88. Sir F. HALLasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the grounds on which it is proposed to dispense with the services of P. O'Brien, a pensioner messenger employed in the Customs and Excise Department, who has attained the age of sixty-five years; if this man, who has served twenty-two years as a messenger following on twenty-one years' Army service, is still capable of carrying out his duties; if, on being retired, he will receive no retiring allowance beyond his Army pension of 1s. 10½d. a day; and if, having regard to the long and satisfactory record of service of O'Brien, further consideration can be given to the case, with a view to O'Brien's engagement being continued for a further period, or to his being given some augmentation of his Army pension?
§ Mr. BALDWINPensioner messengers are conditioned to retire at the age of sixty-five at latest, but on account of the scarcity of suitable candidates during the War, O'Brien has been specially retained for more than two years past that age. There is now a large number of ex-sailors and ex-soldiers, who have served in the War, waiting for employment, and there is no justification for retaining O'Brien any longer, and thereby depriving them of a vacancy. There is no power to grant him a retiring allowance, but he will receive a gratuity. Whether he has any claim to an increase of his Army pension is one for the Army authorities to decide.
Sir F. HALLMay I ask if, for instance, the hon. Gentleman considers it is generous that after forty-three years' service under the Government this man, who is retired at sixty-five when he cannot obtain employment elsewhere, should get a miserable 1s. 10½d. a day?