Captain CRAIGasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether a memorial was presented to the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction by ship inspectors attached to the veterinary branch of the Department at the different ports throughout Ireland, praying that a recommendation be made to the Treasury to extend the age limit for retiring from sixty to sixty-five, as in the case of all other branches of the Civil Service, including veterinary surgeons of the Department; whether, under the present regulations, thoroughly experienced and capable men are forced to retire at an age when prospects of further employment are remote; and whether, under the circumstances that most of the men are poor with families to maintain, he will favourably consider the question and recommend the Treasury to extend the age limit to sixty-five?
The VICE-PRESIDENT of the DEPARTMENT of AGRICULTURE (Ireland, Mr. T. W. Russell)The memorial mentioned was duly received, and has been replied to in the negative. The ship inspectors employed by the Department 533 are mostly police pensioners. The rule requiring them to retire at sixty is regarded as being in the interests of the service. It was adopted, after full investigation, by the Treasury, about nine years ago. It has been applied in a very large number of cases since, and the Department are not now prepared to recommend its modification.