§ MR. C. H. WILSONasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether he is aware of the evils and inconveniences resulting from paying the Army Pensioners quarterly, and whether ho will consider the desirability of paying them at shorter intervals, say every month?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, WAR DEPARTMENT (Mr. HERBERT GLADSTONE)It is believed that the great majority of pensioners themselves prefer the present system of quarterly payments. It was found that the men were more apt to squander the monthly small sum than they are to make away with the more appreciable amount received quarterly. There is, of course, a saving in labour, and therefore in ex- 1218 pense, to the War Department and the Post Office by the quarterly instead of monthly payment of pensions; and it would require strong evidence of inconvenience or hardship to justify a reversion to the former system.