Post Office Telephones. MR. HUDSON (Newcastle-on-Tyne): To ask the Postmaster-General, whether he is prepared to make any statement as to the future policy of the Post Office on the subject of telephone rates, and especially in regard to the financial basis on which he proposes that the Post Office telephone system should be conducted.. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton). I am glad to have an opportunity of stating my views on the question of the future policy of the Post Office in regard to telephone rates. I consider that the Post Office telephone system should be conducted on a sound business basis, that is to say, that the revenue should be sufficient to provide for current expenditure of all kinds, for the maintenance and adequate renewal of plant, and for interest at 3 per cent. on capital ex penditure, together with a moderate but not excessive margin of profit. In order to ascertain whether the rates are fixed at a level sufficient to satisfy these conditions, and to put the telephone service on a business footing, it is necessary that there should be a clear separation between the revenue and expenditure of the telephone service and the revenue and expenditure of other branches of the Post Office, especially the telegraphs. It is in this way alone that the telephone system can be made to stand on its own basis, unaffected by the profit and loss made on other Post Office services. The various branches of Post Office work are, in practice, frequently conducted in the same building, sometimes by means of the same plant and under the supervision of the same persons. The separation of the cost is. consequently a matter of some difficulty. Last autumn, therefore, I appointed an expert committee, including the President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, to investigate this question and to advise me as to the best method to be adopted for separating the accounts. The committee has not yet finished its work; but, as a first result of their investigation, the Estimates for 1908-9 have been presented to the House in such a manner as to separate the expenditure on telegraphs and telephones, and the telephone revenue will be shown separately. The new telephone rates must to some extent be regarded as experimental. Longer experience is renquired before it is possible to say what may be the permanent cost of operating a fully developed system, or to ascertain with any accuracy the life of the varying descriptions of telephone plant, having regard especially to probabilities of obsolescence, and the consequent necessity of replacing plant before it is worn out. Moreover, the conditions under which the Post Office service is conducted will be considerably modified when the system of the National Telephone Company is taken over by the Post Office at the beginning of 1912. Although it is not possible for me to pledge my successors, I should anticipate that the principles which I have stated above as those which should determine the rates will be accepted by them, and the rates will doubtless be from time to time modified in accordance with those | Employment of a Girl on Postal Duties at principles. Pay of Portsmouth Postmen. MR. BRAMSDON (Portsmouth): To ask the Postmaster-General if he will state on what grounds he has based the wages of the postmen at Portsmouth at a maximum of 27s. per week as against 26s. paid hitherto; whether similar local conditions exist at Portsmouth as at Pymouth and Devonport, where the maximum is to be 30s. per week against 26s. paid hitherto; whether he took into consideration the fact that Portsmouth has a much larger population and deals. with a greater amount of local correspondence, and that, by the latest Board of Trade Returns, Portsmouth shows a higher cost of living than such towns as Cardiff, Nottingham, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Hull, Birmingham, or Bristol, all of which are on the 30s. scale; and whether, under the circumstances mentioned, he can see his way clear to reconsider his decision in regard to Portsmouth. The classification of Portsmouth was based on the volume of work plus the cost of living, as recommended by the Select Committee (parargraph 258). The units of work at Portsmouth number about 1,250 and place it, on work alone, in Class II., the range of which is from 800 to 1,700 units. The index number of the cost of living, as ascertained by the Board of Trade, is 105, which indicates that the cost of living at Portsmouth is not much above the normal, and the excess is not sufficient to justify the town being placed in Class I. on this account. The units of work at Plymouth and Devonport amount to 1,540, and the cost of living is exceptionally high, index number 112. VOL. CLXXXVII. [FOURTH SERIES.] Seaton Delaval. MR. JAMES O'CONNOR (Wicklow, W.): To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that at Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, a girl named is performing postmen's duties; that the Annie James, under sixteen years of age, for which in addition she has to perform wages she is receiving are 5s. a week, whether he is aware that another woman household duties for the sub-postmistress; allowed by the Post Office, which is much in the same office signs for the money in excess of this sum; and whether he will inquire into the matter with a view to getting the work performed by a regularly appointed servant of the Post Office. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I Annie James is performing a short afterfind, on inquiry, that the girl named noon delivery at the Seaton Delaval Sub-Post Office. She will be sixteen years of age next month. There is great difficulty in obtaining the services of men or of boys over sixteen at Seaton Delaval. Annie James is paid 4s. a week for the delivery duty. She is also a domestic servant of the subpostmistress, who pays her 5s. a week as wages for her domestic services. Pay of Telegraphists at Lurgan. MR. MOORE (Armagh, N.): To ask the Postmaster-General whether it has been decided that the Lurgan Post Office is to be placed in Class 5, according to the Hobhouse classification; whether he is aware that as a consequence Lurgan telegraphists will receive as a maximum 40s. per week, whilst the Belfast will receive 56s. per week; whether he has any figures in his possession warranting a difference of 16s. per week in the pay of men of the same grade, owing to the cost of living; and whether he will reconsider his decision. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) Lurgan was in Class 7 of the old classification for sorting clerks and telegraphists and, in accordance with the recommendations of the Select Committee in Paragraph 259, it has been placed in the new Class 5, thus raising the maximum for the male telegraphists by 2s. and of the female telegraphists ls. S Suggested Revenue Stamp on Railway of Corclara their farms on the Carmichael Free Passes. MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.): To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if, with a view to measuring the extent to which the free-pass system prevails on railways and steamers in the three Kingdoms, and the comparative extent of the custom, as well as to provide revenue, he would consider the expediency of requiring a penny embossed stamp to be used on all such permits with a right to refund when the pass was granted solely on company's business. (Answered by Mr. Asquith.) I have no reason to suppose that the adoption of the suggestion would be productive as a source of revenue, and, as at present advised, I do not think that the statistical object which the hon. Member has in view, even if it could be obtained by that means, would justify the imposition of a stamp duty. O'Ferrall or Belton estate there. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners are unable to trace any proceedings as having been instituted before them in respect of the sale of the estate mentioned in the Question. Post Office Accommodation at Nenagh. MR. HOGAN (Tipperary, N.): To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that several petitions have been forwarded from the inhabitants of Nenagh complaining of the inadequate accommodation in the Post Office of that town; whether the replies to these complaints have invariably admitted the justice of the complaints without proposing to take any steps to remedy the evil; and whether he will now take action to provide a Post Office suitable for the business of the town and district and safe for the health of the Post Office employees. been received from Nenagh, and I have given them full consideration. I have now again considered the matter, and I am answering the latest memorial through the hon. Member. Management of Farms of J. Farrell and J. Heslen on the King-Harman Estate. MR. J. PHILLIPS (Longford, S.): To (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieu-am aware that several petitions have tenant of Ireland if he can say in what manner the farms of J. Farrell and J. Heslan, evicted tenants on the KingHarman estate, which is in Chancery, in the townland of Lisnagh, in the County of Longford, were managed during the past year, and what profit was made on them; and when the evicted tenants are likely to be restored. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The estate in question is under the control of the Chancery Division of the High Court. I am informed that during the past year the farms of the two evicted tenants named were let by the receiver for grazing at £10 per annum. It is understood that these two evicted tenants are to be restored to their holdings upon the sale of the estate generally. It is not intended to deal with the property piecemeal. Sale of Farms on the Carmichael O'Ferrall and Belton Estates. Tuberculosis amongst Irish Elementary MR. J. DEVLIN (Belfast, W.): To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the prevalence of tuberculosis amongst children attending the elementary schools in Ireland; whether he has any figures or reports bearing upon the subject; and whether he would consider the advisability of ordering an inquiry into this matter, with a view to taking some effective means of mitigating the consequences of the disease amongst these children. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) My attention has not been specially called to the prevalence of tuberculosis amongst school MR. J. P. FARRELL (Longford, N.): To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-children in Ireland, but I am, of course, Lieutenant of Ireland whether any proposal has yet been made to the Estates Commissioners for the sale to the tenants aware of the regrettable prevalence of the disease in the country generally, and am fully alive to the importance of dealing with the subject. The Commissioners | Lieutenant of Ireland whether the appliof National Education have no statistics cation of Miss Margaret Clarke, Possexas to the number of children affected town, Nobber, County Meath, to be with tuberculosis. They inform me that reinstated in her former holding has they have taken what steps they may to been dealt with by the Estates Comprevent the spread of tuberculosis by missioners, and with what result. the exhibition of notices in the schoolrooms calling attention to the danger of the disease. The Tuberculosis Prevention (Ireland) Bill, which is in course of preparation, will provide for the compulsory notification of the disease and will contain other provisions for dealing with the evil. In view of the proposed legislation a special inquiry into the case of the school children does not seem to be necessary. Application for Grant to Mary Anne MR. LARDNER (Monaghan, N.): To ask the Chief Secretary to the LordLieutenant of Ireland if an application for a free grant has been received by the Estates Commissioners from Mary Anne M'Carron, an evicted tenant on the Montray estate, County Monaghan; and, if so, has an inspector been sent to inquire into the circumstances of her case. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners have received the application referred to and will consider it in due course. Reinstatement of Evicted Tenants, County Monaghan. MR. LARDNER: To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state the number of evicted holdings in County Monaghan to which the compulsory powers contained in the Evicted Tenants Act, 1907, apply; and in how many cases do the Estates Commissioners expect to effect reinstatement of the former tenants by the exercise of these powers, and when do they propose to put them in force. (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I refer the hon. Member to my Answer to a similar Question put by the hon. Member for North-East Cork on 23rd March. (Answered by Mr. by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners have received the application referred to, but the holding to which it refers is in the occupation of a tenant. The Commissioners are unable to say when they may be able to deal with the application, as the case does not come within the Evicted Tenants Act, and no proceedings for the sale of the estate on which the holding is situate have been instituted before them. Fishguard Route for American Mails. MR. OWEN PHILIPPS (Pembroke and Haverfordwest): To ask the Postmaster-General what would be the estimated saving in time in the transit of the mails between London and New York if the new Fishguard Harbour were used for the despatch and receipt of the American mails in lieu of Holyhead. (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I assume that the hon. Member refers to the possibility of forwarding American mails landed at Queenstown via Rosslare and Fishguard instead of via Holyhead. If the route suggested were adopted there might be some acceleration of the inward mails for London and the South although, owing to the varying conditions, the extent of the acceleration cannot be stated; and Midland counties of England would but mails for Scotland and the Northern and Midland counties of England would be no advantage in forwarding the outbe delayed. There would at present ward mails via Fishguard. Post Office Learners-Qualifications. MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.): To ask the Postmaster-General whether the learners in the Post Office who competed at the examination held in July last will be regarded as primarily qualified when they attain the acquirements then in force for primary qualification and in force at the time the successful candidates were taken into the public service as learners, or will they not be registered as primarily qualified until they reach (Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) I beg leave to answer this Question. If the Question relates to the borrowing by compensation authorities on the security of the compensation funds under the Licensing Act, 1904, with the consent of the Secretary of State, I would refer my hon. friend to the printed answer in which I gave on 26th February to the hon. Member for Kidderminster full details of the loans which had then been sanctioned under the Act of 1904. I have only to add that since that date one other loan has been sanctioned, viz., to the compensation authority for the county of Hertford, to the amount of £2,000, which is to be repaid out of the compensation levy imposed in the present (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) The reply to the first two Questions asked by my hon. friend is in the affirmative. Board of Trade have power to undertake the prosecution of offences against those Acts in cases appearing to them to affect the general interests of the country or of a section of the community or of a trade. and they are always prepared to consider. with a view to prosecution, if the circumstances should warrant it, any cases submitted to them in accordance with the prescribed regulations. Commercial Travellers and The Bankruptcy Acts. MR. REES (Montgomery Boroughs): To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the disability under the present Bankruptcy Acts of commercial travellers who are paid by commission and who, in the event of the bankruptcy of the firm employing them, are entitled to rank as ordinary creditors only and to receive for any moneys which may be due to them such dividend as the estate may realise, as against the commercial traveller who is paid a salary and ranks as a preferential creditor in the event of the bankruptcy of his firm; and whether he will, in any future alteration of the Bankruptcy Law, provide that all commercial travellers, whether paid by commission or by salary, shall rank as preferential creditors. (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) As I informed my hon. friend the Member for Christchurch, in answer to a similar Question addressed to me on 24th of last month, I am advised that it is doubtful whether the suggessed disability exists under the present law as judicially interpreted. I will, however, carefully consider whether any amendment of the law in this matter is necessary in the event of the introduction of a Bill to amend the Bankruptcy Acts. Foul Brood amongst Bees. MR. LARDNER: To ask the VicePresident of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) when he proposes to introduce his Bill to enable local authorities in Ireland to deal compulsorily with cases of foul brood among bees. (Answered by Mr. T. W. Russell.) |