§ MR. SAMUEL HOARE (Norwich)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether James Marshall, late 23rd Regiment, was discharged from Netley Hospital on 22nd August, 1865, suffering from the effects of asthenia, on a pension of 7d. per diem; whether, owing to an error on the part of the medical officer in entering his illness as asthma instead of asthenia, James Marshall received no pension from 22nd August, 1867, until 29th June, 1886, when his pension was restored, with two years' back pay in addition; whether the said James Marshall is not entitled to 17 years' pension; and whether the circumstances of the case will be re-considered?
§ *THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. E. STANHOPE,) Lincolnshire, HorncastleJames Marshall was discharged on August 22, 1865, on account of asthenia on a pension of 7d. a day for 18 months, which expired on June 11, 1867, when his case was considered, and the renewal of his pension refused. Nothing was heard of his case for 16 years; but in 1883 he again applied for a renewal of his temporary pension, which was refused. In 1886 he made a further appeal, and on re-consideration it was discovered that the medical officers had assumed that his discharge was on account of asthma. He was re-examined for asthenia, and was granted a pension for life, but without arrears. Several appeals have been received asking for arrears of pension for the 19 years from 1867 to 1886, and the utmost allowed under the Regulations, namely, two years', has been granted. During a portion of this time Marshall was in a lunatic asylum, so that had he been in receipt of a pension it would have been paid to the authorities for his support, 391 and would not have benefited his family. Although, therefore, I cannot give him any further arrears of pension, I will consider whether we might not be justified in somewhat increasing his pension for the remainder of his life.