state in how many instances during the year 1897 foreign trawlers have been prosecuted for trawling within the three mile limit in Scottish waters; and in how many instances convictions have been obtained? THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. GRAHAM MURRAY, Buteshire): I am informed by the Fishery Board that no foreign trawler was prosecuted for fishing in the territorial waters in 1897. CIVIL LIST PENSIONS. MR. HAZELL (Leicester): I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the list of pensioners on the Consolidated Fund, according to the Finance Accounts printed in June last; whether he is aware that 13 persons are stated to be receiving pensions, amounting in the aggregate to £1,350, because these pensions were formerly on the Civil List of King George IV. ; whether there are also six persons, whose aggregate annuities amount to £690, who were formerly on the Civil List of King William IV.; and can he state what evidence is required that these persons are living before their annuities are paid? MP.. HANBURY: My attention has been called to these pensions, by no means for the first time, by the Question of the honourable Member. There are, it appeals, no longer pensions payable which began to be paid in the reign of King George III., but there were still 12 pensioners in the Finance Accounts of last year (two being sisters) whose pensions date from the time of George IV. Of these three have recently died. There are ten (not six) persons whose pensions date from the Civil List of William IV. Of these four are a brother and three sisters, and four others are two pairs of sisters. With one exception, these 22 persons are women. There appears to be no legal necessity for a declaration or attestation in the case of pensions directly charged upon the Consolidated Fund, and payable under Statute. But the Pay Office requires in the case of the pensions named in the Question a life certificate attested by any one of the persons Mr. Weir. who are authorised to attest the declarations of pensioners paid out of voted moneys. ADMIRALTY CONTRACTS FOR SAILORS" BEDDING. COLONEL SIR HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central): I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that the specifications for hair for sailors' bedding require it to be cleaned unadulterated horse mane and tail, and not mixed with pig or another sort of hair bristle, and that this material has always been obtained in sufficient quantity for the Navy of this country; and why, under such circumstances, and having regard to the comparatively small amount required in the current year, British firms and placed with an Amerithe order has been taken away from can house much identified with pig bristle, and not hitherto making the substance required by the specification? SIR CUTHBERT QUILTER (Suffolk, Sudbury): I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if the hair bedding for the Fleet has been ordered this year abroad; and, if so, why the contract was placed, as usual, in Great Britain? THE not SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. MACARTNEY, Antrim, S.): Very considerable difficulty was experienced last year in obtaining a sufficient supply of curled hair, and it was necessary to invite tenders on four separate occasions before the full quantity could be placed with British firms. Great inconvenience was caused owing to the late period of the year at which supplies were eventually obtained. This year tenders were accepted from three British and one American firm. One British firm was accepted for the whole quantity offered by it, another for the whole quantity offered for early delivery, and the third for two-thirds of the quantity offered. The American firm was accepted for a larger proportion, as it promised early delivery, both of the first half and the remainder of the supply, and the requirements of the Service necessitated large quantities being obtained as soon as possible. Hair not in accordance with the contract will be rejected. I shall only be too glad if the tenders of British firms | agents between 31st March, 1890, and on the next occasion are of such a charac- 18th November, 1891; to whom was the ter as to admit of the whole of the orders money paid, under what authority was being placed with them. it received, and what has become of the money? PENSIONS TO IRISH GRAND JURY OFFICIALS. MR. ENGLEDEW (Kildare, N.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will give a Return showing in how many instances the several grand juries of Ire land have granted pensions to either their Secretaries, Treasurers, or Barony Constables during the last 20 years; and, if any, giving the names of the officers so pensioned, and the amount of the pension? THE CHIEF SECRETARY ΤΟ THE LORD LIEUTENANT OF IRELAND (Mr. GERALD W. BALFOUR, Leeds, Centraí): There are no. official records in the possession of the Irish Government containing the information desired in the Question. Barony Constables are not entitled to superannuation, and the cases in which Secretaries and Treasurers to grand juries have been awarded retiring allowances would probably be found to be few. These officers have often continued to discharge their duties by deputy instead of claiming superannuation allowances. I hardly think it would serve any useful purpose to grant the proposed Returns. THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF are TRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE, Croydon): BURIAL ACCOMMODATION AT LARNE. MR. MCCARTAN (Down, S.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to a special meeting of the Larne (county Antrim) Town Commissioners held on Thursday, 21st April, to consider, among other things, the providing of further burial ground accommodation for the inhabitants of Larne; whether he is aware of the want of sufficient burying ground in the district, and can he state the cause; and whether the Local Government Board will communicate with the Local Sanitary Authority with the view of having, in the interest of public health, proper and sufficient burial ground provided for the district? RULES UNDER THE PATENTS ACTS. MR. GERALD BALFOUR: My attention has been drawn to a report of the meeting referred to in the first paragraph. The need for increased burial accommodation is stated to be due to the fact that the entire burial accommodation set apart for the Roman Catholic portion of the community has been taken up. The matter has been referred to the Larne Burial Ground Committee for further BELFAST MARKET GARDENS AND he will consider the desirability of causing the lighthouse works to be commenced without delay, in order that it may be used as a danger warning for the coming winter? THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE: I am informed that the undertaking referred to was to communicate unofficially with the Irish Lights Commissioners on the subject of the desired lighthouse at Blackhead. I have since MR. MCCARTAN: I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the resolutions unanimously passed at a meeting held in Belfast on 25th April, urging the Government to extend in the Local Government (Ireland) Bill the benefit of the agricultural grant in respect of market gardens and nursery grounds inside the boundary of any town or borough which is a separate urban. or sanitary district; whether he is aware that, as at present framed, the Bill would exclude from the benefit of the grant about three-fourths of the market gardens and nurseries in Ireland; and whether, delay takes place in dealing with it. I considering that in England such market am aware that Blackhead is outside the gardens and nursery grounds are included jurisdiction of the Belfast Harbour Com in the benefit of the agricultural grant, he will inquire into the desirability of including them in Ireland also? MR. GERALD BALFOUR: My attention has been directed to the resolutions referred to in the Question. I have no material to enable me to judge whether the estimate in the second paragraph is correct. The definition of agricultural land contained in the Bill was adopted after very careful consideration, and I cannot hold out any hope that the Government will accede to the sugges tion in the third paragraph. MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.): Will judicial tenants in towns be excluded? MR. GERALD BALFOUR: Yes, Sir. received a communication from the Com missioners stating that they had applied for sanction for the erection of a lighthouse there. This application will come before me in due course, and I will see that no missioners. SITTINGS OF THE BELFAST LAND MR. MCCARTAN: I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, with reference to the last sitting of the Chief Land Commission at Belfast, whether he can state the number of fair rent appeals disposed of during the sitting, and in how many cases were the judicial rents reduced, confirmed, and increased respectively? MR. GERALD BALFOUR: On Thursday last I replied to a Question in similar terms addressed to me by the honourable Member. TRANSVAAL OFFICIALS AND THE BLACKHEAD LIGHTHOUSE. MR. MCCARTAN: I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, with reference to the necessity for the erection MR. ALFRED PEASE (Yorks, Cleveof a lighthouse at Blackhead, county land): I beg to ask the Secretary of State Antrim, whether he will state the nature for the Colonies whether he has received of the promise or undertaking given by any confirmation from Her Majesty's the Permanent Secretary of the Board of Representative at Pretoria of the charges Trade to the deputation from Belfast made by Mr. John Procter in his book, which recently waited upon him; whether" Boers and Little Englanders," against he is aware that Belfast Harbour Commissioners have no power to erect a lighthouse there, as Blackhead is outside their jurisdiction; and whether, considering that Belfast Lough is so frequently used by master mariners as a place of refuge, Commandant Cronje, Superintendent of Natives; Abel Erasmus, Native Commissioner; and David Schoeman, Field Cornet, who are alleged to have condemned, without pretence of trial and in violation of Article 19 of the Con BENTLEY NATIONAL SCHOOL. MR. MADDISON (Sheffield, Brightside): I beg to ask the Vice-President of the Committee of Council on Education, whether, under the rules of the National School at Bentley, near Farnham, Hampshire, the girls were required to sweep out the schoolroom for a week together in turn, and that it was also a rule of the school that, if they wished to avoid this duty, they have to pay twopence each in order to be exempted therefrom; whether such rules are still in force, and, if not, when they were withdrawn; and whether this is the only public elementary school available for the children of Bentley? vention of 1884, Toemeretsjani, Chieftainess of the Secocoeni tribe, to pay £147 10s., and inflicted on 13 of her Indunas 25 lashes each; whether he is aware that on appeal to the High Court at Pretoria, Cronje, Erasmus, and Schoeman were strongly censured by Justice Jorissen, but before the case was ended the State Attorney interfered on the part of the Government; that the Government agreed to refund to the Chieftainess £147 10s., with interest at six per cent. per annum and pay her costs, and that Cronje, Erasmus, and Schoeman were to pay the 13 Indunas £25 each as compensation, but that the money has not been paid to the Indunas, and that they not only still retain their official posiTHE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE COMtions, but have been appointed by the Transvaal Executive to be a Commission MITTEE OF COUNCIL ON EDUCATION to investigate matters in the district (Sir J. GORST, Cambridge University): where the Chieftainess and her Indunas The Committee of Council have no inforreside; and whether he will make mation as to the first two paragraphs. inquiries, or take steps to secure redress The answer to the third paragraph is in and protection for the natives who have the affirmative. been maltreated? as THE ANNALY ESTATE, COUNTY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. J. CHAMBERLAIN, Birmingham, W.): (1) The facts are stated in the first part of the Question, MR. J. P. FARRELL (Cavan, W.): I according to the information which I beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland. whether he can state who is have received; but I do not consider the receiver of the Annaly Estate, county that the action of the officials, though Longford, and has the Court of Chancery harsh and illegal, was a violation of had reports from him on the manageArticle 19 of the Convention. The ment of the Carrick-boy bog on this pronatives were not prevented from appeal-perty; is the court aware that the bailiff ing to the High Court. (2) I understand has recently deprived three tenants that the statements in the second part Peter Keenan named Peter Kenny, John Mason, and of their spread-bank, of the Question are substantially correct, which prevents them getting turf in this excepting that, according to the latest bog; whether any affidavit has been filed report received by me, the compensation in court on behalf of the bailiff, and has to the Indunas with costs had been paid, his proceeding been sanctioned by an and the compensation to the Chieftainess order of the court; whether, when Mason and costs were in course of being paid in produced a notice received from the bailiff before the sub-commission, the January last, and that I have no consub-commissioners declared it to be an firmation of the statement that Messrs. illegal document; and will steps be taken Cronje, Erasmus, and Schoeman have by the Court of Chancery to compel the been appointed to investigate matters in bailiff to restore to those tenants their the district referred to. (3) In reply to turbary rights? the third part of the Question, I have to say that Her Majesty's Agent has been instructed to watch any further developments of the trial and settlement, and especially any attempt to prevent natives having access to the courts. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. ATKINSON, Londonderry, N.): The Question of the honourable Member appears to be founded on a misconception. The Crown has no right to interfere in litigations of the character mentioned in the Question conducted by private parties, and relating to their own private affairs. Nor have I, as Law Officer of the Irish Government, any right to express an opinion of the kind asked for on the action of the court or of the parties litigant in the matter. FREE CARRIAGE OF SPRAYING MACHINES BY IRISH RAILWAY COMPANIES. MR. WILLIAM JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.): I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland has offered to carry potato spraying powder and Strawson's machines free of charge, at the owner's risk, between stations on that line; and whether he can say if any other Irish railway company has made the same generous offer? THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE: Yes, Sir; and I learn with much satisfaction that the Great Southern and Western, the Waterford, Limerick and Western, the Waterford and Central Ireland, and the Great Northern of Ireland are doing the same thing. POSTAL ACCOMMODATION IN MR. WEIR: I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether, in con sidering the question of a new post office, or an improved postal service in any district, e Departmert will take into consideration as a basis not only the correspondence dispatched to and from such a district, but also the distance the inhabitants have to walk in order t post a letter or receive one, especially in sparsely inhabited districts like the Highlands and Islands of Scotland? MR. HANBURY: Yes, Sir. In considering the question of a new post office, or an improved postal service in any district, the distance of the nearest post office from the houses of the inhabitants is always considered, as well as the amount of correspondence. The Highlands and Islands of Scotland are receiving special attention from the Postmaster General, as the honourable Member is aware. MUSSEL BEDS IN THE CLYDE MR. WEIR: I beg to ask the Lord ANNULMENT OF ORDERS IN COUNCIL Fishery Board by the Board of Trade; UNDER THE IRISH LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL. has any portion of the beds been sub-let; if so, to whom, and on what terms; and can it be stated what quantity of mussels have been taken from the beds since they came into the hands of the Fishery Board? MR. WILLIAM JOHNSTON: I beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland if he is able to state whether the Lord Lieutenant can annul an Order in Council under Part VI. of the Local Govern- MR. GRAHAM MURRAY: I am ment (Ireland) Bill 1898, previously informed by the Fishery Board that the duly made as provided in Clause 65, whole area leased by them has been subsub-section (1), of the Bill, by any means let to Dr. J. H. Fullarton for a term of other than by laying before both Houses 21 years from Candlemas, 1897, for a of Parliament another Order in Council,ditions as to culture, size of mussels to yearly rent of £1, with strict conas provided in Clause 65, sub-section be sold, and prices to be charged to (2); and, if by any other means, by fishermen. A statement of the quantity what means? MR. ATKINSON: No, Sir; an Order in Council, when confirmed by Parliament, becomes a statute, and can only be repealed by another statute. The Attorney General for Ireland of mussels taken since the date of the lease, as compared with previous statistics, would, I fear, be misleading, but if the honourable Member particularly desires to have it, he can obtain it at the Scottish Office. |