in the British Central Africa Protectorate. But a preliminary contract was made in September last with the Shire Highlands Railway Company under which they have acquired for a limited time the exclusive right to construct a railway between the points mentioned subject to specified conditions. Indian Labourers in East Africa. SIR MANCHERJEE BHOWNAGGREE (Bethnal Green, N.E.): I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will state how many labourers from India have been employed on the construction of the Uganda Railway; whether he is aware that a number of them are natives of Kattywar, Gujurat, and other districts seriously affected by the famines of recent years; if it is intended to offer them any encouragement to settle permanently in the territory of the East African Protectorate; and, if so, will he state what special facilities and help it is proposed to give them for that purpose. *LORD CRANBORNE: 35,700 labourers from India have been employed on the construction of the Uganda Railway, of whom all have been Punjabees with the exception of 350 who came from the Kattywar and Gujurat districts. It is proposed as an experiment to select from these labourers a few not exceeding 100 in number, and as an inducement to them to settle with their families in | East Africa, to offer them special facilities for obtaining cattle, provisions for the first year, seeds, etc., together with travelling expenses from India. The actual conditions are not finally fixed, but the outlay is in the first instance to be limited to £1,000. Maharajah of Panna. MR. WEIR: I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether Papers will be laid upon the Table of the House relative to the recent deposition of the Maharajah of Panna. LORD G. HAMILTON: I have not yet received these Papers. When I do, I will consider whether they should be published. Imperial Institute. MR. JOHN ELLIS (Nottinghamshire, Rushcliffe): I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the proposed transfer of the Imperial Institute to a Government Department will entail any financial charge on the Exchequer; and, if so, what will be its probable amount, and in what manner will the sanction of the House thereto be asked. THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir M. HICKS BEACH, Bristol, W.) The proposed transfer of the Institute, together with its Endowment Fund valued at £140,000, to a Government Department, will entail no financial charge on the Exchequer, unless further duties not at present contemplated should be imposed on the Commercial Department of the Board of Trade. Metropolitan Police and the Coronation. CAPTAIN NORTON (Newington, W.): I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can say what steps he proposes to take with a view to the temporary increase of the police force within the area of the county of London, during the period of the Coronation festivities, in order that no undue strain may be placed upon the men nor any undue proportion of them be withdrawn from the protection of property for the performance of special duties. *THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. RITCHIE, Croydon): I have given the Commissioner of Police my sanction for the strengthening of the force by enrolling as many suitable Metropolitan police pensioners-all of whom will be well acquainted with their respective districts, and the required duties-as he may deem necessary to prevent undue strain on the men serving, and to afford due protection to the whole Metropolis. Hackney Lamp Fatality. SIR MANCHERJEE BHOWNAGGREE: I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he he has seen the Report of the coroner's inquest held on the bodies of seven young persons and children who perished in the fire at Hackney Road on the 19th April last; if he has noticed the evidence given at the inquest by the inspector appointed under the Petroleum Act that the catastrophe, which was caused by the tilting of a lamp, occurred owing to the flash point of the oil which escaped being as low as 88 degrees. If his attention has been drawn to the inspector's statement that such oil was largely sold in the East End, and that it was the cause of twenty-six fatal accidents last year; and whether he contemplates taking any steps to prevent the sale of petroleum, the flash point of which is dangerously low. *MR. RITCHIE: Yes, Sir, and I have caused the Report of the case to be very carefully considered. From the evidence it would appear that the accident was caused by the fall of a lamp and the escape of the oil, both lamp and oil being in a highly heated condition. I am advised that in these circumstances a conflagration is likely to occur with any form of petroleum used in ordinary lamps. I do not find that the inspector stated that the oil used in this instance was the cause of the twenty-six fatal accidents last year. As a matter of fact, in twelve of those cases the flash point of the oil was not known, and in two cases it was over 100 degrees. As regards the present case it is impossible to ascertain the exact cause of the heating of the lamp; but if this was in any way due to the oil it can only have been on account of its sluggish or slow-burning nature, and these qualities, I am advised, go rather with a high flash than with a low flash oil. Workmen's Compensation Act. MR. MARKHAM: I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to a recent decision of the House of Lords, where it was held that in the case of an engineer erecting a fly-wheel for his employers outside the shop and meeting with a fatal accident, his widow was not entitled to compensation under the Act of 1897; and whether he proposes to introduce fresh legislation to meet such cases. *MR. RITCHIE: Yes, Sir, and the case. will be duly noted amongst the collection which, as I have stated before, I am having made for the guidance of the Government as to the eventual amendment of the Workmen's Compensation Act. Extra Leave in the Post Office. CAPTAIN NORTON: I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether, seeing that by an Order in Council of August, 1890, an additional daily attendance was imposed on all officers in the Civil Service above the second division class, extra leave being granted as part compensation for such additional attendance, and seeing that exception was made in the case of those employed in the Post Office as regards the leave, he will consider the advisability of extending the extra leave privilege to that Department. Port of Ness Harbour. MR. WEIR: I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether the Secretary for Scotland has received a petition from the fishermen of Port Ness, Island of Lewis, pointing out that they are unable to use the harbour on account of the accumulation of sand; and will he say what action he proposes to take in the matter. MR. A. GRAHAM MURRAY: Yes, and the petition is at present under the consideration of the Congested Districts Board. But, as the Harbour Trustees are bankrupt and the harbour works are under the charge of a Judicial Factor appointed by the Court, the Secretary for Scotland is unable at present to say that he can do anything. Arms (Ireland) Act. MR. ATKINSON: No, Sir; it is not possible to give the information asked for. The estate is a large one comprising over 250 holdings. The Land Commission are now considering their Report, and will present it to the Land Judge as soon as this can conveniently be done, having regard to their other duties, MR GILHOOLY: The answer given me to this Question several months ago was that the Report had already been sent to the Land Commission. MR. ATKINSON: The hon. Member must be in error. Agrarian Offences in Ireland. MR. FLYNN (Cork Co., N.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, in reference to the MR. BOLAND (Kerry, W.): I beg to number of agrarian offences in Ireland ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord reported for the year 1901, is he aware Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is that of the total number reported, 245, aware that, on the night of the 6th 173, or 70 per cent. of the entire, are March Sergeant Sullivan and another classified under the headings of threatenconstable forcibly detained Patrick ing letters and incendiary fires; whether Meany, of Ballymaclune, Quin, County he can state what special sources of inClare, and held his arms while searching formation are possessed by the Inspector his pockets can he state under what authority this was done; and whether directions will be given that the police abstain in future from such conduct towards this man. General of Constabulary to enable him are not MR. ATKINSON: The reply to the first paragraph is in the affirmative. The second paragraph is unintelligible, as arson is a species of incendiary fire, namely the setting fire to a house, building, or goods contained in it. With respect to the third paragraph, the Inspector General in preparing these Returns is guided by the circumstances of every case and by the information he can obtain from all sources. If any doubt is entertained respecting the genuineness of a threatening letter the case is excluded from the returns. CAPTAIN DONELAN: Is there an expert in handwriting at the castle? MR. ATKINSON: It is difficult to see how an expert could be usefully employed unless the writer of the letter was known. sorting office on the occasion, and responsible for the issuing of these instructions, followed this officer to the railway station; and that, while awaiting instructions from the officer in charge of MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.): the travelling post office, he was accused "Pigott." Schull Postal Service. MR. GILHOOLY: I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he has received a memorial several months ago from the inhabitants of schull, County Cork, praying for a better postal service; whether he is aware that the mails are taken from Skibbereen to Schull by mail car, though the service of the light railway between Kibbereen and Schull could be availed of for their transit; and whether, in view of the importance of Schull as a fishing station and mining centre, he will provide a better mail and postal service for that district. MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN: The hon. Member, no doubt, refers to the memorial from residents at Schull, Ballydehob, and other places, which he forwarded in August of last year. After full consideration of the matter an answer was sent in the following month to the effect that in view of the high cost of the postal service in the district, the additional expenditure involved in the alteration advocated by the memorialists was not warranted. The Post master General does not expect to find that any material alteration of the circumstances has taken place since August last, but he will have inquiry made on this subject and will communicate further with the hon. Member. Dublin Sorting Office. MR. NANNETTI (Dublin, College Green): I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that recently a sorting clerk and telegraphist attached to the Dublin Sorting Office was ordered to proceed from thence to Amiens Street Railway Station to see if he would be required as an extra travelling post office hand on the journey to Belfast; that the assistant superintendent in charge of the by the superintendent of loitering; and seeing that the sorting clerk so treated was an officer of long service and good character, will the Postmaster General cause an inquiry into all the circumstances of this case. MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN: The visit of the assistant superintendent to the railway station had no connection officer in question. He went there for with the instructions given to the another purpose in accordance with directions given him the previous evening; but it is the case that the officer in question was called upon to explain sorting carriage more promptly. The why he did not take up the duty in the Postmaster General does not consider it necessary to take any further steps in the matter. Business of the House. MR. JOHN REDMOND (Waterford): Can the Leader of the House give us any definite information with reference to the than the Budget Bill be taken, and when business for next week; will any other will the House rise for the holidays. Mr. A. J. BALFOUR: I can make no forecast of business for next week until I know the amount of time that will be likely to be occupied with debate upon the Finance Bill. That Bill and the Second Reading of the Loan Bill will be the first business next week, and it will be a great disappointment to me if we do not get both. MR. JOHN REDMOND: One of my hon. friends has a Notice on the Paper raising the question of Irish financial relations with this country. It may be impossible to bring it on on the Second Reading of the Finance Bill, as it may be ousted by an Amendment from the Front Opposition Bench. Can the right hon. Gentleman give some assurance that during the close of the session we shall have an opportunity of discussing it? MR. A. J. BALFOUR: I will consider the suggestion that opportunity should. be afforded to discuss the financial relations between England and Ireland. I hope the hon. Member does not desire to make it an annual ceremony. I do not desire to minimise the importance of the subject, but in the limited time at our disposal it surely is not necessary to discuss it every year. MR. JOHN REDMOND: It is in the power of the right hon. Gentleman to put an end to this "annual ceremony' as he calls it. But I would remind him that the facts vary from year to year, and there is a great increase with the burden put on Ireland by the pursuance of a policy of which she disapproves. MR. JAMES LOWTHER (Kent, Thanet): Will the Finance Bill be taken day by day next week? MR. A. J. BALFOUR: Yes, Sir. MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis): Do the Government propose to make any modification of the clause relating to the cheque stamp duty? SIR M. HICKS BEACH: I am now in communication with the Bankers' Association on the subject, and, if I have any statement to make on the matter, it will be made on the Second Reading of the Finance Bill. SIR ALBERT ROLLIT (Islington, S.): Can the First Lord of the Treasury say anything about the Whitsuntide recess? Which Amendment was "To leave out the word 'now,' and at the end of the question to add the words 'upon this day six months.'”—(Mr. Bryce.) Question again proposed, "That the word 'now' stand part of the Question." *(2.35.) SIR WILLIAM HART DYKE (Kent, Dartford): I am extremely desirous of making some observations, not only with regard to the merits, but also as to the possible demerits of the measure now before the House, and on the general educational position as we find it. Surely, so far as the present situation is concerned, there is little enough of novelty to commend it to our notice. We find ourselves face to face with an old and time worn dilemma, which has successfully blocked the way of our educational advance for some thirty years, during which time the critics have held undisturbed possession of the field. Today we find them as busy and lively as ever in their desire to denounce, attack they offer nothing whatever of a conand destroy, and it is noteworthy that structive character or as an alternative to the proposals of the Government. So far as my humble experience goes there is nothing so simple as to attack and destroy an Educational Bill. Indeed, I believe that if this Bill were placed before any sharp London lad who has passed easy the seventh standard, he could, in the course of half an hour, pick it all to pieces. I have long since discovered how it is to criticise a measure of this kind. No educational reformer, no Party or section of a Party in this House, could frame a measure which would adequately meet all their ambitions and aspirations, for the pitfalls and traps which surround the question are innumerable. If six Friday in next week and will reassemble Members were appointed from each side on the Thursday following. MR. A. J. BALFOUR: My forecast and it must not be taken as more than a forecast is that the House will rise on of the House, six moderate minded men determined to put education first, and Party second, and were to meet in a EDUCATION (ENGLAND AND WALES) Committee Room upstairs, directly they BILL. [SECOND READING.] Order read, for resuming adjourned debate on Amendment proposed to Question [5th May], "That the Bill be now read a second time." left generalties and came face to face with the real businesss aspect of the question, with the difficulties which surround the rating question, the religious question, and the School Board question, they would find themselves in the same |