§ MR. J. ROSS (Londonderry)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the petition of John Sweney, late of the Ordnance Survey for superannuation; whether he is aware that Mr. Sweney served in the Ordnance Survey Department from 1844 to 1848, and in the Royal Engineers from 1848 to 1869, and again in the Ordnance Survey from 1st November, 1870, till 1st January, 1892; and that, on the expiration of his 21 years' service in the Royal Engineers, he was pressed to remain in the corps in order to complete surveys he was then superintending; whether his claim to superannuation has been disallowed on the technical ground that his employment in the Ordnance Survey took place after the 29th September, 1870; and whether he will have the matter reconsidered?
§ *THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Sir JOHN HIBBERT, Oldham)My attention has not previously been called to this case, which was decided in February, 1892. The late Board of Treasury, with all the facts before them, awarded a gratuity of £56 6s. 6d., the highest amount legally possible. The conditions of Mr. Sweney's service make the grant to him of superannuation illegal, and so nothing would be gained by a reconsideration of his case.
§ MR. ROSSMay I ask whether the sum granted was Mr. Sweney's pension as a Royal Engineer, and whether I am to understand that because he was kept in the Royal Engineers in the public interest after September, 1870, he can be deprived of the benefits he would have had if he had not been detained in the public service?
§ *SIR JOHN HIBBERTThis case was decided by the Treasury during the time of the late Government. It was decided that a pension could not be given to this man.