MR. J. CHAMBERLAIN: There is no doubt whatever about the facts. I do not, however, think it necessary to introduce personal matters. MR. BRYN ROBERTS: There is grave doubt about the fact. That is why I asked the Question. MR. J. CHAMBERLAIN: I may repeat that there is no doubt whatever about the facts; I have satisfied myself in regard to that. the Colonies whether the proposal [to levy preferential duties would affect the products of Malta, Cyprus, Mauritius, the West Indies, the Pacific Islands, and other minor possessions of the British Crown. MR. J. CHAMBERLAIN: The Question of the hon. Gentleman is premature. Up to the present time His Majesty's Government have made no proposals. Seistan-Nushki Railway Survey. MR. HERBERT ROBERTS (Denbigh MR. BRYN ROBERTS: Then give the shire, W.): I beg to ask the Secretary of names MR. CHAMBERLAIN: No, I will not. Transvaal Post Office Censorship. MR. BRYN ROBERTS: I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether it is still the law in the Transvaal that any postmaster may intercept any letter or telegram which he suspects to contain seditious matter, and that any resident magistrate may open such letter or telegram; and, if not, whether any ordinance amending the law in this respect will be laid upon the Table. MR. J. CHAMBERLAIN: I have been in communication with Lord Milner on the subject, but have not yet received the amending ordinance which is to be passed. Canadian Trade Statistics. MR. TOULMIN (Bury, Lancashire): I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if his attention has been called to the Annual Trade Returns of Canada for the twelve months just concluded, and especially to the increase in the export of manufactures; if he can state which of these exported manufactures compete with the manufactures of the home country; and whether any of them are stimulated by bounties. MR. J. CHAMBERLAIN: I have not yet received the Annual Trade Returns of Canada for the fiscal year recently concluded. Preferential Duties. MR. J. H. LEWIS (Flint Boroughs): I beg to ask the Secretary of State for VOL. CXXVII. [FOURTH SERIES.] State for India whether he has received any report from the medical officers attached to the Seistan-Nushki railway survey party, or from Colonel MacMahon's Afghan Boundary Commission, with reference to the appearance in their ranks of typhus fever, or to the effect that several surveyors with one or other of these expeditions have perished from thirst in the Seistan deserts; and whether he can give any particulars as to the casualties which have taken place. THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON, Middlesex, Ealing): I informed the hon. Member for North Manchester on the 30th July that I had received no information as to the prevalence of typhus among the workers on the Quetta-Nushki Railway.† As to the Seistan Irrigation Boundary Commission, it appears from Colonel MacMahon's reports that typhus is very prevalent in Seistan, and that there was an outbreak in his camp early in May, six cases having occurred, of which five were fatal. Steps were at once taken for segregation, and Colonel MacMahon reported on the 8th June that his camp had a clean bill of health. On the 24th June he reported the deaths of a native surveyor and three subordinates owing the failure of their water supply. India and Thibet. MR. HERBERT ROBERTS: 1 beg to whether, with regard to the Commission ask the Secretary of State for India nominated by the Indian Government to proceed into Thibetian territory for the purpose of pressing British traders' wares, + See (4) Debates, cxxvi., 899. E he will state upon what date the Commi- British Commissioner, and that he sion was appointed, and the number and would proceed, accompanied by Mr. quality of the military escort in attendance White, Political Officer, Sikkim, as upon or following the Commissioners; Joint Commissioner, Commissioner, to meet the whether he can give any explanation of Chinese and Thibetan representatives at the action taken by the Chinese authori- Khambajong, the nearest inhabited ties, either at Pekin or in Thibet, with place on the Thibetan side to that reference to the objects of this Commission; portion of the frontier between Sikkim and whether he will communicate to Par- and Thibbet at which grazing disputes liament the text of the instructions issued had arisen. Colonel Younghusband's to the Commissioners. I beg also to ask escort consists of 200 men of a Native the Secretary of State for India whether Infantry Regiment. A reserve of 300 any change has taken place in the frontier men is stationed at Tangu in Sikkim. relations between India and Thibet; and It would be contrary to the public whether he can make a statement as to interest at this stage of the negotiaThibetan affairs. tions to make any further statement, or to lay on the Table the instructions to the British Commissioner. LORD GEORGE HAMILTON: I wil, if I may, include both the Questions of the hon. Member in one answer. No change has taken place in the frontier relations between India and Thibet, which are governed by the Convention between Great Britain and China of 1890, and by the Regulations of 1893, drawn up and signed by British and Chinese Commissioners, to give effect to the provisions of the Convention. The Convention and the Regulations have been published as a Parliamentary Return (C. 7312 of 1894). As to the action taken by the Chinese authorities, I stated in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Ross and Cromarty on the 13th instant†, that a proposal was made last year by the Chinese Government for the despatch of a Chinese Commissioner to discuss on the spot certain questions relating to the frontier and to trade. These questions relate to grazing disputes on the northern frontier between Sikkim and Thibet, and to the observance of that frontier as Children in Punjab Gaols. MR. HERBERT ROBERTS: I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to the language used by Sir Charles Rivaz, the Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab, in his resolution on the Punjab Gaols Report, with reference to the treatment of juvenile offenders and habitual prisoners, and to the evils resulting from the association of juvenile with adult prisoners; whether he is aware that in the Punjab in 1902 there were 116 boys and twelve girls imprisoned under the age of sixteen, as well as a large number of others to whom less than six months of imprisonment was awarded; and whether the attention of the Government of India has been directed to the desirability of extending reformatories in India to prevent the contamination of juvenile criminals and to promote their reform. LORD GEORGE HAMILTON: I have from adults even when accommodated laid down under the Convention; and read the passage referred to in the Quesalso to difficulties concerning the conduct of trade between Thibet and tion. Juvenile prisoners are kept apart India under the Regulations. The Chinese Imperial Resident at Lhasa, in the ordinary gaols, and if the hon. who has been corresponding on behalf Member will refer to the paragraph he of the Chinese Government with the quotes from he will see that a reformaGovernment of India on the subject of tory, which has for some time been under the negotiations, was informed by the construction, will very shortly be opened in the Punjab. The Government of Viceroy of India on the 3rd June last, India and the local Governments are, I under instructions from His Majesty's believe, quite alive to the objections to Government, that Colonel the confinement of juvenile offenders in Young. husband, C.I.E., had been appointed gaols, and the object of the LieutenantGovernor's remarks was to inculcate the + See (4) Debates, exxv., 402. desirability of resorting more largely to the provisions of Section 562 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which enables them to be released on a bond without being sent to gaol. British Military Charges on India. MR. HERBERT ROBERTS: I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the fact that the Government of India have been invited to contribute £400,000 per annum towards the additional military charges to be incurred by the establishment of 25,000 British troops in South Africa, he will state by what method of calculation this sum has been fixed; what arrangement is proposed, in the event of any of these troops being used for military purposes outside India, for a payment to the Government of India for services so rendered; and whether he will give the House an assurance that Papers upon this subject will be laid before Parliament before any definite decision is arrived at. LORD GEORGE HAMILTON: It has been suggested to the Government of India that, in view of the admitted necessity of increasing the number of British troops upon which they can count at once in case of emergency, it would be a convenient arrangement if 12,500 men, upon whose services they could then count, were kept in South Africa, where they would be far more promptly available than they would be if kept in this country. The sum of £400,000 has been taken as representing approximately half the additional annual cost to Imperial revenues involved in maintaining 12,500 men in South Africa instead of at home. So long as that number of men is kept constantly available for Indian purposes, it is proposed that the payment shall be continued; and no repayment will be expected so long as this condition is fulfilled. I am unable at present to give any assurance with regard to the presentation of Papers. MR. HERBERT ROBERTS: Has the despatch from the Government of India on this subject yet been received? LORD GEORGE HAMILTON: No, Sir. I do not expect to receive it for eight or ten days. *SIR CHARLES DILKE (Gloucestershire Forest of Dean): The noble Lord in his reply used the words, "It has been suggested." Does that mean that the Secretary of State in Council made the suggestion? LORD GEORGE HAMILTON: Yes. The suggestion, as I explained, I felt to be one economical to India, but I thought it only reasonable before coming to a future decision to get the opinion of the Government of India. MR. HERBERT SAMUEL (Yorkshire, Cleveland): And to that no reply has been received? LORD GEORGE HAMILTON: Not yet. Indian Irrigation Commission Report. MR. BAYLEY (Derbyshire, Chesterfield): I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether the Governinent of India have come to any decision in reference to the recommendations of the Irrigation Commission Report; and, if so, whether he will state what that decision is. LORD GEORGE HAMILTON: The Report of the Irrigation Commission has just been received, but the Government of India have not yet informed me of their views as to the action they would suggest to be taken on the recommendations of the Report. M'Kinley Tariff. MR. J. H. LEWIS : I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will lay upon the Table a copy of the evidence given before a Committee of the House of Representatives at Washington in 1894 with reference to the M'Kinley Tariff, and particularly the evidence of Mr. Havemeyer, at that time President of the Sugar Trust. THE PRIME MINISTER AND FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E., for Lord CRANBORNE): The Foreign Office does not possess a copy of the evidence to which the hon. Gentleman refers, but it can no doubt be obtained if he wishes. my Question as to whether he has received any official information showing the evil done by unadulterated drink? THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EX CHEQUER (Mr. RITCHIE, Croydon): That is rather too large a question to be dealt with across the floor of the House. In reply to the Question on the Paper the answer to the first two is in the negative, but of course I shall be glad to consider any evidence or representations on the subject that may be laid before me. I may refer the hon. Member to the Answers given on the same subject on the 6th ultimo.† MR. MACVEAGH (Down, S.): Has not the right hon. Gentleman received any official information as to the agitation in Glasgow on the subject of lunacy following on the drinking of Scotch whisky. [No answer was returned.] Cost of the Pacific Cable. beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total amount charged to the Exchequer up to 31st March, 1903, in respect of interest, sinkiug fund, and working expenses of the Pacific cable; how much of that amount is due from the colonies which undertake to share the cost of the cable; and when this latter sum will be received. MR. RITCHIE: The audit of the Pacific Cable Board's accounts to the 31st March, 1903, has just been completed. The accounts have not yet been formally transmitted to the Treasury, but I have ascertained that they show a total net expenditure, charged to the Exchequer Grant, up to 31st March last, of £91,437 4s. 11d. This charge covers interest, and also the working expenses of the cable so far as they exceeded the traffic receipts. It includes nothing for sinking fund, as the first instalment of the annuity for repayment of the money borrowed for construction does not become payable till December next. The share due from the contributing colonies in respect of the expenditure to 31st March last is £65,374 5s. 4d., and payment will the Board's accounts are received. be claimed from the colonies as soon as + See (4) Debates, cxxiv., 1397. Imprisonment under the Vaccination Acts. MR. BAYLEY: I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that on 27th July last four defaulters under the Vaccination Acts, living at Clayton, Yorkshire, were arrested and conveyed to Wakefield Prison; and, if so, whether he will call for a Report as to why distress was not first attempted for the recovery of the fines imposed on them. *THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. AKERS DOUGLAS, Kent, St. Augustine's): I have made inquiry, and find that distress. warrants were issued in these cases. I am informed that no sufficient goods could be found on which to levy distress, and commitments were issued in the ordinary course. Metropolitan Police Fund. *MR. CREMER (Shoreditch, Haggerston): I wish to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state what is the average amount or balance during the year in the Bank of England of money belonging to the Metropolitan Police Fund Account for which no interest is received. *MR. AKERS DOUGLAS: The average balance during the year ended the 31st March, 1903, on which no interest was received, was £131,968. Foreign Made Tram Rails. MR. RANDLES (Cumberland, Cockermouth): I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he can state what proportion of the tram-rails laid in the United Kingdom during the last ten years are of British manufacture, and what proportion of Continental manufacture; and will he also give the same particulars as to the tram-rails laid in the metropolitan area in particular. THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR, Leeds, Central): The Board of Trade have no information which would enable them to answer the first portion of the hon. Member's Question. With regard to the second paragraph, I have communicated with the London County Council, and they inform me that in connection with the re-construction for electrical traction of their tramways, about 5,000 tons of rails of British manufacture, and 10,720 tons of rails of foreign manufacture have been purchased by the Council. Previously to the transfer the company used about 1,000 tons per annum of foreign rails, and none of British manufacture. They add that they have no information as to the rails used by the North Metropolitan Tramways Company -the lessee of the Council's northern tramways-nor as to what is done by other tramway companies in London. Government Audits-Attendance of *MR. A. K. LOYD (Berkshire, Abingdon): I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board, whether his attention has been drawn to the inconveni ence caused to overseers in rural districts by requiring their attendance, as a matter of course, in addition to that of the assistant overseer, on the occasion of the audit by the Department auditor; and, if so, whether he will consider the possibility of releasing them from personal attendance unless they receive a notice from the auditor that their presence will be required on any particular occasion. THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. WALTER LONG, Bristol, S.): My attention has not been drawn to any recent complaints of this kind. It it the duty of an overseer to attend the audits of his accounts, and I am advised that it is often found of much advantage that one at least of the overseers of the parish should be present. But I am willing to give consideration to the subject. MR. A. K. LOYD: Will the right hon. Gentleman allow me to lay before him fuller information than appears to be in his possession on this matter? MR. WALTER LONG: Yes; I shall be very pleased to receive, and carefully consider, any such further information. St. Faith's, Norfolk, Rates. MR. PRICE (Norfolk, E.): I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been drawn to the effect of the Agricultural Rating Act on the rates levied on |