THE ROYAL IRISH CONSTABULARY— PENSIONS AND COMPASSIONATE ALLOWANCES.

§ MR. CALLAN

called attention to the system of granting pensions and compassionate allowances in the Royal Irish Constabulary, complaining of the favour shown to superior officials, and of the injustice done to constables and sub-constables. He found that Sir John Wood, the Inspector General of the Constabulary, was in receipt of a pension of more than £1,000 a-year, although he had served only a short time in the Constabulary, and although, substantially, he was forced to retire in consequence of certain disclosures. In the summer of 1878, Dr. Le Clerc, the late Surgeon General of the Constabulary, was called to London by the then authorities of the Treasury, and received instruction, as he stated in his (Mr. Callan's) presence, that he was not, unless under most exceptional circumstances, to allow any constable to remain 30 years in the service. Now, an Irish constable was entitled to a pension after 30 years' service; and he (Mr. Callan) was glad that the noble Lord now representing the Treasury was no party to the attempt to deprive the Irish constable of his well-earned pension. The most remarkable case in connection with the subject was that of the late Constable Anderson, of Dungarvan, an inquest on whose body was held at Dublin. Fortunately there was no sectarian or party feeling in this case, Constable Anderson being what was called "a true blue Presbyterian," while he (Mr. Callan) and others who had taken up the case were Ultramontane Roman Catholics, simply wishing to save the constables and sub-constables from injustice. Constable Anderson being ill, was forced into hospital at Dublin, and died. A medical man gave 838 evidence at the inquest that had he been left at home he would have lived; and the jury in their verdict said—""We condemn the system under which he was removed." The constable had seen 30 years' service in the Force, and was, therefore, entitled to a pension upon which he could have, in part at least, maintained himself, his wife, and six children. His sub-Inspector had reported of him that— He was well conducted, truthful, and intelligent—a man in whom the magistrates of the district placed implicit confidence. This man, so highly praised, and entitled to a pension by which his wife and family would have been benefited, was killed, by being forced to go to Dublin, under a system which a Coroner's Jury condemned, and yet not one penny of compensation allowance had been given to his widow and family. Representations respecting the case of the widow and family were made by the County Inspector, the sub-Inspector, and the magistrates of the district; but the authorities refused to make any allowance beyond what they would have been compelled to grant under any circumstances. Why did they do so? Because the case was one which had brought the maladministration of the Irish Constabulary prominently before the public. He (Mr. Callan) had not voted against the Constabulary Vote. He regarded the Constabulary as a body whose discipline and good conduct reflected credit, not only on themselves, but on their country; and he was anxious that their grievances should be dealt with, and that the Government should look, not merely to the Report of the Inspector General, but to the constables and sub-constables themselves. He did not wish to raise a debate; but simply to ask the Chief Secretary to inquire for himself. If he would promise to do so he (Mr. Callan) would furnish him with memoranda of the grievances of the Force generally, and of the widow and family of Constable Anderson in particular.

THE ROYAL IRISH CONSTABULARY— PENSIONS AND COMPASSIONATE ALLOWANCES.—OBSERVATIONS.