§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, S.E.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether all temporary messengers at the War Office will be discharged at sixty years instead of sixty-five, as in other Departments; and whether these men will receive some compensation on their discharge.
§ * MR. WYNDHAMOwing to the scattered and inconvenient collection of houses in which the War Office is at present located it is essential that the messengers should be active and able-bodied. It has been found necessary to fix the age retirement of temporary messengers at sixty, which I may mention is the age at which the bulk of the civilian staff is now called upon to retire. All temporary messengers who have fifteen years' service as such receive a gratuity on discharge in addition to the Army pension they may be in receipt of. The retirement of temporary messengers at sixty will enable employment to be offered to a larger number of Army men who may not be in receipt of any pension and to whom employment is of first importance.