§ MR. GIBSONasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant for Ireland, Whether the Government have yet assigned pensions to Major Percy and other lately retired Resident Magistrates; if not, what is the cause of the delay, and, when will the matter be settled; are those gentlemen, since their compulsory retirement, in receipt of any public money; and, is it intended to take into account, in settling their pensions, that, but for the reorganisation of the Service, they would probably have held their situations for life?
§ MR. TREVELYANThe Treasury Minute assigning pensions to Major Percy and all the other retiring Resident Magistrates, except two, went over to Dublin yesterday. These gentlemen have remained on full salary until about the 4th of October, and their pensions will run from the day following the cessation of their salary. A delay in the award of a pension makes no difference in the date of its commencement. They are being pensioned on the special terms allowed on abolition of office; but it is erroneous to suppose that a Civil servant has any right to look forward to holding his situation for life, and such an assumption is specially unwarrantable in the case of Resident Magistrates, whose duties are of a more active nature than those of ordinary Civil servants.
§ MR. J. LOWTHERCould the right hon. Gentleman say who the exceptions are?
§ MR. TREVELYANI am not quite sure; but I think Mr. Dennehy and Mr. Byrne.