§ Mr. ARTHUR LYNCHasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, in view of the fact that the case of Catherine M'Mahon, of Kilkee, may be regarded as typical of many where no documentary 2258W evidence as to age is available, but where evidence based on the opinion of representative men acquainted with local history has been advanced but not accepted, he will say how it is proposed to deal equitably with such cases, so as to obviate the conclusion that at no period of life the applicant may be considered entitled to an old age pension?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe onus of proof lies upon the claimant, and the Local Government Board are prepared to consider whatever evidence she can put forward. The difficulties experienced by the Board in dealing with the question of age and the ways in which they have been met are explained on pages 12 and 13 of the last Annual Report of the Local Government Board, which has been presented to Parliament.
§ Mr. ARTHUR LYNCHasked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been directed to the case of Catherine M'Mahon, of Corry's Lane, Kilkee, whose number in the pension committee's register is 8,358, and whose number in the pension officer's register is 2,584; whether it has been ascertained that her name cannot be found either in the registry of baptism or in the Census of 1841 or that of 1851, but that she can prove that 46 years ago she was housekeeper to the Reverend Father Brown, P.P., of Kilkee; and whether the Local Government Board will, in accordance with well-known custom in Ireland, accept this fact as proof that she has reached the age of 70, and that she is entitled to a pension under the Old Age Pensions Act?
§ Mr. BIRRELLIt is the fact that claimant's name cannot be found in the register of baptisms or in the Census Returns of 1841 and 1851. She stated she had been employed as housekeeper to the Reverend Father Breen 46 years ago, but even assuming her statement to be correct there was no evidence to show what her age was then. In the circumstances the Local Government Board felt bound to uphold the pension officer's appeal and disallow the pension.