MR. BOSS (Londonderry)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if his attention has been called to the case of James Thompson, who retired on 22nd May, 1893, from the Royal Irish Constabulary on a pension of —33 13s. 11d.; is he aware that Thompson entered the old Londonderry Police Force on 7th February, 1863, and, on its discontinuance, entered the Royal Irish Constabulary on 1st November, 1870, and, having regard to the 5th section of the 46 & 47 Vic, c. 14, whether the period of approved service in the old Londonderry Police Force ought to be taken into account for the purpose of reckoning the amount of pension payable on retirement; and why this has not been done in the case of James Thompson?
MR. J.MORLEYThe facts relating to the case of ex-Constable Thompson are correctly stated in the question, except that it was in the year 1864, and not in 1863, that he joined the old Londonderry Police Force. His case was carefully considered, both by the Government and by the Law Officers, previous to his discharge, and it was decided that there was no legal basis for allowing service in the Londonderry Force to count towards his pension.