QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS CIRCULATED WITH THE VOTES.

(Answered by Lord Balcarres.) During the recess the recommendations of the Select Committee of the House of Commons with reference to the ventilation have been carried into effect, with the exception of the completion of the extract fan. This has been delayed by reason of structural difficulties incidental to the floor of the Commons Lobby Chamber, but it is expected that this tan will be running within a month from date. The principal improvements already effected are: (1) The complete washing of the air by means of a new type of water screen; (2) The erection of a much more powerful intake fan; (3) The more effective isolation of passages joining the main airways. This will be followed by experimental tests having in view the better distribution of air to the Chamber, and also by tests of the air so distributed. It is hoped that the works already completed will result in a very considerable improvement in the quantity and quality of the air supply.

Mail Delays at Portree.

MR. JOHN DEWAR (Inverness): To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, in consequence of the steamer "Lochiel" being frequently late in her arrival at Portree, the mails for Dunvegan and Uig are delayed; and will he communicate with the contractors for this service in order that a larger and faster steamer may be provided.

(Answered by Lord Stanley.) I will make inquiry respecting the circumstances under which the steamer “Lochiel" has been late in arrival at Portree, and the

result shall be communicated to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Post Office and Postal Telegraph Clerks' Association.

MR. BELL (Derby): To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that an officer attached to the Controller's staff has been visiting the post offices. in the Eastern Central district, London, which are staffed by women, for the purpose of persuading them from joining the Postal Telegraphs Clerks' Association; and, if so, will he state if such action was taken with his sanction, and whether the women counter clerks and tele

graphists suffer any disabilities from joining this organisation.

(Answered by Lord Stanley.) I am informed that there is no foundation for the suggestion conveyed by the hon. Member's Question. If his allegation is based on any definite facts, perhaps he will communicate them to me.

Pay for Extra Duty in Excise and Inland Revenue Departments.

MR. JOSEPH DEVLIN (Kilkenny, N.): To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that officers of Excise, performing duty for absent officers for whom no substitute tion for such duty, while clerks in the can be provided, receive special remuneraoffices of the collectors of Inland Revenue under similar circumstances are expected remuneration, he will take steps to place to perform the extra duty without any the two branches on an equality in this respect.

Local Authorities' Accounts in Ireland. MR. JOSEPH DEVLIN: To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, in view of the protests which are being made by the public bodies of Ireland against the new Orders of the Local Government Board for the keeping of accounts, and of the statement made by officials of the Local Government Board as to the submission of draft Orders to the county councils previous to their issue, he will state the names of the county councils which considered these Orders, and also the names of the public officials who approved of them previous to their issue, and say whether the boards of guardians and rural district councils were asked for their opinions prior to their issue.

MR. WILLIAM MCKILLOP (Sligo, N.): To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord

Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state

the names of the county councils, rural district councils, and boards of guardians in Ireland in which the accounts were presented for audit in an unsatisfactory manner owing to the deficiency of the system prescribed in 1899; and if he will point out the cause which led to the superseding of that system.

(Answered by Mr. Wyndham.) The Public Bodies Order was sent to every county council and county borough council, with all of whom the Board was in correspondence prior to the issue of the Order. It was also sent to a number of the councils of the larger urban districts. Many valuable suggestions were received from the local authorities, and these have been adopted by the Board. The communications received from public officials on the subject are confidential, and it would be contrary to practice to publish their names. The Union Accounts Order was not sent in draft to boards of guardians since it contained no material alterations upon the old Order. The Board's experience of the accounts of the local authorities mentioned in the Question of the hon. Member for North Sligo pointed to the necessity of the amendments which have been made in the new Order. The accounts of these authorities were, as a rule, presented for audit as satisfactorily

as the Board could have wished or expected, having regard to the fact that the old Order, made prior to the coming into operation of the Local Government Act of 1898, admittedly contained many imperfections. At various times during the past five years some of the most experienced accounting officers of the local authorities have directed the Board's attention to matters in respect of which the original Order required modifications and improvements, and there are no provisions in the new Order which are not the result of the experience gained since 1899.

MR. JOSEPH DEVLIN: To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the fact that a new system of accounts was prescribed for the Poor Law Unions of Ireland in the

year 1899, and acted on by all the Poor Law Boards, he will say whether there boards of guardians as to the insufficiency was any complaint made by any of the of these accounts for public requirements; and whether, seeing that some of the forms prescribed in that Order were copyrighted by a Local Government Board auditor, and that a number of the boards of guardians and district councils have protested against any departure being made in the accounts, they having gone to considerable expense by the previous Order, and being satisfied with the present system, he will, in the case of small unions whose guardians have declared in favour of an amalgamation scheme, recommend to the Local Government Board the deference of the operation of the new Orders until the question of amalgamation is settled.

The

(Answered by Mr. Wyndham.) forms of the Union Accounts Order are almost identical with the old forms, and where any alterations to the headings are necessary they can be made by the clerk of the union in the existing books with very little trouble. No copyright in the forms exists and it is open to any printer to prepare books in accordance with the prescribed forms for use by Poor Law Unions. The forms of accounts could not be affected by amalgamation of unions and no advantage would be gained by suspending the operation of the Order pending the Report of the Commission.

hon. Member. The terms and conditions of service are now so advantageous that it is very important they should be fully understood.

Militia Officers.

MR. REGINALD LUCAS (Portsmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the present difficulty in obtaining officers for the Militia, in consequence of existing doubts as to the future of the force, he can give any assurance that officers now incurring the expense incidental to joining will be permitted to retain the right to wear the uniform in the event of the abolition of their battalions.

(Answered by Mr. Secretary ArnoldForster.) I am afraid that I cannot undertake to give any such pledge as that suggested in the Question, in anticipation of any measures for the reorganisation of the Militia which might involve the abolition of any battalion.

Federated Malay States.

MR. SPEAR (Devonshire, Tavistock): To ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Federated Malay States have ever been formally annexed by the Crown so as to officially form part of the British Empire; and, if not, whether the portion of the State revenue that is allotted to the Sultans of those States for the maintenance of their dignity can be officially designated by colonial officers as fixed salaries settled by the High Commissioner, subject to the approval of the Secretary of State.

(Answered by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton.) The Federated Malay States have not been annexed. Their relations with His Majesty's Government are determined by treaties in which the Sultans have undertaken to follow the advice of the British Residents and Resident-General in all matters of administration other than those touching the Mohammedan religion. The allowances paid to the Sultans are fixed by the High Commissioner, subject to the approval of the Secretary of State, and have been frequently described as "Salaries," both in official correspondence and in the Annual Estimates of the Malay States.

Protection of Trawlers on the Dogger Bank.

SIR SEYMOUR KING (Hull, Central): To ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether arrangements have been made to afford full protection to the fishing fleet on the Dogger Bank during the passage of the Russian third Baltic Fleet through the North Sea.

(Answered by Mr. A. J. Balfour.) His Majesty's Government place implicit reliance on the assurance given by the Russian Government that they have taken every precaution to guard against the recurrence of such incidents as that of 21st-22nd October, and that special instructions have been issued to the whole Russian Fleet with that object.

QUESTIONS IN THE HOUSE.

Admiralty Yacht "Enchantress." MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis): I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the new Admiralty yacht “Enchantress " is to be remodelled and partly reconstructed by work affecting the whole interior of the ship; what is the total estimated cost of the alterations to be made in the ship and from what source is their cost to be defrayed; and what will be the total cost of the ship, including the alterations.

*THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. PRETYMAN, Suffolk, Woodbridge): The reply to the first part of the hon. Member's Question is No. The reply to the second part is £412, to be met from the sum provided for Repairs and Alterations to Ships in Commission and Reserve, Portsmouth Programme.

The total cost of the ship, including approved alterations, is £126,753.

MR, GIBSON BOWLES: Has the last instalment been paid for the ship and has she been taken over ?

*MR. PRETYMAN asked for notice of that Question.

Indian Cavalry-The Patterson
Equipment.

SIR CARNE RASCH (Essex, Chelmsford): I beg to ask the Secretary of State

for War whether the Patterson equipment has been adopted for the Indian cavalry; and whether it will be applied to the British cavalry, seeing that the bucket appliance weighs 4 lbs. and the Patterson arrangement 12 ozs. only.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. ARNOLD - FORSTER, Belfast, W.): I understand that the Patterson equipment is used by a portion of the Indian cavalry. I believe that recent reports show that there is some doubt as to whether the pattern adopted is satisfactory from the point of view of durability. As regards cavalry on the British Establishment, it has been decided not to adopt this equipment at present, as the advantages derived from its use considered to be more than balanced by are its disadvantages. I must point out that the weight of the new bucket is only • 2 lbs., and not 4 lbs. as stated in the Question. It is probable that further information with regard to the value of this equipment will shortly be received from India.

MR. SYDNEY BUXTON (Tower Hamlets, Poplar): Will the right hon. Gentleman lay Papers dealing with the subject on the Table of the House?

MR. GIBSON BOWLES: Does the right hon. Gentleman remember that we were promised this instalment at the beginning of 1904, and that on the faith of that assurance the House was prepared to guarantee the loan of £35,000,000.

MR. LYTTELTON: I do not admit the accuracy of that statement.

*MR. MCCRAE: Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether the state of the revenues of the Transvaal admits of necessary? their making the annual contribution

MR. BAYLEY (Derbyshire, Chesterfield): Will the right hon. Gentleman lay Papers on the Table before the Budget. is introduced?