§ VISCOUNT CRANBORNEI beg to ask the Civil Lord of the Admiralty, whether his attention has been called to the case of Robert Rigden, who was injured in Chatham Dockyard in August 1893; and, whether the Admiralty have verified the information placed at their disposal by the hon. Member for Rochester in June of this year; and, if so, whether they will reconsider their refusal to augument Robert Rigden's pension?
§ THE CIVIL LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. J. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN,) Worcestershire, E.My attention has been directed by the Noble Lord's question to the case of Robert Rigden. The information placed at the disposal of the Admiralty by the hon. Member for Rochester is contrary to the information already in the possession of the Admiralty; but, it is not considered necessary to verify it, as the pension already awarded to Rigden could not in any circumstances be augmented, without going beyond the provisions of the Superannuation Act, which neither the Admiralty nor the Treasury have any power to do.
§ VISCOUNT CRANBORNEI should like to ask the hon. Gentleman, whether he will consider the propriety of granting an independent inquiry, as there is an absolute conflict of testimony, between those who inform me and the Authorities of the Admiralty?
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINI will certainly consider that point, if the noble Lord desires it.