§ MR. J. P. FARRELL (Longford, N.)To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that Mrs. F, Williams, who served 27 years as sorting clerk and telegraphist in Edgeworthstown post office, left the service in February, 1904, without pension of any kind; and, seeing that in the April following an order came out making her office pensionable, and that she never had a report against her during this 27 years service, will he direct that she be granted a retiring allowance in accordance with the terms of the April circular.
(Answered by Lord Stanley.) Mrs. Williams did not hold an established appointment as sorting clerk and telegraphist. She was employed as assistant by the postmaster of Edgeworthstown and paid by him out of an allowance he received for providing assistance. Service of this nature is not pensionable, and it is, therefore, not in my power to obtain for Mrs. Williams any award under the Superannuation Acts, but I will inquire whether she is eligible for any gratuity from the Rowland Hill Benevolent Fund. In the latter part of his Question the hon. Member probably refers to the grant made this year by Parliament for providing gratuities in certain cases for unestablished officers. This grant was not available in the case of officers retiring before April of this year.