§ MR. LAWSON (St. Pancras, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can state why a pension is refused in the case of John Higham, who enlisted in the Royal Horse Guards at Regent's Park Barracks in 1848, aged 19 years; served 12 years and 19 days; was willing to re-enlist, but was refused on account of bodily injury; and left with a good conduct badge; and whether similar applications have been rejected in the same way without any reason being given?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. BRODRICK, Surrey, Guildford)John Higham claimed his free discharge from the Army in 1860, before he had completed the minimum service required by the Regulations to qualify him for any pension. There is no record of his having been refused permission to re-enlist, nor of his having any bodily injury. Pension after so short a period of service can only be granted when a soldier is discharged for injuries received in the Service.