§ MR. DE GREYsaid, he wished to ask the President of the Poor Law Board, Whether he has had any Correspondence with the Board of Guardians of Downham Market, in the County of Norfolk, on the subject of a Retiring Pension to one John Chamberlain; and, if so, whether any steps have been taken to remedy the injustice complained of; and if he has any objection to produce the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown on this subject, if any has been given?
§ MR. C. P. VILLIERS, in reply, said, there had been a correspondence between the Poor Law Board and the Guardians of the Downham Union on the subject of an officer named John Chamberlain. It had reference to a pension that he claimed under the Poor Law Officers' Superannuation Act. It was found that this claim did not come within the provision of that Act, which requires that a man shall have rendered his services exclusively to the union during the period prescribed. It was found that he had been a Registrar of Births and Deaths in that district, which is not, at present, a union office. As the officer, however, is appointed by the guardians, he (Mr. Villiers) had proposed last year that it should be considered an office within the meaning of the Act; and as the Bill which he had brought in was only withdrawn, he intended to renew that preposition this year. With reference to the production of the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown, which had been taken in Chamberlain's case, he understood it was not usual to produce such opinions in this House, but if the hon. Member desired to see the opinion, it would be open to him to do so, whenever he would call at the Department for that purpose.