SIR JOHN BRUNNER (Cheshire, Northwich): To ask the Vice-President of the Committee of Council on Education whether, under the Education Bill, the fee simple of technical schools now belonging to Urban District Councils representing populations under 20,000 will be vested in the County Councils; and, if so, whether he proposes to introduce amendments making the County Councils responsible for the upkeep of the buildings and the carrying on of the schools.

on the 1st April, 1901. I cannot consent to raise their wages any further without a very thorough consideration of the whole question.

Bermuda-Government Flour Contracts.

MR. ARTHUR LEE: To ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the Government specifications for the supply of flour in Bermuda stipulate that such flour must be either Pillsbury's Best or City Mills Whitelight, both American Brands; and whether, in view of the recent reorganisation and development of the flour milling industry in Manitoba, he will consider the advisability of cancelling those stipulations which now restrict Canadian millers from competing for Government contracts in Bermuda and elsewhere.

The

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. J. CHAMBERLAIN, Birmingham, W.): I am not aware of any contract for flour at Bermuda. The contract for bread specifies that the flour shall be best American white flour. question of widening the specification for Bermuda bread in future contracts is being considered. In the specification for THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE flour at Barbados and Antigua the conCOMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON EDU-ditions permit of Canadian flour being CATION (Sir JOHN GORST, Cambridge University) If the building is vested in the Urban District Council it will, under the Bill, vest in the County Council. But if, as is usually the case, the building is vested in trustees no changes in this respect will take place. The liability for the upkeep of the buildings and the carrying on of the schools is transferred by the Bill from the Urban District Council to the County Council.

Haulbowline Dockyard - Ordnance
Department Labourers.

CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork Co., E.): To ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the War Office will favourably consider the case of the labourers in the Ordnance Department at Haulbowline, with a view to granting them the same rate of wage as paid by the Admiralty to the labourers on the naval side of the Island.

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Lord STANLEY, Lancashire, Westhoughton): These men received an increase of one shilling a week

accepted.

Ireland-Killarney Land Sub-
Commission.

MR. MURPHY (Kerry, E.): To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, if he can state the date of the last sitting of the Land Sub-Commission at Killarney, the number of cases from that district now undisposed of, and the cause of delay in having these cases heard and new rents determined.

THE CHIEF-SECRETARY FOR IRE

LAND (Mr. WYNDHAM, Dover): A SubCommission last sat at Killarney in December, 1900. There are 146 cases awaiting hearing from this district, and down another Sub-Commission in the arrangements are being made to send

course of the next month.

British Consul at Kobé.

MR. WEIR (Ross and Cromarty): To ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, having regard to the fact the sum of £1,000 is placed on the

Estimates for Rent Allowances for the military training and with inspection Japan, will he state how much of this as regards military and general efficiency. sum is required for Kobé (Hiogo). In consequence of the limited period during which the training of Yeomanry Regiments takes place, it is impossible for one officer to carry out in one year all the inspections; the the Inspector General of Cavalry, and other specially selected officers will be therefore detailed to inspect such regiments as cannot be inspected by the Inspector General of Yeomanry, who will, however, inspect every regiment at least biennially.

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Lord CRANBORNE, Rochester): The sum required for Kobé varies according as one or two assistants in the consular service are employed there. At the present moment there are two assistants and the total rent allowance is £372 5s. 10d.

(2.15.) QUESTIONS IN THE HOUSE.

Press Telegraphic Rates in India. MR. WEIR: I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, having regard to the fact that the rates for press messages in India are four times as high as the rates in Great Britain, will he consider the expediency of exerting his influence with a view to secure a reduction in the charges in India.

Inspector General of Yeomanry. MR. PEEL (Manchester, S.): I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that an Inspector General of Yeomanry has been appointed, he proposes to appoint an Inspector General for Militia, and also one for Volunteers; will he state what are the relations of the said Inspector LORD G. HAMILTON: The rates General to the Inspector General of complained of by the hon. Member Auxiliary Forces and Inspector General are confined to the comparatively of Cavalry; will his duties be those of small proportion of press messages administration or of inspection merely; which, under the system obtaining if the latter, what will his relations be to the General Officers commanding Army corps; and how will he perform his duties in view of the fact that the majority of Yeomanry regiments undergo their annual training at the same period of the year.

LORD STANLEY: It is not proposed to appoint an Inspector General for Militia or for Volunteers. The

of

in India, are entitled to priority of transmission. Considering the very great difference between the distances over which messages have to be carried in India, and those over which they are carried in this country, I am not prepared to press for a reduction of the Indian charges.

Bilbao Harbour Lights.

MR. WEIR: I beg to ask the Under view of the losses sustained by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in mercantile marine through the insufficient Harbour, will he state whether the lighting of the entrance to Bilbao subject has yet been brought under the notice of the Spanish authorities; and, if so, with what result.

Inspector General for Yeomanry will inspect the units of his branch of the service as regards technical details in a similar manner to that in which the technical inspections of the Cavalry, the Militia Artillery and Engineers are carried out by the Inspector General of Cavalry, the Inspector General Garrison Artillery or the Inspector LORD CRANBORNE: Since April, 1901, General of Fortifications or their repre- His Majesty's Ambassador at Madrid has sentatives. The duties of the Inspector brought the matter of the lighting of the General will be those of inspection, and he entrance to Bilbao Harbour on several will, like the other officers named, report occasions before the Spanish Government. to the Commander-in-Chief through the The Spanish authorities, however, refuse Adjutant General. The General Officers to admit that the present mode of lighting commanding Army Corps will remain the entrance is insufficient. The matter charged with the duty of supervising is still under consideration.

second delivery of letters in the day at that place; but the Postmaster General will cause inquiry to be made on the question of affording this accommodation, and the result will be communicated to the hon. Member.

Immorality in Glasgow.

MR. SAMUEL YOUNG (Cavan, E.): I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the practices prevailing in Glasgow whereby unfortunate girls who have been imprisoned are released by the payment of their fines by those who make a trade of immorality; and whether, to put a stop to this state of things, he will take steps to extend to Scotland the Act 62 Vict., c. 39, now in force in England.

MR. MACVEAGH: I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state the nature of the injuries received by the Roman Catholics who were attacked and beaten at Annaghmore, county Armagh, on the 17th ult.; whether a report has been called for from Dr. Marmion, J.P., who was called in to attend to some of

the wounded; and whether the Roman Catholic clergymen and leading Roman Catholic laymen of the district have been consulted as to the necessity for the taking of steps for the more efficient protection of their lives and property.

MR. ATKINSON: With the exception of the last query, the reply to which is in the negative, an answer on the several other queries would involve the expression of an opinion on facts in issue in a pending prosecution. For this reason, therefore, I must respectfully decline to answer them.

Irish Railway Rates.

*THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. A. GRAHAM MURRAY, Buteshire): The attention of the Secretary for Scotland has been called to the subject referred to MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY (Limerick, by the hon. Member, and he is in com- W.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary munication with the Glasgow authorities to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in regard to the best means of meeting whether he will cause an inquiry the alleged evil, whether by extension of to be held into the matter of the Vagrancy Act of 1899 to Scotland, railway rates for goods, coal, and or other wise. agricultural produce conveyed from one part of Ireland to another, and further into the rates charged on articles exported from Ireland to different parts of Great Britain, and goods imported from arranged on a basis of equality. the latter, in order that the same may be

Annaghmore Disturbances.

MR. MACVEAGH: I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state if any

Roman Catholics were attacked on
Christmas morning near the Teagny
Orange Hall at Annaghmore, county
Armagh.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. ATKINSON, Londonderry, N.) (for Mr. Wyndham): It is now alleged, for the first time, that

stones

thrown at two Roman were

(Cavan, W.):

Catholics at Annaghmore last Christ- I beg to ask the Chief Secretary Lord Lieutenant of Ireland mas. The occurrence, if it happened to the at all, was can state how many not regarded, apparently, whether he by the persons most concerned as of the Bogey Clan in Belfast have been having any significance, since they proceeded against, with what offence they made no complaint whatever to the have been charged, and whether they have police on the matter.

MR. WILLIAM JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.): Has the hon. Member for South Down got Orangemen on the brain?

been released on bail.

MR. ATKINSON: The charge is one of assault. Eight of the accused have been remanded on bail; the remaining twelve are in custody.

Taxation of Personal Property Abroad. SIR EDWARD STRACHEY (Somersetshire, S.): I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he can state when a Return, granted last session, in reference to Personal Property (Contribution to Local Taxation Abroad), will be issued and circulated.

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.): I have ascertained that the Foreign Office is still without the information, and we have not received as yet the report from the self-governing colonies.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR: I do not think it is within my duty to inquire into the number of directorships held by Members serving on Committees of the House. With regard to that part of the Question which refers to the chairman of the Clan Line Steamers and a director of the Union Steamship Company of Gentleman will not suggest that it is New Zealand, I presume that the hon. either possible or desirable to have excluded from these Committees hon. Members having special acquaintance with the subject under discussion.

Transatlantic Shipping Combination. MR. BLACK (Banffshire): I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the Government has information that the same group which has formed the recent steamship combin- is not the Question on the Paper.

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL: But ought not these Committees to be more or less official in their form ?

ation also controls a large part of the railway communication in the United States; and whether, in view of the effect which such a conjunction may have upon the price of our food supplies, the Government propose to take any action in the matter.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR: I do not think that I can add anything usefully to what I said in debate the other day on the Motion for the adjournment; but I believe I may say that it is matter of common knowledge that some of the parties concerned in the steamship combination also command an interest in American railways.

Steamship Companies Subsidies
Committee.

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.): I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he is aware that out of the fifteen Members of this House whom it is intended to propose as members of the Steamship Companies Subsidies Committee nine hold among them forty-two directorships in public companies, and of these nine gentlemen one is the chairman of the Clan Line Steamers, Limited, and another a director of the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand, Limited; and whether he will consider the expediency of altering the nomination of the Committee in such a manner as to give directors of companies a less proportion of representation on the

Committee.

*MR. SPEAKER: Order, order! That

PUBLIC PETITIONS COMMITTEE. Fifth Report brought up, and read; to lie upon the Table, and to be printed.

COMMITTEES (ASCENSION DAY). (2.20.) MR. A. J. BALFOUR: I beg to move the Resolution in my name as to the sitting of Committees tomorrow. I move it as it had been the practice for many years past, but I may add that it is not to be treated as a Government Motion, and the Government tellers will not tell for it.

Motion made and Question proposed, That Committees do not sit Tomorrow, being Ascension Day, until Two of the Clock." (Mr. A. J. Balfour.)

*MR. JOHN ELLIS regretted that the right hon. Gentleman had felt it necessary to make this Motion. They were just starting under a new order of things, and he might have very well allowed it to drop. He yielded to no man in that House in his appreciation of the great Christian landmarks, but he did not think it necessary to signify his appreciation in such a manner as this. The Committees of the House were now in the flood tide of business, and it was most inconvenient thus to curtail their sittings. ticular the Standing Committee on Trade now engaged on the Licensing Bill had been obliged by this Motion to adjourn for

In par