64

exceeding half an hour 15 times. The | promised to join in any well-considered maximum delay occurred on the voyage scheme. At Fearn I am told the supply from Stornoway on 16th April, when, is adequate and of as good quality as is owing to weather which was described obtainable. With regard to Strathcar2 very stormy," the arrival at Strome ron, the general manager says that water Ferry was 3 hours 15 minutes after time. is obtained from a running burn near the station; he adds that he has seen the officer of health, and at his suggestion will provide a filter as a tentative

PAUPER LABOUR AT OLD GRAVEL
LANE WORKHOUSE.

MR. PICKERSGILL (Bethnal Green, S.W.): I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that the guardians of St.

MR. WEIR: I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, although the Highland Railway Company promised the Board of Trade as far back as May, 1894, that the railway stations on their line should have a proper supply of water, the medical officer for health for Ross and Cro- George's-in-the-East are compelling aged marty, in his Report for 1897, states that male inmates of their workhouse in Old Strathcarron Railway Station is still Gravel Lane to work at picking oakum, without a supply of potable water; and the material being old rope as thick as will he take steps. with a view to the a man's fist and almost as hard as wood, requirements of the medical officer of and in some cases to labour at this kind health being complied with without of work for nine hours a day; and also further delay! I beg at the same that the same guardians allow to aged inmates of respectable character only one day's holiday a month, which may be either a Sunday or a week day, but that on other Sundays such inmates are only permitted to leave the workhouse between the hours of 9.30 a.m. and 1 p.m., and are then required to bring back a signed certificate of attendance at Divine service; and whether he will in quire into the facts and take steps to induce the St. George's guardians to comply with the spirit of his circular letter, dated 31st July, 1896?

time to ask the President of

the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the medical officer of health for Ross and Cromarty, in his Report for the year 1897, points out that the Nigg and Fearn railway stations are still without a supply of potable water; and, having regard to the fact that the Highland Railway Company have pr mised on several occasions during the last few years to provide a supply, will Le take such steps as will ensure the matter being attended to without further delay ?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. H. CHAPTRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE, Croydon): LIN, Lincolnshire, Sleaford): I am inThe subject-matter of the honourable formed that certain of the inmates who Gentleman's two Questions, which I will are unable or unwilling to do other work answer together, does not fall within the have been employed in oakum picking. administracion of the Board of Trade, but The statements in the Question as to I have been happy to make inquiry of the the character of the material and the railway company, and learn from the work are denied, but I have informed the general manager that at Nigg the com-guardians that it appears to the Board to pany have done their best to obtain be desirable that, so far as circumstances water, and have sunk two wells, but that permit, oakum picking by the inmates of the water in both is reported unsuitable the workhouse should be discontinued. for drinking. The district committee of and that, in the case of aged inmates of the county council recently held a meet-respectable character, leave of absence ing to consider the formation of a water might well be allowed on week days more district, and the company attended and frequently than is now the case.

SIERRA LEONE RISING. MR. PICKERSGILL: I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can state the name of the special commissioner whom he proposes to send out to make inquiries on the spot into the circumstances connected with the rising in the Sierra Leone Protectorate.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. J. CHAMBERLAIN, Birmingham, W.): No, Sir; not yet.

MR. PICKERSGILL: Will the right honourable Gentleman be able to state the names before the adjournment for the Whitsuntide Holidays?

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THЯ COLONIES: No, Sir; I shall not be able to do so. There is no immediate hurry, as the honourable Gentleman knows, as the rains have not yet commenced.

AVIEMORE BRANCH OF THE HIGH-
LAND RAILWAY.

MR. HANBURY: The mails are very small, and it would not be desirable tc add to the length of the passages of the boats from Oban by including a call at Petersport in their time tables. Besides, there is difficulty, it is believed, in approaching Petersport.

POST OFFICES ON LICENSED PREMISES
IN SCOTLAND.

MR. WEIR: I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, having regard to the fact that there are upwards of 20 places in Scotland where the Post Office business is conducted on premises licensed to sell beer or spirits to be drunk on the premises, will he arrange for premises of this description to be regarded as ineligible in the case of any new Post Offices which happen to be established?

MR. HANBURY: It is not possible to give any general undertaking, as in some parts of Scotland the only houses available for Post Offices are these licensed houses. But whenever it can be done

MR. WEIR: I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Post-without public inconvenience, the Departmaster General, whether the Highland ment avoids using them for Post Office3. Railway Company have yet furnished

time tables indicating the extent to which the Stornoway mail will be expedited by the opening of the new Aviemore line about the 1st July next.

MR. HANBURY: The answer is No; but the Post Office is in correspondence with the Company upon the subject.

BENBECULA MAILS.

PROMOTIONS OF LEEDS PRISON
OFFICIALS.

MR. LOUGH (Islington, W.): I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the promotion of Mr. Bartle, Storekeeper of Leeds Prison, to be a deputy governor was recommended by the Commissioners of Prisons on the MR. WEIR: I beg to ask the Secretary ground of opening up a fresh channel of to the Treasury, as representing the Post-Promotion for members of the clerical master General, whether he is aware that of members of that staff to the rank of staff; and whether any other promotions the Benbecula mails are conveyed to and deputy governor have been made} from the island viâ Lochmaddy and Lochboisdale, and will he state whether there is anything to prevent arrangements being made for landing the Benbecula mails at Petersport Pier, which was constructed under the Highlands and Islands Works Act?

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FO THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir M. WHITH RIDLEY, Lancashire, Blackpool): Yes, the promotion was made on the ground stated, and nine similar promotions have since been made.

CRETE.

township of Heast, situated on the shores of Loch Eshort, in the parish of Strath Skye, is absolutely inaccessible by road, and that, although the population of about 90 have to obtain all their supplies from Broadford either by foot passenger

MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.): I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has now received informa tion whether the British Commandant at Candia has allowed the Turkish regular troops to advance and occupy or man and horse, vehicles being impositions hitherto outside the cordon, including the height of Juktuki, which directly dominates the village of Kuri Kasteli; whether the Bashi-Bazouks are allowed to pass freely through the Turkish lines; whether recently they out down the olives belonging to 8 Christian village near the British post at Anopolis; whether the servant of an English traveller was recently seized miles of a good public road, from

by the Turks in Candia, and thrown into a loathsome dungeon; and whether Colonel Chermside, on being appealed to, refused to interfere, saying that he was there to co-operate with the Turks?

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. G. N. CURZON, Lancashire, Southport): The latest information that we have received leaves a different impression from that which is conveyed by the allegations in the Question. On 6th May Sir Herbert Chermside wrote that at the request and with the consent of both parties British troops had occupied three advanced positions, 7, 10, and 12 miles beyond the cordon. The Christians had at once entered into constant communication, and were working unarmed in the neighbourhood of the posts to which also unarmed Moslems proceeded with confidence. As regards the native irregulars or Bashi-Bazouks, Djevad Pasha had given orders for their withdrawal from the cordon into the town; and the senior British naval officer has informed us that he proposed to ask Djevad Pasha to go round to Candia to see that his orders were carried into effect. I have received no information or complaint concerning the incident mentioned in the fourth Question; and, without being aware of the context, I can offer no opinion as to the alleged statement by Sir Herbert Chermside in the fifth.

HEAST (SKYE) ROAD RATES.
MR. WEIR: I beg to ask the Lord
Advocate whether he is aware that the

practicable, the people have recently been summoned to appear before the Sheriff Court at Broadford on the 17th instant for non-payment of road rates; and can he arrange for warrants not to issue until such time as the people have roads?

MR. GRAHAM MURRAY: I am inthat formed Heast is within 3

which

it is reached by & track, originally constructed at the expense of the Highland Destitution Committee. Three years ago the district committee offered to form this track into a regular road to be maintained out of the rates, but the people both of Heast and of the neighbouring townships refused their consent. I cannot undertake to delay the issue of the warrants.

TOURMALINE PRISONERS.

MR. HEDDERWICK (Wick Burghs): I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the British Consul General at Antwerp has recently been pursuing inquiries in Belgium with a view to obtain evidence against the prisoners of the Tourmaline, at present remanded for trial at Tangiers; whether this course of action by the Consul General referred to has been undertaken at the request of Her Majesty's Consul at Tangiers, where these prisoners are about to be tried; and whether such proceedings spring from instructions from the Foreign Office or have the countenance or sanction of Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs?

MR. CURZON: The necessary steps have been taken for the preparation of the case in question, which is now before the Consular Court at Tangier, but in the interests of justice I must decline at the present time to enter into details.

LITERARY SEARCH DEPARTMENT,

PROBATE REGISTRY.

for a contribution out of the national exchequer towards the expense of lighting the coasts, in view of the national importance of the light service and of the benefit derived therefrom by Her Majesty's Navy?

MR. TRITTON (Lambeth, Norwood): I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware of the deficient accommodation in the Literary Search Department of the Probate Registry, that the room set apart holds only about 12 students, that seats have to be booked a week ahead, and then only two in each week, and that the room is closed for six weeks in August, September, or October; and whether he can make more satis-my honourable Friend. factory and convenient arrangements for literary inquirers?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF

or to

The

MR. HANBURY: The President of the Probate Division informs me that he is endeavouring by rearrangement to provide two more seats than at present. I understand that it is not possible, owing to the character of the building, to add any space to the existing rooms provide accommodation elsewhere. obstacle to opening the Literary Search Department all the year round is stated to be the impossibility of providing the necessary supervision and attendance without adding to to the existing staff of the Registry. But the hours of attendance of the staff during the long vacation, which had a few years before been extended from

four to six on five days of the week in

accordance with the recommendation of a Committee of Inquiry, were reduced last year from six to four in opposition to the wishes of the Treasury. In view of that proceeding I cannot regard an increase of staff as essential for the presant purpose. But the decision as to the facilities to be afforded to the public rests with the President, and not with the Treasury.

MERCHANT SHIPPING (MERCANTILE

MARINE FUND) BILL.

MR. C. M'ARTHUR (Liverpool, Exchange): I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he can approximately state the date when the Merchant Shipping (Mercantile Marine Fund) Bill, as amended by the Standing Committee, will be considered; and whether it is intended to make provision

TRADE; No, Sir, I am unable at present to say when the Bill will be taken, nor am I in a position to answer the latter Question in the sense desired by

I

COMMON GRAZING RIGHTS IN
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE.

beg to ask the President of the MR. CHANNING (Northampton, E.): Board of Agriculture whether he has considered the complaints of some of the commoners of the parishes of Castor and Ailesworth, in Northamptonshire, who have had grazing rights, as to the inadequacy and unsuitability of the land

allotted to them in the award under the enclosure made last year; whether he is aware that it is alleged that the money equivalent of a grazing right would be fairly estimated at £16 10s. an acre, ient to the right has been at the rate of whereas the land allotted as an equiva1 1-3 acre, at an outside value of 30%. an acre, and that the small commoners who formerly had the right of grazing on the best lands near to them remote from the villages, and of the villages have now had lands allotted inferior quality; whether the Commissioner has acted consistently with the regulations of the Department in assigning land to the Ecclesiastical Comraissioners and other large landowners who were entitled to common rights on the same scale as to the poorer commoners whose livelihood depends on these rights; and whether, having regard to the representations of these commoners, the Board of Agriculture will take the necessary steps to re-open the award, and assign further land to the common right owners so aggrieved?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. W. H. LONG, Liverpool, W. Derby): The reply to the three