§ MR. D. THOMAS (Merthyr Tydvil)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in reference to the superannuation allowance of Mr. Thomas Cadman, late Her Majesty's Inspector of Mines for the South Western District, "The Coal Mines Regulation Act, 1872," only created one class of Inspectors; whether in a letter dated 11th October, 1887, from the Home Office to the Treasury, it was stated that certain persons appointed under the Act of 1872
Were within the department known as Assistant Inspectors, but were appointed as Inspectors, and exercised the powers of Inspectors, the Statute authorising the appointment only of Inspectors;and further, that the Secretary of State concurred in the view, that to deprive these officers now of the augmentation provided under Section 4 of "The Superannuation Act, 1859," and promised to Inspectors of coal mines in a Treasury Minute of the same year, would operate with severe hardship upon them and their families, and would constitute—A real grievance, of which they might justly complain;if any steps have been taken by the Treasury to obtain the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown as to the legality of with holding from Mr. Cadman the full superannuation allowance promised Inspectors of coal mines in the Treasury Minute of 14th June, 1859; and whether, having regard to the necessity of maintaining good faith with the servants of the State as to superannuation, the Treasury will once more re-consider Mr. Cadman's case?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. JACKSON, Leeds, N.)The Act referred to created only one class of Inspectors, and the words specified are correctly quoted from a Home Office letter to the Treasury, dated 11th October, 1887. I have directed that an opinion should be obtained from the Law Officers of the Crown as to the legality of the pension award which has been made in the case of Mr. Cadman. When that opinion is before me I will consider whether it renders necessary any modification of the Treasury decision.