asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has any statement to make on the murder of the Malay policeman who succumbed to 15 bayonet thrusts while in the hands of Chinese bandits recently in Malaya.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the circumstances under which a Malay special constable was bayonetted to death by bandits in an attack near Jasin, Malacca, on 9th May.

The incident took place on 8th May at a Chinese estate in Malacca, where there was a guard of five Malay special police. The guardroom was surrounded by some 15 bandits, and during the engagement which followed, one special constable was fatally wounded and one bandit was thought to have been hit, but escaped. The bandits summoned the guard to surrender, and when they refused, threatened to burn down the guardroom on them. The corporal in charge ordered his men to cease fire. The bandits then entered the guardroom and tied up all the special constables. They took the corporal outside and shot him, probably with a burst from a sub-machine gun. He was also stabbed with bayonet or long knife; owing to bullet wounds it could not be ascertained how many times he was stabbed. The bandits retired, removing seven rifles and 200 rounds of ammunition, and set fire to three estate buildings. The police arrived from Jasin shortly afterwards, but failed to make contact with the bandits. The corporal was still alive on the arrival of the police, and was immediately removed to hospital, where he died upon admission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many individuals in Malaya have been convicted under the emergency regulations of unlawful possession of arms and ammunition; and how many have been executed.

The answer is 94 and 62 respectively.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the cost of production and distribution of his recent leaflet, "Installing the Telephone—What it Means," and of the two leaflets entitled, "Sharing a Telephone," and how many persons are employed in this manner.

The cost of producing the leaflet "Installing the Telephone—What it Means" was £160; that of the two versions of the leaflet "Sharing a Telephone" £250. No staff was exclusively employed on this work, and no cost is incurred in distribution, as the leaflets are sent out in normal course of correspondence or interview with applicants for telephone service. These pamphlets more than pay for themselves in the saving of correspondence.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is satisfied with the conditions in the Clissold telephone exchange; and what steps he is taking to improve the service to subscribers.

I can assure my hon. Friend that no efforts are being spared to improve the service at Clissold exchange. The switchboard has been completely renovated and extended, and constant attention is given to the working of the junction lines to other exchanges. Our records show that the service at this exchange during the past year compares

asked the Minister of Food whether he will arrange for the distribution of surplus bacon factory offals through the wholesale meat supply associations and retail buying committees, rather than allow bacon factories to dispose of them at will as at present.

asked the Minister of Health how many water undertakings there are in the West Riding of Yorkshire; whether he will give some indication as to their comparative size and populations served; what progress has been made in the Inland Water Survey in this area; and when he estimates that it will be completed.

There are 93 authorities with statutory powers to supply water in the West Riding of Yorkshire. They comprise: 85 local authorities serving populations between 540,000 and 1,500; four joint authorities serving populations between 65,000 and 34,000; and four water companies serving populations between 120,000 and 14,000. In addition there are a number of small companies and estate undertakings, without statutory powers, supplying populations up to 3,000. The total population supplied is about 3½ million. The Senior Engineering Inspector who is making the Survey has completed his local investigation and is now reviewing the information obtained, for the purposes of his detailed report on present conditions and his conclusions and recommendations on future supply arrangements. It is not possible to say how soon a report can be published.

asked the Minister of Health what reduction there has been since 1945 in the number of water undertakers in England and Wales; and how many orders have been made under Section 9 of the Water Act, 1945, for the combination of water undertakings.

The reduction in the number of water undertakers in England and Wales since 1945 is 49; 15 orders have been made under Section 9 of the Water Act, 1945.