§ Mr. GUINEYasked the Secretary to the Treasury, if instructions have been issued to pension officers, in calculating the income of small holders in Ireland who are applicants for old age pensions, to exclude from the outgoings the amounts paid in cash for feeding stuffs, such as hay, oats, meal, etc., these articles being necessary for the upkeep of animals on these small and uneconomic holdings, the applicants being able to produce receipts for payment of any such goods so purchased?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSENo such instructions have been issued. In framing an estimate of a small holder's profits for the consideration of the Pension Committee the Officer would make due allowance for any outgoings necessary for securing the profits.
§ Mr. O'DOHERTYasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he was aware that a change was contemplated in respect to the office premises of the pension officer at Moville, county Donegal, which would mean a distance of two miles to and fro; whether he was aware that such a change and distance would be inconvenient to old 2204W age pensioners and to traders having business with the officer, and to all concerned; whether he was aware that there were numerous places of ample and suitable accommodation in the town of Moville, including the house where the office now is; and whether, with a view to the public convenience, in preference to the personal convenience of the pension officer, he will take steps to prevent such attempted change?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe room at present occupied by the Excise officer at Moville as an office was hired temporarily until he could secure suitable lodgings in which he could provide the necessary office accommodation. He reports that such lodgings are not obtainable and it therefore becomes necessary for the Crown to provide an office. A room is available in the Custom House, and there does not appear to be any justification for providing two Revenue offices. The Custom House is considerably less than a mile from the room at present used as an office. There is no question of the personal convenience of the officer, and as no Excise officer was stationed at Moville until February, 1910, the public are much better off than they were before.
§ Mr. LYNCHasked whether in the case of Catherine McMahon, of Corry's Lane, Kilkee, West Clare, Ireland, the grounds for disallowing her claim to an old age pension were that her name was not to be found in any Census return; and whether, in place of this documentary evidence, the Local Government Board will accept the testimony of reputable citizens of Kilkee, who have known her for over fifty years, as, for instance, Mr. Patrick Hickey, of Erin Street, Kilkee, and Mr. Richard H. O'Donnell, Erin Arms, Kilkee?
§ Mr. BIRRELLAlthough Catherine McMahon's name was not found in the Census return of 1841, her parents' family was traced and the absence of her name would go to show that she was not then born, and is consequently still under seventy years of age. The Local Government Board cannot reconsider a decision they have given disallowing a pension, but, if a fresh claim is made by Mrs. McMahon, they would be prepared to consider any testimony furnisbed on her behalf. They could not, however, bind themselves beforehand to accept such testimony as necessarily proving that she had attained the statutory age.
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§ Mr. LYNCHasked whether attention has been directed to the case of Margaret Ryan, of Cranny, West Clare, Ireland, who was an applicant for an old age pension, but whose name was not found in any Census return or in the parochial registry, but who supported her claim by the testimony of Father Courtney, P.P., Father Lynch, P.P., and Father Hayes, C.C., who are all resident in the district and well acquainted with local affairs; and whether, in view of the fact that no matter what age she may attain she will be still in the same position with regard to documentary evidence, the Local Government Board will again consider her case?
§ Mr. BIRRELLBy the terms of Section 2 (1) of the Old Age Pensions Act, a claimant for a pension must have attained the age of seventy years, and until satisfactory proof is forthcoming of compliance with this condition no pension can properly be allowed. It is not open to the Local Government Board to reconsider their decision, but the applicant can make a fresh claim if she can obtain any evidence that she has attained the statutory age.