Dr. O'NEILLasked why Bernard Smith, of Corless, Crossmaglen, county Armagh, who was granted an old age pension by the sub-committee on 13th January, 1910, had his pension of 5s. withdrawn on appeal by the Local Government Board on 16th April, 1910, while his age had been fully verified from the Census of 1851, giving his age then as eleven years?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Local Government Board decided that Smith was not entitled to any pension on the ground that he had not yet attained the statutory age. In the Census of 1841 he was returned as six months old, and in the Census of 1851 as eleven years old. The Board accepted the earlier Census, as having been taken at a date nearer to the claimant's birth. In this instance it was, moreover, more precise, and, therefore, in all probability, more accurate. Smith will become qualified for a pension in December next.
Dr. O'NEILLasked the Chief Secretary whether he will say upon what grounds the Local Government Board deprived Patrick M'Nally of the pension granted to him by the pension sub-committee of Armagh, he having been paid the pension for six months and his age having been verified to the satisfaction of the sub-committee?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Local Government Board disallowed the claim of Patrick M'Nally, of Newtownhamilton, because he failed to produce satisfactory evidence that he had attained the statutory age.