§
Motion made, and Question proposed,
That the Statement of the Estimated Income and Expenditure of Greenwich Hospital for the year 1889–90, presented to Parliament pursuant to Act, 48 and 49 Vic. c. 42, be approved."—(Mr. Ashmead-Bartlett.)
* ADMIRAL MAYNE (Pembroke and Haverfordwest)I wish to ask the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether he will give us any assurance that the question of the appropriation of some part of this fund to a purpose for which it was never intended will be looked into between this and next year. The Lords of the Admiralty have on several occasions pointed out that they are misappropriating the Greenwich Hospital Fund by using part of it for the purpose of pensioning reserve seamen at the age of 50 instead of at the age of 55. If that object is a proper one at all, money ought to have been provided by Parliament for the purpose, instead of which the amount needed is taken from the Greenwich Hospital Funds, so that those who are entitled to receive those funds have to go short. I hope the Civil Lord will be able to give us some assurance that the money will be de- 1911 voted to its proper purposes in the future.
§ * MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT (Sheffield, Eccleshall)The hon. and gallant Admiral has correctly stated the views of the present Board of the Admiralty upon this question—namely, that it is most undesirable that the funds of Greenwich Hospital should be applied to the payment of the pensions of seamen who have joined the Naval Reserve. He is no doubt also aware that at least five letters have been addressed during the last ten years by different Boards of Admiralty to the Treasury asking that the misappropriation should be put an end to, and that pensions to the Naval Reserve should be paid out of naval funds. I can only assure the hon. and gallant Gentleman that, so far as I am able to promise, similar representations shall be made on an early occasion to the Treasury, but I cannot say that I am hopeful of being more successful than my predecessors have been.
§ Question put, and agreed to.