§ COLONEL KINGSCOTEsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, Why, considering the hardships to individuals and the inconvenience to Regiments from Quartermasters of Militia not being able to retire on a pension or retiring allowance, he cannot provide for such pension or retiring allowance in Vote No. 27 of the present Army Estimates, and so enable him to introduce a clause into the Militia Pay and Clothing Bill to give effect for the future to such pension or allowance; whether a Clause providing for pensions and retiring allowances was not always inserted in the Militia Pay and Clothing Acts prior to 1829, when Quartermasters were no longer appointed to Militia Regiments, and why it should not have been re-inserted on their re-appointment in 1854; and whether some Quartermasters are not now receiving pensions under the Acts passed before 1829?
§ SIR JOHN PAKINGTON, in reply, said, he was afraid it would not be in his power to provide pensions or retiring allowances to Quartermasters of Militia in the present Army Estimates. It would be very irregular to add a new item to the present Estimates, and the only mode would be by introducing a Supplementary Estimate. The matter was certainly deserving of consideration, and should receive it; but it was not sufficiently pressing to justify a Supplementary Estimate.
§ COLONEL KINGSCOTEsaid, he wished to know, Whether he understood the right 1757 hon. Gentleman to undertake that the matter should be provided for in the Estimates of next year?
§ SIR JOHN PAKINGTONI am not in a position to give any promise on that subject.