§ Mr. MacVEAGHasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that in the case of Mrs. Mary Dimond, of Oldtown, Deer-park, Bellaghy, county Derry, no record of her age can be found in the Census Return and no baptismal entry can be found; whether he will explain why she is not well qualified for an old age pension; whether claimants, believed to be of ninety years or upwards, would be disqualified in the-absence of such evidence; and, if not, whether he can state on what definite principle such claims are decided?
§ Mr. BIRRELL:No record of Mrs. Dimond's age has been found in the Census Returns or in a baptismal register. Her claim was accordingly disallowed by the pension sub-committee, and when she appealed to the Local Government Board they confirmed the decision of the committee after giving her an opportunity of furnishing proof of her age. The onus of showing that the age of seventy has been attained rests upon the claimant, and the Board are prepared to consider any evidence which may be laid before them. Claimants believed to be ninety by the Local Government Board would undoubtedly receive pensions