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The Reported Rising in Nigeria. Supplementary Estimates were circulated MR. MALCOLM (Suffolk, Stowmarket): yesterday. There will also be SuppleMay I ask the Secretary for the Colonies mentary Estimates for the Army and whether he has any official information Navy.

about the disasters in Southern Nigeria reported in this morning's paper?

*MR. LYTTELTON: No, Sir.

Trinidad Disturbances. MR. WEIR: I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he wil state when the Report of the Chief Justice of British Guiana, relative to the disturbances at Port of Spain, Trinidad, will be laid upon the Table of the House.

*MR. LYTTELTON: I cannot at present state whether the Report will be published or when.

MR. WEIR: May I repeat the Ques

tion in a week's time?

*MR. LYTTELTON: Oh, a little longer. National Finance-Unexpended Balances. MR. WEIR: I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, having regard to the fact that the unexpended balances of Votes surrendered to the Exchequer by Government Departments during the last ten years amounts to £11,613,119 19s. 9d., will he state how much of this sum represents Scottish and Irish Votes respectively.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN, Worcestershire, E.): I fear it is impossible to show the total surrenders out of monies provided for Scottish and Irish services because a great part of this provision is included in Votes such as those for the Post Office and Inland Revenue Departments which apply to the whole of the United Kingdom and which cannot, therefore, be earmarked to particular countries.

Supplementary Estimates.

MR. WHITLEY: I beg to ask the Secretary of the Treasury whether there will be any Supplementary Estimates this year; and, if so, can he indicate the nature of the Votes required.

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY (Mr. VICTOR CAVENDISH, Derbyshire, W.): The Civil Service

MR. WHITLEY: Can the hon. Gentleman state the total amount to be asked for?

MR. VICTOR CAVENDISH: I am afraid not.

MR. WEIR: Can we have the amount for the Navy?

MR. PRETYMAN: £1,270,000. The Estimate will be circulated to-morrow.

Poor Prisoners' Defence Act.

SIR THOMAS DEWAR (Tower Hamlets, St. George's): I beg to ask Mr. Solicitor-General whether he is aware that the Recorder, when dealing with the case of a prisoner brought before him at the Old Bailey on the 9th instant, stated that in his opinion the Poor Prisoners' Act did not clearly show that the prisoner was entitled to the services of both a solicitor and counsel, and, in the circumstances, he gave instructions for a counsel to be employed direct on behalf of the prisoner without reference to a solicitor; and, if so, will he state whether he proposes to

take action in the matter.

(Sir

THE SOLICITOR - GENERAL EDWARD CARSON, Dublin University): The Question does not accurately represent what was said by the Recorder on the occasion referred to. The Recorder stated that as no solicitors had, at the Old Bailey, expressed their willingness to defend poor prisoners under the Act of last session he was unable to assign a solicitor, but that he had come to the conclusion that he was entitled to assign counsel and he accordingly did so. The rules proposed by the Attorney-General in pursuance of the Act, and which have been laid upon the Table of the House, make provision for the employment of both solicitor and counsel.

Congestion in Scottish Crofting Counties.

MR. WEIR: I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether, since the publication of the last Report of the Congested Districts Board, any arrangements for the acquisition of land in either of the six crofting counties for the creation of

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the Receiver to negotiate with the tenants for the sale to them of their holdings.

Longford Drainage Rates.

MR. J. P. FARRELL (Longford, N.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether any complaints as to excessive drainage rates in county Longford have been made to the Board of Works; whether he is aware that, in the case of the Camlin River Drainage tax, sums have been levied twice in one year on some tenants, and only once on others; whether any control rests in the hands of the local drainage board on the question of the assessing and levying of the amount; and to whom complaint is to be made in case of overcharges.

MR. WYNDHAM: No complaints of the nature mentioned in the first and second parts of the Question have been made to the Board of Works. The made to

locally elected drainage board is responsible for the applotment and collection of the rates, and any complaints in this respect should be addressed to that board.

MR. J. P. FARRELL: If this matter is not attended to, will the Board of Works take it in hand?

MR. WYNDHAM: Any complaint of overcharge should go to the Board of Works. If wrongful administration is complained of, an action would be against members of the drainage board or the electors could turn them out at the next election.

Fair Rent Applications.

MR. J. P. FARRELL: I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will state how many ar plications to fix fair rents have been filed since 1st November, 1903; how many of these applications are first and how many second-term applications; and how many agreements have been filed during the same period.

MR. WYNDHAM: The number of applications filed between 1st November, 1903, and 15th February, instant, was, for a first-term rent, 1,070, and for a second-term rent, 1,869. The number of

agreements filed in the same period was 741 for a first-term, and 1,113 for a second-term rent.

Harmless Lunatics in Ireland.

MR. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will consider the advisability of introducing, this session, a Bill to assimilate the Law in Ireland with that of Scotland, which enables the boarding out of harmless lunatics.

MR. WYNDHAM: I can only refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on Thursday last to a Question ut on the same subject.†

Irish Development Fund Act and
National Schools.

MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the LordLieutenant of Ireland, in reference to the Development Fund Act, whether his undertaking given last session that all national schools, maintaining an average

daily attendance of fifty pupils, will be entitled to the services of an assistant teacher will be carried into effect at an early date; and whether, in view of the fact that the Commissioners of National Education have frequently made representations to this effect, he will induce the Treasury to take steps to have this reform carried out with the least possible delay.

MR. WYNDHAM: I promised to give this matter my earnest and favourable attention. But it must be considered in relation to all the features of primary education and to the charges, which cannot at present be determined, that may fall on the Development Grant in

connection with the flotation of stock.

MR. FLYNN: Can the right hon. Gentleman say when he is likely to be in a position to give the Irish Members this information?

MR. WYNDHAM : I shall be very glad to do it, either in this House or out of it, as soon as possible.

+ See (4) Debates, cxxix, 1037.

Tyrone Magistracy.

MR. MACVEAGH (Down, S.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the LordLieutenant of Ireland how many Roman Catholic magistrates there are in the Fintona district, county Tyrone, seeing that the population is not largely Roman Catholic; and if any proposal will be made to the proper authority to increase the number of Roman Catholic magis

trates.

MR. WYNDHAM : One Roman Catholic magistrate attended Petty Sessions in this district last year. The Lord Chancellor and the Lieutenant of the County will consider any recommendations that may be made to them in favour of the appointment of additional Roman Catholic gentlemen to the Commission.

St. Mels College, Longford.

MR. J. P. FARRELL: I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieu

tenant of Ireland whether he will state

by what authority payment of a sum of £34 odd in respect of additional equiphas been refused to St. Mels College, ment expenditure for science teaching Longford; and, having regard to the fact that Part II. of the scheme of the County Longford Technical Committee provides for such payment, will he direct that the sanction of the department be given to its payment.

MR. WYNDHAM: I am advised that

Part II. of the scheme does not provide for payment of the sum mentioned. The department has authorised payment of the whole of the amount allocated under the scheme for laboratory equipment at the college, namely £125. A further grant of £67 17s. 6d. out of the Science and Art Vote has also been made towards the cost of equipment, and an additional amount may be payable when the examination of the accounts has been completed.

MR. J. P. FARRELL: Are we to understand that the £34 is not covered by this further grant?

MR. WYNDHAM: That is so I think.

Longford Rural District Loans. MR. J. P. FARRELL: I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will explain why a sum of £130 certified for as being due as an instalment on loan to Longford Rural District Council by Mr. Price, Engineering Inspector of the Local Government Board, is not being paid; whether he is aware that in consequence of the delay in advancing this loan a cheque for £100, given to the contractor for the work, is lying unpaid at the bank since last October; and will he direct that the amount certified for by Mr. Price be now

advanced.

MR. WYNDHAM: The inspector did not give a certificate, as stated. The amounts advanced from time to time in respect of approved loans are mended by the Local Government Board. In the present case the Board recommended the issue of an advance of £150

recom

to the District Council on the 5th instant, and on the 10th instant the amount was paid by the Board of Works.

Galway Fair Rent Appeals. MR. ROCHE (Galway, E.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the LordLieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the fact that appeals against decisions of Land Sub-Commission in fixing fair rents in county Galway, although lodged three years ago, have not yet been heard, he will take steps to secure that they shall be heard without further delay.

MR. WYNDHAM: I am informed that a sitting for the hearing of fair rent appeals at Galway will be arranged for by the Commissioners at the earliest possible date.

Belfast Post Office.

MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.): I beg to ask the Postmaster - General if he will arrange that notice plates shall be provided at the front counter of the post office at Belfast indicating the nature of the business transacted at the various departments, and direct that a late fee box be placed convenient to the general letter box.

THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Lord STANLEY, Lancashire, Westhoughton): I have given directions for enamelled iron

notice plates to be fixed in the head. post office at Belfast as desired by the hon. Member. A late fee letter box is already provided in Garfield Street beside the large letter boxes for general posting, and no further facilities for late fee posting seem to be necessary.

Longford Postal Arrangements.

MR. J. P. FARRELL: I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether, in order to facilitate the earlier delivery of letters and parcels in Longford, he will direct that the auxiliary postmen at present employed for that purpose be placed upon the permanent staff of town letter carriers.

LORD STANLEY: There is no need at present to increase the number of estabthe question of employing an established lished town postmen at Longford, but rural postman in place of a rural auxiliary is now being considered.

Longford Drainage Loans.

MR. J. P. FARRELL: I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury to state the total amount of loans for drainage purposes raised in the county Longford; how much of this sum was administered by elected and how much by non-elected drainage boards; and how much is now outstanding against the several districts in North and South Longford.

MR. VICTOR CAVENDISH: The total amount of advances by the Board of Works for arterial drainage in county Longford is £51,652 1s. Id. This is exclusive of the amount expended for maintenance by the local boards, as to which the Government has no information. All the trustees of drainage boards are elected. The amount of principal outstanding on the 31st March last was as follows: Currygrane, £246 10s.; Upper Inny, £44,304 Os. 10d.; Rinn and Black River, £689 Os. 9d.; Total £45,239 11s. 7d.

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Lough Foyle Lights.

MR. O'DOHERTY (Donegal, N.): I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether any further progress has been made by the Irish Light Commissioners with the erection of the gas lighted sounding buoy, promised by him on their

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Irish Soldiers as Game-beaters. *THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR MR. MACVEAGH: I beg to ask the THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Secretary of State for War whether he AKERS-DOUGLAS, Kent, St. Augustine's) can state with what object and by what (for Mr. A. J. Balfour): I am afraid the authority the permanent staff of the situation-undoubtedly a mostanxious one Fifth Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, were-will hardly be amended by legislation engaged as game-beaters at Finnebrogue of the character suggested by the hon. Memon 17th November and 19th January, and at Seaforde on 8th December and 5th January; and whether any, and if so what, remuneration was paid.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. ARNOLD-FORSTER, Belfast, W.) I am not aware of these incidents, and I am not prepared to interfere with the discretion of the local military authorities in the matter.

bers; and though I heartily sympathise with
the object the hon. Member has in view,
I fear that, as at present advised, my
reply to his Question must be in the
all, as is stated in the gracious Speech
negative. I may remind him that, after
from the Throne, the best remedy for the
condition of things from which, unfortu-
nately, the cotton industry is now suffer-
ing would appear to lie in increasing the

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