asked the Secre- of State for Foreign Affairs the number of persons on the staff of the information section of the League of Nations, with the nationality- in each case; and the numbers employed in each of the five special offices of the information section in Path, London, Rome, Tokio and Berlin, with the nationality in each case?

The total staff of the information section at Geneva amounts to 41 persons, whose nationality is as follows:—British 11; French 4; Swiss 4; Italian 3; Spanish 2; Serbian 2; Belgian 2; Chinese 2; and one each of the following:—American, Polish, Uruguayan, Dutch, Danish, Chilean, Lithuanian, Norwegian, German, Guatemalan and Japanese. In London there is a staff of three persons, all of whom are British. Paris, Rome, Tokyo and Berlin have each a staff of one person who i3 a national of the country concerned.

asked the Secretary of State far Foreign Affairs whether, as it now appears that the Rumanian Government has refused the proposal made by the League Council for the constitution of a tribunal of five persons to adjudicate on the dispute between the Hungarian nationals and Rumania, the Council propose to fill the vacancy on the mixed tribunal at once, as provided by the Treaty of Trianon?

As I have not yet received the official record of the proceedings of the Council of the League of Nations at its recent meeting, I am not in a position to give a reply to my hon. Friend's question.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Council of the League of Nations has reached any decision as to whether the action of the Rumanian Government, in withdrawing its representative so as to prevent a udicial decision of the dispute as provided by treaty and refusing to assent to the constitution of a tribunal as proposed by the League Council, conforms to the provisions made by peace treaties for judicial determination of disputes; and whether there have been any cases in which the decision of disputes by mixed arbitral tribunals as provided by treaty has been interfered with by one party withdrawing its representative?

As regards the first part of the question, I have nothing to add to the reply returned to the hon. Member's question of 7th June. As regards the second part, I understand that the Turkish Government have withdrawn their Judge from the Mixed Turkish-Rumanian Mixed Arbitral Tribunal on a dispute which has arisen regarding the guns taken by the Rumanian Army at Plevna which were withdrawn from Rumanian territory by the Turkish Armies during the Great War.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will lay upon the Table of the House the Report of the recent Copyright Conference at Berne?

I have not yet received the Report of the British delegates to the recent Copyright Conference in Rome. When it reaches me, I will consider whether it can usefully be laid on the Table of the House.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that there is no telephone exchange at Webheath, near Redditch, Worcestershire, and that considerable inconvenience results in a neighbourhood which is rapidly growing; that a subscriber in that district has to secure a connection with the Redditch exchange at a cost of 116 per year, plus a charge for each call, if he wants a telephone installed; and whether he can take steps to afford better facilities for this district?

There is no telephone exchange at Webheath, but provision is made for service from Redditch exchange, which is only about two miles distant. The rental quoted covers a line measure two miles five furlongs. The question of establishing an outlying exchange to serve the Web-heath area has been under consideration, but so far this has not been practicable owing to lack of support.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that clerical officers in the London telephone service with 15 years' service and over are not even being considered for promotion; and what steps he proposes to take to alleviate the situation?

I am aware that a number of clerical officers in the London telephone service of 15 years' service or more are not at present within the range of promotion to higher grades. Whilst sympathising with the position of these officers, I am unable at the present moment to do anything to alleviate their position apart from the creation of higher poets not warranted by the requirements of the service, a step which, in my opinion, would be quite unjustifiable.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will inquire into the postal facilities of the Chisdon Burn district of the North Tyne valley, Northumberland, with a view to giving more than a three-days-per-week service?

I am having inquiry made, and will write to my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will issue a statement showing the number of boy messengers who have secured appointments as postmen for each of the years 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, and 1927, and the number of such boy messengers who have been given established positions in other capacities, separating London from the provinces in each case?

The figures available with regard to boy messengers are for the years ended 31st March. The number of boy messengers who secured postmanships and other established posi- tions or positions leading to establishment (e.g., youths in training in the engineering department) in London and

asked the Postmaster-General the number of ex-service men who have been given established positions as postmen, separating the figures for London and the provinces, during each of the years 1921–7?

The number of ex-service men who secured established positions as postmen in London and in the provinces during each of the years 1921–27 is as follows:

asked the Minister of Health whether he has received representations in favour of the appointment of a committee to consider the conditions of service of health visitors; and whether, if so, he is prepared to accede to the request.

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, my right hon. Friend is in communication with the Associations of Local Authorities on this subject.

asked the Minister of Health what period of time elapses from the extraction of the lymph from the calves at Hendon and the killing of these calves for their examination for tuberculosis?

The calves are killed on the same day on which the lymph is collected, and the carcase and internal organs are fully examined by a veterinary surgeon for any morbid conditions, including tuberculosis.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to a statement made at the recent annual housing and town-planning conference of local authorities in the West, by the secretary of the National Housing and Town-Planning Council, that the reduction of the subsidy had diminished the number of houses under construction under the Housing Acts of 1923 and 1924, and that there was a tendency to reduce the standard of working-class dwellings; and what he is doing to (heck this downward tendency?

My right hon. Friend has no responsibility for the statements to which the hon. Member refers, but I may refer him to the statement which my right hon. Friend made on the discussion of the Ministry of Health Esti- mates which disposes of the points to which he refers.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, with a view to speeding up the clearance of slum-clearance areas, he is prepared to increase the grant to the local authorities for this purpose; and whether he has formed any estimate as to the resultant saving in public health grants which would accrue from such a policy?

The local authorities of the more densely populated areas are actively proceeding with schemes of slum clearance, and I am not satisfied that any increase in the present amount of grant is necessary to secure expedition with this work. The answer to the latter part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is now in a position to make a statement regarding the recommendations of the Consultative Council in respect of the proposals made by the Royal Commission on National Health Insurance that the scope of the benefit should be extended to include a consultant and specialist medical service, and that the necessary funds for this purpose should be obtained by a partial pooling of future surpluses of approved societies?

The recommendations of the Royal Commission, to which the hon. Member refers, were very fully considered by the Consultative Council, who unanimously endorsed the recommendation that the first extension of the statutory benefits of National Health Insurance should take the form of the widening of the scope of medical benefit to include a specialist and consultant service. The Council, however, by a large majority, declined to endorse the recommendation of the Royal Commission that the cost of this extension should be met by means of a partial pooling of future surpluses of approved societies.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give such in- structions to boards of guardians as will make it impossible for casuals to be required to bath in the same water as other casuals or to use the same towel?

The practice complained of by the hon. Members is not countenanced by the regulations in force, and if he is aware of instances in which the practice occurs, I shall be glad if he will inform me with a view to the taking of appropriate action.

asked the Minister of Health how many Southborough entrants in his Department who have been reviewed for confirmation of appointment in accordance with the provisions of the Order in Council of 1010 have not yet been confirmed?

Of the Southborough entrants in my Department who have been reviewed for confirmation of appointment, two have, up to the present, not been confirmed.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many Southborough entrants in his Department who have been reviewed for confirmation of appointment in accordance with the provisions of the Order in Council of 1910 have not yet been confirmed?

There are five Southborough entrants in this Ministry whose appointments have been reviewed on completion of the usual probationary period but have not yet been confirmed.

asked the Minister of Labour how many Southborough entrants in his Department who have been reviewed for confirmation of appointment in accordance with the provisions of the Order in Council of 1910 have not yet been confirmed?

There are 30 such officers who have not yet been confirmed in their appointments.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many Southborough entrants in the Customs and Excise Department who have been reviewed for confirmation of appointment in accordance with the provisions of the Order in Council of 1910 have not yet been confirmed?

The number of such cases in the Customs and Excise Department is four.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of appointments at a salary of £500 a year or more that have been created at the War Office since August, 1914; the number of these that are held by officers in receipt of retired pay in addition to their civil salaries; and the total amount drawn by these officials in salary, including bonus, and any other income paid by the State?

I would refer the hon. Member to pages 89 to 99 of Army Estimates for 1014, and to pages 221 to '254 of the current Army Estimates.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many temporary clerks in his Department have received warning notices within the last three months; and what is the period of notice?

Warning notices have been given to 10 temporary clerks during the past three months. In all the cases, with one exception, not less than two months' notice was given.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he will issue life pensions at the current rate to all pensioners in receipt of an award for 12 months and until further instructions who have not made an application for treatment since the issue of the award?

I agree with the hon. Member as to the desirability of making final awards in all cases as early as possible, but it would not be justifiable, nor would it be in the interests of pensioners, that such awards should be made on the lines suggested by the hon. Member without proper medical consideration of the individual cases.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he will advertise in daily newspapers throughout the country that 30th September, 1928, is the last day on which claims to pension in respect of disabilities due to service in the Great War may be made or, alternatively, if he will submit proposals to amend the War Pension Act, 1921, and abolish the seven-year limit in which a claim to pension must be made?

The fullest publicity possible as to the operation of the statutory time limit has been given by my right hon. Friend and his predecessors, by the exhibition of posters in all post offices and in other public buildings and in all the local offices of the Ministry, and the further advertisement suggested in the first part of the question would not, I think, be of any advantage. May I remind the hon. Member that the time limit referred to expires seven years after discharge from service, and in any event not later than 31st August next—not 30th September as suggested in the question. Its operation, which commenced in 1921, has therefore been gradual and, for the majority of ex-Service men, expired in 7026. With regard to the last part of the question, I would remind the hon. Member that the decision of the Government with regard to legislation on this point, together with a statement as to the arrangements, which my right hon. Friend has been enabled to make to deal with exceptional cases arising beyond the time limit, was conveyed by the Prime Minister in his answer to the hon. and gallant Member for the Fairfield Division on 19th November, 1925, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy. Subsequent experience has disclosed no grounds which would justify him in recommending that that decision should be reconsidered.

asked the Minister of Labour how many Danish girls have received permits to come into this country as domestic servants during the past 12 months?

Permits as required by Article 1 (3) (b) of the Aliens Order, 1920, were issued in respect of 384 Danish women and girls during the 12 months ended 31st May, 1928, to enable them to take up domestic work in this country. In addition, the Home Office were advised during this same period to agree to 33 Danish female subjects who had been allowed to land in this country as students, visitors, etc., accepting employment in domestic capacities.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the British representatives on the Administrative Council of the International Labour Bureau have submitted proposals for the modification of the eight-hour day convention; and what is the present position of the matter?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The governing body has adopted, on the proposal of the French Government representative, a resolution requesting the director to prepare reports on the conventions adopted at Washington in 1919, and to lay each report before the governing body as soon as it is completed.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that 30,148 additional miners were unemployed at the end of May than in February of this year; to what does he attribute the cause of such increase in unemployment; and what steps the Government are taking to find these men alternative employment?

The greater part of this increase has occurred within the last month, and is probably due in part at least to a reduced demand for coal for domestic consumption. I would refer the hon. Member to my statement during the course of the Debate in the House on 30th April as to the measures taken by the Government to facilitate the transfer of unemployed miners to other industries. The problem is being studied by the Industrial Transference Board, whose Report will, I understand, he in the hands of the Government shortly.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) if he is aware that, owing to the Easter holidays being decided by the Rotherham Employment Exchange as having broken the continuity of unemployment, several hundreds of men at the Maltby main colliery have been refused their unemployment pay; and if he will inquire into this case with a view to rectifying any mistake that may have been made;(2) whether he will explain the nature of the change under the Unemployment Insurance Acts in the manner of dealing with customary holidays in cases where men are only partially employed, and the authority for this change?

In the case of men suspended from work, days of customary holiday which cannot count either for payment of benefit or as waiting days cannot any longer, as they could before the passing of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1927, be regarded as days of unemployment for the purpose of maintaining continuity of unemployment. The relevant provision is contained in the Fourth Schedule to the Act which enacts the new paragraph 4 of the First Schedule of the No. 2 Act of 1924. This change accounts for the disallowance of benefit in the Rotherham cases, which, I understand, occurred in connection with the Whitson and not the Easter holidays.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the valuable work which is being done at the Imperial agricultural research station at Trinidad in respect of cotton plant physiology, and seeing that financial stringency is impeding the progress of this experimental activity, he will consider how far he can assist the continuance of these experiments?

I presume my hon. Friend is referring to the Empire Cotton Growing Corporation's station in Trinidad, as there is no Government station for cotton research. I am not aware that the corporation, whose funds are provided partly by the industry and partly by the Government, is in any need of assistance for the continuation of this valuable work.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the attention of the Food Council has been drawn to the fact that 23 boxes, of 500 herrings each box, caught in Kilbrannan Sound on 22nd May, only secured to the fishermen a net return of 9d. for the 11,500 herrings, although the public was paying 6d. for seven herrings of the same size on the following day; and whether it is proposed to take powers to deal with situations of this kind?

No, Sir; but if the hon. Member will supply me with full details, I will ask the Food Council to look into the matter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the fact that the Ouse (Cambridge) Drainage Board, which is in receipt of State assistance, in asking for tenders for a motor towing-launch, definitely specified that a Dutch engine was to be used; and if he will make it a condition of State grants to public bodies that they shall not specify foreign machine 7, when asking for tenders, to the exclusion of British machinery of at least equal quality?

It is a condition of grants made by the Ministry to drainage authorities that the Ministry's written approval must be obtained before orders are placed for any plant or material not of British manufacture. In connection with a scheme of works to be carried out by the Ouse Drainage Board with the aid of a grant from the Ministry, the Board, some 18 months ago, submitted to the Ministry tenders which had beer received from British and foreign firms for the supply of certain plant, Including a number of barges and a motor tug. The Ministry informed the Board that the lowest British tender should be accepted, although by no means the lowest of all tenders received. The Ministry was not, however, aware at the time than the engine of the tug was to be of Dutch manufacture. A second motor tug is now required, and as it is essential that, to facilitate the interchangeability of parts, this second tug should be similar to that already purchased, it was necessary when inviting tenders to specify the type of engine to be used.