§ SIR ALEXANDER GORDONasked the Vice President of the Committee of Council, If it is the case that applications are received by the Department of Education from Members of Parliament in favour of persons whose claims for a pension is under the consideration of the Department; and, whether such applications result in any benefit to the persons on whose behalf they are made?
§ MR. MUNDELLAsaid, the Code laid down that "applications for a pension will be received only from the managers" of a school or Training College, and he thought it would be well if the correspondence on the subject was also limited to them. It was true, however, that Members of Parliament had written to him in favour of pensions for particular teachers; but such recommendations, unless based on personal know- 1740 ledge of the work or circumstances of a teacher, were of no value. The pensions were awarded exclusively on the merits of each case; and he believed that in no single instance had a recommendation from a Member of Parliament or any other person been allowed to affect improperly the award of a pension.