Trans-Atlantic Shipping Combination. MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis): I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what information has reached the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs relative to the proposed acquisition by an American Company or syndicate of certain British ships including those of the White Star Line, or of the shares of the British companies owning those ships; if so, when was that information received, and from whom; and when was it communicated to the Board of Trade. Have any representations been made, or any information transmitted to the Foreign Office by His Majesty's Embassy, or any of His Majesty's Consulates in the United States, relative to this proposed acquisition of British ships or of the shares in the companies owning them. And will any Papers on the subject be laid before the House. Russia and Persia Railway Concessions. MR. GIBSON BOWLES: I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether there is in existence an agreement between Great Britain and Russia guaranteeing the integrity and independence of Persia; and if so, whether he will lay a copy of that agreement upon the Table of this House, and if in the meantime, he will inform the House whether the prohibition by Russia of the construction of railways in Persia would be consistent with or a violation of that agreement. LORD CRANBORNE: The agreement as to the integrity and independence of Persia will be found in the Parliamentary Paper, Miscellaneous No. 2 (1898). If the hon. Member's second Question has reference to the agreement understood to exist between the Russian and Persian MR. GIBSON BOWLES: I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government have received any information as to the purchase or proposed purchase by the United States Government or United States capitalists of the rights of the Panama Canal Company, or of the Danish possessions in the West Indies; and, if so, when and in what form was that information received. Has any communication passed between His Majesty's Government and the Government of the United States with reference to either of these subjects; and, if so, what is the effect of such communications, and will a copy of the correspondence be laid before this House. LORD CRANBORNE : Despatches received from His Majesty's Ambassador dating from January, 1901, have been received from His Majesty's Ambassador at Washington, and His Majesty's Minister at Bogota, relative to the proposed purchase by the United States Government of the rights of the Panama Canal Company. Information dating from January, 1902, has also been received from His Majesty's Representatives at Washington and Copenhagen to the effect that a Treaty has been concluded for the sale to the United States Government of the Danish Antilles; that the Treaty has been ratified by the Senate of the United States, and is at present under the consideration of the Danish Rigsdag. No communication has passed between His Majesty's Government and the Government of the United States with regard to either subject. Railway to the Persian Gulf. MR. GIBSON BOWLES: I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, are His Majesty's Government aware that Mr. Pierpoint Morgan is a leading Member of the syndicate for carrying out the concession granted by Turkey to Germany for the Railway to be constructed through Asia Minor and thence to the Persian Gulf; and have they any information showing that any + See (4) Debates, cv., 987. Cheque Stamp Duty. MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny): I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that since the delivery of his Financial Statement proposing the extra cheque tax, cheques have reached London and other banks bearing an extra penny stamp ; whether, with the view of preventing a recurrence of this mistake, and to remove the uncertainty in the public mind on this extra stamp question, caused by the delay in making known his final decision upon it, he can now say whether the extra stamp tax will be enforced; and, if not, whether a refund will be made to those who have put extra stamps on cheques; and, if so, will it be made through the Treasury, the post offices, or in what manner. MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN (for Sir M. HICKS BEACH): My right hon. friend, who is detained on the Savings Bank Committee upstairs, wishes me to say he will announce his decision as to the cheque tax on Monday. Meantime he does not see why any one should have affixed an extra penny stamp to a cheque as yet, because it was publicly stated that the new duty would not commence until July 1st, and no instance in which it has been done has been brought to the attention of the Board of Inland Revenue. If any such cases have occurred, the value of the extra stamp could be recovered by application to the Commissioners of Inland Revenue under the provisions of Section 10 of the Stamp Duties Management Act, 1891. Suggested Tax on Meat and Butter Imports. MR. JAMES O'KELLY (Roscommon, N.): I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the advantage of withdrawing the cheque tax and replacing it by a small tax on meat and butter imported from countries. outside the British Empire, or which do not contribute to Imperial taxation. MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN (for Sir M. HICKS BEACH): I do not know whether I am to understand that the suggestion contained in the Question would be supported by the hon. Member and the Party to which he belongs, but diminish any difficulty in the present I do not think its adoption would situation. Ministry of Commerce and LabourAmerican Inquiry. MR. DAVID THOMAS (Merthyr Tydvil): I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the House Committee on Commerce at Washington have begun hearings on the plan of creating a new Department of the Government, presided over by a Cabinet officer, to be known as the Department of Commerce and Labour; and if he will take steps to furnish Members desiring them with copies of the evidence given before the Committee, and of the Report of the Committee. Police (England and Wales)—Compensation for Injury. MR. DELANY (Queens Co., Ossory): I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can state how many policemen were injured during the year ending the 31st March last in England and Wales while in the discharge of their duties; in how many instances those injuries resulted in death or permanent disability; and whether in such cases police officers or their immediate relatives are entitled to recover compensation out of the local rates in this country. *THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. RITCHIE, Croydon): The information asked for in the first two paragraphs is not in the possession of the Home Office. The grant of pensions to police officers injured on duty in England and Wales or to their widows and children is regulated by the Police Act, 1890. Irish Salt Butter Industry. *MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY (Limerick, W.): I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture if he can state what is a sufficient disclosure which the vendors of Irish salt butter have to make, in order to escape the operation of the limit and the penalty for selling the same, considering the fact that in paragraph 5 of the Interim Report of the Departmental Committee appointed to inquire into the fixing of a standard of water in butter it is stated that those interested in the production and distribution of Irish salt firkin butter say it necessarily contains a higher percentage of moisture than is found in any other butter coming into the market, and how is this disclosure to be made. THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. HANBURY, Preston): As I have already stated, I cannot express an opinion as to the view the courts may take upon the question of whether the regulations may be evaded by merely disclosing the fact that the article sold contains water in excess of the limit fixed by these regulations. *MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the evidence before this Committee went to show that Irish salt butter could not be made with less than 20 per cent. of water, and that this new regulation "will kill" the industry. MR. HANBURY: I am not aware of that but I am aware that the evidence showed that Irish butter would have a much better chance in the market if salted instead of brined. *MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY: Yes, but is the right hon. Gentleman aware that experts are of opinion that unless brine is used it cannot be made for keeping purposes? Post Offices and Telegraphic Business. Secretary to the Treasury, as representing MR. KEARLEY: I beg to ask the the Postmaster General, whether he will state what is the minimum requirement, as regards number of telegrams per year and letters delivered per week, to entitle an office to be raised to the 38s. and 40s. a week scale respectively; also what is the practice of the Department in counting transmitted messages. MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN: In fixing the scale of salary applicable to an office, the whole of the business transacted in it is taken into account, and not only the two items mentioned by the hon. Member. MR. KEARLEY: What is the practice in counting transmitted messages? MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN: I am afraid I cannot answer that off hand. E.C.D.O.-Postmen's Accommodation. MR. GIBSON BOWLES: On behalf Division of Shoreditch, I beg to ask the of the hon. Member for the Hoxton Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he can state the actual number of postmen employed at the East Central District Office at the date of the publication of the Report of the Tweedmouth Committee; what is the present number of established, auxiliary, and temporary postmen respectively at present employed at the East Central District Office; and what material alterations have been effected at that office since 1897. MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN: The actual number of Postmen employed in the East Central District Office on the 1st April, 1897, was 975, these being all established men and at the present time there are 1297 on the books, comprising 1184 established, 123 temporary, and 113 auxiliary, the 123 temporary men standing against absent reservists or vacancies. Of these totals, the largest number on duty at one time-on 1st April, 1897, was 495, and is now 565. Since 1st April, 1897, the retiring-room area available for the postmen's use has been increased from 2501 to 4087 feet, and sanitary accommodation has also been materially increased. square Sub-Post Offices and the Coronation. the terms of the Anglo-Japanese Treaty MR. SCHWANN (Manchester, N.): to relieve Japanese subjects from the disI beg to ask the Secretary to the Trea- abilities attaching to Asiatic immigrants sury, as representing the Postmaster to Australia; and, if not, whether His General, whether the Postmaster General Majesty's Government will urge upon will consider the advisability of making the conference of Colonial Premiers the the duties in sub-post offices on the necessity of recognising the equal interCoronation days the same as on Sundays, national rights of Japanese subjects and not merely as on bank holidays, within the British Empire with the subwhich really means, to the majority of jects of other friendly foreign Powers, and country sub-offices, no holiday at all. call on all self-governing British colonies to extend to Japanese subjects all the MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN: The privileges and rights as to residence, tradPostmaster General has decided that sub-ing, settlement, and colonisation enjoyed post offices generally shall be opened on by subjects of other foreign Powers. Coronation Day during the same hours as on Sundays, but that sub-offices which are not open at all on Sundays shall on Coronation Day be opened from 8 to No Parcel Post, Postal Order, Money Order, or Savings Bank business will be transacted. 10 a.m. MR. J. CHAMBERLAIN: The AngloJapanese Agreement has been laid before Parliament, and the hon. Member will see, on referring to the text, that it does not touch on the question of immigration, It is not proposed to discuss the position of Japanese subjects at the Conference of Colonial Premiers. room policy of employing convicts on public | Court of Justice are not provided with works in the Netherlands Indies, a Courts, Mr. Justice Grantham sitting in certain number have been temporarily the Old Hall of Lincoln's Inn, and Mr. despatched from Java with the necessary Justice Swinfen Eady in some staff and materials to Marouke, in New under the Bar Library; and whether, Guinea, to construct a Residency at that under these circumstances, it is proposed place. The substance of this Note has to provide additional Courts. been telegraphed to the Governor General, for communication to the Governor of Queensland. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir ROBERT FINLAY, Inverness Burghs): It is a fact that there is not sufficient Civil Service-Higher Division Clerks. accommodation in the Royal Courts of MR. DAVID THOMAS: I beg Justice for the Judges of the High to ask the Secretary to the Treasury Court from the present time until if he will state the grounds upon the end of the sittings. The Lord which the Treasury formed the opinion Chief Justice has had to apply to that the work done by Higher Divi- the Benchers for the use of the Old sion clerks in the Secretary of State Hall at Lincoln's Inn for Mr. Justice offices requires higher qualifications than work done by Higher Division clerks in the Board of Trade; and whether a similar conclusion has been arrived at in respect to the character of the work done in the Local Government Depart Education Code-School Sanitation. DR. MACNAMARA: I beg to ask the Vice-President of the Committee of Council on Education if he will say why it has been deemed advisable to omit from the Education Code for 1902 the Grantham, and Mr. Justice Swinfen Eady is sitting in a room wholly unfitted for the purposes of a Court. In the event, as is possible, of one of the three Judges now on circuit returning to town before the 16th, there will be absolutely no Court in which he can be accommodated. This inconvenience is certain to occur under present arrangements from time to time during other periods of the legal year. Four or five more Courts will be required for the accommodation of the Judges unless the existing arrangement of circuits can be entirely remodelled, so as to ensure greater uniformity in the number of judges in town, which in my opinion is very desirable. MR. JAMES LOWTHER (Kent, schedule which sets forth the regulations Thanet): Is it proposed to make any to be observed in the planning, building, warming, ventilating, and general sanitary arrangements of elementary schools. structural alteration? |