§ MR. MACARTNEY (Antrim, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state why Mr. William J. Walters, late teacher of the Diamond National School, Crumlin District, Register No. 8,310, has not received a retiring gratuity.
MR. WYNHAMMr. Walters is not entitled to a retiring gratuity under the Pension Rules. He resigned his school on the 28th February, 1894, in consequence of a dispute with the school committee. If he intended to apply for a gratuity on the ground of ill-health he should have done so within one year from the date of resignation. This he failed to do. In 1897 and 1898 applications on his behalf were received from two clergymen, but they were informed that Mr. Walters could not be granted a retiring gratuity. Under Pension Rule 2 (1) of 1898 the Superintendent of the Pensions Office may extend the time within which notice of a claim for a gratuity under Rule 28 of the Superseded Pension Rides may be given, provided the Commissioners notify that there was reasonable excuse for the omission to make the application within one year, but no excuse has been given for the teacher's omission to comply with the rules in this case.