§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."—(Lord George Hamilton.)
538§ GENERAL SIR GEORGE BALFOURexpressed a hope that the passing of the Bill would not shut out the claims of the civilians from being fully considered.
MR. BECKETT-DENISONsaid, that by this Bill the Government sought to absorb the corpus of a fund of £3,000,000, which had been declared to be private property. The sum appeared as a book-debt, it was true; but by this Bill it would be converted into an asset. None of the annuitants would be damnified except 44 gentlemen, or their representatives, who had persistently claimed a refund of all payments, with interest, over the half value of their annuities of £1,000 per annum, paid quarterly. It-was difficult, of course, to contend against the fact that the Courts had given an adverse judgment to the claim of those retired annuitants, on legal and technical grounds which excluded from consideration the equity of the claim. It would meet the whole justice of the case if the Secretary of State would introduce into the Bill a clause declaring that no class of annuitants should be damnified by the absorption of the fund, and that if power were taken by the Secretary of State to refer disputed claims of dissatisfied annuitants to arbitration he should reserve to himself the right of moving such a clause in Committee.
§ MR. STEPHEN CAVEsaid, he was aware of the claim to which the hon. Member had alluded. It did not, however go to the principle of the Bill. If there was a real case of hardship it was right that there should be an opportunity of discussing it. He would venture to advise the House to read the Bill a second time. A sufficient interval would be given for the consideration of the subject, and a clause could be introduced in Committee, if necessary.
§ Motion agreed to.
§ Bill read a second time, and committed for Monday next.