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EJECTMENT DECREES (COUNTY
DOWN).

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THR WAR OFFICE (Mr. J. POWELL-WILLIAMS, Birmingham, S.): In MR. M. MCCARTAN (Down, S.): I order to entitle them to further con- beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the sideration the men referred to in the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he Question of the hon. Member would could state to the House the number of have to show that the physical disability Civil Bill processes of ejectment for nonfrom which they now suffer was caused payment of rent entered for hearing at by military service. Any further the sittings of the County Court for medical or other evidence tending to Down recently held at Downpatrick, sustain that view will be carefully Newtownards, Banbridge, Lisburn, and examined and weighed by the Com- Newry; also the number of ejectment missioners of Chelsea Hospital, whose decrees obtained at these sittings where present opinion, however, is as stated in only one year's rent was due? previous answers given to the hon. Member.

POSTAL ARRANGEMENTS (CROSHEA,

COUNTY LONGFORD).

MR. GERALD BALFOUR: The number of Civil Bill processes in ejectment for nonpayment of rent entered for hearing at the recent sittings of the County Court of Down, held at Downpatrick, Newtownards, Lisburn and MR. J. P. FARRELL: I beg to ask Banbridge, was 103, and the number of the Secretary to the Treasury, as repre- decrees obtained where only one year's senting the Postmaster General, what rent was due was 15. The County has been done by the Postmaster General Court does not sit at Newry until Saturin response to the petition of the day next; but I understand the number inhabitants of Croshea and district, of ejectments entered for hearing there Longford, relative to the establishment is 43, of which only one case is in respect of a post office there? of one year's rent.

THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (MR. R. W. HANBURY, Preston): The Postmaster General has had pleasure in sanctioning the re-establishment of the post office at Croshea. The delay has arisen from the difficulty of finding suitable accommodation at Croshea

ST. MELS CATHEDRAL (COUNTY
LONGFORD).

MR. J. P. FARRELL: I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, whether he is aware that the ruins of St. Mels Cathedral, parish of Ardagh, county Longford, have by resolution of the Longford Board of Guardians been vested in the Board of Works; and will that Department now undertake the preservation of those ruins?

POOR LAW SCHOOLS.

MR. GEOFFREY DRAGE (Derby): I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board, whether the managers of the Poor Law Schools and certified homes have been allowed by the Local Government Board to break the law concerning half-time for the last 19 years, although such a practice is, in the opinion of the Inspector General of the Board, a serious evil; and whether the fact has ever been submitted to the Permanent Secretary of the Board?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. HENRY CHAPLIN, Lincolnshire, Sleaford): The Question suggests that, with the knowledge and concurrence of the Local Government Board, it has been the MR. HANBURY: The Guardians of practice of guardians to disregard the the Longford Union have expressed a requirements of the law as to half-time desire to have this structure vested in children in Poor Law schools. This is the Board of Works, and the Board are not in accordance with the facts. The willing to become custodians for the pur- responsibility for complying with the pose of preservation under the provisions law in this matter rests with the guarof the Ancient Monuments Protection dians. There have, no doubt, been Acts, as soon as the requisite legal instances where the law has been disformalities with reference to vesting are regarded; but the Board have always complied with. held that the byelaws are binding on

guardians as regards school attendance. | Local Government Board which enable This view has been expressed by the them to withhold repayment from the Permanent Secretary, as well as by the common poor fund when a board of Assistant Secretary, who is also chief guardians or managers of an asylum general inspector; and guardians have district make default in complying with been informed accordingly when the an order as regards certain specified attention of the Board has been drawn matters; but it is very doubtful whether to failure on the part of guardians in this these powers extend to district schools.

matter.

MR. DRAGE: I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board—(1) what are the duties of the medical inspectors of the Poor Law schools; (2) what is the number of beds for the inspection of which the general inspector is responsible; (3) what means have they to communicate their Report to the managers of the schools; and

whether the Local Government Board

MR. SPEAKER: I ought to call the attention of the hon. Member to the first paragraph of his Question as being one of an irregular kind which ought not to be put on the Paper. The duties of the medical inspectors of Poor Law schools

are to be found in the statute and orders

which prescribe those duties; and to ask a Minister to give a treatise on the duties of those officers is not, I think, one of the purposes for which it is intended Questions should be put. [Cheers.]

has any power of enforcing suggestions made in such reports? MR. CHAPLIN: The staff of inspec-sulted the usual authorities. I am sorry MR. DRAGE: May I that I con

if I transgressed.

say

*MR. SPEAKER: I rather think that

the usual authorities may have given some advice which was not taken by the hon. Member. [Laughter.]

MR. EDWARD MOON (St. Pancras, W.): I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board, how many boarding-out inspectors are employed by the Local Government Board for Poor Law children; how are these duties carried out; whether in 1894 only 377 children out of 1,798 were visited; and, whether any change in the system can be made?

tors of Poor Law establishments in the metropolitan district, exclusive of the educational inspector, comprises one general inspector, one medical inspector, and one assistant inspector. There are no officers, with the exception of the educational inspection, whose duties apply exclusively to the schools. The duties of the inspectors are to inspect from time to time workhouses and other establishments; to attend meetings of the guardians and managers; to report to the Board matters which they consider should be the subject of communication with those authorities; and to advise the Board generally on questions arising in connection with those estab- MR. CHAPLIN There is one inlishments and the proceedings of the spector of boarding-out, namely, Miss local authorities. The duty of the Mason. Her duties are carried out by assistant inspector is to visit the establishments and report through the inspectors to the Board. The number of beds in separate and certified schools is about 17,000; the total number of indoor poor other than those in the schools referred to, including the inmates of the asylums for infectious cases and imbeciles, is about 57,000. The practice of the Local Government Board is to communicate with the managers as to those matters referred to in the reports of their inspectors with respect to schools which appear to require their attention; or, where it is thought preferable, the inspectors confer with the managers on the subject. Certain powers are conferred on the Mr. H. Chaplin,

conferring with, advising, and otherwise assisting boarding-out committees and inspecting children boarded out and their homes. Miss Mason states that the number mentioned does not correctly represent the number of children visited by her in 1894. As the Board stated in their 19th Annual Report, the responsibility for the care of the children boarded out must rest entirely with the boardingout committees; and the inspections of the children which are made by the Board's inspector are for the purpose of ascertaining how the duties of the committees are discharged, and cannot be regarded as in any way relieving the committees of their responsibility. If

there should be a more extensive adop- | 50 sergeants of the Royal Irish Contion of the boarding-out system, the stabulary who passed an examination appointment of an additional inspector would be necessary.

before the Civil Service Commissioners in June 1895 for the rank of head constable, MR. W. W. CARLILE (Bucks, N.): how many were allowed to compete in I beg to ask the President of the Local professional subjects in January 1896; Government Board, whether the Chief (2) were 13 of those sergeants informed Inspector-General of Poor Law Schools in November 1895 to hold themselves in was unacquainted with much of the in- readiness for the latter examination; formation laid before the Poor Law and, if so, by what process was the School Committee, and whether this number increased to 27 on the 7th accounts for the delay in obtaining January; (3) how long were those 27 in replies and redress from the Local the service and in the rank of sergeant; Government Board; and, what reason (4) were they taken from the top of the can be given for the delay of seven years list, and were they senior to other sercomplained of by the managers of the geants who had passed; (5) are Roman Central London district in replying to a Catholic head constables and sergeants communication addressed by them to the only allowed to remain four years at the Board with regard to the regulations as depôt, and does this rule apply to other to apprenticeship which have been in denominations; (6) who is responsible force since 1847 ? for the classification of recruits for the MR. CHAPLIN: It is no part of the Royal Irish Constabulary, and how many duty of the Assistant Secretary, who is of the staff in the Commandant's Office also Chief Inspector-General, to visit are Roman Catholic; and (7) what is the Poor Law Schools, and he would not proportion of Roman Catholic to Prohave information laid before the Com-testant recruits appointed since this mittee which had not been communicated Government took office and for the same to the Board, but I am not aware what period in the late Administration? difficulties as regards obtaining replies and redress are regarded as attributable to this. As regards the case mentioned, the facts are these:-The Guardians of the City of London Union addressed to the Board a communication as to a difficulty which had arisen in providing for the apprenticeship of children in the City of London, where persons to whom they were to be apprenticed were unwilling to provide for the lodging of the apprentices. The letter of the Guardians was received on July 2, 1887, and on July 9, 1887, the Board replied, promising that their communication should receive attention, and the representations of the Guardians in the matter were considered, although no new regulations on the subject were issued. In the course of the same year an Act (Local Authorities (Expenses) Act 1887) was passed, under which exceptional cases of difficulty as regards apprenticeship might be, and have since been, met.

ROYAL IRISH CONSTABULARY.

MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) of the

In

MR. GERALD BALFOUR: The reply to the first paragraph is 24. Selections were not confined to the men who had passed the qualifying examination in June 1895, as other sergeants in the force were similarly qualified. November 1895, 22 sergeants (not 13, as stated) were informed of their selection for competitive examination in professional subjects. The additional five men were selected in the same manner as the others. The period of service of these 27 men in the force ranged from 13 to 25 years, and in the rank of sergeant from 3 to 12 years. The men were selected from the list, which was an alphabetical one, solely on the ground of merit as policemen. Seniority was not an element in the selection. The rule as regards the term of service at the depôt is applied irrespective of the question of religion. The Commandant is the officer responsible for recruiting; one of his clerical staff is a Roman Catholic. Since the present Government acceded to Office the ratio of Roman Catholics to Protestant recruits appointed has been 4.66 to 1; and during the corresponding period in the late Administration the ratio was 4.78 Roman Catholics to 1 Protestant.

ARMY RETURNS.

MR. A. F. JEFFREYS (Hants, Basingstoke): I beg to ask the Secre- I tary to the War Office, why the Return of "Army (Average Numbers at Home and Abroad)," ordered to be printed and circulated by the House on 21st June 1895, has not yet been printed; and, whether he will grant a similar Return for the past year?

OF

*THE UNDER SECRETARY STATE FOR WAR (Mr. BRODRICK, Surrey, Guildford): The Order of the 21st June last was merely for an Address for the Return. This lapsed with the dissolution of Parliament, but the Return is ready for presentation whenever my hon. Friend moves for it. As regards the statistics for the year 1895, the Returns are only beginning to come in from foreign stations, and it would be some months before a complete Return could be given.

IRVINESTOWN UNION (CHARGE

AGAINST OFFICIAL). MR. R. M. DANE (Fermanagh, N.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether the Irish Local Government Board, as the result of a sworn Inquiry recently held by their inspector, Mr. Richard Kelly, has decided that no grounds existed for the charge preferred against John R. M'Gahey, the porter of the Irvinestown Union, by one Edward M'Elroy; and, if so, will the report of the Inquiry be placed before the Irish Law Officers with a view to the prosecution of M'Elroy for giving false evidence?

ENNISKILLEN POST OFFICE.

MR. J. JORDAN (Fermanagh, S.): beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if he is aware that the post office in Enniskillen is a small house, into which are crowded the post office, the telegraph office, the parcel post, and the postmaster and his family; that there is but one small and ill-fitted office for the

receipt and delivery of letters, the sale of stamps, the transmission of telegrams, the savings bank, the receipt of and delivery of parcels, and the payment of public money to pensioners; that the offices are badly lit and ventilated; that there is general complaint in reference to the thick and suffocating atmosphere in the office on busy days; that there is but one small door for the ingress and egress of the public and employés, and for the transaction of all the business of the office; that there is no accommodation for postmen and telegraphic messengers other than the public street, even in winter weather; that even the postmaster's office is but a dark and dismal small apartment; and that 21 employés, male and female, and eight members of the postmaster's family, with servants, 29 to 31 in all, are compelled daily to occupy this house; and is it the intention of the Postmaster General and Department, in view of the well-being of their employés and the accommodation of the public, still to continue these premises as a post office?

MR. HANBURY: The hon. Member's Question is an exact repetition of one that he put to me on the 25th of February last, and I must refer him to my answer on that occasion.

FRENCH FISHING VESSELS.

MR. GERALD BALFOUR: The only evidence adduced at the investigation held in this case was that given by the complainant on the one side and by the porter and a female inmate on the other side. The evidence being contradictory and there being no corrobora- CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.). I tion of the charge preferred, the Local beg to ask the President of the Board of Government Board held that it had not Trade, whether he is aware that French been proved. Under these circumstances fishing vessels now make a practice of my hon. and learned Friend will per- visiting certain harbours on the south ceive that no useful object could be coast of Ireland for the purpose of selling gained by laying the papers before the their fish, to the detriment of the local Law Officers, as suggested, with a view fishermen ; and whether British or Irish to criminal proceedings. If the porter fishing boats possess the privilege of feels himself aggrieved he can, of selling their fish in French ports; and, course, take proceedings for libel if not, will steps be taken to put a stop against the complainant.

to this practice?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE OF TRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE, Croy- COUNCIL (Sir JOHN GORST, Camdon): I am informed that French fishing bridge University): The Committee of Council have no information which would enable them to answer the first part of the Question. There is no reason to suppose that any increase in the numof places will be necessary, as provision has always been made for children up to 13.

MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis): Considering that this grievance has lasted for a generation, will the right hon. Gentleman consider the desirable- mates? ness and the propriety of withdrawing from French fishermen the privilege refused to English fishermen ?

MR. RITCHIE: That would be a policy of retaliation, and that is a policy which I understand this country is not prepared to adopt at present.