MR. WILSONsaid, he would beg to ask the Chancellor the Exchequer whether, in the terms of the Superannuation Bill, as now before the House, the Officers of the Dockyards are intended to be embraced in its provisions; and, if so, whether the entire period of their service will be included in computing their pensions, as recommended by the Royal Commission; and, also, whether it is intended to include the permanent day labourers.
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, if the hon. Gentleman would refer to the Act he would find by the second clause that it did not apply to those who were appointed by Order in Council or by Royal Warrant, Now, the dockyard labourers held their appointment by an Order in Council, and therefore the Act did not apply to them. The same observation would also apply to the day-labourers; therefore the Act did not apply to those to whom the hon. Gentleman had referred. In regard to the general question whether, if those classes be brought within the provisions of the Superannuation Act, it is the intention to allow their continuous service to be estimated, that, he would remind the hon. Gentleman, would depend altogether upon the Board of Admiralty; but, as far as the Treasury was concerned, their opinion was decidedly favourable to that arrangement. If then they were brought under the Act in question, which by rescinding the Order in Council might take place, he should wish the continuous service to be acknowledged, of course upon the condition of making the operation of the Act general as regarded all parties. It was 1086 not his intention, however, to proceed with the Superannuation Bill that night.