§ Mr. RONALD M'NEILLasked the President of the Board of Trade whether men who joined the Irish Lights service in 1870 and subsequent years were compelled to insure their lives and had 5s. per month stopped out of their pay to meet the premiums on the policies, without ever being informed of the amount for which they were insured; whether a new Regulation was made in 1908 whereby the premiums due on the life policies of those entering the service after that date are paid by the Department, while those who entered before that date still have the premiums deducted from their pay or pension, as the case may be; and whether he will take steps to remedy this inequality between the older and younger members of the service in question?
§ Mr. BURNSI am informed by the Irish Lights Commissioners that generally since 1870 lightkeepers and lightship and steamer crews have been insured on entering the service, the Commissioners paying half the premium of 5s. a month, and the2162W men being informed of the amount for which they were insured. Under Regulations made in 1897 free insurance was granted to lightkeepers irrespective of their date of entering the service, and a similar Regulation is in force as regards lightship and steamer crews after three years' service. The Irish Commissioners state that there is no inequality between the older and younger men now in the service, and men insured before 1899, when pensioned, are given the option of either paying three pounds yearly to maintain the policy or exchanging it for a paid-up policy of proportionately less amount.