MR. SULLIVANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, If he can state the result of his inquiries into the case of Mr. J. A. Browne of Dublin?
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHSir, during the tenure of office of the late Government, the Carriage department of the Dublin Metropolitan Police was re-organized, and Mr. J. A. Browne's services were dispensed with, under circumstances which appeared at the time to preclude him from receiving the usual grant of a retiring pension. Mr. Browne subsequently memorialized the Government for a re-consideration of his case, and last summer I undertook that it should be carefully investigated. Having had the benefit of the advice of the Irish Law Officers on the subject, I arrived at the conclusion that though Mr. Browne was open to serious blame for mismanagement and negligence during the later months of a long period of service, nothing was proved against him of a graver nature, such as would be necessary to justify the extreme course of depriving him altogether of his ordinary right to pension on abolition of office. I have, therefore, recommended the case to the favourable consideration of the Treasury, and I believe that their Lordships are disposed to award a modified pension to Mr. Browne under the powers vested in them by Parliament.