MR. J. D. LEWISsaid, he would beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether his attention has been called to a statement contained in several of the daily and weekly newspapers to the effect that, on Saturday the 12th, forty-one established men were discharged from Devonport Dockyard without a day's notice, and without waiting, as has hitherto always been the practice, for the arrival of their pension papers; and whether that statement is correct?
§ MR. CHILDERSIn reply, Sir, to my hon. Friend, I have to say that on receiving his Notice of Question I telegraphed to Devonport for the facts, and I have since seen the Admiral Superintendent. It appears that thirty-six men, who had received ample notice of their intended discharge, but whose pension papers had not arrived, were, through some misapprehension, discharged on the 12th instant. Orders were issued to continue the pay of these men according to custom until the arrival of their pension papers, which in come cases have been received. I cannot hear of any other case, and, as I have stated, this arose through some misapprehension at Devonport.