§ MR. JOYCETo ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the case of Private Thomas Morrissey, No. 4333, B. Company, 1st Lenister Regiment, who enlisted in 1894, and was discharged in 1898 suffering from a bad leg, brought on, in the doctor's opinion, by heavy route marching; also, that up to the present this man's leg cannot be cured, and that, through this cause, he cannot follow any regular employment; whether he is aware that this man has made repeated applications to the War Office and forwarded his papers, and has never been given a reply; and whether, under these conditions, a small pension could be given him to enable him to keep out of the workhouse.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) This man was discharged after less than four years service in consequence of varicose veins in the left leg. The Medical Board which recommended his discharge was of opinion that his disability was not primarily caused by his service as a soldier. This case was fully considered by the Commissioners of Chelsea Hospital on his discharge in 1898, who decided that he had no claim to pension. He has been answered six times to that effect, and was informed in March 1906 that no further application could receive attention. He is not, therefore eligible for the award of any pension from Army funds.