Written Answers of 5 March 1909

  Royal Parks.
  Mr. SUMMERBELL
  asked the First Commissioner of Works, in regard to the concession made some months ago to the labourers employed at Bushey Park when performing acting gatekeepers' duties, if he could see his way clear to make the same concession to the men doing similar work at Richmond Park?

  Mr. HARCOURT:
  The case of the acting gatekeepers at Richmond Park is not quite similar to that of those at Bushy Park. At Bushy the road is open day and night to all kinds of traffic; at Richmond the gates are closed at dusk. Although the hours are long in summer, in winter they are the same as those of an ordinary labourer for five days in the week, and the duty is not nearly so arduous. In consideration, however, of the extra hours of duty on Saturday afternoons, the pay for Saturday will be raised from 3s. 10d. to 5s. for that day—the same rate as at Bushy Park; but for week-days and Sundays the present pay, which is 3s. 10d., is, I consider, sufficient, having regard to the nature of the duties.
  1794
  Mr. SUMMERBELL
  asked whether two foremen are being advertised for for the London Royal parks, and that the ages of the applicants are to be between 30 and 35 years; if so, will he explain why this departure is made from the practice of promoting men already employed in view of its effect in discouraging men now employed in the parks; and why the maximum age is fixed so low?

  Mr. HARCOURT:
  The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. There has been no departure from the practice of the Department. Of seven foremen appointed within the past 12 years only two were drawn from the parks staff. Among the numerous applications which have been received for the two posts now vacant several are from men at present employed in the parks, and these will receive due consideration. It is desirable to obtain young and active men as foremen, and 35 is the usual limit of age.

  Mr. SUMMERBELL
  asked whether it is the intention to fix the age of 35 as the maximum so far as employment in the Royal parks is concerned?

  Mr. HARCOURT:
  The maximum limit of age of entry has been fixed at 35 for some time past for all persons employed in the Royal parks except park-keepers, lavatory attendants, and men engaged for temporary work.

  Royal Gardens, Kew.
  Mr. SUMMERBELL
  asked the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether he is aware that a vacancy caused at the Royal Gardens, Kew, by the promotion of the arboretum foreman is being filled by an outsider, notwithstanding that there are several sub-foremen under notice of dismissal owing to the recently imposed time-limit; and whether, in view of the fact that some time ago it was stated by the hon. Member for Saffron Walden, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, that promotion to higher positions was within the reach of the men employed, he will cause this grievance of the sub-foremen mentioned to be immediately remedied?

  Sir EDWARD STRACHEY:
  The vacancy to which my hon. Friend refers has been filled by the re-engagement of a gardener who has had previous service at Kew and rose to the rank of sub-foreman. The work of the position in question is of a special character, and none of the sub-

  1795
  foremen at present in employment possessed sufficiently long experience of it to justify his selection.

  Steel Rails Imported from Russia.
  Sir JOHN RANDLES
  asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can state the number of tons of steel rails that have been imported into the United Kingdom from Russia during each of the years 1906, 1907, and 1908?

  Mr. CHURCHILL:
  The following statement shows the number of tons of iron and steel rails imported into the United Kingdom from Russia during the last three years:—

  Tons.

  1906

  Nil.

  1907

  2,490

  1908

  16,000

  No particulars are available with regard to steel as distinguished from iron rails.

  Somaliland (Coast Operations).
  Mr. ASHLEY
  asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what expenditure has been incurred by the Board owing to the recent operations on the Somali coast.

  Mr. M'KENNA:
  It is not practicable to give an Estimate of the naval expenditure incurred on account of operations on the Somali coast, inasmuch as such service is incidental to the general purposes for which His Majesty's ships are maintained on the East Indies Station, as in other parts of the world.

  American Beef Trust (Income Tax).
  Mr. FIELD
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether a certain class of foreign investors escape the payment of income tax which is levied under almost similar circumstances to native residents in the three kingdoms; whether the American Beef Trust pay no income tax because their books are kept in America; and, if so, whether he will cause inquiries to be made into the whole subject, and take measures that the foreigner and native, similarly circumstanced, shall be liable for an equal amount of taxation?

  Mr. LLOYD-GEORGE:
  As regards the first part of the question, I shall be happy to make inquiries into any specific case which the hon. Member may bring to my notice. The subject referred to in the second part of the question is already under investigation.

  Children Act, 1908 (Local Education Authorities).
  Mr. BERTRAM
  asked the Home Secretary whether any regulations have been or are to be issued for enabling local education authorities to delegate their duties under the Children Act, 1908, to the education committees constituted under the Education Act, 1902; and, if not, whether, in view of the difficulty of administration, he will introduce legislation on the subject?

  Mr. GLADSTONE:
  I have no power to issue regulations on the subject. I am consulting the Board of Education as to whether any practical difficulty is likely to arise on this point.

  Volunteer Reserve (Gloucestershire County Association).
  Mr. HUNT
  asked the Secretary of State for War whether Major H. Knowles, of Gloucester, has been allowed to organise 200 old soldiers and volunteers and procure for them the free use of rifles, ammunition, and a drill hall in order to form a Volunteer Reserve; and, if so, whether other retired officers may do the same in other counties?

  Mr. HALDANE:
  I have no official information concerning this matter. A communication has been addressed to the County Association of Gloucestershire asking for information on the subject, and pointing out that the raising of such a force without the authority of the Crown is illegal. There is no intention of permitting rifle clubs to drill as an armed force; to admit any such procedure would be disastrous to all schemes of organisation.

  Labourers' Act (Tipperary).
  Mr. LUNDON
  asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that at the late quarter sessions held in Limerick the County Court Judge, Mr. Law Smith, in dealing with the appeals in connection with applications for cottages and plots under the Labourers Acts from the labourers of Tipperary No. 2 District Council, which is situated in the county of Limerick, decided against all, or nearly all, the applications; and will he say how many applications were rejected, and on what grounds the rejections took place?

  Mr. BIRRELL:
  The Local Government Board have not yet received copies of the orders made by the County Court Judge in this case, but from a statement furnished by the clerk of the Rural District Council

  1797
  they gather that the judge dealt with petitions relating to 24 cottages, of which 18 were disallowed by him. The Board are not informed of the grounds upon which County Court Judges base their decisions.

  Estates Commissioners (Mr. Battersby's Estate, County Meath).
  Mr. PATRICK WHITE
  asked whether the representatives of the late William M'Cormick have applied to the Estates Commissioners to be reinstated in their father's holding, situated at Diamor, Crossakiel, county Meath, on the estate of Mr. Battersby; and what action has been taken on their behalf?

  Mr. BIRRELL:
  The Estates Commissioners inform me that they have decided to take no action in the matter of the application of the representatives of William M'Cormick for reinstatement in a holding of which he lost possession on the expiration of his lease. The owner is willing to sell the lands to his widow, and the matter is one for arrangement between the parties.

  Land Purchase.
  Mr. FLAVIN
  asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he can state the amount of money lost to the ratepayers of Kerry under the operations of The Land Purchase Act, 1903, for each of the years 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, and 1908, under the different heads of deductions.

  Mr. BIRRELL
  presented the following statement, showing the sums deducted from grants, or added thereto, payable in the county of Kerry in respect of land purchase liability under the Irish Land Act, 1903, during certain years. The amounts added to the grants are shown in italics:—

  Year end'd

  Deductions or additions in respect of

  Net Deductions.

  Arrears.

  Insufficiency of Income.

  Interest due from Irish Land Commission on advances

  £

  s.

  d.

  £

  s.

  d.

  £

  s.

  d.

  £

  s.

  d.

  1903

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1904

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1905

  7

  19

  9

  —

  0

  5

  1

  8

  4

  10

  1906

  163

  4

  4

  —

  0

  0

  8

  163

  5

  0

  1907

  41

  10

  3

  631

  18

  9

  0

  5

  9

  590

  2

  9

  1908

  498

  1

  6

  135

  10

  6

  —

  362

  11

  0

  669

  5

  7

  631

  18

  9

  Nil.

  1,124

  3

  7

  41

  10

  3

  135

  10

  6

  T't'l

  627

  15

  4

  496

  8

  3

  School Attendance in Ireland.
  Mr. JOHN MURPHY
  asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland have made any proposals in regard to the improvement of school attendance in Ireland; and if he would be prepared to introduce a Bill amending the existing School Attendance Act on the lines asked for by several school attendance committees in Ireland.

  Mr. BIRRELL:
  I understand that the matter is under consideration, and my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer is shortly to receive a deputation on the subject, amongst others, of school attendance in Ireland. On the general question of legislation, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a question asked by the hon. Member for Queen's county on 3rd March, 1908.

  Teachers' Pensions.
  Mr. MURPHY
  asked the Secretary to the Board of Education if he can state out of what fund the money required for teachers' pensions in England, Scotland, and Wales is payable.

  Mr. C. P. TREVELYAN:
  As regards England and Wales, teachers' pensions are payable out of monies voted by Parliament, with the exception of such annuities as teachers may be entitled to in respect of their contributions to the Deferred Annuity Fund established under the Elementary School Teachers (Superannuation) Act, 1898. Perhaps the hon. Member will be good enough to address a separate question to the Lord Advocate as to teachers' pensions in Scotland.

  PETITIONS PRESENTED DURING THE WEEK.
  The following Petitions were presented during this week, and ordered to lie upon the Table:—

  TUESDAY.
  Nigeria (Importation of Steel Traps)—Petition from Wednesfield, for removal of restriction.
  Temperance (Scotland) Bill—Petitions in favour.—From Dornick, Hawick, Jedburgh (two), Kelso, Melrose, Newtown, and Roxburgh.
  Women's Enfranchisement — Petition from Windsor and Eton, for legislation.
  Hugh Godfray v. Harry Davies—Peti-

  1799
  tion of Messrs. Helder Roberts and Company, solicitors, for leave to the proper officer to attend a trial and produce documents and give evidence in the High Court of Justice.—[Mi. Caldwell.]
  Leave given to the proper officer to attend accordingly.

  WEDNESDAY.
  Women's Enfranchisement — Petitions for legislation.—From Eastbourne and Upper Brighton.
  THURSDAY.
  Sale of Intoxicating Liquors on Sunday Bill—Petitions in favour.—From Acocks Green and Yardley.

  FRIDAY.
  Nurses Registration Bill—Petitions in favour.—From Bournemouth and Leicester.
  Sale of Intoxicating Liquors on Sunday Bill.—Petition from Chorley in favour.