§ Mr. PATRICK O'BRIENasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, whether he is aware that Mrs. Mary Cullen, a claimant for an old age pension in the borough of Kilkenny, is shown six years in the age last birthday column in the Census of 31st March, 1851, and was thus admittedly over 69 years on 31st March last; whether claimant's statement that she was born on 15th June, 1844, the recurring date of a local fair and two months before the death of a relative whose death-date is recorded on a tomb, has been disregarded by the pension officer and on appeal by the Local Government Board for Ireland though the pension committee are quite satisfied; whether the official authorities insist on 570W regarding the interval between the said Census date and the last birthday as only two months, though the average interval is six months, in every case where there is no direct documentary evidence of the birthday date and compel the pension officers to act as stated, however satisfied they may be of the bona fides of the statements; and whether, seeing that the claimant's statement re her birthday is bon â fide and corroborated, he will undertake to remedy the grievance and have the pension paid as from 19th June last when the same was passed by the committee.
§ Mr. BIRRELLThere is no evidence as to the date of birth of the claimant, Mrs. Mary Cullen, beyond her own statements. and in the circumstances the Local Government Board could not depart from the general rule adopted by them, which is to regard, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, persons found to be aged six in 1851 as attaining the age of seventy on the 1st February, 1915, that is two months earlier than their age calculated exactly in accordance with the Census. It is now open to the claimant to make a fresh claim, which could be allowed as from the 1st February, 1915, provided she is eligible in other respects for a pension.
§ Mr. DANIEL BOYLEasked the Chief Secretary on what grounds the old age pension claim of Michael Murphy, of Driminaffrin, in the Bangor Erris, county Mayo, sub-pension district was disallowed, on appeal by the Local Government Board; and, if on the question of means, will he state on what basis the calculation of means was made?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe old age pension claim of Michael Murphy was disallowed on the ground of means. It was reported that the claimant assigned two farms to an unmarried son in February, 1912, the return from which would have brought his means over the statutory limit. There were twenty-three cattle and twenty sheep on the farm, besides one horse and some fowl, when the case was investigated.