offences against property are than for offences against persons. heavier | joint-stock companies from the Board of Trade. If my hon. friend desires more detailed information on the subject I shall be happy to furnish him with it. MR. GLADSTONE: I have seen a newspaper report of the first of the two cases mentioned by the hon. Member, but I have not heard of the second. In passing sentences for receiving stolen property, the Court, I believe, always considers the question whether or not the prisoner is a habitual receiver and carries on a trade which is likely to lead other persons to commit crime. In the case to which the hon. Member alludes there appears to have been evidence that the prisoner employed women and young boys to steal for him. While it is impossible to institute any exact comparison of the sentences passed for crimes against the person and against property, it is clear from the statistics that, speaking generally, crimes against the person receive the severer punishment. For instance, in 1905 there were thirtyfive sentences of penal servitude for ten years or upwards passed at the Assizes and Quarter Sessions for crimes against the person and only eight for crimes against property, although crimes of the latter class were four times as numerous as those of the former. Board of Trade Offices in Scotland. MR. C. E. PRICE (Edinburgh Cen tral): I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade how many offices the Department has in Scotland; and how duties laid the Board of many upon Trade by statute are discharged by other public departments in Scotland. Third-Class Sleeping Cars on Trains. MR. C. E. PRICE: I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has made any representations to the principal railway companies of the United Kingdom and Ireland, which were promised on 26th April, 1906, as to the desirability and necessity of providing third-class sleeping accommodation upon their night trains: and, if so, with what result. MR. LLOYD-GEORGE: Yes, Sir; and the result of the communications which took place was stated in this House on 5th November last in reply to a Question asked by my hon. friend the Member for Sutherlandshire.† I am sending a copy of this reply to my hon. friend. The Wreck of the "Berlin "-Rocket MR. A. L. LEVER (Essex, Harwich): I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the Hook of Holland is equipped with a rocket apparatus; and, if not, in view of the terrible disaster to the s.s. "Berlin," will he make representations to the Dutch authorities for the installation of such a life-saving appliance ? MR. LLOYD-GEORGE: Yes, Sir. I am informed that a rocket apparatus is stationed at the Hook of Holland, but it could not be used at the wreck of the THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD" Berlin" owing to the distance of the OF TRADE (Mr. LLOYD-GEORGE, Car- vessel from the shore. narvon Boroughs): The Board of Trade have offices for carrying out duties under the Merchant Shipping Acts at Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow, Greenock, and Leith. There are also offices under the same Act at various other ports of Scotland, the business being transacted with the consent of the Commissioners of Customs by customs officers who hold appointments from the Board of Trade, and there are certain other duties carried out for the Board of Trade by the coastguard, who are under the Admiralty. The registration of companies in Scot land is conducted by the King's and Lord Treasurer's remembrancer, who holds an appointment as registrar of MR. LEIF JONES asked whether the right hon. Gentleman would consider the desirability of compelling ships to carry rocket apparatus. MR. LLOYD-GEORGE: That suggestion is being considered. It was put forward last week, and I have sent it to the proper authorities. Overcrowding on the District Railway. MR. POWER (Waterford, E.): I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, except + See (4) Debates, clxiv., 129. tor limited periods during the mornings and evenings, the trains on the District Railway consist, as a rule, of only three carriages; and whether he will represent to the railway company the inconvenience passengers suffer by this want of accommodation and see that all trains on this line consist of at least four carriages. MR. LLOYD-GEORGE: The company inform me that the loading of the trains is constantly under observation, and that some of the trains which formerly consisted of three and six cars have from the 1st instant been made four and seven-car trains respectively. The Board of Trade have no power to require that all trains should consist of at least four carriages. Unemployment in America. MR. REMNANT (Finsbury, Holborn): I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the American Report on the unemployed, in which it is stated that the average unemployment in New York State over a period of three years, including 1903, 1904, and 1905, is 17 per cent., is an official publication issued by the United States Government; whether he has any official information shewing that the percentage referred to includes persons unable to work owing to strike, lock-out, sickness, and superannuation, as well as those who are unemployed through lack of work; and whether it is due to statistics so collated that the Board of Trade issued a warning to the effect that such circumstances produce abnormally high percentages of unemployed and make the figures unsuitable for comparison with other countries. THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. JOHN BURNS, Battersea): The American Report which I quoted is the twenty-third Annual Report of the Bureau of Labour Statistics published by the New York State Department of Labour. I am aware of the warning issued by the Board of Trade to which the hon. Member refers, but I may say that, after making every allowance for the differences between the figures for this country and those for the New York State, the fact remains that the percentage of unemployed in that State is abnormally high as compared with the percentage in this country shown in the Board of Trade Returns. MR. JESSE COLLINGS (Birmingham, Bordesley): May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether or not the statistics of unemployed in the United States refer only to certain skilled organisations which make the Return and do not include the great body of persons employed in other trades. MR. JOHN BURNS: Generally speaking that is true, but if these Reports did refer to the unorganised and unskilled the inference would be that the figures with regard to America would be, in my judgment, larger than I have stated. SIR GILBERT PARKER (Gravesend): Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the emigrants who have not yet been absorbed in the labour operations in the United States, and who number a million a year, are included in these Returns? MR. JOHN BURNS: There is no evidence of that. My experience and investigation when I was in America on two different occasions showed that the statement I made the other night was perfectly correct. MR. CHIOZZA MONEY (Paddington, N.): Is it not a fact that the figures of the New York State Department of labour refer to trade unionists, and therefore obviously cannot include the class referred to by the hon. Member for Gravesend ? in 1897, which were not so bad as those of the period 1893-6. *MR. CHIOZZA MONEY: Is it not a fact that in the recent meat strike and other strikes in America men have always been found to take the place of the strikers, proving a great surplus of the unemployed? [No Answer was returned.] Grants to Distress Committees. MR. THORNE (West Ham, S.): I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he will state the total amount of grants made out of the £200,000 to the various Distress Committees up to the 12th February, 1907; and the total amount of grants made from that date up to the 28th February. MR. JOHN BURNS: The total amount paid out of the grant to the Central Unemployed Body for London and to the Distress Committees in England and Wales up to and including 12th February last was £48,255. The total amount paid from that date up to and including 28th February was £19,140. I may add that sums amounting to £20,000 were allocated to Scotland and Ireland from the grant. The allocation was made prior to 12th February. Guardians and Service Pensions. MR. T. F. RICHARDS (Wolverhamp ton, W.): I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he will recommend the various boards of guardians throughout the country to place the naval and military pensioners upon the same footing as members of friendly societies if they are compelled to apply for out-door relief, so that no portion of their pension up to and including the sum of five shillings per week should be taken into account by boards of guardians when granting outdoor relief. MR. JOHN BURNS: Legislation would be necessary to enable boards of guardians to adopt the course desired by my hon. friend. I am, therefore, not in a position to make to them the recommendation which he suggests. Sewage Pollution in the Thames. MR. MORTON (Sutherland): I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that the Port of London sanitary authority recently caused samples of Thames water to be taken at various points from Teddington to the Nore, and analysed, for the purpose of ascertaining the degree of pollution of the river within that authority's jurisdiction, and that the result of such analysis shows that at Greenhithe there is a great increase in pollution (as compared with the water above that point), due to the discharge of some 250,000,000 gallons of sewage effluent per day at Barking and Crossness outfall sewers; whether he has any official information showing that the best and latest methods of purification are adopted, and, if not, what steps he proposes should be taken to ensure this being done. MR. JOHN BURNS: I have seen a Report of the Port of London Sanitary Committee as to the matters referred to in the earlier part of the Question. The London County Council have for many years chemically treated the sewage of London, and I am informed that they are now engaged upon experiments on the most modern scientific lines, including improved purification by bacterial methods. Members of Parliament and Post Office Appointments. *MR. SOARES (Devonshire, Barnstaple): I beg to ask the PosmasterGeneral what, if any, are the powers and influence of a Member of Parliament with regard to Post Office appointments to sub-offices, or otherwise. MR. SYDNEY BUXTON: There is no stipulation or condition in the contract with the Great Eastern Railway Company which could have the effect suggested by the hon. Member. Education (Special Religious Instruction) Bill. MR. PIKE PEASE (Darlington): I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education what will be the estimated annual cost to the managers of Church of England Schools in respect of the Education (Special Religious Instruction) Bill. THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. | weather it would be in the interests of SYDNEY BUXTON, Tower Tower Hamlets, safety to life to delay so doing. Poplar): In former times sub-postmasters were appointed on the nomination of the Member of Parliament in whose constituency the vacancy occurred; but this system was finally abolished twelve years ago, and the Postmaster-General is now solely responsible for all such appointments. Members of Parliament, as such, have no special powers or influence in the matter; I have indeed laid it down that political influence, in the ordinary sense of the term, is not to be sought by applicants for these appointments, and I understand that this rule has met with general favour from Members of this House. Of course, I give due weight to any opinions expressed by a Member of Parliament or other persons regarding the suitability or qualifications of a candidate, where that opinion is based on personal knowledge. In the case of postmasterships, salaried sub-postmasterships, and other established posts which are usually filled by persons already in the service, candidates are strictly forbidden to obtain outside influence in support of their application. * MR. SOARES: Then am I to under stand that neither political nor social influence have any effect in regard to Post Office appointments, that the Postmaster-General is guided solely by the Reports of his own staff, and further that his sole motive by which he is guided in making these appointments is the efficiency of the public service? MR. SYDNEY BUXTON: I think my Answer covers that point. I can assure the hon. Member that the object I have in view, as I am sure all hon. Members have, is the efficiency of the service. Harwich and Hook of Holland Mail MR. A. L. LEVER: I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether any of the Post Office contracts in force with the Great Eastern Railway Company, with reference to carrying the mails between Harwich and the Hook of Holland, contain any regulations and stipulations or impose any penalties that might induce the Company to permit or unduly influ ence its officers to leave Harwich or enter the Hook, when by virtue of the stress of MR. CARLILE (Hertfordshire, St. Albans): I beg also to ask the President of the Board of Education what is the total estimated sum for which managers of non-provided schools are liable, during the present financial year, in respect of special religious instruction given by teachers in those schools. THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION (Mr. MCKENNA, Monmouthshire, N.): In reply to these Questions, I must refer to the Answer I gave to a similar Question yesterday. Religious Instruction in Schools. President of the Board of Education MR. CARLILE: I beg to ask the what is the basis of his estimate that the proportion of time occupied in giving special religious instruction in provided schools amounts to one-fifteenth of the whole occupation of the teacher. non interest to enter upon any argumentative defence or explanation of provisions in the Bill by means of Question and Answer, which can better be dealt with in Committee of the House. Secular Instruction. LORD R. CECIL: I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education whether the secular instruction given in non-provided schools differs in subjects or otherwise from that given in provided schools. MR. MCKENNA: I have no reason to suppose that the secular instruction given in provided schools taken as a class differs from that given in non-provided schools taken as a class, but I have no doubt that, in the case of particular schools, differences may be found. West Riding. Attorney-General. MR. CLOUGH; I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education, whether he will supply each Member of this House with a copy of the transcript of the shorthand notes of the judgments of the Master of the Rolls and Lord Justices Fletcher Moulton and Farwell, delivered in the Court of Appeal, West Riding v. Attorney-General, on 8th August, 1906. MR. MCKENNA: I will lay upon the Table a copy of the transcript of the shorthand notes of the judgments delivered in the Divisional Court, the Court of Appeal, and the House of Lords. Dividing Societies. MR. CHIOZZA MONEY: I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury if his attention has been directed to the fact that a large number of friendly societies exist, registered and unregistered, which are conducted on the dividing principle, and which, while they give their members no real assurance of future benefit, in many cases lead them to believe that such assurance actually exists; and if he can see his way to compel such dividing societies either to register in a special class or to frame such a scale of contributions as shall assure benefits. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. RUNCIMAN, Dewsbury): I am informed that there is noreason to suppose that dividing societies hold out fallacious hopes to their members any more than other friendly societies or joint stock companies. Indeed the fact that a society divides the funds should be sufficient evidence to an intelligent man that its main object is to provide for no more than immediate needs and that he is not likely to have the additional security of accumulated funds. As regards the proposals of my hon. friend, the system of compelling societies to have approved scales of contributions existed under the Friendly Societies Act of 1829 but proved a failure and was repealed in 1834. It could of course be only enforced in the case of registered societies and would serve as a deterrent to registration. Registration is not at present compulsory and it would therefore be impossible to enforce registration in a special class. Moreover I understand that such a regulation would not prove any check upon the evil if it exists. Customs Revenue for Imports. MR. R. DUNCAN (Lanarkshire, Govan): I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury if he can make such arrangements for the current year 1907 as will show the values of imports into the United Kingdom from foreign countries, and, separately, from the Colonies and India, also the items of revenue derived therefrom by Customs duties. MR. RUNCIMAN: The values of the principal articles imported into the United Kingdom from foreign countries. India, and British Possessions, are shown in the volumes of the Annual Statement of Trade, and will be published as usual for 1907. I am informed that it is not possible without incurring much expense to make arrangements to give separately for 1907 the amounts of revenue derived from Customs duties on articles imported from foreign countries, India, and the Colonies, and the compilation of such statistics for subsequent years would involve a large amount of additional work and necessitate a considerable increase in the staff of the statistical department. I do not think the result to be obtained warrants the expenditure. |