HC Deb 21 September 1909 vol 11 cc224-5
Mr. MacNEILL (for Mr. Mooney)

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that Mrs. Mary McElduff, of Tullyvallon, Cullyhanna, Crossmaglin, county Armagh, was deprived of her old age pension in June last by the pension officer on the ground that her age could not be traced in the parish register; if he is aware that Mrs. McElduff forwarded to the Local Government Board her marriage certificate, showing that she was married on 15th February, 1863, and a written certificate from one of the witnesses of her marriage to the effect that, at the time of the marriage, the claimant was over 25 years of age; whether he is aware that the Local Government Board have never acknowledged the receipt of these documents, and, as the claimant is in poor circumstances, will he have immediate inquiries made; and whether it is to be taken to be the practice of the Treasury in Ireland to refuse pensions solely on the ground that the applicant's age is not on record, and that corroborative evidence admitted in England is not to be admitted in Ireland?

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL for IRELAND (Mr. Cherry)

The Local Government Board allowed the appeal of the pension officer on the ground that Mrs. McElduff was shown in the Census Return of 1851 as only seven years of age, and that her name could not be traced in the Census of 1841. A marriage certificate was forwarded to the Board, as indicated in the question, accompanied by a statement from one of the witnesses to the effect that he believed the pensioner to have been 25 years of age at the date of her marriage. The Board were unable to accept this statement as sufficient to prove that the Census Return was incorrect. They inform me that it is not possible, owing to the enormous number of documents received in connection with appeals, to acknowledge each one, but they deal with them as rapidly as possible.

Mr. MacNEILL

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Census Returns are notoriously inaccurate, and has he seen the last part of the question as to why corroborative evidence which is accepted in England is not accepted in Ireland?

Mr. CHERRY

Although the Census Returns may be inaccurate, the recollections of persons 40 years ago is still more liable to error.