Secretary of State is not in possession of this information but has asked the Governor of Natal by telegraph for the particulars desired by my hon. friend.

Intercolonial Reciprocity--Trade Relations of Canada and the West Indies.

COLONEL SEELY: I can hardly deal with that matter in reply to a supplementary Question.

MR. MITCHELL-THOMSON (Lanarkshire, N.W.): Will the hon. Gentleman consider the desirability of laying the correspondence?

COLONEL SEELY: I will consult the

Case of Mr. Luxenburg.

MR. LAMONT (Buteshire): I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that, at the Inter-Colonial Conference upon Trade Relations between the West Indies and Secretary of State on that point. the Dominion of Canada, held at Barbados in January last, resolutions were passed in favour of a mutual reduction of tariffs as between the Dominion on one hand and certain of the West Indian Colonies on the other; whether the Government regards with favour this movement in the direction of imperial free trade; and, if so, whether the Colonial Office has offered, or will offer, to assist the Crown Colonies concerned in carrying their negotiations to a successful issue.

MR. R. DUNCAN
DUNCAN (Lanarkshire,
Govan) Are the Crown Colonies in a
different position from self-governing Colo-

MR. BELLOC (Salford, S.): I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Russian Government have at any time formulated any definite charge against the British subject, Mr. Luxenburg, recently thrown into prison without trial; and whether, as has been alleged, any close relation of his has, or is accused by the Russian Government of having, plotted against the existing Government of that country.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir EDWARD I GREY, Northumberland, Berwick): understand that Mr. Luxenburg was notified to the authorities as being and was arrested in consequence in a engaged in revolutionary propaganda, district which was treated as in a state of siege. It turned out apparently that there was no foundation for such a charge, and he was released. But the information I have at present is somewhat vague, and I have asked His Majesty's Ambassador to get more definite information as to the reason for the arrest. I expect to receive a further report from him. I am not aware whether any relation of Mr. Luxenburg has plotted against the Russian Govern

measures beneficial to the country with- of State for the Home Department out encumbering it with the suggested whether he can state the respective inquiry into strategical questions con- populations of the towns of Accrington nected with the projected Forth to and Nelson, the number of licences per Clyde ship canal, the most favourable head of the population in each town, estimate as to the cost of which is and the number of convictions for £17,000,000. drunkenness per head in each town.

Wandsworth Prison Warder-Compensation for Injury.

MR. GLADSTONE: The facts which the hon. Member has in mind are to be found set out on pages 226-7 of the Volume of Licensing Statistics for 1907, as follows:-Accrington: Population, according to Census of 1901, 43,122; on-licences per 10,000 persons on 1st January, 1907, 20-87; convictions for drunkenness per 10,000 persons_during the year 1907, 50 09. Nelson: Population, 32,816; on-licences, 4.37; convictions, 49 98.

MR. GLADSTONE: I will ascertain. I have not the figures here.

French Workers and the Workmen's
Compensation Act.

MR. WILES (Islington, S.): I beg *MR. JOHN RUTHERFORD (Lanto ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention cashire, Darwen): How many clubs has been called to the case of Ernest are there in the town of Nelson? Taylor, who, while employed as an assistant warder at His Majesty's Prison, Wandsworth, on 10th May, 1904, was during the performance of his duties. struck on the head by a prisoner with a sledge-hammer, causing depressed fracture of the skull and completely incapacitating him for twelve months; and, seeing that Taylor is still out of employment owing to this assault, and that no payment whatever has since been made to him, will he recommend that some compensation shall be paid him, as the injury was inflicted during the execution of his duty.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. GLADSTONE, Leeds, W.): This case has been repeatedly considered by the late Home Secretary and myself, and we have found ourselves unable to accept the view of the facts set out in the Question. The evidence does not support the contention that Taylor's present condition is due to any injury inflicted on him while on duty in Wandsworth Prison, and I much regret that no compensation can be offered him from public funds.

MR. STANGER (Kensington, N.): I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can give any estimate of the number of female workpeople, including domestic servants, who, in the United Kingdom, come under the provisions of the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1906; and whether he has placed or is intending to place any duly qualified female medical practitioners on the list of persons to act as medical referees or medical assessors under that Act, so that female workpeople, making claims under the Act, may, where the County Court Judge allows it, have the services of a female medical practitioner.

MR. GLADSTONE: It is estimated that the number of female employees who come within the Act is approximately 3,000,000. The question of appointing women doctors to act as medical referees in cases where women are concerned is one of much administrative difficulty. It has been carefully considered, but CAPTAIN FABER (Hampshire, I have not seen my way to make any

Accrington and Nelson Licensing
Statistics.

were only two references to medical club, provided always that it is not carried referees in women's cases during the to an extent or conducted under condiyear 1907. I should always be ready tions amounting to an abuse. I have not to consider an application by a County been able to identify the particular Court Judge for the ad hoc appointment statement referred to in the question, of a woman doctor to act as referee in a but if it indicates connivance at breaches particular case where the circumstances of the law in regard to the admission were exceptional. and supply of intoxicating liquor to persons who are not members of the clubs, I may observe that the main object of the provisions as to clubs contained in the Licensing Bill is to provide better means than exist at present for detecting and punishing improper prac tices on club premises.

Soldiers and Civil Disorder.

MR. WARDLE (Stockport): I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can state when the Committee of Inquiry into the powers of magistrates to call out the military in cases of civil disorder will be appointed; what will be the composition of such Committee; and what the terms of reference will be.

MR. GLADSTONE: This Committee will be a Select Committee, appointed in the usual way by the House of Commons, and the names of the Members and the terms of reference will, I hope, appear on the Notice Paper in the course of a week.

Sunday Entertainments in London Liberal and Radical Clubs.

MR. SAMUEL ROBERTS (Sheffield, Ecclesall) I beg to ask the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the existence of three clubs, viz., the North Brixton Gladstone Club, the North Camberwell Radical Club and Institute, and the West Southwark Liberal and Radical Club, advertised as places of Sunday recreation and entertainment, and to the statement with reference to them that there are special reasons why too much publicity should not be given to casual visitors who have walked a long way, which will not prevent the club being communicated with; and what steps he proposes to take, in the Licensing Bill or otherwise, for the suppression of abuses of this character.

Spanish Law of Preference.

MR. MITCHELL-THOMSON: I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he will procure and place in the Library a translated copy of the Spanish Law of 14th February, 1907, which enacts that in Spanish Government contracts a preference shall be given where possible to articles of Spanish production.

THE SECRETARY TO THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. KEARLEY, Devonport): A translation of the law was published on pages 31 und 32 of the Consular Report on the trade of Spain for 1906 (No. 3957 of the Annual Series), issued in February last.

Cost of Granite for British Dockyards.

MR. MITCHELL-THOMSON: I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to give information with regard to the relative cost of British and foreign granite, delivered at Portsmouth, Haulbowline, and Rosyth, respectively.

MR. KEARLEY: The Board of Trade have no information available upon British and Foreign granite delivered at which they can state the relative cost of the places referred to.

Imports of Foreign Hops.

MR. GLADSTONE: I beg to answer this Question on behalf of my right hon. MR. COURTHOPE (Sussex, Rye): I friend. I am aware that the three clubs beg to ask the President of the Board of named, in common with many others, Trade whether the s.s. "Adriatic" has arrange for entertainments on their arrived in a British port with a cargo of premises on Sundays as well as on other hops; and, if so, where such hops were days, and advertise accordingly. It produced, how many hundredweights of seems to me that Sunday as well as week-nops the vessel contained, what is their day recreation is a proper object for a declared value, and at what price they

have been advertised for sale on the if the hon. Member will bring before me British market.

MR. KEARLEY: The "Adriatic" arrived at Southampton on 2nd April. She had on board 10,570 bales of hops declared to be consigned from the United States of America, to weigh 18,500 cwts., and to be of the value of £41,625. I have no information as to the price at which this particular consignment was sold or advertised for sale on the British market.

Railway Superannuation Funds.
MR. HUDSON: I beg to ask the
President of the Board of Trade if he
can now state the composition of the

Committee which he has decided to

appoint to inquire into railway super

annuation funds.

MR. KEARLEY: The Committee will be composed as follows:-My right hon. friend the Member for Southwark (Chairman); my hon. friend the Member for Stockport; Mr. T. Hall Hall, AssistantRegistrar of Friendly Societies; Mr. Duncan C. Frazer, Actuary to the Royal Insurance Company; Mr. G. S. Fry, of the Finance Department of the Board of Trade; and a member (not yet selected) representing the interests of the railway companies.

Misleading Merchandise Marks.

any further information in his possession relative to the matter in question, the Board of Trade will at once consider whether they are in a position to take any steps under the Merchandise Marks Act.

Scottish Railway Companies Agreement.

MR. ESSLEMONT (Aberdeen, S.): I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Caledonian and North British Railway Companies have completed an agreetion for traffic between Aberdeen and ment with a view to obviate competiGlasgow and Edinburgh respectively, whether the companies referred to propose under the agreement to reduce the travelling facilities hitherto enjoyed by the public, and to pool the receipts for passenger and goods traffic on certain routes; and if he proposes to take any action in order to safeguard the interests of the public.

MR. KEARLEY: The Board of Trade have communicated with the

railway companies on this subject and have received replies to the effect that but that although the companies hope to a traffic agreement has been entered into, reduce to some extent present competition in regard to train service, no reasonable facilities hitherto afforded to the public are intended to be withdrawn. The companies add as regards the pooling of receipts that the agreement only extends arrangements heretofore in operation. The Board of Trade will carefully consider any complaint which may be received of the withdrawal of reason

MR. EVELYN CECIL (Aston Manor); I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to an advertisement inserted by the British office of the Continental Tyre and Rubber Company of Germany in the Motor Trader of the 1st April last, depict-able facilities. ing two large Union Jacks surrounding one of the company's tyres; and whether with a view to preventing this use of the national flag, the real object of which can. only be to mislead customers into believing that these foreign-made goods are goods of British manufacture, thus withdrawing employment from British workmen, he

can

see his way to take any steps to prevent a reproduction of this advertise ment, or else require that a design of German flags should be substituted for the British.

MR. KEARLEY: Yes, my attention

Consular Trade Reports.

MR. LYNCH: I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether in view of the discrepancies both in form and in method which are at present to be found in the Trade Reports from foreign countries supplied by His Majesty's Consuls, he will, in conference with His Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, arrange that this question shall be referred to the Royal Commission recently appointed to examine into the trade accounts between the United