§ Sir WALTER NUGENTasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if his attention has been called to the administration of the Old Age Pensions Act in Ballymore, county Westmeath, where an old widow named Kerrigan, of Cartroncoragh, Drumraney, with three children, was, after being granted a pension, subsequently deprived of it on the ground of the extra profit she was making by selling butter, milk, and eggs to a constabulary barracks in the neighbourhood, and that notwithstanding the fact that the annuity she paid in lieu of rent was only £5 14s. 5d.; and whether this case will be again considered by the Local Government Board on a fresh application for a pension being made?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Local Government Board upheld the pension officer's appeal in this case, as they considered the pensioner's means exceeded the statutory limit of £31 10s. a year. If Mrs. Kerrigan can put forward any satisfactory evidence to show that her income is less than that figure, any further claim she may make for a pension will be considered.
§ Sir WALTER NUGENTasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he can state the cause of the delay of the Local Government 1819 Board in dealing with the application for a pension of Mrs. Elizabeth Fagan, of Coote, county Westmeath, whose second application has been before them since 28th August last, her original application having been refused on the ground that her name did not appear in the last Census, the second application being made on the Rev. Mr. Butler finding her name in the 1841 Census, showing her age to be now 89 years?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe delay in this case arose from the necessity for making inquiries into the application. The claimant's statement as to her age has now been confirmed by the Census of 1841, and as she has been found to be otherwise eligible the pension has been granted.
§ Sir WALTER NUGENTasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, in view of the recent disqualification for pensions in Coote, county Westmeath, of aged persons who were vouched for by clergymen of all denominations, he can state what evidence, if any, the Local Government Board are prepared to take as evidence of age when birth certificates and Census records are not obtainable?
§ Mr. BIRRELLIf the hon. Member will refer to pages 12 and 13 of the last annual Report of the Local Government Board, which has been presented to Parliament, he will find a statement as to the difficulties which the Board have experienced in dealing with the question of age, and their ways of meeting them. The Board consider any kind of evidence which they can get, and do not lay down any rule on the subject.
§ Mr. ARTHUR LYNCHCan the right hon. Gentleman suggest any Amendment to meet cases in which the name of the person has not been found in the census of 1841 or 1851 and yet a certificate has been given, by the local clergyman for instance, but the Local Government Board has decided that the person——
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is a hypothetical question which will have to be put on the Paper so as to bring it within the Rules.