asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the attack on the British vessel "Wanliu" at Taipanze, on the Upper Yangtze river, on 1st and 2nd June, he will consult the rear-admiral of the district as to the desirability of resuming the system of convoy by His Majesty's' gunboats?

As was stated in the reply given to the hon. 'Member for South Islington (Mr. Howard) on 31st May, the Rear-Admiral Yangtze, acting in conjunction with the Consul-General at Hankow, has full discretion to introduce such measures for the protection of commerce, as are, in his opinion, best suited to meet the particular situation. The Admiralty consider that this sufficiently meets the case.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the Admiralty have at any time during the last three years bought any foreign cloth for uniforms or other purposes?

No, Sir.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether a naval rating has, during his period of service, any opportunity of changing his rating; and, if so, under what conditions and in what circumstances he may do so?

The conditions under which a naval rating may be permitted to change his branch are fully laid down in Article 419 of the King's Regulations, Vol. II, 1930.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what schemes for the development of native areas in Kenya have been put forward in connection with the Colonial Development Fund; the nature of the schemes, the districts concerned, the amount of cost in each case, the total amount of the schemes, and by whom they were originally prepared; whether such applications were sent in to the committee appointed to deal with the fund; and, if so, what was the response given?

The following are the particulars desired:1. In October, 1930, the Acting Governor of Kenya submitted an application prepared in the colony for assistance from the Colonial Development Fund for the establishment of a meat factory. The object of the scheme Was to afford an economic outlet for the surplus cattle of the Wakamba and the Masai, and thereby to remedy the present over stocking of the reserves. The total cost was estimated at £92,000, including the working capital of £62,000: of this amount £30,000 was sought from the fund as a free grant and £62,000 as a loan free of interest for 10 years. The application was submitted to the Colonial Development Advisory Committee, who recommended a free grant of £20,000 only, or, in the alternative, grants of interest, not exceeding £20,000 in all, upon the necessary capital sum if it could be provided from sources other than the fund. This offer was conveyed to the Kenya Government, but the Government, in view of the financial position., did not feel justified in accepting the liabilities involved.2. In November, 1931, the Governor submitted an application, prepared by his advisers, for capital grants from the fund totalling £149,500 for road construction and improvement in the colony. Of this sum it was proposed to devote £80,000 to reads in native areas. After reference to the Colonial Development Advisory Committee, it was suggested to the Governor that a revised programme should be drawn up on a less ambitious scale, fulfilling certain prescribed conditions.3. The Colonial Development Advisory Committee were invited in November, 1931, to consider an application for assistance in financing a three-year programme of experimental work at the Livestock Research Institute at Naivasha. The prosecution of these researches is regarded as of first-rate importance in the interests of native development. The application, drawn up in the Colonial Office, was based upon the recommendations of a sub-committee of the Economic Advisory Council and was endorsed by the Colonial Government. The total cost of the three-year programme was estimated at £6,300, towards which a grant of £4,500 was sought from the Colonial Development Fund to pay the salaries and expenses of the research workers in charge of the institute. The Colonial Development Advisory Committee recommended that the grant should be made, and their recommendation has been approved by His Majesty's Government.

asked the Minister of Transport how many applications he has received from local authorities for power to permit stands for motor coaches on the sea front at seaside resorts; and how many such applications have been refused at the instance of the chief constable of the county in which the resort is situated?

Six, Sir. One application was refused, and in this last case objections were raised to the proposal by the chief constable of the county.

asked the Minister of Transport at which seaside resorts of Great Britain stands for motor coaches have been permitted on the sea front under Section 90 oil the Road Traffic Act, 1930?

At five places in the county of Bute and at Deal and Eastbourne.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the fact that employment is given to 200 men in consequence of the operation of motor coaches from Morecambe and that their employment is prejudiced by the inability of the coaches to take up passengers on the sea front, he will reconsider his decision and allow the corporation of that town to permit such stands?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on 13th June to a question by the hon. Member for the Ormskirk Division (Mr. Rosbotham), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that, as a result of his refusal to grant power to the Morecambe Corporation to permit stands for motor-coaches on the sea front, the takings of motor-coach operators between Easter and Whitsuntide, 1932, are £650 less than they were during a similar period during 1931; and whether, in view of the number of coaches operating from that town and the. needs of British seaside resorts, he will reconsider as early as possible his decision not to grant power to the corporation for such stands?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave on 13th June to a question by the hon. Member for the Ormskirk Division (Mr. Rosbotham) of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Home Secretary the number of persons killed on the roads in Great Britain between 1st January, 1919, and 1st June, 1932, and the number of persons injured on the roads during the same period?

I can give the number of persons known to the police to have been killed and injured for the years 1926 to 1931, but not before 1926, because the information collected before that year related to the number of accidents resulting in death or personal injury and not to the number of persons killed or injured. Figures for 1932 are not available.

asked the Secretary for Mines how many miners were rendered idle in the Doncaster area owing to the recent floods; how many days' work were lost; and the total loss in wages to mine workers?

According to the information in my possession, only two pits in the immediate neighbourhood of Doncaster were directly affected by the floods referred to. At these pits, 5,800 persons are employed and approximately 33,000 manshifts were lost from this cause during the two weeks ended 4th June. I cannot give any figure for the loss of wages involved, but, as the hon. Member is aware, the average earnings per shift in Yorkshire are about 10s. 2d. I am not able to form any estimate of the number of men who were prevented by floods from getting to work at pits which were themselves unaffected.