§ MR. HUNTER (Aberdeen, N.)asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office, If he can explain the circumstances under which the delay of nine months has arisen in paying to his legal representatives the amount of the effects of the late John Collins (Fleming) of the 2nd Battalion, Somerset Regiment, who met his death in Burmah in December of last year; and, whether the largeness of the sums of unclaimed effects of soldiers is due in any measure to the avoidable delays which take place in the realisation and distribution of them?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY (Mr. BRODRICK) (Surrey, Guildford)Great delay has arisen in making up the non-effective accounts of soldiers who have died in Burmah, and especially in the battalion referred to, in consequence of the very detached duties on which the troops were employed, coupled with the fact that their kits were left for the most part at Rangoon when the battalions moved up country. No instance is known of the relatives of a deceased soldier abandoning their claim upon his effects in consequence of delay in paying the money; and no case is added to the list of unclaimed effects until every effort has been made to discover the relatives entitled to the amount. I may add that the Secretary of State is always most desirous to distribute these estates with the least possible delay.