asked the Secretary of State for India whether any action has been taken to carry out the recommendations of the Indian mercantile marine committee that steamship companies plying along the coasts of India should give facilities for Indian boys to be apprenticed?

I am able to inform my hon. and gallant Friend that 11 steamship companies have undertaken to give such facilities. Many if not all of these companies have ships plying along the coasts of India.

asked the Secretary of State for India the number of known cases of leprosy in India and how many of these are segregated either in their homes or in institutions; whether the Government take any steps to effect their compulsory segregation either in their homes or in institutions; and if he will state the number of leper institutions in India and the total amount contributed out of Indian revenues towards the extinction of this disease?

The number of persons in India returned as lepers at the Census of 1921, the last official figure available, was 102,513, but it is probable that the number is considerably in excess of that returned. There are about 40 institutions with about 8,000 inmates. The Indian Lepers Act provides that the compulsory segregation of pauper lepers may be enforced in areas to which the Act is made applicable by the Provincial Governments, but the total number of compulsorily segregated lepers is at present inconsiderable. The number of lepers segregated in their homes and the total amount contributed from Indian revenues cannot be stated.The following note has been supplied by Sir Leonard Rogers:

asked the Secretary of State for India what is the total number of slaves given in the last Census Report of India in various Native States?

The total number is nil. The Government of India are satisfied that slavery in the ordinary sense of the term does not exist in any Indian State.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he has received the views of the Government of India concerning the report of Mr. G. S. Hardy on the question of substituting a system of specific duties for the existing system of ad valorem assessment of cotton goods imported into India?

Yes, Sir; but I am not in a position to make any statement on the matter before the proposals of the Government of India are laid before the Indian Legislature.

asked the Under Secretary of State for Air what is the present total air strength of Great Britain, France, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United States of America, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Belgium?

As regards Great Britain, the present first-line strength of the Royal Air Force is about 770 aircraft. As regards the other countries named in the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the statistics published in the Armaments Year Book of the League of Nations, 1929.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state what is the estimated number of children in Scotland who would leave school immediately after 31st March, 1931, but for the extension of the school-leaving age, and the approximate number at the end of the ensuing 12 months?

As the available statistics do not show what proportion of the total number of children leaving school in the course of each year leave at a specific date in the year, it is not possible to furnish estimates in the precise form asked for in the question. The estimated number of children who will leave school in the course of the year ending 31st March, 1931, is 82,000; and the estimated number who will leave during the ensuing 12 months (the school age being raised at 1st April, 1931) is 20,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the negotiations with regard to the constitution of new holdings and enlargements from the farm of Sciberscross, in the parish of Rogart, Sutherland, have yet been completed; and, if so, whether it has been decided that the scheme should be put into operation?

I am not yet in a position to add anything to the reply which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member on the 22nd November last.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of members of the P-class employed in each Department as at 1st January, 1930, together with the number of promotions to the clerical class from the ranks of the

The following table shows the number of P-class and P.U.-class clerks employed in each Department on the 1st January, 1930, together with the number of promotions to the general clerical and Departmental clerical classes authorised up to that date:

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury

I am not aware of any application to the Treasury under the provisions of the Regulations made under the Order in Council of July, 1920, for the retention of an established woman Civil Servant in her employment on marriage.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what steps are taken in order to secure that the claims of the ex-regular soldier are considered in connection with employment in the Civil Service?

I would refer the right hon. Member to Treasury Circular No. 1/30, a copy of which I am sending him.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the total amount guaranteed under the Trade Facilities Acts for loans floated by sugar-beet factory companies; and how much of the total original loans have now been repaid?

The total amount guaranteed under the Trade Facilities Acts in respect of loans floated by sugar-beet factory companies was £2,206,800. Of this amount £489,100 has been repaid to date by the companies concerned and £295,400 has been paid by the Treasury in fulfilment of its guarantees, leaving £1,422,300 outstanding.

asked the Minister of Labour whether she will state the average number of unemployed registered at the Chatham, Kent, Employment Exchange for each month in the year 1929?

The following table shows the average number of per- sons on the registers of the Chatham Employment Exchange in each month of 1929:

asked the Minister of Labour whether she is aware that no start has yet been made in the erection of the new Employment Exchange in Darlington; and whether she can expedite matters in view of the hardships caused to both unemployed and staff by the present inadequate building, and also because of the number of unemployed building operatives and labourers?

I have been asked to reply. I understand that work has commenced on the site.

asked the Minister of Health which boards of guardians at the present time are insisting upon lest work being done by unemployed men as a condition of outdoor relief; and can he give particulars of any regulations that have been issued by the Ministry of Health on this subject during the previous six months?

As regards the first part of the question, some form of work, whether provided by the guardians themselves or by arrangement with the local authority, is required of able-bodied recipients of relief in 208 out of 631 unions. It should be understood, however, that in many of these unions the requirement could only apply to a small proportion of the applicants. As regards the second part of the question, no regulations have been made on this subject by my Department since the Relief Regulation Order, 1911.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that it is still the practice of some boards of guardians to demand old age pensions books when pensioners enter rate-aided institutions for medical or surgical treatment; and whether he will call the attention of boards of guardians to the provisions of the Pensions Acts that for persons receiving such assistance the pension is payable to them for 13 weeks following their acceptance as in-patients?

I have no reason to believe that the practice mentioned by my hon. Friend is followed except with the consent of the inmates, and in the circumstances I do not consider any action on my part is necessary.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will inquire as to the number of dwelling-houses of a rateable value of £105 per annum and under in London and £78 and under elsewhere which were demolished in England and Wales during the year 1929 for reasons other than that they were unfit for human habitation; and whether he proposes to take any steps to prevent such demolitions in any district so long as any housing shortage exists in such district?

I do not think that the value of the particulars referred to would be sufficient to justify the labour and expense involved in obtaining them. As regards the last part of the question, I have no statutory power to intervene in general circumstances of this nature, but in considering further proposals on housing, I will bear the matter in mind.

asked the Minister of Health whether he contemplates introducing a Bill at an early date to give effect to the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Local Gov- ernment that, in lieu of a petition to the Privy Council signed by a majority of the inhabitant householders of an urban district praying for the grant of a charter of incorporation of such district, the petition shall be made by the local authority of such district?

I am informed that the Lord President of the Council is considering the possibility of so modifying the procedure as to bring it into harmony with the recommendation of the Royal Commission, without having recourse to legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that Mr. Augusto Macari has recently been refused permission to land in this country on his return from Italy where he had been completing his education, and that he had been brought up and had lived in Ireland nearly all his life and was returning to his home to assist his father, who had been resident in Ireland for 36 years in his business; and whether, in view of these facts, permission would now be granted for his re-admission to this country?

Yes, Sir. I am aware that this alien was recently refused leave to land; but from the subsequent statements in the question, I think the case cannot have been correctly represented to the hon. and gallant Member. The alien was born in Italy, lived for some seven years only in Ireland, and left more than 10 years ago for Italy, where he received the greater part of his education. His desire appears to be now to establish himself permanently in Northern Ireland, and, after consultation with the appropriate authorities there, I should not feel justified in granting the requisite facilities.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what were the conditions laid down by Sir Arthur Gordon, the first governor of Fiji, with respect to the liquor traffic and the Fijians after the islands had been handed over to Great Britain?

An Ordinance was passed in 1875 which contained the following provisions:—

"I. No suit brought after the promulgation of this Ordinance for the recovery of any debt contracted in respect of any spirituous or intoxicating liquors sold furnished to or procured for any Native or Polynesian Immigrant by any Vendor or Dealer in such liquors shall be maintained in any Court of this Colony.

II. If any person whosoever whether licensed or unlicensed shall supply to or procure for any Native or Polynesian Immigrant any spirituous or intoxicating liquor as aforesaid or mixed liquor part whereof is spirituous in any quantity whatever or any fermented liquor or mixed liquor part whereof is fermented in any quantity he shall for every such offence forfeit and pay (over and above any penalty which may be incurred for the sale of such liquor without a licence) a penalty not exceeding five pounds one-half of such fine to go to the informer.

III. Provided always that it shall not be an offence under this Ordinance to supply-to or procure for any Native or Polynesian Immigrant for any reasonable cause or necessity and without recompense or remuneration any intoxicating liquor as aforesaid.

IV. It shall be lawful for the Stipendiary-Magistrate of a District from time to time to grant permits to any natives resident in such District under such conditions as the Governor may from time to time prescribe exempting such natives from the operation of this Ordinance."