§ MR. WHITMORE (Chelsea)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Government will consider the claim for superannuation of the attendants and messengers at the South Kensington Museum, while they are considering the evidence given before, and the Report of the Select Committee on the grievances of the Woolwich Arsenal workmen, or whether the Government will assent to the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the claims of the attendants and messengers of the South Kensington Museum?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. JACKSON,) Leeds, N.I have to inform my hon. Friend, whose patience in dealing with this question I fully acknowledge, that Her Majesty's Government have given the most careful and complete consideration to the claims put forward by the men referred to, and they have come to the conclusion, which probably the men themselves would not dispute, that they have no legal claim to the benefits of the Superannuation Act, 1859. During the recess, however, the Treasury will consider whether it may be possible to meet in any way, and, if so, in what way, what I may describe as a sentimental feeling on the part of the men that they have a claim to some consideration, especially when their case is compared with that of men doing similar work elsewhere; but I am unable at present to say what direction the action of the Treasury may take.