§ Mr. HAZLETONasked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state when the clerks of the pension sub-committees in North Galway were paid their fees for the quarters ending 30th September and 31st December last; and whether, in future the payments will be made without delay?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe fees in question were paid for the September quarter on the 2nd ultimo, and for the December quarter on the 31st ultimo. Delay in making payment occurs only when difficulties arise in establishing the correctness of claims.
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§ Mr. O'DOWDasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that Hugh Conlon, of Ballymote, county Sligo, was granted a pension by the local sub-committee on 1st January, 1909, and was in receipt of the same up to June, 1909, when the pension officer raised a question as to age, which was reinvestigated by the committee, who, on a sworn declaration, made by an old man of eighty-four, being produced, decided in favour of the applicant; whether he is aware that the pension officer appealed against that decision, the result being that the pension was stopped on 11th June, 1909; whether a second application was made by Conlon, when, it being found that the applicant was four years Old in 1841, he was again placed on the list on 11th February, 1910, and is now receiving his pension; and, if so, whether the amount of which this man was deprived between 11th June, 1909, and 11th February, 1910, will now be refunded to him?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThis question appears to relate to Hugh Condon, not Conlon. I understand that the facts are generally as stated, and I am making further inquiry into the case.
§ Mr. J. P. FARRELLasked the Chief Secretary if he will state the grounds upon which James Kennedy, No. 1,522 in the Longford sub-district register of old age pensions, after being granted a pension on two occasions, has been struck off the list; whether evidence of age by two respectable persons was tendered; and will he direct that this man's case be reconsidered?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe hon. Member is under a misapprehension in assuming that James Kennedy's name has been struck off the list of pensioners of the Longford sub-district. He was never on the pension list. He sent in two claims, but on neither occasion did he give any satisfactory evidence of age, and his claim was accordingly disallowed by the Local Government Board.
§ Mr. J. P. FARRELLasked the Chief Secretary if he will state on what grounds Alice Mulvey, No. 445 in the pension officer's register of Longford district, has been refused a pension; and whether he 1025W is aware that this woman has no visible means of support outside the sum of which she has now been deprived?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Local Government Board upheld the Pension Officer's appeal in this case on the ground that Alice Mulvey's means exceeded the statutory limit. I am not aware that she is without visible means of support, on the contrary, I understand, she is the tenant of a farm of twelve acres.
§ Mr. J. P. FARRELLasked the Chief Secretary if he will state on what grounds Catherine M'Conchy, of Drumhalry, North Longford, has been deprived of her pension; whether he is aware that the pension officer, a man named Combe, told her recently that whilst he was pension officer he would never allow her to get the pension; and will he therefore direct an inquiry to be made by an independent officer into this woman's case?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis woman has not, so far as the Local Government Board are aware, been deprived of a pension. The pension officer appealed against the allowance of her claim by the pension sub-committee and the Board upheld his appeal, as the evidence submitted was not sufficient to show that she had reached the statutory age. The case is at present again before the Board, on appeal against the allowance of a second claim; and, unless she can produce evidence sufficient to disprove the accuracy of the entry in the Census Return of 1851, showing that she was then only seven years old, her claim must again be disallowed. The Board have no knowledge of the statement alleged to have been made by the pension officer. In any event the final decision as to a pension, if the pension officer objects to its allowance by the Committee, does not rest with that officer, but with the Local Government Board.