PARISH MEETINGS.

of the District Inspector. It is part of have to report to the Board on the the ordinary duty of the Sergeant to Schools as regards desks and furniture, make such visits for the purpose of books and apparatus, order and organisaseeing that the Sunday Closing Act is tion, and the state of the school generally. enforced. There were no prosecutions They have to inquire and report as to arising out of his visits on the dates industrial training of the children, the mentioned, but two prosecutions are nature of the instruction, whether it is of a pending for breaches of the Licensing bond fide character, whether the children. Act on the 3rd instant. exhibit sufficient skill in the subjects of instruction, the number of children, and whether any award is recommended to be paid to the guardians in respect of the instruction. The Inspector is also, in his Report, to make any observations or remarks he considers desirable on any of the matters which have come under his attention. The Board, in a letter addressed to School Inspectors in 1878, stated that it was of great importance that any recommendations by the Inspectors which might be brought under the notice of Boards of Guardians should be such as could be supported by the Board; and that all matters of importance which the Inspector considered required the attention of the guardians should, in the first instance, be communicated to the Board, and not directly to the guardians, by the Inspector.

MR. A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWEN (Kent, Tunbridge): I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the great amount of trouble and expense to which many parishes have recently been put by the fact that one man may demand a poll at parish meetings for the election to parish councils; and whether the Gove nment will take steps to amend the Local Government Act 1893, so that no poll can be held unless at least five electors demand it?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. HENRY CHAPLIN, Lincolnshire, Lleaford): I am quite alive to the inconvenience of the existing arrangement, whereby one man may demand a poll at parish meetings for the election to parish councils, and, without pledging myself to the precise number, I propose to alter the existing practice before the polls occur again in the direction suggested.

POOR LAW SCHOOLS.

SIR CAMERON GULL (Devon, Barnstaple): I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board, what are the duties of the Educational Inspector of Poor Law Schools, and to what extent he can communicate his views to the managers of the schools?

MR. H. H. BEMROSE (Derby): I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board, whether considerable numbers of children have been retained" of late in several of the London workhouses for want of school accommodation and for other reasons; whether the arrangements made for the accommodation of those children are in many cases unsatisfactory; whether reports to that effect have been made by the Inspector and confirmed by the Inspector-General ; and, why no change has been made?

MR. CHAPLIN: The Local Government Board are aware that considerable numbers of children have been retained of late in London workhouses, and that MR. CHAPLIN: I am afraid my the arrangements where they are SO reply must be rather long. It is the retained are not in all cases satisfactory. duty of the school inspectors to examine Questions as regards school accommodathe teachers and children in Poor Law tion for Poor Law children have necesSchools for the purpose of ascertaining sarily been much in abeyance pending the efficiency of the teachers, and of the inquiry of the Poor Law Schools advising the Board what certificates Committee. should be granted to them, and what MR. GEOFFREY DRAGE (Derby), sums should be paid to the guardians in on behalf of the hon. Member for South respect of their services, and of deter- Kensington (Lord WARKWORTH): I beg mining in what standards the children to ask the President of the Local can be passed, and in what cases cer- Government Board, whether it is a fact tificates of efficiency can be given. They that owing to the system prevailing at

the Local Government Board the Chief preparation of an order in connection Inspector General of Poor Law Schools with which regard will be had to the was not aware that children of nine recommendation of the Committee. years were being worked as half-timers, though Mr. Holgate, the Educational Inspector, had reported that he found children of nine working as much as ten hours a day?

CYCLING ACCIDENTS.

MR. J. F. HOGAN (Tipperary, Mid.) I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his attention has been called to the recent remarks of London coroners with

respect to the reckless riding of cyclists, and especially lady cyclists, in the crowded thoroughfares; whether he can state the number of authenticated fatal

MR. CHAPLIN : The Assistant Secretary of the Board, who is also Chief General Inspector, would not be aware of cases where children were improperly dealt with as half-timers or working an unduly long number of hours, unless the facts were reported by the School Inspector. When the Board and of serious accidents to cyclists that are informed of irregularities in this matter they would communicate with the guardians. I am not aware that Mr. Holgate, the Educational Inspector, has stated that he found children of nine years working the number of hours mentioned.

sideration?

have occurred in the streets of London

during the first quarter of the present year; and, whether, for the protection of the cyclists themselves as well as to minimise as much as possible a growing public danger, he will consider the advisability either of limiting cyclists to jecting them to more stringent regulathe less crowded thorougfares, or subtions in the main arteries of traffic?

*MR. J. W. LOGAN (Leicester, Harborough) asked whether the right hon. Gentleman was aware that a large number of clerks, artisans, and others now used cycles to enable them to get home, and by the aid of which they were enabled to house their families in healthy and crowded areas of large towns; and neighbourhoods, away from the slums. whether cyclists had not an equal right to

the use of the streets with the more forMR. CHAPLIN : Mr. Holgate tunate owners of carriages and pairs and recommended the issue of an order of men who run coaches as a hobby? which, among other matters, would have [Laughter.] defined the hours of labour of children, and the question having been considered, an order was drafted. The draft was the subject of communication with the general inspectors and school inspectors of the Board. There were differences of opinion among the inspectors, and, subsequently, after some personal conferences, a new order was prepared, and was under consideration at the time of the appointment of the Poor Law Schools Committee. Subsequently, as it was probable that such matters as those with which it was intended that the order should deal would be considered by the Committee, the question of the issue of the order was deferred. Since the Report of the Committee has been made, directions have been given for the Mr. Geoffrey Drage.

SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEY: I have obtained a Return which has been prepared by the police after careful inquiry, showing the number of fatal and serious accidents which have occurred to cyclists in the police district during the first quarter of the year. The number of fatal accidents was three; of serious accidents, such as fracture of limb, concussion, internal injuries, 12; in two cases only were the persons injured women. There have been, besides, numerous cases of slight accidents in which persons have either gone to their homes or, if taken to the hospital, have not been detained there. Considering the great number of those who ride in the streets, I cannot say that these figures are high or call for any exceptional measures.

At the same time, there can be no doubt | upon by others who are not Members of there is a great deal of reckless riding; Parliament; whether he will state what during the first quarter of the year 318 persons have access to this space as a persons were summoned by the police matter of right in addition to Members for this and similar offences. I have no of Parliament; and, whether it would power, however, to limit cyclists to be possible to find room for them elsecertain thoroughfares or to subject them where? to regulations not applicable to traffic generally; but the police do everything in their power to minimise risk. I think that possibly is an answer to the hon. Member who has put the supplementary Question. In only one case, so far as I have been able to ascertain, has a coroner recently made any remark on the subject of these accidents in the London streets.

EDUCATION SCHEMES.

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.) asked whether, if any redistribution of the places available for visitors were effected in the House of Lords, the right hon. Gentleman would take care that members of the general public were given an opportunity of viewing the Chamber?

MR. HERBERT LEWIS asked whether the right hon. Gentleman was aware that in Colonial Legislatures the members of one Chamber were provided with seats when they were summoned to attend the other House, and whether he would consider the advisability of making similar provision for the commodation in the House of Lords of Members of the House of Commons ? THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF

MR. HERBERT LEWIS (Flint Boroughs): I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education, whether an index will in future be appended to each scheme published by the Education Department WORKS (Mr. AKERS-DOUGLAS, Kent, under the Intermediate Education St. Augustine's): The matter is not one (Wales) Act and the Endowed Schools Acts?

MR. GRANT LAWSON (York, W.R., Thirsk): This Question is correctly addressed to the Charity Commission, as schemes under the Endowed School Acts, including the Welsh Act, are originally prepared in the Charity Commission Offices. As regards such of those schemes as have not yet been submitted to the Education Department, the Commissioners will undertake that they shall contain a table of contents, and, in the case of schemes already submitted to, but not yet published by, that Department will supply such a table of contents if requested to do so by the Department.

HOUSE OF LORDS (COMMONS'
ACCOMMODATION).

which comes under my jurisdiction, but by the courtesy of the Lord Great Chamberlain, I am permitted to state that the space at the disposal of Members of the House of Commons is limited to some 50 seats in the galleries, and to the space inside, and behind the Bar. The seats in the gallery, known as the Commons Gallery, are exclusively reserved for Members-while to the space at the Bar, younger sons of Peers as well as M.P.'s are admitted. I am informed that on the occasions alluded to more stringent regulations will be taken to keep the space at the Bar for the exclusive use of M.P.'s. I do not see where further accommodation can be found. I have no jurisdiction in this matter, but I will repeat what hon. Members have asked to the Lord Great Chamberlain.

SOUTH KENSINGTON EXHIBITION
BUILDINGS.

SIR HENRY HOWORTH (Salford, S.): I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works, whether his attention has been SIR HENRY HOWORTH: I beg to called to the utterly inadequate ac- ask the First Commissioner of Works commodation for Members of the House whether the Government propose on an of Commons in the Peers' Chamber; early date to continue and complete the whether he is aware that the space thus Exhibition Buildings at South Kensingallotted to Members of Parliament, on ton, and thus furnish suitable accommo occasions when an interesting Debate is dation for the most valuable collections in progress, is very largely encroached of their kind in Europe; and, if so, if he

can see his way to proposing a Supple- steamer; whether the route viâ Queensmentary Estimate this year to commence town, having been proved to be more this much needed work?

expeditious for Ireland and North MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS: The ques- Britain, will this route in future be pretion of continuing the Exhibition Build- ferred to Southampton for those mails; ings at South Kensington is receiving and whether he can arrange that the the attention of the Government. The American Post Office will allow the existing plans having been prepared on designation viâ Queenstown to suffice the assumption that the buildings were instead of naming the steamer as well? required partly for the purposes of the SIR GEORGE BADEN-POWELL secretariat may have to be reconsidered (Liverpool, Kirkdale): I beg to ask the in connection with the recommendations Secretary to the Treasury, as representof the Royal Commission on Secondary ing the Postmaster General, whether the Education. Under these circumstances, Government of the United States have I do not see my way to proposing a Supplementary Estimate this year.

AMERICAN MAILS.

ordered that all newspaper matter posted in or through the United States is to be carried to Europe by one particular line of steamers which provides fast steamers only once a week; and whether Her Majesty's Government will indicate to the Government of the United States that such action causes great delay and inconvenience to the intercourse between the two countries?

MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN: I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware of the action of the postal authorities of the United States of America in ordering that all newspaper matter for Great Britain, Ireland, and the Continent must be dispatched by the American line of steamers plying between New York and Southampton, except directed for transmission by a has already caused particular ship of the British lines, a condition requiring that every person posting in America should know the names and dates of sailings of every British vessel carrying mails to Great Britain and Ireland; whether he is also aware of the great delay and inconvenience that this arrangement will cause to the general public, and especially to all interested in newspaper enterprise in Great Britain, Ireland, and the Continent, by reason of the delay in delivery of newspapers; and whether he will make representations on these matters to the United States postal authorities with the view of cancelling this arrangement, or will he take any other action in the matter?

MR. HANBURY: I will answer the Questions of the hon. Member for Kilkenny, the St. Patrick's Division, Dublin, and the Kirkdale Division, Liverpool, together. The Postmaster General

MR. W. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick): I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether his attention has been directed to the delay in the delivery of American newspapers generally, but in particular to the residents of Ireland and North Britain; whether he is aware that all newspaper matter mailed in the United States will have to wait the weekly departure of the American Line Sir Henry Howorth.

a communication

to be addressed to the Postmaster General of the United States on the subject referred to, and he is now awaiting a reply. It should be borne in mind, however, that in common with all other postal Administrations of the Postal Union, the Post Office of the United States is at liberty to make its own arrangements for the transmission of correspondence from that country?

MR. FIELD asked whether they were to understand that it was in the power of the American postal authorities to act according to their own views in this matter, and delay the correspondence coming to this country?

MR. HANBURY: They have, I understand, done nothing which they have not power to do.

IRISH MAILS.

MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN: I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether the Department propose to remove more of the work from the Holyhead and Kingstown packet, at present performed by sorting clerks attached to

the Dublin General Post Office; and, if it can be stated why the provincial (Ireland) mails on Monday mornings, and the Sunday morning day mail to England, which is equally as heavy as on ordinary week days, are now sorted on the London and Holyhead Travelling Post Office?

MONEY LENDING.

COLONEL DENNY (Kilmarnock Burghs): I beg to ask the Lord Advocate, if he will consider the desirability, in view of the revelations of moneylending transactions made recently in the Courts of Law, of introducing some legislation whereby the creditors of MR. HANBURY: The Department people engaged in small businesses may does contemplate providing for a trans- be protected from the actions of such fer of some slight additional sorting duty lenders, by throwing the onus upon all from the Holyhead and Kingstown lenders of sums above a specified rate of Packet to the London and Holyhead interest of proving the solvency of the Travelling Post Office, where it can be borrower at the time of lending, their more conveniently performed, but details claim otherwise not to rank; and, have not yet been settled. At present only a portion of the provincial corre- Gordon, having lent the sum of £45, spondence for the Northern Division of was repaid £108, and still claimed £41 from the borrower? Ireland, in addition to the Sunday morning mail to England, is sorted in the London and Holyhead Travelling Post Office on Sunday. The arrangement is adopted with the view of utilising the services of some officers of the Travelling Post Office who would otherwise not be fully employed.

whether he is aware that one Isaac

I shall

*THE LORD ADVOCATE (Sir CHARLES PEARSON, Edinburgh and St. Andrew's Universities): The particular case referred to has not been brought under my notice, but I am aware similar cases have recently occurred. be glad to consider carefully the sugMR. A. D. PROVAND (Glasgow, tion; but I would point out that it gestion made in my hon. Friend's QuesBlackfriars): I beg to ask the Secretary involves a partial re-introduction of the to the Treasury, as representing the laws against usury, and would require Postmaster General, whether, before the very ample public discussion before any contract was made by the late Govern- action could be taken upon it. ment for the mail packet service between Holyhead and Kingstown, the usual notices were given inviting tenders; and, if so, will he state the date on which the notices were given, and the date on which the tenders were to be sent in; or what, if any, steps were taken to secure an open competition for the contract; and, for how many years the contract was made, and what is the total amount that will be payable to the company under this contract?

SCIENCE AND ART STUDENTS.

MR. ROBERT WARD (Cheshire, Crewe): I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education, if he is aware that it is the practice of the Science and Art Department to refuse to consider the examination papers of science and art students on the ground of trivial irregularities in the conduct of the examinations by the MR. HANBURY: A public notice local committee; whether, with a view inviting tenders for the conveyance of to obviate the hardship to the examinees, mails between Holyhead and Kingstown he will consider the advisability of modiwas extensively advertised in the princi- fying the stringency of the regulations, pal London and provincial newspapers, to make them more in accord with the as well as in Scotch and Irish news-regulations which govern the Oxford and papers, on the 7th and 9th of July Cambridge and other local examina1894. The same advertisement also tions; and, whether, in the case of the appeared in the Contract Journal of Alsager (Cheshire) Technical Education July 11, 1894. The last date for receiv- Classes, the Department is acting within ing tenders was August 31, 1894. The its powers in refusing to allow an examinew contract with the City of Dublin nation to proceed because of the strained Steam Packet Company is for 20 years relationship existing between the Defrom April 1, 1897, and the total pay-partment and the Secretary of the local ment is £98,000 a year. committee?