§ Mr. HAZLETONasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the Glennamaddy, county Galway, Pension Committee awarded a pension to Michael Murry of 5s. a week, which he held from 1st January, 1909, to 6th November, 1909; that the pension officer appealed, on the ground of age, against this pension; whether satisfactory evidence was produced to prove that Murry was born in 1833; whether the Local Government Board, contrary to the decision of the Court of Appeal in the case of Pawley, reduced Murry's pension in November to 2s. a week; if so, on what grounds they did this; and whether they will restore the original pension?
§ Mr. BIRRELL:The facts are as stated in the question, but the Board's decision was given prior to the judgment of the Court of Appeal in the Pawley case, at a time when the Board held that they were bound to consider whether all the statutory conditions had been fulfilled in each case which came before them. The Board have no power to rescind their decision, and the question of the proper steps to be taken in such cases is under consideration.