§ SIR JOHN LENG (Dundee)To ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that George Maughan, formerly Sergeant in the Inniskilling Dragoons, who was wounded in the thigh at the battle of Balaclava, was present at Inkerman, and has a clasp for Sebastopol, subsequently serving for five years in India during the Mutiny, has forwarded a medical certificate to the War Office showing that he is suffering from chronic valvulous disease of the heart, varicose veins accompanied by ulceration, inguinal hernia, and, chronic rheumatism, due to hardships and exposure during his term of service as a soldier; and, seeing that this man has been informed that his application cannot be entertained for an increase of his pension of 9d. per day, as there is no official record of his wound, and the increase of pensions being limited to soldiers who have been wounded, or who have been discharged for disability due to service, whether, in view of the medical certificate, an exception can be made in this case, and the pension augmented.
(Answer.) I am afraid it is impossible to do anything more for this old soldier. 111 He is in receipt of the full campaign pension of a soldier of his service, and there is no official evidence that his present infirmities are due to service which terminated thirty-seven years ago. I must further point out that in I his claim he admits that he was not medically treated for the slight wound which he received at Balaclava. He was discharged after twelve years at his own, request.—(War Office.)