asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether other revisionists besides Achi Mayr have been deprived of Palestinian citizenship; and, if so, on what grounds

I have no official information on this subject; but I will write and inquire of the High Commissioner.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the difficulties which face the trade of Palestine, and particularly the export of citrus fruit, as a consequence of the inadequate facilities provided at Jaffa; that this town has neither port nor storage space; that the stores now being built there will be insufficient to deal with the increased citrus exports which are bound to arise within the next few years; and what action is contemplated to remedy this matter?

The need for the improvement of port facilities at Jaffa was fully appreciated by the Palestine Government, and work was begun over a year ago on an improvement scheme which will greatly increase the capacity and convenience of the port and the amount of storage space. It is hoped that the work will be completed by the middle of January, 1936.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that, owing to the fact that the loading sheds at the railway stations of Hadera, Rehovot, and Petah Tiqvah were not completed until after the heavy rains which occurred in January, many thousands of boxes of Palestine citrus fruit were spoiled by rain and mud; and whether be can give an assurance that adequate facilities will be provided at the various Palestine stations concerned before next winter?

This matter was considered last year by a committee which was appointed by the High Commissioner for Palestine for the purpose of investigating traffic requirements. The committee recommended that the Government should construct orange storage sheds at the main centres, charging a storage fee sufficient to reimburse the capital cost and animal charges, and that the larger citrus growers should be encouraged to provide their own sheds and to connect these sheds by private sidings to the railway. Following a recommendation of the committee, approval was given for increasing by 50 per cent. the size of the sheds which had already been built or were to be built at Petah Tiqvah, Rehovot and Hadera, and for the construction of sheds at Jaffa and Tel-Aviv. I have no recent reports on this matter, but I am sure that the Palestine Government will endeavour to provide accommodation to the extent recommended by the committee at the earliest possible date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the serious position of Antigua, where the local view is that the cost of Government is excessive; and whether he can state the other British Colonies which find them- selves in a state of financial embarrassment, and in which the same cause is alleged?

I have received from the Governor of the Leeward Islands a petition from certain unofficial members of the Legislative Council and members of the public in Antigua regarding the cost of administration, and this will receive my consideration. As regards the second part of the question, most of the Colonies have been passing through a period of financial difficulty, and the Governments have shown themselves to be fully alive to the necessity of economising in administration; I think I can say with confidence that this is generally appreciated by responsible public opinion.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he has received any reports as to the result of spraying arsenic dust from aeroplanes for the destruction of locusts in Southern Rhodesia and, in particular, as to whether this experiment has proved harmful to domestic cattle or to wild animals in the area in which it has been tried?

I understand that experiments designed to destroy locusts in flight by spraying them with finely divided arsenic dust from aeroplanes were carried out in Northern and Southern Rhodesia last summer by the Government of the former territory with the assistance of a grant from the Colonial Development Fund. The report on these experiments is contained in Appendix VIII of the Proceedings of the Third International Locust Conference held in London in September, 1934, which have been presented to Parliament as a Command Paper (Cmd. 4725). As regards the scond part of the question, no report has been received from the Government of Southern Rhodesia that these experiments had any harmful effect on domestic cattle or wild animals, though I understand that in three small areas damage was done to forest vegetation I gather that it is believed that in the light of the experience gained in the course of these experiments it will be possible to develop this method of attacking locusts in such a way as to eliminate risk to domestic or wild animals, provided that it is carried out with due precautions, and under proper control. I am informed that the possibility of devising alternative methods of poisoning locusts is under careful consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information as to whether arms have been and are being imported into Bolivia since the raising of the embargo?

I regret that I am not in a position to provide details, but I think that it must be assumed that, arms are now being consigned to Bolivia from the countries which have raised the prohibition so far as Bolivia is concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken with reference to the recommendation of the Chaco Advisory Committee of the League of Nations that the embargo, in so far as it is still enforced, should supplement the measures already adopted by the prohibition of the re-export or through transit of war material, and should not authorise the export of war material except to governments or properly accredited agents of governments?

The reply which should be returned to the further recommendations of the League Advisory Committee referred to by the hon. Member is still under consideration by His Majesty's Government. I might explain, however, that a prohibition of the re-export of arms is already included in the embargo which is being enforced by His Majesty's Government, and further that it is their normal practice only to issue licences for the export of war material to governments or to the accredited agents thereof.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether it is proposed to maintain, at the Traffic in Arms Commission at Geneva, the British opposition to the American plan for international inspection of armament factories and the setting up of a permanent disarmament commission, in view of the serious effect this may have on the possibilities of agreement?

As regards a system of supervision in connection with the proposed agreement for the regulation of the manufacture of and trade in arms, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 20th February, to which I have nothing to add. As regards the constitution of a permanent disarmament commission, His Majesty's Government are not opposed to the United States proposals for this purpose. On the contrary, they have welcomed them and have accepted them as a basis of discussion.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether, in connection with the deputation headed by the Lord Mayor of Liverpool which he interviewed on Friday last regarding the need for granting a gratuity in cases where, when a disabled ex-service man dies as a result of the disability for which he was pensioned, his widow and/or his children would not receive any allowance on the ground that he was married after he was disabled, he will conduct an inquiry into the question with a view to issuing a report on the matter?

This question has been fully considered on more than one occasion, and it has been consistently held by Governments of all parties that the liability of the State in respect of the deaths of ex-service men should be limited to the men's family obligations as existing at the date of the contraction on service of the fatal disability. This principle, which is embodied in the Royal Pension Warrants approved by Parliament, has been frequently stated in this House, and was in fact defined in the precise terms which I have used by my predecessor on behalf of the late Labour Government in an answer given on 17th April, 1930, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy. In these circumstances, and having regard also to the substantial provision for widows made by the Contributory Pensions Acts no public interest would, in my judgment, be served by the further Inquiry suggested.

asked the Minister of Pensions, whether his attention has been directed to Case No. 11/N/23,409, Alfred Oscar Smith, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, who was injured on His Majesty's Ship "Neptune," in 1917, by having his foot crushed; what was the reason for his treatment at Roehampton Hospital for nine weeks from 14th December, 1934; and why this man has not only been refused a pension, but also refused a surgical boot unless he supplies at his own expense a boot for alteration?

My hon. and gallant Friend has been misinformed as to the facts of this case. The man, who, after leaving the Service in December, 1918, unfortunately neglected to bring his case to the notice of the Ministry with a, view to obtaining necessary treatment until last year, was placed in hospital in order to determine whether operative or other treatment was required to remedy or alleviate the present condition of his foot. A special surgical boot was not found to be necessary, a, slight adaptation of one of the man's own boots being all that was required, and this has been satisfactorily carried out. Pension has not been refused in this case: on the contrary, the man has been instructed to supply certain necessary information, on receipt of which any compensation due will be awarded.

asked the Postmaster-General the amount of the loss to the Post Office on Press telegrams for the last 12 months for which figures are available?

The loss on Press telegrams for the year ended 31st March, 1934, is estimated at £168,000. This deficit is arrived at after charging against them a proportionate share of the general expenses of the telegraph service. It does not purport to represent the expenditure which would be saved by eliminating Press telegrams which would amount to a much lower figure.

asked the Postmaster-General whether there has been any reduction in the allowances to the various sections of workpeople in the Post Office engineering department; what increases of wages were given and what allowance reductions were made; and if he is aware that in many cases the workpeople are worse off than when the increases were made?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the question of the hon. Member for Limehouse (Mr. Attlee) on the 11th instant and the documents placed in the Library giving particulars of the wage settlement with the Post Office Engineering Union. The settlement provided for a general increase in wages and allowances, and in no case will any man be worse off than before.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the children withdrawn from Lenzie Academy by their parents as a protest against the recent transfer of the rector are still absent from school?

I am glad to say that all the children resumed attendance at the academy on Monday, the 18th instant.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has considered the request sent to him from the Glasgow Corporation to expedite action on the part of the committee of investigation provided for under the milk marketing schemes, to whom a matter affecting corporation milk contracts has been presented?

I have received the request referred to, and hope that it may be found possible to arrange for a hearing by the committee of investigation at an early date. I regret the delay, which has been unavoidable, in the disposal of this matter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the total weight of trawl fish landed in January, 1935, from countries whose imports of fish into Great Britain are limited by quotas, compared with the total weight from the same countries landed in January, 1934?

The quantity of sea fish other than herring imported from foreign countries under licence during the period 1st January to 3rd February, 1935, was 119,000 cwt. as compared with 139,000 cwt. during the period 1st January to 2nd February, 1934.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will give separately for England, Scotland and Wales a return showing the numbers of juveniles against whom criminal proceedings were taken in each of the years 1930 to 1934; and the figures for each of the counties of Wales?

The question of the supply of figures for Scotland would be a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. So far as concerns England and Wales, I regret that figures are not available in the form asked for, but in the Criminal Statistics for 1931 and 1932 tables are published showing the number of juveniles found guilty of indictable offences in each police district.

asked the Minister of Health whether the power given to local authorities under the Maternity and Child Welfare Act, 1918, to provide milk or food to mothers during the last three months of pregnancy and during lactation is yet being used by the Hampshire local authority?

According to the latest information in my possession, the Maternity and Child Welfare Act, 1918, is not being used for this purpose by the Hampshire County Council, but extra nourishment (including milk) is provided for expectant and nursing mothers by the public assistance committee of the council. I have represented to the county council that it would be more appropriate to make this provision under the Maternity and Child Welfare Act, but the choice between the two methods is a matter within the discretion of the council.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is satisfied with the operation of the quota arrangements for bacon imports up to date, or whether it is intended to review the quotas in the near future with the object of seeing whether a more satisfactory arrangement can be found for protecting the British bacon industry?

Certain minor modifications in the detailed arrangements for regulating the flow of imports of bacon from foreign countries have been introduced this year, but no immediate alteration of the general system of control is in contemplation. My hon. and gallant Friend may, however, rest assured that the working of the system is kept continuously under review, and that we shall not hesitate to propose any change in the arrangements which experience may suggest as desirable.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that one of the accused persons in the Burge murder case, Kamakshya Charan Ghose, was beaten by the police during the course of their investigation into the circumstances of the murder in order to obtain a confession of guilt; whether the investigation promised by the home member in the Bengal Legislative Council on 18th December, 1934, has been completed: and, if so, who were the officers responsible for the beating and what disciplinary action has been taken?

I have ascertained that the Government of Bengal have not yet received the report of the inquiry.

asked the Lord President of the Council the total receipts of the Cinematograph Fund, and the total payments from the fund to the British Film Institute, to the present date; and in respect of what years, calendar or financial or otherwise, the grants of £5,000 and £6,000 were made to the institute from the fund?

The total receipts of the Cinematograph Fund amount to £11,542 14s. 3d. The total payments to the British Film Institute which have been approved amount to £11,000, being £5,000 and £6,000 for the calendar years 1934 and 1935 respectively.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the point or points of view of poultry keepers on the report of the Poultry Reorganisation Commission; and what action the Government propose to take on the document?

I understand that the national organisations of producers agreed, before the report was published, that they would consult together as soon as the recommendations made by the commission were known, and that those consultations are now proceeding. It is perhaps early to expect the organisations to have framed definite conclusions on the commission's report. As regards the last part of the question, it is for the egg and poultry producing industry, not for the Government, to decide whether steps are to be taken with a view to promoting a marketing scheme.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he can account for the passing over for promotion to lieutenant-colonel by the selection board during the last three years of approximately 30 per cent. of senior majors of the Royal Artillery who had been recommended for promotion by their immediate superiors?

If officers who have been recommended for promotion by their immediate superiors are passed over, it is because there are others who possess better claims. I am aware that the competition for promotion in the Royal Artillery is very severe, but not more so than in the Infantry.