houses under the Act; the amounts of simply because a member of the Governthe advance in each case; and the rate ment represents Derry City in this of interest charged to applicants on the House. loan. Londonderry Town Clerk. MR. MURPHY (Kerry, E.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the LordLieutenant of Ireland if he will state under what Statutes and on what statement of facts, as to age and length of service and otherwise, was the sanction of the Lord-Lieutenant given to a retiring allowance to the present town clerk of the allowance to the present town clerk of the county borough of Londonderry on his proposed retirement in April next, and by whom the statement was submitted; whether the Lord-Lieutenant will receive from the ratepayers of the borough a memorial on the law and facts of the case, and if satisfied that the town clerk is not entitled to a retiring allowance, would he reconsider his consent so given; and, will he explain why was this information denied to a member of the corporation by the Local Government Board. MR. WYNDHAM: The proposal to grant a retiring allowance to the town clerk of Londonderry was made by the Corporation of that city at meetings held in May and August last. The Lord. Lieutenant's sanction to the allowance was given in pursuance of the Local Officers Superannuation Act, 1869, on the understanding that the town clerk's retirement would not take effect before next April, when he will have attained the age of sixty years. The Lord-Lieutenant acted upon a statement signed by the Mayor of Derry. The Local Govern ment Board is not aware that there is any foundation for the suggestion at the end of the Question. I cannot undertake that the Lord-Lieutenant will re-open the case, but any representations that may be made to him in the matter will be considered. MR. WILLIAM REDMOND: could not something be done by altering the route? MR. MURPHY: Is it not the fact that according to law any officer filling a position such as that of town clerk, who performs other duties, is not entitled to superannuation. Has not the town clerk of Derry notoriously filled other offices, and has he not obtained superannuation of the fact that these routes *MR. SPEAKER: Order, order! The hon. Member must give notice of that. MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY: But in view MR. SPEAKER: Order, order! The proposes to take in connection with this Question on the Paper has been fully resolution. answered. MR. WYNDHAM: The resolution has been received. It is not proposed to repeal the enactment in question, under which the duty of preparing these lists was transferred to the secretaries of county councils. Captain Annesly's Estate. ask the Chief Secretary to the LordMR. JOHN O'DONNELL: I beg to Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the estate of the representatives of the late Captain Annesly, MR. SPEAKER: The Question on the situated at and near Island, Ballyhaunis, Paper has been answered fully. *MR. FLAVIN: Then I give notice that I will put down a Question for Monday. Irish Labourers' Cottages. MR. SHEEHAN (Cork County, Mid.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received a resolution from the Millstreet Rural District Council urging that a clause should be inserted in the Labourers Bill entitling the occupiers of labourers' cottages erected under the Land Commission Acts to an additional half acre of land; and, if so, whether, in view of the benefits that would be conferred by such an extension of existing legislation, he will insert a provision such as indicated. Preparation of Voters' Lists. MR. SHEEHAN: I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received from the Millstreet Union a resolution calling upon the Government to repeal Section 83 (7) of the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898, so as to transfer to clerks of unions the duties of preparing the jurors' and voters' lists, with a view to curtail the higher fees involved by their preparation by the secretaries of county councils, and, in view of the fact that clerks of unions possess the local knowledge which is requisite in making out county Mayo, has been offered to the Congested Districts Board for sale, and that an offer has been made by that Board; and whether, if there is any material difference between the demand and offer, he will advise the Congested Districts Board to make a further offer with a view to purchasing the estate for the purpose of enlarging holdings in that district. MR. WYNDHAM: I have not yet completed my inquiries in respect of this estate, and will ask the hon. Member to repeat the Question on Monday next. Taafe Estate, County Mayo. MR. JOHN O'DONNELL: I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the LordLieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that last November the Congested Districts Board made an offer for the Taafe Estate, near Ballyhaunis, in the county of Mayo, which offer has not yet been brought definitely before the Land Judge's Court in which that estate now is; and that the tenants have repeatedly offered to purchase it during the last thirty years and take it out of that Court; and, if so, whether he will take immediate steps to have this sale completed. MR. WYNDHAM: Negotiations for the sale of this estate are pending between the solicitors having carriage of the proceedings and the Congested Districts Board. When these have been satisfactorily settled an offer will be made by O'Grady Estate, County Mayo. MR. JOHN O'DONNELL: I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Congested Districts Board made an offer some time ago for the O'Grady estate, on which stands a portion of the town of Ballyhaunis, county Mayo, and that the Receiver on the estate refused that offer on the ground that it would deprive the graziers, who held portions of it on the eleven months' system, of their privileges in keeping large areas under grass; and whether, seeing that this Receiver has stated that he will not sell to the Board so as to prevent the enlargement of holdings, he will have full inquiries made into this case. MR. WYNDHAM: No offer has been made by the Congested Districts Board for the purchase of the O'Grady estate. In 1902 the question was considered by the Board, but no action was taken, as it was understood that the owner and the tenants contemplated a sale through the Land Commission. I am unable to say whether the Receiver acted in the manner alleged, but in any case it would be outside his province either to accept or reject such an offer, if made. National Expenditure. MR. GIBSON BOWLES: I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, can he now say what decision His Majesty's Government have arrived at with reference to the recommendations of the Select Committee on National Expenditure that an Estimates Committee should be appointed, at the beginning of each session, for examination of and report on one class of the Estimates precedent to their discussion in Committee of Supply, and that a day should be provided for the consideration by this House of the Reports of the Public Accounts Committee, and an opportunity be given of taking a decision upon the recommendations embodied therein. THE PRIME MINISTER AND FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.): The matter to which my hon. friend refers has been under the consideration of the Government, and a good many Questions upon VOL. CXXX. [FOURTH SERIES.] 1 it have been postponed till Monday. If my hon. friend will postpone his Question till next Tuesday, and if the other Questions are postponed till the same day, I shall hope to make a statement in answer to them all. Dublin Post Office-Promotions to the Clerks' Class. MR. NANNETTI: I beg to ask the Postmaster - General if he can explain why from one hundred and thirteen to one hundred and seventy-nine men were passed over in the recent promotions to the clerks' class in the Dublin Post Office; can he say what were the special qualifications of the selected men; and why the claims of officers, who had been acting as clerks for a considerable length of time and who had long service and excellent records, were overlooked. the Dublin Office and has seldom season, and whether, in view of the performed supervising duties there. depletion of the male staff, he will cause inquiry to be made. j aware that LORD STANLEY: None of the officers on the second class of assistant superLORD STANLEY: I am intendents in the Dublin sorting office the number of male sorting clerks and could be certified to possess the telegraphists at Armagh has been qualifications necessary for promotion to reduced by one, by the substitution of a the more important post of first class female for a male officer. At the same assistant superintendent. I selected an time, however, the staff has been strengthofficer who was not only exceptionally ened by the employment of two addiwell fitted for promotion, but better tional female officers. I will have qualified then any of those who stood inquiry made as regards the selection above him. This officer had long of an officer for temporary duty. experience, although a comparatively short part of his service was in the Dublin Office; and I am satisfied that his promotion was fully justified in the interest of the public service. Dublin Post Office-Leave Arrangements. MR. NANNETTI: I beg to ask the Postmaster-General if he is aware that dissatisfaction exists in the Dublin sorting office with reference to the annual leave arrangements for the coming year by which large batches are listed for leave in March, April, and October, and comparatively few in the summer months; and whether, in view of the practice of the Department to allow an equal number out in each term of leave as is the case in the telegraph branch in Dublin, and of the fact that although a memorial from the staff was presented to the Controller, the leave is being rearranged on practically the same plan as the original one which has been withdrawn, he will take steps to provide a system of annual leave distributed equally over the summer months. Armagh Post Office-Learner's Pay. MR. JOHN CAMPBELL: I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that a learner, who has been employed at the Armagh Post Office, has received no salary for the first twelve months, and is now in receipt of only six shillings a week, whether the official reports show that he has discharged his duties in a competent manner; and whether he will consider the advisability of granting him some increase of pay. LORD STANLEY: I am not aware of the facts, but I will inquire into them. Cash-on-Delivery Post in Ireland. MR. SHEEHAN : I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether he has received resolutions from local authorities in Ireland objecting to the cash-on-delivery post as being calculated to inflict injury on traders and shopkeepers in country towns and villages in Ireland; and, if so, will he state what are the intentions of his Department towards this post. LORD STANLEY: Memorials from LORD STANLEY: The circumstances to which the hon. Member refers have not been brought before me; but I will certain associations in Ireland, objecting make inquiry. Armagh Post Office-Staff Arrangements. MR. JOHN CAMPBELL: I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the male staff at Armagh Post Office has been reduced, and in consequence the working of both counter and postal duties has fallen upon to the institution of a postal system of Cork Post Office-Rates of Pay for MR. J. F. X. O'BRIEN (Cork): I beg a few men; and will he state whether the practice of withdrawing an to ask the Postmaster-General if he will officer for temporary duty without in and in discussing the Army Estimates nothing connected with the Navy can be introduced. There should, no doubt, be an opportunity of discussing the combination of the two defensive forces of the Empire; and probably, if and when the change foreshadowed in the Question takes effect, the debate can most properly take place on the Vote for the Secretary or Staff of the Defence Committee. I shall endeavour to put it down in such a form that the First Lord of the Treasury shall be the person to deal with such a Vote. The Chairman of the Defence Committee is the Prime Minister, and I think he ought to reply. If the Prime Minister should be in the other House, there might be some difficulty in arranging who should answer for the Defence Committee, but at the present time, at all events, I shall put it down in such a form that I shall be the to reply. person Balkan Peninsula. MR. GIBSON BOWLES: I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury have His Majesty's Government now received any further information as to the probability of an outbreak of war in the Balkan Peninsula which they can communicate to the House; do they propose to take any, and if so, what steps to prevent the outbreak of such a war; and can they lay upon the Table any recent correspondence on the subject. MR. A. J. BALFOUR: I do not think it would be to the public interest for me to make a statement at the present time or to lay additional Papers on the Table of the House. Great Britain and Spain. MR. GIBSON BOWLES: I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury are His Majesty's Government aware that the Spanish Government is mobilising its forces and has ordered reinforcements of troops to the Balearic Isles, to Ceuta, to Tarifa, and to Algeciras; are His Majesty's Government in posession of any information which enables them to explain this action of the Spanish Government; and can they give this House an assurance that the relations between this |