asked the Postmaster-General on what grounds the annuity value of his additional allowance has been deducted from the amount of compensation payable to Mr. F. W. Spall, of 19, Cedars Road, Colchester, in respect of his premature retirement due to injuries received while on duty as a postman?

The additional allowance awarded under the Superannuation Acts is, I am advised, a payment, allowance or benefit to which, under the Workmen's Compensation Act, regard must be had in fixing the amount of compensation. The annuity value of the allowance is not being deducted from the amount of compensation payable to Mr. Spall, but was taken into account in fixing that amount.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the present inconvenience to business and the citizens generally of West Leyton, he will consider the appeals from all classes for the establishment of a post office in as central a position as possible?

The question of establishing a branch post office in West Leyton has already been under consideration, but in view of the present financial stringency I regret that I do not see my way to authorise the expenditure involved. The matter will be reviewed when the circumstances are more favourable.

asked the Postmaster-General what will be the cost of the new teleprinter; and on what terms business firms will be permitted to make use of it?

The Post Office will be prepared to lease teleprinters for use in two ways: (1) for telegraph exchange service; (2) for sending messages over private wires.As regards (1), the proposed telegraph exchange service will enable messages to be sent over the public telephone exchange system by means of leased teleprinters, between any two subscribers at any time. I hope it will be possible to provide this as a local service in London within about three months' time, and to extend it to the provinces and to include trunk service by stages during the course of the summer. The rent to be charged will be £65 a year, made up of £50 for the teleprinter and £15 for the necessary associated apparatus (a voice-frequency converter). Teleprinter exchange messages will be charged for like telephone calls.As regards (2), teleprinters leased from the Post Office will be available for sending messages over any of the renter's private wires. The rental charges stated above will apply, save that on certain types of private wire the technical conditions will not necessitate the use of a voice-frequency converter, and where this is the case, a teleprinter at £50 a year at each end will suffice, if the renter does not wish to communicate with other subscribers over the exchange system.A teleprinter (with voice-frequency converter) rented for either purpose (1) or (2) above will also be available for the other form of service, without additional charge. The new type of teleprinter is, of course, purchasable from the manufacturers by any firm for internal use over its own line-plant.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the fact that, owing to the inability of the Burnham Committee to agree upon scales of salary for head teachers of secondary schools, some such teachers have not been placed on scales of salary or have received scales which were belated or inadequate, he wilt endeavour to secure that such teachers receive special consideration in the matter of the 10 per cent. cut on salaries and that definite scales of salary are established for all head teachers of secondary schools?

I am aware that some head teachers of secondary schools have not been placed on scales of salary, but I think it would be a mistake to assume that the absence of a prescribed scale is necessarily prejudicial to their interests. I see no reason for recommending to local education authorities and governing bodies that such teachers should receive preferential treatment in the matter of the 10 per cent. reduction from salaries. The question of the salaries to come into force subsequent to 31st March, 1933, must soon be engaging the attention of the Burnham Committee, and the teachers' panel of that committee, on which the Associations of Head Masters and Head Mistresses, respectively, are represented, will have the opportunity of making representations regarding the salaries of head teachers of secondary schools.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he will reconsider the request of the Weardale Sub-educa-

asked the Minister of Pensions if he will consider the granting of a pension to Wilfrid Park, of Halsall, who was on active service during the Great War and has been an invalid ever since his discharge, and is now dependent on his widowed mother, who is in delicate health, her only means being the old age pension?

Proposals for installing electric lighting in three of the schools named in the question have been submitted to the Board by the Durham county local education authority, and are now under consideration. When there has been an opportunity of fully considering the matter, I will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour the numbers of men, women, and juveniles registered at each of the various branches of the Hamilton Emplyment Exchange for the last week in October, 1931, and the first week in February, 1932?

The following table shows the numbers of persons on the registers of the Hamilton Employment Exchange and its branch offices at 26th October, 1931, and 25th January, 1932:

I am aware of the circumstances of this case, which, with the help of my bon. Friend, has been exhaustively investigated and considered not only by my own medical advisers, but also by one of the independent medical specialists who assist the Ministry. I regret, however, that, as I have already explained to my hon. Friend, I am advised that there are no grounds for departing from the decision indicated to him by my predecessor.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what is the total Government assistance per cwt. of sugar at present granted to the home-grown beet-sugar industry by way of direct subsidy on sugar and on molasses and by refund of excise duty; and how does this compare with the present price per cwt. of imported raw sugar in bond?

Apart from the repayable advances, at a maximum rate of 1s. 3d. per cwt. of sugar, made to 12 of the 18 factories during the past season under the British Sugar Industry (Assistance) Act, 1931, the effective Government assistance at present afforded to the beet-sugar industry, including subsidy on sugar and molasses and preferential reduction of duty, is equivalent to 10s. 9d. per cwt, on fully refined sugar. The current price per cwt. of imported raw sugar ex duty is about 6s. 3d.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the composition of the special committee appointed to examine the question of sugar-beet policy?

The committee to which the hon. Member no doubt is referring is a committee of officials of the various Departments concerned who have been collecting information for the consideration of Ministers. The results of its investigations will, of course, be confidential.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in arriving at a definition of land that was unsuitable for wheat of millable quality referred to in the Memorandum of the Wheat Bill, he has taken into consideration the yield of bushels per acre or the cost per bushel irrespective of the yield per acre?

Is it not practicable to define for the purpose of the Wheat Bill what land is unsuitable for wheat cultivation. The governing consideration will be the ability to grow wheat without loss at the standard price of 10 shillings a hundredweight, coupled with the effect of the overriding maximum of 27,000,000 hundredweights provided for in the Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether, with regard to the compensation payable to civil officers whose posts are abolished, the various Service associations in India will be given an opportunity of commenting on the scale; and whether the matter will be discussed in this House before a definite decision is arrived at?

So far as officers under his control are concerned, it rests with the Secretary of State in Council to decide what terms shall be granted, and, as indicated in my reply to my hon. and gallant Friend's question of 22nd February, a decision in the matter has already been reached. In the case of officers under the control of the Governments in India, the decision rests with the particular Government concerned, but it is anticipated that the same terms as have been sanctioned for officers under the control of the Secretary of State in Council will be granted in the majority of cases. So far as I am aware, the Service associations have not been consulted in this matter, nor would it be in accordance with usual practice to seek their views in a matter of this kind. But any representations that they may make regarding the decisions taken will, of course, receive careful consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for India the number of murders which have been committed in Burma during the last three years and the number of convictions for this offence; the number of Burmans, Indians, and Europeans now employed in both the imperial and provincial Civil Services in Burma; and the number of municipalities which have been superseded for maladministration since 1923?

(1) I am unable to furnish separate figures showing the number of murders committed in Burma during the last three years. The following figures include persons tried and convicted for murder, attempted murder, culpable homicide and dacoity with murder in the province in 1928, 1929, 1930:

asked the Secretary of State for India as to the present situation in regard to the disturbances in Burma?

No events of importance have occurred during the past week. The only gang of any size still holding out is that of Myat Aung, which is being kept on the move, and which it is hoped will be accounted for shortly. No casualties among Government forces were reported. Twenty-seven under trial prisoners were released, and 593 are reported as still in custody. The increase is due to last week's figures being incomplete. The paddy market continues firm, and the price has risen slightly during the week. The collection of taxes continues to make satisfactory progress.

asked the Secretary of State for India the number of persons who have been arrested in India and sentenced for offences under Section 4 of the Emergency Powers Ordinance, 1932?

I have information only as regards Bombay and the Punjab where the number of arrests for breaches of orders issued under Section 4 of the Emergency Powers Ordinance has been 238 and 9 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for India how many persons were convicted of murder in British-India in each of the years 1927, 1928, and 1929; how many of such persons were sentenced to death; and how many were executed?

The figures so far as available are given below; those for 1929 are incomplete and subject to correction.

asked the Secretary of State for India the total amounts standing to the credit of organisations which have been declared to be unlawful associations under the Ordinances or standing to the credit of private persons in India, which have been confiscated by each of the provincial governments under Ordinance IV of 1932?

I have so far been informed of the seizure of approximately Rs.46,000 in Bombay, Rs.24,000 in the United Provinces and Rs.250 in Bihar and Orissa, but I cannot say whether these figures are complete.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that the public as a whole does not understand the proposals of the Town and Country Planning Bill, he will arrange for a simple analysis of their nature to be issued to the newspapers of the country for general information before the Bill is finally passed?

Steps have already been taken to inform the public, through the medium of the Press and in other ways, of the proposals contained in the Bill. I will consider whether anything further can be done.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the quantities of malt, unmalted corn, rice, maize, etc., sugar, and hops used in brewing in Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the beer brewed during the year ended 30th September, 1931?

The quantities of certain materials used in brewing and the number of bulk barrels brewed in Great Britain and Northern Ireland during the year ended 30th September, 1931, are as follow:

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty on how many occasions since 31st December, 1928, have British warships in the Yangtse been compelled to open fire in order to protect British life and property on that river?

The total number of occasions since 31st December, 1928, upon which British warships on the Yangtse River have been compelled to open fire to protect British life and property is 33. The month of December, 1930, being a period of excessive Communist activity, accounts for 19 of the above total of 33, the remaining 14 occasions being distributed as follow:—four in 1929, seven in 1930 and three in 1931.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the recent disclosures with regard to the position of policy holders, any inquiry or inspection has been held by the Industrial Assurance Commissioner, or an inspector appointed by him, into the affairs of three industrial assurance companies named the Scottish Legal, the Royal Liver Friendly Society, and the Wesleyan and General Assurance Company?

The Industrial Assurance Commissioner appointed an inspector to examine into and report on the affairs of the industrial assurance offices referred to; and his reports have recently been received.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many copies, respectively, of the report of the Select Committee on Capital Punishment and of the report with evidence have been sold to the public since publication?

The number of copies sold of the report is 1,556. In addition, 210 copies have been sold of the complete volume containing the report, minutes of evidence and the proceedings of the committee.