HC Deb 18 May 1857 vol 145 cc476-7
CAPTAIN ARCHDALL

moved an address for copies of all correspondence between Captain Wood, late Paymaster of the Battalion Depôt at Winchester, and the War Department, relating to office accommodation at Winchester, additional assistants, and resignation of the situation of paymaster; and, of a memorial dated the 3rd day of January, 1856, presented by Captain Wood to the Minister of War, the reply thereto, and of all correspondence consequent upon and relating to the said memorial and its contents. Motion made, and Question proposed, "That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, that She will be graciously pleased to give directions that there be laid before this House, Copies of all Correspondence between Captain Wood, late Paymaster of the Battalion Depôt at Winchester, and the War Department, relating to Office Accommodation at Winchester, Additional Assistants, and resignation of the situation of Paymaster: And, of a Memorial dated the 3rd day of January, 1856, presented by Captain Wood to the Minister of War, the reply thereto, and of all Correspondence consequent upon and relating to the said Memorial and its contents.

SIR JOHN RAMSDEN

said, the correspondence in question was purely of a departmental character, and it was his duty, on behalf of the Government to oppose its production. The case was only one of a great number of similar claims, which were always disposed of under a well-known and established regulation, and the Government were averse to make an exception to that regulation. The matter had been reconsidered carefully, but there was no reason for altering the decision already come to. It would be dangerous to the service to accede to the Motion.

CAPTAIN ARCHDALL

said, he had moved for the correspondence on public grounds, as well as in consideration of the hardship inflicted on Captain Wood, and he trusted, that injustice to an old officer, the House would not consider the ground assigned for refusing its production by the hon. Baronet a sufficient one.

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

I hope the House will not agree to the Motion of the hon. and gallant Officer; and I warn them that if they commence revising the decision of the War Office upon the claims of individual officers they will embark upon a sea of troubles to an extent of which, I am sure, they can have no conception. One great department of the War Office is daily and constantly employed in considering these personal claims. It forms an immense mass of business, and if the House of Commons erects itself into a tribunal of appeal against decisions of the Secretary for War upon claims of paymasters and regimental officers, I can assure the House that a large mass of matter will have to be printed which nobody will ever read. I hope, therefore, the House will not encourage these Motions.

COLONEL BOLDERO

advised his hon. and gallant Friend to withdraw his Motion, but at the same time regretted that while in the Bill, which had just occupied their attention, a pension of £1,800 was about to be given to a civilian after merely four years' service, even half-pay was grudged to a military gentleman who had served his country for upwards of forty years.

Question put, and negatived.