 1921, excluding Lytton entrants; and whether temporary service was allowed to count for pension purposes?

The number of persons appointed to established posts in the Civil Service during the years 1914 to 1921 is as stated below under the undermentioned categories, excluding Lytton entrants. The statistics of the Civil Service Commissioners are compiled for calendar years and the figures given are for the complete years above-mentioned inclusive.

Main Competitive Examinations (Men)	7,910
Reconstruction (Ex-service) Examinations (Men)	3,017
Appointments of Persons already established	2,534
Other appointments (Men) by nomination, including technical appointments, and small open and limited competitions	13,481
This heading includes, e.g., 3,053 Inland Revenue Officers, selected by a special Selection Board, 2,244 Employment Exchange Employés, who had passed an examination before the commencement of their temporary service, 673 subordinate officers of the Prisons Service, etc.
Appointments of Women to established posts other than Manipulative posts	11,089
Manipulative Appointments (Men)	20,424
Manipulative Appointments (Women)	19,762
Industrial Appointments	21,132
Total (excluding Lytton entrants)	99,349

The extent, if any, to which any previous temporary service may be reckoned for superannuation depends, under Section 3 of the Superannuation Act, 1887, upon the special circumstances of the case.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been drawn to the refusal of the Paymaster-General to receive a deputation from the Civil Service Clerical Association on behalf of certain officers in the Paymaster-General's branch who are engaged on work of a higher grade than that for which they- are paid; and if he will take action to secure that in all cases a deputation to secure redress of grievances by constitutional means shall have access to the head of the branch or Department concerned?

No, Sir; but I understand that the Assistant Paymaster-General on one occasion considered that no useful purpose would be served by a deputation from the association in question. With regard to the second part of the question, there is no obligation on a head of a Department to receive a deputation at any time and on any subject when so requested. Each case must be decided in the light of the particular circumstances.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will publish a memorandum showing for appropriate periods before, and for similar periods after, the imposition of each Customs Duty imposed during the last two years the values of dutiable goods transhipped in bond, together with the value of goods re-exported, showing separately the values in respect of each dutiable commodity?

I regret that the information requested by my hon. Friend is not available.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many dog licences were taken out for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date?

No later information is at present available than the figure of 2,810,162 for the year ended the 31st March, 1926, which I gave in reply to the hon. Member's question of the 14th June last.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many licences have been granted for the use of armorial bearings on carriages or otherwise for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date; whether any prosecutions have been taken against any persons for failure to take out licences for the use of armorial bearings during this period; and with what result?

The total number of licences for the use of armorial bearings taken out for the year ended the 31st March, 1926 (the latest date for which figures are at present available), was 37,480, of which 5,532 were at the higher rate of £2 2s. for the use of armorial bearings on carriages, and 31,948 at the lower rate of £1 1s. for use otherwise than on carriages. The duties in question are not Imperial but local taxation duties, and I have no information as to any prosecutions that may have been instituted by the county councils and county borough councils who administer the duties in England and Wales. No prosecutions have been instituted in Scotland, where the duties are administered by the Customs and Excise Department.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the quantity of spirits distilled in Great Britain during the 12 months ended to the last convenient date, showing comparable figures for the two previous years?

The quantity of spirits distilled in Great Britain during the 12 months ended 31st January in each of the years 1925, 1926 and 1927, was as follows:—

Year.	Great Britain
	Proof Gallons.
1925	34,718,000
1926	36,895,000
1927	27,780,000

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of gallons of grape juice imported into this country under licence from the Government during the years 1924, 1925 and 1926, respectively and the amount of cash received for such licences?

The following quantities of grape juice or must were imported into this country in the years 1924, 1925, 1926:—

	Gallons.
1924	251,263
1925	178,180
1926	212,401

Import licences are not necessary for the importation of grape juice. The last part of the: question, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will supply to the ex-tenant a copy of the inventory of the Whitefield Farm, Whitefield, Burthholme, Cumberland, deposited in his Department's office?

I cannot find that the Ministry has the inventory to which the hon. Member refers. In the case of a record of a farm made under Section 27 of the Agricultural Holdings Act, 1908, the Ministry would be concerned only in the comparatively few cases where the parties fail to agree as to the person to make the record, and even then would not normally receive a copy. I suggest that application for a copy of any such record should be made to one of the parties or to the person who made it, if he can be traced.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has any further information, other than that contained in the official Report, regarding the progress of the experiments for drying beet; whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that a company has been formed to exploit such a process; and whether, as the result of the formation of this company, the whole or any part of the public moneys spent in research at the Agricultural Institute at Oxford will be recovered?

Two interim Reportson experiments in drying processes for manufacturing beet sugar have been published, one as a, White Paper by His Majesty's Stationery Office last year and one as an article in the Journal of the Ministry of Agriculture for February, 1927. A full technical Report is in an advanced stage of preparation, and will be published with as little delay as possible.I am informed that a company has purchased certain patents for a process known as crop-drying or mass-drying which has been applied to the manufacture! of beet sugar. These patents are partly owned by the Institute for Agricultural Engineering at Oxford, and it is expected that considerable sums will be realised which will be expended on the scientific work of the Institute. No patents have been taken out in respect of the recent investigations specifically into the manufacture of beet sugar.The experimental factory which was erected for the purpose of these investigations has been sold, and a considerable proportion of the moneys expended on the investigations will be returned directly to the Exchequer.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will state, in connection with the purchase of land for allotments by local authorities during the year 1925, the number of authorities who purchased by voluntary agreements with landlords; the price per acre of land purchased under such voluntary agreements in each case; the number of local authorities who purchased by compulsory order; and the price per acre of land purchased under such compulsory orders in each case?

According to reports furnished by the various allotment authorities, 84 authorities purchased land by voluntary agreement in 1925, and three compulsorily. I am sending the hon. Member a statement giving the names of the authorities and the average price per acre in each case.