§ Mr. ARTHUR LYNCHasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that Mrs. Catherine Murphy, of Caher-murphy, Kilmihil, was granted a pension in November, 1908, on the basis of a favourable report as to age and means from the pension officer; that after she had been in receipt of this pension from 1st January to 1st May of this year a question was raised by the pension officer under Regulation 17 (2); that the sole question raised was as to age, and that this question was submitted to the pension committee on 24th May last; that the pension committee decided in favour of the continuance of the pension on the ground of age; that the pension officer appealed against this decision; whether the Local Government Board was satisfied that Mrs. Murphy had attained the necessary age; whether the Board reduced her pension to 3s. weekly on the ground of means; and whether the Local Government Board is entitled to decide on these grounds a case submitted to their consideration for another reason?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI understand that the facts are as stated in the question. The Local Government Board hold that they are bound to satisfy themselves that a claimant or pensioner, whose case comes before them on appeal, fulfils all the statutory conditions, and is not disqualified in any way for the receipt of a pension. In this instance they considered that the means of Mrs. Murphy, as calculated for the purposes of the Act, were about 10s. a week; and they accordingly determined that the amount of the pension she was entitled to receive was 3s. a week.