military qualifications. Until experi- whether the recruits now anxious to ence has been gained of the effect of enrol will do so under the conditions of this upon the average standard reached The Volunteer Act, 1863, varied by by the soldier it is not practicable to such civil contracts as they may enter give any reliable estimate of the finan- into in respect to the gratuitous supply cial effect of these changes. of uniform and equipment, or under the new conditions now proposed by the Government of four years enlistment in a territorial army, three months notice, fine on leaving before the expiration of four years, compulsory annual camps, and six months' compulsory training whenever the First Class Army Reserve may be mobilised. Condition of Joiners' Work in Woolwich MR. W. T. WILSON (Lancashire, Westhoughton): To ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the conditions under which the joiners' work in the Woolwich Arsenal is done are such as to make it impossible for a joiner, who is a trade unionist, to accept employment there; and whether he intends taking any steps to alter the present conditions so that trade unionist joiners may have the same opportunity of working in the Arsenal as the nonunionist. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) I am not aware that the conditions under which the joiners' work is done in the Arsenal are of the nature which would make it impossible for a joiner who is a trade unionist to accept employment there, nor do I see any reason for making alterations in the present conditions. Future Employment of Irish Militia. CAPTAIN CRAIG (Down, E.): To ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can state the Government's intentions respecting the future employment of Irish Militia officers, the disposal of Irish Militia battalions of artillery, and the disposal of the North of Ireland and South of Ireland Imperial Yeomanry, officers, non-commissioned officers, and men, under the proposed scheme of army organisation. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) I am not in a position at the present moment to give any detailed information on these points beyond what I have already given to the House in my recent statements. Volunteer Regulations. SIR HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central): To ask the Secretary of State for War whether, having regard to the fact that this is the recruiting season for the Volunteer Force, he can say definitely (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) All recruiting for the Volunteer Force will for the present be under the existing statutes and regulations. Evictions on the Clanricarde Estates. MR. FETHERSTONHAUGH (Fermanagh, N.): To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland will he state the number of tenants evicted on the Irish estates of Lord Clanricarde in the seven years ending 1st January 1892, and in the fifteen years ending 1st January 1907, and state how many of those evicted in each period were evicted for non-payment of rent and how many on expiration or determination of their tenancies; how many of those so evicted for non-payment of rent subsequently redeemed or were restored to their holdings and how many are still out of possession; have the Estates Commissioners decided how many of those out of possession are suitable persons to be restored or to have new holdings provided for them; have they provided new holdings for any of the Clanricarde evicted tenants on the many Galway estates acquired by the Estates Commissioners; if not, will he press upon them the urgent need of so doing; and can he state approximately the present number of tenants. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners are unable to state accurately the number of evicted tenants on the Clanricarde estate, but 142 persons have applied for reinstatement in holdings on that estate. One hundred and seven of the applicants state that they were evicted during the seven years ending 1st January 1892. These 107 cases are the Act (shown above). Inquiries have made up as follows not yet been completed as to the number suitable to be restored or to have new holdings provided for them. There are approximately 891 agricultural and 472 town tenants on the Clanricarde estate. The Estates Commissioners already know the earnest wish of the Irish Government 3 to have these and other cases of evicted tenants investigated and, so far as may be, disposed of at the earliest possible date. 29 8 107 Twenty-nine of the applicants state they were evicted during the fifteen years ending 1st January 1907, and this number is made up as followsNumber who, it is stated, were evicted for non-payment of rent Cases in which application was made by a herd who was dismissed (no Number of applications with an in- Number evicted during the fifteen years who were given holdings on other estates in county Galway by the Commissioners 16 1 11 Tobacco Growing in Ireland. MR. MURPHY (Kerry, E.): To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Department of Agriculture in any way provides money which is given as a subvention or assistance for tobacco growing in Ireland; and what are the names of the persons in receipt of such assistance and the amounts granted in each case. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Department have erected three barns at Randalstown, county Meath, Tagoat, county Wexford, and Tullamore, King's County, at a cost of £1,727, £1,823, and £1,374, respectively. Colonel Everard, of Randalstown, Navan, has the use of the Randalstown barn; Messrs. Richardson, of Mullacrew, Tullamore, of the Tullamore barn; while about a dozen farmers at Tagoat share the barn at that centre. The Department supply the services of an expert to these centres and, so far as possible, to others growing 1 tobacco. They have also paid the wages (30s. per week) of an instructor for the Wexford tobacco growers. Beyond this the Department give no financial assistance, but growers receive a rebate of 1s. per lb. from the Government. 29 Six applications remain, and they are accounted for Evicted before the periods mentioned (one of these applications is outside the Act) Applications in which no date of eviction is given 4 Jamaica Earthquake-School Accommodation. cases MR. YOXALL (Nottingham, W.) To 2 ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that school 142 buildings and teachers' dwellings were destroyed by the recent earthquake in Jamaica; that in very many children and teachers have been rendered houseless; that it has not been practicable in several cases to re-open the schools, even in tents or shanties; that nevertheless the education department of the island has issued a circular to the If any tenants were evicted and subsequently redeemed, or were restored to their farms, presumably they have not lodged applications for reinstatement. So far as the Estates Commissioners are aware, 133 applicants are out of possession, but one of these applications is outside Dublin. MR. DELANY (Queen's County, Ossory): To ask the Secretary to the Treasury, if he will ask the Board of Works, Dublin, to explain why, when three staff officers' salaries were raised from £400 to £450, a staff officer, who is now registrar and has longer service, was ignored; and is he responsible for having this gentleman's case passed over. effect that the pay of any teacher who | Promotion in the Irish Board of Works does not open school at once will be stopped, and notices of school inspection are being served on some teachers in the city of Kingston; will he say what steps, if any, are being taken by the Government to provide for the housing and carrying on of the schools; and whether he can give instructions that during the exceptional conditions which now prevail the education department of the island shall show due consideration and make due allowances in these matters. (Answered by Mr. Churchill.) In answer to the hon. Member's Question, the Secretary of State has no information but will make inquiry. Valuation and Taxation of Land in MR. TREVELYAN: To ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will ask the Canadian Government for information, similar to that obtained from Australia and New Zealand and published in Cd. 3191 of 1906, with regard to the separate valuation and taxation of land in Vancouver and any other part of the dominion where such legislation is in force. (Answered by Mr. Churchill.) Yes, Sir. Assistant Clerks in the Customs Statistical Department. MR. O'DOWD (Sligo, S.): To ask the Secretary to the Treasury how many of the new class of assistant clerks are employed in the Statistical Department of the Customs; how many have sufficient service to render them eligible for promotion; and how many of the new class of assistant clerks in the statistical office have received promotion to port clerkships. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) I am informed that there are 127 of the new class of assistant clerks employed in the Statistical Department of the Customs; sixty of these clerks have sufficient service to render them eligible for promotion under the provisions of the Orders in Council of November 1898 and September 1902; and none of the class employed in the Statistical Department have received promotion to port clerkships. (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) The increase of pay of the three staff officers referred to was decided upon by the Treasury after conference with the Board of Works. No increase was made in the salary of the fourth staff officer, because the work of the registry is less responsible and less difficult than that of the other divisions. Overtime Pay for Postman Waite, of MR. SLOAN: To ask the Postmaster General, whether he will reconsider his refusal to pay overtime money to a postman named Waite, at Knock, seeing that for two years the man performed the overtime and during that period made repeated applications for payment, which was refused, though the work was admittedly performed and the man's daily work reduced in consequence; and will he state the nature of the regulation which precludes payment for work admittedly performed. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) It is not the practice to pay postmen for overtime on outdoor work which is not performed under immediate supervision and which cannot therefore be checked. It is true that for some time Waite's duty occupied him rather more than eight hours. This has, however, been put right, and the duty is now considerably less than eight hours. Fatal Railway Accidents. MR. BELL (Derby): To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many railway collisions or other kinds of accidents have occurred, in which one or more passengers were killed, from 1st January 1886 to 31st December 1906. 781 or (Answered by Mr. Kearley.) During of line battalions recently disbanded or the twenty-one years in question eighty- reduced, or about to be disbanded or six train accidents, resulting in fatal reduced, the officers belonging to these injuries to one more passengers, battalions, when transferred to other occurred on the railways of the United regiments for the convenience of the public service, will take their places in Kingdom. their new regiment at the bottom of the list of their rank or according to the dates of their present commissions. The Housing Bill. MR. BRODIE (Surrey, Reigate): To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is in a position to give any indication of the date of introduction of the Housing Bill promised in the King's Speech. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) Perhaps I may answer this Question. I am not at present in a position to state when the Bill referred to will be introduced. Standardising of Accounts of Local MR. BRODIE: To ask the President of the Local Government Board, whether he can fix any date for the issue of the Report on standardising the accounts of local authorities. (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I understand that the Committee are now considering their complete Report; but I am not at present able to fix the date for its issue. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) Officers of recently disbanded battalions are, on transfer, placed as juniors of their rank in the new regiment, in accordance with the provisions of the King's Regulations. I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to a reply which I gave on the 18th February to my hon. friend the Member for East Islington to a somewhat similar Question.† Liability of the Yeomanry for Foreign or MR. BRODIE: To ask the Secretary of State for War if it is intended that all Yeomanry should in future be engaged for foreign service, if necessary, whether only a certain number of Yeomanry are to be so engaged; and, in the latter case, whether arrangements will be made so that certain Yeomanry regiments may be engaged as units for foreign service, in view of the probable objection on the part of officers and men to Repayment of Loans for Volunteer Drill the division of their individual regiments Halls. MR. COCHRANE (Ayrshire, N.): To ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office if the sum of £439,000, to be voted for paying off loans to Volunteer corps for drill halls and ranges, covers the total indebtedness of those corps to the Public Works Loans Commissioners for the purposes mentioned. (Answered by Mr. Buchanan.) The Position of Officers of Disbanded into different classes, and of the probable want of homogeneity in the case of bodies formed of troops or squadrons from different regiments. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) It is not intended that the Yeomanry of the territorial force shall be enlisted with a liability for service abroad. The organisation of the special squadrons voluntarily undertaking such liability has not yet been finally settled. Strength of Horse and Field Artillery. CAPTAIN CRAIG: To ask the Secreupon the Table a Return showing the tary of State for War whether he will lay strength of the Horse and Field Artillery by batteries, officers, men, and horses on 1st April 1895 and 1st April 1905; whether he will also show the proposed 535-6. + See (4) Debates, clxix., establishment, giving batteries, officers, | Kingdom. He may also desire to know men, and horses under the Secretary of that the rebates of duties granted by State's scheme; and what saving in New Zealand to South Africa under a money it is estimated will be effected by preferential tariff arrangement recently the change. concluded are printed on page 183 of the Board of Trade Journal for 24th January, 1907. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The proposed scheme of reorganisation of the Horse and Field Artillery is not worked out in sufficient detail to enable me to give the information required by the last part of the Question, but I can give the hon. and gallant Member the information asked for in the first part of the Question should he still so desire. a Bonded Warehouses at Famagusta. *MR. REES (Montgomery Boroughs): Foreign Affairs whether a private corI beg to ask the Secretary of State for poration is endeavouring to obtain monopoly of the bonded warehouses at Famagusta, whereby, if such endeavours prove successful, Indian merchants will be at the mercy of such corporation in trading with Turkey; and, if so, whether he will take such steps as may be possible to secure an independent position for Indian trade with Turkey. MR. CHURCHILL: The proposal referred to by the hon. Member is still under the consideration of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and before a decision is taken upon it full consideration will be given to its possible effect on the interests of the Indian and other merchants on the island. |