Sitting of 29 July 1915

Preamble
The House met at a Quarter before Three of the clock, Mr. SPEAKER in the Chair.
CLERGY (WEST INDIES)
Order [28th July] that the Paper relative thereto to be printed, read, and discharged.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS.
  WAR.

    RECRUITING (GALWAY).
    Mr. COSGRAVEasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether any figures as to the number of men who have joined the Army from Galway since the outbreak of War were officially supplied to the judge who charged the Grand Jury at the Galway Assizes; and, if not, whether he will give the correct figures or the nearest approximation to them?
    The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Gulland): My right hon. Friend is not aware that any figures were officially supplied. As the hon. Member may be aware, it has been considered undesirable to make public recruiting statistics.
    Mr. PATRICK O'BRIEN: Will that answer be conveyed to the learned judge who thought it necessary to make a political speech to the Grand Jury and to offend the whole of the people of Galway by misstating figures?
    Mr. SPEAKER: Charges of that sort against judges should not be made. If the hon. Member wishes to make any charge against a judge he should put a Motion down in the ordinary course.

    Commissions of the Peace (Ireland).
    Mr. T. M. HEALYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, whether the Lord
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    Chancellor's secretary has now intimated that William Murphy and J. L. O'Brien, of Mitchelstown, have been appointed to the commission of the peace for county Cork; if so, will he say upon whose recomendation this was done; are these persons the secretary and president of the local Hibernians; is he aware that Mr. O'Brien is the holder of two licences and was twice convicted for breaches of the Licensing Acts; was the Lord Lieutenant of county Cork made aware of these convictions when he agreed to the appointment; and whether, seeing that there are sixteen magistrates already on the Mitchelstown bench, he will say what object was sought to be secured by these appointments and how many members of this order has the Lord Chancellor, against the wishes of the representatives of Cork constituencies, appointed in that county since the Coalition Government was formed?
    The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Birrell): The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The Lord Chancellor informs me that it is. not the practice to state upon whose recommendations appointments to the commission of the peace are made, and that he has no information in regard to the third, fourth and fifth parts of the question. He adds that there are not sixteen magistrates on the Mitchelstown bench, where the average attendance is five or six, and that since the formation of the Coalition Government he has not considered any applications for appointments to the commission in county Cork.

    Labour Exchanges (Holidays and Sick Relief).
    Mr. TYSON WILSONasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the Labour Exchanges have no system of floating staff for holiday and sick relief work, such as obtains in the Post Office, and that its absence results in overtime; whether, inasmuch as junior female clerks in Labour Exchanges work overtime without payment, he will state why it is more difficult to arrange for payment of overtime to these clerks than to clerks in, say, branch post offices; and whether he will approach the Treasury with a view to the institution of a floating staff, the payment for all overtime as in the case of other junior civil servants, and to the increase in the staff of those exchanges which are overworked?
    The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Runciman): A regular floating staff is provided for the holiday relief of women clerks at the Labour Exchanges, and there is a surplus margin of staff which provides for the holiday relief of the men clerks during the summer months. Sick relief usually takes the form of the temporary transfer of an Officer from another Exchange or duty, but where such transfer is not possible, payment for overtime is authorised, if necessary. I am not aware of the precise conditions under which payment for overtime is made in offices under other Departments, but so far as Labour Exchanges are concerned I am afraid it is not practicable to go beyond the system described in my previous replies. I am not prepared at the present time to approach the Treasury with proposals in this connection involving increased expenditure.

ROYAL ASSENT.
Message to attend the Lords Commissioners. The House went, and having returned,
Mr. SPEAKERreported the Royal Assent to:—

1. Finance Act, 1915.

2. Appropriation Act, 1915.

3. Maintenance of Live Stock Act, 1915.

4. Government of India Act, 1915.

5. Notification of Births (Extension) Act, 1915.

6. Expiring Laws Continuance Act, 1915.

7. Milk and Dairies (Consolidation) Act, 1915.

8. Isle of Man (Customs) Act, 1915.

9. Public Works Loans Act, 1915.

10. Customs (War Powers) (No. 2) Act, 1915.

11. Execution of Trusts (War Facilities) Amendment Act, 1915.

12. Scottish Universities (Emergency Powers) Act, 1915.

13. Trading with the Enemy Amendment Act, 1915.

14. Special Acts (Extension of Time) Act, 1915.

15. Elections and Registration Act, 1915.

16. Naval Discipline (No. 2) Act, 1915.

17. Police Magistrates (Superannuation) Act, 1915.

18. Price of Coal (Limitation) Act, 1915.

19. Cotton Associations (Emergency Action) Act, 1915.

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20. Port-Glasgow Gas and Burgh Extension Order Confirmation Act, 1915.

21. Glasgow Corporation (Parks, Harbour Tunnel, Gas, etc.) Order Confirmation Act, 1915.

22. Dunfermline and District Tramways (Extensions) Order Confirmation Act, 1915.

23. Provisional Order (Marriages) Confirmation Act, 1915.

24. Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No. 2) Act, 1915.

25. Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No. 3) Act, 1915.

26. Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No. 4) Act, 1915.

27. Electric Lighting Order Confirmation (No. 5) Act, 1915.

28. Land Drainage Provisional Order Confirmation Act, 1915.

29. Land Drainage (Ouse) Provisional Order Confirmation Act, 1915.

30. Land Drainage (Raveningham) Provisional Order Confirmation Act,. 1915.

31. Local Government Board (Ireland) Provisional Orders Confirmation (No. 1) Act, 1915.

32. Local Government Board (Ireland) Provisional Orders Confirmation (No. 2) Act, 1915.

33. Local Government Board's Provisional Orders Confirmation (No. 5) Act, 1915.

34. Local Government Board's Provisional Orders Confirmation (No. 6) Act, 1915.

35. Local Government Board's Provisional Orders Confirmation (No. 8) Act, 1915.

36. Local Government Board's Provisional Orders Confirmation (No. 9) Act, 1915.

37. Gas and Water Orders Confirmation (No. 1) Act, 1915.

38. Gas and Water Orders Confirmation (No. 2) Act, 1915.

39. Gas and Water Orders Confirmation (No. 3) Act, 1915.

40. Pier and Harbour Orders Confirmation (No. 1) Act, 1915.

41. Pier and Harbour Orders Confirmation (No. 2) Act, 1915.

42. Education Board Provisional Orders Confirmation (Derbyshire, etc.) Act, 1915.

43. Education Board Provisional Orders Confirmation (London) Act, 1915.

44. Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley, and Dukinfield Tramways and Electricity Board Act, 1915.

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45. Ashington Urban District Council Act, 1915.

46. South Shields Corporation Act, 1915.

47. Wolverhampton Corporation Water Act, 1915.

48. Barnoldswick Urban District Council Water Act, 1915.

49. Nottingham Corporation (Trent Navigation Transfer) Act, 1915.

50. Southend Waterworks Act, 1915.

51. London Electric Railway Companies' Facilities Act, 1915.

52. Plymouth Corporation Act, 1915.

53. South Staffordshire Waterworks Act, 1915.

54. Rhondda Urban District Council (Tramways Extensions, etc.) Act, 1915.

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55. Weardale and Consett Water Act, 1915.

56. Metropolitan Water Board Act, 1915.

57. Dewsbury Corporation Act, 1915.

58. London County Council (Money) Act, 1915.

59. London County Council (Parks, etc.) Act, 1915.

60. Lincoln Corporation Act, 1915.

61. Massy's Divorce Act, 1915.

Whereupon Mr. SPEAKER, pursuant to the Order of the House of the 28th July, adjourned the House, without Question put, till Tuesday, 14th September.
Adjourned at Twenty-six minutes before Four o'clock.

ELECTIONS AND REGISTRATION BILL.

  COTTON ASSOCIATIONS (EMERGENCY ACTION) BILL.
  Returned from the Commons, with the Amendments, agreed to.
  Destructive Insects and Pests Acts, 1877 and 1907—Order, numbered D.I.P. 175, dated 19th July 1915, declaring an area described in the schedule thereto, to be infected with American Gooseberry Mildew and an infected area for the purposes of the American Gooseberry Mildew (Infected Areas) Order of 1915:
  Laid before the House (pursuant to Act) and ordered to lie on the Table.
  House adjourned during pleasure.
  House resumed.

ROYAL COMMISSION.
The following sixty-one Bills received the Royal Assent—

Finance (No. 2).

Consolidated Fund (Appropriation).

Maintenance of Live Stock.

Government of India.

Notification of Births (Extension).

Expiring Laws Continuance.

Milk and Dairies (Consolidation).

Isle of Man (Customs).

Public Works Loans.

Customs (War Powers) (No. 2).

Execution of Trusts (War Facilities) Amendment.

Scottish Universities (Emergency Powers).

Trading with the Enemy Amendment.

Special Acts (Extension of Time).

Elections and Registration.

Naval Discipline (No. 2).

780

Police Magistrates (Superannuation).

Price of Coal (Limitation).

Cotton Associations (Emergency Action).

Port-Glasgow Gas and Burgh Extension Order Confirmation.

Glasgow Corporation (Parks, Harbour, Tunnel, Gas, &c.) Order Confirmation.

Dunfermline and District Tramways (Extensions) Order Confirmation.

Marriages Provisional Order.

Electric Lighting Provisional Orders (No. 2).

Electric Lighting Provisional Orders (No. 3).

Electric Lighting Provisional Orders (No. 4).

Electric Lighting Provisional Order (No. 5).

Land Drainage Provisional Order.

Land Drainage (Ouse) Provisional Order.

Land Drainage (Raveningham) Provisional Order.

Local Government (Ireland) Provisional Orders (No. 1).

Local Government (Ireland) Provisional Orders (No. 2).

Local Government Provisional Orders (No. 5).

Local Government Provisional Orders (No. 6).

Local Government Provisional Orders (No. 8).

Local Government Provisional Orders (No. 9).

Gas and Water Provisional Orders (No. 1).

Gas and Water Provisional Orders (No. 2).

Gas and Water Provisional Orders (No. 3).

Pier and Harbour Provisional Orders (No. 1).

Pier and Harbour Provisional Orders (No. 2).

Education Board Provisional Orders Confirmation (Derbyshire, &c.).

Education Board Provisional Orders Confirmation (London).

Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley and Dukinfield Tramways and Electricity Board.

Ashington Urban District Council.

South Shields Corporation.

Wolverhampton Corporation Water.

Barnoldswick Urban District Council Water.

Nottingham Corporation (Trent Navigation Transfer).

Southend Water.

London Electric Railway Companies' Facilities.

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Plymouth Corporation.

South Staffordshire Water.

Rhondda Urban District Council (Tramways Extensions, &c.).

Weardale and Consett Water.

Metropolitan Water Board.

Dewsbury Corporation.

London County Council (Money).

London County Council (Parks &c.).

Lincoln Corporation.

Massy's Divorce.

THE RECESS.
THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNE: My Lords, I beg to move that the House do adjourn until Tuesday, September 14.
Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to.
House adjourned at twenty-five minutes before Four o'clock, to Tuesday the 14th of September next, a quarter past Four o'clock.