new Canadian tariff to the Advisory Committee for consideration, and ask for their Report as to the general effect upon the trade of this country which might follow from the changes in the tariff rates and by the non-tariff provisions of the New Customs Bill of Canada. THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. LLOYD-GEORGE, Carnarvon Boroughs): The examination of Colonial tariffs is part of the duty of the Commercial Department of the Board of Trade, but I do not think that the suggested enlargement of the reference to the Advisory Committee is expedient. The Committee represents India and the Colonies as well as the United Kingdom, and is concerned with the effect of Foreign tarif's on the interests of various parts of the Empire. I am not sure that the Colonial representatives would approve of a change which would make it part of their duties to report on Colonial tariff proposals. Imports of Agricultural Machinery MR. REMNANT (Finsbury, Holborn): I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the total imports in 1905 of agricultural machinery into the free port of Hamburg were valued at £100 only; and whether, seeing that even if the whole of this importation were British it would not account for the want of agreement between British and German official figures as to the value of British agricultural machinery entering Germany, he will cause further Inquiries to be made for the purpose of explaining the discrepancies pointed out. MR. LLOYD-GEORGE: The hon. Member is under a misapprehension. The figure he quotes is that of the value of agricultural machinery imported into Germany from the free port of Hamburg. In reply to a further Question, MR. LLOYD-GEORGE said there was a vast difference between the figures for machinery imported into Hamburg for export into Germany and those imported for export elsewhere. British Imports from Austria-Hungary. MR. REMNANT: I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that, according to the Board of Trade Returns, the value of china and earthenware consigned from AustriaHungary to the United Kingdom was £51,173 in 1904 and £17,194 in 1905, whereas according to the official Returns of the Austrian Government the exports to the United Kingdom of pottery, porcelain, etc., were £199,000 in 1904 and £279,000 in 1905; and whether he can explain the discrepancy in the magnitude and movement of these two sets of figures. MR. LLOYD-GEORGE: The figures are correctly quoted by the hon. Member from the official Returns. I am causing inquiry to be made as to the explanation of the discrepancy. West Ham-Unemployed Women. MR. THORNE (West Ham, S.): I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his Board has come to any decision upon the application of the West Ham Distress Committee for a grant on behalf of a scheme for setting unemployed women to work, which has been stated to be under consideration. of the total money disbursed. It has a | General whether he has now completed farm colony, large relief works, and a his inquiry respecting the wages and substantial grant towards emigration. conditions of service of the metropolitan For the moment I cannot see my way to mail van drivers; and whether he is in grant any more. a position to state the decision at which he has arrived. Medical Officers of Health-Return. *SIR J. DICKSON-POYNDER (Wiltshire, Chippenham): I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if he will grant the Return relative to medical officers of health and inspectors of nuisances standing on to-day's Paper.† MR. JOHN BURNS: I shall be happy to give my hon. friend a Return as to the matters referred to under the headings (a) and (c) in his Motion. I have not the particulars referred to under (b). I will communicate with him on the subject of the Return before it is moved for. Food and Meat Inspection. MR. ALDEN (Middlesex, Tottenham): I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the Public Health (Regulations as to Food) Bill will contain any scheme for creating a uniform system of food and meat inspection throughout the whole of the London area. MR. JOHN BURNS: The Bill which is now before the House does not itself prescribe schemes. It enables regulations to be made by the Local Government Board for the prevention of danger to public health from the importation, preparation, storage, and distribution of food, and one of its objects is thereby to secure uniformity and efficiency of inspection in the case of particular foods or classes of foods for which control is necessary in the interests of public health, whether in London or elsewhere. Metropolitan Mail-Van Drivers. MR. PICKERSGILL (Bethnal Green, S.W.) I beg to ask the Postmaster Return showing (a) the salaries of the Medical Officer of Health and Inspector of Nuisances employed by each of the Rural District Councils in any three English counties; (b) the last annual Return of the general expenses incurred by such Officers; (c) the number of cases in which a Rural District Council, in any of the three selected counties, has obtained, under the Local Government Act, 1888, from the County Council, out of the Exchequer Contribution Account, payment of half the salaries of their Medical Officer and their Inspector of Nusiances. SYDNEY BUXTON, Tower Hamlets, PopTHE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. SYDNEY BUXTON, Tower Hamlets, Poplar): I was satisfied from the informaand from elsewhere that the wages and tion supplied me by the Board of Trade conditions of service of the carmen in London, working under Post Office Owing, contracts, required revision. however, to the varying nature of carmen's work, it seemed impossible to assert that there was in London a definite "fair wage" recognised by employers and men. I therefore entered into negotiations with the contractors in London. These negotiations have resulted in an arrangement by which concurrently with certain modifications in the terms of the various mail cart contracts, the minimum wages that shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of the fair wages clause are to be as follows:-For single horse drivers 25s. a week; for pair horse drivers 27s. per week. In addition to the wage, complete uniform is to be provided, the prime cost of which amounts to over 1s. 3d. a week. The hours during which the carmen are to be on duty are not to exceed twelve a day, from yard to yard (or in certain exceptional cases seventy-two a week), beyond which overtime is to be paid. These conditions compare favourably with those of other employers, and show a considerable improvement on the conditions hitherto prevailing under the Post Office contracts. The new rates will come into force on the first of next month. I desire to place on record the reasonable and fair spirit in which the various contractors met my representative throughout the negotiations. Australian Mail Service. MR. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E.): I beg to ask the Postmaster-General if the arrangements have been completed for the new Australian mail service; whether in future, as heretofore, it is intended that a weekly despatch of mails to Australia shall take place; and whether there is any discontinuance of the Australian mail service via San Francisco. MR. SYDNEY BUXTON: The present weekly service maintained by the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company under contract with the Imperial Post Office and by the Orient Steam Navigation Company under contract with the Commonwealth Post Office in alternate weeks provides for the conveyance of mails under the existing conditions until the 31st of January, 1908. I am at present considering the arrangements to be made after that date in regard to the fortnightly service under my control. I understand that the Australian Government is desirous of maintaining an alternating service of its own; but I have no official information as to the action which is being taken by that Government. So far as correspondence for Australia is concerned the San Francisco route is used only at the request of the senders. I understand that one voyage included in the time table is to be omitted and that the service in the homeward direction is now somewhat irregular. The trans Pacific service is not under Imperial control. The "People's Friend." MR. WILKIE (Dundee): I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether, seeing that such publications as the People's Friend cost when sent through the post one penny, although weighing under 2 ounces, and that other publications, weighing up to three pounds, can pass through the Post Office for one halfpenny, he will take steps to have this difference of treatment removed. MR. SYDNEY BUXTON: The privilege of transmission at the newspaper rate of postage given by the Post Office Act, 1870, is not dependent upon the weight of a publication, but, primarily The upon the nature of its contents. publishers of the People's Friend with whom I have recently been in correspondence, inform me that they are unable to modify the character of the paper so as to bring it under the statutory definition of a "newspaper." Under these circumstances I have no power to admit it under the newspaper rate. MR. C. E. PRICE (Edinburgh, Central): In view of the great grievance felt by the working classes on this subject, will the right hon. Gentleman introduce the necessary legislation ? MR. SYDNEY BUXTON: That would open up a very large question. Post Office Telephone Wires. MR. RAWLINSON (Cambridge University): I beg to ask the PostmasterGeneral whether he is aware that a Post Office telephone wire has been taken and Hylands House, Epsom, without the across certain properties called Hylands consent of the occupiers or owners of the with his authority; and, if not, whether said properties; whether this was done he will take any, and what, steps to prevent the occurrence of similar trespasses in other parts of the country. MR. SYDNEY BUXTON: There appears to have been some irregularity in the manner in which the wire in question was erected, and a meeting has been arranged between one of my officers and the occupier of Hylands House to discuss the matter. such as to require action on my part. No general question arises Education Bill Grant of 1906. SIR H. NORMAN (Wolverhampton, S.): I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether the sum of £1,000,000 a year, provided for educational purposes under the Education Bill of 1906, will still be available for those purposes; and, if so, whether he will consider such application of the money in question as will secure that there shall be a public elementary school under popular control within reach of every child whose parents desire the same. THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION (Mr. McKENNA, Monmouthshire, N.): The additional grant of £1,000,000 included in the Bill of last session was necessitated to a conextent to meet the exsiderable have been penditure which would thrown on local authorities if the Bill had become law. As my hon. friend is aware, owing to circumstances which it is not in the power of this House to control, the law has remained unchanged, and I fear, therefore, I can hold out no hope that the additional grant will be available. Education Department Staff. MR. SAMUEL ROBERTS (Sheffield, Ecclesall): I beg to ask the President Provision for New Schools. of the Board of Education what eco- | in the £ or over in the year preceding nomies and reductions of personnel in the grant. the English section of the Education Department will result from the appointment of officials, not hitherto members of the Civil Service, to control public elementary education in Wales. MR. MCKENNA: The new officials will not control public elementary education, or any other form of education; they will carry out the administration and inspection of education of all grades in Wales under the control of the President of the Board of Education. I cannot yet say to what extent the three new appointments from outside may render possible a reduction of the staff of the Board of Education beyond that already announced. Monitors in Elementary Schools. MR. BRIDGEMAN: I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether the monitor system in elementary schools is encouraged by the Board; what arrangements the Board makes for aiding their instruction; and how many of them ultimately become pupil teachers. The MR. BRIDGEMAN: I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education, if he will state by what method he proposes to allot the £100,000 for special provision for new schools entered in Estimates, Class 4, 1, 3, c. 6; and for what purpose is it provided. MR. MCKENNA: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has allowed £100,000 to be placed on the Estimates with a view to enabling the Board, as and when occasion requires and within the limits of this sum, to furnish the means for providing a public elementary school in cases where the only existing school accommodation is wholly of a denominational character and a strong demand is made by the parents for an undenominational school. LORD BALCARRES (Lancashire, Chorley): And how many children will thus be accommodated? MR. MCKENNA: It is impossible to say. Welsh Education Department and Chichester): I beg to ask the President education trusts in Wales. MR. MCKENNA: The Board offer no encouragement to the employment of menitors in public elementary schools, in view of the importance of postponing as long as possible any such interruption of the young person's general education as is entailed by monitorial duties. Board do not, however, prohibit the MR. MCKENNA: As regards secondemployment of young persons, in certain circumstances, to assist the teachers in ary education the Answer is in the affirmative. As regards elementary matters of class routine, other than education it may be necessary to retain teaching, especially in infant classes. I for a time the existing arrangements have no information as to the last para-pending the concentration of all branches graph of the Question. of the Board's work in the new building. Special Grants. MR. BRIDGEMAN: I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education, if he can state the nature of the special grants to certain local education authorities, for which a decrease of £200,000 is estimated for under Class 4, 1, 2, c. 6. MR. Cost of Primary Education. MR. MURPHY (Kerry, E.): I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education if he can state the exact amount required for primary education in England and Wales in the present Estimates. MCKENNA: The grants in MR. MCKENNA: I am not sure what question were in aid of the expenditure the hon. Member would include in of local education authorities which had primary education, and I must refer him been under the necessity of levying a to the Estimates themselves which are rate for elementary education of 1s. 6d. now published. VOL. CLXX. [FOURTH SERIES.] 2 Y Election Expenditure. MR. CROOKS (Woolwich): I beg to ask Mr. Attorney-General whether he proposes to bring in a Bill to amend the Corrupt Practices Act with regard to Parliamentary and municipal elections, so as to make it illegal for any outside persons spending money or incurring expenditure to promote the candidature of any person who is a candidate beyond the expenditure allowed by law to be expended by any candidate. THE ATTORNEY - GENERAL (Sir JOHN WALTON, Leeds, S.): I have already said I hope to be able to bring in a Bill on this subject. It was, I think, the intention of Parliament to limit expenses during elections in the interests of candidates as well as with the object of securing the purity and simplicity of elections. That aim of the Corrupt Practices Act has not been fully realised. Clifton Park Agricultural Experiments. SIR J. JARDINE (Roxburghshire): I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether the Board distributes information to landowners and farmers through the county councils as to new machines and processes, artificial manures and their results, dairy work and cheese-making, etc.; and whether the Board will in that or some other way bring to the notice of the agricultural classes the fact that Clifton-on-Bowmont, near Kelso, in the county of Roxburgh, a demonstration farm has been established by a Scottish landowner, Mr. Robert H. Elliot, of Clifton Park, at his own expense and at all times open, to enable farmers to see in operation on the land itself the Clifton Park system of agriculture, especially the renovation of exhausted soils by the planting of certain roots and crops of a remunerative kind, without the use of artificial manures. at SIR EDWARD STRACHEY (Somersetshire, S.): The Answer to the first part of my hon. friend's Question is in the affirmative. The Board are fully acquainted with the interesting experiments carried on by Mr. Elliot at Clifton. He was good enough to prepare an article on the subject which we published in our Journal for December, 1901, and attention was also directed to his work in detail in Gooseberry Cultivation. MR. ROWLANDS (Kent, Dartford): I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether he can supply any information of the total commercial value of the gooseberry crop of Great Britain; and could he confirm the estimate that the gooseberry crop of the Wisbeach district alone is worth an annual average value of about £20,000. SIR EDWARD STRACHEY: There were over 80,000 acres nnder small fruit in Great Britain last year, of which 5,279 acres were in Cambridgeshire and 4,810 acres in Norfolk. We have, however, no information as to the acreage under particular descriptions of small fruit, and we cannot therefore test the accuracy of the estimate to which my hon. friend refers. We propose during the current year, to obtain more detailed statistics as to fruit culture in England, which is, I am glad to say, steadily increasing both in importance and extent. Ecclesiastical Commission and Estate Leases. MR. WEDGWOOD: I beg to ask the right hon. Member for the Hallam Division of Sheffield, as representing the Church Estates Commission, whether he can say what was the total number of leases granted by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners during 1906; and how many of these contained a prohibitive, and how many a restrictive, covenant with regard to the sale of beer, wine and spirits. MR. STUART WORTLEY (Sheffield, Hallam): The total number of leases granted by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in 1906 was 625. It is and has been for over twenty years the practice of the Commissioners to insert in all building leases and leases of house property granted by them, covenants |