§ MR. WATNEYasked the Junior Lord of the Treasury, Whether the 9th section of the Civil Service Superannuation Act (22 Vic. c. 26) does not, for special services, empower the Treasury to grant pensions up to the full amount of salary; and, whether the case of Mr. Freeth, whose appointment as Chief Clerk (Military Department) in the War Office has lately been abolished, does not come within this section; especially as Mr. Freeth has been recommended by His Royal Highness the General Commanding in Chief for "full pay or the highest rate of retirement to which his special services seem to justly entitle him?"
MR. W. H. GLADSTONE,in reply, said, there could be no doubt that the officer in question had discharged his duties praiseworthily. At the same time, the Treasury considered the 9th clause of the Civil Service Superannuation Act could only be applied in cases where the 1562 services were of a peculiar and unusual degree of merit. Though it was quite true that the General Commanding-in-Chief, in forwarding the case for recommendation, did make use of the term "special services," yet neither His Royal Highness nor the War Office particularized any service of such a peculiar degree of merit as to justify the Treasury in applying the section in question.
§ MR. WATNEYDo I understand the hon. Gentleman to say that it is necessary for the services to be specially mentioned in order to entitle him to this pension?