§ Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTasked the Secretary of State for War whether it is possible for a man in receipt of an Army pension of 1s. per day, whose character and record of service have been very good, who is less than forty-five years of age and of certified good health, and who is of proved capacity as a market gardener, small holder, or allotment holder, to obtain a sufficient sum by commutation or part commutation of his pension to enable him to emigrate with his family to one of the Australian Colonies to carry on similar work there as a settler; whether the War Office will pay on behalf of such a man the £50 deposit repayable upon his arrival in the Colony; and, if not, whether the Government will, in justice to ex-soldiers 1196W of good character who find it difficult decently to support their families in England, make further and better provision to aid their emigration to a British Colony in all cases approved by its Agent General?
§ Mr. HALDANEThe experience of the War Office has shown that the commutation of small pensions is rarely to the pensioners' advantage, and it is not proposed to extend the present regulations, which only allow the commutation of any part in excess of 1s. a day, or to give large advances of pension, as even the moderate advances of six months now allowed are frequently found to lead to difficulties. It would appear that the suggestion of the hon. Member is aimed mainly at overcoming the difficulties caused to emigrants by the requirement of a large deposit. I would suggest that, if the Australian Colonies wish to encourage the immigration of suitable ex-soldiers, the case would more properly be met by their foregoing the deposit, upon the recommendation of the Agent General, than by a loan from army funds.
§ Mr. HUNTasked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the the case of Henry Davies, who enlisted in the Shropshire Light Infantry, in November, 1904, and was discharged from Netley Hospital on 20th December, 1910, suffering from consumption, as notified by the Army Medical Department, which he contracted during his service; whether it is according to the regulations of the War Office that this man should have been discharged with a temporary pension of 8d. a day; and whether the War Office makes no provision for cases of this kind?
§ Mr. HALDANEAs I have already explained to the hon. Member this man was awarded the maximum pension permissible under the Regulations. It has not been found practicable for the War Office to make any special provision for such cases.