COLONEL STUART KNOXsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether he has had under his consideration the grievance under which Quartermasters of Militia suffer by not 1395 being allowed any retiring allowance or pension, some of them having served their Country for upwards of fifty years; and whether he will remedy this by a Clause in the Militia Pay and Clothing Act?
§ SIR JOHN PAKINGTONsaid, in reply, that the case of the quartermasters of Militia had been very frequently brought under his notice; and there were several instances, undoubtedly, in which not only hardship to individuals, but considerable inconvenience to regiments, arose from the great age at which some of those gentlemen arrived in consequence of not having the power to retire on a pension or retiring allowance. He therefore quite admitted that the case required some consideration; but he could not consent to remedy the grievance in the way suggested by his hon. and gallant Friend. It would be a very irregular mode of proceeding if he were to attempt to increase the expenditure of the country by introducing such a clause into an annual Act of the kind,