asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what replies have been received in response to the circular letter addressed to the Governments by the Secretary-General of the Monetary and Economic Conference of the League of Nations, on 29th August, 1933, with reference to special privileges accorded to the Bank for International Settlements; and what reply in particular was sent by the British Government?

I am making inquiries in this matter, and will communicate with the hon. Member when they are completed.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he can give the House information regarding the strike of the textile workers at Sholapur which began in February; how many workers were involved; whether the strike was general; how long it lasted; what were the demands of the strikers; why the Government of India used the police against the strikers and issued orders restricting the freedom usually accorded to workers on strike in this country in the matter of picketing; and whether the strike extended to other centres?

Sporadic strikes took place at Sholapur in the textile mills between 15th and 21st February as a protest against a 12½ per cent. cut in wages. All five mills at this centre were involved, and at one time 14,000 out of 17,000 workers were on strike. Later, over 9,000 were reported to be back at work, though the strike continues. My information is to the effect that a few arrests have been necessary to preserve peace and to deal with cases of assault or obstruction in the course of picketing, but that there has been no tendency to general disorder nor any necessity for extraordinary police measures. I have heard of no extension of this strike to other centres.

asked the First Commissioner of Works what steps are to be taken during the forthcoming summer to improve the facilities with regard to the serving of refreshments including alcoholic refreshment, in the open air and elsewhere in the royal parks and other places frequented by the public and under the control of the Office of Works?

Improved arrangements for the serving of refreshments will be provided at the new pavilion in Kensington Gardens which will he completed during the next few weeks. The existing facilities for the serving of alcoholic refreshments at Hampton Court have been extended to include the lawns adjacent to the pavilion. The licensee at the open-air theatre in Regent's Park proposes, with my permission, to apply for a licence to sell alcoholic liquors during the performances. It is proposed at the end of the summer to carry out the work of improving the accommodation at the tea house in Hyde Park, and a new refreshment building will be provided at the Tower of London.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the rent of the four acre holding which he visited a year ago and on which the holder was making an income of £2 10s. a week apart from the produce consumed by his family; how much it cost to buy the land and equip the holding; how long the tenant had been in occupation of the subjects; and whether he was holding under the Landholders or Agricultural Holdings Act tenure?

The rent and annual building loan charges payable in respect of the holding referred to amount to between £16 and £17. On an allocation of initial capital expenditure among the holdings on the scheme, the cost of land and equipment, including buildings, for this holding was £750. The tenant has been in occupation since Martinmas, 1926, under landholders tenure.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Treasury at the present time is still enforcing any control over the raising of capital for foreign borrowers on the London market; and whether he will consider relaxing the restrictions in exchange for definite undertakings, wherever possible, on the part of the borrowers to expend as much money as possible in this country?

The position remains as indicated in the requests of my right hon. Friend published on 14th January and 17th May, 1933. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to hon. Members for Colchester (Mr. Lewis) and Huddersfield (Mr. Mabane) on 10th April.